Question: What is the ruling on making supplication during prostration? And is it permissible to make only the supplications that are transmitted from the Sunnah? Please explain in detail.
Answer: The saying of the Prophet ﷺ is:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ: ” أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الْعَبْدُ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَهُوَ سَاجِدٌ، فَأَكْثِرُوا الدُّعَاءَ
It is narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The servant is closest to his Lord when he is in prostration, so make abundant supplication (in prostration).”
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ: ” كَشَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ السِّتَارَةَ، وَالنَّاسُ صُفُوفٌ خَلْفَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، فَقَالَ: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْ مُبَشِّرَاتِ النُّبُوَّةِ، إِلَّا الرُّؤْيَا الصَّالِحَةُ، يَرَاهَا الْمُسْلِمُ، أَوْ تُرَى لَهُ، أَلَا وَإِنِّي نُهِيتُ أَنْ أَقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ رَاكِعًا، أَوْ سَاجِدًا، فَأَمَّا الرُّكُوعُ، فَعَظِّمُوا فِيهِ الرَّبَّ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَأَمَّا السُّجُودُ، فَاجْتَهِدُوا فِي الدُّعَاءِ، فَقَمِنٌ أَنْ يُسْتَجَابَ لَكُمْ
It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ lifted the curtain while the people were standing in rows behind Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). He ﷺ said: “O people! Nothing remains of the glad tidings of prophethood except the good dream that a Muslim sees or that is shown to him. Beware! I have been forbidden to recite the Quran while bowing or prostrating. As for bowing, glorify your Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, in it; and as for prostration, strive in supplication in it, for it is more fitting that your supplications be answered.”
➌ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ اَبِيْ طَالِبٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ رَفَعَهُ اَنَّهُ صَلَّي اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَهٰي اَنْ يَّقْرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ وَ هُوَ رَاكِعٌ وَقَالَ اِذَا رَكَعْتُمْ فَعَظِّمُوْا اللهَ وَاِذَا سَجَدْتُّمْ فَادْعُوْا فَقَمِنٌ اَنْ يُّسْتَجَابَ لَكُمْ
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ forbade reciting the Quran while in the state of bowing, and said: “When you bow, glorify Allah, and when you prostrate, make supplication, for it is more fitting that your supplications be answered.”
From the authentic hadiths mentioned above, it is known that supplication in prostration has been encouraged, and these hadiths are general, so they include all obligatory and voluntary prostrations, and it is permissible in them to seek the good of this world and the Hereafter and to seek refuge from their evil.
◈ Maulana Ubaidullah Rahmani Mubarakpuri (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
وَالْحَدِيْثُ دَلِيْلٌ عَلٰي مَشْرُوْعِيَةِ الدُّعَاءِ حَالَ السُّجُوْدِ بِأَيِّ دُعَاءٍ كَانَ مِنْ طَلْبِ خَيْرِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَالْاِسْتِعَاذَةُ مِنْ شَرِّهِمَا
“This hadith is evidence for the legitimacy of supplication in the state of prostration; any supplication that seeks the good of this world and the Hereafter and seeks refuge from their evil may be made.”
◈ Hafiz Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
اَلْاَمْرُ بِاِكْثَارِ الدُّعَاءِ فِي السُّجُوْدِ يَشْمَلُ الْحَثَّ عَلٰي تَكْثِيْرِ الطَّلَبِ لِكُلِّ حَاجَةٍ كَمَا جَاءَ فِيْ حَدِيْثِ اَنَسٍ لِيَسْئَلَ اَحَدُكُمْ رَبَّهُ حَاجَةً كُلَّهَا حَتّٰي شِسْعَ نَعْلِهِ اَخْرَجَهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَيَشْمَلُ التَّكْرَارُ لِلسُّوَالِ الْوَاحِدِ
“The command to make abundant supplication in prostration includes encouragement to ask abundantly for every need, as in the hadith of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): ‘Let each of you ask his Lord for all his needs, even the strap of his sandal.’ This hadith was narrated by Imam al-Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on him), and it also includes repeating the same request.”
◈ Sayyid Sabiq (may Allah have mercy on him), under the heading on the amount of prostration and its remembrances, writes:
وَالْمُسْتَحَبُّ لَا يَقْتَصِرُ الْمُصَلِّيْ عَلَي التَّسْبِيْحِ بَلْ يَزِيْدُ عَلَيْهِ مَا شَاءَ مِنَ الدُّعَاءِ
“It is recommended that the worshipper not limit himself to glorification alone, but add to it whatever supplication he wishes.”
◈ Qadi Shawkani (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
اَلْاِسْتِكْثَارُ مِنَ الدُّعَاءِ بِخَيْرِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ بِمَا وَرَدَ وَبِمَا لَمْ يَرِدْ
“In prayer, one should make abundant supplication for the good of this world and the Hereafter, whether the supplication is transmitted or not.”
For further detail, see:
If you say: on what evidence has Qadi Shawkani permitted transmitted and untransmitted supplications within prayer? The answer is that he presented the hadith of the Prophet ﷺ in which supplication in the prostrations is commanded, and for supplication in the tashahhud he presented this hadith:
ثُمَّ لِيَتَخَيَّرْ اَحَدُكُمْ مِنَ الدُّعَاءِ مِمَّا اَعْجَبَهُ اِلَيْهِ
“Then let each of you choose whichever supplication he likes.”
The Prophet ﷺ has given the worshipper the choice in supplication, that he may supplicate with whatever he wishes. However, it should be remembered that since acts of worship are tawqifi (based on revelation), the supplication should be made in Arabic. Among the supplications mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah are many that include the good of this world and the Hereafter; one of them should be adopted. If someone truly cannot memorise supplications in Arabic, there may be leeway for him, since there is a separate legal principle for those who are unable.
