The Book of Du'a (Supplications)

كتاب الدعوات

Chapter 1: Issues regarding Supplications, their Virtues and Supplications of the Prophet (pbuh)

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to supplicate: "Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-barasi, wal- jununi, wal-judhami, wa sayyi'il-asqami' (O Allah! I seek refuge in You from leucoderma, insanity, leprosy and evil diseases)."[Abu Dawud].

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to supplicate: "Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal- ju'i, fa-innahu bi'sad-daji'u; wa a'udhu bika minal-khiyanati, fa- innaha bi'satil-bitanah' [O Allah! I seek refuge in You from hunger; surely, it is the worst companion. And I seek refuge in You from treachery; surely, it is a bad inner trait]."[Abu Dawud].

'Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

A slave who had made a contract with his master to pay for his freedom, came to me and said: "I am unable to fulfill my obligation, so help me." He said to him: "Shall I not teach you a supplication which the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) taught me? It will surely prove so effective that if you have a debt as large as a huge mountain, Allah will surely pay it for you. Say: 'Allahumm-akfini bihalalika 'an haramika, wa aghnini bifadlika 'amman siwaka (O Allah! Grant me enough of what You make lawful so that I may dispense with what You make unlawful, and enable me by Your Grace to dispense with all but You)."[At- Tirmidhi].

'Imran bin Husain (May Allah be pleased with them) reported

The Prophet (ﷺ) taught my father two statements to recite in his Du'a. These are: "Allahumma al-himni rushdi, wa a'idhni min sharri nafsi (O Allah! Inspire in me guidance and deliver me from the evils within myself)."[At-Tirmidhi].

Abul-Fadl Al-`Abbas bin `Abdul-Muttalib (ra) reported

I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to teach me a supplication. He (ﷺ) said, "Beg Allah for safety (from all evils in this world and in the Hereafter)." I waited for some days and then I went to him again and asked him: "O Messenger of Allah Teach me to supplicate something from Allah." He said to me, "O Al-`Abbas, the uncle of Messenger of Allah! Beseech Allah to give you safety (Al-`afiyah ) in this life and in the Hereafter."[At- Tirmidhi].

Shahr bin Haushab reported

I asked Umm Salamah (May Allah be pleased with her), "O Mother of the Believers! Which supplication did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) make frequently when he was in your house?" She said: "He (ﷺ) supplicated frequently: 'Ya muqallibal-qulubi, thabbit qalbi 'ala dinika (O Controller of the hearts make my heart steadfast in Your religion)."[At- Tirmidhi].

Abud-Darda' (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "One of Prophet Dawud's supplications was: 'Allahumma inni as'aluka hubbaka, wa hubba man yuhibbuka, wal-'amalalladhi yuballighuni hubbaka. Allahumm-aj'al hubbaka ahabba ilayya min nafsi, wa ahli, wa minal-ma'il-baridi (O Allah! I ask You for Your Love, the love of those who love You, and deeds which will cause me to attain Your Love. O Allah! Make Your Love dearer to me than myself, my family and the cold water)."'[At- Tirmidhi].

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Recite frequently: 'Ya Dhal-Jalali wal-Ikram! (O You, Possessor of glory and honour)."'[At- Tirmidhi].

Abu Umamah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) made many supplications which we did not memorize. We said to him: "O Messenger of Allah! You have made many supplications of which we do not remember anything." He said, "Shall I tell you a comprehensive prayer? Say: 'Allahumma inni as'aluka min khairi ma sa'alaka minhu nabiyyuka Muhammadun sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam. Wa 'a'udhu bika min sharri mas-ta'adha minhu nabiyyuka Muhammadun sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam. Wa Antal-Musta'anu, wa 'alaikal-balaghu, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (O Allah, I beg to You the good which Your Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) begged of You; and I seek refuge in You from the evil where from Your Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) sought refuge. You are the One from Whom help is sought and Your is the responsibility to communicate (the truth). There is no power or strength except with Allah the Exalted, the Great."'[At- Tirmidhi]

Ibn Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

One of the supplications of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was: "Allahumma inni as'aluka mujibati rahmatika, wa 'aza'ima maghfiratika, was-salamata min kulli ithmin, wal-ghanimata min kulli birrin, wal-fawza bil- jannati, wannajata mina-nar (O Allah! I beg You for that which incites Your Mercy and the means of Your forgiveness, safety from every sin, the benefit from every good deed, success in attaining Jannah and deliverance from Fire)."[Al-Hakim].

Chapter 2: The Excellence of Supplicating in one's Absence

Abud-Darda' (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, "Whenever a Muslim supplicates for his (Muslim) brother in his absence, the angels say: 'May the same be for you too'."[Muslim].

Abud-Darda' (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The supplication of a Muslim for his (Muslim) brother in his absence will certainly be answered. Everytime he makes a supplication for good for his brother, the angel appointed for this particular task says: 'A meen! May it be for you, too'."[Muslim].

Chapter 3: Some Verdicts Pertaining to Supplications

Usamah bin Zaid (May Allah be pleased with them) reported

[At-Tirmidhi].

Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Do not invoke curses on yourself or on your children or on your possessions lest you should happen to do it at a moment when the supplications are accepted, and your prayer might be granted."[Muslim].

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "A slave becomes nearest to his Rubb when he is in prostration. So increase supplications in prostrations."[Muslim].

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), "The supplication of every one of you will be granted if he does not get impatient and say (for example): 'I supplicated my Rubb but my prayer has not been granted'."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].The narration of Muslim is: "The supplication of a slave continues to be granted as long as he does not supplicate for a sinful thing or for something that would cut off the ties of kinship and he does not grow impatient." It was said: "O Messenger of Allah! What does growing impatient mean?" He (ﷺ) said, "It is one's saying: 'I supplicated again and again but I do not think that my prayer will be answered.' Then he becomes frustrated (in such circumstances) and gives up supplication altogether."

Abu Umamah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked: "At what time does the supplication find the greatest response?" He (ﷺ) replied, "A supplication made during the middle of the last part of the night and after the conclusion of the obligatory prayers."[At-Tirmidhi].

'Ubadah bin As-Samit (May Allah be pleased with him) said

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Whenever a Muslim supplicates Allah, He accepts his supplication or averts any similar kind of trouble from him until he prays for something sinful or something that may break the ties of kinship." Upon this someone of the Companions said: "Then we shall supplicate plenty." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Allah is more plentiful (in responding)."[At- Tirmidhi].

Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to say when he was in distress: "La ilaha illallahul-Azimul-Halim. La ilaha illallahu Rabbul-'Arshil-'Azim. La ilaha illallahu Rabbus-samawati, wa Rabbul-ardi, wa Rabbul-'Arshil- Karim. (None has the right to be worshipped but Allah the Incomparably Great, the Compassionate. None has the right to be worshipped but Allah the Rubb of the Mighty Throne. None has the right to be worshipped but Allah the Rubb of the heavens, the Rubb of the earth, and the Rubb of the Honourable Throne)."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Chapter 4: Superiority of Auliya' and their Marvels

'Abdur-Rahman bin Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with them) reported

The Companions of As-Suffah were poor people. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever has food enough for two people, should take a third one (from among them), and whoever has food enough for four persons, should take a fifth or sixth (or said something similar)." Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) took three people with him while Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) took ten. Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) took his supper with the Prophet (ﷺ) and stayed there till he offered the 'Isha' prayers. After a part of the night had passed, he returned to his house. His wife said to him: "What has detained you from your guests?" He said: "Have you not served supper to them?" She said: "They refused to take supper until you come." [Abdur-Rahman (Abu Bakr's son) or the servants] presented the meal to them but they refused to eat. I (the narrator) hid myself out of fear. Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) (my father) rebuked me. Then he said to them: "Please eat. By Allah! I will never eat the meal." 'Abdur-Rahman added: Whenever we took a morsel of the meal, the meal grew from underneath more than that morsel we had till everybody ate to his satisfaction; yet the remaining food was more than what was in the beginning. On seeing this, Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) called his wife and said: "O sister of Banu Firas! What is this?" She said: "O pleasure of my eyes! The food has increased thrice in quantity." Then Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) started eating. He said: "My oath not to take the meal was because of Satan." He took a morsel handful from it and carried the rest to the Prophet (ﷺ). That food remained with him. In those days there was a treaty between us and the pagans and when the period of that treaty elapsed, he (ﷺ) divided us into twelve groups and every group was headed by a man. Allah knows how many men were under the command of each leader. Anyhow, all of them ate of that meal.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].There are some more narrations in both Al-Bukhari and Muslim with very minor differences in wordings and in details.