"I was sitting with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and a man was standing and praying. When he bowed, prostrated and recited the tashahhud, he supplicated, and in his supplication he said: "Allahumma inni as'aluka bi-anna lakal-hamd, lailaha illa ant, al-mannanu badi'us-samawati wal-ard, ya dhal-jalali wal-ikram! Ya hayyu ya qayyum! Inni as'aluka. (O Allah, indeed I ask You since all praise is due to You, there is none worthy of worship but You, the Bestower, the Creator of the heavens and earth, O Possessor of majesty and honor, O Ever-living, O-Eternal, I ask of You.)' The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Do you know what he has supplicated with?' They said: "Allah (SWT) and His Messenger know best." He said: 'By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, he called upon Allah by His greatest Name, which, if He is called by it, He responds, and if He is asked by it, He gives.'"
Hadith Text
"I was sitting with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and a man was standing and praying. When he bowed, prostrated and recited the tashahhud, he supplicated, and in his supplication he said: 'Allahumma inni as'aluka bi-anna lakal-hamd, lailaha illa ant, al-mannanu badi'us-samawati wal-ard, ya dhal-jalali wal-ikram! Ya hayyu ya qayyum! Inni as'aluka. (O Allah, indeed I ask You since all praise is due to You, there is none worthy of worship but You, the Bestower, the Creator of the heavens and earth, O Possessor of majesty and honor, O Ever-living, O-Eternal, I ask of You.)' The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Do you know what he has supplicated with?' They said: 'Allah (SWT) and His Messenger know best.' He said: 'By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, he called upon Allah by His greatest Name, which, if He is called by it, He responds, and if He is asked by it, He gives.'"
Scholarly Commentary
This hadith from Sunan an-Nasa'i reveals the profound wisdom regarding supplication and Allah's greatest name. The companion's prayer contains the essential elements of tawhid (divine unity), praise, and recognition of Allah's magnificent attributes.
The phrase "bi-anna lakal-hamd" (since all praise is due to You) demonstrates the proper etiquette of beginning supplication with Allah's praise, as taught in numerous prophetic traditions.
"Al-Mannanu" refers to Allah as the Bestower of blessings, while "badi'us-samawati wal-ard" affirms His role as the Originator of creation without precedent.
The invocation "Ya dhal-jalali wal-ikram" addresses Allah's majesty and generosity, while "Ya hayyu ya qayyum" calls upon His eternal, self-subsisting nature - attributes that encompass all perfection.
The Prophet's declaration that this contains Allah's greatest name shows that comprehensive recognition of divine attributes, rather than a single phrase, constitutes the most powerful means of supplication.
Practical Application
This teaching encourages believers to learn this comprehensive supplication and use it in their prayers, particularly during tashahhud and prostrations.
Scholars note that the effectiveness lies in understanding the meanings and praying with presence of heart, not mere repetition of words.
The hadith also demonstrates the Prophet's role as teacher, drawing companions' attention to spiritual gems they might otherwise overlook.