Sunnah Supplications for Every Position in Salah

Reciting Sunnah Supplications in Every Posture of Salah
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori

❖ Reciting Sunnah Supplications in Every Position of Salah is Sunnah ❖​

During Qiyam (standing), it is Sunnah to recite Surah Al-Fatiha, and any other previously discussed Surahs or other Qur’anic verses. In addition, the following remembrances are part of the Sunnah:

◈ Saying Takbeer When Rising or Bowing:​

Reported from Ibn Mas'ud رضي الله عنه:
“I saw the Prophet ﷺ saying Takbeer at every rising, bowing, standing, and sitting.”
[Sahih: Tirmidhi: 208, Ahmad: 1/418, Nasai: 1142, Darimi: 1/285, Irwa al-Ghalil: 330]
Similar narration is also found in Bukhari: 786 and Muslim: 393 from Imran bin Husain رضي الله عنه.

◈ Supplications for Rukoo and Sujood:​

➊ Reported from Hudhaifah رضي الله عنه:
While praying with the Prophet ﷺ, he would say in Rukoo:
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ
and in Sujood:
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى
[Ahmad: 5/382, Muslim: 772, Tirmidhi: 262, Abu Dawood: 871, Ibn Majah: 888]


The narration reporting these phrases three times in Rukoo and Sujood is weak.
[Weak: Abu Dawood: 886, Ibn Majah: 890, Tirmidhi: 261, Bayhaqi: 2/86]
(Shawkani): Without a fixed number, recite as many glorifications as possible.
[Nayl al-Awtar: 2/75]


➋ Reported from A’ishah رضي الله عنها:
In Rukoo and Sujood, the Prophet ﷺ would say:
سُبُّوحٌ قُدُّوسٌ، رَبُّ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالرُّوحِ
[Muslim: 487, Abu Dawood: 872, Nasai: 2/224, Ahmad: 6/34]


➌ This supplication is also established in Rukoo and Sujood:
اللهم لَكَ سَجَدْتُ... تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ
[Muslim: 771, Daraqutni: 1/297, Abu Awanah: 2/102]


➍ From A’ishah رضي الله عنها:
The Prophet ﷺ frequently recited in Rukoo and Sujood:
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا وَبِحَمْدِكَ، اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي
[Bukhari: 817, Muslim: 484, Abu Dawood: 477, Nasai: 2/190]


➎ From 'Awf ibn Malik رضي الله عنه:
The Prophet ﷺ used to say in Rukoo and Sujood:
سُبْحَانَ ذِي الْجَبَرُوتِ وَالْمَلَكُوتِ وَالْكِبْرِيَاءِ وَالْعَظَمَةِ
[Sahih: Abu Dawood: 776, 873, Nasai: 2/191, Ahmad: 6/24]


➏ From Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه:
In Sujood, the Prophet ﷺ would say:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذَنْبِي كُلَّهُ، دِقَّهُ وَجِلَّهُ، وَأَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ، وَعَلَانِيَتَهُ وَسِرَّهُ
[Muslim: 483, Abu Dawood: 878]


➐ From A’ishah رضي الله عنها:
During the Sujood of night prayer (Qiyam al-Layl), the Prophet ﷺ would say:
أَعُوذُ بِرِضَاكَ مِنْ سَخَطِكَ...
[Muslim: 486, Abu Dawood: 879, Ibn Majah: 3841]


➑ Another supplication for Rukoo:
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ رَكَعْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنتُ... رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
[Sahih: Nasai: 1006, 1050]


**➒ The narration instructing to recite specific verses in Rukoo and Sujood is weak:
Reciting:
فسبح باسم ربك العظيم in Rukoo and
سبح اسم ربك الأعلى in Sujood is based on a weak narration.
[Weak: Irwa al-Ghalil: 334, Ahmad: 4/155, Abu Dawood: 869, Ibn Majah: 887]

◈ Supplications When Rising from Rukoo:​

All worshippers — Imam, follower, or praying alone — should say:
سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ
while rising, and after standing:
رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ


From Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه:
The Prophet ﷺ used to say Takbeer at every transition, and said:
سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ, then while standing:
رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ, and continued similarly throughout the Salah.
[Bukhari: 789, Muslim: 28, Abu Dawood: 738, Nasai: 2/233]


From Anas رضي الله عنه, the Prophet ﷺ said:
“When the Imam says Sami‘a Allāhu liman ḥamidah, you say Rabbana wa laka al-ḥamd.”
[Bukhari: 732, Muslim: 411]


This does not imply that followers should not say Sami‘a Allāhu liman ḥamidah, or Imams should not say Rabbana wa laka al-ḥamd. Authentic narrations prove the Prophet ﷺ said both.


[Sifat Salat al-Nabi by Albani: p. 135]


This is the preferred and correct view, although scholars have differed:


Imam Shafi'i, Imam Malik, and others: All (Imam, follower, individual) should say both phrases.


☑ Imam Abu Hanifah: Imam and individual say Sami‘a Allāhu liman ḥamidah only; follower says Rabbana wa laka al-ḥamd only.


[Sources: Al-Umm 1/220, Sharh al-Muhadhdhab 3/252, Nayl al-Awtar 2/88]

◈ Dua after Rukoo:​

اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ... وَلَا يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَدُّ
[Muslim: 487, Nasai: 19832]


All three forms are authentically proven:
رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ, رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ, and اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ
[Sifat Salat al-Nabi by Albani: p. 135]


Additional Words Authenticated:
رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ حَمْدًا كَثِيرًا طَيِّبًا مُبَارَكًا فِيهِ


When one man recited these words, the Prophet ﷺ said:
"I saw over 30 angels racing to record it first."
[Bukhari: 799, Abu Dawood: 770, Nasai: 1061]

◈ Supplications Between the Two Prostrations:​

➊ From Hudhaifah رضي الله عنه:
The Prophet ﷺ used to say:
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي، رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي
[Sahih: Abu Dawood: 777, 774]


➋ From Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه:
The Prophet ﷺ said between the two prostrations:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي، وَارْحَمْنِي، وَاجْبُرْنِي، وَاهْدِنِي، وَارْزُقْنِي
[Hasan: Abu Dawood: 756, Tirmidhi: 274, Ahmad: 1/371, Hakim: 1/262]
✔ Authenticated by Imam Nawawi and Shaykh Muhammad Sadiq Halaq.

◈ After Tashahhud:​

The supplications for Tashahhud have been discussed earlier in detail.

◈ Supplicating Abundantly for Worldly and Spiritual Needs:​

From Ibn Mas’ud رضي الله عنه:
“After Tashahhud, let him choose any supplication he likes.”
[Bukhari: 835]


In Muslim:
“Then let him ask whatever he wishes.”
[Muslim: 402]