Fiqh of Dua Adhkar

Qabeelat Hosna | Student Notes
September 2013
Qabeelat Hosna
September 2013
24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

Shaykh Waleed Basyouni
Table of Contents
Introduction........................................................................................................................ 4
Activity | How connected are you with Allh?......................................................... 13
Chapter 1 | The Concept of Dhikr & Du in Islam .......................................................... 16
The Significance and the Benefits of Dhikr and Du in the Life of the Muslim .......... 16
The Meanings of Dhikr and Du ................................................................................... 31
The Ruling of Dhikr and Du ........................................................................................ 33
The Categories of Dhikr and Du ................................................................................. 35
The Categories of Dhikr ............................................................................................. 35
The Categories of Du.............................................................................................. 39
For Whom Should You Make Du Other Than Yourself? ........................................... 43
The Ruling on Making Du Against or Cursing Someone ........................................... 49
Making du against the people of sin (fsiq) ............................................................... 52
The ruling on requesting du from a living, present person ..................................... 54
The Etiquette of Dhikr and Du ................................................................................... 57
The Transgression (al-itada) in the Du ..................................................................... 61
Chapter 2 | The Best Dhikr & The Accepted Du ............................................................ 64
The Best Dhikr is the Qurn.......................................................................................... 64
The Best Dhikr After Al-Qurn ...................................................................................... 66
La ilha illAllh ............................................................................................................... 69
The Meaning ............................................................................................................. 69
The situations where saying la ilha illAllh is ordained .......................................... 71
The virtues of la ilha illAllh .................................................................................... 71
Subnallh .................................................................................................................... 71
The Meaning ............................................................................................................. 72
The situations where tasb is ordained ................................................................... 72
The virtues of tasb.................................................................................................. 72
Alamdulillh ................................................................................................................. 73
The Meaning ............................................................................................................. 73
The situations where amd is ordained ................................................................... 73
The virtues of tamd ................................................................................................ 74
Allhu Akbar ................................................................................................................... 74
The Meaning ............................................................................................................. 74
The situations where takbr is ordained ................................................................... 74
The virtues of takbr .................................................................................................. 75
La awla wa la quwwatta illa billh .................................................................................. 75
The Meaning ............................................................................................................. 75
The situations were awqalah is ordained................................................................ 75
The virtues of saying La awla wa la quwwata illa billh......................................... 76
The Meaning ............................................................................................................. 76
The situations where sending alh and salm upon the Prophet (allallhu alayhi
wa sallam) is ordained ............................................................................................... 77
The Accepted Du ........................................................................................................ 80
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The reasons why our du are rejected and not answered.......................................... 83

Chapter 3 | The Ruling of Du and Dhikr Related To alh (Prayer) .............................. 86
Du al-qunt ................................................................................................................. 91
The ruling of du al-qunt in the mandatory prayers: ........................................... 91
When should we perform al-qunt during the prayers? .......................................... 94
Rulings regarding al-qunt ....................................................................................... 95
The Ruling of al-Qunt during Witr Prayer ................................................................... 95
Making Du for the Completion of Qurn .................................................................. 98
Dhikr & Du During Sujd of Tilwah (Recitation) or Shukr (Thanking) ...................... 99
Dhikr & Du during the Khubah of Jumuah or d ..................................................... 100
The Prayer of Need (jah) and Its Du ..................................................................... 101
The Du of Istikhrah ................................................................................................. 102
Dhikr & Du After the Prayer ..................................................................................... 104
Chapter 4 | Rulings related to Dhikr and Du .............................................................. 107
The Ruling On Raising Hands During Du................................................................. 107
What Is the Ordained Way of Raising the Hands? ..................................................... 107
The Ruling of Raising Ones Eyes to the Sky While Making Du .............................. 110
Ruling Related to Reciting the Dhikr .......................................................................... 111
The Rulings Regard Reciting Adhkr in Congregation ............................................... 113
Chapter 5 | Al-salmu alaykum ................................................................................... 116
The Meaning of the Islamic Greeting ......................................................................... 116
The Virtues of Salm ................................................................................................... 117
The Ruling on Giving Salm ........................................................................................ 117
The Etiquettes of Giving Salm ................................................................................... 118
Chapter 6 | Dhikr & Du 24/7 ....................................................................................... 121
Du for You to Memorize .......................................................................................... 121
The Ruling of Dhikr & Du in Our Daily Lives ............................................................ 121
The Morning and Evening Adhkr .......................................................................... 121
Activity | 21 Day Adhkr Challenge ............................................................................... 135
Activity | Du List ......................................................................................................... 136
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September 2013

Introduction
All thanks and praise are due to Allh, and we seek His Help and Forgiveness. We seek
refuge in Allh from whatever evil our hearts conceal and from the consequences of
our evil deeds. Whomever Allh grants guidance will never be led astray; whomever He
leads astray will never find guidance. I attest that none is worthy of worship except
Allh, who has no partners, and that Muammad is His slave and Messenger.
O you who have believed, fear Allh as He should be feared and do not die except as
Muslims in submission to Him. (le-Imrn, 3:102)
O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its
mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allh, through
whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allh is ever, over you, an Observer.
(Al-Nis, 4:1)
O you who have believed, fear Allh and speak words of appropriate justice. He will
[then] amend for you your deeds and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allh
and His Messenger has certainly attained a great attainment. (Al-Azb, 33:70-71)
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Indeed, the most truthful speech is the Book of Allh, the best guidance is the guidance
of Muammad, and the worst affairs are newly invented matters. Every newly invented
matter is a religious innovation, and every religious innovation is misguidance, and
every misguidance is in the Hellfire.
To proceed:
AlMaghrib Institute is pleased to introduce to you, the course 24/7 - Fiqh of Dhikr &
Du . Here, we will focus on one of the most practical aspects of our ibdah (act of
worship): du. It is essential for every Muslim to practice this act of worship in order
for us to stay connected to our Lord and to keep our hearts full of life and mn.
Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allh.
Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allh hearts are assured. (Al-Rad, 13:28)
The likeness of the one who remembers his Lord and the one who does not remember
Him is like that between the living and the dead. (Bukhri)
Those who perform dhikr are wise and are promised success, peace, happiness, mercy,
forgiveness, and great rewards in this life and the next.
Allh has sent down the best statement: a consistent Book wherein is reiteration. The
skins shiver therefrom of those who fear their Lord; then their skins and their hearts
relax at the remembrance of Allh. That is the guidance of Allh by which He guides
whom He wills. And one whom Allh leaves astray - for him there is no guide. (AlZumar, 39:23)
Those who do not engage in dhikr are classified as being hard-hearted losers who are
clearly in error and in the group of Satan. As such, they will be made to live a tight and
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narrow life full of misery and woe; punished in this life, they will also be risen blind in
the next. They will be remorseful of all the time not spent in the remembrance of Allh.
And whoever turns away from My remembrance, indeed, he will have a depressed life,
and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind. (ha, 20:124)
This will be one of the fastest weekends of your life because we have so many varieties
of topics which we will be covering during this course. Dhikr and du both deserve
their own courses. These topics are related to us as Muslims, a community, and a
family. We do this every day and every night. In these two topics there are many fiqh
and aqdah issues which need to be learned and etiquettes and manners which need to
be followed. There is a lot of spirituality attached to these topics. Nothing can melt a
solid heart except dhikr of Allh, and nothing can bring you closer to Allh like du.
Ali b. Abi lib (rayAllhu anhu) was asked, How far is Allh (subnahu wa tala)?
He said, As far as when you make du and instantly Allh answers it. Du and dhikr
connect you with Allh. When Allh wants to communicate with us, He sends down to
us books and messengers to deliver His Words to us, but when we want to talk to Him,
all we need to do is pray and call upon Him. His Orders and Words come down to us as
revelation, and our words, requests, and needs go up in the form of du and
supplications. It is like two sides of a coin: one side is du and dhikr and one side is
Qurn. To make du and dhikr the other side of the coin is the most honorable
position because you are so close to Allh (subnahu wa tala).
In Sratl-Baqarah, Allh (subnahu wa tala) said, If My servant asks you about Me, I
am so close to them I will answer their calls. This closeness in relationship is amazing
and makes you different. Sometimes when you are so into du and dhikr, you feel so
close to Allh and so strong and pure.
Story of a Businessman
Shaykh Waleed saw an interview with an Emerati businessman. They asked him, You
have so much experience in life, can you tell us something that had a great impact on
your life? He said, One day around ar time, I left my house and was walking in the
street and went to the masjid. I saw a Yemeni guy who was making du inside the
masjid. The prayer had already finished and he was alone. I felt so jealous of the way he
was making du because I never in my life felt so into my du like this man.
[Sometimes when you make du and pray to Allh, at certain moments you feel so
close to Him and at other times we feel distant and dont feel a connection to Allh.] I
could hear his voice mixed with tears and kept quiet until he finished. When he was
done, I approached him and asked if I could help him. He said, I am in trouble. My wife
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September 2013

is scheduled for surgery, but she will not be able to have it until she pays the fee. I
asked how much it was, and when he told me, I said I would take care of it. I gave him
the money. The moment he received the money, he immediately made sujd. He didnt
even thank me but went immediately into sujd to thank Allh (subnahu wa tala)
first. After that, he said thank you to me and made du for me. I thought that he was
an honest man and asked him if he needed any more money, and he said no. I wrote
my cell phone number on my business card and gave it to him and told him to feel free
to call me if he needed any help in the future. He smiled and gave it back to me and
said, Thank you, sir. I know Who to call to help me in the future. I will call Who sent
you to me.
Lesson: From this, you see how much du can honor and elevate you. It makes you a
person who really feels like he/she is connected with Allh (subnahu wa tala).
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, There is nothing more honoring than
du. Du honors you. It teaches you that you dont ask anyone except Allh
(subnahu wa tala).
We will learn how the Muslim jurists discuss whether or not it is permissible to ask
someone to make du for you. Shaykh Waleed only started hearing people ask him to
make du for them once he came to America. Someone asked Umar to pray for him,
and he said, Why? Do you think Im a prophet? You pray for yourself.
Unfortunately, sometimes du becomes something not valuable in our lives. Some
people ask others to pray for them and dont really mean it. Many times people are not
into their du, and they do not value it.
The abah vs. Us
The following example shows how we value dhikr and du and how the abah valued
dhikr and du:
Abdullh b. Amr b. al- and Abdullh b. Masd were sitting together. Abdullh b.
Masd said, If I say in the morning, subnAllh walamdulillh wa la ilha illa Allh wa
Allhu akbar in the morning, it is more beloved to me than spending four pieces of gold
for the sake of Allh. Abdullh b. Amr b. al- said, If I say in the morning
subnAllh walamdulillh wa la ilha illa Allh wa Allhu akbar it will be more beloved
to me than donating four horses to someone going for jihd fisabilillh.
The point is not to belittle the adaqah but the point is to honor dhikr and understand
the value of it. Ibn Rajab commented, The majority of the early Muslim generations
agreed that dhikr of Allh is more valuable in the Eyes of Allh than anything else.
Allh (subnahu wa tala) ordered us to establish alh and said that dhikr of Allh is
even greater than that. Ulem said that the purpose of all ibdah is to cause you to
make dhikr. iym, ajj, alh, zakh are all about dhikr of Allh.
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This course will help you to change your perspective towards dhikr and du. After this
course, inshAllh you wont make dhikr which you dont understand. If you
understand the A, B, Cs of du and the basic concepts of it, you will never make du in
a language that you do not understand. Du and dhikr are about the connection to
Allh. If you dont understand what you are saying, then there is no connection. You
should not be making dhikr and du in a language that you dont understand.
InshAllh this course will make us commit to dhikr. Shaykh Waleed will ask you in the
exam whether or not you said dhikr today, and if you answer that you did not, then you
will lose points.
We will discuss the virtues of dhikr and du. We will also discuss: what benefits come
from du? Why are people not committed to dhikr and du? Why do people slack? A
persons religiosity is shown by how committed he is to dhikr. Shaykh Waleed said they
used to memorize the book al-Kalmah ayyib by Ibn Taymiyyah in the same way they
memorized the Qurn. The abah in several aadth narrated that the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) would teach the some adhkr in the same way he taught
them the Qurn, and they used to memorize it the same way. They memorized the
dhikr in the tashahhud in the same way they memorized the Qurn. Unfortunately
today we have a generation of Muslim activist leaders in MSAs and in the dawah field
who run organizations who dont make dhikr in the morning and evening (or barely do).
When the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) would leave his house, he would first look
up to the sky. Then he would say,
Allhumma inni adhu bika an ailla aw ualla aw azilla aw uzalla ow alima aw ulama aw
ajala aw yujhala alayy (Ya Allh, I ask you to protect me from being misled or to mislead
anyone. O Allh protect me from transgressing against anyone or for anyone to
transgress against me).
Many times we think about du in a limited form, but it is very wide. Imagine if you
said this du every time you left the house and what kind of life you would have. You
would be committed to not doing anything wrong or evil or ignorant or an act of
injustice to anyone and in return, Allh protects you from having any of these things
happening to you.
When we look at the programs we teach in schools and to our children, unfortunately
adhkr does not take priority. Dont underestimate du and the power of it!
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Stories on Du
A convert woman said, What I miss most about my Christianity is du. When I was
Christian, prayer meant so much to my family and me. Before we ate, we would hold
hands and pray. When I was young, every day before I went to bed, my father would
kneel with me in front of the bed and we would pray together. I always prayed to God
and that is one of the reasons I became Muslim. I dont see this concept of du in my
Muslim sisters and mothers. We dont value du and prayer.
An Egyptian brother lives in Madnah, and mshAllh he made ajj at least 30 times.
Every year he was either invited or somehow things happened and he went for ajj.
What is his secret? He said, Thirty years ago during my first ajj, I was in a bus and
had a group of ujjj with me and men were in the front and women in the back. There
was an elderly Egyptian lady who could barely walk. She was sweating and having a
difficult time. I felt so sad for her. I left my spot in the first chair and said to her to
please sit down. She said, Son, may Allh never prevent you from coming to ajj.
Since she said that, I was never prevented from ajj.
Ali b. Abi lib said, Allh (subnahu wa tala) sometimes hides the deeds that He
loves the most and accepts the most in people you would not expect. Dont ever
undervalue or underestimate the power of du.
Abdullh b. Amr b. al- used to teach his kids adhu bikalimtillhittmmti min
sharri ma khalaq before they went to sleep and made sure they memorized it to the
extent that he wrote it on a piece of paper and left it next to their bed for them to read
it. This is how much he cared that his kids made this dhikr before sleeping.
Note: Many people misuse this narration to show the permissibility of tawilah.
However, if you read the narration, you will see that it is very clear that he left the
paper next to their bed for them to read it because they hadnt memorized it yet.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) used to make this du over his grandsons
asan and usayn even when he was traveling he would never miss it.
They held onto it they dont quit like us. They didnt even miss it during the most
difficult moments. Ali b. Abi lib was taught dhikr by the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) and he said since he (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) taught him, he never missed it.
One of his companions said, Not even on Narawn? Narawn was one of the
toughest battles he ever had. He said, Not even that night. He valued it.
The adhn is dhikr. How many of us value the dhikr?
Shaykh Bin Bz said that those people who do not repeat after the muadhdhin are losers
and lost a great amount of reward. Those who repeat after the muadhdhin and recite
du after will receive the intercession of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) on the
Day of Judgment.
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The role of dhikr and du in our lives must be revived. Whenever you have an event,
you make so many preparations, and sometimes we forget about the One who controls
the hearts of the people. Are we sincerely begging Allh to give us barakah in our work
and efforts? Does du truly play a major role in our lives? Every single human being is
in need of Allh (subnahu wa tala).
Allh (subnahu wa tala) said in Srah Fir v. 15, O mankind, you are all fuqar (in
need) to Allh. A faqr is someone in need. A man came to Fuayl b. Iy and said he
wanted to give him money, and Fuayl said he only took from the rich, and the man
said that he is rich and far from being faqr and had 8,000 dnrs. Fuayl said, Would
you like to make it 10,000? He said, Of course. Fuayl said, Then you are faqr.
The greatest adth ever was reported by the people of al-Shm, and the narrator would
kneel down when reporting this adth. Every single narrator of this adth from the
companions to the end was from Syria. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said
that Allh (subnahu wa tala) said, O My servants, all of you are misguided except
those whom I guide. All of you are hungry except those I provide food for. All of you
are naked except those whom I proved clothing for. Ask for food, I will provide for you.
Ask for clothes, I will provide for you. O My servants, you commit sins day and night.
Ask My forgiveness and I will provide it. (Muslim)
Commentary:
Ibn Rajab commented: This adth shows that you need Allh (subnahu wa tala) in
this worldly life. This is why He mentioned shelter, food, clothing, and guidance. Then
Allh (subnahu wa tala) mentioned that you need Him also to forgive your sins
because without this, you cannot survive the khirah. We are in need of Allh in this
life and in the next. This adth shows we are in need of Allh at all times. Allh says in
the Qurn, O mankind, you are in great need of Allh (subnahu wa tala). Allh
loves us more than we love our children.
Mutarrif b. Abdullh b. al-Shikhr said, I looked at all the good deeds and I found it all
in the Hands of Allh and He gives it to whomever he wishes. For example: Allh
opened a brothers heart to always give adaqah, Allh opened the heart of a sister to
memorize the Qurn, Allh helped a sister to make qiyml-layl. Mutarrif said, When I
think about this, I know that all of this is in the Hands of Allh. If I want to have access
to what Allh has in His Hands, I have only one way to do it: du. At that moment, I
realized the value of du.
We Are Always in Need of Allh
Du is one of the greatest acts of worship. You are always in need of Allh (subnahu
wa tala).
We need Allh in the times of ease and hardship. A man came to Abul-Dard, a great
companion known as the wisest companion and a judge of al-Shm and great scholar of
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the Qurn, and asked for an advice. Abul-Dard said to him, Always mention Allh
(subnahu wa tala) and remember Him in a time of ease and I guarantee you He will
be with you in a time of calamity. Make du on a day when you are in ease so that He
will listen to your du on a day when you are in distress.
Allh (subnahu wa tala) said, He was among the muabbihn This is about Ynus.
A mufasir said that he used to make tasb before he was swallowed by the whale, which
is why when he started making tasb from inside the belly of the whale, the angels
were familiar with the sound and words but not the location. The ulem said he used
to do the dhikr before he was in the situation. He was among those who mentioned
Allh all the time and Allh saved him at the time of calamity.
Dont be like the mushrikn. Allh mentioned them and said they only pray to Allh in a
time of calamity. When Allh gives them, they say they dont need. When he is in
distress or calamity, he prays to Allh.
And when adversity touches man, he calls upon Us; then when We bestow on him a
favor from Us, he says, I have only been given it because of [my] knowledge. Rather,
it is a trial, but most of them do not know. (Sratl-Zumar, 39:49)
And when We bestow favor upon man, he turns away and distances himself; but when
evil touches him, then he is full of extensive supplication. (Srah Fuilat, 41:51)
It is He who enables you to travel on land and sea until, when you are in ships and
they sail with them by a good wind and they rejoice therein, there comes a storm wind
and the waves come upon them from everywhere and they assume that they are
surrounded, supplicating Allh, sincere to Him in religion, If You should save us from
this, we will surely be among the thankful. (Srah Ynus, 10:22)
Allh describes the kufr as only praying in a time of hardship and forgetting Allh
during times of ease.
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Dont only pray to Allh at the time of exams. What about the rest of the year?
In the Musnad of Imm Amad, it is narrated in an authentic adth: Know Allh in the
times of ease and Allh will know you in the time of hardship and calamity.
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A c t i v i t y | How connected are you with Allh?

If you answer NO to any of the following questions, darken the appropriate
space in the heart below.
1. Do you have yatl-kursi memorized?
2. Do you say at least three of the morning and evening adhkr regularly seven days a week?
3. Do you have any of the Prophets (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) general dus memorized?
4. Do you know the du that should be said when you put on new clothing?
5. Do you say bismillh before eating and alamdulillh after eating?
6. Do you regularly say the adhkr right before sleeping and the adhkr after waking up?
7. Do you have the dus for entering and exiting the masjid memorized?
8. Do you know the du that is recited at the end of wu?
9. Do you know more than one of the opening dus that are recited in the beginning of alh?
10. Do you enjoy making du during your prayers?
11. Do you feel calm and peaceful when making du to Allh?
12. Aside from your parents, do you regularly make du for specific individuals during your
alh?
13. Have you prayed for the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) ten times daily during this past
week?
14. Did you read Sratl-Kahf this Friday?
15. Did you sit in your spot after fajr making dhikr and du until the sun rose for at least one
day this past week?
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The dark spots are because of lack of knowledge or the lack of will. You know, but you
do not practice. The more dark spots there are in your heart, the more you are
prevented from being connected to Allh. The more you make du and dhikr and are
connected to Allh, the more you are ready to receive and connect.
Any scholar who is well respected in the area of knowledge must be someone who cares
about dhikr. Ibn al-Qayyim said, Whenever my teacher Ibn Taymiyyah prayed fajr, he
stayed in the masjid until almost midday every day. I asked him, You take so much
time to make dhikr. He said, This is my food and without it, I dont have energy to do
anything.
Ibn Abbs (rayAllhu anhu) said, Whenever I have a problem understanding a verse
in the Qurn, I would make du to Allh and dhikr until Allh opened my mind to
understand it. The more you are connected to Allh, the more dhikr you do and the
more your heart is open to receive from Allh. The more your heart has layers of
darkness around it, the more you are prevented from receiving the guidance from Allh.
And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life,
and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind. He will say, My Lord, why
have you raised me blind while I was [once] seeing? [Allh] will say, Thus did Our
signs come to you, and you forgot them; and thus will you this Day be forgotten.
(Srah ha, 124-126)
Allh (subnahu wa tala) said he will say, Ya Rabb, why did you resurrect me blind?
I have sent to you My message and you forgot. The word nisyn (forgot) does not
have the normal meaning. You forget things unintentionally or intentionally. Here, it
means they forgot it intentionally and turned their backs on it. Allh said, We forgot
about you. Allh never forgets in the sense that He doesnt remember. Allh
intentionally dismissed the disbeliever in Jahannam. Allh says that His message and
dhikr came to those people, but they intentionally rejected it and intentionally put it
behind their backs, so their life is in sorrow.
Allh (subnahu wa tala) describes the life of the believers: The example of those to
whom Allh gave dhikr is someone who has light and a reason to be alive.
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So is one whose breast Allh has expanded to [accept] Islam and he is upon a light
from his Lord [like one whose heart rejects it]? Then woe to those whose hearts are
hardened against the remembrance of Allh. Those are in manifest error. (SratlZumar, 22)
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, The example of those who remember
Allh and those who dont is like the example of those who are alive and those who are
dead.
Allh (subnahu wa tala) said, Those who have believed and whose heart are
assuredby the remembrance of Allh hearts are assured.
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Chapter 1 | The Concept of Dhikr & Du in Islam

The Significance and the Benefits of Dhikr and Du in the Life
of the Muslim
The connection between Allh and us is two-way: from Allh to us is the Qurn, and
from us to Allh are the dhikr and the du. If one side is missing, then the entire
connection falls apart.
Say, My Lord enjoins justice. In every place of worship, set your faces (and attention)
towards Him. Invoke Him with sincerity and devotion, by making faith His exclusive
domain. You would return to life just like He created you (the first time). (Al-Arf,
7:29)
And when My servants ask you concerning Me, [tell them] I am indeed near. I respond
to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls. (Al-Baqarah, 2:186)
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, There is nothing more dear to Allh than
a servant making du to him. (Tirmidhi)
When you make du to Allh (subnahu wa tala), you are showing your true nature.
There is a nice statement: The more you show your nature to Allh, the more Allh
shows you His nature. Our nature is that we are weak and need Allh and cannot
survive without Him. The more you show your servitude to Allh, the more Allh
(subnahu wa tala) shows you His nature, which is His Forgiveness, Mercy,
Acceptance, Giving. The more you show Allh you are in need of Him, the more He
gives you. The more you show your weakness and His greatness, the more your du
will be heard.
Sometimes ulem would intentionally wear clothes that were not fancy and make du
because of the situation: it doesnt fit to wear fancy clothes. The Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) said you are not supposed to be overdressing. The Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) saw a man in the cemetery and said, O man who is wearing fancy
shoes, take them off! The cemetery is not a place show off and to dress in fancy
clothes and be overdressed.
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Show Allh (subnahu wa tala) your needs and weakness. O Allh, I admit that I have
done so much wrong to myself, and if You do not forgive me, I will be the greatest loser.
Expect nothing but Allh showing you His nature of Forgiveness and Acceptance.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Du is the essence of ibdah (worship).
(Tirmidhi, Amad)
Nothing is more honorable to Allh. The highest position the Prophet (allallhu alayhi
wa sallam) ever reached was during the incident of isr wal-mirj. At that point, Allh
(subnahu wa tala) said, Subnalladhi asra bi abdihl-layla.
He (subnahu wa tala) used the title of abd for the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam)
when he was in the highest place. Anytime you run away from being a slave to Allh,
you are a slave to Shayn or something else.
Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him and
removes evil and makes you inheritors of the earth? Is there a deity with Allh? Little
do you remember. (Al-Naml, 27:62)
They arise from [their] beds; they supplicate their Lord in fear and aspiration, and
from what We have provided them, they spend. And no soul knows what has been
hidden for them of comfort for eyes as reward for what they used to do. (Al-Sajdah,
32:16-17)
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) once asked his companions: Shall I tell you
about the best of all deeds, the best act of piety in the eyes of your Lord, which will
elevate your status in the Hereafter, and carries more virtue than the spending of gold
and silver in the service of Allh or taking part in jihd and slaying or being slain in the
path of Allh? The dhikr of Allh. (Amad)
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The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, The mufarridn will be ahead of everyone
else on the Day of Judgment. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, They are
the males and females who remember Allh (subnahu wa tala) a lot. (Muslim)
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) was traveling with his companions and they
were coming down a hill. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) then said this
statement. What does sabaqa mufarridn mean? They are ahead of everyone on the
Day of Judgment. What does this mean? They will finish their judgment quickly. They
are the first to approach the pool of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) and drink
from it. They are the first to cross the ir. These people move quickly. They are
ahead of everyone else. They have only green lights. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) said these people remember Allh so much. This is just one example of dhikr of
Allh.
Ibn al-Qayyim wrote a book al-Wbil al-ayyib min al-Kamil al-ayyib (The Invocation of
God). He said there are 100 virtues for dhikr, but he did not come up with 100. He was
only able to come up with 73 points. Note: In the old days, the first thing scholars
wrote was an introduction. In modern days, an introduction is written after writing
the book.
The people of dhikr come ahead of everyone else. O you who believe, mention Allh as
much as you can. Sratl-Azb v. 35: Those who remember Allh much, males and
females, Allh has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward.
Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women,
the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the
patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable
men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard
their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allh often
and the women who do so - for them Allh has prepared forgiveness and a great
reward. (Al-Azb, 33:35)
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Dhikr works both ways: it raises your status in Jannah and wipes out your sins. This is
why the people of dhikr are ahead of everyone else: most sins are wiped away. This is
why they will be very fast and light on the Day of Judgment.
ishah (rayAllhu anha) said, There is not a short period of time that passes by
without making dhikr except that on the Day of Judgment you will regret it. The lucky
one is the one who comes on the Day of Judgment and finds a lot of astaghfirullh in his
record.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, The people of Paradise will not regret
except one thing alone: the hour that passed them by and in which they made no
remembrance of Allh. (Bayaqi in Shuabl-mn)
Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allh.
Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allh hearts are assured. (Al-Rad, 13:28)
A man came to the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) and said, O Raslullh, the laws
and conditions of Islam have become too many for me. Tell me something that I can
always keep. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Keep your tongue
always moist with dhikrullh. (Tirmidhi)
And if an evil whisper comes to you from Shayn (Satan), then seek refuge with Allh.
Verily, He is All-Hearer, All-Knower. (Al-Arf, 7:200)
The Messenger of Allh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Do not make your houses like
graves, for the Shayn runs away from a house in which Sratl-Baqarah is recited.
(Muslim)
And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the
bounty of Allh, and remember Allh often that you may succeed. (Al-Jumuah, 62:10)
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How does the Qurn order us to make dhikr?

The Qurn speaks about the importance of dhikr in ten different ways. Each category
has several examples.
1) The Qurn orders us to make dhikr. This order is in specific times and general times.
O you who believe, make dhikr of Allh a lot and make tasb in the morning and
the night.
O you who have believed, remember Allh with much remembrance. (Al-Azb,
33:41)
2) The Qurn forbade us from forgetting about dhikr of Allh and from being among
the heedless.
And remember your Lord within yourself in humility and in fear without being
apparent in speech - in the mornings and the evenings. And do not be among the
heedless. (Al-Arf, 7:205)
Dont be among the heedless. Dont be like those who forgot about Allh so Allh
made them forget about themselves. They forget about what truly benefits them
and only focuses on things, which do not benefit them. When some people dont
remember Allh, they are so busy in dunya that they dont focus on what will
benefit them the most. They focus on that which is not beneficial or that which has
a temporary benefit.
Some Muslim brothers and sisters dont know how to pray and dont memorize
anything from the Qurn. They forgot about what will truly benefit them.
3) The Qurn stated that in order for you to achieve true success, you need dhikr of
Allh.
O you who have believed, when [the adhn] is called for the prayer on the day of
Jumuah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allh and leave trade. That is
better for you, if you only knew. (Al-Jumuah, 62:9)
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4) Allh praised the people who made dhikr.
Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing
women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful
women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women,
the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the
men who guard their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who
remember Allh often and the women who do so - for them Allh has prepared
forgiveness and a great reward. (Al-Azb, 33:35)
Allh describes the Muslims and believers male and female.
5) Allh said those who dont make dhikr are among the losers. Losing happens
because of the lack of dhikr of Allh.
O you who believe, dont let your children and wealth make you forget the dhikr of
Allh. (Al-Munfiqn 63:9)
Dont go to an extreme and forget your family. Sometimes we work and work for
our family. We are making a living but forget to make a life.
6) Allh (subnahu wa tala) said that He remembers those who remember Him and
mentions those who mention Him.
So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me.
(Al-Baqarah, 2:152)
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7) Dhikr of Allh is the greatest thing.
Recite, [O Muammad], what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish
prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance
of Allh is greater. And Allh knows that which you do. (Al-Ankabt, 29:45). Allh
mentions dhikr after mentioning alh.
8) In many verses when Allh mentions good deeds, He then mentions dhikr. Allh
ended by ordering us to make dhikr. Sratl-Baqarah.
And when you have completed the prayer, remember Allh standing, sitting, or
[lying] on your sides. But when you become secure, re-establish [regular] prayer.
Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times.
(Al-Nis, 4:103)
9) The ones who make dhikr will benefit the most from the signs of Allh.
Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the
night and the day are signs for those of understanding. Who remember Allh while
standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the
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heavens and the earth, [saying], Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted
are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
(le-Imrn, 3:190-191)
In the creation of Allh (subnahu wa tala), there are great lessons to be learned
for those who remember Allh while they are standing, sitting, or laying down.
There is a difference when you see kids who see something great and some say,
MshAllh, alamdulillh and others who say, Wow. The one who says dhikr
really benefits when he sees the creation of Allh.
10) In the Qurn, when you look at the good deeds Allh spoke about in the Qurn, He
connected them to dhikr. Good deeds are mentioned in a way that dhikr is the soul
for the good deeds. In Srah Ha, Allh said, Make the alh so you can make
dhikr.
Indeed, I am Allh. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish

prayer for My remembrance. ( Ha, 20:14)
ajj is ordained so that Allh will be mentioned and honored. The concept of
masjid and adhn is for Allh to be mentioned and remembered.
What are some benefits of constantly making dhikr and du?

- Prevents you from sinning
-
Feel contentment
Remembering Allh during the time of ease means Allh will be with you in the
time of hardship or calamity. (Story of the Prophet Ynus)
Empower you. Dhikr makes you so strong. Imm al-asan al-Bari (raimahullh)
was called by al-ajjj, who would execute people who corrected him in the
alh. One day he was stuck and couldnt remember the verse, so he quoted the
verse, Give it to me. Then he said, Is there not among you anyone who is
smart? No one dared to say anything. Al-ajjj said, You talk about al-asan
al-Bari? Ill show you what I will do to him. He ordered his soldier to bring
something made of leather on which they cut off the heads of people. Al-asan
was called into the gathering and was making dhikr of Allh. When al- ajjj
saw him, he said, Ya Aba Sad, please come next to me! The ministers and
those around him were so surprised. He said, I saw him like a lion and myself
like a cat. The people who make dhikr are on a completely different level and
very strong. Dhikr of Allh gives you strength in your heart.
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An Egyptian Mliki scholar during the time of Amad b. Tuloon in Egypt was put
in a place for lions to attack him. The lions did not touch him. He started to
pray, and while he was in alh, the lion came and sniffed him and sat next to
him like a dog. Amad b. Tuloon said this person must be a saint or righteous
person and honored him. When he came back to his class, his students asked
him what he was thinking when the lion came close to him, and he said, I
wondered when the saliva was near me whether or not the saliva was najas and
would invalidate the alh.
-
Dhikr gives you strength. When dhikr comes to your heart, it takes the fear out.
Anytime you make dhikr of Allh, you feel your heart is in serenity and have
tranquility. Allh ordered the muhjirn to make dhikr of Allh so that the fear of
the enemy is taken away.
Dhikr gives you a sense of humility. Arrogant people will not make du. Allh
(subnahu wa tala) said, those who are arrogant to submit themselves to Me
and to worship Me will enter Hellfire.
Dhikr is a reason for provision to be increased. Allh (subnahu wa tala) said,

Seek provision from Allh and worship Him. Ibn Taymiyyah said, When you
seek provision from Allh, you are abd to Him. When you seek provision from
other than Allh, then you are a slave to whom you are seeking provision from.
Sratl-Jumuah: Allh orders us to go and seek provision from His bounties and
make dhikr.
And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek
from the bounty of Allh, and remember Allh often that you may succeed. (AlJumuah, 62:10)
-
Protection from Shayn. Ibn al-Qayyim said that if this is the only virtue, then
this is enough. Umar (rayAllhu anhu) would always make dhikr, and the
Shayn would always run away from him. Shayn fears those who make dhikr.
Protection from jinn. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, When you
take off your clothes, say bismillh and the jinn can no longer see your awrah.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) asked Allh to protect him from the evil
eyes of the humans and the jinn. Then Allh revealed Sratl-Falaq and SratlNs and he (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) used these to seek protection. The
Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Since I received these verses, I did not
pray from anything for the protection from evil eye and jinn except from these
two srahs.
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Story from Shaykh Waleed

A friend of mine was possessed, and we were reading on him. The jinn that was
bothering him left his body. I was walking with him on one side and on his
other side was a famous student of knowledge who is well known. I heard the
cracking of a whip and my friend jumped about five feet and fell on his face. I
went to him right away and uncovered his back. I could see the fresh mark on
his back and the blood. We tried to calm him down. The jinn had hit him. I
asked the jinn, Did you hit him? He said, Yes. I said, Why? He said, Because
I was so angry I was forced to leave him. I asked, So why didnt you hit me or
my friend (the student of knowledge)? He said, I would love to, but there is
between and both of you a wall that I cannot go through. I said, Why? He said,
Because of what you said that day. I said, What did I say? He said,
Bismillhilladhi la yaurru maa ismihi shayun fil-ari wa la fisami wa huwa AlSam Al-Alm. I cannot even touch you. Dhikr of Allh is a real protection
against so many evil things around you. One of the best benefits of dhikr of
Allh is that it protects you from the Shayn.
Ibn Abbs narrated: The Shayn is in you, and anytime you are unaware and
dont think of Allh, he whispers to you. When you make dhikr, the Shayn
wont bother you. If theres nothing else from dhikr of Allh except protection
from Shayn, that is enough.
-
Dhikr causes forgiveness of sins. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said
that if you say subnAllh wa biamdih, your sins will be forgiven even if it is as
much as the foam in the sea. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Is it
too hard for you to make 2,500 asant every day? After each alh, say
subnAllh 10 times, alamdulillh 10 times, and Allhu akbar 10 times. This is 30
by your tongue, 300 in your mizn. If you do this five times a day, it is 150 by
your tongue and 1,500 as reward. When you sleep, say subnAllh 33 times,
alamdulillh 33 times, and Allhu akbar 34 times, then that is 100 by the tongue
and 1,000 rewards. And who among you commits 2,500 sins a day? These 2,500
rewards will take care of that many sins you committed that day. It is one of the
best ways to purify you from your sins.
It makes your heart happy and strong.
Great reward comes from it.
SubnAllh wa biamdih will plant a tree for you in Jannah.
Allh makes dhikr of those who make dhikr. The angels make dhikr for them.
It softens the heart.
It is a reason for the blessings of Allh to continue coming to you.
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It can replace certain good actions that you cannot do. For example, if a new
Muslim said he hasnt memorized Sratl-Ftiah, he should say any form of dhikr
and it will replace it.
One of the best gatherings is when we gather around dhikr of Allh.
Dhikr makes you physically strong and physically active and full of energy.
Fimah (rayAllhu anha) came to the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) and
said she gets so tired from taking care of the children and cleaning the house
and carrying things to the farm. She did things inside and outside of the house.
[Note: It was very common at that time for a household to have a servant or
slave, but Fimah didnt have one.] She said, Ya Raslullh, I heard that last
night you received a lot of wealth (i.e. from zakh). Would you get me a servant
or someone who will work at home? He (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) was so
careful with the public money and would never touch it for a personal reason.
This is a lesson for anyone in charge of community money or adaqah. The
Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) refused. He (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said,
I will give you something better than a servant. When you go to bed, say
subnAllh 33 times, alamdulillh 33 times, and Allhu akbar 34 times. Fimah
said she started doing this and never needed help in the household anymore.
From this, Imm ibn al-Qayyim mentioned in his book that this is one of the
proofs that dhikr brings strength to the body and makes you active.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, When you go to sleep, the Shayn
puts 3 knots on your neck. When you wake up and mention Allh and start your
day with dhikr, one of the knots will be released In the adth, the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said the Shayn makes you lazy and irritated and in
a bad mood when you wake up, and if you make dhikr, this influence of the
Shayn will be removed and you will be made active and energized.
Dhikr results in plants in Paradise.

The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) met Ibrhm in the incident of isr walmirj, and he told him, Tell your nation al-salmu alaykum. Tell them that
Paradise is so pure and so good. Its land is so pure and good. [In another
narration, its land smells of musk.] The plants of Jannah are subnAllh,
walamdulillh, wa la ilha illa Allh wAllhu akbar. This means that every time
you say this, a tree is planted in Jannah.
What does this mean to you? What does it mean that if you do certain actions a
palace will be built for you in Paradise?
It assures you that you will live there and that there is something there to
claim. You are securing a place for you in Jannah.
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It shows your status in Jannah. The more plants and more palaces, the
bigger the place you have in Jannah. The more that you have, the better
place you will secure in Jannah. Nothing will limit Allhs Fal and giving
and reward.
Dhikr gives you light. In Sratl-Anm v. 122, Allh says, The example of those is
that Allh gives them light.
And is one who was dead and We gave him life and made for him light by
which to walk among the people like one who is in darkness, never to emerge
therefrom? Thus it has been made pleasing to the disbelievers that which they
were doing. (Al-Anm, 6:122)
This light is the Qurn, and the Qurn is the best form of dhikr.
-
In a Muslim: Ibn Abbs said he heard the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa

sallam) in the night prayer making du while saying, O Allh put light in my
heart, put light in my eyes, put light in my ears, put light on my right side and
left side and in front of me and behind me. Make the light so great and bright.
What does this mean? You see things the way it is and hear things the way it is.
Light is a tool of guidance. It helps you to understand and comprehend and act.
Allh makes dhikr of you and the angels make dhikr of you when you make dhikr.
It prevents you from sins. When people are sinning, they do it while they are
heedless and not remembering Allh. When you remember Allh, you are likely
to abstain from sins. Allh (subnahu wa tala) says in the Qurn: When
people commit sin or make indecent acts, they remember Allh. This leads
them to making istighfr.
One brother was a heavy smoker, and he said that he wanted to quit. He asked
Shaykh Waleed for advice on how to quit. Shaykh Waleed told him that one of
the best ways to quit smoking is dhikr of Allh, so every time he had the urge,
make dhikr. He started this and quit smoking.
Dhikr prevents you from sinning and helps you to stop.
A man came to the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) and said, Ya Raslullh,
give me a reminder that I can hold onto until the end of my life. He (allallhu
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alayhi wa sallam) said, Keep your tongue moist with the dhikr of Allh. We can
learn from this adth that dhikr of Allh has to be through pronunciation and
not just through imagination and thoughts. Dhikr involves the movement of the
tongue. This adth is used as one of the evidences to prove this. Dhikr is by the
tongue and not by the heart.
-
Dhikr connects you with Allh all the time.

There is a dhikr to say when you leave the house, when you see something good,
when you see something bad.
When something good happens to you, you say, Alamdulillhlladhi bi nimatihi
tatimmu al-lit (Alamdulillh to the One who with His Bounties all good
things happen). When something bad happens to you, you say, Alamdulillh
ala kulli l.
In every situation, there is a dhikr to say. Adhkr occupies your entire day.
When it is raining or there is thunder, there is something to say. When these
things are happening around you, there is something to say to connect you with
Allh.
The one who remembers Allh will be in His presence all the time. You will
reach the level of isn (worshipping Allh as if you see Him), which is the
highest level. When you see someone, you are always talking about him. If
someone is absent, you dont remember him.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said the people of dhikr are ahead of
everyone else on the Day of Judgment.
What are the top 5 reasons people miss/neglect their adhkr?

- Lack of knowledge. Dont know the benefits.
- Laziness
- Distractions
- Not a priority
- Because they started neglecting their adhkr, they do not have the habit.
-
You dont have a support community.

This could be family members or the community at large. When you are around
people who dont care about adhkr, you will not care about adhkr. When
children see the parents praying and making dhikr, they will do the same. When
there are more people praying and making dhikr after alh, you are more likely
to make the dhikr. When you are around friends and people and educators and
role models, you will commit to it. Unfortunately so many of us are around
people who dont help us make dhikr.
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When was the last time your friend asked you, How is your wird of the Qurn?
(Wird is an amount of verses you read every day). Or Did you read your
morning dhikr today? There are very few.
The companions had a relationship of true brotherhood and they cared about
each other in religion.
-
Ignorance
People dont know what to say.
People are busy and dont have time for it. People think that adhkr takes so
much time.
It takes less than two minutes to say subnAllhi wa biamdihi 100 times. Ibn
Taymiyyah said, It will wipe your sins, but it depends how perfect your adhkr
is and how strong your belief in it is, and it is impossible to do it every time.
We reach the complete effect by repeating it multiple times (i.e. say it 100 times
in the morning and 100 times in the evening). Sometimes are sin are so severe
and need multiple washing.
Some people overdo and think the only way to do it is to put so much emphasis
on it. Dont overdo it. Dont this makes people turn away from dhikr.
People dont know the reward for dhikr.

The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) came to the companions and said, Is it
hard for one of you to read 1/3rd of the Qurn in one night? Read qul huwAllhu
ahad. It is equivalent to reading 1/3rd of the Qurn.
People dont know the meaning.

If you dont know the dhikr in Arabic, then say it in English. The point is to
know what you are saying and not to say words you do not understand.
Knowing the meaning will help you a lot.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) taught us: O Allh, I ask you al-afuww
and al-fiyah. What is the difference between al-afuww and al-fiyah? Both
words are from the same root. Al-afuww means something is eliminated. When
someone walks in the desert and leaves footprints which the wind removes, this
is afuww. The ulem said that you are asking Allh two things with this du:
for something to not exist all kinds of evil, related to our sins and mistakes, or
harmful things related to religion or worldly life (i.e. health issues, problems in
your life, problems with your family). Al-afuww is for whatever happened in the
past, and al-fiyah is for whatever will happen in the future. We ask Allh to
remove any sin we committed, anything bad we did, anything that is harming us
and to protect us in the future so that it will not happen again.
We dont really know what a lot of the dus we say mean. We also dont know
the benefit of it.
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Procrastination
They procrastinate and then forget about it later on.
We miss dhikr because we are involved in sins. If we are involved in arm, then
we wont remember to say the adhkr.
Response to those who dont make du because they feel like they commit too many
sins: Sufyn b. Uyaynah said, Allh accepted the du of Ibls, so He will most likely
accept your du.
What are the top 5 tips that would help keep us consistent in our adhkr?
- Have CD in the car or reminder on the phone
- Have a dhikr buddy
- Make a schedule. Fit your adhkr into a schedule. For example: to/from work,
coming early to ish by 10 minutes to make your dhikr.
- Many people only know one dhikr even though the Sunnah is filled with many.
For example, when you make ruk, from the Sunnah you can say subna rabbi
Al-Am or subnallhumma rabbana wa biamdika allhummaghfirli. This will
make you excited it is something new. The more you know and memorize a
variety of adhkr, the more you will do it.
Abu Sad al-Khudri narrated that Muwiyah once came to the masjid and saw people
gathering and asked, Why are you here? They said, We only came for dhikr of Allh.
He said, By Allh, is this the only reason for you to gather here? They said, Yes. He
asked them three times and then said, I am not asking you by Allh because I doubt
you. I am asking because we were sitting in the masjid of Allh one day and he (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) asked us this question three times and said he only asked us this
because Jibrl came to him and told him that Allh gathered the angels and told them,
Look at My servants. They gathered together just to remember Me. I am so proud.
(Muslim)
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, No people will gather together
remembering Allh and mentioning Him except that the angels will surround them and
Allhs Mercy will descend around them, and tranquility will descend into their hearts
and minds, and Allh will mention them to those in His presence.
Review:
Imm ibn al-Qayyim said there are 100 or more benefits of dhikr and he mentioned
them in his book al-Wbil al-ayyib min al-Kamil al-ayyib.
Answer: False. He mentioned 73.
The ulem said that there is one benefit of dhikr that if it was the only one, then it is
sufficient.
Answer: protection from Shayn
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The Meanings of Dhikr and Du

Linguistic Definition
Dhikr originally comes from the word dha-ka-ra.
Linguistically, dhikr means to remember something and to not forget it. It
usually refers to something honorable.
Dhikr and dhukr are the root of the word. Dhukr is related to remembering something
and dhikr is mentioning something. Dhukr refers to an act of your mind or heart. Dhikr
is an act of the tongue. It is the thing you think about when you dont pronounce it or
do pronounce it. When you mention with your tongue, it is something already in your
mind or heart. Dhikr is initiated by your mind or heart and followed by mentioning
with your tongue. If you just think and dont mention, then this is contemplating about
Allh. This is takaffur, which is an act of worship, but it is not dhikr. The pronunciation
does not have to be out loud but can include the movement of the tongue. Dhikr is
related to something you say intentionally because you are thinking about it.
Dhikr usually refers to something honorable. This is why Allh calls the Qurn dhikr.
Meaning of Wird
There is another word Arabs used to mention Allh (subnahu wa tala): wird. Wird is
something that you recite frequently. The Arabs used the word wird originally to refer
to bringing cattle to the water to drink. This act of bringing them to the water is called
wird. What is the connection between this meaning and dhikr? Without your daily
adhkr and daily recitation, what will happen to you is what will happen to the cattle if
you dont provide water to them.
In a Muslim: The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, You will burn yourself
during the daytime until uhr time comes and you come back pure and clean again.
You will burn yourself until ar comes and then you pray and refresh.
Du comes from the word daaw which means to call out or to summon.
Du is an act of invocation and supplication. Arabs used this word to have things come
towards you. For example, you say, O Allh, I want Jannah because you want it to
come to you.
Technical Definition
Dhikr is to remember Allh by thinking about Him or mentioning His Names and
Attributes or His rulings.
Ulem said this because dhikr of Allh is about one of three things:
Remembering and mentioning Allh by His Names and Attributes. This can be done
in two ways:
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1) Praising the Names and Attributes of Allh.

Example: saying subnallh, alamdulillh, Allhu akbar.
2) Telling people about the meaning of His Names and Attributes.
Think about the meaning of it and apply it to your daily life. This means that
you think about Allhs Mercy and are merciful to people. You think about how
Allh is Generous so you are generous to people. You make dhikr of Allh being
Al-Muin and try to do things perfectly. You remember the Attributes or
Names of Allh and apply it to your daily life.
Remembering the rulings and orders of Allh. (What He loves/hates and

likes/dislikes, the all and arm). This can be done in two ways:
Dhikr means the Islamic rulings. Allh (subnahu wa tala) said, If you dont know,
ask the people of dhikr. The people of dhikr are the people of knowledge those
who know the all and arm and what is right and what is wrong.
1) Telling people about it.
The scholars are called the people of dhikr because they remind people about
what Allh loves and dislikes and what Allh wants us to do and does not want
us to do. A great scholar once said, Majlisl-dhikr (the gathering of dhikr) is the
place where people study the all and arm.
We never come across a single time when the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) gathered the companions together to make dhikr.
A great tabi said, The gathering of dhikr (majlisl-dhikr) means the gatherings
where people learn the all and arm. They learn what is permissible and
what is not permissible. It is a gathering where the dn of Allh is taught.
Note: this is the meaning that only the Sunnis believe in. Innovators refuse to
consider this as a meaning of dhikr.
Abu Suwad al-Adawi, one of the successors, was sitting and teaching. A man in
the gathering said in a loud voice, Lets make this a gathering of dhikr. Say,
subnAllh. Abu Suwad was very angry and said, What do you think we are
doing? We are gathering and teaching knowledge. If it's not a gathering of
dhikr, then what is it? A way of making dhikr is to read a book or to teach
knowledge.
2) Remembering the rulings yourself when they are needed. When you see what is
arm, you remember what Allh said about it.

Example: you remember what time uhr starts. Applying the rule in itself is a
form of dhikr.
Remembering Allh during the time of calamities or when you see the uniqueness
of His creation. This can be done in two ways:
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1) When you see the greatness of His creation and you mention Allh. This makes
you thankful to Allh.
2) Remembering Allh (subnahu wa tala) in a time of calamity. This makes you
a person of patience.
The first thing that comes to your mind should be: alamdulillh ala kulli l.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said that mn is made of abr and shukr.
If you have abr and shukr, your mn is complete. What brings you abr and
shukr? Dhikr of Allh.
Al-Du is to invoke Allh and to supplicate to Him by calling upon Him, or
worshipping Him.
Du refers to the act of worship. It means you are staying away from the way of
Shayn and coming towards Allh and leaning towards Allh. How do you call upon
Allh? You can call upon Allh directly by saying Ya Allh, Ya Al-Ramn. This is the
most common meaning for du for us. You also call upon Allh by worshipping Him.
Du al-masalah is when one is asking for fulfillment of need because he wants
something to happen, something to be removed, something good, or something evil to
be protected from, etc. This is the most straightforward meaning, which is very
common to us. Du al-ibdah represents a very broad concept in Islam. Every single
act of worship includes this type of du.
What is the relationship between du and dhikr? Which is more general and which is
more specific? When a technical definition has different meanings, we need to ask
which meaning we are talking about. Du as ibdah is more general. In regards to du
al-masalah, dhikr is more general and du is specific.
The Ruling of Dhikr and Du

The Muslim jurists have different opinions on the ruling of dhikr and du.
First Opinion: Obligation (wjib)
This is the position of the Shfiis and so many of the Mlikis.

Evidence:
And your Lord says, Call upon Me; I will respond to you. Indeed, those who disdain
My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible. (Ghfir, 40:60)
How does this verse show that it is wjib to make du? It is a command; therefore, it is
wjib.
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Thumb Rule from usll-fiqh: Any command related to religious

things means it is wjib unless there is a proof it is recommended. Any
command from Allh and His Messenger related to worldly things and a
form of etiquette is recommended unless there is a proof it is wjib.
Example: The majority of the fuqah said eating with the right hand is
recommended because it has to do with etiquette. [Note: other ulem
said it is wjib because there is another evidence in which the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) made du against a person not eating with
his right hand. However, he (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) did this because
the man was arrogant and not because he was not eating with his right
hand.]
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, The person who does not ask from Allh,
Allh becomes angry with him. (Tirmidhi, Amad)
How does this show that it is must to make du and that it is a sin if you do not make
du? Allh is only angry at something which is arm.
Only a few Shfiis and Mlikis said this was an evidence because this position cannot be
standardized. To say du is wjib means that in every situation you have to make du
and are sinful if you do not do it, and no ulem would say this. Some fuqah did not
agree with this opinion.
Second Opinion: Recommended (mustaab)

The vast majority of scholars from the early and later Muslim generations and the
official position of the four madhhib and many scholars is that du is just
recommended.
The proof for this is in Bukhri and Muslim: A woman came to the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) and said that she has seizures, and she asked the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) to pray for Allh to cure her. The Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) said that he can make du for her or she can be patient and be
guaranteed Jannah. He (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) gave her the option, which shows
that du is recommended and not wjib. If du was wjib, then the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) must make du for her.
The scholars mentioned so many other evidences. For example, some people said,
Ya Raslullh, we have high fever in our area. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) said, If you wish, I can pray to my Lord so that He removes it, or you can be
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patient with it and it will be purification. They said, If this is the case, then let it
be purification for us.
Ibn Taymiyyah said, No one would ever say about a specific du or situation that
du is must unless this du is part of an act of worship. All of the adhkr are
recommended and not wjib.
Third opinion: The default ruling is that it is recommended, but it could be an

obligation, or recommended, or disliked, or forbidden, or permissible depending on
the situation.
Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, some Mliki and Shfii scholars, Ibn Hajar, and
others held this opinion.
Wjib: Al-Ftiah in alh is du.
Recommended: adhkr of morning and night
Disliked: when you are sleepy. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said to not
make du while sleepy.
Forbidden: du asking for evil, asking Allh by Muammad (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) to do something (you dont ask Allh by any human being).
Shaykh Waleeds opinion: du in general is wjib because it relates to aqdah. One

specific du is not wjib. If you are sick, you do not have to make du. Its impossible
for a Muslim to never pray to his Lord. No one among the salaf or khalaf said about a
specific du that it is wjib.
In every witr prayer, Imm Amad prayed for 100 people by name from his friends. At
the top of his list was Imm al-Shfii. Who do you pray for?
The Categories of Dhikr and Du

The Categories of Dhikr
The verbal dhikr that a Muslim can make throughout the day are classified into two
categories:
1. Narrated dhikr from the Qurn and Sunnah.
Restricted by time, situation, number, or location.

Restricted by time: Morning and evening adhkr.
In a Muslim, Jbir said he heard the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam)
saying, O Allh, protect me from Your punishment on the Day You resurrect
Your creation. [Muslim] It is narrated that you say this before sleeping.
The adhn is restricted to the times of alh.
Restricted by place: When you see the Kabah, when entering or leaving the
masjid, when entering the bathroom.
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Restricted by situation: after sneezing, du to start the alh. You cannot make
your own dhikr in these situations because the Sharah already specified specific
things to say. You cannot add to them or change them. You cannot change the
adhn.
The du to start the alh is Allhu akbar. This is restricted.
A man sneezed and said, Alamdulillh wa alt wa salm ala Raslullh. Umar
(rayAllhu anhu) said, Say alamdulillh and go say wa alt wa salm ala
Raslullh in your mothers house.
You cannot add to or remove from the dhikr from the Qurn and Sunnah.
-
General / unrestricted (mulaq).

Example: Making a lot of dhikr. You can say subnAllh wa biamdih any time
during the day. You can read Qurn as much as you want any time (generally
speaking).
Guidelines that must be followed with regards to the narrated (Prophetic)

adhkr:
-
The dhikr must be established by correct evidence from the Qurn and
Sunnah only.
They must be from authentic aadth and not made up or fabricated aadth.
If there is debate over authenticity, we restrict ourselves to what is
authentic. It can be debatable. For example, when you hear the adhn, you
say:
Al-Bayhaqi added a statement after this, and there is a debate between the
Muslim scholars of adth on the authenticity. Shaykh al-Albni said it is
weak, and Shaykh Bin Bz said it is authentic. In this case, it is like any fiqh
issue, and you follow the scholar you trust the most. No one can say it is
bidah.
Another example is the du you say when looking at the mirror. The
majority of the ulem believe it is weak.
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There may be a debate over the understanding of the adth. For example,
so many scholars said there is no du for riding on your mount. The
Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) taught this du to Ali (rayAllhu anhu)
when he was traveling, and he (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) was never heard
saying it when riding his camel or mule inside Madnah. Other ulem said
that since in the Qurn there is a verse in Sratl-Zukhruf which mentions
that when you are on top of your ride, say this du, so they take from this
verse the permissibility to say this specific du.
That you may settle yourselves upon their backs and then remember the
favor of your Lord when you have settled upon them and say. Exalted is He
who has subjected this to us, and we could not have [otherwise] subdued it.
And indeed we, to our Lord, will [surely] return. (Sratl-Zukhruf, 12-13)
They also said that the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) told Ali to say
this when he was riding his animal. There is a debate between the scholars
on how to understand the adth.
If there is a different understanding, follow the scholar you trust.
-
If it was restricted: The dhikr must be established the way it was reported in
regards to the time, situation, number, or location.
The dhikr must be said exactly the way it was reported without making any
changes.
There are general etiquettes of du and dhikr that should be kept in mind.
Be respectful, say them with khush, etc.
2. What the Muslims initiate of their own forms of dhikr.
A Muslim can make his own dhikr because Allh (subnahu wa tala) said, Make a
lot of dhikr of Allh. This is general, unrestricted dhikr. You are not allowed to
make a restricted dhikr. For example, you cannot make a dhikr that you say when
you see the color red.
As long as you dont restrict it and dont have a belief attached to it and dont treat
it like the Sharah and it is general and unrestricted, then generally speaking, you
are allowed.
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Note: The best dhikr ever is the dhikr from the Qurn and Sunnah. The best words
you can use to praise Allh with are the words Allh used to praise Himself.
One must keep in mind that the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said: O Allh, I
cannot praise You as You have praised Yourself. (Muslim) The Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) admitted that he could not make dhikr on his own better than what
Allh has taught him, so what about us?
Guidelines that must be followed in regards to the non-narrated adhkr (i.e.
adhkr that are initiated by the Muslim worshipper):
-
Sincerity.
They must be done sincerely for Allh.
Should be unrestricted by time, number, or situation.
The meaning must be acceptable, good, and general without any negative
connotations.
It cannot contain improper, made-up Names and/or Attributes of Allh.
Dhikr cannot contain any strange language with unknown meanings.

Ibn Umar (rayAllhu anhu) said, If you see two people claiming that they
have secrets about the religion, then know that they are upon innovation in
religion.
In someones wird in his book izbl-Fti, he said: O Allh, we ask to love you for
nothing and not because of fear of anything and not because we are seeking anything.
We ask You to purify us in a way there is no purification behind it. We ask You to let us
know secrets. I ask you by my teacher, the prophet, the guide. I ask you by the two, by
the four, by the seventy, by the eight, by the secrets of the Sharah of Muammad.
What is wrong about this?
- Asking for perfection. This meaning is not acceptable.
- Asking by someone as if those people have rights over Allh
- Some words have no meanings (i.e. secrets of Sharah, by the two / forty). These
are fi codes. They believe the two are two imms who are in charge of helping
people in disasters, etc. They said the four are four awtd (pegs), which are
needed for the earth to be stable.
In Sudan, there is a fi tarqa called altl-fti. The founder said that Jibrl came to
him and said that his prayer was better than the Prophets (allallhu alayhi wa sallam)
alh by 100,000 times.
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The Categories of Du
1. In regards to its meaning
Du al-masalah, or the du of asking. This type of du is when one

asks for the fulfillment of a need.
He wants something to happen or something evil to be removed or something
good to happen in the future.
Dul-ibdah, or the du of worship. This type of du represents a very

broad concept. In Islam, every single act of worship includes this type of du.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said the best du is the day of Arafah.
The best du on that day is: la ilha illa Allh wadahu la sharka lah lahul-mulk
wa lahul-amd wa huwa ala kulli shayin qadr
This is the best du because the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) is referring
to the du of ibdah. By glorifying Allh and saying this, you deserve the
reward for your tawd: forgiveness of sins and receiving all types of good.
Allh said, Pray to me, and I will answer you
Ulem said the word du was used synonymously with the word ibdah. Du means
to pray to Allh and ibdah means to worship Allh, but Allh used them
interchangeably as if they are exactly the same.
In Srah Ynus v. 106: Dont pray to other than Allh. Whatever you pray to other
than Allh will not benefit you or harm you.
And do not invoke besides Allh that which neither benefits you nor harms you, for if
you did, then indeed you would be of the wrongdoers. (Srah Ynus, 10:106)
The mufasirn said this means do not worship any other than Allh.
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2. In regards to the users of it
Narrated du
This is a du that is quoted from the Qurn and Sunnah. The dus from the
Qurn and aadth are very general. Ibn Abbs was asked what tina fil-dunya
asanah means and he said it means a beautiful spouse. This is ilml-tafsr he
explained the meaning by giving one example of what it means. It means
everything good, and among the good things you can get is a beautiful spouse.
ishah (rayAllhu anha) said, Ya Raslullh, can you pray for me? He
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, O Allh, I ask you to forgive her for all of her
sins in the past and the future.
Any du from the Qurn and Sunnah is always at a higher level than any
initiated du.
Initiated du
The best way to ask is from the Qurn and Sunnah, but you can also make your
own du. For example, in witr prayer in Raman, the imm makes du and it is
mixed between phrases from the Qurn and Sunnah and some made by the
shaykh himself. This was seen a lot in the early Muslim generations.
Imm Amad (raimahullh) used to say, O the One who guides, guide us to You.
Mutarrif used to say, O Allh, be pleased with me and if you think Im not
worthy to reach the level at which You are pleased with me, then treat me with
Your mercy because Your mercy reaches everyone.
3. In regards to what you are asking for
We usually ask for four things. All of our requests fall into one of these categories:
-
The removal of harm/evil
The protection from harm/evil
The continuation of what is good
Asking for non-existent good
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Our Lord, indeed we have heard a caller calling to faith, [saying], Believe in your Lord,
and we have believed. Our Lord, so forgive us our sins and remove from us our
misdeeds and cause us to die with the righteous. Our Lord, and grant us what You
promised us through Your messengers and do not disgrace us on the Day of
Resurrection. Indeed, You do not fail in [Your] promise. (le-Imrn, 3:193-194)
This is the du of the believers which Allh quoted in the Qurn. Allh told us about
this du because it is so unique. This du includes these four things above. How do
these two verses have all of these four points?
Removal of harm / evil: forgive our sins
Protection from harm / evil: do not disgrace us on the Day of Judgment
Continuity of what is good: cause us to die with the righteous
Asking for non-existent good: grant us what You promised us through Your
messengers (i.e. Jannah)
When reading dus in the Qurn, look how many points they cover from these.
4. In regards to the person making du
All of du can be categorized into the following:

-
For yourself
O Allh, I ask you to forgive me. O Allh, I ask you to guide me.
Ibn al-Qayyim said, It is well-recorded from the Sunnah of the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) that he used the pronoun me and not we. O
Allh, forgive my sins. O Allh I ask You to guide me. This was the most
common way of making du of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam).
For others
O Allh, forgive him/her. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) told Anas b.
Mlik: O Allh, I ask you for Anas b. Mlik to have a lot of wealth and a lot of
children and bless everything that You have provided for him. (Bukhri and
Muslim)
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) saw Muwiyah b. Abi Sufyn and told
him, O Allh, make this man a guided person and make him a person who will
guide others and allow him to be a guide to others. (Imm Amad, Tirmidhi)
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The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, O Allh, make Muwiyah the
master of the Book and protect him from the punishment. (Musnad of Imm
Amad)
-
For yourself then others

In the Qurn, Allh says in Srah Muammad: O Muammad, ask forgiveness
for your sins and for the believers.
This shows that you should ask for yourself and then ask for others.
It was never reported that you pray for someone else and then yourself. You
start with yourself and then the other person this is the proper etiquette.
May Allh forgive me and forgive you. May Allh guide me and guide you.
For yourself and others using the pronoun we

Ibn Umar said, It is very rare for the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) to
leave a gathering before making the following du:
He (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, O Allh, I ask You to give us khashiyah of
You to prevent us from disobeying and give us the strength to worship You so
that we will achieve Paradise. Give us certainty in the heart and make the
calamities in the worldly life easy to deal with. O Allh, make our senses /
health strong and sound as long as we live. Give us victory over those who
abuse us. Dont give us a calamity in our dn. And dont make the dunya our
biggest concern. Dont make our knowledge focused on worldly things. Dont
let someone control us who has no mercy in his heart towards us. (Sunan alTirmidhi)
A friend of Shaykh Waleed studied in what we call today Bosnia (Serbia). He
said, Waleed, if you want to live a decent life, dont live with Muslims. There
used to be an area where I lived where they cooked with khamr. They knew
nothing about religion. Then the war happened. The calamity was in dunya but
not in dn. I came back to the same area where I studied and I used to be the
only young man praying in the masjid, but then the masjid was full at fajr prayer.
Calamities will happen in your life. The worst calamity is to lose your dn and
start compromising your principles. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam)
said, Ya Allh, dont let the calamity strike our dn.
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For Whom Should You Make Du Other Than Yourself?
Parents
And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good
treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to
them [so much as], uff, and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word. And
lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, My Lord, have mercy upon
them as they brought me up [when I was] small. (Al-Isr, 17:23-24)
Allh (subnahu wa tala) said, O Allh, shower them with your mercy. The
prophets and messengers asked Allh to forgive them and their parents.
Abu Hurayrah (rayAllhu anhu) loved his mother very much, and he prayed for her so
much. He said, Anyone who prays for me and my mother, I ask You to shower him
with Your Mercy. Abu Hurayrah (rayAllhu anhu) never related any adth related to
the ajj of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam). He (rayAllhu anhu) never left the
side of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam). He did not make ajj with the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) because his mother was sick, and he stayed behind in
Madnah. When Abu Hurayrah became rich and the prince of Madnah, he said, I used
to have nothing! He used to put a rock on his stomach and tie a belt around it because
he was so hungry and did not have food. [Nowadays we put a belt because we have too
much food.] He (rayAllhu anhu) told his students, This is what knowledge leads to:
dunya and khirah. I dedicated my life to the knowledge of adth during the life of the
Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam). Allh honored me and never put me down.
Imm Abu anfah said, When my father passed away, I did not make du for anything
for an entire year except my parents.
Some of the salaf used to make the du for their parents 70 times in the alh in
between the two sajdahs. Ibn Taymiyyah said, It is a common narration: O Allh
forgive me and my parents. Praying for your parents in every single alh is a must.
One brother makes du for his parents in the second sujd of the first rakah of every
alh in order to make sure he never forgets.
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Family Members
And those who say, Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort
to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous. (Al-Furqn, 25:74)
The Messenger of Allh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Three supplications are
answered without doubt: the supplication of the oppressed, the supplication of the
traveler, and the supplication of the parent for his son. (Tirmidhi)
Do you make du for your relatives (brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles)? They have rights
over you, and the least of their rights upon you is that you make du for them. At least
make du for them in your witr.
Those who benefited you and did good to you in your life and to your friends
Always make du for those who have done good to you. Muslim scholars said it is
highly recommended to make du for those who have done good to you (i.e. your
teachers).
The Messenger of Allh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, If good is done to someone
and then they say jazkallhu khayran to the one who did the good, they have indeed
praised them well. (Tirmidhi, al-Nasi)
Ibn Abbs said, Once the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) went to the bathroom, so
I went and got water for the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) so that he could make
wu. When the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) saw the water, he said, O Allh,
give him understanding of the religion.
Muammad b. Sirn said, We were with Abu Hurayrah one night and he said, O Allh
forgive Abu Hurayrah and his mother and those who ask forgiveness for them. Since
that time I have been asking forgiveness for both of them, so the du of Abu Hurayrah
will reach me!
Imm Amad said, It surprised me those who claim that they are brothers and sisters
in Islam and he is stingy with his du for his brother. How would he be generous with
his money?
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Can you make du for someone who is non-Muslim who did something good to you?
Yes, you are allowed to make du for them.
Ibn Abbs (rayAllhu anhu) was asked if a person who is non-Muslim did something to
him and said, BrakAllh fk, then what would he say. He said, May Allh bless you,
too.
adth asan: ishah (rayAllhu anha) narrated that the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) was given sheep meat as a gift, so he (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) told ishah to
distribute the meat among the neighbors, and among the neighbors were non-Muslims.
He (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) asked what happened, and she said, The servant took
the meat to the non-Muslim neighbor and the neighbor said, May Allh bless you and
what you have given to us. He (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) asked what she said when
she heard this and she said, May Allh bless them too. This is a sound adth and
Shaykh al-Albni said it is asan.
If a non-Muslim sneezes, you are allowed to say, May Allh bless you.
To pray for someone to increase his age: this is not common in our culture today to use
this form of du. There is a debate among the scholars regarding this.
Bottom line: you are allowed to pray for someone like this as long as you say with
good deeds. May Allh bless you with a long life with good deeds. This is a good du
to make. The majority of the fuqah say that this is what is permissible.
Praying for all Muslims and asking forgiveness for them
So know, [O Muammad], that there is no deity except Allh and ask forgiveness for
your sin and for the believing men and believing women. And Allh knows of your
movement and your resting place. (Muammad, 47:19)
It is from the Sunnah to make dus for your Muslim brothers and sisters everywhere,
especially those in your city. Allh (subnahu wa tala) ordered the Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) to make du for the believers. All of the messengers and prophets
made du for the believers. This is something we should care about.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, If you visit a sick person and make du
for him, Allh will heal him, inshAllh. When you go to visit a sick person, make sure
to say nice things.
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And [there is a share for] those who came after them, saying, Our Lord, forgive us and
our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts [any] resentment
toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful. (Alashr, 10)
In Sratl-ashr v. 10, Allh teaches us about the believers and how they care about their
Muslim brothers who are alive and dead. Our connection is not limited by time or
borders. Every time you say, Ya Allh, forgive all the believers, it goes from dam to
the end of time. We are one nation and one ummah.
O Allh, forgive us and our brothers who became Muslim before us. Dont put any hate
in our hearts towards them.
The Messenger of Allh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Whoever ask forgiveness for
the believing men and women, Allh will give such person asanah (reward) for each
believing man and woman. (abarni in al-Mujaml-Kabr, sound adth)
It is a common du since the time of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) until now:
O Allh forgive the believer, the living one and the dead one.
Imm Muslim: Abul-Dard said he heard the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) say,
Anyone who makes du for his Muslim brother while he is absent, an angel next to
him will say, mn, and give him similar to what he asked. Imm al-Nawawi in Shar
Muslim said, This shows you the virtues of making du for your brothers in their
absence. This is the reward for praying for one, so what about praying for a group of
Muslims in their absence?
The religion makes us never live as individuals only. We are part of a big ummah. This
is the beauty of our religion.
Many narrations from the early Muslim scholars say that when they wanted to receive
something, they would make du for the same for their Muslim brother or sister.
Their intention is that they receive it because they know the angel will say, O Allh
accept and give him the same, too.
Praying for the Leaders
Muslim leaders: Imm al-Nawawi said, There is agreement among the scholars on
making du for Muslim leaders, regardless of they are fsiq, in the jumuah khubah.
Make du for them to be guided and just and fair.
A anbali scholar said: This is a matter of agreement. It is recommended to do it in the
jumuah khubah. A famous Shfii scholar said it is recommended for the imm to do
such thing.
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The anafi scholars said you are not allowed (a few Shfii and anbalis also said this)
based on a narration from Aa who was asked if they can make du for the leaders in
the jumuah khubah and he said it is not from the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam)
and an innovation. Umar b. Abdl-Azz wrote to all of the khabs to specifically not
make du for him in the jumuah khubah. This position is not the famous / common
one.
It is permissible for several reasons:
- Claiming that this is not the practice of the companions is not something we
agree with. The statement of Aa is not accurate. In an authentic narration,
when Abu Msa al-Ashari would make khubah, he would pray for Abu Bakr and
Umar b. al-Khab. Someone came and told him that he cannot pray for Umar
before Abu Bakr. This was done in front of many companions and they never
disagreed.
-
In general, you should make du for a leader that Allh guides him. The
Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Dn is naah (being sincere towards
others and towards your leaders). Part of the sincerity is to make du for
them that Allh guides them to do what is right and say what is correct. Part of
naah towards the leaders is to make du for them. The students asked
Fuayl b. Iy, If you have one du that Allh said it will be answered, what
would it be? He said, If Allh gave one thing, I would make it for the imm of
the Muslims that Allh guide the leader. When Abdullh b. Mubrak (equal
to Imm Amads level) heard this, he said, O Fuayl b. Iy, who teaches
people what is good, who can say such a thing except you? When Fuayl b.
Iy was asked why, he said, If he is good, then people will be good. The
result is seen in our daily life. Uthmn b. Affn said, What the leader can
enforce is much more than what the Qurn enforces. The Qurn tells people
not to cheat or steal, but they do.
Non-Muslim leaders: You can make du for non-Muslim leaders. You can ask Allh
to guide them to be just and fair and to guide them. Imm Amad was tortured in
the jail and the leader was personally torturing him. Imm Amad was heard saying,
O Allh, give al-Mutassim victory in his war against the Romans. He knew that
the leader was on the right track.
The ruling regarding praying for a fsiq (evil-doer)
You can pray for a fsiq. A fsiq is still Muslim. At the time of the Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam), a drunk man was brought and people were making du against him.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Dont help the Shayn against him.
Be smart in the way you make du. If your du is a reason for them to continue in
their sin (i.e. someone has wealth from the arm), then dont make du for that (i.e. O
Allh, increase his wealth).
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In one community, they told Shaykh Waleed that he can give khubah on any topic
except alcohol because a board member was involved in selling alcohol. Shaykh
Waleed gave a khubah on polluted wealth.
Ibn al-Jawzis teacher was walking along the river and on the other side of the river
people were partying. The students were asking if they should beat them up, or at least
make du against them. The shaykh said, O Allh, as you made them gather in this
dunya happy, let them also be gathered together happy in the khirah. The students
asked what this meant, and the shaykh said, Do you think they will have a happy
gathering in the khirah if they continue in this way? I intended that Allh change their
situation.
The ruling regarding praying for non-Muslims
It is not for the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) and those who have believed to ask
forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives, after it has become clear to
them that they are companions of Hellfire. (Al-Tawbah, 9:113)
Allh does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do
not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly
toward them. Indeed, Allh loves those who act justly. (Al-Mumtaanah, 60:8)
Part of being good to them is making du for them.
Allh forbade us from asking forgiveness for the kufr. You cannot ask forgiveness for
someone who passed away in kufr. You cannot ask Allh to enter them into Jannah.
You can pray for guidance for non-Muslims. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam)
said about the tribe of Aslam may Allh save it, and about the tribe of Ghifr may
Allh give them forgiveness (they were still alive).
You can pray for your country to be just and have safety and prosperity. The best thing
to pray for non-Muslims is guidance. If you win the dunya but lose the khirah, then
you ended up with nothing.
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The Ruling on Making Du Against or Cursing Someone
And whoever is patient and forgives - indeed, that is of the matters [requiring]
determination. (Al-Shra, 42:43)
It is a very serious issue to make du against someone or yourself. Unfortunately,
making du against others is part of some cultures. This is a bad habit.
A young man in Dammam liked to go out a lot. The friends came and asked him to go
out after ish, and his father did not like it. The father said, Go! May Allh never let
you come back out of anger. His friends say this man never came back to the house.
The father collected him from the morgue. He died in a car accident. Dont take du
against someone lightly.
Generally speaking, du against anyone is not recommended. Ibn al-Qayyim and Ibn
Taymiyyah said: Allh ordained du for one reason, which is for good things to
happen, and not for bad things to happen. It is against the default rule of what du is
made for. Allh made it as part of the religion for a purpose. It is not to bring evil
upon yourself or others.
Allh (subnahu wa tala) said that even in the case of transgression or someone does
something bad to you or deserves to be cursed, And whoever is patient and forgives,
indeed that is for the matter requiring determination. This means you have the upper
hand to be able to do it.
Allh (subnahu wa tala) said in Sratl-Isr v. 11, People ask for evil in the same
manner they ask for good. Human beings rush things.
Look at Tafsr Ibn Kathr for commentary on this verse.
Srah Ynus v. 11: And if Allh was to hasten for the people the evil [they invoke] as
He hastens for them the good, their term would have been ended for them. But We
leave the ones who do not expect the meeting with Us, in their transgression,
wandering blindly.
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Qatdah and Mujhid and other scholars said, If Allh answered every request you
make against people, destruction will happen on earth. From Allhs Mercy, He will not
accept such du. Sometimes Allh accepts it as a lesson for us to watch our tongue.
The person whom you pray against is one of two:
1. Transgressor
If he is a non-Muslim: the scholars agree that it is permissible to pray against a
transgressing disbeliever if you think that this person most likely will not accept
Islam.
Note: it is better to make du for them. It is permissible to make du against
them.
And Noah said, My Lord, do not leave upon the earth from among the disbelievers
an inhabitant. (N, 71:26).
If he is a Muslim: the scholars differentiate between the one who is transgressing
openly and the one who is not. They allowed it for both, but said that for the one
who hides his sins, it will be better to pray for his guidance and forgiveness.
Srah Ynus v. 88: O Allh, destroy their wealth and make their hearts solid. They
will not return from their transgression until they see their punishment.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) made du against the people of Azb. He
said, O Allh, fill their graves and homes from fire. They have distracted me from
altl-ar until the time almost passed. (Bukhri)
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, O Allh, I ask you to take care of the
Quraysh and protect me from their evil. O Allh, destroy Abu Jahl and Umayyah b.
Khalaf. O Allh, make their lives like the years of Ysuf [when the economy was
bad]. (Bukhri)
The cause is only against the ones who wrong the people and tyrannize upon the
earth without right. Those will have a painful punishment. (Al-Shra, 42:42)
If the transgressors are Muslims and their transgression is openly practiced, then
you can openly make du against them. You have the right to punish them and
part of that is to make du against them.
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Allh does not like the public mention of evil except by one who has been wronged.
And ever is Allh Hearing and Knowing. (Al-Nis, 148)
Allh doesnt like to hear bad things to be said except in the case of ulm.
Agreed Upon Guidelines
The ulem agree that if you make du against a transgressor, you cannot make du
against him on things not related to his transgression. For example, we cannot
make du against his children because they have nothing to do with it.
Also, the ulem said that you are not allowed to pray against him with another
form of transgression. For example, you cannot say, O Allh, dont let him die
upon Islam. This is a transgression and not allowed. You cannot say, O Allh,
dont ever let him make tawbah. This is not allowed. You can only pray against his
transgression. For example, you are allowed to say: O Allh, destroy his kingdom.
O Allh, take him away from this earth. O Allh, stop him from hurting people. We
are still Muslims and have guidelines. We are just and fair even when we have been
abused. We dont go beyond the boundaries of our Sharah.
2. Victim
Allhs Messenger (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, When a person curses (lanah: to
ask that something be deprived of Allhs Mercy) somebody or something, the curse
goes up to the heaven and the gates of the heaven are closed. Then it comes down
to the earth and its gates are closed. Then it turns right and left, and if it does not
find an entrance to go anywhere, it returns to the person or thing that was cursed if
he or it deserves to be cursed; otherwise, it returns to the person who uttered it.
(Abu Dwd)
An incident took place at the time of Umar (rayAllhu anhu). The dus of Sad b.
Abi Waqq were accepted dus. People came to Umar and said, Ya Umar, Sad b.
Abi Waqq is not a good ruler. He doesnt lead the army. When he distributes the
war booty, he is not fair. When he judges between people, he is not fair and just.
In another narration: When he prays, he doesnt pray a long prayer. Sad said, O
Allh, if this person is lying, I ask you to let him live a long life and live all his life in
poverty and make him exposed to all kinds of trials. The narrator said, I swear by
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Allh that I saw this man 90 years old in the streets of Basrah, and when a young
teenage girl passed by him, he would hit on her. He lived a miserable life.
Did Sad transgress in his du? You are allowed to pray against someone who
transgresses you in the area he transgressed in. No, he did not. Why? He was
accused of three things: 1) related to him wanting to save his own life, 2) about his
dn (not following Sharah when judging between people), and 3) he cares about his
wealth and takes money not belonging to him. He prayed against the person in the
same three areas he was transgressing him in.
If you are a victim, you can pray against someone. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) said, Every day there are two angels who say, Give the one who spends for
Your sake reward and replacement. Destroy the wealth of those who hold their
money. Ulem said that this shows that it was permissible to do it.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, The one who is a slave to money and
dunya will live in misery. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, May Allh
make him a loser the one whose parents are alive in old age and he doesnt take
care of them.
Making du against the people of sin (fsiq)

Narrated Abu Hurayrah (rayAllhu anhu): A drunkard was brought to the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam). He said, Give him a beating. Then some beat him with their
hands, some with their shoes, and some with (a folded) piece of cloth. When he left,
someone said to him, May Allh disgrace you! The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam)
said, Do not help Shayn overcome him by uttering such words. (Bukhri)
The ruling on cursing someone
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, The believer is not one who slanders,
curses or utters foul or obscene speech. (Tirmidhi)
English is different from Arabic. In Arabic, cursing someone is more specific than
making du against them. Curse in the Arabic language means May Allh take you
out of His Mercy. This is not appropriate for anyone to do because you put yourself in
a position as if you control Allhs Mercy, which is very inappropriate and absolutely
unacceptable. Cursing is not something every recommended. It is disliked in all
situations.
Cursing Believers
Allhs Messenger (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Cursing a believer is like murdering
him. (Agreed upon)
Ruling: It is arm when it goes against a Muslim.
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Cursing non-specific individuals, disbelievers, or sinners

Allh cursed the kufr. Allh cursed the thieves. Allh curses the woman who refuses
to answer the call of her husband. Ulem say that this is allowed.
Indeed, Allh has cursed the disbelievers and prepared for them a Blaze. (Al-Azb,
33:64)
Abu Hurayrah reported Allhs Messenger (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) as saying, Let
there be the curse of Allh upon the thief who steals an egg and his hand is cut off and
steals a rope and his hand is cut off. (Muslim)
Cursing a specific individual, disbeliever or sinner
Ruling: It is disliked when it goes against a non-Muslim or a non-believer.
The ulem commented on a adth of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) when he
was traveling and he heard someone say, May Allh curse the Shayn. The Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, When you curse the Shayn, he gets bigger and bigger
until the size of the mountain, but when you say adhu billhi min al- Shayn al-rajm,
he becomes so small the size of a fly. Ulem said that from this adth, even cursing
the Shayn is not recommended. It is permissible because the Prophet (allallhu alayhi
wa sallam) did it but it is not recommended. The believer is not a person who always
curses.
It is highly disliked and could be forbidden if he is a believer because the mumin is not a
person who curses. Ulem say that if the individual was cursed by the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam), then this may be allowed. In general, the mumin should not
curse.
Bukhri narrated that there was a man at the time of the Messenger of Allh (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) whose name was Abdullh, but his nickname was imr, and he used
to make the Messenger of Allh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) laugh. The Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) had him flogged for drinking. He was brought one day and
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he (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) commanded that he be flogged, and a man who was there
said, O Allh, curse him, how often he is brought [for this reason]! But the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Do not curse him, for by Allh, what I know about him
is that he loves Allh and His Messenger.
Ibn Mufli mentioned that the curse that is applied to a specific person, whether he is a
kfir or an evildoer, such as saying, May Allh curse so-and-so, mentioning him by
name may fall into one of two categories:
1. Where there is a text which states that he is cursed, such as Ibls, or where there
is a text which states that he died as a kfir, such as Pharaoh, Abu Lahab and Abu
Jahl, cursing such persons is permitted.
2. Cursing a particular kfir or evildoer concerning whom there is no text stating
that they are cursed such as wine-drinkers, those who offer sacrifices to
anything other than Allh, the one who curses his parents, those who introduce
innovations in religion, and so on.
The scholars differed as to whether it is permissible to curse these people, and
there are three points of view:
1) It is not permissible under any circumstance.
2) It is permissible in the case of a kfir but not of a (Muslim) evildoer.
3) It is permissible in all cases.
(Adbl-Shariyyah by Ibn Mufli)
The ruling on requesting du from a living, present person

Ulem said that if you ask someone to make du for you, and your intention is to
benefit that person only (i.e. reminding the person to make du), then this is one thing.
This is a very rare case. This intention is okay, and there is no difference of opinion in
this case. [Most people request for themselves to benefit.]
It is permissible to ask a righteous person to pray for Muslims as a whole, as we are
permitted to ask someone to pray for rain in altl-istisq (prayer for rain).
There is no difference of opinion among the scholars that this is permissible.
It is permissible to ask someone to pray for you, so that both of you can benefit from
the du as the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) asked us to pray that Allh grants alwaslah (highest place in paradise) after the adhn.
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The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Any Muslim who prays for his brother in
his absence, Allh will assign an angel to say mn (and same to you) every time he
prays for his brother. (Muslim)
Scholars have two different opinions regarding asking someone to pray for you where
your intention is for only you to benefit from it.
1) It is recommended to ask those who you think are righteous to pray for you,
even if your intention is benefitting only yourself. This is the position of the
majority of the Muslim jurists amongst the four madhhib.
Either you think of them as more righteous than you or you think that they are
in a position where there du will be accepted (i.e. a person is traveling or at
ajj). [Note: There is no basis in the Sunnah that a womans du during
delivery is accepted]
This is the position of the anafis, Mlikis, Shfiis, anbalis.
Evidence:
- There is overwhelming evidence where the companions would come to the
Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) and ask him to pray for them.
When Anas b. Mliks mother brought him to the Prophet (allallhu alayhi
wa sallam), she asked him to make du for him. She wanted Anas to benefit
from it.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, O Allh, make Abu Hurayrah
and his mother loved by Your servants. This is why believers love them
and hypocrites do not.
-
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) told Umar (rayAllhu anhu) when
he was traveling to Umrah: Dont forget me in your du.
[This is a weak adth because there is a weak narrator in the chain.]
Uways al-Qarni was a man who lived in Yemen and was taking care of his
mother, which is why he never met the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam).
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said to his companions, If you ever
meet Uways al-Qarni, ask him to make istighfr for you. (Muslim)
The companions would sometimes ask each other to make du for each
other.
A man came to Anas b. Mlik and said, Ya Aba amzah, can you make du
for us? He said, Ya Allh, give us asanah in the dunya and the khirah.
The man asked him to make another du and he made the same du. The
man asked again and he said the same thing, indicating there is nothing
better than that.
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2) It is disliked. This is the position of Ibn Taymiyyah and some Mlikis.

It is only allowed to ask someone to make du for you if your intention is for
him to benefit as well as you.
Evidence:
- It was never from the Prophets (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) Sunnah to do
such thing or the sunnah of the companions or the salaf.
People came to the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) and asked him to
pray for them is because he was a prophet. A man came to Hudhayfah
(rayAllhu anhu) and asked him to pray for his sins to be forgiven, and he
said, May Allh never forgive your sins. Do you see me a prophet? You
pray for your sins to be forgiven. (He doesnt mean this literally. This is
mean but is not the same meaning in English). They were strong about this
because they saw people starting to treat some of the companions like holy
men.
Ibn Taymiyyah and the Mliki scholars said that it was not something
common during the time of the companions for them to ask each other to
make du for them. The only evidence the first group has is when the
Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) told Umar to make du for him, but this
adth is weak and even Abu Dwd, who narrates the adth, mentions
something about the authenticity of the adth. Bukhri said one of the
narrators is munkar in adth. Ibn Hajar also mentioned him as a weak
narrator.
-
Refutation for adth about Uways al-Qarni: They said the Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) only meant to show his status. There were people more
righteous than him. The adth emphasizes his status.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said the du of Sad b. Abi Waqq is
accepted, but he never encouraged people to go to him, and the companions
never understand that they should go and ask him to make du for them.
Ibn Taymiyyah said that when you ask people to make du for you, there
are several negative things that may happen.
It can make that person arrogant. This is what the companions were
afraid of the most. He said they had seen in their time that people
believed they had the power to make blessings. This is what we see
among misguided shuykh. It is a Christian thing to go to the minister
and ask for forgiveness.
Also, it is a form of humiliation you humiliate yourself in front of
someone. Allh said, Ya Muammad, if they ask about Me, I am close to
them. Ask for yourself directly. The mumin has dignity.
It may lead someone to believe in those people and that they have the
power to forgive. It may open the door to shirk.
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To say it is not allowed to do it without this intention is not a strong opinion. Shaykh
Waleed says it is permissible, but it should not be a habit. Ulem also recommend
asking those who have made ajj to make du for you after they have finished their
ajj because their sins have been forgiven. It is allowed as long as it is not excessive
and there is no belief attached to it. When someone does it excessively and depends on
others to make du for them, then it is disliked.
There is a narration that a man asked Anas b. Mlik to pray for him. There is another
narration: Abu Sad Mawla said Umar came after ish to the masjid and he found
people there mentioning Allh. He sat with them, and someone said, Ya fuln, make
du for us. He made du. When Umars turn came, they asked him to make du for
them. The narrator said, I said to myself that Umar is a harsh and strong person and I
dont know if his du will soften the hearts. When he started making du, I hadnt
seen anyone with a softer heart than Umar. His heart was even softer than the mother
who lost her child. It happened occasionally. It was not a common practice. Ibn
Taymiyyah and the Mliki statement are correct because it was not a common practice
of the companions. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, If you pray for your
brother in his absence, the angels say, same to you.
From the perfection of tawd is to not ask anyone to make du for you. It is of the
perfection of tawd that when you ask someone, your heart does not rely on that
person but you know that the person is just a tool you rely on Allh (subnahu wa
tala).
The Etiquette of Dhikr and Du

Book: Al-Adhkr by Imm al-Nawawi.
It must be done with sincerity

It is an act of worship. Ask Allh to help you make dhikr. The Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) taught us to say, O Allh help me so that I can always remember
You.
He is the Ever-Living; there is no deity except Him, so call upon Him, [being]
sincere to Him in religion. [All] praise is [due] to Allh, Lord of the worlds. (Ghfir,
40:65)
It must be done according to the Sunnah of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam).
It is recommended for the person to be in a state of wu (ahrah).

It is allowed to make dhikr even when you dont have wu. The Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) said, I dislike mentioning Allhs Name or to make dhikr while I
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dont have wu. (Amad, authentic) From this, ulem say that it is
recommended.
What is the evidence that you are allowed to make dhikr while you dont have
wu? You say bismillh before you make wu. When you get out of the
bathroom, you say ghufrnak. When you wake up, you say adhkr.
It is good to purify the tongue with the siwk or any other method that can make
the mouth smell good.
Face the qiblah.

You are allowed to make it in any direction. It is Sunnah to face the qiblah when
making du and dhikr in general.
Who remember Allh while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give
thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], Our Lord, You did
not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from
the punishment of the Fire. (le-Imrn, 191)
Choose the times, the location, and the situation where the du and dhikr are most
likely to be answered.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said the masjid is a place for dhikr. (Bukhri)
Sratl-Nr v. 36: Allh will be mentioned in these places.
[Such niches are] in mosques which Allh has ordered to be raised and that His
name be mentioned therein; exalting Him within them in the morning and the
evenings. (Sratl-Nr, 36)
There are many good times to make dhikr: early in the morning, before sunset,
before you sleep, on Friday.
Have khush while making dhikr. (Ibn Kathr said, while you have khush.)
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Lower the voice.
Ibn Abbs was asked, How loud or soft should your voice be? Ibn Abbs said,
When you make dhikr or du, you should only hear yourself but others will not
hear you.
Make dhikr & du individually or alone, away from people.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said that Allh said, I am just as My slave
believes Me to be and I am with him when He remembers Me. So if he remembers
Me within himself, I too remember him within Myself. (Bukhri and Muslim)
Avoid people so as to not show off. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said one
of the seven under the Shade of the Throne is someone who mentioned Allh by
himself while away from people and tears came down. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi
wa sallam) said Allh says, Those who mention Me while by themselves, I will
mention them.
Srah Maryam: Allh praised Zakariyya and said that he called upon Allh in secret.
When he called to his Lord a private supplication. (Maryam, 3)
One should perform a good deed prior to making the du.

Tawbah and adaqah are among the best deeds that you can offer prior to the du.
So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship]. And to your
Lord direct [your] longing. (Al-Shar, 94:7-8)
Praise Allh and convey prayer (salawt/durd) upon Raslullh (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) in the beginning as well as at the end of du.
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It is highly recommended. The ulem said you make it at the beginning, middle,
and end of the du. This is the best format. The least is to do it at the beginning or
end. Umar (rayAllhu anhu) reported a statement of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi
wa sallam): Your du is stuck between the heavens and earth until you say
allhumma alli ala Muammad.
Make du repeatedly. This repetition should be at least thrice.

Anas b. Mlik said that when the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) asked something,
he would repeat it three times. (Bukhri)
You can do it more than three times because the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam)
in an incident made du five times. (Bukhri)
Make du with firm conviction.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Let not any one of you say, O Allh,
forgive me if You will, O Allh, have mercy on me if You will. Let him be resolute in the
matter, whilst knowing that no one can compel Allh to do anything. (Bukhri and
Muslim)
Make an encompassing, general du as much as you can.
Mention the Names of Allh and His Attributes that are suitable to the request or to
the du that you are making.
Raise both hands during the du.
Start du with Alamdulillh

The ulem said the evidence is Sratl-Ftiah. It is all praising before one request:
ihdinal-irl-mustaqm. Therefore, it is recommended before making du that you
praise Allh.
Musnad of Imm Amad: The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) heard a man
making du and never heard him say alamdulillh or al-alt wa salm ala Rasulullh,
so when he finished, he (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, This man rushed his du.
When one of you wants to make du, he should start with praising his Lord. Than
means to repeat the praise.
It is sunnah to say mn. Ulem said there are many meanings. The strongest
opinion is O Allh, accept. Another meaning: O Allh, I repeat everything I just
said again and again. You double your request. It is recommended to say mn at
the end of your du.
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Q&A
Should a woman say mn aloud in congregational prayer? Yes, as long as you are in
the womens side and men cannot hear you. If you are near men, then no.
Imm al-Nawawi said, There are more than 100 aadth showing that the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) raised his hands in du.
What does someone do when their mn is low and they dont feel connected to Allh?
- Look at your relationship with Allh. Sins cut you off from Allh (subnahu wa
tala). Ask Allh for forgiveness and repent to Allh. Maybe there is a sin that
you are not aware of.
- When you make du, dont only ask for the dunya.
- Follow the etiquettes of du.
- Our du is weak because we dont think about it. Umar (rayAllhu anhu) said,
I was never concerned with the answer of the du. My concern was always
with the du itself.
- Choose the right time for the du. For example: Ya Rabb, for whatever reason,
I dont enjoy my du as before. Ya Allh, if you are not angry with me, I dont
care about anything else. Ya Rabb, I know that you have so many other creation
other than me, but I have only one Creator, You. Beg Allh and ask Him.
- Learn Allhs Names and Attributes and ask using them.
- Acts of charity soften the heart.
- Make du after a good deed.
- Allh is always there for you. 24/7. You can call on Him any time.
Gem: Everyone makes du at the same time with different tongues and different dus,
and Allh hears every single one as if he is the only one asking, and He has the ability to
give everyone whatever they asked at the same time. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) said that Allh said, O My servants, if the beginning of you until the end of you
and the jinn gathered in one place and asked Me and I give each of them what they
request, this would not decrease My kingdom an inkling.
The Transgression (al-itada) in the Du

Transgression in du is forbidden.
Call upon your Lord in humility and privately; indeed, He does not like transgressors.
(Al-Arf, 7:55)
Transgression means going beyond the limit and going beyond what is permissible.
There are categories:
- In the words of the prayer
Examples:
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Praying to other than Allh. You should not pray to other than your Creator.
Praising Allh with things He never praised Himself with, or with things He
freed Himself from (i.e. father).
To ask for something that is impossible, such as: Forgive Satan, let Firawn
go to Paradise.
Using words with no meaning.
Make du cursing someone.
Making du and saying at the end if You wish or inshAllh
The way it is performed: for example, making it so loud or dancing while
making du
Some scholars said one of the ways of transgression in du is to recite the
du like reciting the Qurn. Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd said, If you stand in
front of a king and do this, would it be proper?
Shaykh Waleed: This statement is not correct and doesnt make sense. If
this was correct, then it is an accusation that the Qurn is transgressing. If
it is not a proper way of talking, then it is not a proper way of reciting the
Qurn, which no Muslim would say. This is ghaflah: the lim is saying a
statement and is unaware of the consequences of his statement. In Islam,
what your statement entails, you are not entitled to.
Some people also said it is not proper to make du that rhymes. Al-Suyi
said this. Shaykh Waleed: It is only wrong if you change the meaning just to
match the rhyme. To make the du rhyme is the way of the Qurn.
There is a prince who was mentally challenged and he wanted to make
things rhyme, so he wrote a letter to the judge in his city. He wrote: O our
judge in Qum, I fire you so leave. This judge was fired just because the
prince wanted to make a rhyme.
It was reported that Abdullh b. Mughaffal heard his son saying (in invocation), O
Allh! I ask You for the white palace on the right of Paradise if I were to enter it. So he
said, Dear son, ask Allh (tala) for Paradise and seek refuge from the Hellfire for I
have heard the Messenger of Allh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) saying, There will come
in this nation people who will transgress (or exceed) in ablution and du. (Abu
Dwd)
Places where du is not recommended:
- Making du in temples
-
Making du next to graveyards
Making du in places where bidah is practice
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Situations and places in which dhikr & du are prohibited:

-
In the bathroom.
When listening to the khubatl-jumuah.
It is not recommended to make dhikr while sleepy.
While you are in al-ammm, which is the place where people go to wash their
bodies (i.e. the shower).
While having intercourse.
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Chapter 2 | The Best Dhikr & The Accepted Du

The Best Dhikr is the Qurn
Sratl-Furqn v. 33: Allh calls the Qurn the best word. Allh is the best, so what
comes from Him is the best as well. The Qurn is Allhs Words.
Abu AbdulRahman al-Sulami said, The virtue of the Qurn over any other speech is
like the virtue of Allh over any creation.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, The Qurn is the best form of dhikr.
When we say make dhikr of Allh, the best dhikr you can do is reading Qurn. The best
dhikr you can study is studying the Qurn.
Imm al-Bukhri in his a mentioned the following adth when discussing the
virtues of the Qurn: Abu Msa al-Ashari said the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam)
said, The example of the believer who reads the Qurn is like the example of a sweet
grapefruit. It smells good and tastes good. The example of the believer who doesnt
read the Qurn is like the example of the date. It tastes good but there is no smell. The
example of the hypocrite who reads the Qurn is like mint. It is sour but smells good.
The example of the hypocrite who doesnt read the Qurn is like a type of fruit that
tastes bad and has no smell.
How does this adth show the virtues of the Qurn? The hypocrite still smells good
because of the power of the Qurn. Ibn Masd said, If you want to know if you really
love Allh or not, then look at your relationship with the Qurn. If you love the Qurn,
you love Allh.
The srahs and verses of Qurn vary in virtue because Allhs Words and Speech vary in
virtue as well. Some of the Qurn is better than others. Ahll-sunnah wal-jamah
agreed upon this concept. Why would Allhs Speech vary in virtue? Isnt it all perfect?
How can we say some is better than others? The virtue of anything comes from two
sides: who said it and what it is about. From the perspective of who said it, all of
Allhs verses are equal because they all come from the same source. When it comes
from the perspective of the concept, some verses are higher in virtue.
-
Al-Ftiah is the mother of the Qurn and the best srah. (Bukhri)
What does this mean? The mother of something means that it is the source of it.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Khamr is the mother of all evil
because it is the source of all evil. Where in Sratl-Ftiah does it speak about
Islamic rulings? Iyyka nabudu wa iyyka nastan irl-mustaqm Ulem
said the ir means the religion of Islam.
Sratl-Ikhl is equal to reading 1/3rd of the Qurn (Bukhri)
yatl-Kursi in Sratl-Baqarah is the best yah in the Qurn. (2:255)
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The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said this to Ubayy b. Kab.

Which srah is equal to 1/4th of the Qurn? Sratl-Kfirn. Also Sratl-Zalzalah
(based on asan adth)
The Names and Attributes of Allh vary to the point where they can impact the dhikr.
There are certain Names which can only refer to Allh such as: Al-Ramn, Al-Qudds,
Mlikil-Ns, Mliki Yawml-Dn.
Al-isml-aam of Allh (the Greatest Name of Allh).
There are aadth which speak about the concept that Allh has a Name which is the
greatest name of Allh. Ulem debated over this issue. There are aadth which
mention this phrase the Greatest Name of Allh. adth of Abi Ummah: Allhs
Greatest Name is that which whenever He is asked by it, He will answer the request. It
is in three srahs: Sratl-Baqarah, Srah le-Imrn, Srah Ha. In another adth, he
mentions v. 163 in Sratl-Baqarah and v. 2 in Srah le-Imrn, but there is only one
Name common between these: Allh. In another adth, the Prophet (allallhu alayhi
wa sallam) heard a man making du and said, You have asked Allh with His Greatest
Name.
The ulem have more than 30 opinions on this issue; these are some:
1) Allh
2) Al-ayyl-Qayym. This is the majority position.
3) It is unknown. This is the opinion of Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Hajar. Allh kept it
hidden for a reason so that you will ask Allh by all of His Names. (Similarly,
Allh didnt tell us when on Friday du is accepted and Allh did not tell us
when laylatl-qadr is.)
4) Shaykh Bin Bz said there is no such thing as the Greatest Name and the aadth
speaking about this means Great Name. There is no one Name with a special
quality different from the others. His evidence: the aadth never mention one
single Name but always mention multiple Names and different Names. The
adth is speaking about when you ask Allh, mention the Name that shows His
Greatness.
Review:
The best form of dhikr is al-Qurn.
Answer: True
Is reciting the Qurn better than saying subna rabbi al-ala?
Answer: It depends. In certain situations, other dhikr can be better than the Qurn.
This is not by looking at the dhikr itself but by looking at the time or situation.
Ibn Taymiyyah said, There are so many disagreements between the scholars over
which one is the best, and both sides are correct. Because of this, we can understand
that when a man came to the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) and asked what the
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best deed he can do is, he (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Dont be angry, Pray on
time, Keep your tongue moist with the dhikr of Allh. His answers were different
from each other. Those without knowledge said that these statements contradict each
other, but in reality they dont. The best deed for that particular person was to control
his anger. When it comes to the deed in itself, the best deed ever is tawd, which
means the believing in the Oneness of Allh and that He is the only one worthy of
worship. Generally speaking, the act of the heart is better than the act of the limbs (i.e.
love, fear, hope). At the time of uhr, the best thing to do is pray.
What are three situations when du or dhikr is disliked or prohibited?
Answer: while taking a shower, in the toilet, while sleepy
What are four of the etiquettes that should be followed during du?
Answer: face the qiblah, be the state of wu, have sincerity, start with praising Allh
(subnahu wa tala)
The Best Dhikr After Al-Qurn

Samurra b. Jundub narrated that the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said the most
beloved words to Allh are four: subnallh, wa almdulillh, wa la ilha illAllh, wa
Allhu akbar (Muslim).
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said that these
words are more beloved to Allh than anything the sun will reach. (Muslim)
What does this statement mean? They are better than anything in this dunya.
These words cover all aspects of tawd and if la awla wa la quwwatta illa billh are
added to them, it will cover the concept of qadar.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said four words are the best speech and they
are from the Qurn. He (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) then mentioned the four words.
If two people made two deals and one was able to say these four words and the other
had so much money, the winner is the one who said the words.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) passed by Umm Hani and she was sitting, she
said at that time she was old and weak. He passed by her while she was making dhikr.
He (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said to her, Say subnAllh 100 times, it will be equal to
300 slaves from the children of Isml. Say alamdulillh 100 times, it would be like
donating 100 horses for the sake of Allh to the mujhidn. Say Allhu akbar 100 times, it
would be like slaughtering 100 camels for the sake of Allh and donating the meat to
the poor people. Say la ilha illa Allh 100 times, and the record of your deeds will fill
what is in the heavens and earth. If you say these four words, there would be no one
who will come on the Day of Judgment with deeds better than yours except someone
who said what you said and added to it. (Imm Amad reported this)
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The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, No one will say subnallh, wa
almdulillh, wa la ilha illAllh, wa Allhu akbar, la awla wa la quwwata illa billh unless
all of his sins will be erased / forgiven, even if it is as much as the foam of the sea. (in
another narration: as long as there were no major sins).
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Saying subnallh, wa almdulillh, wa la
ilha illAllh, wa Allhu akbar will let your sins fall off from your record the same way the
dry leaves fall of the trees on a windy day. (Tirmidhi adth of Anas)
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Ibrhm told me, Say salm to your
nation. Tell them that Paradise is pure and the soil is pure and the water is pure and
sweet and the plants of Jannah are made of subnallh, wa almdulillh, wa la ilha
illAllh, wa Allhu akbar.
Imm Amad reported in his Musnad: A group from Bani Udhrah came to the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam). These three became Muslim. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi
wa sallam) said, Who will take care of them? ala said, I will do that, ya Raslullh.
They stayed with ala. Later on, one of the battles took place and one of them died
during the battle. In another battle, a second man died. The third man died in his bed.
ala said, I saw these three in his dreams in Paradise. I saw the man who died in his
house in a higher place than the ones who died shahd and the ones who died shahd
entered later on after him. I said this cannot be a true dream and went to the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) and told him. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said,
What makes you think this is from Shayn? There is no one better than the believer
who will live a long life and fill his days with Allhu akbar, subnAllh, wa la ilha illa
Allh walamdulillh. This man said so many tasb, tamd, and takbr that it raised his
level in Paradise. (al-Nasi, al-Albni said it is asan)
Mustadrak al-kim: Allh has chosen of all the words for four words to be the best:
subnallh, wa almdulillh, wa la ilha illAllh, wa Allhu akbar. When you say
subnAllh, Allh will write 20 rewards and erase 20 sins. La ilha illAllh and Allhu
akbar are similar to that. For alamdulillh, Allh will write 30 rewards and 30 sins will
be erased.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said that when you say alamdulillhi rabbil
lamn for no reason, you get 30 instead of 20 because usually people say it when good
things happen to them, but this person is doing it not because something good
happened to him but because he wants to make dhikr.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Take your positions and protect yourself.
Abu Hurayrah said, We are scared. Is the enemy approaching us? He (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) said, No. I mean take your position and protect yourself from Hellfire.
Say subnallh, wa almdulillh, wa la ilha illAllh, wa Allhu akbar. These words will
come on the Day of Judgment and save you and advance you and be the remaining
good. (Mustadrak al-kim, al-Nasi)
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Some ulem said the remaining good means no one can ever claim these deeds from
you. From the adth of the person who is the biggest loser on the Day of Judgment, he
will be stopped by other people because he did wrong to them (i.e. backbiting) and
Allh will tell them to take from his good deeds. Some ulem said he can take from all
your deeds except the remaining good ones, which cannot be touched.
Allh (subnahu wa tala) said in Sratl-Kahf v. 46: These rewards will remain and
always give you hope in the Day of Judgment that you will end up in Paradise.
Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good
deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [ones] hope.
Musnad of Imm Amad: The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, One of the dhikr
that you make to praise Allh (subnahu wa tala) and honor Him with is to say
subnAllh, wAllhu akbar wa la ilha illa Allh walamdulillh. The echo of your voice
will be heard around the Throne of Allh and it will be kept repeated so the angels will
know who said it. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Dont you like your
voice to be heard in such a place? It will be kept repeating for a long time. When the
angels hear your voice, they will pray for you as well and intercede for you as well.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Bakhkhin bakh (wow!). [He raised his
hand and showed five fingers.] One of five are so heavy on your scale on the Day of
Judgment. Subnallh, wa almdulillh, wa la ilha illAllh, wa Allhu akbar and a good
son or a daughter that will pass away during your lifetime and you will be patient and
seek the reward for it on the Day of Judgment. Imm al-Dhahabi said this is an
authentic adth.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) was approached by a group of his companions
who said, Rich people get all the reward they pray like us and fast like us but they
have extra money to donate in adaqah and to go to Umrah, and we cannot. The
Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Allh (subnahu wa tala) has given you the
opportunity to give adaqah other than the adaqah of wealth. Every time you say
subnallh, wa almdulillh, wa la ilha illAllh, wa Allhu akbar it is adaqah. (Muslim)
A bedouin man came to the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) and said, Ya Raslullh,
Qurn is not my thing. I cannot memorize from the Qurn. Can you teach me
something else that will be sufficient for me? He (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Say
subnallh, wa almdulillh, wa la ilha illAllh, wa Allhu akbar wa la awla wa la quwwata
illa billh. The man said, Ya Raslullh, these five are for Him. What is for me?
[When you read the Ftiah in alh, you praise Allh and then say ihdinal-irlmustaqm] The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, You can say, O Allh, forgive
me, shower me with Your mercy, protect me from anything that is harmful, provide for
me, guide me. The man held up his hands with closed palms, and he thanked the
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Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) and left so happy holding his hands like this. The
Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, This man has filled his hands with so much
goodness. [Abu Dwd, al-Nasi, authentic adth]
SubanAllh, what a big difference between the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) and
us today. If someone said this to an imm today, he would say, Shame on you.
Dont ever underestimate the power of these words. At any given time, if you see
yourself doing nothing, just keep saying these words.
La ilha illAllh
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Anyone who says la ilha illAllh sincerely
enters Jannah. (Amad)
The Meaning
La negates. The word ilah comes from the root aliha meaning waliha. It is common
in Arabic that they replace the letter amza with wow. Walah in Arabic means
something that you are extremely in love with. The word Allh means the One you
love the most. There is added meaning to this as well: the Arabs say that love has so
many different levels. It starts with liking something and thinking about something. It
reaches to a level called loving so much that you worship it. This love is a combination
of intense emotion and respect. Ilah means the one you love so much to the extent that
you worship it.
In the Qurn, in Sratl-Arf, Allh (subnahu wa tala) says about Firawn: Msa is
going to leave you and your god. Ibn Abbs used to deny this qirh. He used to read
it as: ilhatak and not lihatak meaning Msa will leave you and leave worshipping
you because Ibn Abbs said, Firawn had no gods at this time but claimed he was the
god worthy of worship.
Ibn Abbs is correct and not correct. It is a correct way to read, but it is incorrect
because the way we read it today is lihatak meaning leave you and your gods.
Ahll-sunnah say ilah is fil which means mafl. If ilah is fil, it means doer, but we
say it is mafl and means the One you worship. Those who said ilah is fil said ilah
means Creator, Maker, Sustainer, the One who exists. This is how they translate la ilha
illa Allh to mean there is no God that exists but Allh.
This sets apart the Sunni belief from the Mutazilah, Ashirah, fis.
If you say la ilha illa Allh means no Creator, Sustainer but Allh, this is correct, but
it is not the only meaning and not the direct meaning. Why? When the Prophet
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(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) gathered the people of the Quraysh and told them to say la
ilha illa Allh, what did the Quraysh say? This is weird and unacceptable and
rejected. They did not accept it. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Say
one word and you will own the whole world. If la ilha illa Allh means no Creator
and no Sustainer except Allh, then why did they not say it? The kufr of the Quraysh
believed that Allh is the only Creator and there is no Sustainer and no Provider but
Allh. The Quraysh dont agree on giving that Sustainer and Creator the absolute
submission in worship.
When ahll-sunnah say la ilha illa Allh, they mean there is no one worthy of worship
except Allh.
The first one who made the statement that ilah means Creator was Abu asan al-Ashari.
If you look at the tafsr and statements of the early Muslim scholars from the tabin and
before, you will only hear them say it means there is no one worthy of worship except
Allh.
Allh is the only One worthy of being worshipped.
Ibn Jarr al-abari said, It means to forbid the worship of other than Allh.
(Jmi al-Bayn)
Abu al-Muaffar al-Samni: [Indeed I am Allh, la ilha illa ana so worship Me]. That is:
no one deserves worship other than I. (Tafsr al-Samni)
Allh is the only One we submit ourselves to. If this settled into our minds and hearts,
our relationship with Allh would be completely different and we would be driven by
love of Allh to worship Him and honor Him. No one disobeys Allh once in his or her
lifetime or disbelieved in Allh unless he has a lack of love or lack of respect. Allh
(subnahu wa tala) quoted what N told his people in the Qurn: Why dont you
have the proper respect for Allh? Allh described the kufr and said, They did not
respect Allh or give Allh the proper respect. They love their gods the same way they
love Allh or even more. Because of this, you see the difference between the abah
and early generations and us. Anas b. Mlik said to the second generation, You are
doing things that we had considered as major sins. The abah had a rule: dont ever
look at how small the sin you committed but always look at how great the Lord is whom
you disobeyed.
This goes back to tawd and honoring and loving Allh.
It is the key to Paradise, mn, and our dn. It is the most important testimonial we
make in our lifetime.
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The situations where saying la ilha illAllh is ordained

-
When a person becomes Muslim. Some ulem said when a child reaches the age of
puberty or when the child starts talking.
In tashahhud
Before death
Adhn and iqamh
After wu
In the morning and evening adhkr
Khubah of Jumuah and khubah of d. Imm al-Shfii said it is a pillar of khubah to
say it
When you are going through calamity or suffering or a difficult time. The proof:
When the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) was sweating so hard before his death,
he was heard saying, La ilha illAllh. Death is so hard.
The virtues of la ilha illAllh

Many aadth were mentioned above.
This word is the key to Jannah.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said that N said to his son, I order you to
say la ilha illa Allh. If the seven heavens and seven earths were on one side of the
scale and la ilha illa Allh is on the other, it would be much heaver than the heavens
and the earth.
If anyone says it sincerely, it will prevent Hellfire from touching that persons body.
Subnallh
The Messenger of Allh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said There are two phrases which
are light on the tongue, heavy in the balance, and beloved to the All-Merciful:
subnallhi wa bi amdihi, subnallhl-am. (Bukhri and Muslim)
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The Meaning
Sabbaa indicates the freeing of something from anything shameful, harmful,
or improper. It is to free Allh from whatever is evil, improper, or bad.
Sabbaa is swimming. When you swim, you go far away from the shore. In Arabic,
sabbaa originally means when you distance something from something else.
SubnAllh describes how pure Allh is. SubnAllh means freeing Allh from
anything that is imperfect. This is why this word never comes by itself. It is always in
the company of alamdulillh or Allhu akbar or la ilha illa Allh. You always have to add
to it another word to describe how good Allh is and how perfect Allh is.
Subn means He is so far away from anything which is not proper.
The situations where tasb is ordained
You will never see in the sunnah that the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) would say
subnAllh when he (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) saw something beautiful or amazing.
When they claimed He had a son, he would say subnAllh. When he (allallhu alayhi
wa sallam) was angry at something or saw something arm done, he would say
subnAllh.
Because of lack of pure Arabic understanding, people say subnAllh in situations
where it is not correct.
-
When you see something wrong being done.

Sujd and ruk
Morning and evening
To correct the imm
When traveling and descending
After alh
Before sleeping
When making istighfr and tawbah
When traveling
When hearing the thunder
The virtues of tasb

The word tasb is in the Qurn in 30 different times. Six times as statement from the
angels, 9 times from a statement of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam), 4 times
from other prophets, 3 times about animals and creation making tasb, 3 times about
the believers making tasb, 6 times all of creation making tasb.
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Alamdulillh
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, For him who says: Subnallhi wa bi
amdihi (Allh is free from imperfection, and His is the praise), a palm-tree will be
planted in Jannah. (Tirmidhi)
amd is the opposite of criticizing. amd is praising.
The Meaning
amd means to praise something with the quality that it deserves to be praised
with.
We say alamdulillh for two things: Allhs Names and Attributes, and because
of what He has ordained and revealed and sent down to earth.
Alamdulillh includes shukr.
The situations where amd is ordained
-
Morning and evening adhkr

Before sleeping
In the prayer
When you hear good news
During a calamity. Why do we praise Allh in the time of calamity? It immediately
reshapes your thinking it is a calamity but in reality it is good because Allh never
decreed anything upon you unless it is good. A stumble may prevent a fall.
After sneezing
At the beginning and end of du
After eating. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Allh will be so pleased
with His servant when he/she eats or has a sip of water and says alamdulillh.
After waking up
When wearing new clothes
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The virtues of tamd

Alamdulillh was mentioned more than 40 times in the Qurn. Sometimes there is a
reason and sometimes there is no reason. One of Allhs Names is Al-amd, the One
who deserves to be praised, and it is mentioned 15 times in the Qurn.
In Jannah, there is a house called al-amd. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said,
When Allh takes a child, He will ask the angels what the parents say and they will say
he said alamdulillh and Allh will tell them He has built a house for him in Jannah
called baytl-amd.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) praised Allh (subnahu wa tala) the most
and will be holding the banner of amd on the Day of Judgment. His nation praises
Allh the most because we know more about the Names and Attributes of Allh than
any other prophets and the best praise is to praise Allh with His Names and Attributes.
What is the best form of al-amd? The majority of the ulem said it is the way Allh
mentioned it in the Qurn: alamdulillhi rabbil lamn. Other ulem said:
alamdulillh equal to His bounties and equal to the great things He gives us.
Allhu Akbar
The Meaning
Takbr means that Allh is the greatest in all aspects and areas of tawdlrubbiyyah, al-ulhiyyah, and al-asm wal-ift
Ulem said it means: He is the greatest in His Names and Attributes. Allhs Mercy is
greater than any other mercy. Allhs Knowledge is greater than any other knowledge.
Allhs Plan is the perfect plan and the best plan. Allhs Sharah and laws are the best
laws. Allh is the greatest in His Sharah, Qadar, and Names and Attributes.
The situations where takbr is ordained
-
Takbrt of d
Adhn and iqmah
Starting the alh
adth of Jbir: Whenever the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) went up
Dhikr of traveling
Before sleeping
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When hearing about great things happening

After alh
When sacrificing an animal
During ajj when climbing the two mountains
In calamity
In the alh
In the 10 days of Dhul-ijjah, it is Sunnah to make takbr
The virtues of takbr

What is the correlation between tasb, tamd, takbr and tahll (la ilha
illAllh)?
From the Qurn and Sunnah, subnAllh and alamdulillh always come together and
Allhu akbar and la ilha illa Allh come together. Why?
Tasb is to free Allh from anything imperfect and tamd describes Allh as everything
perfect. Allh is the only One worthy of worship because He is the greatest.
La awla wa la quwwatta illa billh

The Messenger of Allh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Say La awla wa la quwwata illa
billh (There is no might or power except with Allh) in abundance, for indeed it is
from the treasures of Jannah. (Bukhri)
The Meaning
It means that nothing and no one has the power to change ones condition
except by Allhs help and aid. It is one of the treasures of Jannah.
The situations were awqalah is ordained
-
When leaving the house. What is the connection between the statement and
leaving the house? You know that you will not achieve what you want without the
help and aid of Allh (subnahu wa tala).
When a calamity strikes. You are saying: Ya Rabb, this is so difficult to go through,
and the only way I will go through it is with Your Help
The response to the muadhdhin when he says ayya ala al-alh
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The virtues of saying La awla wa la quwwata illa billh

All of the adhkr focus on how weak we are without Allh (subnahu wa tala).
Without Allh (subnahu wa tala), we cannot make it. The way to not rely on yourself
is to always constantly make dhikr.
Verily, Allh and His angels send prayers upon the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam).
O you who believe! Send prayers upon him and peace! (Al-Azb, 33:56)
The Meaning
Ibn al-Qayyim was of the opinion that for Allh to pray over His Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam), it denotes Allhs praise for the Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) in the heavens. This is substantiated by Abul-liyahs
narration in Bukhri that said, Allhs prayer upon His Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) is for Him to praise him amongst His angels. According to this
view, for the angels or human beings to send prayers upon the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) is asking Allh to praise the Prophet (allallhu alayhi
wa sallam) and exalt his status.
There are two famous opinions regarding what alh means:
1) Famous opinion: alh means Allhs Mercy upon you. Ibn al-Qayyim wrote
extensively about this word from a linguistic and Sharah perspective. When
Allh makes alh on someone, He showers His Mercy on him. This
understanding is not correct. It has nothing to do with the root or the Sharah
meaning because Allh differentiates between these: Those people who will be
receiving Allhs prayer and mercy. This means that there is mercy and there
is prayer.
2) Strongest opinion: Praise. When Allh makes alh on Raslullh (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam), He is praising him. This entails that you have the quality and
attributes that make you worthy of being praised by Allh.
What does salm mean?
During the time of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam), when they said this, it
meant, Ya Allh, praise Muammad. Ya Allh, save Muammad. Should we still
continue to say salm? At his time, it was about making him safe. Ulem said that
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during the time of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam), it was to save him so that he
can deliver his message, and after he passed away, it is to save his sunnah and the
interpretation he delivered to us.
The situations where sending alh and salm upon the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) is ordained
-
Tashahhud
On Fridays. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Say alh and salm as
much as you can on me on Fridays because there is an angel who tells me who did
it. This is one of the greatest acts of worship we do on Fridays, even more than
reading Sratl-Kahf.
Morning and evening dhikr. If you say it in the morning and evening ten times,
then you will receive the intercession of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam).
Entering the masjid
When hearing the name of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) being mentioned
Before, during, and after making du
During khubatl-jumuah. Imm al-Shfii said it is a pillar of making khubah and the
khubah is invalid if it is not done
After adhn
altl-janzah after the second takbr
Safa and Marwa
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Any time people gather and leave
before mentioning Allh and sending alh and salm on the Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam), they will regret this gathering on the Day of Judgment.
It is an innovation to say this when you forget something! It is okay if you say it
sometimes, but it is bidah if you believe in it.
Ibn Abdl-Salm and al-Nawawi said it is an innovation to wipe your face after saying
this. Some people said it prevents you from evil eye or asad, but there is no basis for it.
Some people say it when they smell good perfume, and there is no basis for it.
The virtues of alh and salm upon the Prophet (allallhu 'alayhi wa
sallam)
Imm Ibn al-Qayyim wrote a book called Jalll-Ath-ham. This book focuses on the
virtues and meanings of alh and salm on Raslullh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam). He
mentions 40 different virtues that you gain from doing alh and salm on Raslullh:
- Allh raises you 10 levels every time you say it
- 10 asant every time you say it
- 10 sins are forgiven
- It is a reason for du to be accepted
- A reason to receive intercession from the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam)
- A reason for Allh to protect you
- A reason for your worries and sorrows and anxiety to go away
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adth: A man said, Ya Raslullh, what if I make 1/4th of my du for you? He

(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, That will be good for you. He said, What if I make
of my du for you? He (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, That will be even better for
you. He said, What if I make 2/3rd of my du for you? He (allallhu alayhi wa sallam)
said, That will be even better for you. He said, What if when I make du, I will not
ask anything for myself but just praise Allh and say alh and salm on you? He
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, In this case, Allh (subnahu wa tala) will take care
of all your affairs and will take care of all your sadness, anxiety, and worries away and
give you whatever you want even without mentioning it. Ibn al-Qayyim commented:
This will happen to you because it shows the true nature of your love of Raslullh and
you love him over yourself. It means you love the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam)
more than yourself, which is the condition of having perfect mn.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Those who dont make alh and salm on
me will miss their way to Judgment, especially on the ir. The ulem said to give you
aid and support, then always send alh and salm on the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam). Also it is one of the reasons to have a bright light on the Day of Judgment.
When you make alh and salm on him once, he (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) will praise
you ten times and the angels as well.
LECTURE ONLINE: by Shaykh Waleed on virtues of alh and salm on Raslullh
What is the ruling on saying the alh and salm on the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) when he is mentioned?
There are three different opinions:
1) It is a must every time you hear his name and if you do not, then you are sinful.
This is the position of a group of anafis like al-Tawi, some of the Shfiis and
Mlikis. Allh in Sratl-Azb ordered us to make alh and salm. Tirmidhi
reported that the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, A loser is the one
who hears my name and doesnt offer alh and salm on me. From this, the
scholars said it is a must.
This is the strongest opinion.
2) It is recommended. This is the majority opinion. It is highly recommended. It
is only wjib once in your lifetime.
3) Ibn Taymiyyah and other scholars said it is recommended and only a must when
you make du. This is not a strong opinion because there are many examples
when the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) made adhkr in the morning and
night and it was included.
The strongest opinion is that when the name of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam)
is mentioned, it is wjib. As for initiating it, it is recommended and not wjib.
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What is the ruling on writing the alh and salm in abbreviated form
such as SAWS, SAS, PBUH, etc.?
Imm al-uyti said, It is disliked to resort to these abbreviations when making alh
and salm on the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam).
The majority of the fuqah said it is not allowed to abbreviate and they considered this
disrespectful. In the old days, when the great imms would start saying one adth after
the other, people would keep space to later go back and fill in with allallhu alayhi wa
sallam. They would not write an abbreviation. The ulem said ahll- adth are the
closest people to the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) on the Day of Judgment
because they said allallhu alayhi wa sallam the most.
From this, we see the nature of the early Muslim generations. They considered
abbreviation a form of disrespect.
Today, it is a difference case. We are in the era and time of 140 characters.
Abbreviations are not a form of disrespect today. Abbreviations like this are allowed
with one condition: You have to say it.
The Forms of alh and salm upon the Messenger of Allh
The short one:

After the mention of his name, one should say: allallhu alayhi wa sallam or alayhi
altu wal-salm which can be translated as may the praise and peace of Allh be
upon him. One can also say additional du that sends peace and blessings upon
him such as: Allhumma alli wa sallim ala nabiyyina Muammad [O Allh send Your
praise, prayers and peace upon our Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam)
Muammad].
The long, complete one:

There are two authentic narrations with different wordings:
Abu Muammad Kab B. Ujrah (rayAllhu anhu) reported, The Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) came to us and we asked him, O Messenger of Allh, we already know
how to greet you (i.e. say al-salmu alaykum), but how should we supplicate for you?
He said, Say: Allhumma alli ala Muammadin, wa ala li Muammadin, kama allayta ala
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li Ibrhma, innaka amdun-Majd. Allhumma brik ala Muammadin, wa ala li

Muammadin, kama brakta ala li Ibrhma, innaka amdun-Majd [O Allh, exalt the
mention of Muammad and the family of Muammad as you exalted the family of
Ibrhm. You are Praised and Glorious. O Allh, bless Muammad and the family of
Muammad as You blessed the family of Ibrhm. You are Praised and Glorious.]
(Bukhri and Muslim)
Abu umayd al-Sadi (rayAllhu anhu) reported: The Companions of the Messenger of
Allh said, O Messenger of Allh! How should we supplicate for you? He (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) replied, Say: Allhumma alli ala Muammadin wa ala azwjihi wa
dhurriyytihi, kama allayta ala Ibrhma; wa brik ala Muammadin wa ala azwjihi wa
dhurriyytihi, kama brakta ala Ibrhma, innaka amdun-Majd [O Allh, exalt the
mention of Muammad and his wives and offspring as You exalted the mention of the
family of Ibrhm, and bless Muammad and the wives and the offspring of Muammad
as you blessed the family of Ibrhm. You are the Praised, the Glorious]. (Bukhri and
Muslim)
The Messenger of Allh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said: ...Send your prayers and
blessings upon me, for they will be conveyed to me wherever you may be. (Abu
Dwd)
The Accepted Du
Allh (subnahu wa tala) told us that He will accept our dus. The scholars of tafsr
discuss the following verse:
And when My servants ask you, [O Muammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I

respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me, so let them respond
to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided. (Al-Baqarah,
2:186)
Allh has promised to answer our du. Does this mean that every du will be
answered and that every request will be fulfilled?
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Does this mean Allh accepts the du of everyone? They said this is problematic because
N said, Ya Allh, save my son, and Allh did not accept his du. Allh did not accept
the du of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) to guide his uncle.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) for an entire month made du against certain
individuals and cursed them in alh and made du against them. Allh forbade him from
doing such things and said in Srah le-Imrn: The matter is not in your hands, ya
Muammad. Allh might guide them to repentance or punish them. Those individuals
whom the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) prayed against all became Muslim. Allh
showed His mercy took over his anger. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) prayed for
his uncle his whole life and Abu lib was so close and said he knew in his heart the
religion of Muammad (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) was the right religion. Allh said,
Muammad, you dont guide those whom you love.
Lesson: The matter belongs to Allh. No human being is greater than the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam).
Ibrhm (alayhil-salm) made du, Ya Rabb, forgive my father in Sratl-Shuar and
Allh did not accept it.
What does it mean that Allh answers the du and prayer of every caller?
- Some scholars said this verse has nothing to do with du al-masalah (du of
requesting) and this verse means I reward those who worship Me / accept their
act of worship and reward them for it. Du is of two types: request and worship.
-
Other group said that there is no doubt that this verse deals with those who
worship Allh. They said the verse cannot be limited to the worship only and
also includes du al-masalah.
They said any du made that meets all the conditions and proper etiquettes must
be answered by Allh, but Allh answers the du in different ways. They said:
He gives what you ask but according to the time He sees fit
Allh answers you by giving you something better than what you ask for.
For example, maybe you asked to marry a certain person and Allh gave
you something better than what you asked for.
Allh protects you from something evil or bad that was supposed to happen
to you only because of your du. (This belief sets apart the heart of the
believer and a non-believer). Rabiah al-Adawiyya said, SubnAllh, even
when Allh prevents you from something, He has already given you.
Allh (subnahu wa tala) will not give you what you ask for but will save
this du in a form of reward completely for you. There is one narration
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saying that people on the Day of Judgment when they see the reward they
get, Allh will tell them it is all of the dus that He did not give to them in
dunya, they will say, We wish none of our dus were accepted and that
they were all saved for the Day of Judgment. Allh knows that maybe
there is one moment on the Day of Judgment when your scale is going to tip
the other way and this helps you or Allh wants you to reach a higher level
in Jannah. The reward is saved for you on the Day of Judgment.
The majority of the fuqah said this. The proof: adth of Imm Bukhri in al-Adab
al-Mufrad and in al-Tirmidhi the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, No
Muslim will pray and ask Allh for something and the du does not ask for
something arm or evil or cutting the ties of kinship unless Allh gives him one of
three things: Allh gives him what he asks for, Allh delays it until the Day of
Judgment, or He will save him from evil equal to the thing he asked for. The
companion said, Ya Raslullh, is this the case every time I ask for something?
We will make so much du! The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, And
Allh has much more than you can ask for.
This is the correct opinion.
-
Some Mlikis and Shfiis said: Allh promised to answer but He promises
answering if He Wills, so He does not promise to answer in all situations. Evidence:
In Sratl-Anm, Allh said He will remove the harm if He wishes. In Sratl-Shra v.
20. Sratl-Isr v. 18. They said it is according to the wish of Allh (subnahu wa
tala).
The situations in which du is most likely to be answered and accepted:
The Time
- On the day of Arafah. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, The
best du is on the day of Arafah.
- Month of Raman
- Jumuah: The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, There is a short
period of time on Friday when dus will be accepted. There are more
than 18 opinions, and there are three which are strongest:
1) Right before maghrib. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said,
Seek this period of time right before sunset.
2) adth of Anas in a Muslim: This short period of time is when the
imm sits between the two khubahs.
3) When the iqmah has been called before he prays altl-jumuah.
Some ulem said that this time moves from Friday to Friday.
- Last 1/3rd of the night. Calculate the time from maghrib to fajr and divide
this by 3.
- Time of fajr.
- First 10 days of Dhul-ijjah.
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After the alh. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, When you
make an obligatory prayer, there is a du that will be accepted. Ulem
said that is during the alh or right after the alh.
One of the best times in alh is in sujd or right before salm. The Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said that right before salm, choose the most
beloved du to you to say.
The Situation
- When drinking zamzam
- When following the janzah
- When breaking the fast
- When you are in calamity
- When you have been abused or oppressed
The People
- The just ruler
- The father
- The mother
- The traveler
- A righteous son making du for his parents. A man will say, Ya Rabb, I
dont deserve this high level in Jannah. The angel will say, You reached
this level in Jannah because of the du of your righteous children.
The Place
- Makkah
- Inside the masjid
- On Arafah during the day of Arafah
Are there signs to indicate that our du was answered?

ishah (rayAllhu anha) said, When my tongue started to flow in du and come so
easily and I have goose bumps and tears coming down, then I know that this is the
moment Allh opened the door for my du.
Sometimes when you make du, you have a strong feeling that Allh is helping and
aiding you your du, and this is a sign of acceptance in du.
The reasons why our du are rejected and not answered

Ibn al-Qayyim summarized this into three areas: the caller, the du, an outside reason.
Allh (subnahu wa tala) will sometimes not accept your du because you are a
transgressor and are making ulm. You are making du while your heart is not into it.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said Allh will not accept the du of the one
who is heedless (his heart is not into it). The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said a
man will travel on his camel to go for ajj or Umrah and he is dusty and has put in so
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much effort but his food and clothes are from arm and his income is arm and he is
nurtured from arm.
One of the main reasons your du is not accepted is if you are not fair and just to those
around you.
Also, corrupt belief with prevent the du from being answered.
When the du is weak in itself for the following reasons: It involves bad manners
towards Allh or involves asking Allh may for something impermissible.
The Messenger of Allh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, A persons dus will
continue to be answered so long as he does not pray for something sinful or for the
breaking of family ties. (Muslim)
Example: O Allh, forgive me if You wish. This is the wrong wording and doesnt
make sense.
Example: I ask You by so-and-so to forgive me. This is not correct wording.
When the person who is making du is weak in himself, meaning he is fainthearted in his turning towards Allh.
Consuming arm wealth is one of the major reasons why dus are not answered.
Trying to hasten the response.
Dont ever give up on your du! One of the famous early scholars said, There is
something Ive been asking Allh for 20 years. I havent received it yet, and Im not
giving up on it yet! Whenever you make du, you are not losing anything you are
winning. Allh will accept your du as long as you are not hasty. Be patient with it.
There is a point in your life when you have to move on. For example: Imm al-Sufyn
al-Thawri said, For 20 years I have been begging Allh to let me enjoy qiyml-layl.
Allh then let me enjoy it for 20 years. For 20 years, he was struggling.
Sufyn b. Uyaynah made 80 ajjs during his lifetime. Every year he said while he was in
Arafah, he said, Ya Allh, dont let this year be the last year to meet You here. The
last year he was at Arafah, and someone said, You didnt say the famous du you
make every year. He said to him, I feel shy to ask Him after all these years to let me
come again. He died in Dhul-Qadah before the next ajj.
Du is a great ibdah. Some ignorant fis say that Allh knows their situation so they
dont need to ask Him. This is ignorance. The true righteous, ascetic people who follow
the Sunnah of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) make du.
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ishah (rayAllhu anha) woke up in the night and didnt see the Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) next to her and found him praying. She put his hand in his hair to see
if it was wet, and she found it dry and she heard him saying in his sujd, O Allh, I have
wronged myself and committed mistakes, so I ask you to forgive me.
Jbir (rayAllhu anhu) said, I saw the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) in Makkah
on the Day of Arafah. After he prayed uhr and ar, he raised his hands to make du.
The sun went down and the Prophets (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) hands were still up.
Allh described the prophets and messengers as praying to Him and begging Him.
The concept of there not being a need for du is a false concept. This also goes against
the concept of tawd because du is the essence of ibdah.
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Chapter 3 | The Ruling of Du and Dhikr Related To

alh (Prayer)
Al-alh means al-du. What is the linguistic relationship between these? alh is ilah,
which means connect. It connects you with Allh during the du. Every part of the
alh should be filled with du.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, The closest one of you comes to his Lord
is while he is prostrating, (therefore) make many supplications therein. (Muslim)
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, I have prohibited you from reciting while
bowing or prostrating. During the bowing, glorify the Lord. During the prostrations,
strive your hardest in making supplications. Most likely, you will be listened to.
(Muslim)
It is an innovation to make du between the two salms. Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah said
this is an innovation, and many other scholars mentioned this as well.
There are two positions in alh where you do not make du: in between the two
salms and when you do the short sitting before you stand up before the next rakah.
During this position, the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) never said anything. He
would sit to let his bones settle and then stand up.
The ruling of supplicating during sujd and ruk
Why is sujd the best position for du?

- You are in total submission.
- It is the position that shows your humility the most. This is why Ibls never
made sujd to dam he was arrogant.
- Sujd is the first act of worship Allh ordered after the creation of dam.
One of the first things the ulem talked about regarding du and dhikr during ruk:
can you make du during ruk? The Shfiis and anbalis said it is recommended to
make du while you are making ruk. The Mlikis said it is disliked for a person to
make du while he is making ruk. The anafis said it is recommended to make du
during ruk in the voluntary prayers but not the obligatory prayers.
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Thumb Rules:
- There is no difference between an obligatory and voluntary prayer when it comes
to rulings. Anything applying to voluntary prayers must apply to obligatory
prayers and vice versa unless there is a proof that there is a difference between the
two.
For example: ishah (rayAllhu anha) woke up and found the Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) was not next to her and her hand touched the feet of the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) while he was making sujd while his two feet were
touching each other. This is why the ulem said it is sunnah that your feet touch
each other in alh (not just in the voluntary alh).
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Pray as you have seen me pray.
Those who said it is recommended / good base their argument on several evidences.
Their strongest evidence: in Bukhri When this srah was revealed (Sratl-Nar),
ishah (rayAllhu anha) said that the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) used to say
in his ruk subna rabbi al-am
The strongest Mliki evidence and anafi evidence is: The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) said, In ruk, glorify and praise your Lord. In sujd, make a lot of du.
[authentic] This shows that the ruk is not made for du but is made for glorifying
Allh.
Is this adth strong enough for their argument? No.
In usll-fiqh, we say that when the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said we glorify
Allh in the ruk, it does not mean you are not allowed to do anything else. Why? If
this is the case, then it means we cannot glorify Allh in sujd, which we do. Therefore,
their understanding of the adth is not a strong understanding.
Many scholars even among the Mlikis and anafis do not take the position that it is
not allowed.
The strongest opinion is that it is permissible to make du in ruk.
It is impermissible to read Qurn in ruk and sujd. What is the wisdom behind this?
In ruk and sujd, you are in a state of humility, and the Qurn is the Word of dignity
and glory.
Can I quote from the Qurn in my du in sujd? Yes, you can. Why? What is not
allowed is reciting, and when you do this, you are not reciting the Qurn. This is why if
a sister takes the opinion that she cannot read Qurn while on the menses, she can still
say the dus from the Qurn. Some scholars said it would be better if you change it a
little bit, but there is no need for that and no proof for that.
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Combining all or some of the ordained du during ruk or sujd

Imm al-Nawawi said yes. And you can alternate. The Sunnah of the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) is that he would do one at a time.
Note: making du in between the salms is an innovation. Ibn Taymiyyah and
other scholars mentioned this as an innovation.
Another position in alh when you dont say anything is the short sitting before
standing to the second and fourth rakah.
Making du by other than what has been narrated in Qurn and Sunnah, and for a
worldly matter during prayer, far or nafl (obligatory or recommended prayer).
The ulem debated over this issue.
First opinion: The official position of the anafis and the famous position of the
anbilah is that it is forbidden and it is not allowed to ask during your alh with
anything that has to do with worldly life.
Evidence: The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said to Muwiyah al-Sulami,
You cannot say anything in this alh from what people usually say. They
understand from this that you cannot say anything other than the Qurn and
Sunnah, and they restricted the du to only what is from the Qurn and Sunnah.
Tws, the student of Ibn Abbs, said, Dont make du in the obligatory prayer
with anything other than what came in the Qurn.
Second opinion: This is the majority opinion.
You can ask for anything in your alh from the dunya or khirah. This is the official
position of the Shfiis and Mlikis and one position of the anbilah.
Evidence: In Bukhri, the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, After you finish
tashahhud, make du with whatever you wish. This is a very general statement.
They refute the evidence that the anafis used about not saying anything from
peoples talk in alh by saying the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) was talking
about conversation. Muwiyah was praying and someone sneezed and said
alamdulillh and he responded. The abah were telling him to not talk, and he
said, Dont tell me not to talk! I can say what I want! Later, they brought him to
the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) who told him, In the alh there cannot be
anything from what people say. What is being referred to is conversation. The
evidence for the majority opinion is much stronger and a clear evidence on the
permissibility of making du with whatever you want. The Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) said in sujd to make any du you wish.
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There is a narration reported as the statement of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa

sallam) but it is weak. It was narrated as an authentic narration as a statement from
ishah (rayAllhu anha): Ask Allh for everything, even to help fix the straps on
shoes.
In altl-fajr and altl- ish and in several other alh, the Prophet (allallhu alayhi
wa sallam) made du and said, O Allh, save so-and-so person, forgive so-and-so
tribe. This is not in the Qurn, so the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) himself
prayed for things not in the Qurn.
They are quoting Tws, but lets look at how the abah understood the adth.
Ibn Umar (rayAllhu anhu) said, In my alh, I will ask Allh to provide for me and
help me the hay I give to my donkey and the salt I give to my wife. Al-asan alBari said, Pray and ask in your alh with whatever you wish.
The salaf are very clear that their practice was to pray for worldly things.
Making du in English (or any language other than Arabic) during alh in either
far or nafl (obligatory or recommended prayer).
First position: It is not allowed and your alh will be invalid if you do so.
This is the position of those who said you cannot make du with that which is not
in the Qurn. Some anbilah also said this. This is the official opinion of the
anafis and it is one opinion among Mlikis and one opinion among the Shfiis and
one opinion among the anbalis.
Note: Abu anfahs position is that it is permissible to do so, but the anafi
position is that it is forbidden. The imm of a madh-hab may have a position that is
different from the madh-hab itself. Madh-hab means the school of. It is not based
on the choices of the founder. It is the choices of the scholars of the madh-hab. The
madh-hab is based on the principles the imm laid down.
Evidence: Allh said to N (alayhil-salm), Dont ask Me with something that you
dont know. The fuqah said that when you ask Allh with a foreign language, you
dont know what it means, so you are asking in a way that has no meaning.
The original Muslim jurists were talking about someone making du in a language
he doesnt know the meaning of.
Refutation: What if this is a persons language and he knows what it means? This
can apply to someone who speaks English and doesnt know Arabic. Anyone who is
not Arab, the moment he becomes Muslim, he will be melted in society and Arabic
will become his language. In modern days, we have Muslims who dont know
Arabic, but at the time of the early generations and early 500 years of Islam, this did
not exist there were no Muslims who did not know Arabic. The fuqah lived at
that period of time, so they taught from the culture they had at that time.
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Second position: If the person doesnt understand Arabic and doesnt speak it,
he is allowed to make du in any language.
The anafis, Mlikis, Imm Amad. This is the most popular opinion of the Muslim
jurists. Some Shfiis said it is not allowed and he must learn some Arabic phrases.
The common opinion is that he can say it in any language and it is based on the
principle that Allh only asks you to do what you are capable of.
Third position: Imm Abu anfah and some Mlikis and Shfiis said that even if
you know Arabic, you are allowed to make du in your own language.
Shaykh Waleed believes what you must say in Arabic is the dhikr, and then you can
use any language you want.
Making du for a specific person during prayer.

First opinion: The majority of the scholars from the four madhhib believe in the
permissibility. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) prayed for and against
individuals in his alh. anafis, Shfiis, Mlikis and strongest opinion of anbilah.
Evidence: In prayer, the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) prayed for specific
people by name. Also, the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said in his alh, O
Allh, forgive ishah all of her sins. Abul-Darda said in his prayer he prays for
70 people in every alh. He said, I pray for 70 of my brothers and I name them by
name in my alh. Imm al-Shfii had 100 people he named in his witr. Abdullh b.
al-Zubayr made du for his father in alh.
Second opinion: The anafi school and one narration from the anbali scholars
state that it is not allowed make du for someone specific during alh and this will
invalidate the alh.
They said that this would be like peoples talk.
Third opinion: It is allowed in the nafl (recommended prayer) and not in the far
(obligatory prayer). This is one narration among the anbalis.
If I am praying or listening to the Imm reciting Qurn during the prayer, am I

allowed to ask for Jannah if verses of Jannah are recited? Am I allowed to ask for
salvation if verses of punishment are mentioned?
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said this during his witr prayer.
This adth is authentic but was reported when the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) was praying his night prayer. It was never reported during an obligatory
prayer. The default rule is that there is no difference between obligatory and nafl
prayers unless there is an evidence. It was not recorded that the Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) did this during the obligatory prayers, which shows he (allallhu
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alayhi wa sallam) intentionally left it out because it is something obvious that was
not recorded. This is the strongest opinion.
Other scholars said there is no difference and you can do it in both obligatory and
voluntary prayers.
There is nothing reported from the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) regarding
special supplication during taslm.
This has no basis.
Du al-qunt
Qunt, according to the definition of the fuqah, is the name of a du (supplication)
offered during prayer at a specific point while standing.
Qunt means a long period of time invoking with sincerity and seeking the reward of
Allh. It means to pray, to ask, to stand up. Qunt can refer to the specific du that
you say. Qunt can mean any du or a specific du.
Terminologies were usually made later on in history. In the early time of Islam during
the time of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam), companions, and successors, the
term qunt meant one du. Because of this, when someone says the Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) made qunt in fajr, does it mean he made the specific du or a long
du? It caused confusion to the later Muslim scholars and they started interpreting
the adth of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam).
Ibn Hajar said, This is one of the most confusing areas of aadth.
The ruling of du al-qunt in the mandatory prayers:
There are two areas: for no reason or for calamity.
During fajr Prayer.

The Shfii scholars say that qunt in fajr prayer is sunnah whether there is a
calamity or not.
The majority of the Muslim jurists disagree with the Shfiiyyah on this issue.
Their position is based on the adth of Anas who said the Prophet (allallhu alayhi
wa sallam) continued making qunt until he passed away. The Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) spent one month making du for some people. Anas said that
even when this calamity finished, the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) continued
making du in fajr prayer until he died (but not for those people). (this is weak)
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The vast majority of fuqah disagree with the Shfiis and say the adth is weak
because of two weak narrators. Also, this adth is abrogated because in Bukhri
and Muslim, the adth says the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) prayed qunt for
one month and then left it.
Abu Mlik said, Father, you have prayed behind the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam), Abu Bakr, Uthmn, and Ali. Have you seen them making qunt at fajr in the
prayer? He said, I have not seen any one of them do such thing, and it is an
innovation.
There are several narrations like this.
Anas b. Mlik himself said the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) only made qunt
when he was praying for or against someone. This is reported by Ibn Khuzaymah.
Those who said the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) prayed qunt at fajr were
referring to that one month when that incident took place.
Bottom line: in fajr prayer, it is not sunnah to make qunt.
Imm Amad was once praying in al-Shfiis masjid and made qunt. He was asked if
someone was anbali and prayed in a Shfii masjid, then should he make qunt and
he said yes because of the unity of the Muslims.
At Times of Calamity
The position of the majority of the Muslim jurists (anafis, Mlikis, Shfiis,
anbalis) is that al-qunt is permissible upon a calamity. A few Mlikis, anbalis,
and Shfiis said that qunt is not allowed in the mandatory alawt.
Those who said it is allowed to perform du al-qunt upon calamity differ on which
alh it can be done in:
1. The majority of the anafis, Mlikis, and anbalis said in fajr prayer.
2. You can have the qunt in any prayer except Jumuah. This is the opinion of
Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, and Ibn Hajar.

3. Only in fajr and maghrib. This is the position of some of the anbalis.
4. In any prayer that is read out loud. This is the position of some anafis and
anbalis.
Who can decide which calamity we make qunt for?
- The anbilah said the imm of the masjid or community
- The majority of fuqah said the head of the Islamic state in a Muslim country
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Quntl-nzilah is only done in the masjid. You do not make it in your own individual
prayer. The fuqah said it is ordained in:
1) war
2) plague, diseases
3) prices have increased and people are in trouble financially
4) mud slides, wildfires
The vast majority of fuqah said it is permissible and recommended to make qunt for
calamity when it strikes the Muslim world or a specific region of Muslims because of
the concept of brotherhood.
Only a few Mlikis and Shfiis said there is no concept of qunt for calamity. Their
evidence is a adth from Umm Salamah in which the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) said, Dont make qunt at fajr. Ibn Masd said, The Prophet (allallhu alayhi
wa sallam) never made qunt in his alh. Refutation: These two narrations are
absolutely weak. The first one has several weak narrators. Also, even if these adth
had a basis, they are not referring to the qunt of calamity.
For those who said it is permissible to make it during calamity, in which alh? The
anafis, anbalis and some Mlikis said only in fajr. Why? Because most of the aadth
mention that the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) did it in fajr prayer. The
anbilah disagreed and said it can be done in any prayer except Friday prayer and d
because there is already du in the khubah. Their evidence is that the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) made du for a calamity in ish prayer, and Ibn Umar said
it was in maghrib. (Bukhri) In another narration, Abu Hurayrah said he heard the
Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) do it at ish prayer and fajr prayer. Ibn Abbs said
the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) made qunt at uhr, ar, maghrib, ish and fajr
for a whole month. (Not every single alh) Ibrhm al-Nakhi said qunt of calamity
during jumuah is bidah. The early companions forbade making qunt of calamity
during jumuah. Some anbilah said only during maghrib and fajr, and they base this
on a adth saying the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) made it at these times.
Some of the fuqah will see one evidence and base his opinion on what he has seen, but
he doesnt have access to everything. Ilm (knowledge) is collective. You look at
everyone so that it is a complete picture.
Some scholars like the anafis and anbilah said only in the prayer you read aloud.
The strongest opinion is with the anbilah, which is all of the five prayers except
Jumuah and d. This is the opinion of Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, and Ibn Hajar.
There is consensus among the Muslim jurists that there
If someone catches the congregational fajr prayer after the Imm has finished alqunt, he does not have to make up al-qunt in his second rakah.
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The majority of the Muslim jurists dislike making qunt upon a calamity during
voluntary prayers.
There is no specific form of du for quntl-nawzil.

In the qunt of calamity, the entire du should focus on the issue being prayed for.
Ulem said it is recommended to not make it long.
When Umar (rayAllhu anhu) was in the war with the Romans, he made du
against the Christian Romans. When Ali was in a war, he made du against the
people he was fighting.
When should we perform al-qunt during the prayers?

Ibn Hajar said, After collecting the evidences, I concluded that the people who
described the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) making his du, they confused
between the qunt of witr and the qunt made during calamity. The vast majority of
aadth in relation to the qunt of witr, it is done before ruk, and when he makes du
for calamity, it is after ruk. Can it be done in any way? Yes.
The qunt of witr should be before ruk. When it comes to calamity, it is after ruk.
This is the common practice of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam).
1. According to the Mlikis and one narration from the Shfii madh-hab, it is
recommended to make the qunt before ruk. Al-Nawawi said, Our madh-hab
(Shfii) is that qunt takes place after ruk. This is the view adopted by Abu
Bakr, Umar, Ali... (Majm)
2. According to the majority of the scholars from the four madhhib, it is
recommended to make the qunt after ruk. Ibn Abbs, Anas and Abu Hurayrah
reported that the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) did the qunt after
ruk (Amad) and there are narrations from the companions that they made
their qunt after ruk such as Umar, Uthmn and Ali. (abari, Bayaqi)
3. Some of the Shfiis and Mlikis said that the qunt can be made before or after
performing ruk and that is why we see narration suggested that the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) and his companions did both ways.
4. After analyzing all the narrations related to this issue, Ibn Hajar said, We learn
that it was the normal practice to recite the qunt before ruk. However, on
certain occasions (such as the befalling of a calamity, etc.) the qunt would be
recited after ruk. (Fatl-Bri)
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Rulings regarding al-qunt
Raising hands during du al-qunt

First opinion: It is recommended to raise your hand during du al-qunt.
This is the position of Abu Ysuf, some Mlikis, the strongest among the Shfii and
anbali scholars. Anas b. Mlik reported that he saw the Prophet (allallhu alayhi
wa sallam) raise his hands when he was making qunt. (Bayaqi in his Sunan). Also,
it has been narrated that Umar, Ali, Abu Hurayrah, Ibn Masd, Ibn Abbs and
others did as well.
(Sunanl-Bayaqi, Muannaf Abdul-Razzq, Qiyml-Layl by Al-Marwzi)
Second opinion: It is not recommended to raise your hand during du al-qunt.
This is the position of the anafis, the famous among Mlikis and one narration
among the Shfii scholars.
Abu anfah said you point with your finger but do not raise your hands. Why?
Because he said the Prophet only raised his hands three times during his lifetime:
Arafah, istisq, and the battle of Badr. However, this claim is not correct.
Raising the eyes toward the sky during du al-qunt.

The majority of the Muslim jurists dislike raising the eyes to the sky during al-qunt.
Ibn azm and some Shfii scholars said that it is forbidden.
The Messenger of Allh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, How is it that some people
raise their eyes towards the sky during al-alt (the prayer)? He stressed (this point)
and added, People must refrain from raising their eyes towards heaven in alt
(prayer) or else their sight will certainly be snatched away. (Bukhri).
The position of Ibn azm and the Shfiis is the strongest position.
The Muslim jurists agreed that the Imm should not make du alqunt lengthy. Some said it should be as long as it takes to read
Sratl-Inshiqq.
The Ruling of al-Qunt during Witr Prayer

The majority of the Muslim scholars (the Mlikis, Shfiis, anbalis and some anafis)
are of the opinion that it is sunnah (recommended) because the companion who
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narrated to us about the Prophets (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) witr did not mention that
he (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) used to do qunt.
Another opinion, according to Abu anfah, is that it is wjib (obligatory), whereas on
the opposite side of the spectrum, some Mlikis have said qunt in witr is not sunnah but
rather, as Tws said, is bidah.
The anafis said it because the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) in an authentic
adth told al-asan after he taught him the du of qunt, Put / make this du part of
your alh. This is an order, which is why they said it is wjib.
Refutation: The majority said that if this is correct, then no one among them said the
specific format is wjib, so if they are saying the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) told
al-asan that the du is wjib, then that means the specific wording is wjib also, but
the anafis dont believe in this.
The Mliki position considers qunt in witr bidah. When it comes to fiqh, dont think
that you know everything. You will be surprised how the fuqah have different
opinions! The evidence of the Mlikis: someone said, I was with Abu Hurayrah for ten
years and never saw him pray qunt in witr.
Refutation: We have clear aadth which show us that the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) told al-asan to make du of qunt and Umar and Ibn Masd did qunt in witr.
Therefore, we say it is recommended and Allh knows best.
Is al-qunt ordained in all witr prayers or during specific times of the
year?
-
The anafis, anbalis and one narration among the Shfiis: It is recommended
all year long.
Evidence: The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) used to make qunt before
ruk as Ubayy b. Kab described. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) told
al-asan to make du of qunt in the witr and didnt specify a time of year.
The Shfiis and one narration among the Mlikis and anbalis: It is only
recommended in the last half of Raman.
Qatdah and al-asan al-Bari said it is recommended all year long except the
first half of Raman.
Some Shfiis have said it is only recommended in Raman.
The strongest opinion is that you can make qunt any time. It is not wjib to do it in
every witr, but you should do it sometimes and leave it sometimes.
Why are there so many opinions? Because some aadth said the Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) did it and others said he did not.
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Is there a specific form for al-qunt of witr?

You can add to the qunt of witr. Al-Albni said you cannot add to it, which is a weird
position that no one agreed with. Umar added to it.
The Messenger of Allh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) taught al-asan b. Ali du al-qunt
in witr prayer: Allhumma-hdini fi man hadayta wa fini fi man fayta wa tawallani fi man
tawallayta wa brik li fma aayta, wa qini sharra ma qaayta, fa innaka taqi wa la yuqa
alayk, wa innahu la yaillu man wlayta, tabrakta rabbana wa talayt.
[O Allh, guide me among those whom You have guided, pardon me among those whom
You have pardoned, turn to me in friendship among those on whom You have turned in
friendship, and bless me in what You have bestowed, and save me from the evil of what
You have decreed. For verily You decree and none can influence You; and he is not
humiliated whom You have befriended, nor is he honored who is Your enemy. Blessed
are You, O Lord, and Exalted. There is no place of safety from You except with You].
(Nasi)
Umar prayed qunt with the following words: Allhumma inna nastanuka wa numinu
bika, wa natawakkalu alayka wa nuthni alaykal-khayr, wa la nakfuruka. Allhumma iyyka
nabudu wa laka nualli wa nasjudu, wa ilayka nas wa nafid. Narju ramataka wa nakhsha
adhbaka, inna adhbakal-jadd bil-kuffri mulaq. Allhumma adhdhibl-kafarata ahll-kitb
ladhna yauddna an sablika
[O Allh, verily we seek Your help, we believe in You, we put our trust in You and we
praise You and we are not ungrateful to You. O Allh, You alone we worship and to You
we pray and prostrate, for Your sake we strive. We hope for Your mercy and fear Your
punishment, for Your punishment will certainly reach the disbelievers. O Allh, punish
the infidels of the People of the Book who are preventing others from following Your
way]. (Bayaqi)
Al-Nawawi said, The correct view which was stated definitively by the majority of
scholars is that there are no specific words, rather any du may be said. (Majm)
Muslims should say alt and salm upon the Messenger (allallhu alayhi wa sallam)
during al-qunt because this is one of etiquettes of du.
The Imm or person alone should not say al-qunt in witr out loud, according to the
anafis, Mlikis and one narration among the Shfiis. The anbalis, however, and the
strongest opinion among the Shfiis and some Mlikis are of the opinion that the Imm
should say it out loud, but the one praying alone should not.
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Can you make the qunt in English? Yes, you can.

Do you say it out loud? The anafis said that it is not allowed to be out loud but should
be in secret. The famous position of the Mlikis and some Shfiis also agree with this.
They said this because they said Allh ordered us to make du silently. The majority of
the scholars said that you are allowed to make it out loud. This is the position of some
anafi scholars as well. The evidence for this is an authentic narration of Ubayy b. Kab
(rayAllhu anhu) in Raman made du of qunt out loud and people were behind him.
He did this in front of Umar b. al-Khab and the companions, and none of the
companions opposed this or said it was wrong. This is proof that there was consensus
of the companions at the incident that what he did was acceptable.
If you are by yourself, then you do not say it out loud.
What are the differences between al-qunt of witr and al-qunt of nzilah?
Ibn al-Zubayr saw someone raising his hands and make du after rising from ruk. He
told him the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) never did such action in the prayer.
(aythami in Majmal-zwd)
-
Qunt of witr is only in the witr prayer and qunt of nzilah can be done in
obligatory prayer.
Most of the time the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) made qunt of witr
before ruk and qunt of calamity after ruk.
In qunt of witr, you can make any type of du, but the nzilah is restricted to
the calamity itself.
Qunt of nzilah must be approved by the imm. Qunt of witr does not need
approval of anyone.
There is a narrated form for qunt of witr, but there is no format ever reported
for qunt of nzilah.
Making Du for the Completion of Qurn

No Muslim scholar known to Shaykh Waleed has spoken about the permissibility of du
at the completion of Qurn during the mandatory prayer or discussed this issue.
As for making du at the completion of Qurn during the voluntary prayer, the
majority among anafis, Mlikis and Shfiis say it is disliked and some even say it is
bidah. The anbalis said it is recommended. It is the choice of al-Nawawi but only for
the person who is praying alone.
Anas (rayAllhu anhu) used to gather his family after completing the recitation of the
Qurn, and then make the du with his family members following and saying mn.
Imm Amad used to say, I witnessed the people of Makkah offering du khamlQurn in Raman in the witr. (Al-Mughni by Ibn Qudmah)
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The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) never reported a du for the completion of the
Qurn. No one among the Muslim scholars said that you can make du of khamlQurn in the obligatory prayers.
Ulem debated over the permissibility of doing khaml-Qurn in voluntary prayers.
First opinion: It is disliked to make du of khaml-Qurn during tarw or witr.
This is the position of the anafis, the Mlikis, Shfiis. The Shfiis said this is one of
the innovations in religion and should be stopped in the masjid.
Evidence: The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) never did it and not a single
companion did it and not a single successor did it, so it is an innovation. Shaykh alUthaymn said it was bidah.
Second opinion: The anbilah said it is recommended to do it during the voluntary
prayer. (Imm al-Nawawi said it is recommended if you do it by yourself but it is not
allowed to do it in congregation.)
Evidence: Imm Amad was asked why he said this when there is no proof for it, and he
said, I have seen the people of Makkah doing it. Makkah is an international city and
scholars from all over the world come and visit and the people of Makkah are doing it,
and I never heard anyone oppose it or object to it, and they have been doing this year
after year. Imm Amad is saying that it was like consensus of the scholars.
Du of khaml-Qurn was only reported outside of the alh by Anas b. Mlik. When he
used to finish the Qurn, he would call his family members and neighbors and he
would make du. This is the only authentic narration we have from the early
generations.
Shaykh Waleed advises that if someone is in the prayer and wants to make du of
khaml-Qurn, then combine the du of khaml-Qurn with the witr together.
Note: In the 80s in Makkah, they used to have du of khaml-Qurn before ruk and
du of witr after ruk. Scholars then gathered and discussed the issue and came up
with this solution and combined them together so that madhhib agree. In the du,
you ask Allh by the great deed you just finished (completing the Qurn).
Dhikr & Du During Sujd of Tilwah (Recitation) or Shukr

(Thanking)
The Muslim should say subnallh as he/she does in the regular prayer during sujd.
Other dus can be added according to the Mliki, Shfii, and anbali scholars. The
anafis, on the other hand, say that you should only say the tasb.
Exalt the Name of your Lord, the Most High. (Al-Ala, 87:1)
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When this verse was revealed to the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam), he said, Make
it part of your sujd (Amad), and this includes all kinds of sujd. It also has been
reported that he used to say other dus in sujd.
The correct opinion: it is recommended and not wjib. Therefore, if you skip it, it is not
a sin.
The most authentic adth: The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Say subna
rabbi al-ala and make it part of your sujd. Therefore, in the sujd of tilwah or shukr,
you say this.
Sujd of shukr is done when you hear good news. The strongest opinion among the
scholars is that you do not need to have your ijb on or have wu or face the qiblah
for sujd of tilwah or sujd of shukr because it is not alh. The point is the immediate
response of the sujd.
Dhikr & Du during the Khubah of Jumuah or d

The Muslim jurists agreed that it is recommended for the khab to make du. In one
narration, Ammr saw Bishr b. Marwn raising his hands while he was making du
during khubatl-Jumuah. Ammr told him, May Allh disgrace these two hands. I have
seen the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) in the alh and he never raised his hands
like this. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) would only point his finger.
This adth shows two things:
1) The imm is not allowed to raise his hands in khubatl-Jumuah when making
du except for praying for the rain.
2) The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) used to make du in the khubah.
The companions approved the du of Bishr in the khubah. They disagreed
with him raising his hands.
Can a listener raise his hands while the imm is making du? It is permissible to raise
your hands as a listener during the du. You dont have to. You can say mn
without it. Some scholars said it is bidah to do it, which is not correct. The Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) told us that raising the hands is a time when the du will be
accepted. Imm al-Shfii said making du for the Muslims in the khubah is one of the
pillars of the khubah. Some scholars like Shaykh al-Albni said you are not supposed to
make du in the khubatl-Jumuah except related to the topic, but this opinion is shdh
and has no basis in Sharah.
The Muslim scholars agree that making du during the khubah of Jumuah is
ordained for the Imm. He should choose from whatever du he likes without
committing to a particular one because there are no special supplications.
There is no special supplication between the two khubahs for the Imm or the
attendees.
Qabeelat Hosna
September 2013

There is no specific supplication on the eve or day of d.
The ruling of takbr during d.
What is the ruling of congratulating one another by offering du in both ds?
101
The khubatl-hjjah has been narrated from the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam),
and in it there is du.
According to the anafis, some Mlikis and one narration among the Shfiis and
anbalis, it is permissible to congratulate others on d and to pray for each other
that Allh accept your deeds and grants you a happy d. It has been narrated from
the companions that they used to do so. (Mentioned by al-uyti and others; Imm
Amad said the isnd of this narration is good)
Jubayr b. Nufayr said, When the companions of Raslullh (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) met on the day of d, they would say to each other, Taqaballhu minna wa
mink (may Allh accept from us and you). (Mamiliyyt; Ibn Hajar, Fatl-Bri)
Imm Mlik disliked such dus because it is imitating the people of the book. Imm
Mlik was very strict about this. However, many from among the Mlikis and
anbalis say that if a person congratulates you, you can congratulate them back.
The Prayer of Need (jah) and Its Du

It has been narrated that the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, If anyone wants
something from Allh, or from a human being, he should perform ablution and do it
well, then pray two rakahs, then extol Allh Most High and invoke blessing on the
Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam), then say, There is no god but Allh, the Clement
and Generous. Glory be to Allh, the Lord of the mighty throne. Praise be to Allh, the
Lord of the universe. I ask Thee for words which will guarantee Thy mercy, actions
which will make certain Thy forgiveness, a supply of every virtue, and freedom from
every offense. Do not leave me a sin which Thou do not pardon, a care which Thou do
not remove, or a want that meets with Thy pleasure which Thou do not supply, O Most
Merciful of the merciful ones. (Tirmidhi and he said this adth is weak)
Al-Albni said, Rather, it is af jiddan (very weak).
Al-kim said maw (fabricated) aadth were narrated from Abu Awfa.
It has been narrated that Ibn Umar (rayAllhu anhu) said regarding supplicating for a
missing thing: Pray two rakahs and after tashahhud say, O the One who guides the
misguided and the One who returns the missing things. I ask you by your izzah & suln
(Might, Power, Dignity, Owning every thing) to return to me what I have missed. It is
from you and your generosity and goodness to me. (Ibn Abi Shaybah, al-Bayaqi said it
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is asan narration from Ibn Umar and al-kim said it is narrated by trustworthy
narrators).
Note: There was no specific format. If you have a need for something, you can pray
two rakahs and make du for whatever you want.
This adth is very weak and reported by Tirmidhi and has a person who is a liar in the
chain. It is not Sunnah and this is what Imm Mlik said.
The Du of Istikhrah
Allhumma inni astakhayruka bi ilmika wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika wa asaluka min falikalami, fa innaka taqdiru wa la aqdiru wa talamu wa la alamu wa anta allmul-ghuybi.
Allhumma in kunta talamu anna hdhal-amra khayrun li fi dni wa mashi wa qibati
amri faqdirhu li wa yassirhu li thumma brik li fhi wa in kunta talamu anna hdhal-amra
sharrun li fi dni wa mashi wa qibati amri farifhu anni warifni anhu waqdirliyal-khayra
aythu kna thumma arini bihi.
[O Allh, I seek Your guidance [in making a choice] by virtue of Your knowledge, and I
seek ability by virtue of Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. You have
power, I have none. And You know, I know not. You are the Knower of hidden things. O
Allh, if in Your knowledge, this matter (then it should be mentioned by name) is good
for me both in this world and in the Hereafter (or: in my religion, my livelihood and my
affairs), then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if in Your
knowledge it is bad for me and for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs (or: for me
both in this world and the next), then turn me away from it, [and turn it away from me],
and ordain for me the good wherever it may be and make me pleased with it.]
The du of istikhrah is ordained for Muslims and there is no disagreement amongst

the scholars as Imm al-Shawkni said. (Nill-Awtar)
The Messenger of Allh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) used to teach his companions
to make istikhrah in all things, just as he used to teach them srahs from the Qurn.
He said, If any one of you is concerned about a decision he has to make, then let
him pray two rakahs of non-obligatory prayer, then say: . (Bukhri)
The matters in which istikhrah is ordained

-
On the permissible things. It cannot be made on the obligatory or

recommended or arm things. It comes from the word ikhtara, which means
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the thing that brings good to you. It is allowed when you are deciding between
two recommended things and dont know what to choose.
It should be after the prayer. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said,
Pray two rakahs and then make this du. These two rakahs must be
voluntary and not sunnah or far.
The Muslim jurists agree on repeating it. Why? It is du and du can be
repeated.
No one can make istikhrah on behalf of anyone else.
What if someone has menses or ay? In this case, they make the du without
the alh.
Can the du be read from a piece of paper? Yes.
If you do not know Arabic, you can read the translation.
Du of istikhrah should be after the prayer

Ibn Abi Jamrah said. The wisdom behind putting the alt before the du is that
istikhrah is intended to combine the goodness of this world with the goodness of
the next. A person needs to knock at the door of the King (Allh), and there is
nothing more effective for this than prayer because it contains glorification and
praise of Allh and expresses ones need for Him at all times. (Fatl-Bri)
The Muslim jurists agree that the person should not add to the du of istikhrah
anything from his own or change it, but some anafi, Mliki and Shfii scholars
said it is permissible to praise Allh and to send alh and salm on Raslullh in the
beginning and the end of the du of istikhrah.
Repeating istikhrah is permissible because it is a form of du, and any du can be

repeated. This was stated by some anafi and Shfii scholars.
Making istikhrah for someone else was never reported from the Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam), nor from any one of his companions. The adth clearly states that
this is a du that the person makes directly for himself, unless the matter will
affect the person in an indirect way; in such a case, it is allowed (example: a mother
making istikhrah for her sons marriage proposal).
There are no specific etiquettes unique to making istikhrah, and one follows the
same etiquette for making any other du.
Many people think that once they pray istikhrah they will have a dream or see a sign,
but this is made up. Imm al-Nawawi said, When you make du of istikhrah, you
should not have your decision made. You should come to the alh with a neutral
stand. Shaykh Waleed disagrees with this. In the du itself you are asking if
something is good for you.
Du of istikhrah does not mean Allh chooses for you. If Allh chooses for you, then
Allh takes the responsibility, which is against qadar. You make the choice and carry
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the responsibility of your choice. We are believers and people of faith: we do research
and make the decision. Why do you pray istikhrah? You are saying, Ya Allh, You
know and I dont. You are capable and I am not. My research leads me to choose this,
but You are the One who knows everything. Your du is requesting one of two
things:
1) Allh blesses your choice so even if the choice is evil, you are asking Allh
protect you from the evil of it.
2) Allh will take it away from you. Allh will change your heart and make it go
towards something else.
Ulem discussed why we pray first and then make the du. It is because of etiquette.
Allh is teaching us to do something for the khirah and then make the du because the
du is focused on dunya. You fulfill the rights of the khirah first.
Dhikr & Du After the Prayer
Start with Allhu Akbar or astaghfirullh
When the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) used to finish his prayer he would say:
Astaghfirullh (I seek Allhs forgiveness) 3 times, and Allhumma antal-salm wa
minkal-salm tabrakta ya dhal-jalli wal-ikrm (O Allh, You are Peace and from You is
all peace, blessed are You, O Possessor of majesty and honor) once. (Muslim)
It is common for ahll-adth in India to say Allhu akbar three times after the alh.
Ibn Hajar mentioned this too. However, most scholars disagree with this because there
is a very clear adth that when the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said the taslm,
he (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) would then say astaghfirullh three times. The text is
very clear and there is no space for arguing.
There is a adth of Ibn Abbs: We used to recognize the end of the alh by takbr.
Refutation: This adth is ambiguous. Ibn Abbs (rayAllhu anhu) was a child. Ulem
said he didnt mean Allhu akbar but was referring to what happened after the alh
because you can say the adhkr of the alh in different ways, and takbr could mean
saying the three words together: subnAllh walamdulillh wa Allhu akbar.
How to make the dhikr with your hand

The sunnah is to count with the fingertips of your right hand by putting them on the
palm of the same hand.
Abdullh b. Amr said, I saw the Messenger of Allh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam)
counting the tasb. (Abu Dwd). Ibn Qudmah said, With his right hand.
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It is done with the right hand as Ibn Umar narrated.

The proper way is to start with the pinky finger and curl it in until all fingers are inside
the palm and then you open it again and start over and curl them in again. This is kna
yaqdu tasb. You can do it another way and it is not arm.
The ruling of using masbaah (prayer beads)
It is best to do it with your hand because the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said,
Use the tips of your fingers because they will testify for you on the Day of Judgment.
(Imm Amad)
It was reported from several companions that they used to make tasb with stones.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) passed by afiyyah and she was siting and
making tasb with the seeds of the dates. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said,
What is this? She said, Ya Raslullh, Im counting my tasb. He (allallhu alayhi
wa sallam) said, Said subnAllh as many as you have. She had in front of her 4,000
seeds.
Al-Shawkni and Ibn al-Qayyim wrote about this. The maximum in aadth is always
100 times for dhikr. The fi dhikr always has a huge number, which is taken from
Buddhist monks.
The point from the adth: The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) did not forbid her
from using the seeds. He was worried about her overdoing it. Since the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) approved the use of the seeds, Ibn Taymiyyah said it shows
the permissibility of using stones to count the aadth. This is the position of the
majority of Muslim jurists.
Some fuqah including some Mlikis said using beads is not allowed because of the
origin. Shaykh Zayd Abu Bakr wrote about the history of beads and where they came
from and found they came from Buddhist monks and then to Christianity and some
fis took it from their influence and another practice and it became something people
believed in and the shaykh would pass it on to his students, etc.
Shaykh Waleed: It isnt a Sunni way of making tasb and not a sign of ahll-sunnah.
When you read about the ulem, they dont have the sibah hanging around their necks
or hands. If someone uses it because he wants to count with it, it is not bidah or sinful
or arm. It always represents certain groups and people who do not 100% follow the
Sunnah.
The ruling of raising hands during du after alh
Raising ones voice while making dhikr after alh
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Ibn Abbs (rayAllhu anhu) said, They used to raise their voices when making
dhikr after finishing the prayer in the time of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam).
In college, Shaykh Waleed prayed with Shaykh al-Albni one day ar prayer. He
finished his prayer and Shaykh Waleed starting saying the tasb out loud. The
shaykh said, Who was praying next to me? The one who disturbed me in my
adhkr. Shaykh Waleed said, Shaykh, if you raise your voice too, then you
wouldnt be confused. It is Sunnah. The shaykh said, MshAllh, you are
teaching me the Sunnah? Shaykh Waleed said the narration of Ibn Abbs and the
Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) raised his voice with dhikr after alh. The
shaykh said Imm al-Shfii said the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) did this to
teach them what to say. Shaykh Waleed say Imm Mliks response of why didnt
the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) raise his voice with all of the adhkr and the
adth in Bukhri of Ibn Abbs in which the word meaning raise his voice was
used and if it was for the purpose of teaching then it would have only been done a
few times, so there must have been another purpose. Shaykh al-Albni said, It is
good to follow the evidence, but that is not my position.
The Shfiis said you should not raise your voice and some anafis also said this
because it is only done for teaching. The anbilah said you should raise your voice.
The anafis said you should not raise your voice because the du in general should
be in a soft voice and not loud voice.
The strongest opinion among the scholars is to raise your voice in tasb, takbr,
tamd and la ilha illa Allh. This is the opinion of al-abari, Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn
azm, one narration of the Mlikis.
If two prayers are combined together, it is sufficient to recite the post-prayer

adhkr only once.
If a person forgets to make adhkr during the allowed time or could not due to valid
reasons, he/she can read it whenever they are able.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, If you overslept or forget about alh
or dhikr that you used to do, then you should make up the alh and the dhikr.
Imm Mlik and Mulla Ali Qary mentioned that if a women prays at home, she
should make the dhikr at home, as she will receive the same reward as the men in
the masjid.
In some aadth, the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Whoever prays in the
masjid and sits in the masjid making dhikr until the sun rises gets the reward of
complete Umrah.
It is recommended that they have a musalla in the house. Abu Bakr had a musalla in
the house. This means a designated area in the house for prayer.
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Chapter 4 | Rulings related to Dhikr and Du

The Ruling On Raising Hands During Du
The Messenger of Allh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Your Lord, may He be blessed
and exalted, is Kind and Most Generous, and He is too kind to let His slave, if he raises
his hands to Him, bring them back empty. (Abu Dwd)
First position: Raising the hands is recommended in du in general. This is the
position of the majority of the Muslim jurists (Shfiis, anafis, anbalis, one narration
of Imm Mlik). The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) raised his hands in so many
aadth. Al-Nawawi said about 100 adth were reported in relation to raising the hands.
Imm Bukhri has a chapter on raising hands in du. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) raised his hands before the battle of Badr, when asking for rain, etc.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Allh feels shy when you raise your
hands to let them go empty. He will also answer you in one of four ways.
Second position: Raising the hands is disliked, but you can point with your finger to
the sky. This was one narration from Imm Mlik. He said, I dislike for a person to
raise his hands except for altl-istisq. His opinion was to raise one finger. The
evidence goes against this opinion. He restricted it to istisq but it was reported in
other than that.
Third position: Raising the hands is recommended only in times of calamity or
during istisq (praying for the rain). This was the other narration from Imm Mlik.
Imms al-uyti and al-Nawawi said that there are around 100 aadth showing that the
Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) would raise his hands during du. (Tadrbl-Rwi)
Abul-Dard (rayAllhu anhu) said, Raise up these hands of yours in supplication
before they become manacled with the chains [of Hellfire].
Raising the hands shows humility and the true nature of human beings that he is in
need. It stimulates Allhs Mercy and Generosity.
What Is the Ordained Way of Raising the Hands?
Mlik b. Yasr said that the Messenger of Allh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, When
you ask of Allh, ask of Him with the palms of your hands, not with the backs of them.
(Abu Dwd)
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The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) would raise his hands as high as his chest in
du and would then pass them over his blessed face. (Muannaf Abdul-Razzq)
Ulem said there are types of raising the hands:
First position: To raise your hands at the same level of your shoulder holding them
together. This is known as du al-raghab.
Second position: To raise your hands higher than your chest and not above your
head. This is known as du al-ibtihl.
This is for when things are more severe.
Third position: You only point with your index finger. This is known as du al-ikhl.
This is during khubatl-Jumuah. This is du al-tawd.
Fourth position: To raise your hands higher than your chest while the backs of the
hands are facing the sky. This is known as du al-rahab.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) did this during the battle of Badr. Abu Bakr
said that he saw his underarms and his hands were raised to the extent his robe fell off
of his shoulders. Some ulem said the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) did this
when making the du for istisq to the extent that his hands were so high the back of
the hands faced the heaven.
All of these ways are from the Sunnah of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) and are
for different situations.
Shaykh Ibn Uthaymn (raimahullh) stated in al-Sharl-Mumti (4/25) that they should
be held together. He said: As for separating them and holding them far apart from one
another, there is no basis for that in the Sunnah or in the words of the scholars.
Raising one hand in case of disability.

Imm Muslim reported that Jbir (rayAllhu anhu) said that the Prophet (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) held the camel with one hand and raised one hand up.
Raising hands with du during Friday sermon (Khubatl-Jumuah).
Raising hands with du after alh.

In many communities, the imm finished the alh and starts making du. Most of
the time people dont know what the imm is saying, so what is the point? The
fuqah among the four madhhib said that this consistent act of du after alh is
not correct and against the Sunnah of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam).
When the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) finished alh, he would say
astaghfirullh 3 times and then make adhkr. When people start making du right
away, then they are losing the Sunnah by not saying the adhkr. They finish the du
and then leave without saying the adhkr.
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Ibn Abbs said, When people invent an innovation in religion, they kill a sunnah.
It is dangerous to think you can come up with something better than the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam).
You can raise the hands and make du, but to do it right after the alh is not
correct. You do it after you say the adhkr from the sunnah.
Sometimes the imm will occasionally do it and that is fine.
Wiping the face with ones hands after making the du.
It is not recommended. This is the opinion of Shfii, anbali. Imm Mlik said it is
bidah to wipe over the face after finishing the du. Imm Ibn al-Mubrak was asked
if we should wipe our faces after du, and he said he never saw any authentic
adth to support such an action. Imm Sufyn al-Thawri said he disliked wiping the
face after making du. Ibn Taymiyyah said, As for wiping the face after making
du, there is a adth or two narrated regarding this but they are not authentic.
Some of the anafis, some Shfiis and some anbilah said it is recommended for
you to wipe your face after du because of the adth Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned:
Ask Allh with the palm of your hands and not with the backs of your hands and
when you finish, wipe your face. adth from Abi Dwd and Ibn Mjah. This
adth is weak because all of the ulem of adth agree that li b. assn is a weak
narrator.
adth of Ibn Abbs: He used to wipe his face with his hands. In another adth, he
said the barakah is in your hands so wipe your face with them. This is weak.
Can you make sujd outside of the alh to make du? Scholars said yes because Ali b.
Abi lib said one of the best ways to make du is in sujd. However, this statement
doesnt really specify it is outside of alh. Most Muslim scholars said it is permissible
and you are allowed to make sujd outside of alh for the purpose of du. What is not
correct is to just make sujd to praise Allh.
Wiping the face with the hands after al-qunt.

Umar b. al-Khab said that when Raslullh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) raised his
hands in du, he would not put them down until he had wiped his face with them.
(Tirmidhi)
Ibn Abbs said that the Messenger (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Do not put
curtains on walls, and whoever looks into the book of his brother without his
permission, then verily hes looking into the fire. Ask Allh with your palms (i.e.
raised to the sky) and do not ask him with your forehands. Once you have finished
(your supplication) wipe your face with them. (Abu Dwd)
These adth are weak and some scholars have said they are asan (acceptable).
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First opinion: It is not recommended for the person to wipe his face after du.
This is the opinion of Imm Mlik, the strongest one among the Shfiis madh-hab,
one narration from Imm Amad and the choice of Ibn Taymiyyah.
Second opinion: It is recommended for the person to wipe his face after du.
This is the opinion of a few of the Mliki and Shfii scholars, and the strongest one
among the anbalis.
Some Muslim jurists deem it permissible to kneel while making du.
Some Muslim scholars deem it permissible to prostrate outside the alh while making
du.
The Ruling of Raising Ones Eyes to the Sky While Making Du

The majority of the scholars from the four madhhib believe in the permissibility of
raising the gaze to the sky during du.
The opinion of a few jurists from the Shfiis and anbalis, and the strongest opinion
among anafis is that it is disliked for the person to raise his/her gaze to the sky while
making du.
It is reported in so many aadth that the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) raised his
head and his eyes up to the heavens when making du outside the alh.
Is the sky the direction (qiblah) of making du?
We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muammad], toward the heaven,
and We will surely turn you to a qiblah with which you will be pleased. So turn your face
toward al-Masjidl-arm. And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces toward it
[in prayer]. Indeed, those who have been given the Scripture well know that it is the
truth from their Lord. And Allh is not unaware of what they do. (Sratl-Baqarah, 144)
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) upon his death was looking up to the heavens.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) came to drink from a container that was
supposed to be filled with milk, but it was empty. Ubdah had seen it earlier and drank
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it because he didnt think it was for anyone. He saw the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) raising his eyes and making du. Ubdah was afraid he was making du
against him and ran and got him milk. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, I
said, O Allh, provide food and drink for those who provided for me. Scholars say
this should be said to the one who was supposed to give you food but did not and not
for the one who provided you food.
When leaving the house, he (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) raised his eyes and said the du.
It is okay to raise your eyes to the sky as long as it is outside of alh.
Ruling Related to Reciting the Dhikr
Is it mandatory to recite the narrated adhkr verbatim or can they be recited

according to the general meaning?
The majority of the fuqah said you should do it exactly the way it is. Jbir said the
Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) used to teach them the du in the same way
they were taught a srah of the Qurn. The Qurn is not recited with the meaning;
it is recited exactly the way it is.
In a adth, a companion said, The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) taught me
when I go to bed, I make wu and lay down on my right side and say:
He changed it to say, And I believe in Your Messenger, the one that You have sent.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) corrected him to say, prophet and not
messenger even though they are synonyms and both are referring to the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam). The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) did not accept
the changing of the wording, which led scholars such as Imm al-Nawawi and alShawkni and Ibn Hajar and others to say adhkr is exactly the way the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) taught us. This is why Ibn Umar was so mad at the man
who sneezed and said alamdulillh wa alat wa salm ala Rasulullh. They consider it
transgression in du if you dont do it the way it is.
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Some scholars said it is allowed to change it if it is to the same meaning and if the
dhikr is not restricted dhikr such as the tashahhud or what is said when breaking the
fast. If it is a general du, even if you change it a little, it is permissible. For
example, some of the adhkr of the morning and night. Why is it acceptable? Their
proof is that even these aadth are narrated by the meaning. The abah
sometimes changed the wording but they brought the exact same meaning because
they understood the culture and Arabic language; therefore, we say that it is
allowed if it is the same meaning. This can be tricky for people in our times because
we dont understand the Arabic language well enough to make a change and may
mess it up.
The vast majority of the anafis, Mlikis, Shfiis, and Ibn Taymiyyah said that dhikr is
of two types:
1. Restricted by number and situation. In this case, the person cannot change the
dhikr.
2. If the dhikr is general, then reciting it can be by its meaning.
Reciting the adhkr in a language other than Arabic.
Ibn Taymiyyah said the Muslim female should change the nouns/pronouns (which
are usually masculine) that are mentioned in the narrated adhkr to fit her own
specific gender.
Is it mandatory to adhere to the specific number of repetitions that are mentioned

in the narrated adhkr or can somebody add or subtract repetitions?
It depends. If it is restricted dhikr, then you cannot. If it is open dhikr, then you can.
For example: adhn is restricted. We dont have any evidence that the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said subna rabbi al-am more than three times, but it
is not restricted to three and you can say subna rabbi al-am more than three
times. The sunnah is to say subnAllhi wa biamdih to the 100.
If you are confused about how many times you have said it, then you go with what
you are certain about.
Some anafi, Shfii, and anbali scholars believe in the permissibility of adding
more repetitions.
Most of the anafis said it is not allowed to add anything to what has been narrated,
and this is the position of Ibn Hajar as well. For them, adding more repetitions is
like adding more rakah to the alh or more repetitions to the adhn, which is not
allowed.
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Some scholars combine the two opinions by saying: If the dhikr is restricted to
certain situations, time, repetitions, then changes cannot be made, but if it is
unrestricted, adding more repetitions is permissible.
If the person is not sure about the number of repetitions he/she made in reciting
the dhikr, then the person should go by the number he/she is certain about.
Making dhikr verbally vs. making dhikr in the heart

The dhikr of the heart is the contemplating and thinking about Allh. Al-Shawkni
and other scholars said dhikr is something that you need to pronounce.
The best dhikr is when your heart and tongue are connected.
It is an innovation in religion to make dhikr by only mentioning an explicit Name of

Allh or by substituting it through the pronoun He.
This was something invented after the time of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) where people start making dhikr with only one of Allhs Names. This is
pure innovation in religion and never reported from the Prophet (allallhu alayhi
wa sallam).
There is a fabricated adth that the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) told Ali
(rayAllhu anhu) to repeat saying Allh.
Al-Shawkni said that by agreement of the ulem this is a made-up adth.
Some people lie and say that Allh told them this dhikr. They say it is in the Qurn
when Allh said, Say, Allh. The verse is talking about the kufr when Allh
(subnahu wa tala) told them, Who is the Creator of this and that? Say, Allh,
and leave them.
They said the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, The Day of Judgment will be
established upon people who dont say, Allh, Allh, Allh. (Muslim)
This adth is authentic but also has another narration: None among them say la
ilha illa Allh. Narrators would sometimes narrate a short version. We combine
both versions to understand the adth. This adth is not talking about
permissibility of dhikr. Also, when you say, Allh, Allh, Allh, there is no
meaning. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Glorify the Name of your
Lord.
The Rulings Regard Reciting Adhkr in Congregation

This has two ways and one is acceptable. Before finishing a gathering, the Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) would make du. When teaching and reminding and
educating each other, it is fine. People sitting together and reading Qurn is fine.
Ulem discuss dhikr done in a congregation where there is dancing, music, etc. When
Imm Mlik heard about this, he said it is bidah and forbidden to attend this. The late
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generation of Mlikis go against the teaching of early Mliki scholars regarding this
issue.
There is no adth supporting the abah coming together and making any ritual or
adhkr in this manner. Umar (rayAllhu anhu) saw people making adhkr in a circle
with stones, and he told them it is not allowed.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, No people gather in one of the houses of
Allh reciting the Book of Allh and studying it with one another except that mercy
covers them... (Bukhri & Muslim) Imm Nawawi said, And in this there is evidence
for the virtue of gathering for the recitation of the Qurn in the masjid. And it is our
view and the view of the overwhelming majority. But Mlik said, It is disliked.
(Muslim)
Ibn Umar reported that the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, When you pass
by the gardens of Paradise, avail yourselves of them. The Companions asked, What
are the gardens of Paradise, O Messenger of Allh? He replied, The circles of dhikr.
There are roaming angels of Allh who go about looking for the circles of dhikr, and
when they find them they surround them closely. (Tirmidhi)
Amr b. Salmah said, We used to sit by the door of Abdullh b. Masd before the
morning prayer, so that when he came out, we would walk with him to the masjid. (One
day) Abu Msa al-Ashari came to us and said, Has Abu Abdul-Ramn come out yet?
We replied, No. So he sat down with us until he (Ibn Masd) came out. When he came
out, we all stood along with him, so Abu Msa said to him, O Abu Abdul-Ramn! I
have just seen something in the masjid which I deemed to be evil, but all praise is for
Allh, I did not see anything except good. He enquired, Then what is it?
(Abu Msa) replied, If you live you will see it. I saw in the masjid people sitting in
circles awaiting the prayer. In each circle they had pebbles in their hands and a man
would say, Repeat Allhu akbar a hundred times. So they would repeat it a hundred
times. Then he would say, Say la ilha illAllh a hundred times. So they would say it a
hundred times. Then he would say, Say subnallh a hundred times. So they would
say it a hundred times.
(Ibn Masd) asked, What did you say to them? (Abu Msa) said, I did not say anything
to them. Instead I waited to hear your view or what you declared. (Ibn Masd) replied,
If only you had ordered them to count up the evil deeds they acquired and assured
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them that their good deeds would not be lost! Then we went along with him (Ibn
Masd) until he came to one of these circles and stood and said, What is this which I
see you doing?
They replied, O Abu Abdul-Ramn! These are pebbles upon which we are counting
takbr, tahll and tasb. He said, Count up your evil deeds. I assure you that none of
your good deeds will be lost. Woe to you, O ummah of Muammad (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam)! How quickly you go to destruction! These are the Companions of your Prophet
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) and who are widespread. There are his (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) clothes, which have not yet decayed and his bowl which is unbroken. By Him in
Whose Hand is my soul! Either you are upon a religion better guided than the religion
of Muammad (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) or you are opening the door of misguidance.
They said, O Abu Abdul-Ramn! By Allh, we only intended good. He said, How
many there are who intend good but do not achieve it. Indeed Allhs Messenger
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said to us, A people will recite the Qurn but it will not
pass beyond their throats. By Allh! I do not know, perhaps most of them are from
you. Then he left them.
Umar Ibn Salmah (the sub-narrator) said, We saw most of those people fighting
against us on the day of Nahrawn, along with the Khawrij. (Drimi in his Sunan)
He said better from the companions or starting bidah because the companions never
understood from the verses to make dhikr in the way they were doing it. The man
replied, We are only intending good. No one doing bidah says anything different.
The abah said, And so many people intend good but they did not act good. Your
intention is not good enough. The narrator said that he saw most of those people on
the day of Nahrawan when Ali (rayAllhu anhu) was fighting the Khawrij. Al-Shtibi
commented: That which is small bidah leads to big bidah.
Saying takbr together on d is not bidah. This is different from what the salaf are
talking about. On d, Umar would say Allhu akbar and people would say it with him.
The salaf were talking about the practices of extreme fi groups.
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Chapter 5 | Al-salmu alaykum

The Meaning of the Islamic Greeting
Al-salmu alaykum is the greeting of Islam and Muslims; it is one of the most
famous, well-known phrases uttered by Muslim and non-Muslims alike about Islam.
The meaning of this greeting literally is peace, harmlessness, safety, and protection
from evil and from faults. The name Al-Salm is a Name of Allh, so the meaning of
this required greeting between Muslims is: May the blessing of His Name
descend upon you. The usage of the preposition ala in alaykum (upon you)
indicates that the greeting is inclusive.
Al-salmu alaykum is a greeting and supplication at the same time.
Al-salmu alaykum or Salmun alaykum.
Al-salmu alaykum is two things: a greeting and a du. When you go to the cemetery
and say al-salmu alaykum, you are making du for them. When you greet someone,
you are greeting them and making du for them.
Salm means peace and that you will be free from any harm from me. Alaykum means
upon you. The peace and protection is upon you and protecting you from all sides. It
is so sad that you tell your friends al-salmu alaykum and then backbite him because
you promised him safety and then go and betray him. What is worse is saying it and
your family and friends do not see your mercy.
This greeting is a way of life, which we dont live by.
Wa baraktuh The singular is barakah. This comes from birkah, which means oasis or
well in the desert because whenever there was water in the desert, there was barakah.
Barakah means a lot of good coming in and coming out. This means that this person
you are meeting expects only good from you and things which will benefit him.
Another meaning of barakah is that something will remain.
Who started the salm greeting?
Anas (rayAllhu anhu) said that when the people of Yemen came, Raslullh (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) said, The people of Yemen have come, and they are the first who
came shaking hands. (Abu Dwd)
dam (alayhil-salm) started this greeting. The angels greeted him.
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The Virtues of Salm
Abdullh Ibn Umar (rayAllhu anhu) narrated that a man asked Raslullh (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam), What is the best thing in Islam? He (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said,
Feeding others and giving the greeting of salm to those whom you know and those
whom you do not know. (Bukhri and Muslim)
Abu Hurayrah (rayAllhu anhu) narrated that Raslullh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam)
said, You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you
love one another. Shall I not tell you about something which, if you do it, you will love
one another? Spread salm amongst yourselves. (Muslim)
Al-Qi Iy said, This is urging us to spread salm, as mentioned above, among those
whom we know and those whom we do not know. Salm is the first level of
righteousness and the first quality of brotherhood, and it is the key to creating love. By
spreading salm, the Muslims love for one another grows stronger and they
demonstrate their distinctive symbols and spread a feeling of security amongst
themselves. This is the meaning of Islam. (Ikml, 1/304)
Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said that when you say al-salmu alaykum wa
ramatullh wa baraktuh, you receive 30 asanah. It is a blessed greeting from Allh.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Spread the salm among you. You can
say other than salm (i.e. whats up, good morning) after saying salm.
The Ruling on Giving Salm

fi Ibn Abdul-Bar said, It is a unanimous agreement of the Muslims that to
commence salm is sunnah and to reply is wjib. (Tamd)
Bukhri has a chapter on men giving salm to women and women giving salm to men.
Ulem said that if there is fitnah and a bad situation (i.e. a young girl by herself in a
dark place and a young man) then apply salm quietly and not out loud this is a rare
case.
It is the worst thing ever if you use the religion and Islam for a cheap desire that you
want to fulfill (i.e. saying salm to hit on a guy or girl). If you want to play around, dont
use the religion. It was common during the time of the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) that men give salm to women and women give salm to men.
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It is sunnah for the young to give salm to the older and the one passing/riding gives
salm to the ones sitting. Giving salm is sunnah and replying is wjib, and this is agreed
upon.
The Etiquettes of Giving Salm
Allh said, When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is
better than it or (at least) return it equally. Certainly, Allh is Ever a Careful
Account Taker of all things. (Al-Nis, 4:86)
Raslullh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, If you say salm, make it loud so people
can hear it. (Bukhri)
Abdullh b. Umar (rayAllhu anhu) said, There is no reward if the salm is not
said aloud, and you must reply the same or louder. (Bukhri)
Abu Hurayrah (rayAllhu anhu) said the Messenger of Allh (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) said, When one of you comes to a gathering, let him say salm, and when he
wants to leave let him say salm, for the former is not more of a duty than the latter.
(Abu Dwd)
Raslullh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Let the rider give salm to the walking.
Let the walking give salm to the sitting. (Bukhri)
If one member of a group performs the greeting, that is enough and there is no
need for the rest of them to say anything. Similarly, if a member of a group replies
to a greeting, that shall be sufficient. (Abdullh b. Abi Zayd al-Qayrawni, Risla)
Raslullh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, If two people are the same age, the best
amongst them should say salm first. (Bukhri)
It is permissible for the opposite gender to exchange salm.
Ibn Hajar said, Concerning the permissibility of men greeting women with salm and
women greeting men: What is meant by its being permitted is when there is no fear of
fitnah. (Fatl-Bri)
Ibn Abi azam narrated: There used to be an old woman who used to bring us
some dates. She used to cultivate land and do cooking. We used to say salm in the
presence of the companions, and she used to reply wa alaykuml-salm. (Bukhri)
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Anas b. Mlik (rayAllhu anhu) reported, Whenever Raslullh (allallhu alayhi wa

sallam) used to go past children, he used to say al-salmu alaykum to the children.
(Bukhri)
Abdullh b. Umar (rayAllhu anhu) said, I asked Bill: How did Raslullh
(allallhu alayhi wa sallam) respond to them as they greeted him while he was in
prayer? Thereupon he said, He (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) only made a gesture
with his hands (in order to respond to the greeting). (Tirmidhi)
Al-Bar said, Raslullh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, There are no two Muslims
who meet and shake hands, but they will be forgiven before they part. (Abu
Dwd)
Anas (rayAllhu anhu) narrated: When the companions of Raslullh (allallhu

alayhi wa sallam) met, they would shake hands, and when they came from a journey
they would embrace one another. (abarni, al-Awsa; Ibn Mufli, Adbl-Shariyyah)
Mlik regarded it as makrh to embrace one who comes from a journey and said
that it is a bidah (innovation). He explained the fact that Raslullh (allallhu alayhi
wa sallam) did that to Jafar when he came as being a unique case. Sufyn said to him,
You cannot regard it as a unique case without evidence and Mlik fell silent. Qi
said, The fact that he fell silent indicates that he accepted what Sufyn said and
agreed with him. This is the correct view, so long as there is no evidence that this
is a unique case. (Ibn Mufli; Adbl-Shariyyah)
Even if the other person cannot hear you, give salm. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa
sallam) forbade us from giving a sign / signal without verbalizing it.
A hug is Sunnah when hearing good news or a person comes back from travel.
There are certain circumstances under which it is preferable not to offer salm.
-
When a person is relieving himself
When one is having marital relations
When someone is sleeping
Offering salm when someone is reciting the Qurn is permissible but

discouraged. The same rule applies to someone who is making du
(supplication) or one who is praying.
Greeting non Muslims

Raslullh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Do not initiate the greeting of salm to a
non-Muslim. (Muslim)
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Anas (rayAllhu anhu) reported that the companions of Allhs Apostle (allallhu
alayhi wa sallam) said to him, The people of the Book offer us salutations (by saying
al-salmu alaykum). How should we reciprocate them? Thereupon he said, Say:
Wa alaykum (and upon you too). (Muslim)
You reply in full. The Qurn says that if anyone greets you with something, you
should reply with at least the same. You can say the salm to a kfir. You are asking
for Allhs Mercy and barakah be put on that person (i.e. become a Muslim).
It has been narrated by Anas (rayAllhu anhu) that the companions of the
Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) would walk together and when a tree would
come in their way they would separate towards the left and right. Then on meeting
each other, one of them would greet the other with salm.
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said to start the greeting to non-Muslims with
other than al-salmu alaykum.
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Chapter 6 | Dhikr & Du 24/7

Du for You to Memorize
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Whoever awakes at night and then says:
La ilha illAllhu wadahu la sharka lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul amd, wa huwa ala kulli
shayin qadr, subnallh, wal-amdulillh, wa la ilha illallhu wAllhu akbar, wa la awla
wa la quwwata illa billhil-Aliyyil-Am. Rabbighfirli
[None has the right to be worshipped except Allh, alone without associate, to Him
belongs sovereignty and praise and He is over all things wholly capable. How perfect
Allh is, and all praise is for Allh, and none has the right to be worshipped except
Allh, Allh is the greatest and there is no power nor might except with Allh, The Most
High, The Supreme. O my Lord forgive me.]
he will be forgiven. or the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, and then asks,
he will be answered. If he then performs ablution and prays, his prayer will be
accepted. (Bukhri)
The Ruling of Dhikr & Du in Our Daily Lives

The Morning and Evening Adhkr
So be patient over what they say and exalt [Allh] with praise of your Lord before the
rising of the sun and before its setting; and during periods of the night [exalt Him] and
at the ends of the day, that you may be satisfied. (ha, 20:130)
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Timings of the Morning and Evening Adhkr

There is a debate between the scholars about the times which the adhkr of morning
and evening both start and end. The most famous opinions are:
Morning is from mid-night until uhr time. The evening is from uhr until mid-night.
This is the opinion of Ibn Durayd, and al-uyti took this opinion.
Morning is from fajr until sunrise, and night is from uhr until sunset (maghrib). This
is the opinion of another Arabic language scholar Ibn Aiyya.
Morning is from fajr until sunrise, and night is from ar until ish. This is the
opinion of Shaykh Uthaymn.
Morning is from fajr until maghrib. Night is from maghrib until fajr. This is the
opinion of Ibn al-Jazari.
Morning is from fajr until sunrise, and evening is from maghrib until midnight. This
is the opinion of Ibn Hajar and al-Fayrz Abdi.
Morning is from fajr until sunrise, and evening is from ar until maghrib. This is the
opinion of al-Nawawi, Bakr Abu Zayd, and Ibn Bz.
One does not have to recite all the adhkr that were reported for every
situation.
Al-Nawawi said, Say from it (morning and evening adhkr) as much as you can because
each one has different ajr (reward) and benefits. Some have more protections and
others more rewards. If you do not have much time left, then choose the most
important with the most ajr to say first. The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, If
I order you to do something, then do what you are capable of. (Al-adhkr)
It is recommended to say the morning and evening adhkr in the masjid.
Jbir reported: When the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) used to pray fajr, he would
stay in his place until the sun rose making dhikr. (Muslim)
You can recite the adhkr from memory or read from a book.
Al-Awzi was asked: In the morning is reading Qurn or reciting the dhikr of the
morning better? Al-Awzi said that there is nothing better than the Qurn, but the
abah and tbin used to make dhikr after fajr until the sun rose and did not read the
Qurn.
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Upon Morning and Evening You Say:
The Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) said, Any slave of Allh who says in the
morning of every day and in the evening of every night: In the name of Allh with
whose Name nothing is harmed on earth nor in the heavens, and He is the All-Seeing,
the All-Knowing three times shall be safe from the reach of anything evil or harmful.
(Tirmidhi)
O Allh! You are my Lord! None has the right to be worshipped but You. You created
me and I am Your slave, and I am faithful to my covenant and my promise as much as I
can. I seek refuge with You from all the evil I have done. I acknowledge before You all
the blessings You have bestowed upon me, and I confess to You all my sins. So I entreat
You to forgive my sins, for nobody can forgive sins except You. (Abu Dwd)
Upon Morning You Say:
We have reached the morning, and at this very time unto Allh belongs all sovereignty, Lord
of the worlds. O Allh, I ask You for the good of this day, its triumphs, its victories, its light, its
blessings, and its guidance. And I take refuge in You from the evil of this day and the evil that
follows it. (Abu Dwd)
Upon Evening You Say:
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We have entered upon evening and the whole Kingdom of Allh entered upon evening,
and all praise is for Allh. None has the right to be worshipped except Allh, alone,
without partner, to Him belongs all sovereignty and praise and He is over all things
omnipotent. My Lord, I ask You for the good of this night and the good of what follows
it and I take refuge in You from the evil of this night and the evil of what follows it. My
Lord, I take refuge in You from laziness and senility. My Lord, I take refuge in You from
torment in the Fire and punishment in the grave. (Muslim)
I take refuge in Allhs perfect words from the evil of His creation. (Three times in the
night) (Tirmidhi)
Ibn Abbs related that the Messenger of Allh (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) used to commend
al-asan and al-usayn to Allhs protection, saying: Udhukuma bi kalimtillhil-tmmah,
min kulli Shaynin wa hmmah, wa min kulli aynin lmmah.
[I commend you two to the protection of Allhs perfect words from every devil, vermin, and
every evil eye.]
Upon finishing your wu you say:
Allhumma-jalni minal-tawwbna wa jaalni minal-mutaahhirn.

[O Allh, make me of those who return to You often in repentance and make me of
those who remain clean and pure.] (Tirmidhi)
And upon leaving your house you say:
Allhumma inni adhu bika an ailla aw uall, aw azilla aw uzall, aw alima aw ulam, aw
ajhala aw yujhala alay.
[O Allh, I take refuge with You lest I should stray or be led astray, or slip or be tripped,
or oppress or be oppressed, or behave foolishly or be treated foolishly.] (Abu Dwd)
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On your way to the masjid you say:
Allhumma-jal fi qalbi nra, wa f lisni nra, wa-jal fi sami nra wa-jal fi baari nra, wajal min khalfi nra, wa min ammi nra , wa-jal min fawqi nra, wa min tati nra,
Allhumma tini nra
[O Allh, place within my heart light, and upon my tongue light, and within my ears
light, and within my eyes light, and place behind me light and in front of me light and
above me light and beneath me light. O Allh, bestow upon me light.] (Bukhri &
Muslim)
And upon entering the masjid you say:
Adhu billhil-am wa bi wajhihil-karm wa sulnihil qadm minal-Shaynl-rajm

[bismillhi wal-altu] [wal salmu ala raslillh] Allhumma-ftali abwba ramatik.
[I take refuge with Allh, The Supreme and with His Noble Face, and His eternal
authority from the accursed devil. In the name of Allh, and prayers and peace be upon
the Messenger of Allh. O Allh, open the gates of Your mercy for me.]
And upon leaving the masjid you say:
Bismillh wal-altu wal-salmu ala raslillh, Allhumma inn asaluka min falik,
Allhumma-imni minal-Shaynl-rajm.
[In the name of Allh, and prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allh. O Allh, I
ask You from Your favor. O Allh, guard me from the accursed devil.] (Muslim)
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Upon traveling:
Allhu akbar, Allhu akbar, Allhu akbar, subnal-ladhi sakhkhara lana hdha wa ma kunna
lahu muqrinn, wa inna ila rabbina lamunqalibn, Allhumma inna nasaluka fi safarina
hdhal-birra wal-taqwa, wa minal amali ma tara, Allhumma hawwin alayna safarana
hdha, wawi anna budah, Allhumma antal-ibu fil-safar, wal-khalfatu fil-ahl,
Allhumma inni adhu bika min wathl-safar, wa kbatl-manar, wa sil-munqalabi fil-mli
wal-ahl.
[Allh is the greatest, Allh is the greatest, Allh is the greatest. How perfect He is, The
One Who has placed this (transport) at our service, and we ourselves would not have
been capable of that, and to our Lord is our final destiny. O Allh, we ask You for birr
and taqwa in this journey of ours, and we ask You for deeds which please You. O Allh,
facilitate our journey and let us cover its distance quickly. O Allh, You are The
Companion on the journey and The Successor over the family, O Allh, I take refuge
with You from the difficulties of travel, from having a change of hearts and being in a
bad predicament, and I take refuge in You from an ill-fated outcome with wealth and
family.] (Muslim)
Upon entering a city:
Allhumma rabbl-samwtl-sabi wa ma alalna, wa rabbl araynl-sabi wa ma aqlalna, wa

rabbl shayni wa ma alalna, wa rabbl-riyi wa ma dharayn, asaluka khayra hdhihlqaryati, wa khayra ahlilha wa khayra ma fha, wa adhu bika min sharriha wa sharri ahliha, wa
sharri ma fha.
[O Allh, Lord of the seven heavens and all that they envelop, Lord of the seven earths
and all that they carry, Lord of the devils and all whom they misguide, Lord of the
winds and all whom they whisk away. I ask You for the goodness of this village, the
goodness of its inhabitants and for all the goodness found within it and I take refuge
with You from the evil of this village, the evil of its inhabitants and from all the evil
found within it.] (kim)
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Upon entering the market:
La ilha illAllh, wadahu la sharka lah, lahul-mulku wa lahul-amd, yuyi wa yumtu wa

huwa ayyun la yamt, bi yadihl-khayru wa huwa ala kulli shayin qadr.
[None has the right to be worshipped except Allh, alone, without partner, to Him
belongs all sovereignty and praise. He gives life and causes death, and He is living and
does not die. In His hand is all good and He is over all things, omnipotent.] (Tirmidhi)
Upon entering the home:
Bismillh. (Muslim)
And upon sleeping you say:
As the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) used to place his right hand under his cheek
when about to sleep and supplicate: Allhumma qini adhbaka yawma tabathu ibdak.
[O Allh, protect me from Your punishment on the day Your servants are resurrected.]
(three times) (Abu Dwd)
Upon eating and drinking:
Bismillh
If you forget to say it before starting, then you should say (when you remember): In
the Name of Allh in its beginning and end. (Abu Dwd)
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When you finish you say:
Alamdulillhil-ladhi aamani hdha wa razaqanhi min ghayri awlin minni wa la quwwah.

[All praise is for Allh who fed me this and provided it for me without any might nor
power from myself.] (Tirmidhi)
And you say to the one who offered you the food
Allhumma brik lahum fma razaqtahum, wa-ghfir lahum waramhum.

[O Allh, bless for them, that which You have provided them, forgive them and have
mercy upon them.] (Muslim)
Upon wearing new clothes you say:
Allhumma lakal-amdu anta kasawtanhi, asaluka min khayrihi wa khayri ma unia lah, wa
adhu bika min sharrihi wa sharri ma unia lah.
[O Allh, for You is all praise, You have clothed me with it (i.e. the garment), I ask You
for the good of it and the good for which it was made, and I seek refuge with You from
the evil of it and the evil for which it was made.] (Abu Dwd)
Upon seeing someone wearing a new garment you say:
Ilbas jaddan wa ish amdan wa mut shahdan.

[Wear anew, live commendably and die a shahd.] (Ibn Mjah)
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If you are in pain you say:
Place your hand on the place on your body where the pain is, and say bismillh 3
times, and then say 7 times: Athu billhi wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa udhir.
[I seek refuge in Allh and His complete power and ability from the evil of what I feel
and am wary of.] (Muslim)
In the time of sadness, worry, or distress, you say:
Allhumma ramataka arju fala takilni ila nafsi arfata ayn, wa ali li shani kullah, la ilha
illa ant.
[O Allh, I hope for Your mercy. Do not leave me to myself even for the blinking of an
eye (i.e. a moment). Correct all of my affairs for me. There is none worthy of worship but
You.] (Abu Dwd)
La ilha illa anta subnak inni kuntu minal-limn

[There is absolutely no deity worthy of worship, except you, and verily I have been
among those people who oppress.] Any Muslim asking Allh through this supplication
will be answered. (kim)
La ilha illAllhul-Aml-alm, La ilha illAllh rabbl-arshl am, La ilha illAllh rabblsamwti wa rabbl-ari wa rabbl-arshl-karm.
[None has the right to be worshipped except, the Tremendous One, the Forbearing.
None has the right to be worshipped except Allh, the Lord of the tremendous Throne.
None has the right to be worshipped except Allh, the Lord of the heavens, and the
Lord of the earth, and the Lord of the honorable Throne.] (Bukhri)
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Upon encountering an enemy or transgressor, you say:
Allhumma inna najaluka fi nurihim wa nadhu bika min shurrihim.

[O Allh, we place You before them and we take refuge in You from their evil.] (Abu
Dwd)
asbunallhu wa nimal-wakl.
[Allh is sufficient for us, and how fine a trustee (He is)]. (Bukhri)
If there is something difficult for you to deal with, you say:
Allhumma la sahla illa ma jaaltahu sahla, wa anta tajall-azna idha shita sahla.
[O Allh! There is nothing easy except what You make easy, and You make the difficult
easy if it be Your Will.] (Ibn ibbn)
If you are scared and feeling the presence of Shayn or jinn:
Call the adhn
Say three times: Adhu billhi minal-Shaynl-rajm.

[I seek refuge in Allh from the Satan, the outcast.]
Then spit to your left. (Muslim)
If you are in debt you say:
Allhumma-kfini bi allika an armik, waghnini bi falika amman siwk.
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[O Allh, make what is lawful enough for me, as opposed to what is unlawful, and spare
me by Your grace, of need of others.] (Bukhri & Muslim)
Upon a wind storm and hearing thunder you say:
Allhumma inni asaluka khayraha wa adhu bika min sharriha.

[O Allh, I ask You for its goodness and I take refuge with You from its evil.] (Abu
Dwd)
Subnal-ladhi yusabbiul-radu bi amdihi, wal-malikatu min khfatih.

[How perfect He is, (The One) Whom the thunder declares His perfection with His
praise, as do the angles out of fear of Him.] (Muwaa from Ibn al-Zubayr)
If you go to a wedding you say to the newlywed:
Brakallhu lak, wa braka alayk, wa jamaa bayn kuma fi khayr.

[May Allh bless for you (your spouse) and bless you, and may He unite both of you in
goodness.] (Abu Dwd)
To offer condolences, you say:
Inna lillhi ma akhadh, wa lahu ma aa, wa kullu shayin indahu bi ajalin Msamma faltabir wal tatasib.
[Verily to Allh, belongs what He took and to Him belongs what He gave, and
everything with Him has an appointed time and then he ordered for her to be patient
and hope for Allhs reward.] (Bukhri & Muslim)
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When angry, you say:
Adhu billhi minal-Shaynil-rajm.

[I take refuge with Allh from the accursed devil.] (Bukhri & Muslim)
Upon seeing someone in trial or tribulation you say:
Alamdulillhil-ladhi fani min ma-btalaka bih, wa faalani ala kathrin min man khalaqa tafla.
[All praise is for Allh Who saved me from that which He tested you with and Who most
certainly favoured me over much of His creation.] (Tirmidhi)
Upon the conclusion of a gathering you say:
Subnakallhumma wa bi amdik, ash-hadu an la ilha illa ant, astaghfiruka wa atbu ilayk.

[How perfect You are O Allh, and I praise You. I bear witness that None has the right
to be worshipped except You. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance.]
(Abu Dwd)
You begin your alh with:
Allhumma bd bayni wa bayna khayaya kama badta baynal-mashriqi wal-maghrib,

Allhumma naqqini min khayaya kama yunaqqal-thawbl abyau minal-danas, Allhummaghsilni min khayaya bil thalji wal-mi wal barad.
[O Allh, distance me from my sins just as You have distanced The East from The West,
O Allh, purify me of my sins as a white robe is purified of filth, O Allh, cleanse me of
my sins with snow, water, and ice.] (Bukhri & Muslim)
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Upon prostrating:
Allhumma-ghfirli dhanbi kullahu diqqahu wa jillahu wa awwalahu wa khirahu wa al

niyyatahu wa sirrahu
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa sallam) would say while
prostrating, O Allh, forgive all of my sins, the small and the large, the first and the
last, the public and private. (Muslim)
Allhumma adhu bi rika min sakhaika wa bi muaftika min uqbatika. Wa adhu bika
minka la ui thanan alayka, anta kama athnayta ala nafsika.
ishah (rayAllhu anha) reported, One night I missed the Prophet (allallhu alayhi
wa sallam) from his bed. I looked for him and found him praying. He was prostrating, his
feet were in an upright position and he was saying, O Allh, I seek refuge in Your
pleasure from Your anger. I seek refuge in Your granting of well-being from Your
punishment. I seek refuge in You from You. The praise I may do cannot encompass You; You
are as You have praised Yourself. (Muslim)
Upon starting the night prayer:
Witr Prayer
Allhumma rabba jibrl, wa mkl, wa isrfl firl-samwti wal-ar, liml-ghaybi walshahdah, anta takumu bayna ibdika fma knu fhi yakhtalifn. Ihdini lima-khtulifa fhi
minal-aqqi bidhnik, innaka tahdi man tashu ila irin mustaqm.
[O Allh, Lord of Jibrl, Mkl and Isrfl (great angles), Creatorof the heavens and the
Earth, Knower of the seenand the unseen. You are the arbitrator between Your
servants in that which they have disputed. Guide me to the truth by Your leave, in that
which they have differed, for verily You guide whom You will to a straight path.]
(Muslim)
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134
Subnal-Mlikl-qudds (three times).

[How perfect The King, The Holy One is.] on the third time he would raise his voice,
elongate it and add: Rabbl-malikati wal-r. [Lord of the angels and the R (i.e.
Jibrl)] (Nasi).
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Activity | 21 Day Adhkr Challenge

It normally takes 21 days to build a habit. Choose at least three of the morning and
evening adhkr and challenge yourself to say them daily for 21 days, both in the
morning and evening. You will be well on your way to permanently establishing dhikr
as part of your daily routine!
Morning dhikr starts from fajr adhn until uhr. Evening adhkr start from ar until
ish.
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Activity | Du List
Write down 5 things that you are going to pray for this weekend during all prayers,
including witr prayer, before sleeping and in the morning and night.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Write down 5 people you will include in your prayer this weekend during all prayers,
including witr prayer, before sleeping and in the morning and night.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

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Qabeelat Hosna | Student Notes

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

The reasons why our du are rejected and not answered.......................................... 83

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

A c t i v i t y | How connected are you with Allh?

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

Chapter 1 | The Concept of Dhikr & Du in Islam

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

How does the Qurn order us to make dhikr?

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

4) Allh praised the people who made dhikr.

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

7) Dhikr of Allh is the greatest thing.

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

Indeed, I am Allh. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish

What are some benefits of constantly making dhikr and du?

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

Dhikr is a reason for provision to be increased. Allh (subnahu wa tala) said,

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

Story from Shaykh Waleed

It makes your heart happy and strong.

Great reward comes from it.

SubnAllh wa biamdih will plant a tree for you in Jannah.

It softens the heart.

It is a reason for the blessings of Allh to continue coming to you.

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

One of the best gatherings is when we gather around dhikr of Allh.

Dhikr results in plants in Paradise.

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

In a Muslim: Ibn Abbs said he heard the Prophet (allallhu alayhi wa

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

Dhikr connects you with Allh all the time.

What are the top 5 reasons people miss/neglect their adhkr?

You dont have a support community.

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

People dont know the reward for dhikr.

People dont know the meaning.

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

The Meanings of Dhikr and Du

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

1) Praising the Names and Attributes of Allh.

Remembering the rulings and orders of Allh. (What He loves/hates and

arm, you remember what Allh said about it.

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

The Ruling of Dhikr and Du

First Opinion: Obligation (wjib)

This is the position of the Shfiis and so many of the Mlikis.

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr

Thumb Rule from usll-fiqh: Any command related to religious

Second Opinion: Recommended (mustaab)

24/7: Fiqh al-Du & Dhikr