"Sa'd used to teach his children these words as a teacher teaches his students, and he said that the Messenger of Allah [SAW] used to seek refuge by means of them at the end of every prayer: 'Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-bukhli, wa a'udhu bika minal-jubni, wa a'udhu bika an uradda ila ardhalil-'umuri, wa a'udhu bika min fitnatid-dunya, wa a'udhu bika min 'adhabil-qabr (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from miserliness, and I seek refuge in You from cowardice, and I seek refuge in You from reaching the age of senility, and I seek refuge in You from the trials of this world, and I seek refuge in You from the torment of the grave.) So I narrated that to Mus'ab and he said that he told the truth."
The Book of Seeking Refuge with Allah - Sunan an-Nasa'i 5447
This narration from Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, preserved in Sunan an-Nasa'i, presents a comprehensive supplication taught by the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) to be recited after every prayer, encompassing protection from spiritual, psychological, and worldly afflictions.
Commentary on the Five Seekings of Refuge
From Miserliness (Al-Bukhl): Scholars explain this seeks protection from the disease of the heart that prevents spending in obligatory charity (zakat) and voluntary good deeds. It corrupts one's faith and severs communal bonds.
From Cowardice (Al-Jubn): The seeker asks Allah for courage to uphold truth, defend justice, and speak righteously when silence would be sinful. This is the spiritual courage required for fulfilling religious obligations.
From Senile Age (Ardhalil-'Umur): The commentators clarify this refers not to old age itself, but to reaching a state where one loses mental faculties, becomes burdensome to others, and cannot properly worship Allah - a condition where life lengthens without benefit.
From Worldly Trials (Fitnatid-Dunya): The scholars interpret this as comprehensive protection from all tests of this temporal existence - both the trials of hardship that cause one to despair, and the trials of ease and wealth that may lead to arrogance and disobedience.
From Grave's Torment ('Adhabil-Qabr): The classical exegetes explain this seeks refuge from the punishment in the intermediate realm (barzakh) that befalls the sinner due to their negligence in fulfilling Allah's commands and avoiding prohibitions.
Scholarly Observations
The chain of narration through Mus'ab ibn Sa'd authenticates this practice. The method of teaching children indicates the importance of instilling these spiritual protections from youth. Reciting this after each prayer demonstrates the continuous need for divine protection throughout a Muslim's daily life.
This comprehensive supplication addresses protection from internal spiritual diseases (miserliness, cowardice), external worldly tests, the physical degeneration of old age, and the ultimate consequence in the afterlife - thus encompassing the complete human experience from this world to the next.