The tenth quality is remembering God in abundance. When the thought of his Lord takes firm ground in the heart of a person, he does not consider it enough to merely worship his God at the specified times of the day. When he sees a sign of God, his tongue spontaneously utters the words سُبْحَانَ اللهِ (glory be to Allah). He begins all his tasks and routines by saying بِسْمِ الله (in the name of Allah). When he receives a favour from his Lord, he expresses his gratitude by the words الْحَمْدُ لله (gratitude is for Allah). He never expresses his intention for something without uttering the words إِنْ شَاءَ الله (if Allah wills) and مَا شَاءَ الله (what Allah wills). He seeks God’s help in all his affairs. He asks Him for His mercy on every calamity that befalls him. He turns to him in every hardship. He remembers God before going to sleep and begins his day by taking His name. In short, at all instances and at all moments, he is constantly in contact with his Lord. Not only this; when he prays, he remembers God; when he fasts, he remembers God; when he recites the Quran, he remembers God, when he spends on the poor, he remembers God; when he abstains from sin, he remembers God; when he falls in sin, he remembers God and becomes anxious to seek forgiveness from Him.

One form of this remembrance is reflection: when we look at the world created by God, we see an astounding variety in the countless creatures He has created; we see the astounding products of human intellect around us; we see stormy seas and flowing rivers, lush green vegetation, abundant rain and the sequence of days and nights. We witness the outcome of winds and clouds. We also see how the heavens and the earth have been made and the astonishing way in which they are built; their benefits and uses for us are also apparent to us; they have a purpose and meaning to them; then we have the signs of God that are found not only in the world around us but also in the world within us; every now and then these signs appear in new and more enchanting forms. When a believer reflects on these signs of God, his heart and mind are filled with the remembrance of God. Consequently, he spontaneously declares: God! You have not made this world without a purpose; it is against Your knowledge and stature to do something meaningless and purposeless; I know this world will definitely culminate in a day of judgement in which people would be punished who spent their lives thinking that the world had been created by a merry-maker for merry making; I seek refuge with you from their fate:

إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلاَفِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لآيَاتٍ لِّأُوْلِي الألْبَابِالَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىَ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَذا بَاطِلاً سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ(3: 190-191)

In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are many signs for men of understanding; those who remember God while standing, sitting, and lying down, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth. [Their prayer is:] “Lord! You have not created this without a purpose. Glory be to You for you do not do anything in vain! So save us from the punishment of the Fire.” (3:190-191)

There are many such supplications which have been reported from the Prophet (sws). After the prayer, rehearsing these supplications is the best way to remember God. We are fortunate enough to have a treasure trove of these prophetic supplications preserved with us in almost their original words. Their grandeur, subtlety and meaningfulness is no less than a miracle of language. There is little chance that there be a better collection of supplications which can be presented to the Lord. If a person has the proclivity to remember God, he should try to make use of these supplications as best as he can.

Some selected supplications of the Prophet (sws) are presented below:

1.

سُبْحَانَ اللهِ وَالحَمْدُ للهِ وَلاَ إلهَ إِلا اللهُ واللهُ أَكْبَرْ

Glory be to God; gratitude is for God only; there is no god except God; He is the greatest.[1]

The Prophet (sws) is reported to have said that this prayer is the dearest to him than all things on which the sun rises.

2.

سُبْحَانَ اللهِوَ بِحَمْدِهِ

Glory be to God and He possesses all worthy attributes.[2]

The Prophet (sws) is reported to have said that the sins of a person who says these words a hundred times are forgiven even if they are as much as the foam of the seas. [3]

3.

سُبْحَانَ اللهِوَ بِحَمْدِهِ سُبْحَانَ اللهِ العَظِيْم

Glory be to God, and He possesses all worthy attributes. Glory be to God, the Mighty.[4]

The Prophet (sws) has said that these two words are very light for the tongue but heavy in the balance and very dear to God.

4.

لَا إِلهَ إلَّا اللُهُوَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيءٍ قَدِيْرٌ

There is no god but God; He is alone; No one is His partner; To Him belongs the Kingdom and praise is for Him only and He has power over all things.[5]

The Prophet (sws) is reported to have said that he who uttered these words a hundred times a day, his reward will be equivalent to the reward of liberating ten slaves; moreover, hundred virtuous deeds are added to his account and a hundred of his sins are forgiven, and he is protected from Satan all day long. [6]

5.

لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ

Power and strength are all from God.[7]

The Prophet (sws) is reported to have said that this prayer is a treasure from among the treasures of Paradise.

6.

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ وَأَبُوءُ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي إِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ

O God You are my Lord! There is no god except You. You have created me and I am Your servant and am abiding by my promise and pledge to You to the best of my capacity. I seek refuge with You from the evil of my deeds; I acknowledge Your favours upon me and I confess my sins; forgive me because there is none except You who forgives.[8]

The Prophet (sws) is reported to have said that if a person utters this supplication with full resolve and dies the same day before evening sets, he shall be granted Paradise and if he utters this supplication at night and dies before dawn, he also shall be granted Paradise.

7.

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ

Gratitude is for God alone who gave us life after death and one day towards Him shall be the return.[9]

8.

أَمْسَيْنَا وَأَمْسَى الْمُلْكُ لِلَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ اللَّهُمَّإِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ وَ خَيْرِ مَا فِيْهَا وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّهَا وَشَرِّ مَا فِيْهَا اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ الْكَسَلِ وَ الهَرَمِ وَسُوءِ الْكِبَرِ وَ فِتْنَةِ الدُّنْيَا وَ وَعَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ

We entered into the evening and God’s kingdom also entered into the evening. Gratitude is for God and there is no god except God. He is alone and there is no god but He. To Him belongs the kingdom and praise is for Him only and He has power over all things. O God! I seek this night’s goodness and the goodness of what is in it; and I seek refuge with you from the evil of the night and the evil of what is in it. O God! I seek refuge with You from laziness, from old age, from the evil of old age, from the trials of the world and from the torment of the graves.[10]

9.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْلَمْتُ وَجْهِي إِلَيْكَ وَفَوَّضْتُ أَمْرِي إِلَيْكَ وَأَلْجَأْتُ ظَهْرِي إِلَيْكَ رَغْبَةًوَرَهْبَةً إِلَيْكَ لَا مَلْجَأَ وَلَا مَنْجَا مِنْكَ إِلَّا إِلَيْكَ آمَنْتُ بِكِتَابِكَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلْتَ وَ بِنَبِيِّكَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلْتَ

O God! I have tendered myself to You and submitted my affairs to You and rested my back against You while fearing your might and while moving towards you with fondness. There is no refuge and resting place after running away from You, and if ever there is, then it is with You. I professed faith in the book that You have revealed and professed faith in the Prophet whom You have sent as a Messenger.[11]

The Prophet (sws) is reported to have said that he who uttered this supplication while going to bed and then died that very night, then he died on Islam.

10.

اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَرَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ فَالِقَ الْحَبِّ وَالنَّوَى مُنْزِلَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيلِ وَالْقُرْآنِ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ ذِي شَرٍّ أَنْتَ آخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهِ أَنْتَ الْأَوَّلُ فَلَيْسَ قَبْلَكَ شَيْءٌ وَأَنْتَ الْآخِرُ فَلَيْسَ بَعْدَكَ شَيْءٌ وَأَنْتَ الظَّاهِرُ فَلَيْسَ فَوْقَكَ شَيْءٌ وَأَنْتَ الْبَاطِنُ فَلَيْسَ دُونَكَ شَيْءٌ اقْضِ عَنِّي الدَّيْنَ وَأَغْنِنِي مِنْ الْفَقْرِ

O God! The Lord of the heavens and the earth and Lord of everything. O He Who tears apart a grain and a fruit-stone Who has revealed the Torah, the Gospel and the Qur’an! I seek refuge with you from all the evil of evil things whose forehead is in Your hands; You are the foremost, nothing is before You and You are the last and nothing is after You. You are the apparent, nothing is above You and You are the hidden and nothing is below You. Please pay my debts and make me affluent by doing away with my poverty.[12]

11.

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّانَسْأَلُكَ فِي سَفَرِنَا هَذَا الْبِرَّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَمِنْ الْعَمَلِ مَا تَرْضَى اللَّهُمَّ هَوِّنْ عَلَيْنَا سَفَرَنَا هَذَا وَاطْوِ عَنَّا بُعْدَهُ اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الصّاحِبُ فِي السَّفَرِ وَالْخَلِيفَةُ فِي الْأَهْلِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ وَعْثَاءِ السَّفَرِ وَكَآبَةِ الْمَنْظَرِ وَسُوءِ الْمُنْقَلَبِ فِي الْمَالِ وَالْأَهْلِ

Glory be to He Who has made this transport subservient to us otherwise we would not have been able to make it subservient to us, and in reality we are to return to our Lord. O God! We ask from You piety and virtue in this journey of ours and ask from You [to make us do] a deed which pleases You. O God! Make this journey comfortable for us and shorten its length. O God! You are the companion in this journey and the guardian for the family left behind. O God! I seek refuge with You from the hardships of this journey and from any evil sight that I may see and from any evil which may await me when I return to my family and my wealth.[13]

The Prophet (sws) would generally begin his journey with this supplication.

12.

اللَّهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُو فَلَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ وَ أَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إلاَّ أَنْتَ

O God! I am hopeful of Your mercy. Please do not consign me to my base desires for even a moment and reform all my affairs. Lord! There is no god except You.[14]

13.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ

O God! I seek Your refuge from sorrow, distress, meekness, laziness, cowardice, stinginess and from the burden of debt and from the dominance of people.[15]

14.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ الْكَسَلِ وَالْهَرَمِ وَالْمَغْرَمِ وَالْمَأْثَمِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ النَّارِ وَفِتْنَةِ النَّارِ وَفِتْنَةِ الْقَبْرِ وَعَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ وَشَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْغِنَى وَشَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْفَقْرِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْ خَطَايَايَ بِمَاءِ الثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ وَنَقِّ قَلْبِي مِنْ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنْ الدَّنَسِ وَبَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَايَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ

O God! I seek refuge with You from laziness, old age, penalties and sins. O God! I seek refuge with You from the torment of the Fire and the trial of the Fire and the trial of the grave and torment of the grave and the trial of wealth and the trial of poverty and from the trial of the great deceiver who will pose himself to be Jesus (sws). O Lord! Wash my sins with water of snow and hail and cleanse my heart of sins the way a white cloth is cleansed of dirt and distance me from my sins the way you have distanced the east and the west from one another.[16]

15.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ لَا يَنْفَعُ وَمِنْ قَلْبٍ لَا يَخْشَعُ وَمِنْ نَفْسٍ لَا تَشْبَعُ وَمِنْ دَعْوَةٍ لَا يُسْتَجَابُ لَهَا

O God! I seek refuge with You from knowledge which is not beneficial, from the heart which is bereft of humility, from the soul which is never quenched and from the prayer which is never accepted.[17]

16.

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي خَطِيئَتِي وَجَهْلِي وَإِسْرَافِي فِي أَمْرِي وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي جِدِّي وَهَزْلِي وَخَطَئِي وَعَمْدِي وَكُلُّ ذَلِكَ عِنْدِي اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

O God! Forgive my mistakes and foolishness and my excesses I commit in my affairs and all those things which You are more aware of than me. O God! Forgive whatever I have done with seriousness and whatever I have done in jest, whatever I have done intentionally and whatever I have done un-intentionally. All this is from me. O God! Forgive whatever I have sent forward and whatever I have left behind and whatever I have concealed and whatever I have done openly and that also which You know more than me. It is You Who sends forward and it is You Who relegates backwards and You have power over all things.[18]

17.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْهُدَى وَالتُّقَى وَالْعَفَافَ وَالْغِنَى

O God! I seek from You guidance and virtue and purification of the soul and being self-sufficient.[19]

18.

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَاهْدِنِي وَعَافِنِي وَارْزُقْنِي

O God! Forgive me, have mercy on me, give guidance to me, grant me peace and bless me with sustenance.[20]

19.

اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

O God! Bless us with good in this world and in the Hereafter too and save us from the torment of the Fire![21]

20.

اللَّهُمَّ بِعِلْمِكَ الْغَيْبَ وَقُدْرَتِكَ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ أَحْيِنِي مَا عَلِمْتَ الْحَيَاةَ خَيْرًا لِي وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا عَلِمْتَ الْوَفَاةَ خَيْرًا لِي اللَّهُمَّ وَأَسْأَلُكَ خَشْيَتَكَ فِي الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ وَأَسْأَلُكَ كَلِمَةَ الحَقِّ فِي الرِّضَاءِ وَالْغَضَبِوَأَسْأَلُكَ القَصْدَ فِي الفَقْرِ وَ الغِنَى وَأَسْأَلُكَ نَعِيمًا لَا يَنْفَدُ وَ أَسْأَلُكَ قُرَّةَ عَيْنٍ لَا تَنْقَطِعُ وَأَسْأَلُكَ الرِّضَاءَ بَعْدَ بِالْقَضَاءِ وَ أَسْأَلُكَ بَرْدَ الْعَيْشِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ وَأَسْأَلُكَ َلَذَّةَ النَّظَرِ إِلَى وَجْهِكَ وَالشَّوْقَ إِلَى لِقَائِكَ فِيْ غَيْرِ ضَرَّاءَ مُضِرَّةٍ وَ لاَ فِتْنَةٍ مُضِلَّةٍ اللَّهُمَّ زَيِّنَّا بِزِينَةِ الْإِيمَانِ وَاجْعَلْنَا هُدَاةً مُهْتَدِينَ

O God! Because of Your knowledge of the unseen and because of Your power over Your creation, grant me with life till the time You think that living is best for me, and take me away from this world when You think that taking me away is best for me. O God! And I seek humility from You in public and in private, and in happiness and in sorrow want You to guide me to the truth and request You with what is between affluence and poverty, and ask from You a favour that will never end, and the coolness of the eye which will never cease. And I seek from You the strength to be content on Your decisions, and seek the blessings of life after death, and the fervour to meet You, and the bliss to see You such that I neither remain in the calamity that is burdensome nor trials which may mislead me. O God! Grant us the embellishment of faith, and make us such that we are rightly guided and are able to guide others as well.[22]

(Javed Ahmed Ghamidi)

(Translated by Dr. Shehzad Saleem)

____________________________

[1]. Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,1172, (no. 6847).

[2]. Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,1112, (no. 6405); Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,1171, (no. 6843).

[3]. This refers to sins which do not relate to the rights of human beings or for which repentance, making amends or atonement is not necessary.

[4]. Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,1154, (no. 6682); Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,1172, (no. 6846).

[5]. Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,548, (no. 3293); Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,1171, (no. 6842).

[6]. These sins are the ones referred to earlier.

[7]. Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,713, (no. 4202); Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,1174-1175, (no. 6862).

[8]. Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,1097, (no. 6306).

[9]. Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,1098, (no. 6312); Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,(no. 6887).

[10]. Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,1178, (no. 6909).

[11]. Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,45, (no. 247); Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,1177-1178, (no. 6882).

[12]. AbuDa’ud, Sunan, vol. 4, 314, (no. 5051).

[13]. Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,566-567, (no. 3275).

[14]. AbuDa’ud, Sunan, vol. 4. 326, (no. 5090).

[15]. Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,1106, (no. 6369).

[16]. Ibid., 1107, (no. 6375).

[17]. Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,1181, (no. 6906).

[18]. Ibid., 1180-1181, (no. 6901).

[19]. Ibid., 1181, (no. 6904).

[20]. Ibid., 1172, (no. 6850).

[21]. Al-Bukhari, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih, 768,(no. 4522); Muslim, Al-Jami‘ al-sahih,1171, (no. 6840).

[22]. Al-Nasa’i, Sunan, 183, (no. 1306).