Hadith 3422

حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْخَلَّالُ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ الطَّيَالِسِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، وَيُوسُفُ بْنُ الْمَاجِشُونِ، قَالَ عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ : حَدَّثَنِي عَمِّي ، وَقَالَ يُوسُفُ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي، حَدَّثَنِي الْأَعْرَجُ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي رَافِعٍ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، أَنّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " كَانَ إِذَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ ، قَالَ : " وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ، إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ، لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ، اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الْمَلِكُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، أَنْتَ رَبِّي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي وَاعْتَرَفْتُ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي ذُنُوبِي جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، وَاهْدِنِي لِأَحْسَنِ الْأَخْلَاقِ لَا يَهْدِي لِأَحْسَنِهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، وَاصْرِفْ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا لَا يَصْرِفُ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، لَبَّيْكَ وَسَعْدَيْكَ وَالْخَيْرُ كُلُّهُ فِي يَدَيْكَ وَالشَّرُّ لَيْسَ إِلَيْكَ أَنَا بِكَ وَإِلَيْكَ ، تَبَارَكْتَ وَتَعَالَيْتَ أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ " ، فَإِذَا رَكَعَ ، قَالَ : " اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ رَكَعْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَلَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ خَشَعَ لَكَ سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي وَعِظَامِي وَعَصَبِي " ، فَإِذَا رَفَعَ ، قَالَ : " اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ مِلْءَ السَّمَاءِ وَمِلْءَ الْأَرْضِ وَمِلْءَ مَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَمِلْءَ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ شَيْءٍ بَعْدُ " ، فَإِذَا سَجَدَ ، قَالَ : " اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ سَجَدْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَلَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ ، سَجَدَ وَجْهِي لِلَّذِي خَلَقَهُ فَصَوَّرَهُ وَشَقَّ سَمْعَهُ وَبَصَرَهُ فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ " ، ثُمَّ يَقُولُ مِنْ آخِرِ مَا يَقُولُ بَيْنَ التَّشَهُّدِ وَالتَّسْلِيمِ : " اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَفْتُ وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى : هَذَا حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
´Ali bin Abi Talib narrated that whenever the Messenger of Allah would stand for Salat, he would say:` “I have directed my face towards the One who has created the heavens and the earth, as a Hanif, and I am not of the idolaters. Indeed, my Salat, my sacrifice, my living, my dying, is for Allah, the Lord of all that exists, without partner, and with this have I been ordered and I am of the Muslims. O Allah, You are the King, there is none worthy of worship except You. You are My Lord, and I am Your slave, I have wronged myself and I admit to my sin, so forgive me all my sins, verily, there is none who forgives sins but You, and guide me to the best of manners, none guides to the best of them except You, and turn away from me the evil of them, none can turn away from me the evil of them except You. Here I am in obedience to You, and in aiding Your cause, and the good, all of it is in Your Hands, and the evil is not attributed to You, I am reliant upon You and ever-turning towards You, Blessed are You and Exalted are You. I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to you (Wajjahtu wajhiya lilladhī faṭaras-samāwāti wal-arḍa ḥanīfan wa mā ana min al-mushrikīn, inna ṣalātī wa nusukī wa maḥyāya wa mamātī lillāhi rabbil-`ālamīn, lā sharīka lahū wa bidhālika umirtu wa ana min al-muslimīn. Allāhumma antal-maliku lā ilāha illā ant, anta rabbī, wa ana `abduka ẓalamtu nafsī wa`taraftu bidhanbī faghfirlī dhunūbī jamī`an, innahū lā yaghfir adh-dhunūba illā ant. Wahdinī li-aḥsanil-akhlāqi lā yahdī li-aḥsanihā illā ant. Waṣrif `annī sayyi’ahā lā yaṣrifu `annī sayyi’aha illā ant. Labaika wa sa`daika wal-khairu kulluhū fī yadaika, wash-sharru laisa ilaik, tabārakta wa ta`ālaita astaghfiruka wa atūbu ilaik).” And when he would bow in Ruku he would say: “O Allah, to You have I bowed, and in You have I believed, and to You have I submitted. My hearing, my sight, my bones, and my sinew are humbled to you (Allāhumma laka raka`tu wa bika āmantu wa laka aslamtu. Khasha`a laka sam`ī wa baṣarī wa `iẓāmī, wa `aṣabī).” And when he would rise he would say: “O Allah, our Lord, to You is praise filling the heaven and filling the earth, and filling what is between them, and filling whatever You have wished of things afterward (Allāhumma rabbanā lakal-ḥamdu mil’as-samāwāti wa mil’al-arḍ wa mil’a mā bainahumā, wa mil’a mā shi’ta min shay’in ba`d).” Then, when he prostrated, he would say: “O Allah, to You have I prostrated, and in You have I believed, and to You have I submitted (in Islam), my face has prostrated to the One Who created it, and fashioned it, and gave it its hearing and sight, [so] Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators (Allāhumma laka sajadtu wa bika āmantu wa laka aslamtu, sajada wajhi lilladhī khalaqahū fa ṣuwwarahū wa shaqqa sam`ahū wa baṣarahū fatabārak Allāhu ahsanul-khāliqīn).” Then the last of what he would say between At-Tashahud and At-Taslim was: “O Allah, forgive me what I have done, before and after, and what I have hidden, and what I have done openly, and what I have transgressed the limit in, and what You know about more than me, You are the One Who sends forth and the One Who delays, there is none worthy of worship except You (Allāhummaghfirlī mā qaddamtu wa mā akhkhartu wa mā asrartu wa mā a`lantu wa mā asraftu wa mā anta a`lamu bihī minnī antal-Muqaddimu wa antal-Mu’akhkhiru, lā ilāha illā ant).”
Hadith Reference سنن ترمذي / كتاب الدعوات عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم / 3422
Hadith Grading الألبانی: صحيح، صفة الصلاة، صحيح أبي داود (738)
Hadith Takhrij «انظر ماقبلہ (صحیح)»
Explanation & Benefits
Hafiz Muhammad Ameen
898. Commentary:

➊ In some chains of this narration, it is explicitly mentioned that when the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would begin the obligatory prayer, he would recite this supplication, and in some, the night prayer is mentioned. Thus, this supplication can be recited in both obligatory (fard) and supererogatory (nafl) prayers; however, in the case of congregational prayer, it is necessary to be mindful of the followers (muqtadis).

➋ “«اللہ اکبر» says, then he would say.” This is explicit that he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would recite this supplication after the opening takbir (takbir tahrimah); therefore, it is not correct to say that this supplication should be recited before the opening takbir.

➌ “I am among the Muslims” in «أَنَا مِنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ», even though you were a Prophet. In reality, this is to teach the Ummah. In the text, a literal translation has been done: “I am among the obedient.” This is equally applicable to both the Prophet and the Ummah. The entire supplication that follows is for the Ummah, otherwise, you were infallible and adorned with perfect and virtuous character.

➍ “Evil is not attributed to You.” However, it can be said in conjunction with good: Creator of good and evil, otherwise, there is a clear aspect of disrespect in this. Other meanings of this phrase have also been mentioned, for example: Nearness to You cannot be attained through evil. Or, evil does not ascend to You, rather, pure words ascend to You. Or, in terms of Your creation, nothing is evil; if something is called evil, it is in relation to some created being. That which is evil for one creature, at times, becomes good for another creature. Or, that which is evil at one time, can also be good at another time. Therefore, from the perspective of wisdom, everything is good.
Source: Sunan Nasa'i: Translation and Benefits by Shaykh Hafiz Muhammad Amin Hafizullah, Page: 898
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
"Wajjahtu wajhiya haneefan":
I have turned my face away from every direction and, having cut myself off from all sides, have turned solely towards the Creator of the heavens and the earth.
Therefore, I have no connection or relationship with the polytheists.

(2)
"Salati wa nusuki":
Nusuk refers to worship, servitude, and every religious act, but here the intended meaning is sacrifice. These two words are in contrast to "mahyaaya wa mamaati" (my life and my death), indicating that there is no duality or partnership in my life.
As long as I am alive, I am oriented towards Him, and prayer (salat) is its sign. When my death comes, I will sacrifice my soul upon this very thing.
Until the last breath of my life, I will not turn away from Him, because "lillahi" means that the Owner of my death is He alone, and no one else owns it.
Therefore, life and death are exclusively for Him;
no one else has any right or share in them,
because He alone is "Rabb al-'Alameen"—that is, the Lord of all the worlds,
the Owner and Sovereign,
the Nurturer and Administrator.
No one has any involvement in the order, management, and administration of the universe.
Therefore, no one has any involvement in my life and death,
so I am obedient and submissive to Him,
and being His servant and slave, I seek forgiveness for my slips and shortcomings from this True King, and no one besides this Owner can do this,
because He alone is the Ilah (God).
He alone can grant the ability to adopt good character (akhlaq hasanah) and He alone can protect from evil character (akhlaq sayyi'ah).
No one else has the power to grant the ability to adopt good character or to protect from bad character, because every kind of good and virtue is in His hand.
Therefore, I remain steadfast in His obedience and submission and am always ready for Him.
He is indeed the Creator of evil (sharr), but evil does not reach Him.

(3)
"Wa-sh-sharru laysa ilayk":
That is, evil cannot be a means of nearness or closeness,
because evil does not reach Your court;
only words of goodness and righteous deeds reach You.
Nor can evil be attributed to You, because in relation to You and from Your perspective, it is not evil, rather it is based on perfect wisdom. Therefore, evil exists from our perspective, and etiquette and reverence also demand that evil be attributed to ourselves,
not to our Master and Lord.
Since we exist by Your support,
our orientation is only towards You,
and everything of ours—every vein, every limb, every joint—is bowed before You.
And due to Your favors and bounties, which are limitless and boundless,
You are so deserving of praise and gratitude that even if the heavens and the earth and the space between them were filled with Your praise and thanks, still the right of Your grace and generosity would not be fulfilled.
Therefore, we seek forgiveness for every kind of shortcoming, whether it has occurred or will occur,
because we continue to commit all kinds of open and hidden,
small and great shortcomings, and no one besides You can forgive them.
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 1812
Shaykh Dr. Abdur Rahman Freywai
Explanation:
1:
That is, in all three of these states and situations, he used to raise his hands.

2:
In obligatory prayers, especially in congregational prayer, the imam has been instructed to keep it light, so how could the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) himself recite such lengthy supplications in it? This is for individual prayers, whether obligatory or supererogatory (nafl).
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhi – Majlis ‘Ilmi Dar al-Da‘wah, New Delhi Edition, Page: 3423
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
760. Commentary:
➊ Several supplications are established for the beginning of prayer—some lengthy and some brief. Among them, in the mentioned supplication, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has expressed utmost humility and servitude before Allah. It is recommended (mustahabb) for us to recite these supplications as well, and in terms of meaning, they affirm and acknowledge all aspects of tawhid al-uluhiyyah (oneness of worship), rububiyyah (lordship), and the names and attributes (asma wa sifat) of Allah.

➋ This supplication can be recited in obligatory (fard) prayers as well as in all prayers of the day and night, as stated by Imam Ibn Hibban (rahimahullah) and Imam Shafi'i (rahimahullah), who have mentioned its recitation in obligatory prayers. However, in Sahih Muslim, its recitation is mentioned in the night prayer.

➌ In this narration, it is explicitly stated that the place for the supplication «وجهت وجهي . . . . . . .» is after the opening takbir (takbir tahrimah), contrary to those who think it is before. [صحيح مسلم، حديث : 771]

➍ The phrase «وانا اول المسلمين» which appeared in the first supplication, regarding it, some jurists of Madinah have narrated that they considered it specific to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and advised the general Muslims to say «وانا من المسلمين». See narration: 762. However, the reality is that both ways are correct, and the meaning of «اوّل المسلمين» is also entirely appropriate, i.e., the servant acknowledges: "I am foremost in accepting Your commands."
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 760
Shaykh Safi ur-Rahman Mubarakpuri
Lexical Explanation:
«إِذَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ» “When he would stand for prayer,” means that after the opening takbir (takbir tahrimah), he would recite this as the opening supplication (du‘a’ al-istiftah).
«وَجَّهْتُ» is derived from tawjih, meaning “I have turned my face.”
«فَطَرَ» is in the meaning of creation, i.e., “created.”
«مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِين» up to. There are two narrations regarding this. In one narration: «أَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ» “I am the first Muslim (obedient servant).” This is in accordance with the wording mentioned in the Qur’anic verse. And the other: «أَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ» is in accordance with the meaning. The author has indicated this direction. The complete verses are as follows: The first verse is: «إِنِّي وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِيْ فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِيْنَ» [الأنعام 6 : 79] and the second verse is: «إِنَّ صَلَاتِيْ وَنُسُكِيْ وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِيْ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ * لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَبِذٰلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ» [الأنعام 6 : 162۔ 163] “I have turned my face towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth, being upright, and I am not of the polytheists. Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of all the worlds. He has no partner (in His essence, attributes, rights, and authority). This is what I have been commanded, and I am among those who submit.” After reciting these verses, he would recite the du‘a’: «اَللّٰهُمَّ ! أَنْتَ الْمَلِكُ . . .» etc.
«إِلٰي آخِرِهٖ» That is, he would recite this well-known supplication to the end:
«اَللّٰهُمَّ ! أَنْتَ الْمَلِكُ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، أَنْتَ رَبِّي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي وَاعْتَرَفْتُ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْلِي ذُنُوبِي جَمِيعًا، إِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، وَاهْدِنِي لِأَحْسَنِ الْأَخْلَاقِ، لَا يَهْدِي لِأَحْسَنِهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ، وَاصْرِفْ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا، لَا يَصْرِفُ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ، لَبَّيْكَ، وَسَعْدَيْكَ وَالْخَيْرُ كُلُّهُ فِي يَدَيْكَ، وَالشَّرُّ لَيْسَ إِلَيْكَ أَنَا بِكَ وَإِلَيْكَ، تَبَارَكْتَ وَتَعَالَيْتَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ»
“O Allah! You are the King, there is no master or owner except You. You alone are my Master and Lord, and I am Your servant and slave. I have indeed wronged myself and I admit my sin, so forgive all my sins. Indeed, none forgives sins except You. Guide me to the best of character, for none guides to the best of character except You. Remove from me my evil traits, and indeed, none can remove evil traits except You. I repeatedly present myself before You and am obedient to You. All good is in Your hands, and evil cannot be attributed to You. I am (firmly established) with You and (always) turning towards You. You are Most Blessed and Most Exalted. I seek forgiveness and pardon from You, and in repentance I turn to You.”
The renowned scholar and hadith expert, Mawlana ‘Abd al-Rahman Mubarakpuri rahimahullah, has discussed this hadith in detail in his commentary on Tirmidhi [تحفة الأحوذي : 203]. He states that this hadith is transmitted in Sahih Muslim, in the chapter on the night prayer, through two chains. In neither of these chains is it mentioned that this supplication was recited in the night prayer. Likewise, Tirmidhi has narrated this hadith in the chapters on supplications [حديث : 3421، 3422، 3423] through three chains. In none of these is it mentioned that this supplication was recited in the night prayer. Rather, on the contrary, in one narration in Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi itself [3423], it is stated that when he would stand to perform the obligatory prayer, he would recite this supplication at that time. And Imam Abu Dawud rahimahullah has also transmitted this narration in his Sunan, in the book [الصلاة، باب «ما يستفتح به الصلاة من الدعاء»، حديث : 760، 761], through two chains. In neither of these is it mentioned that this supplication was recited in the night prayer. Rather, in one of them, it is stated that when he stood to perform the obligatory prayer, he would recite this supplication at that time. And in one narration in Sunan al-Daraqutni, it is stated: When he would begin the obligatory prayer, at that time he would recite «وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ....» etc. [سنن دارقطني : 287/1 - 296]
Imam Shawkani rahimahullah has said in his famous work Nayl al-Awtar that Imam Ibn Hibban rahimahullah has also transmitted this hadith in the same manner and has added that when he would stand for the obligatory prayer, he would recite this. Likewise, Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah has also narrated it, and he too has specified the obligatory prayer. Others besides them have also said the same. The statement that this supplication is specific to voluntary (nafl) prayer and is not legislated in the obligatory prayer is invalid. For further details, see: [نيل الأوطار : 215/2 - 217]
Source: Bulugh al-Maram: Commentary by Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Page: 212