Nourishing the Soul

Worship is a complete nourishment for the soul, mind and body. Every prayer, act of charity and virtuous deed is like a dish served from the banquet of divine sustenance.

Among all acts of worship, there is one that offers a deeper nourishment, one that purifies the heart and elevates the soul: intimate moments of supplication and devotion when the heart connects fully with Allah, free from all distraction.

These are the moments you choose for yourself to praise, remember, and call upon your Lord. In the quiet of the night or the still moments of the day, the heart clears and the soul rises toward Him. You call upon Him by His Names, glorify His Majesty, and speak to Him as the Prophets and the righteous did before you.

There is something wondrous that happens when dhikr and duʿā’ come together, when praise and petition flow from the same heart. True praise, grounded in Allah’s Names and Attributes, awakens the heart, deepens knowledge of Allah and draws one nearer to Him. Most Prophetic and Qur’ānic supplications begin with praise — affirming His power, beauty, and Oneness — before asking for anything, showing how praise and supplication fused together strengthen īmān. This alone is one of the great spiritual aims of worship, and among the most beautiful paths to the Lord of the worlds.

This intimate dialogue with Allah (munājāh) fills the heart with spiritual light, replenishes the soul, and clears the mind. Those who remain steadfast upon this path rise through the ranks of īmān, drawing ever closer to Allah, until they are counted among His beloved: those blessed with barakah, wisdom and nearness to Him.

Duʿa: A Worship of the Heart

Duʿā’ is a unique act of worship that brings together a multitude of the actions of the heart, perhaps more than any other individual act of worship. Within it lies the turning of the heart sincerely towards Allah, filled with hope in His response and fear of His displeasure. It embodies awe, reverence, reliance, humility, submission and love. It is infused with dhikr, the utterances of His Beautiful Names and the earnest seeking of His help.

Duʿā’ nourishes the soul, increases the knowledge of Allah and illuminates the heart with the light of īmān. It transforms worship from a routine into an intimate connection.

Ibn Taymiyyah (raḥimahullāh) said: “One of the greatest blessings of Allah upon His believing servants is that He sometimes sends upon them hardship and trials that compel them to turn to Him alone, worshipping Him with sincerity. In those moments, they call upon Him sincerely, hoping in Him and in no one else. Their hearts become attached to Him and detached from others. As a result, they attain true reliance (tawakkul) on Him, sincere devotion (inābah), the sweetness of faith, and a taste of its reality. They become free from all forms of shirk (associating others with Him). This spiritual gain is far greater than the mere removal of illness, fear, or poverty, or the attainment of ease after hardship — for these are bodily pleasures and worldly comforts, which even disbelievers may enjoy more than the believer.”

How Duʿa Strengthens Iman

Turning to Allah in need reflects yaqīn: the certainty that He hears, responds, and has power over all things. No one calls upon one who is deaf or powerless. By raising our hands in duʿāʾ, we affirm our belief that Allah is the All-Hearing, All-Powerful, Most Generous, and Most Merciful. In doing so, our awareness of His Names and Attributes deepens, and our īmān grows with every sincere plea. As Imām al-Rāzī (raḥimahullāh) said:

“Duʿā’ instills an awareness of the humility of servitude and the majesty of Lordship, and this is the loftiest and noblest aim of every worship. The explanation is as follows: a person only turns to duʿā’ when they realise their own need for what they seek and their incapacity to attain it. They also recognise that their Lord hears their prayer, knows their need, is capable of relieving it, and is Merciful: His mercy necessitates that He removes that need. So, the one making duʿā’ does so because they see themselves as needy and helpless, and they know their Lord to be All-Knowing, All-Powerful, and Most Merciful. The ultimate goal of all acts of worship is to realise the humility of servitude and the majesty of Lordship. And when duʿā’ combines both of these realities, it is undoubtedly the greatest of all acts of worship.”

Seeking Allah’s help is half of the dīn and a sign of true īmān. When we turn to Him alone, fully certain that no one else can benefit or harm us, our tawakkul (reliance) and yaqīn (certainty) in Him grow. This intimate turning to Allah is one of the highest expressions of tawḥīd, affirming Allah’s supreme power and absolute authority.

ʿAbdullah b. ʿAbbas (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhumā) said: “One day, I was behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺ (on a camel) and he said to me: ‘Son, I will teach you some words: be mindful of Allah and He will be mindful of you. Be mindful of Allah and you will find Him in front of you. When you ask, then ask Allah. When you seek help, then seek help from Allah. Know that if the ummah gathered together to benefit you with something, they would only benefit you with something that Allah has already written for you. If they gathered together to harm you with something, they would only harm you with something that Allah had already written against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried’” (Tirmidhī).

The Sweetness of Duʿa

One of the greatest benefits of duʿā’ is the joy, tranquillity and peace it brings to the heart. Through sincere supplication, Allah grants moments of heightened īmān, filling the heart with the sweetness of intimate conversation and allowing the soul to taste the beauty of servitude and worship.

Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) explained: “A person may have a need for something which is permissible for him to ask of Allah. So he persistently and urgently calls upon his Lord for it until, through this persistence, the sweetness of intimate conversation (munājāh) with Allah is opened to him. He finds joy in humbling himself before Allah, in praising and pleading with Him, in invoking His Names and Attributes, in expressing his tawḥīd (oneness of Allah), in detaching his heart from everything else, and in placing his hope only in Him. All of this would not have been possible without his persistent duʿā’…

…At times, Allah opens up to the servant during his duʿā’ a level of closeness, love, humility, and brokenness that causes him to forget his actual need. What has been opened to him becomes dearer to him than the need itself. He even begins to wish that this state of being continues, and prefers it over the fulfillment of his need. His happiness with this intimate state surpasses the happiness he would feel if his request were granted and then taken away.

One of the gnostics (ʿārifūn) said, ‘There are times when I have a need from Allah, so I ask Him for it. Then, as I begin supplicating, Allah opens up for me the sweetness of calling upon Him and knowing Him, of being humbled and devoted before Him, and I find myself wishing that the fulfillment of my need would be delayed so that this beautiful state continues.’”

Similarly, Dāwūd b. Abī Hind narrated that when Ḥajjāj arrested Saʿīd b. Jubayr (raḥimahullāh), Saʿīd said: “I see nothing ahead of me but being killed. Let me tell you: I once made duʿā’ with two companions, and we tasted the sweetness of duʿā’. Then we asked Allah for martyrdom. Both of my companions were granted it, and I am still awaiting it.” He added, “It was as if Saʿīd (raḥimahullāh) saw that the response to the supplication lies in the sweetness of duʿā’.”

“Seek the sweetness of worship in three things: in prayer, in the Qur’an, and in duʿā’. If you find it, then hold fast to it and praise Allah. And if you do not find it, then know that the doors of goodness are closed upon you.” – al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī (raḥimahullāh)

Tasting the Sweetness of Iman Through Duʿa – Life With Allah

"And seek forgiveness of God. Indeed God is Forgiving and Merciful." (73:29)

"Surely, God loves those people who constantly repent to Him" (2:222)

Note that in this ayat, God did not say "God loves the 'Taa' ibeen' (those who repent), but He said, 'Tawwabeen', which means those who constantly... over and over repent to God. 

As humans, sometimes we tend to stray off the path for a while. What should we do when we erred? How do we ensure that our repentance is sincere, constant and successful? 

There are 3 main steps one must take in order to sincerely repent :-

(1) Deeply regret with a sincere heart for the sin we committed.

(2) Return to God for forgiveness. 

(3) Make a strong intention never to return to that same sin again. 

The thought may occur in some minds that what would they need Du'a (supplication) for, when everything is destined to happen the way Allah Azzah Wa Jallah has ordained!. 

No, that is a wrong perception... Du'a /prayer /supplication includes averting affliction. It is a means of turning aside tribulation and drawing the Divine Mercy, just as a shield is a means of deflecting arrows, and water a means of bringing forth herbage from the earth. 

Just as a shield turns aside arrows and they offset each other, so too supplication /Du'a and affliction compensate each other. It is not a condition for believing in the Destiny of Allah Most High that one go unarmed, for Allah has said : "TAKE DUE PRECAUTION" (4:71)  or that one should not water land after seeding, saying : 'If previously destined the crop will grow, and if not previously destined it will not'. 

Rather, the conjoining of causes and effects is the premordial destiny that was accomplished "in the twinkling of an eye or even faster" (16:77)

So,stick to Du'a always, regularly as the Prophet, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, said: "Du'a is worship"... he also said : "Whoever does not ask Allah He becomes angry with him." 

“O Allah, keep us safe in our country and rectify our leaders and those who run our affairs.”

@jamiat.org.za

• Ensure that there are no animate objects, toys, dolls or pictures displayed in the house, especially in the children’s bedroom. Such objects are a cause for the angels of mercy not to enter the home.
• Recite Surah Faatihah, Aayatul Kursi, and the four Quls and blow on your child before sleeping.
• Additionally, recite the following Du’aa and blow on your child:

Translation: I seek refuge for you in the perfect words of Allah from every devil and poisonous creature, and from every harmful evil eye. (Bukhari #3371) 

(3x)

Allah is free from imperfection and all praise is due to Him, (in ways) as numerous as all He has created, (as vast) as His pleasure, (as limitless) as the weight of His Throne, and (as endless) as the ink of His words.

Subḥāna-llāhi wa bi ḥamdih, ʿadada khalqih, wa riḍā nafsih, wa zinata ʿarshih, wa midāda kalimātih.

Juwayriyyah b. al-Ḥārith (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhā) reported: “The Prophet ﷺ left (my home) in the morning as I was busy in performing the dawn prayer. He came back in the forenoon and found me sitting there. He ﷺ asked: ‘Are you still in the same position as I left you?’ I replied in the affirmative. Thereupon the Prophet ﷺ said: ‘I recited four phrases three times after I left you. If everything that you have said today was put in the scales, [the above] would outweigh it.’” (Muslim 2140, Abū Dāwūd 1503)

Brief Commentary

• We begin this dhikr by saying ‘Subḥānallāh’, a phrase which glorifies Allah through negating any deficiencies in Him.

• We follow this up by saying ‘wa bi-Ḥamdih’. Through this phrase, we praise Allah in a complete manner which encompasses praising Him for (1) all His perfect qualities, and (2) for all His blessings which He showers upon us.

• We then combine the tasbīḥ and ḥamd with four phrases ― each one increasing the magnitude of this tasbīh and hamd in terms of: (1) quantity (2) quality and (3) weight.

“As numerous as all He has created”

• When we say we glorify Allah and praise Him by the quantity of His creation, we are not saying that we are praising Allah this many times, as it is inconceivable that someone can say I am praising Allah x number of times without actually doing so an x number of times. Rather we are saying that He deserves to be glorified and praised in this quantity and more, because His creation is constantly increasing. In other words, He deserves to be glorified and praised an infinite number of times.

“(As vast) as His pleasure”

• “(As vast) as His pleasure” refers to the quality of the praise. We are praising Allah not only by an amount (quantity) befitting Him, but also in a manner pleasing to Him (quality).

• Allah is the Most Noble, and He only accepts and is pleased with good things. Therefore, when we glorify Allah and praise Him by His pleasure, we are saying that He deserves to be glorified and praised in the best manner possible as He is only pleased with that which is good.

“(As limitless) as the weight of His Throne”

• As the Throne of Allah is the heaviest and greatest of Allah’s creation, we are saying that Allah deserves the largest and weightiest form of glorification and praise.

• The Prophet ﷺ said, “The heavens (universe) in comparison to the footstool (Kursī) are but like a ring in an empty desert; and the example of the footstool (Kursī) in comparison to the Throne of Allah is like this ring in the empty desert” (Ibn Ḥibbān 361).

“(As endless) as the ink of His words”

• “As numerous as all He has created” dealt with the quantity of this praise; “(As vast) as His pleasure” dealt with the quality of this praise; and “(As limitless) as the weight of His Throne” dealt with the weight of this praise, so Allah deserves to be glorified and praised in the largest, best way possible, an infinite number of times.

• The “(As endless) as the ink of His words” encompasses all three aspects as Allah’s words are infinite, they are the best of words, and they carry the most weight. Allah describes their greatness in the Qur’ān: “If all the trees on earth were pens and the ocean (were ink), refilled by seven other oceans, the Words of Allah would not be exhausted. Surely Allah is Almighty, All-Wise” (31:27).

Action Points

• This particular dhikr is very short yet carries immense rewards. Although Juwayriyah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhā) was remembering Allah for a long duration, the Prophet ﷺ said this one dhikr outweighed everything she had said. The difference between the two is that this dhikr powerfully highlights the greatness that Allah deserves. It opens up the heart to contemplate over Allah, through His Attributes, Words, Creation, and specifically His Throne. This deep reflection enables the dhikr to emanate not only from the tongue but also from the depths of the heart.

• The more present your heart is when remembering Allah, the greater the reward will be.

• Never miss out saying this dhikr three times every morning, and ensure you always say it with contemplation to maximise the rewards and benefits you receive. Feel awe in your heart as you praise the Lord of the Throne and the worlds.

• This ḥadīth teaches us the importance of why we should hold on tightly to the Sunnah adhkār. Juwayriyah (radiyallahu ʿanhā) remembered Allah for a long duration, but the four phrases specified by the Prophet ﷺ would ensure far greater reward than the dhikr she had been engaged in all morning, even though they require much less time to utter.

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(3x)

In the Name of Allah, with whose Name nothing can harm in the earth nor in the sky. He is The All-Hearing and All-Knowing.

Bismi-llāhi-lladhī lā yaḍurru maʿasmihi shay’un fi-l-arḍi wa lā fi-s-samā’, wa Huwa-s-Samīʿu-l-ʿAlīm.

Abān b. ʿUthmān narrated from ʿUthmān b. ʿAffān (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) who mentioned that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “There is no servant who says [the above] three times every morning and evening, except that nothing will harm him.”

Abān himself had been afflicted with a form of paralysis, so the man began to look at him. Abān said to him: “Why do you look at me? The ḥadīth is as I have narrated it to you, except that I did not recite it one day, and Allah brought about His decree upon me.” (Tirmidhī 3388)

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever says [the above] three times (in the evening), they will not be afflicted by a sudden calamity till the morning. And whoever says it three times in the morning, they will not be afflicted with a sudden calamity until the evening.” (Abū Dāwūd 5088)

Brief Commentary

• This duʿā’ begins by saying, “In the Name of Allah” but does not specify what we are saying it for.

• In Arabic there is always a verb implied with “bismillāh.” For example, when we say bismillāh before eating, it means “In the name of Allah, I begin eating.” Similarly, when we say bismillāh before reciting, it means “In the name of Allah, I begin reciting.” Each time we say bismillāh, there is a verb implied based on the context.

• In this duʿā’, we are implying, “In the name of Allah I seek refuge”.

• In this duʿā’, we are not seeking refuge or help from Allah directly, but we are seeking it with His Name. Such is the magnificence of Allah, that even His Name alone is sufficient for protection!

• With the protection of Allah’s Name, nothing in the earth can harm you, whether it is a human, jinn, animal, electronic device, or anything else.

• With the protection of Allah’s Name, nothing in the sky can harm you, whether it is rain, wind, hurricane, lightning, or anything else.

• Allah is ‘The All-Hearing’: He can hear all voices at the same time, no matter how low the voice is, and whatever language it is in. He hears it, understands it, and responds to it if it is calling Him. All these meanings are encompassed within this Name.

Allah is ‘The All-Knowing’: He knows everything, whether hidden or apparent; whether past, present, or future.

Action Points

• Allah’s Name is great, so utter it before you begin any matter (e.g. leaving/entering the house; before eating, before using the bathroom and doing wūḍū; before undressing etc.)

• When reciting this duʿā’, ensure your heart’s presence and its humility, whilst mentioning Allah’s most Beautiful Names. Be conscious of the Almighty’s greatness, so that you can truly benefit from this duʿā’.

• Contemplate over Allah’s names, for Allah is ‘The All-Hearing’, so He hears you whilst you recite this duʿā’, and He is ‘The All-Knowing’, so He knows your need when you are reciting this duʿā’.

• Imām al-Qurṭubī writes, “This is an authentic narration, and a true statement based upon textual evidence and experience. Since I heard it, I acted upon it so nothing harmed me until I left it. I was stung by a scorpion at night, and when I pondered over this, I realised I had forgotten to say this duʿā’ that night.”

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I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, with Islam as my religion and with Muḥammad ﷺ as my Prophet.

Raḍītu bi-llāhi Rabbā, wa bi-l-islāmi dīnā, wa bi Muḥammadin-Nabiyyā.

Thawbān (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Allah has promised that anyone who says [the above] three times every morning and evening will be pleased on the Day of Judgement.” (Aḥmad 18927)

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever says [the above] in the morning, I guarantee that I will take hold of his hand until I enter him into Paradise.” (Ṭabarānī: al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr 838)

Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Abū Saʿīd, whoever is pleased with Allah as his Lord, Islam as his religion and Muḥammad as his Prophet, will be guaranteed entry into Paradise.” He (Abū Saʿīd) was amazed and said: “O Messenger of Allah, repeat it for me.” He (the Messenger of Allah ﷺ) did that and then said: “There is another act which elevates the position of a man in Paradise one hundred grades (higher); and the distance between one grade and the other is like the distance between the sky and the earth.” He (Abū Saʿīd) said: “What is that act, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied: “Striving in the path of Allah! Striving in the path of Allah!” (Muslim 1884)

Brief Commentary

• This dhikr emphasises the state of contentment and pleasure, which is far greater than mere tolerance. Being content with a matter means that if that matter were in your own hands, you would act no differently.

• Imām al-Nawawī said, “Being content here is as though one is saying: “I’m convinced, I’m sufficed, and desire nothing else.”

• The first matter that we affirm our contentment with is that of Allah being our Lord (Rabb). Rabb is The One who nourishes and sustains the whole of creation. It is He who regulates their affairs and grants them endless blessings. He is their sole Creator and Provider. He is their Protector and Caretaker. He is the one who decrees and decides; therefore we affirm our contentment with everything that Allah decrees for us. We should be happy with what He has legislated, and content with how much sustenance He chooses to give us.

• Being content with Allah as your Lord means you are content with the provisions He has decreed for you; for the life He has chosen for you; for the trials He has placed upon you; and for everything He has placed before you.

• The second matter is to be content with Islam as your religion. Islam means to submit wholly to the commandments of Allah.

• Being content with Islam as your religion means you are content with every single commandment, prohibition, law, and punishment contained within this blessed religion, even if it goes against your own desires or society’s norms.

• The third and final matter is to be content with Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as our Prophet. This Prophet is the one who delivered the message of Allah in the best and most complete form.

• Being content with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as your Prophet means you are content with all the commandments and prohibitions he taught us, with the way he lived his life, with the decisions he took, with the friends he had, and the women he married. It also means you believe everything that he said to be true.

Action Points

• This dhikr – though concise and light on the tongue – carries a huge reward for the one who truly contemplates it and lives by it.

• A person who says this duʿā’ every morning and evening is preparing himself for the day as he is reminding himself that he is content with these matters. He is prepared to abide by all of them, including anything that Allah decides for him that day.

• A person who says this dhikr and then shows displeasure when faced with a calamity, or rejects a teaching of Islam, or something that was part of the Prophet’s ﷺ life – is someone who is a liar, and has a trait of hypocrisy. He says something on his tongue, yet his actions reflect otherwise.

• Living by this dhikr will also inshallah help a person in the first stages of the afterlife when he will be placed in his grave and two angels will ask him the questions, “Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is this person that was sent to you?” (Aḥmad 18063). The answers to these three questions are the three matters we affirm our contentment with every morning and evening with this duʿā’!

• Living in a time with unprecedented threats from atheism, liberalism and secularism, we should reflect on this dhikr and say it wholeheartedly. With enemies and hypocrites trying to attack the core fundamentals of our din, and trying to change the perfect dīn of Allah, we should utter this dhikr every day and try our best to live by its meanings.

•We should not feel inferior or embarrassed by our perfect dīn. Instead, we should realise how fortunate we are that Allah allowed us to know Him, to know His Messenger ﷺ and gifted us with Islam. Let us teach our children to also repeat and reflect on these powerful words every morning, so they feel strengthened as they go out and face the world.

lifewithallah

Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)
Council of Muslim Theologians

أَصْبَحْنَا وَأَصْبَحَ الْمُلْكُ لِلّٰهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ ، لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ ، وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ ، رَبِّ أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَ مَا فِيْ هٰذَا الْيَوْمِ وَخَيْرَ مَا بَعْدَهُ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا فِيْ هٰذَا الْيَوْمِ وَشَرِّ مَا بَعْدَهُ ، رَبِّ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْكَسَلِ وَسُوْءِ الْكِبَرِ ، رَبِّ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابٍ فِي النَّارِ وَعَذَابٍ فِي الْقَبْرِ

We have entered the morning and at this very time the whole kingdom belongs to Allah. All praise is due to Allah. There is no god worthy of worship except Allah, the One; He has no partner with Him. The entire kingdom belongs solely to Him, to Him is all praise due, and He is All-Powerful over everything. My Lord, I ask You for the good that is in this day and the good that follows it, and I seek Your protection from the evil that is in this day and from the evil that follows it. My Lord, I seek Your protection from laziness and the misery of old age. My Lord, I seek Your protection from the torment of the Hell-fire and the punishment of the grave.

Aṣbaḥnā wa aṣbaḥa-l-mulku li-llāh, wa-l-ḥamdu li-llāh, lā ilāha illa-llāhu waḥdahū lā sharīka lah, lahu-l-mulku wa lahu-l-ḥamd, wa huwa ʿalā kulli shay’in Qadīr, Rabbi as’aluka khayra mā fī hādha-l-yawmi wa khayra mā baʿdah, wa aʿūdhu bika min sharri mā fī hādha-l-yawmi wa sharri mā baʿdah. Rabbi aʿūdhu bika mina-l-kasali wa sū’i-l-kibar, Rabbi aʿūdhu bika min ʿadhābin fi-n-nāri wa ʿadhābin fi-l-qabr.

ʿAbdullāh b. Masʿūd (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) narrates that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to enter the morning, he would say [the above]. (Muslim 2723)

lifewith allah

O Allah, I ask You for well-being in this world and the next. O Allah, I ask You for forgiveness and well-being in my religion, in my worldly affairs, in my family and in my wealth. O Allah, conceal my faults and calm my fears. O Allah, guard me from in front of me and behind me, from my right, and from my left, and from above me. I seek protection in Your Greatness from being unexpectedly destroyed from beneath me.

Allāhumma innī as’aluka-l-ʿāfiyata fi-d-dunyā wa-l-ākhirah. Allāhumma innī as’aluka-l-ʿafwa wa-l-ʿāfiyata fī dīnī wa dunyāya wa ahlī wa mālī, Allāhumma-stur ʿawrātī wa āmin rawʿātī. Allāhumma-ḥfaẓnī mim bayni yadayya wa min khalfī, wa ʿay-n yamīnī wa ʿan shimālī wa min fawqī, wa aʿūdhu bi-ʿaẓamatika an ughtāla min taḥtī.

ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhumā) narrated: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ never failed to say these words in the morning and in the evening.” (Abū Dāwūd 5074)

Brief Commentary

• In this duʿā’, we seek Allah’s forgiveness and ask Him for wellbeing. This is a very important thing to ask Allah, as the Prophet ﷺ said, “Ask Allah for forgiveness and wellbeing, for no one is given anything after certainty that is better than wellbeing” (Tirmidhī 3557).

• When seeking Allah’s forgiveness, we are asking Him to forgive our sins and also wipe them off our record of deeds.

• Wellbeing in this life includes protection from physical, mental and spiritual ailments, including sins.

• When we ask for wellbeing, we are asking Allah to save us from all trials and tribulations, to strengthen our heart and our physical state so that we meet Him free from sins.

• We ask Allah for wellbeing ‘in this world and the next’. This encompasses all the states that we will be in.

• Wellbeing in the next life includes protection from the punishment of the grave, terrors of the Day of Judgement, and the torments of the Hellfire.

• To strengthen our request, we repeat it again, clarifying that we want wellbeing in our religion, our life, our family, and wealth.

• Wellbeing in our ‘religion’ means to be saved from committing sins or having incorrect beliefs; and ensuring our tawḥīd of Allah is complete.

• Wellbeing in our ‘worldly affairs’ means to be saved from calamities and errors that cause us to be heedless of the remembrance of Allah or completing acts of worship.

• Wellbeing in our ‘family’ means that we are all saved from trials and evil, including being saved from having problems with each other.

• Wellbeing in our ‘wealth’ is protection from it being lost or stolen; and to be saved from spending it in a way that displeases Allah.

• As a supplement to asking Allah for wellbeing, we also ask Him that He conceals our faults. This includes everything we dislike for others to know about us.

• We also ask Him to calm our fears, so that we can live peacefully.

• For the final part of the duʿā’, we ask Allah to protect us from all angles. This includes the four angles that Shayṭān promised to attack us from, as Allah mentions in the Qur’ān that Shayṭān says, “And then I shall come to them from in front of them, from behind them, from their right, and from their left…” (7:17).

• In addition to these four angles that Shayṭān promised to attack us from, we also ask Allah to protect us from the remaining two angles, which are from above us and from beneath us.

• The request to be saved from beneath us is a stronger request (i.e. the addition of ‘from being unexpectedly destroyed’ instead of just ‘beneath me’; and asking through Allah’s ‘Greatness’). This could refer to being swallowed up by the earth as a punishment by Allah, just as Pharaoh and Qārūn were destroyed, and will happen to people towards the end of times. It could also refer to unexpected difficulties. Thus, we are asking Allah to protect us from committing something that deserves for us to be punished in this life by Him.

Action Points

• Always ask Allah for forgiveness and wellbeing as it is from the greatest gifts you can receive.

• The whole duʿā’ is all-encompassing within the first few words. However, we repeat this request and detail our requirements further so that we show insistence in our request – and this is something that Allah loves.

• We also repeat and expand on this request so that we actually ponder over what we want and therefore request it from our heart.

• Shayṭān tries to attack you from all angles so ensure you are always aware of his plots, and ask Allah to protect you from him.

lifewithallah

عن عبد الله بن مسعود قال إذا أراد أحدكم أن يسأل فليبدأ بالمدحة والثناء على الله بما هو أهله ثم ليصل على النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ثم ليسأل بعد فإنه أجدر أن ينجح (المعجم الكبير للطبراني، الرقم: ٨٧٨٠، ورجاله رجال الصحيح إلا أن أبا عبيدة لم يسمع من أبيه كما في مجمع الزوائد، الرقم: ١٧٢٥٥)

Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ood (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) has mentioned, “When any of you intends to make dua to Allah Ta‘ala, then he should commence his dua by praising and glorifying Allah Ta‘ala with praises that are befitting His majesty and honour. He should then send Durood (salutations) upon Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), and he should thereafter make dua, as (through following this method of making dua,) it is more likely that he will be successful (in his dua being answered).”

Ihyauddeen.co.za

عن عقبة بن عامر، قال: بينا أنا أسير مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بين الجحفة، والأبواء، إذ غشيتنا ريح، وظلمة شديدة، فجعل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يتعوذ بأعوذ برب الفلق، وأعوذ برب الناس، ويقول: يا عقبة، تعوذ بهما فما تعوذ متعوذ بمثلهما (سنن أبي داود، الرقم: 1463)

Hazrat Uqbah ibn Aamir (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports: “While I was travelling with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) between Juhfah and Abwa, a strong wind and intense darkness enveloped us. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) began to seek refuge with Allah Ta’ala by reciting Surah Falaq and Surah Naas. He then said, ‘Uqbah, seek refuge with Allah Ta’ala through these two Surahs for none can seek refuge with anything like these two Surahs.’”

ihyauddeen.co.za

As we learnt in the Hadith, the Prophet Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam was asked :"Who of men suffers the most"? He replied, "The Prophets, then the righteous, then the like and the like." (Ibn Majah, Fitnan chap. 23,2)

Every man is afflicted according to his religion. If his faith is strong, his affliction is made more severe, but if his faith is weak, his affliction is lightened. 

In his MUSNAD'L-FIRDAUS, ad-Daylami narrated on the authority of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, said :-- "The best weapon of the believer is patient perseverance and supplication".

Imam Ghazali said in his 'IHYA ULUM' D-DEEN': "Among the key benefits of supplication is it causes the heart to be genuinely present with Allah azza wa jalla, which is the entire goal of worship. For, it is supplication which causes the heart to resort to Allah... with earnest pleading and submissiveness. It is for this reason that affliction is contingent with the Prophets, may Allah bless them and grant them peace, then with the Awliya, because affliction causes their hearts to resort to Allah 'azza wa jalla in need, and it prevents forgetfulness of Him". 

One should recite the following dua at the time of thunder:

اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَقْتُلْنَا بِغَضَبِكَ، وَلَا تُهْلِكْنَا بِعَذَابِكَ، وَعَافِنَا قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ

 O Allah, do not kill us due to Your anger, and do not destroy us through Your punishment, and grant us Aafiyat (grant us protection and ease when the calamity comes or take us away from this world) before that (before You send down Your punishment).

عن سالم بن عبد الله بن عمر، عن أبيه، أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان إذا سمع صوت الرعد والصواعق، قال: اللهم لا تقتلنا بغضبك، ولا تهلكنا بعذابك، وعافنا قبل ذلك (سنن الترمذي، الرقم: 3450)

Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would recite the following dua when he heard thunder and loud thunderbolts:

اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَقْتُلْنَا بِغَضَبِكَ، وَلَا تُهْلِكْنَا بِعَذَابِكَ، وَعَافِنَا قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ

Ihyaauddeen.co.za

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَجْعَلُكَ فِي نُحُورِهِمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شُرُورِهِم

O Allāh, we place You at their throats (i.e. we put You in front of them), and we seek Your refuge from their evil

عن أبي بردة بن عبد الله، أن أباه حدثه، أن النبي صلى عليه وسلم كان إذا خاف قوما، قال: اللهم إنا نجعلك في نحورهم، ونعوذ بك من شرورهم (سنن أبي داود، الرقم: 1537)

Hazrat Abu Musa Ashari (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would recite the following dua when he feared (the evil of) a group of people:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَجْعَلُكَ فِي نُحُورِهِمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شُرُورِهِم

ihyaauddeen..co.za

 All that we can grasp of Allahu Tabaraka Wa Ta'ala are His Holy Names and Attributes. For this reason, we may picture invocation or Du'a as words which resemble a grappling hook that man flings from our world to the Higher World, hoping to attach it so that he can climb up.

According to Sayyadi Ibn Arabi, may Allah be Merciful to him, in his book, 'Futuhat al-Makkiyya',  ''Du'a  [Invocation] is ritual verbal/worship, not tied to time, place or state, and if man applies himself to it, it produces knowledge and vision in him and enables him to create through the word. Invocation carries or includes every simple or composite word which contains the Name of Allah, either explicitly or implicitly.''

Whoever/Whenever we/you say such words, has the intention of invoking the named one, that is Allah, and being with Him, with or without a specific reason.. is engaged in Du'a.  Therefore, invocation/du'a also encompasses specific invocations, all our worship such as the words of prayer like takbir, tahmid, tahlil, praise..tasbih and other recitations...all the glorifications and awrad..  Since invocation is not tied to time, place or state, it is therefore the only worship permanently required of man at every instant. Note this well.

قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ (1) اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ (2) لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ (3) وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ (4)

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ (1) مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ (2) وَمِنْ شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ (3) وَمِنْ شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِي الْعُقَدِ (4) وَمِنْ شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ (5)

قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ (1) مَلِكِ النَّاسِ (2) إِلَهِ النَّاسِ (3) مِنْ شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ (4) الَّذِي يُوَسْوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ النَّاسِ (5) مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ (6)

2)    Recite three times the following.  Once a sahabi radhiallahu anhu was bit at night by a scorpion.  He came to the Prophet salallahu alayhi wasallam and told him.  The Prophet replied if you would have recited the following, nothing would’ve harmed you. (Sahih Muslim)[2]

أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ

3)    Whoever recites the following three times after Fajr and Maghrib salah, no harm will come to him (Sunan al-Tirmidhi)[3]:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الَّذِي لاَ يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلاَ فِي السَّمَاءِ، وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ العَلِيم 

4)    Whoever recites the following after Fajr and Maghrib and thereafter passes away in the day or night, will be granted entry to Paradise (Sahih al-Bukhari)[4]:

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ، وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ 

5)    The Prophet salallahu alayhi wasallam has said that Allah will most definitely please that person on the day of judgement who recites the following morning and evening: (Sunan al-Tirmidhi)[5]

رَضِيتُ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا، وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا، وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيًّا

6)    Whoever recites the following at night, he will be saved from all misfortunes during the night, from Shaytān and will make up for him missing the Tahajjud prayer[6]: (Sahih al-Bukhari)[7]

آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِهِ وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ (285) لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا أَنْتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ (286)  

7)    Whoever recites the following will be protected from every magician, sorcerer, shaytan and the jealousy of the jealous person (Al-Tabarani)[8]:

In the morning:

أَصْبَحْنَا وأَصْبَحَ الْمُلْكُ لِلَّهِ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ الَّذِي يُمْسِكُ السَّمَاءَ أَنْ تَقَعَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ، مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ وَذَرَأَ وَبَرَأَ

In the evening:

أَمْسَيْنَا وَأَمْسَى الْمُلْكُ لِلَّهِ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ الَّذِي يُمْسِكُ السَّمَاءَ أَنْ تَقَعَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ، مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ وَذَرَأَ وَبَرَأ

8)    Whoever recites the following seven times in the morning and evening, Allah will save him from all his worries in this world and the hereafter (Ibn al-Sunni Amal al-Yawm wa al-Laylah)[9]:

حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ، عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ، وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، 

9)    Whoever recites the following ten times, Allah will give him ten good deeds, ten sins will be forgiven, he will get the reward of freeing a slave from the children of Ismail alayhis salaam and Allah will protect him from Shaytan (Sunan Ibn Majah)[10]:

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ، وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

10) Whoever recites the following has thanked Allah for the blessings of that day (Sunan al-Nasa’i)[11]:

اللهُمَّ مَا أَصْبَحَ بِي مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ أَوْ بِأَحَدٍ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ، فَمِنْكَ وَحْدَكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ، فَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ وَلَكَ الشُّكْرُ

11) Whoever recites the following every morning, his health, family and wealth will be safeguarded (Ibn al-Sunni Amal al-Yawm wa al-Laylah)[12]:

بِسْمِ الله عَلَى نفْسِي وَأَهْلِي وَمَالِي

12) By virtue of reading the following before sleeping, Allah will remove any anxiety and uneasiness one may feel. (Musnad Ahmad)[13]

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ، مِنْ غَضَبِهِ وَعِقَابِهِ، وَشَرِّ عِبَادِهِ، وَمِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ، وَأَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ

Darul Fiqh

"Du'aa (supplication) is the essence of worship. It is the weapon of the believer. With it we can never fail; without it we can never succeed. It is a whispering conversation with Allah Ta'aala, the most up-lifting, liberating, empowering, and transforming conversation one can ever have."

Compiled by Mawlana Ashraf 'Ali Thanawi and translated (with commentary) by Khalid Baig, the Accepted Whispers: Munajat-e-Maqbul includes over 200 du'aas from the Qur'an and Hadith for daily reading. 

In his introduction, Khalid Baig reminds us and makes du'aa that:

We need du'aas in all circumstances and all times. But in the dark ages that we are living in today, we need them even more. Every day brings fresh news about atrocities committed against our brothers and sisters around the world. What can we do? We can continue to just feel frustrated and depressed. We can just forget all this and move on to some other subject. Or we can stand up before Allah Ta'aala and pray for His help, Who alone can help.

The du'aa can shange our life, our outlook, and our fate. It is the most potent weapon of a believer. May Allah Ta'aala make this book an instrument of delivering that power to us.

Ameen.

Du'aas from this book to flow under this thread insha'Allah.

Wa'assalaam

 

يا حي يا قيوم برحمتك أستغيث أصلح لي شأني كله ولا تكلني إلى نفسي طرفة عين

"On You Who is Everliving and Sustains and Protects everything, I seek assistance through the means of your mercy, correct for me all my affairs and do not entrust me to my Nafs (myself) for the moment of a blink of an eye."

 

 

أَللّٰهُمَّ أَصْلِحْ لِىْ دِيْنِىَ الَّذِىْ هُوَ عِصْمَةُ أَمْرِىْ وَ أَصْلِحْ لِىْ دُنْيَاىَ الَّتِىْ فِيْهَا مَعَاشِىْ وَ أَصْلِحْ لِىْ آخِرَتِىَ الَّتِىْ فِيْهَا مَعَادِىْ وَاجْعَلِ الْحَيَاةَ زِيَادَهً لِّىْ فِىْ كُلِّ خَيْرٍ وَّ اجْعَلِ الْمَوْتَ رَاحَةً لِّىْ مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ

"O Allah! Rectify for me my Deen which is a means of guarding my matters and my world which is a means of my livelihood, and make good my hereafter in which is my returning, and make my life a means of abundance of all good and my death a means of comfort and peace free from all bad." (Sahih Muslim)

اللَّهُمَّ اكْفِنِي بِحَلالِكَ عَنْ حَرَامِكَ وَأَغْنِنِي بِفَضْلِكَ عَمَّنْ سِوَاكَ

"O Allah! Suffice me with your halal from the haram, and make me independant with your grace from all besides you." 

‏ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي دِينِي وَدُنْيَاىَ وَأَهْلِي وَمَالِي اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِي وَآمِنْ رَوْعَاتِي وَاحْفَظْنِي مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَىَّ وَمِنْ خَلْفِي وَعَنْ يَمِينِي وَعَنْ شِمَالِي وَمِنْ فَوْقِي وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أُغْتَالَ مِنْ تَحْتِي ‏

"O Allah, I ask You for forgiveness and well-being in this world and in the Hereafter. O Allah, I ask You for forgiveness and well-being in my religious and my worldly affairs. O Allah, conceal my faults, calm my fears, and protect me from before me and behind me, from my right and my left, and from above me, and I seek refuge in You from being taken unaware from beneath me."

أَعُوذُ بِوَجْهِ اللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ الَّذِي لَيْسَ شَيْءٌ أَعْظَمَ مِنْهُ ، وَبِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِي لا يُجَاوِزُهُنَّ بَرٌّ وَلا فَاجِرٌ ، وَبِأَسْمَاءِ اللَّهِ الْحُسْنَى كُلِّهَا مَا عَلِمْتُ مِنْهَا وَمَا لَمْ أَعْلَمْ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ وَذَرَأَ وَبَرَأَ 

"I seek refuge in Allaah, the most Greatest. There is nothing equal to His Greatness. And I seek refuge in His complete and powerful Words, which cannot be surpassed by any good or bad person, and (I seek refuge in) all the Names of Allaah which I know and which I do not know, from the evil of all those things which He created, and created them errorless and scattered them all over."

اللهم أنت السلام ومنك السلام تباركت يا ذا الجلال والإكرام 

"O Allah, You are Al-Salaam and from You is all peace, blessed are You, O Possessor of Majesty and Honor." 

Taken from the book Sharh Asma-ul Husna by Mufti Muhammad Haneef Abdul Majeed