❖ Question:
What is the authenticity of the well-known supplication between two prostrations:
"اللهم اغفر لي وارحمني واهدني وعافني وارزقني"?
It has been claimed to be weak in al-Qawl al-Maqbūl by ʿAbd al-Raʾūf Ṣāḥib. What is the correct scholarly verdict?
Answer:
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
① The Common Narration and its Chain
The supplication:
"اللهم اغفر لي وارحمني واهدني وعافني وارزقني"
is reported in some narrations. However:
◈ The chain includes Ḥabīb ibn Abī Thābit, a mudallis (one who omits his source occasionally).
◈ This omission causes the isnād to be considered weak (ḍaʿīf) by many scholars of ḥadīth.
② Supporting Evidence from Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim
Despite the weakness in the chain, the general meaning of this supplication is supported by a Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim narration:
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Dhikr wa al-Duʿā’, Ḥadīth 2698:"When a man accepted Islam, the Prophet ﷺ taught him prayer, then instructed him to say:
اللهم اغفر لي، وارحمني، واهدني، وعافني، وارزقني"
◈ This version is ṣaḥīḥ, and provides strong shāhid (corroborative support) to the earlier weak narration.
◈ Because of this corroboration, the narration can be graded ḥasan (good).
③ The Most Authentic Duʿā’ Between Two Sajdahs
The most authentically established duʿā’ from the Prophet ﷺ between the two prostrations is:
"رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي، رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي"
(Translation: “My Lord, forgive me. My Lord, forgive me.”)
Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Ḥadīth 874 – Chain is Ṣaḥīḥ→ This is the safest and most recommended duʿā’ to practice regularly.
④ Conclusion
❖ The longer duʿā’
"اللهم اغفر لي وارحمني واهدني وعافني وارزقني"
is originally weak, but due to supporting evidence in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, it is acceptable as ḥasan.
❖ The best and most firmly authentic duʿā’ to recite between sajdahs is:
"رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي، رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي"
Practical Guidance:✦ It is permissible to occasionally recite the longer version for variety.
✦ However, one should consistently practice the shorter version due to its stronger authentication.
ھٰذَا مَا عِندِي، وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَاب
