Supplications

كتاب الدعوات

Chapter 19: What one Says in the Morning, the Evening and when going to Sleep - Section 1

Abu Huraira said that when Fatima went to the Prophet and asked him for a servant, he said, “Let me guide you to something which is better than a servant. You should say ‘Glory be to God thirty-three times, ‘Praise be to God" thirty-three times, and ‘God is most great’ thirty-four times at each time of prayer and when you go to bed.” Muslim transmitted it.

Chapter 20: What one Says in the Morning, the Evening and when going to Sleep - Section 2

Abu Huraira said that God’s messenger would say in the morning, "O God, by, Thee we come to the morning, by Thee we come to the evening, by Thee we live, by Thee we die, and to Thee do we come." In the evening he said, “O God, by Thee we come to the evening, by Thee we come to the morning, by Thee we live, by Thee we die, and to Thee are we resurrected.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

He told how Abu Bakr said he had asked God’s messenger to command him something to say in the morning and the evening, and he had told him to say, “O God, who knowest the unseen and the seen, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Lord and Possessor of everything, I testify that there is no god but Thee; I seek refuge in Thee from the evil within myself, from the evil of the devil and his [incitement to] attributing partners [to God].”* He instructed him to say it morning and evening, and when he went to bed. *The Arabic word may be read either as shirk (attributing a partner to God), or as sharah(snare). The former is preferred. Cf. Mirqat, ili, 99.Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it.

Aban b. ‘Uthman said he heard his father quoting God’s messenger as saying that if anyone says three times every morning and evening, “In the name of God, when whose name is mentioned nothing in earth or heaven can cause harm, and He is the Hearer, the Knower,” he will not be harmed by anything. Aban was afflicted by some paralysis, and when a man began to look at him Aban would say, “Why are you looking at me? The tradition is as I told it to you, but I did not say the words that day in order that God might carry out what He had decreed for me.” Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Abu Dawud transmitted it. Abu Dawud’s version has, “He will not suffer sudden affliction till the morning, and if anyone says it in the morning he will not suffer sudden affliction till the evening.”

‘Abdallah [i.e. ‘Abdallah b. Mas’ud.] said that the Prophet used to say in the evening, “We have come to the evening, and in the evening the dominion belongs to God; praise be to God; there is no god but God alone who has no partner; to Him belongs the dominion, to Him praise is due, and He is omnipotent. My Lord, I ask Thee for the good of what this night contains and the good of what comes after it; I seek refuge in Thee from the evil of what this night contains and the evil of what comes after it; my Lord, I seek refuge in Thee from indolence and from the evil of old age, or infidelity."* A version has, "From the evil of old age and pride. My Lord, I seek refuge in Thee from a punishment in hell and a punishment in the grave." In the morning he said that also

"We have come to the morning, and in the morning the dominion belongs to God..."*The transmitter was not sure which word was used.Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it. Tirmidhi did not mention "from the evil of infidelity" in his version.

One of the Prophet's daughters said that he used to teach her, telling her to say in the morning, "Glory be to God, and I begin with praise of Him; there is no power but in God; what God wills comes to pass, and what He does not will does not come to pass; I know that God is omnipotent and that God has comprehended everything in knowledge;" for whoever says it in the morning will be guarded till the evening, and whoever says it in the evening will be guarded till the morning. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying that if anyone repeats in the morning, "So glory be to God in the evening and in the morning; to Him is the praise in the heavens and the earth; and in the late evening and at noon .. . thus shall you be brought forth," [Qur'an, xxx, 17-19.] he will get that day what he has missed; and if anyone repeats these words in the evening he will get that night what he has missed. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu ‘Ayyash reported God's messenger as saying that if anyone says in the morning, “There is no god but God alone who has no partner; to Him belongs the dominion, to Him praise is due, and He is omnipotent,” he will have a reward equivalent to that for setting free a slave from among the descendants of Ishmael, will have ten good deeds recorded for him, will have ten evil deeds deducted from him, will be advanced ten degrees, and will be guarded from the devil till the evening. If he says them in the evening he will have a similar recompense till the morning. Hammad b. Salama said that a man saw God’s messenger in a dream and said, “Messenger of God, Abu ‘Ayyash is relating such and such on your authority,” to which he received the reply, “Abu ‘Ayyash has spoken the truth.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Al-Harith b. Muslim at-Tamimi quoted his father as saying that God’s messenger told him secretly to say seven times when he had finished the sunset prayer, before speaking to anyone, “O God, protect me from hell”; for if he said that and died that night, exemption from it would be recorded for him. He also told him to say that when he had prayed the morning prayer, for if he died that day, exemption from it would be recorded for him. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said that God’s messenger never failed to use these words evening and morning, “O God, I ask Thee for security in this world and the next; O God, I ask Thee for forgiveness and security in my religion and my worldly affairs, in my family and my property; O God, conceal my faults [cf. Mirqat, iii, 103.] and keep me safe from the things which I fear; O God, guard me in front of me and behind me, on my right hand and on my left, and from above me; and I seek refuge in Thy greatness from receiving unexpected harm from below me.” Waki‘ said he meant being swallowed up by the earth. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Anas reported God's messenger as saying that if anyone says in the morning, “O God, in the morning we call Thee, the bearers of Thy Throne, Thy angels and all Thy creatures to witness that Thou art God than whom alone there is no god, being without a partner, and that Muhammad is Thy servant and messenger,” God will forgive him any sins he commits that day; and if he says it in the evening, God will forgive him any sins he commits that night. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a gharib tradition.

Thauban reported God’s messenger as saying that if any Muslim says three times evening and morning, "I am pleased with God as Lord, with Islam as religion, and with Muhammad as Prophet," God will certainly please him on the day of resurrection. Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Hudhaifa said that when the Prophet wanted to go to sleep he placed his hand under his head and said, "O God, guard me from thy punishment on the day when Thou gatherest Thy servants," or "raisest up Thy servants." Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Ahmad gave al-Bara’ as his authority.

Hafsa said that when God’s messenger wanted to go to sleep he put his right hand under his cheek, and would then say three times, "O God, guard me from Thy punishment on the day when Thou raisest up Thy servants." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Ali reported that God’s messenger used to say when he lay down, "O God, I seek refuge in Thy noble Person and in Thy perfect words from the evil of what Thou seizest by its forelock; O God, Thou removest debt and sin; O God, Thy troop is not routed, Thy promise is not broken, and the riches of the rich do not avail against Thee. Glory and praise be unto Thee." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id reported God's messenger as saying that if anyone says three times when going to bed, "I ask the forgiveness of God than whom there is no god, the Living, the Eternal, and I turn in repentance to Him," God will forgive him his sins, even if they are like the foam of the sea, or in number like the sand which is accumulated,* or as many as the leaves of the trees, or as numerous as the days of this world.*The word is ‘alij. Some say ‘Alij is a place in the desert, the translation being ‘the sand of ‘Alij; others treat it as translated above.Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Shaddad b. Aus reported God’s messenger as saying, "If any Muslim recites a sura from God’s Book when he goes to bed, God will put an angel in charge of him, and nothing which may harm him will come near him till he wakes". Tirmidhi transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As reported God’s messenger as saying there are two characteristics which will not be retained by any Muslim without his entering paradise. While they are easy, those who act upon them are few. One should say ‘Glory be to God’ ten times after every prayer, ‘Praise be to God’ ten times and ‘God is most great’ ten times. (He said he had seen God’s messenger counting them on his hand, and saying, “That is a hundred and fifty on the tongue, but one thousand five hundred in the scale”).[The three phrases each said ten times after the five times of prayer makes a hundred and fifty, and as a good deed gets a ten-fold reward the total is treated as one thousand five hundred.] When he goes to his bed he should say ‘Glory be to God,’ ‘God is most Great’ and ‘Praise be to God’ a hundred times, for that is a hundred on the tongue, but a thousand in the scale. He asked them which of them could commit two thousand five hundred sins in a day and a night.* He was asked how they could not retain these characteristics, and told them that the devil comes to a man while he is engaged in prayer, calling such and such and such and such to his memory until he turns away and perhaps may not do it. He also comes to him on his bed and keeps on making him sleep till he falls asleep.*The thousand plus the preceding fifteen hundred make two thousand five hundred good deeds with which the man who observes the two characteristics mentioned is credited, and as one could hardly commit as many sins in a day and a night there is a balance in his favour.Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it. In Abu Dawud's version he said, “Two qualities or two characteristics will not be adhered to by a Muslim ...” And also in his version after saying “One thousand five hundred in the scale” he said, “When he goes to his bed he should say ‘God is most great’ thirty-four times, ‘Praise be to God’ thirty-three times and ‘Glory be to God’ thirty-three times.” In most texts of al-Masabih it is given on the authority of ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar.

‘Abdallah b. Ghannam reported God’s messenger as saying, that if anyone says in the morning, "O God, whatever favour has come to me or to any of Thy creatures in the morning, it comes from Thee alone who hast no partner, to whom be praise and thanksgiving," he will have expressed full thanksgiving for the day; and if anyone says the same in the evening he will have expressed full thanksgiving for the night.Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told that when the Prophet went to his bed he used to say, “O God, Lord of the heavens, Lord of the earth, Lord of everything, who splittest the grain and the kernel, who hast sent down the Torah, the Injil and the Qur’an, I seek refuge in Thee from the evil of every evil agent whose forelock Thou seizest. Thou art the First and there is nothing before Thee; Thou art the Last and there is nothing after Thee; Thou art the Outward and there is nothing above Thee; Thou art the Inward and there is nothing below Thee. Pay the debt for me and grant me riches instead of poverty.” Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it. Muslim also transmitted it with a slight difference.