✍ Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
It is prescribed (Mashrūʿ) during recitation in Salah—particularly in night prayers (Qiyām al-Layl or Tahajjud)—to:
✔ Ask Allah for His mercy when reciting a verse about mercy, and
✔ Seek refuge when reciting a verse about punishment.
He said:
"I prayed with the Prophet ﷺ. Whenever he passed by a verse of mercy, he would pause and ask (for it), and whenever he passed by a verse of punishment, he would seek refuge (from it)."
[Muslim: 772; Kitāb Ṣalāt al-Musāfirīn wa Qaṣruhā: Bāb Istihbāb Ṭūl al-Qirāʾah fī Ṣalāt al-Layl; Aḥmad: 5/382; Nasā’ī: 2/176]
✔ This demonstrates the Prophet’s ﷺ practice in night prayer, where there is more room for personalization and extended supplication.
Shaykh al-Albānī states:
“This practice is specific to night prayers, as mentioned in the ḥadīth of Ḥudhayfah رضي الله عنه.
Had it been legislated in the obligatory prayers, the Prophet ﷺ would have done so—and if he had done so, it would certainly have been transmitted.
Since it has not been reported, this proves he did not do it in the obligatory prayers.”
[Tamām al-Minnah: p. 185]
❖ In voluntary night prayers, it is Sunnah to:
– Ask for mercy at verses of rahmah
– Seek refuge at verses of ʿadhāb
– Pause slightly to do so during recitation
❖ In obligatory prayers (farā’iḍ):
– This is not established from the Prophet ﷺ
– One should not pause for personal supplication at such verses during recitation
– One should continue with the standard recitation flow
✔ The practice of duʿāʾ during recitation at specific verses is authentic and recommended in night prayers only.
✔ It is not part of the prophetic practice in obligatory prayers, and hence should be avoided therein to maintain conformity with the Sunnah.
❀ Asking for Mercy and Seeking Refuge During Recitation
It is prescribed (Mashrūʿ) during recitation in Salah—particularly in night prayers (Qiyām al-Layl or Tahajjud)—to:
✔ Ask Allah for His mercy when reciting a verse about mercy, and
✔ Seek refuge when reciting a verse about punishment.
① Hadith of Ḥudhayfah ibn al-Yamān رضي الله عنه
He said:
"I prayed with the Prophet ﷺ. Whenever he passed by a verse of mercy, he would pause and ask (for it), and whenever he passed by a verse of punishment, he would seek refuge (from it)."
[Muslim: 772; Kitāb Ṣalāt al-Musāfirīn wa Qaṣruhā: Bāb Istihbāb Ṭūl al-Qirāʾah fī Ṣalāt al-Layl; Aḥmad: 5/382; Nasā’ī: 2/176]✔ This demonstrates the Prophet’s ﷺ practice in night prayer, where there is more room for personalization and extended supplication.
② Commentary of Shaykh al-Albānī رحمه الله
Shaykh al-Albānī states:
“This practice is specific to night prayers, as mentioned in the ḥadīth of Ḥudhayfah رضي الله عنه.
Had it been legislated in the obligatory prayers, the Prophet ﷺ would have done so—and if he had done so, it would certainly have been transmitted.
Since it has not been reported, this proves he did not do it in the obligatory prayers.”
[Tamām al-Minnah: p. 185]
Rulings and Summary:
❖ In voluntary night prayers, it is Sunnah to:
– Ask for mercy at verses of rahmah
– Seek refuge at verses of ʿadhāb
– Pause slightly to do so during recitation
❖ In obligatory prayers (farā’iḍ):
– This is not established from the Prophet ﷺ
– One should not pause for personal supplication at such verses during recitation
– One should continue with the standard recitation flow
Conclusion:
✔ The practice of duʿāʾ during recitation at specific verses is authentic and recommended in night prayers only.
✔ It is not part of the prophetic practice in obligatory prayers, and hence should be avoided therein to maintain conformity with the Sunnah.
