◈ Authenticity of the Du‘ā After Wudu: “اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِنَ التَّوَّابِينَ” ◈
Derived from: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah, Vol 1, Kitāb al-ʿAqāʾid, p. 215
❖ Question
Regarding the ḥadīth: “اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِنَ التَّوَّابِينَ، وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنَ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ” (O Allah, make me among those who repent often, and make me among those who purify themselves)—Imām al-Tirmidhī رحمه الله has considered it “Muḍṭarib” (inconsistently transmitted). However, some scholars accept the narration due to corroborating reports (mutābaʿāt or shawāhid). Clarification is requested.
(Abū Ḥamīd al-Sāʿidī al-Rafīqī, Lahore)
❖ Answer
Alḥamdulillāh, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allāh. To proceed:
① Primary Source of the Du‘ā
This du‘ā is found in:
📖 Sunan al-Tirmidhī (Ḥadīth: 55)
The narration states that after performing Wudū, the Prophet ﷺ said:
“اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِنَ التَّوَّابِينَ، وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنَ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ”
(O Allah, make me among those who constantly repent, and make me among those who purify themselves.)
② Assessment of the Chain
According to Imām al-Tirmidhī رحمه الله, the narration has iḍṭirāb (irregularity/inconsistency) in its chain. It is also affected by:
— Inqitāʿ (broken chain)
— Other weaknesses in narration
📚 In al-Muʿjam al-Awsaṭ and al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr of al-Ṭabarānī, this ḥadīth appears again, but with a weak isnād (supporting chain).
③ Further Academic References
For additional scholarly analysis, refer to:
📖 Majmaʿ al-Zawāʾid (Vol 1, p. 239)
📖 Sunan al-Tirmidhī (Vol 9, pp. 77–83), verified by Ustādh Aḥmad Muḥammad Shākir رحمه الله – (Ḥadīth: 9)
❖ Conclusion
✔ From the perspective of the chain, this narration is weak.
✔ However, some scholars have accepted it based on supporting reports (mutābaʿāt) or corroborative narrations (shawāhid), which grant the narration a degree of acceptability for virtue-related practices (faḍāʾil al-aʿmāl).
والله أعلم بالصواب
