Benefits of Following the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ
① By following the Sunnah, a believing servant attains the love of Allah Almighty.
② The deficiencies or shortcomings in obligatory acts are fulfilled by practicing these Sunnahs.
③ By adhering to the Sunnah, a person remains safe from innovations (Bid’ah).
④ Following the Sunnah is part of respecting the divine symbols (Shaairah Allah).
So come, revive the Sunnahs of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ through practice, because this is a sign of perfect and true love for him ﷺ!
Sunnahs of Waking Up from Sleep
① Wiping away the traces of sleep from the face with the hand
There is a noble hadith that says,
“When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, woke up from sleep, he would wipe his face with his hands to remove the traces of sleep.”
Imam Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, and Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, have considered wiping the face with the hands after waking up from sleep as recommended based on this hadith.
② Supplication upon waking up
الْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ
“All praise is for Allah who gave us life after causing us to die (sleep), and to Him is the resurrection.”
Therefore, sleep is called (temporary) death: النوم أخت الموت
③ Using the miswak
In a hadith, it is mentioned that when the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, woke up from the night’s sleep, he would clean his mouth with the miswak.
④ Cleaning the nose
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
“When any one of you wakes up from sleep, let him clean his nose three times, for Satan spends the night in his nostrils.”
⑤ Washing both hands three times
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“When any one of you wakes up from sleep, he should not put his hand into the vessel until he has washed it three times.”
Sunnahs of Entering and Exiting the Toilet
① When entering, first place the left foot inside, then the right.
② The supplication when entering:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخُبُثِ وَالْخَبَائِثِ
“O Allah! I seek refuge in You from the male and female devils.”
Remember that the Prophet (peace be upon him) sought Allah’s protection from the evil of devils because generally devils reside in the toilet.
③ When exiting, first place the right foot outside, then the left.
④ The supplication when exiting:
غُفْرَانَكَ
“O Allah! I ask You for forgiveness.”
A person has to go to the toilet many times during the day and night, so each time he should observe these four Sunnahs:
Two Sunnahs when entering and two Sunnahs when exiting.
Sunnahs of Wudu
① Performing ablution at home: In a hadith, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
“Whoever performs ablution in his house and then walks to the mosque to perform the obligatory prayer, for every step he takes, one of his sins is erased, and for the other step, he is raised one degree.”
② Reciting بِسْمِ اللَّهِ before ablution
③ Washing the palms three times at the beginning of ablution
④ Gargling and sniffing water into the nose before washing the face
⑤ Cleaning the nose with the left hand. In a hadith, it is mentioned that “The Prophet (peace be upon him) first washed his palms three times, then gargled, then sniffed water into his nose and cleaned it, then washed his face three times.”
⑥ Exaggerating in gargling and sniffing water into the nose (swirling water thoroughly in the mouth and reaching the last part of the nose)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“Exaggerate in sniffing water into the nose, except when you are fasting.”
⑦ Gargling and sniffing water into the nose in one breath: The hadith states that “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) filled his right palm with water and gargled and sniffed water into his nose in one breath.”
⑧ Using a miswak while gargling: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “If I were not afraid of burdening my Ummah, I would have commanded them to use the miswak at every ablution.”
⑨ Combing the thick beard while washing the face: It is narrated that “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to comb his beard during ablution.”
⑩ Wiping according to the Sunnah method: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would take both his hands from the beginning of the head to the nape, then bring them back to the beginning of the head in the same way.
Note that if wiping is done in a manner other than the Sunnah method, the obligation is fulfilled but the Sunnah is not followed.
⑪ Combing between the fingers of the hands and feet: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Perform complete ablution and comb between the fingers.”
⑫ Washing the right hand and foot first: It is narrated that “The Prophet (peace be upon him) preferred the right side, both when wearing shoes and in purification.”
⑬ Washing the face, hands, arms, and feet more than once (up to three times)
⑭ Rubbing the limbs while water is flowing
⑮ Using water as needed: It is narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to perform ablution with one mudd (approximately half a liter) of water.
⑯ Exaggerating while washing the arms and feet: In a hadith, it is mentioned that Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) when performing ablution would wash his arms up to the shoulders and his feet up to the calves, then said: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) performing ablution in this way.”
⑰ Performing complete ablution and washing every limb thoroughly
⑱ Reciting this supplication after ablution
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
“I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without any partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His servant and Messenger.”
The virtue of reciting this supplication is that for the one who recites it, all eight gates of Paradise are opened, and he may enter through whichever he wishes.
⑲ Performing two rak’ahs of prayer after ablution: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever performs ablution like mine, then prays two rak’ahs with full attention, avoiding worldly thoughts, his past sins will be forgiven.”
A Muslim performs ablution many times during the day and night, and if each time he observes these mentioned Sunnahs, he can certainly earn a great deal of reward.
The amount of reward for performing ablution according to these Sunnahs can be estimated from the following two hadiths:
① “Whoever performs ablution well, his sins come out from his body, even from under his nails.”
② “Whoever among you performs ablution well, then prays two rak’ahs with full concentration, Paradise becomes obligatory for him and his sins are forgiven.”
Miswak
A Muslim should use the miswak several times during the day and night. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
“If I did not fear hardship for my Ummah, I would have commanded them to use the miswak at every prayer.”
And during the day and night, one can use the miswak more frequently at the following times: during the five prayers, before and after the obligatory prayers in the Sunnah prayers, at the time of the Duha prayer, at the time of the Witr prayer, during Quran recitation, after bad breath develops in the mouth, after waking up from sleep, at every ablution, and when entering the house.
Hazrat Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, says that “The Prophet, peace be upon him, used to use the miswak first thing after entering the house.”
And the Prophet, peace be upon him, said:
“The miswak cleanses the mouth and brings the pleasure of Allah.”
Modern medicine has also proven that the miswak is extremely beneficial for teeth and gums because it contains the following substances:
① Germ-killing substances
② Cleaning substances
③ Teeth-cleaning substances
④ Substances that produce fragrance in the mouth
Sunnahs of Wearing Shoes
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“When any one of you puts on shoes, let him put on the right shoe first, and when taking them off, let him take off the left shoe first. And either wear both shoes or take off both.”
A Muslim wears and takes off shoes many times during the day and night, for example, when going to the mosque and coming out of it, when going to the bath and coming out of it, and when going out of the house for some work and returning. Therefore, every time he should follow the Sunnahs mentioned in this Hadith.
Sunnahs of Wearing Clothes
One of the actions that almost everyone does several times day and night is putting on and taking off clothes. There can be various purposes for taking off and putting on clothes, such as taking off clothes for ablution and then putting them back on, changing clothes for sleep, or after waking up, taking off sleepwear and wearing other clothes. Each time clothes are put on or taken off, the following Sunnahs should be observed:
① Saying Bismillah, whether putting on or taking off clothes. Imam Nawawi states that saying Bismillah is recommended in all actions.
② When the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to wear any garment (shirt, sheet, or turban, etc.), he would recite this supplication:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِهِ وَخَيْرِ مَا صُنِعَ لَهُ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّهِ وَشَرِّ مَا صُنِعَ لَهُ
“O Allah! I ask You for the goodness of this (garment) and the goodness of what it is made for. And I seek refuge in You from its evil and the evil of what it is made for.”
③ Put on clothes starting from the right side first. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whenever you wear clothes, start with the right side.”
④ When taking off clothes, first remove from the left side, then from the right side.
Sunnahs of Entering and Leaving the House
Imam Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
Reciting بِسْمِ اللَّهِ, remembering Allah, and greeting the household when entering the house is Sunnah.
① Remembering Allah When Entering the House
The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: “If a person remembers Allah when entering the house and when eating, the devil says (to his companions): Now you cannot stay in this house nor do you have food here.”
② Reciting the Supplication When Entering the House
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَ الْمَوْلِجِ وَخَيْرَ الْمَخْرَجِ، بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَلَجْنَا، وَبِسْمِ اللَّهِ خَرَجْنَا، وَعَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّنَا تَوَكَّلْنَا
“O Allah! I ask You for goodness inside the house and outside the house. We enter with the name of Allah, and we leave with the name of Allah, and upon our Lord we rely.”
By reciting this supplication, a Muslim expresses reliance on Allah whenever entering or leaving the house and continuously strengthens their connection with Him.
③ Using a Miswak
Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said that whenever the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) entered the house, he would first use the miswak.
④ Greeting the family members
The Divine command is: ﴿فَإِذَا دَخَلْتُمْ بُيُوتًا فَسَلِّمُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِكُمْ تَحِيَّةً مِّنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ مُبَارَكَةً طَيِّبَةً﴾
“So when you enter the houses, greet your family with peace, (Salam) is a prayer of goodness sent down by Allah, which is blessed and pure.”
And if a Muslim performs every obligatory prayer in the mosque and then returns to his home, if he follows these mentioned Sunnahs every time, it is as if he observes these Sunnahs only when entering the house during the day and night.
⑤ Supplication when leaving the house
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ، وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
“In the name of Allah, I have placed my trust in Allah, and without Allah’s help, there is neither the strength to avoid sin nor to do good.”
The virtue of this supplication is that “when a person recites this prayer, it is said to him: Allah is sufficient for you, and you have been protected from evil, and you have been guided. And Satan flees from him.”
Therefore, whenever a person is about to leave the house, whether to pray, for work, or for any household task, he should recite this supplication every time so that the aforementioned benefits may be granted to him.
Sunnahs of Going to the Mosque
① Hastening to go to the mosque
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “If people knew the reward of the call to prayer (Adhan) and standing in the first row, they would draw lots for it. And if they knew the reward of going early for prayer, they would race to get ahead of one another. And if they knew the reward of the Isha and Fajr prayers, they would come to perform them even if they had to crawl.”
② Reciting the supplication when going to the mosque
اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ فِي قَلْبِي نُورًا، وَفِي لِسَانِي نُورًا، وَاجْعَلْ فِي سَمْعِي نُورًا، وَاجْعَلْ فِي بَصَرِي نُورًا، وَاجْعَلْ مِنْ خَلْفِي نُورًا وَمِنْ أَمَامِي نُورًا، وَاجْعَلْ مِنْ فَوْقِي نُورًا وَمِنْ تَحْتِي نُورًا، اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِنِي نُورًا
“O Allah! Illuminate my heart, my tongue, my ears, my sight, behind me, in front of me, above me, and beneath me, and grant me light.”
③ Walking with calmness and dignity
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “When you hear the call for prayer (Iqamah), then proceed towards the prayer. And you must be calm and dignified.”
Calmness means: to create stillness in movements and avoid frivolity. Dignity means: to lower the gaze, keep the voice low, and not look around.
④ Walking towards the mosque
The jurists have written that while going towards the mosque, one should take small steps and walk slowly without haste so that the maximum rewards can be attained. The evidence for this is the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him):
“Shall I not tell you something with which Allah erases sins and raises ranks?” The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah!” He (peace be upon him) mentioned several things, one of which was taking more steps towards the mosques.”
⑤ Reciting the supplication upon entering the mosque
After reciting Durood Sharif, recite this supplication:
اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ
“O Allah! Open the doors of Your mercy for me.”
⑥ Entering the mosque with the right foot first
Hazrat Anas (RA) says that one of the Sunnahs of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is: “When you are about to enter the mosque, place your right foot inside first, and when you are about to leave, place your left foot outside first.”
⑦ Moving forward for the first row
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “If people knew the reward of the Adhan and the first row, then even if they had to draw lots for it, they would do so.”
⑧ Reciting Tahiyyatul Masjid
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“When any one of you enters the mosque, he should not sit until he has prayed two rak’ahs.”
Imam Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) states that Tahiyyatul Masjid (the greeting prayer of the mosque) is permissible at all times, even during prohibited times. Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) says that there is a consensus among all scholars of fatwa that Tahiyyatul Masjid is Sunnah, meaning recommended.
⑨ Reciting the supplication when leaving the mosque
After reciting Durood Sharif, recite this supplication:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ
“O Allah! I ask You for Your bounty.”
⑩ Putting the left foot out first when leaving the mosque
(The evidence for this has already been mentioned under point number 6 above)
So these are the Sunnahs of the mosque, and it is known to everyone that five prayers are obligatory during the day and night. If a Muslim observes these ten Sunnahs of the mosque at every prayer time, he can earn the reward equivalent to observing fifty Sunnahs.
Sunnahs of the Adhan
There are five Sunnahs of the Adhan as mentioned by Imam Ibn Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, in Zad al-Ma’ad, and they are:
① Responding to the Adhan:
Thus, the listener should say the same words that the Mu’adhdhin says, except for حي على الصلاة and حي على الفلاح, to which the response should be لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله.
The virtue of this is that Paradise becomes obligatory for the one who recites it.
② Reciting this supplication after the Adhan
وَأَنَا أَشْهَدُ أَن لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، رَضِيتُ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا وَبِالإِسْلَامِ دِينًا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولًا
“I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, Islam as my religion, and Muhammad ﷺ as my Messenger.”
The virtue of this supplication is that the sins of the one who recites it are forgiven.
③ Reciting Durood Sharif after the Adhan
It should be remembered that the most superior Durood is Durood Ibrahimiyyah, which is recited in Salah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: When you hear the Mu’adhdhin, say what he says, then send Durood upon me, because whoever sends Durood upon me once, Allah sends ten mercies upon him (or praises him ten times).
④ Reciting the following supplication after reciting Durood Sharif
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ التَّامَّةِ وَالصَّلَاةِ الْقَائِمَةِ، آتِ مُحَمَّدًا الْوَسِيلَةَ وَالْفَضِيلَةَ وَابْعَثْهُ مَقَامًا مَحْمُودًا الَّذِي وَعَدْتَهُ
“O Lord of this perfect call and the prayer that is about to be established! Grant our Master Muhammad, peace be upon him, intercession and honor, and raise him to the praised station which You have promised him.”
And the benefit of reciting this prayer is that the intercession of the Prophet, peace be upon him, becomes obligatory for the one who recites it.
⑤ After reciting the above prayers following the Adhan, supplicate for yourself and seek Allah’s grace, because this is a time of acceptance. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Say as the Mu’adhdhin says. Then ask Allah, He will grant you.”
If the above five Sunnahs are observed at every Adhan, then five Sunnahs of Adhan can be practiced during the day and night.
Sunnahs of Iqamah
The first four Sunnahs of the Adhan are also Sunnahs of the Iqamah, as per the Fatwa of the Permanent Fatwa Council of Saudi Arabia. Therefore, if these Sunnahs are also observed at every Iqamah during the day and night, then by performing the five Sunnahs of the Iqamah, one can earn great reward!
The Sunnah is that the one who hears the Iqamah should also say it in the same way as the one who calls the Iqamah, except for حي على الصلاة and حي على الفلاح, in which لا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله will say, and in response to قد قامت الصلاة, قد قامت الصلاة will be said, not أقامها الله وأدامها, because the Hadith mentioned regarding this is weak.
Praying in front of a Seventeen-year-old
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“When any one of you wants to pray, let him face the sutrah and come close to it, and do not let anyone pass between you and it.”
This hadith is evidence that every prayer should be performed facing the sutrah, whether the person praying is in a mosque or at home, male or female. However, many worshippers do not follow this Sunnah and thus deprive themselves of its reward. This Sunnah is among those that can be practiced multiple times during the day and night. For example, the Sunnah prayers before and after the obligatory prayers, Tahiyyatul Masjid, Witr prayer, Duha prayer, and the obligatory prayers themselves can all be performed facing the sutrah, allowing a person to repeatedly practice one Sunnah and earn abundant reward. It should be noted that if the obligatory prayers are performed behind an imam, the imam’s sutrah suffices for the followers.
Some Issues Regarding the Sutrah
① Sutrah refers to anything in front of the worshipper in the direction of the Qibla, such as a wall, pillar, stick, or chair.
② There is no fixed width for the sutrah, but the length (height) must be at least one cubit.
③ There should be approximately a distance of three hand spans between the worshipper’s feet and the sutrah.
④ The sutrah is prescribed for both the imam and the individual, whether the prayer is obligatory or voluntary.
⑤ The imam’s sutrah also serves as the sutrah for the followers; therefore, in such cases, it is permissible to pass in front of the followers when necessary.
Benefits of the Sutrah
① If there is no sutrah in front of the one praying, and a woman or a donkey or a black dog passes in front of him, his prayer is broken, but if there is a sutrah, this does not happen.
② If there is a sutrah, the worshipper’s gaze remains fixed in one place, which brings humility in the prayer, but if there is no sutrah, the gaze wanders here and there and the worshipper’s thoughts become scattered.
③ If there is a sutrah, it becomes easier for those passing by, otherwise if there is no sutrah, the worshipper becomes an obstacle for them.
Voluntary Prayers of Day and Night
① Sunnah prayers before and after obligatory prayers:
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “Whenever a Muslim prays twelve rak’ahs of voluntary prayer every day for the pleasure of Allah, Allah will build a house for him in Paradise.”
And the twelve Sunnah rak’ahs are: four before Zuhr and two after it, two after Maghrib, two after Isha, and two before Fajr.
My Muslim brother! Do you not desire a house in Paradise? If you do, then follow the mentioned advice of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and regularly pray twelve rak’ahs of voluntary prayer day and night.
② The Duha prayer, which has a great benefit that it is equivalent to 360 acts of charity, as the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him) said that every one of you must give charity for every joint of his body every day. You have a charity for every سبحان الله, a charity for every الحمد لله, a charity for every لا إله إلا الله, and a charity for every الله اكبر, and every command of goodness is charity, and forbidding evil is charity, and two rak’ahs of Duha suffice for all of these.
It is known that a human body has 360 joints, so it is necessary to give at least one charity of gratitude from every joint every day, and according to the mentioned hadith, if two rak’ahs of Duha are performed, charity is given on behalf of all 360 joints.
And Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that my beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) advised me on three things: one was to fast three days every month, the second was to pray two rak’ahs of Duha, and the third was to pray Witr before sleeping.
Remember that the time for Duha prayer begins fifteen minutes after sunrise and continues until fifteen minutes before the call to Zuhr prayer, and its best time is when the sun’s heat becomes intense. Its minimum rak’ahs are two and the maximum are eight.
③ Four Rak’ahs before Asr:
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “May Allah have mercy on the person who prays four rak’ahs before Asr.”
④ Two Rak’ahs before Maghrib:
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “(After the Adhan) pray before the Maghrib congregation.” He said this three times, and the third time he added: whoever wishes.
⑤ Two Rak’ahs before Isha:
The Prophet said that there is prayer between the two Adhans. He said this three times, and the third time he added: whoever wishes.
Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said that the two Adhans refer to the Adhan and the Iqamah.
Performing Nawafil at Home
① The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“The best prayer of a servant is the one he performs at home, except for the obligatory prayers.”
② He also said: A voluntary prayer performed by a person in a place where people cannot see him is equivalent to twenty-five prayers performed in front of people.
③ Similarly, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The virtue of a person who prays at home is like the voluntary prayer of an obligatory prayer performed in front of people.
Based on the above hadiths, voluntary prayers should be performed at home, whether they are Sunnah prayers of the obligatory ones, Duha prayer, Witr prayer, or any other voluntary prayer, so that maximum reward can be attained.
The following benefits are gained from performing voluntary prayers at home:
① It increases humility (khushu) in prayer, and a person stays away from showing off (riya).
② Praying at home expels Satan from the house, and Allah’s mercy descends upon that house.
③ Performing voluntary prayers at home increases their reward manifold, just as the reward of obligatory prayers performed in congregation at the mosque increases manifold.
Sunnahs of Qiyam al-Layl
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“After Ramadan, the fasts of Muharram are the most virtuous fasts, for it is the month of Allah, and after the obligatory prayers, the night voluntary prayers are the most virtuous prayers.”
① The most virtuous number of night voluntary prayers is eleven or thirteen rak’ahs, provided that the standing (qiyam) is long. In one hadith, it is mentioned that “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to pray eleven rak’ahs at night,” and in another hadith, it is mentioned that he used to pray thirteen rak’ahs.”
② When a person wakes up for the night voluntary prayer, it is Sunnah for him to use a miswak and to recite from the verse of Surah Al-Imran
﴿إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ﴾ up to the end of that Surah.
③ It is also proven from the Prophet (peace be upon him) to recite the following supplication:
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ، أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ، لَكَ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ، أَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ، أَنْتَ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ، أَنْتَ الْحَقُّ وَوَعْدُكَ الْحَقُّ وَلِقَاؤُكَ حَقٌّ، وَقَوْلُكَ حَقٌّ، وَالْجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّارُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّبِيُّونَ حَقٌّ
“O Allah! All praise is for You; You are the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and whatever is in them. And all praise is for You; You are the Light of the heavens and the earth and whatever is in them. And all praise is for You; You are the King of the heavens and the earth. And all praise is for You; You are the Truth, and Your promise, Your meeting, Your command, Paradise and Hellfire are true, and all the Prophets are true.”
④ One of the Sunnahs of the night voluntary prayer is to begin it with two light rak’ahs so that a person becomes prepared for the longer prayer afterward. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“When any one of you stands for the night prayer, let him begin with two light rak’ahs.”
⑤ To begin the night voluntary prayer with the following supplication: It was the practice of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to recite this supplication at that time:
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ جِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ وَإِسْرَافِيلَ، فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ، عَلِيمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ، أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ. اهْدِنِي لِمَا اخْتَلَفَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِكَ، إِنَّكَ تَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ
“O Allah! O Lord of Jibreel, Mikail, and Israfil! O Creator of the heavens and the earth! O Knower of the unseen and the witnessed! You judge among Your servants concerning their differences. Guide me by Your command in these matters of disagreement to the truth. Indeed, You are the One who guides whom You will to the straight path.”
⑥ Lengthening the night voluntary prayer is Sunnah. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was asked which prayer is the most virtuous, and he replied:
“The one in which the standing (qiyam) is long.”
⑦ During the recitation of the Quran in the voluntary prayer, it is Sunnah to seek refuge in Allah when reciting verses of punishment, for example by saying: اللهم إني أعوذ بك من عذابك, and to ask for Allah’s mercy when reciting verses of mercy, for example by saying: اللهم إني أسألك من فضلك, and when reciting verses that mention Allah’s purity, to say سبحان الله. In a hadith it is mentioned:
“You used to recite slowly, and when you came to a verse containing tasbih (glorification), you would glorify Allah there; and when you came to a verse mentioning asking from Allah, you would ask Him; and when you came to a verse mentioning punishment, you would seek refuge with Allah.”
Important Reasons for Qiyam al-Layl:
① Making dua, ② sleeping early at night, ③ taking a nap at noon, ④ avoiding sins, and ⑤ striving against carnal desires.
Sunnahs of Witr
① For the person who prays three rak’ahs of Witr, it is Sunnah to recite Surah Al-A’la after Surah Al-Fatiha in the first rak’ah, Surah Al-Kafirun in the second, and Surah Al-Ikhlas in the third.
② After concluding the Witr prayer with salam, it is also Sunnah to recite سُبْحَانَ الْمَلِكِ الْقُدُّوسِ three times and on the third time to recite رَبُّ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالرُّوحِ aloud with this supplication.
Sunnahs of Fajr
① Reciting the Sunnah prayers of Fajr lightly (briefly), Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says:
“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to pray two short rak’ahs between the Adhan and Iqamah of Fajr.”
② It is Sunnah to recite after Al-Fatiha in the first rak’ah Ayah number
of Surah Al-Baqarah and in the second rak’ah Ayah number
of Surah Aal Imran.
And in one narration, after Al-Fatiha in the first rak’ah Al-Kafirun and in the second Al-Ikhlas are mentioned.
③ After praying the Sunnah prayers, lying down on the right side for a short while: In one hadith, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to lie down on his right side after praying the two Sunnah rak’ahs of Fajr.
So whoever performs the Sunnah prayers of Fajr at home, let him lie down on his right side to gain the reward and merit of this Sunnah, then after a short while, go to the mosque.
Sitting in the mosque after Fajr prayer
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, used to remain seated in his place after the Fajr prayer until the sun rose and became high.
And its virtue, as mentioned in the authentic hadith, is that after the prayer, Allah appoints angels for those who remain seated in the mosque, who continue to pray for their forgiveness.
Verbal Sunnahs of Prayer
① After Takbir-e-Tahrima, recite the Istiftah Dua:
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ
“O Allah! You are pure and praised with Your own praise, and Your name is blessed and Your greatness is exalted, and there is no deity besides You.”
اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَايَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ، اللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِي مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ، اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْ خَطَايَايَ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ
O Allah! Distance me from my sins as far as You have separated the East from the West. O Allah! Cleanse me of my sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. O Allah! Wash away my shortcomings with water, snow, and hail.
Note that after Takbir-e-Tahrima, there are other Istiftah supplications proven from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and you may recite any of those supplications you prefer.
② Before recitation, say أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
③ Then say بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ.
④ After Al-Fatiha, say آمِين
⑤ After saying آمِين, in the first two rak’ahs of Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha, and in both rak’ahs of Fajr, Jumu’ah, and every Nafl prayer, recite another Surah. Note that the follower (Muqtadi) may recite another Surah after Al-Fatiha only in silent prayers; however, in audible prayers, after reciting Surah Al-Fatiha, the follower must follow the Imam’s recitation.
⑥ In Ruku and Sujood, recite the Tasbihat, that is سُبْحَانَ رَبِّي الْعَظِيمِ and سُبْحَانَ رَبِّي الْأَعْلَى multiple times, and the worshipper should not limit themselves to these Tasbihat only but should also recite other supplications proven from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, especially in Sujood, because the Prophet ﷺ said:
“A servant is closest to his Lord while prostrating, so increase supplication.”
⑦ After rising from Ruku, say رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ or recite the following supplication:
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ مِلْءَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمِلْءَ الْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا، وَمِلْءَ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ شَيْءٍ بَعْدَ أَهْلِ الثَّنَاءِ وَالْمَجْدِ، أَحَقُّ مَا قَالَ الْعَبْدُ، وَكُلُّنَا لَكَ عَبْدٌ، اللَّهُمَّ لَا مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ، وَلَا مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ، وَلَا يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَدُّ
O Allah! O our Lord! All praise is for You, so much praise that the heavens, the earth, and whatever is between them, and whatever else You wish, are filled with it. The truest statement worthy of praise and greatness that a servant has said, and we all are Your servants, is this: O Allah! Whomever You give, none can withhold, and whomever You withhold, none can give, and no greatness of any great one benefits him before You.
⑧ Between the two prostrations, recite رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي، رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي.
⑨ Before turning the Salam in the final Tashahhud, recite this supplication: اللَّاللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ، وَمِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ
“O Allah! I seek refuge in You from the punishment of Hell, the punishment of the grave, the trials of life and death, and the trials of the False Messiah (Dajjal).”
Most of these verbal Sunnahs of prayer mentioned above can be performed in every rak’ah, whether the prayer is obligatory or voluntary, and if the Sunnahs of every rak’ah of obligatory and voluntary prayers are combined, imagine how much reward of Sunnah can be earned day and night!!
Practical Sunnahs of Prayer
① Raising the hands (Raf’ al-Yadain) while saying Takbeer al-Tahreema.
② Raising the hands while going into Ruku (bowing).
③ Raising the hands after rising from Ruku.
④ In a prayer with two Tashahhuds, raising the hands while standing up for the third Rak’ah.
⑤ Joining the fingers together while raising the hands.
⑥ Keeping the fingers and palms facing the Qiblah while raising the hands.
⑦ Raising the hands to shoulder level or up to the earlobes while raising the hands.
⑧ Placing both hands on the chest such that the right hand is above the left hand, or holding the left wrist with the right hand.
⑨ Looking at the place of prostration during Qiyam (standing).
⑩ Keeping an appropriate distance between both feet during Qiyam.
⑪ Reciting the Qur’an with Tartil (measured recitation) and reflecting upon it during recitation.
Sunnahs of Ruku
① Holding both knees with the hands such that the fingers are spread.
② Keeping the back straight while in Ruku.
③ Keeping the head level with the back, neither above nor below it.
④ Keeping the arms away from the sides.
Sunnahs of Prostration
① Keep your arms away from your sides
② Keep a distance between your knees during prostration
③ Keep your feet upright
④ Keep the toes of your feet facing the Qiblah on the ground
⑤ Keep your feet together
⑥ Keep your hands at the level of your shoulders or ears
⑦ Keep your hands open
⑧ Join the fingers of your hands
⑨ Keep the direction of your fingers towards the Qiblah
⑩ Keep your stomach away from your thighs
⑪ Keep your thighs separate from your calves
Sunnahs of Sitting between the Two Prostrations
① There are two postures for this sitting:
One is sitting on the heels with both feet upright, and the other is keeping the right foot upright and sitting on the left foot which is laid down.
② To prolong this sitting, because the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to prolong it so much that it was thought that perhaps he had forgotten.
It should be noted that in the first and third rak’ah, after the second prostration, and before rising for the second and fourth rak’ah, there is also a Sunnah sitting called the sitting of rest, but there is no supplication for this sitting.
Sunnahs of the Final Tashahhud
① There are three postures for sitting in the final Tashahhud:
One is to stand the right foot and place the left foot under the right calf and sit on the ground.
The second posture is similar to the first, but the only difference is that instead of standing the right foot, it is also laid down like the left foot.
The third is to stand the right foot and place the left foot between the right calf and thigh.
② Place the hands on your thighs, with the fingers of both hands joined together.
③ In Tashahhud (whether first or last), move the index finger of testimony, and its posture is that the right thumb is placed on the middle finger in a circular shape, and keep your gaze on the index finger of testimony.
④ While turning the Salaam, turn the face to the right and left.
Count these practical Sunnahs of prayer, then see which Sunnah occurs in every Rak’ah and which Sunnah occurs once or twice in the entire prayer. Then count the Rak’ahs of obligatory and Nafl prayers of day and night and see how many more Sunnahs you can practice in twenty-four hours and how much more reward you can earn.
Imam Ibn Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, says that a servant stands before Allah twice, once in prayer and once on the Day of Judgment. So, whoever fulfills the right of standing before Allah in prayer, standing on the Day of Judgment will be easy for him, and whoever does not fulfill the right of standing in prayer, standing on the Day of Judgment will be extremely difficult for him.
Sunnahs after Obligatory Prayers
It is Sunnah to recite the following supplications:
① Recite أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ three times and then say this supplication: اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ السَّلَامُ وَمِنْكَ السَّلَامُ، تَبَارَكْتَ يَا ذَا الْجَلالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ
“O Allah! You are the Source of Peace and from You comes peace, blessed are You, O Possessor of Glory and Honor!”
② لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، اللَّهُمَّ لَا مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ، وَلَا مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ، وَلَا يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَدُّ
There is no true deity except Allah. He is alone, He has no partner. To Him belongs all sovereignty and all praise, and He is capable of all things. O Allah! Whomever You give, none can withhold, and whomever You withhold, none can give, and no greatness of any great one benefits You.
③ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَلَا نَعْبُدُ إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ، لَهُ النِّعْمَةُ وَلَهُ الْفَضْلُ وَلَهُ الصَّنَاءُ الْحُسْنَى، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ
There is no true deity except Allah. He is alone, He has no partner. To Him belongs all sovereignty and all praise, and He is capable of all things. Without Allah’s guidance, there is neither power to avoid evil nor to do anything. There is no true deity except Allah, and we worship none besides Him. All blessings are for Him, all grace is for Him, and all good attributes are for Him. There is no true deity except Allah; we purify the religion for Him alone, even if the disbelievers dislike it.
④ Say سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ 33 times, الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ 33 times, and اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ 33 times, then recite لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ once.
Benefits of These Tasbihs
If these tasbihats are recited after every prayer of the day and night, the reciter is granted the reward of 500 charity acts, as the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that every tasbih سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ is a charity, every takbeer اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ is a charity, every الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ is a charity, and every لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ is a charity.
Similarly, 500 trees are planted for him in Paradise, as in a hadith it is mentioned that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) passed by Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) while he was planting trees, and the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: O Abu Huraira! Shall I not tell you of a better tree planting? Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Why not, O Messenger of Allah! Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Say سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ, and for each one, a tree will be planted for you in Paradise.
Whoever recites these tasbihats, their sins, even if they are as much as the foam of the sea, are forgiven.
The person who always recites these tasbihats remains safe from disgrace and humiliation in this world and the Hereafter.
⑤ اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَىٰ ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ
“O Allah! Help me to perfect Your remembrance, gratitude, and worship.”
⑥ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ أَنْ أُرَدَّ إِلَىٰ أَرْذَلِ الْعُمُرِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الدُّنْيَا، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ
O Allah! I seek refuge in You from cowardice, and I seek refuge in You from being returned to a worthless age, and I seek refuge in You from the trials of the world, and I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the grave.
⑦ رَبِّ قِنِي عَذَابَكَ يَوْمَ تُبْعَثُ عِبَادَكَ
“O my Lord! Save me from Your punishment on the Day You will resurrect Your servants.”
Hazrat Bara (may Allah be pleased with him) says that when we prayed behind the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), we wished to be on his right side and for him to face us, and I heard him reciting this supplication: رَبِّ قِنِي عَذَابَكَ يَوْمَ تُبْعَثُ عِبَادَكَ
⑧ Reciting the last three Surahs.
⑨ Reciting Ayat al-Kursi, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi after every obligatory prayer, only death stands between him and Paradise.
⑩ After Fajr and Maghrib, recite this supplication ten times:
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
“There is no true deity except Allah, He is Alone, He has no partner, His is all sovereignty and praise, He gives life and causes death, and He has power over all things.”
⑪ Counting the above tasbihats on the right hand.
⑫ Reciting the above adhkar and supplications sitting at your place of prayer without changing location.
If all these Sunnahs are observed after every obligatory prayer, then approximately 55 Sunnahs will be fulfilled, and even more after Fajr and Maghrib, so they should be observed diligently. Remember that any deficiency occurring in the obligatory prayer is compensated by these mentioned adhkar.
Prescribed Acts in the Morning and Evening
The following prayers and remembrances are Sunnah to recite:
① Ayat al-Kursi, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that whoever recites it in the morning will be protected from jinn until the evening, and whoever recites it in the evening will be protected from jinn until the morning.
② معوذات (reciting the last three Surahs), the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“Whoever recites these Surahs three times in the morning and evening, they will suffice him against everything.”
③ Recite this supplication in the morning:
أَصْبَحْنَا وَأَصْبَحَ الْمُلْكُ لِلَّهِ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، رَبِّ أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَ مَا فِيهِ هَذَا الْيَوْمِ وَخَيْرَ مَا بَعْدَهُ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا فِيهِ هَذَا الْيَوْمِ وَشَرِّ مَا بَعْدَهُ، رَبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْكَسَلِ وَسُوءِ الْكِبَرِ، رَبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ النَّارِ وَعَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ
“We have entered the morning and by Allah’s sovereignty we enter the evening, and all praise is for Allah. There is no deity except Him, alone without partner. To Him belongs all sovereignty and praise, and He is over all things competent. O my Lord! I ask You for the good of this day and the good of what follows it, and I seek refuge in You from the evil of this day and the evil of what follows it. O my Lord! I seek refuge in You from laziness and the evil of old age. O my Lord! I seek refuge in You from the punishment of Hell and the punishment of the grave.”
This supplication should also be recited in the evening, but in the evening instead of أَصْبَحْنَا وَأَصْبَحَ say أَمْسَيْنَا وَأَمْسَى, and instead of هَذَا الْيَوْمُ say هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةُ.
④ Recite this supplication in the morning:
اللَّهُمَّ بِكَ أَصْبَحْنَا، وَبِكَ أَمْسَيْنَا، وَبِكَ نَحْيَا، وَبِكَ نَمُوتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ
“O Allah! By Your grace we have entered the morning and by Your grace we have entered the evening, by Your command we live and by Your command we die, and to You is the final return.”
And recite this supplication in the evening as follows:
اللَّهُمَّ بِكَ أَمْسَيْنَا، وَبِكَ أَصْبَحْنَا، وَبِكَ نَحْيَا، وَبِكَ نَمُوتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ النُّشُورُ
O Allah! By Your grace we have entered the evening and by Your grace we have entered the morning, by Your command we live and by Your command we die, and to You is the final return.
⑤ Recite this supplication morning and evening:
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ وَأَنَا عَلَىٰ عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ وَأَبُوءُ بِذَنْبِي، فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
“O Allah! You are my Lord, there is no true deity except You. You created me and I am Your servant. I uphold Your covenant and promise as best as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your blessings upon me and I acknowledge my sins, so forgive me, for none forgives sins except You.”
The virtue of this supplication is that whoever recites it with certainty in the evening and dies that night will enter Paradise directly, and similarly whoever recites it with certainty in the morning and dies that day will also enter Paradise directly.
⑥ Recite this supplication four times in the morning:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَصْبَحْتُ أَشْهَدُكَ وَأَشْهَدُ حَمَلَةَ عَرْشِكَ وَمَلَائِكَتَكَ وَجَمِيعَ خَلْقِكَ أَنَّكَ أَنْتَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ وَحْدَكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُكَ وَرَسُولُكَ
“O Allah! I have entered the morning. I bear witness to You and to the angels who carry Your Throne, and to Your other angels and all Your creation that You alone are the true deity, and there is no deity except You. You are alone, without partner, and Muhammad (peace be upon him) is Your servant and Messenger.”
Recite the same supplication four times in the evening, but in the evening instead of أَصْبَحْتُ say أَمْسَيْتُ.
The virtue of this supplication is that whoever recites it four times in the morning and evening, Allah frees him from Hellfire.
⑦ Recite this supplication in the morning:
اللَّهُمَّ مَا أَصْبَحَ بِي مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ أَوْ بِأَحَدٍ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ فَمِنْكَ وَحْدَكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ، فَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ وَلَكَ الشُّكْرُ
“O Allah! Whatever blessing has come to me or any of Your creation this morning is from You alone. You are alone, without partner, so all praise and thanks are for You.”
This supplication should also be recited in the evening, but instead of أَصْبَحَ say أَمْسَى. The virtue of this supplication is that whoever recites it in the morning has expressed gratitude for that day, and whoever recites it in the evening has expressed gratitude for that night.
⑧ Recite this supplication three times in the morning and evening:
اللَّهُمَّ عَافِنِي فِي بَدَنِي، اللَّهُمَّ عَافِنِي فِي سَمْعِي، اللَّهُمَّ عَافِنِي فِي بَصَرِي، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْكُفْرِ وَالْفَقْرِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
“O Allah! Grant me health in my body. O Allah! Grant me health in my ears. O Allah! Grant me health in my sight. There is no deity except You. O Allah! I seek refuge in You from disbelief and poverty, and I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the grave. There is no deity except You.”
⑨ Recite this supplication seven times in the morning and evening:
﴿حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ ﴾
“Sufficient for me is Allah; there is no deity except Him. On Him I rely, and He is the Lord of the Great Throne.”
The benefit of this supplication is that whoever recites it seven times in the morning and evening, Allah will relieve him from worldly and hereafter sorrows.
⑩ Recite the following supplication morning and evening:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي دِينِي وَدُنْيَايَ وَأَهْلِي وَمَالِي، اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِي وَآمِنْ رَوْعَاتِي، وَاحْفَظْنِي مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيَّ وَمِنْ خَلْفِي وَعَنْ يَمِينِي وَعَنْ شِمَالِي وَمِنْ فَوْقِي، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أُغْتَالَ مِنْ تَحْتِي
“O Allah! I ask You for forgiveness and well-being in this world and the Hereafter. O Allah! I ask You for forgiveness and well-being in my religion, my worldly affairs, my family, and my wealth. O Allah! Cover my faults and grant me safety from fear and terror. O Allah! Protect me from in front of me, behind me, on my right, on my left, and above me. And I seek refuge in Your greatness from being destroyed suddenly from beneath me.”
⑪ Recite the following supplication morning and evening:
اللَّهُمَّ فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ، عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، رَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَمَلِيكَهُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِي، وَمِنْ شَرِّ الشَّيْطَانِ وَشِرْكِهِ، وَأَنْ أَقْتَرِفَ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِي سُوءًا أَوْ أَجُرَّهُ إِلَىٰ مُسْلِمٍ
“O Creator of the heavens and the earth! Knower of the unseen and the witnessed! There is no true deity except You, You are the Lord and Master of everything. I seek refuge in You from the evil of my own self and from the evil of Satan and his shirk, and I seek refuge in You from committing any evil against myself or drawing any evil towards any Muslim.”
⑫ Recite the following supplication three times morning and evening:
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
In the name of Allah, with whose name nothing in the earth or the heavens can cause harm, and He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
The virtue of this supplication is that whoever recites it three times in the morning and evening will not be harmed by anything.
⑬ Recite the following supplication three times morning and evening:
رَضِيتُ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا وَبِالإِسْلَامِ دِينًا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيًّا
“I am pleased to believe in Allah as my Lord, Islam as my religion, and Muhammad (peace be upon him) as my Prophet.”
Its virtue is that whoever recites it three times morning and evening, it becomes obligatory upon Allah to be pleased with him on the Day of Judgment.
⑭ Similarly, recite this supplication morning and evening:
يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيثُ، أَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ، وَلَا تُكَلِّنِي إِلَىٰ نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ
“O Ever-Living! O Sustainer (of the heavens and the earth)! I seek help through Your mercy. Make all my affairs easy for me and do not entrust me even for a moment to myself.”
⑮ The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to recite this supplication in the morning:
أَصْبَحْنَا عَلَىٰ فِطْرَةِ الْإِسْلَامِ وَكَلِمَةِ الْإِخْلَاصِ وَدِينِ نَبِيّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَمِلَّةِ أَبِينَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا مُسْلِمًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
“We have entered the morning upon the natural disposition of Islam, the word of sincerity, the religion of our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and the way of our father Ibrahim, the upright Muslim. He was not among the polytheists.”
⑯ Recite سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ one hundred times morning and evening. Its virtue is that whoever recites it one hundred times morning and evening, no one will be able to perform a better deed than him on the Day of Judgment, except someone who recites it like him or more.
Also, another virtue is that all the sins of that person, even if they are as much as the foam of the sea, will be forgiven.
⑰ Recite this supplication one hundred times in the morning:
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
The virtues of reciting it are as follows:
Reciting it one hundred times is equivalent to freeing ten slaves.
One hundred good deeds are recorded for it.
One hundred sins are forgiven for it.
And until evening, it serves as a protective shield against Satan for that person.
⑱ Recite this supplication in the morning:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا وَرِزْقًا طَيِّبًا وَعَمَلًا مُتَقَبَّلًا
“O Allah! I ask You for beneficial knowledge, pure provision, and accepted deeds.”
⑲ Recite this supplication three times morning and evening:
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ عَدَدَ خَلْقِهِ وَرِضَا نَفْسِهِ وَزِنَةَ عَرْشِهِ وَمِدَادَ كَلِمَاتِهِ
“Allah is pure and with His praise, equal to the number of His creation, equal to His own pleasure, equal to the weight of His Throne, and equal to His words.”
⑳ Recite this supplication three times in the evening:
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
“I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of every creature.”
Whoever recites any of the above remembrances and supplications will be following a Sunnah, so recite all of them morning and evening to earn the reward of following as many Sunnahs as possible.
Remember that it is necessary to recite these remembrances with sincerity, truthfulness, and certainty, reflecting on their meanings so that you may experience their good effects in practical life.
Sunnahs of Meeting People
① Saying Salaam:
Someone asked the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, which deed is the best in Islam? He, peace be upon him, said: It is to feed others and to greet every known and unknown person with peace.
A man came to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and said As-Salamu Alaikum. He, peace be upon him, replied to him, then the man sat down. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: He has ten good deeds for that. Then another man came and said As-Salamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah. The Prophet, peace be upon him, replied to him, then he also sat down. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: He has twenty good deeds for that. Then another man came and said As-Salamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuh. The Prophet, peace be upon him, replied to him, then he also sat down. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: He has thirty good deeds for that.
So consider! How much reward does a person lose by not saying the full greeting. If he says the full greeting As-Salamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuh, he receives thirty good deeds, and one good deed is equivalent to ten good deeds. Meaning, by saying the full greeting once, one earns the reward of three hundred good deeds, and if Allah wills, He can grant even more. Therefore, make it a habit to say the full greeting so that you may attain such great reward and blessings.
And a Muslim says Salaam many times during the day and night. When entering the mosque, he has the opportunity to greet many worshippers; similarly, when leaving, he greets them as well. Likewise, when entering and leaving the house, if the full greeting is said at all these occasions, then imagine how much reward can be earned just through this greeting!!
And do not forget that just as saying Salaam at the time of meeting is Sunnah, saying the full Salaam at the time of parting is also Sunnah.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: When any one of you enters a gathering, let him say Salaam, and when he wants to leave, let him say Salaam as well, because meeting does not have more right to Salaam than parting.
If a person makes it a habit to say Salaam at every prayer time, he can say Salaam many times during the day and night: five times when leaving the house, five times when entering the mosque, five times when leaving the mosque, and five times when entering the house. Moreover, within twenty-four hours, a person has to go out and return for many other purposes, and similarly, he gets opportunities to converse with many people. Likewise, throughout the day, he contacts many friends on the phone. At all such occasions, by saying the full Salaam, he can earn a great number of good deeds.
② Bringing a smile to the face or meeting with a cheerful countenance
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: Do not consider any good deed insignificant, even if it is meeting your brother with a smiling face.
③ Shaking hands
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: When two Muslims meet and shake hands, their sins are forgiven before they part.
Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) says that shaking hands at every meeting is recommended. So whenever you meet a Muslim, by following these three Sunnahs above, you can earn great reward.
④ Speaking good words:
The Divine command is
﴿وَقُلْ لِعِبَادِي يَقُولُوا الَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَنْزَغُ بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ كَانَ لِلْإِنْسَانِ عَدُوًّا مُبِينًا﴾
“And tell My servants to say that which is best. Indeed, Satan induces [dissension] among them. Indeed Satan is ever, to mankind, a clear enemy.”
And the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
Speaking good words is charity.
Speaking good includes mentioning, praying, greeting with peace, giving rightful praise, commanding good, speaking truth, and advising, etc.
Good speech has a remarkable effect on a person and brings him comfort and reassurance.
Good speech is proof that the person’s heart is filled with the light of faith and guidance.
Therefore, every person should make good speech the fabric of his life. With his wife, his children, his neighbors, his friends, his subordinate employees, and in short, with all those people with whom he interacts many times during the day and night, he should make good speech a habit.
The Sunnah of leaving the gathering
① When leaving a gathering, one should recite this supplication:
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ
“O Allah! You are pure, and worthy of all praise. I bear witness that there is no true deity except You. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You.”
The benefit of reciting this supplication is that the sins committed during the gathering are forgiven.
Keep in mind that a person attends many gatherings during the day and night, for example, when he eats with his family or companions three times a day.
When he meets his friends or a neighbor, even if he just talks briefly while standing and then leaves.
When he is with his colleagues during duty or with his classmates at school or college.
When he is with his family and exchanges thoughts with them on various matters.
When he takes someone along in a vehicle or goes somewhere with them for some work.
When he sits with others to listen to a lesson or lecture.
So think! How many of these gatherings do you leave while reciting the above supplication? And if you reflect on the meaning of this supplication, you will realize that it is extremely great; through it a person always maintains his connection with Allah, praises Him, declares Him free from defects, acknowledges His Oneness, seeks forgiveness from Allah for his shortcomings, and repents from them. So how great is this supplication that it contains monotheism, praise of Allah, and an expression of remorse for one’s sins.
Imam Ibn Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“Meeting with friends is of two types:”
① One meeting is merely to pass time and please the temperament, and it has little benefit and much harm. Its least harm is that it corrupts the heart and wastes time.
② The other meeting is to advise each other with the truth and to cooperate in the means of salvation, and this meeting is the most beneficial and a great blessing.
Sunnahs of Eating
Before and During Eating
① Saying Bismillah: If one forgets at the beginning, then upon remembering, say بِسْمِ اللَّهِ فِي أَوَّلِهِ وَآخِرِهِ.
② Eating with the right hand.
③ Eating from what is in front of oneself.
In a hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said: O child! Say Bismillah, eat with your right hand, and eat from what is in front of you.
④ If a morsel falls, clean it and eat it.
The Prophet ﷺ said: When any one of you drops a morsel, he should clean it and eat it.
⑤ Eating with three fingers.
It is narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to eat with three fingers.
And most often this was the way of the Prophet ﷺ. So this is the best method; however, if there is a necessity, another method may be adopted.
Posture While Sitting During Eating
Sitting on the knees and feet, or sitting with the right foot standing and the left foot beneath. Hafiz Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy on him, has declared this recommended in Fath al-Bari.
After Eating
① Licking the plate and fingers.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ commanded licking the plate and fingers, saying: You do not know where the blessing lies.
② Thanking Allah after eating: The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Indeed, Allah is pleased with His servant when he eats and thanks Him for it.”
And the Prophet ﷺ used to thank Allah after eating with the following words:
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنِي هَذَا وَرَزَقَنِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَلَا قُوَّةٍ
“All praise is for Allah who fed me this and provided it without any effort or power from me.”
The virtue of this supplication is that the previous sins of the one who recites it are forgiven.
If these mentioned Sunnahs of eating are practiced in all three meals of the day and night, then 21 Sunnahs will be fulfilled. And if any light food is eaten between the three meals, the number of Sunnahs mentioned can also increase.
Sunnahs of Drinking
① Saying Bismillah (In the name of Allah)
② Drinking with the right hand.
③ Taking three breaths outside the vessel while drinking: It is narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to take three breaths while drinking.
④ Drinking while sitting: The Prophet ﷺ said that none of you should drink while standing.
⑤ Saying Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) after drinking: The Prophet ﷺ said that indeed Allah becomes pleased with His servant when he eats and thanks Him for it, and when he drinks and thanks Him for it as well.
The above Sunnahs are not only for drinking water but for everything, whether hot or cold. However, many people nowadays only observe these Sunnahs while drinking water and do not apply them to other beverages, which is incorrect.
If the intention is good then
Every person should know that all permissible actions such as sleeping, eating and drinking, and seeking livelihood can be transformed into acts of worship, and through them, thousands of good deeds can be earned, provided that the intention is to seek closeness to Allah. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
Actions are judged by intentions, and every person will have only what they intended.
And a simple example of this is that if a person intends before sleeping to wake up early for Tahajjud and Fajr prayers, then that sleep becomes an act of worship. Similarly, other permissible actions can also be like this.
Multiple acts of worship at the same time
The method of performing multiple acts of worship simultaneously is known only to those who know how to protect their valuable time, and there are several ways to do this:
① A person going towards the mosque is an act of worship, whether he goes on foot or rides a vehicle, but during this time he can also perform many other acts of worship such as the remembrance of Allah and recitation of the Quran, etc.
② Attending a religious gathering is an act of worship provided that there are no sinful acts in that gathering, and during this time if he invites the attendees towards the religion of Allah and advises them or remains engaged in the remembrance of Allah, then in this way he can earn the reward of many acts of worship at one time.
③ A woman performing household chores is an act of worship if her intention is to seek nearness to Allah and to please her husband. And during this time, if she continues to remember Allah with her tongue or listens to an Islamic cassette, she can earn the reward of multiple acts of worship at one time.
Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said that we used to hear this supplication one hundred times from the blessed tongue of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in a gathering:
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَتُبْ عَلَيَّ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
O my Lord! Forgive me and accept my repentance, indeed You are the One who accepts repentance and is Merciful.
So reflect, the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to perform two acts of worship at the same time: one was sitting with the noble companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and teaching them the religion, and the second was the remembrance of Allah, seeking forgiveness, and repentance.
Remembering Allah in Every Situation
① The remembrance of Allah is the foundation of servitude to Allah, because through remembrance, the servant’s connection with his Creator is evident at all times and in all conditions. Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) states that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to remember Allah at all times.
And remembrance is a connection with Allah, and in that connection there is life, in His protection there is salvation, in His closeness there is success and His pleasure, and distancing from Him is only misguidance and loss.
② The remembrance of Allah distinguishes between the believers and the hypocrites, because the hypocrites remember Allah very little.
③ Satan can only overpower a person when he is heedless of the remembrance of Allah, so the remembrance of Allah is a strong fortress that protects a person from the tricks of Satan. Satan likes that a person remains heedless of the remembrance of Allah so that he can easily capture him.
④ Remembrance is the path to felicity. The Divine command is:
﴿الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُمْ بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ﴾
“Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Indeed, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured.”
⑤ It is necessary for a person to always keep remembering Allah, because the people of Paradise will only regret the moments in which they did not remember Allah. And always remembering Allah is proof of always maintaining a connection with Allah.
Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
There is consensus among scholars that it is permissible for a person who is without ablution or in a state of major impurity, and for a woman in menstruation or postpartum bleeding, to remember Allah with the heart and tongue, such as saying SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illallah, sending blessings on the Prophet, and making supplications. However, reciting the Qur’an is not permissible.
⑥ Whoever remembers Allah, Allah remembers him. The Divine command is:
﴿فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ﴾
“So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me.”
And if a person finds out that a certain king has remembered him and praised him in his assembly, he would be extremely happy. Similarly, if he finds out that the King of kings has remembered him before the angels, then imagine how great his happiness would be!
⑦ The purpose of remembrance is not just that the tongue keeps moving while the heart remains heedless of Allah’s greatness and obedience. Rather, along with the verbal remembrance, it is necessary that the center of one’s thoughts be Allah, the Lord of Glory, and that one reflects on the meanings of the remembrance.
The Divine command is:
“And remember your Lord within yourself humbly and with fear and without loudness in words in the mornings and the evenings, and do not be among the heedless.”
The one who remembers should know what he is saying and that he is mentioning a Great Being so that his connection with Allah remains both outwardly and inwardly.
Reflection and Contemplation on the Blessings of Allah
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
تَفَكَّرُوا فِي آلاءِ اللَّهِ وَتَدَبَّرُوا فِي اللَّهِ
“Reflect upon the blessings of Allah, and do not reflect upon Allah Himself.”
And among the actions that can be repeated day and night is to feel the blessings of Allah and to thank Allah for them. So, how many opportunities come in twenty-four hours in which a person, if he remembers Allah’s blessings upon him, will spontaneously utter the words الحمد لله. For example:
① When you are going towards the mosque, especially at Fajr time, and you see that the people around you are not heading to the mosque and despite it being morning, they are sleeping deeply like men, have you ever realized how great a favor Allah has done upon you by guiding you!
② When you are sitting in your car and moving along the road, you see many scenes: here a car accident has occurred, and there the sound of songs is coming from a car. Have you also thought about how great a gift Allah has given you by protecting you from accidents and keeping you away from disobedience!
③ When you are listening to, reading, or watching the news, you become aware of droughts, floods, epidemics, accidents, earthquakes, wars, and oppression upon nations. Have you ever realized how much Allah has favored you by keeping you safe from these!
So, fortunate is the person who constantly remembers the blessings of Allah, the Lord of Glory, and at every opportunity feels the gratitude for those favors with which Allah has blessed him, such as health and wellness, prosperity, steadfastness in religion, safety from calamities and hardships, and many other countless blessings. It is necessary to thank Allah for these.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
Whoever, upon seeing a person afflicted with a calamity, recites the following supplication will be protected from that trial:
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي عَافَانِي مِمَّا ابْتَلَاكَ بِهِ وَفَضَّلَنِي عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِمَّنْ خَلَقَ تَفْضِيلًا
“All praise is due to Allah who has granted me safety from that which He has afflicted you with, and has preferred me over many of those whom He has created.”
And Allah Almighty says:
﴿فَاذْكُرُوا آلَاءَ اللَّهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ﴾
“So remember the favors of Allah so that you may succeed.”
Completing the Quran Every Month
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
اقرأ القرآن فى شهر
“Recite the Quran in one month.”
And the method to complete the entire Quran every month is to recite at least four pages before or after each obligatory prayer. This way, twenty pages, which is one Juz, will be recited during the day and night. If this is done daily, the entire Quran can be completed in thirty days.
Sunnahs Before Sleeping
It is Sunnah to recite the following supplications before sleeping:
① اللَّهُمَّ بِاسْمِكَ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا
O Allah! I die and live by Your name.
② Join both palms together, blow into them, then recite the last three Surahs, after which, as much as possible, spread your palms over your body, starting from your head and face, and then over the front part of your body, and do this three times.
بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّ وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ، إِنْ أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِي فَارْحَمْهَا وَإِنْ أَرْسَلْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا بِمَا تَحْفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِينَ
O my Lord! With Your name I lay my side down, and with Your grace I raise it up. If You take my soul, then have mercy on it, and if You send it back, then protect it as You protect Your righteous servants.
⑤ اللَّهُمَّ خَلَقْتَ نَفْسِي وَأَنْتَ تُوَفِّاهَا، لَكَ مَمَاتُهَا وَمَحْيَاهَا، إِنْ أَحْيَيْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا وَإِنْ أَمَتَّهَا فَاغْفِرْ لَهَا، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَافِيَةَ
O Allah! You created my soul and You alone will cause it to die. To You belongs its death and its life. If You keep it alive, then protect it, and if You cause it to die, then forgive it. O Allah! I ask You for well-being.
⑥ Place your right hand under your cheek and recite this supplication three times:
اللَّهُمَّ قِنِي عَذَابَكَ يَوْمَ تَبْعَثُ عِبَادَكَ
O Allah! Protect me from Your punishment on the Day You will resurrect Your servants.
⑦ Recite SubhanAllah 33 times, Alhamdulillah 33 times, and Allahu Akbar 34 times.
The benefits of these Tasbihs have been mentioned in the Sunnah after prayer.
⑧ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنَا وَسَقَانَا وَكَفَانَا وَآوَانَا فَكَمْ مِمَّنْ لَا كَافِيَ لَهُ وَلَا مُؤْوِيَ
All praise is for Allah who fed us and gave us drink, and sufficed us and provided us a place to stay. How many are there who have no one to suffice them nor provide them a place?
⑨ اللَّهُمَّ فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ، عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، رَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَمَلِيكَهُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِي، وَمِنْ شَرِّ الشَّيْطَانِ وَشِرْكِهِ، وَأَنْ أَقْتَرِفَ عَلَى نَفْسِي سُوءًا، أَوْ أَجُرَّهُ إِلَى مُسْلِمٍ
O Creator of the heavens and the earth! O Knower of the unseen and the witnessed! There is no true deity except You, You are the Lord and Master of everything. I seek refuge in You from the evil of my own self and from the evil of Satan and his shirk, and I also seek Your protection from committing any evil upon myself or drawing any evil towards any Muslim.
⑩ اللَّهُمَّ أَسْلَمْتُ نَفْسِي إِلَيْكَ، وَفَوَّضْتُ أَمْرِي إِلَيْكَ، وَوَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ إِلَيْكَ، وَأَلْجَأْتُ ظَهْرِي إِلَيْكَ، رَغْبَةً وَرَهْبَةً إِلَيْكَ، لَا مَلْجَأَ وَلَا مَنْجَا مِنْكَ إِلَّا إِلَيْكَ، آمَنْتُ بِكِتَابِكَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلْتَ، وَبِنَبِيِّكَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلْتَ
O Allah! I have entrusted my soul to You, and handed over my affairs to You, and placed my back in Your protection. I turn to You with hope and fear, seeking refuge and salvation only from You. I believe in Your Book which You have revealed and in Your Prophet whom You have sent.
⑪ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَرَبَّ الْأَرْضِ وَرَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، رَبَّنَا وَرَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، فَالِقَ الْحَبِّ وَالنَّوَى، وَمُنْزِلَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيلِ وَالْفُرْقَانِ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ أَنْتَ آخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهِ، اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الْأَوَّلُ فَلَيْسَ قَبْلَكَ شَيْءٌ، وَأَنْتَ الْآخِرُ فَلَيْسَ بَعْدَكَ شَيْءٌ، وَأَنْتَ الظَّاهِرُ فَلَيْسَ فَوْقَكَ شَيْءٌ، وَأَنْتَ الْبَاطِنُ فَلَيْسَ دُونَكَ شَيْءٌ، اقْضِ عَنَّا الدَّيْنَ وَأَغْنِنَا مِنَ الْفَقْرِ
O Allah! O Lord of the heavens and the earth! O Lord of the Mighty Throne! O Lord of us and everything! O Splitter of the grain and the date stone! O Revealer of the Torah, the Gospel, and the Quran! I seek refuge in You from every evil whose forehead You have grasped. O Allah! You are the First, so there is nothing before You; You are the Last, so there is nothing after You; You are the Manifest, so there is nothing above You; and You are the Hidden, so there is nothing beneath You. Settle our debts and enrich us from poverty.
⑫ Recitation of the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah: ﴿آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِهِ وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ . لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا أَنْتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ﴾
Their virtue is that whoever recites them at night, they suffice him.
What does “suffice” mean? Scholars differ; some say it suffices for night prayer, others say it suffices from every evil and harm. Both meanings are correct.
⑬ Recitation of Surah Al-Kafirun, whose virtue is that “this Surah is disassociation from shirk (polytheism).”
⑭ One of the Sunnahs before sleeping is to sleep in a state of wudu (ablution). In a hadith it is mentioned that when you intend to go to bed, perform wudu.
⑮ Another Sunnah is to lie on the right side. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: Then lie on your right side.
⑯ Another Sunnah is to place your right hand under your right cheek. The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to place his right hand under his right cheek when sleeping.
⑰ Before sleeping, shake your bed. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: When any one of you intends to sleep on his bed, he should shake it because he does not know what has come upon it after him.
Regarding the above supplications, Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said it is better for a person to recite all these supplications, but if not possible, then recite the important ones according to one’s ability.
Remember, these supplications are not only for night sleep but also for daytime sleep, because the hadiths mentioned apply to every sleep, whether during the day or night. If a person sleeps twice, as some people do, then these Sunnahs can be practiced twice.
There are two benefits of reciting these supplications:
① A person comes under Allah’s protection and thus is saved from all calamities of the night and the evil of Satan.
② A person’s day ends with the remembrance of Allah, obedience to Him, reliance on Him, and His Oneness.
