Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

MERITS OF TASBIHAAT E ARBAH

Tenth: It is recommended to glorify Almighty Allah with the Four Words of Glorification:

سبحان اللّه و الحمد للّه و لا اله الاّ اللّه و اللّه اكبر

Al-Tusi, Ibn Baabwayh, and al-Himyari, through authentic chains of authority, reported Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) as quoting the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) to have said to his companions, “If you amass all your vessels and furniture, will they reach the sky?”

“No, they will not,” they answered.

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, “May I guide you to something whose origin is in the earth and branch in the heavens?”

“Yes, you may,” they answered.

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) instructed, “When you accomplish your prayers, you may say the Four Words of Glorification thirty times, because the origin of these words is in the earth while their branch is in the heavens. They fend off fire, drowning, demolishing, falling into wells, being devoured by a beast, violent death, and all evils that are sent down from the heavens at that day. These words are the ever-abiding, good works as mentioned in the Holy Qur’an.”

According to other authentic chain of authority, Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is reported to have said, “Whoever utters these Four Words of Glorification forty times immediately after every obligatory prayer before he moves from his prayer-place, whatever he asks will be granted to him.”

According to another authentic tradition, Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is also reported to have said, “The frequent remembering that Allah, the Exalted, has praiseworthily mentioned within His Glorious Wording is to repeat the following doxology thirty times after every obligatory prayer:

سبحان اللّه

Al-Qutb al-Rawandi has reported that Imam AliAmeer al-Momineen(a.s.) said to al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib, “May I guide you to a matter that if you do, you will be a true intimate servant of Allah?”

“Yes, you may,” answered al-Bara’.

The Imam (a.s.) said, “You may glorify Almighty Allah with the Four Words of Glorification ten times after each prayer. If you do so, one thousand ordeals, one of which is apostasy, will be warded off from you; and one thousand ranks, one of which is being in the vicinity of your Prophet Muhammad(s.a.w.a.), will be hoarded for you for the Hereafter.”

Eleventh: Al-Kulayni reports Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) as saying: Whoever repeats the following supplicatory prayer three times after the obligatory prayer and then asks Almighty Allah, he will be granted what he has asked for:

يا مَنْ يَفْعَلُ ما يَشآءُ وَ لايَفْعَلُ ما يَشآءُ اَحَدٌ غَيْرُهُ

VIRTUES OF THE "EFFECTIVE VENERATION"

Twelfth: Al-Barqi, through an authenticated narration, reported Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) as saying, “Whoever repeats ten times the following statement after accomplishing his prayer and before moving his knees from their position, Almighty Allah will erase forty million of his sins, record for him forty million rewards, and he will be regarded as having recited the Holy Qur’an entirely twelve times.” The Imam (a.s.) then turned his face towards the reporter and said, “As to me, I do not move my knees before I repeat this statement one hundred times. As to you, you may say it ten times only.”

The statement is the following:

اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لا اِلهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَريكَ لَهُ اِلها واحِدا اَحَدا صَمَدا لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ صاحِبَةً وَلا وَلَدا.

Very much more merits have been reported for uttering this statement of professing Almighty Allah being the One and Only God (i.e. Tahlil), especially after the Dawn and Evening Prayers and at sunrise and sunset.

Thirteenth: Al-Kulayni, Ibn Baabwayh, and others have reported through authentic chains of authority that Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) said, “Archangel Gabriel came to Prophet Joseph (a.s.) who was in the prison and taught him to say the following supplicatory prayer after each prayer:

اَللّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ لى فَرَجا وَمَخْرَجا وَارْزُقْنى مِنْ حَيْثُ اَحْتَسِبُ وَمِنْ حَيْثُ لا اَحْتَسِبُ

Fourteenth: It is mentioned in the book of al-Balad al-Amin that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, “He who wishes that Almighty Allah will not stop him on the Resurrection Day for the evil deeds that he has done and that Almighty Allah will not open his record of deeds, may say this supplicatory prayer after every ritual prayer:

اَللّهُمَّ اِنَّ مَغْفِرَتَكَ اَرْجى مِنْ عَمَلى وَاِنَّ رَحْمَتَكَ اَوْسَعُ مِنْ ذَنْبى اَللّهُمَّ اِنْ كانَ ذَنْبى عِنْدَكَ عَظيما فَعَفْوُكَ اَعْظَمُ مِنْ ذَنْبى اَللّهُمَّ اِنْ لَمْ اَكُنْ اَهْلا اَنْ تَرْحَمَنى فَرَحْمَتُكَ اَهْلٌ اَنْ تَبْلُغَنى وَتَسَعَنى لاَِنَّها وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ بِرَحْمَتِكَ يا اَرْحَمَ الرّحِمينَ

Fifteenth: Al-Kaf’ami reports that a man complained to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) about his ailment and poverty. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) therefore taught him to say the following statement after the obligatory prayers:

تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى الْحَىِّ الَّذى لا يَمُوتُ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ الَّذى لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ صاحِبَةً وَلا وَلَدا وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ شَريكٌ فِى الْمُلْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ وَلِىُّ مِنَ الذُّلِّ وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبيرا.

According to another report, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, “Whenever a tribulation afflicted me, Archangel Gabriel would come to me and instruct me to say these words.”

According to other validly reported traditions, this doxology may be repeated for fending off evil inspirations, settling debts, and saving from poverty.

According to other traditions, the following statement precedes the doxology involved:

لاحَوْلَ وَلاقُوَّةَ اِلاّ بِاللّهِ.

Sixteenth: In his book of al-Muqni’ah, Shaykh al-Mufid has mentioned the following supplicatory prayer to be said after every prayer:

اَللّهُمَّ انْفَعْنا بِالْعِلْمِ وَزَيِّنّا بِالْحِلْمِ وَجَمِّلْنا بِالْعافِيَةِ وَكَرِّمْنا بِالتَّقْوى اِنَّ وَلِيِّىَ اللّٰهُ الَّذى نَزَّلَ الْكِتابَ وَهُوَ يَتَوَلَّى الصّالِحينَ

DUA MAKNOON AND ITS MERITS

Seventeenth: Al-Tusi, Ibn Baabwayh, and others have reported through valid chains of authority that Imam AliAmeer al-Momineen(a.s.) said, “Whoever wishes that he leaves this worldly life as pure of sins as untainted gold and none will demand him to be sued for a wrongdoing, must recite twelve times after each of the five obligatory prayers the Chapter that describes Almighty Allah; namely, Surah al-Tawheed. He may then stretch his hand and pray Almighty Allah with this supplicatory prayer, which is one of the redeeming matters that Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.a.) taught and ordered me to convey to al-Hasan and al-Husayn (a.s.):

اَللّهُمَّ اِنّى اَسْئَلُكَ بِاسْمِكَ الْمَكْنُونِ الْمَخْزُونِ الطّاهِرِ الطُّهْرِ الْمُبارَكِ وَاَسْئَلُكَ بِاسْمِكَ الْعَظيمِ وَسُلْطانِكَ الْقَديمِ يا واهِبَ الْعَطايا يا مُطْلِقَ الاُسارى يا فَكّاكَ الرِّقابِ مِنَ النّارِ صَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَفُكَّ رَقَبَتى مِنَ النّارِ وَاَخْرِجْنى مِنَ الدُّنْيا آمِنا وَاَدْخِلْنِى الْجَنَّةَ سالِما وَاجْعَلْ دُعآئى اَوَّلَهُ فَلاحاً وَاَوْسَطَهُ نَجاحا وَآخِرَهُ صَلاحا اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ عَلاّمُ الْغُيُوبِ

The same supplicatory prayer in other validly reported copies of the tradition is as follows:

يا فَكّاكَ الرِّقابِ مِنَ النّارِ اَسْئَلُكَ اَنْ تُصَلِّىَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَاَنْ تُعْتِقَ رَقَبَتى مِنَ النّارِ وَاَنْ تُخْرَجَنى مِنَ الدُّنْيا سالِما وَتُدْخِلَنِى الْجَنَّةَ آمِنا وَاَنْ تَجْعَلَ دُعآئى اَوَّلَهُ فَلاحا وَاَوْسَطَهُ نَجاحا وَآخِرَهُ صَلاحا اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ عَلاّمُ الْغُيُوبِ

MERITS OF RECITING SURAH TAWHEED AFTER EVERY NAMAZ

Al-Kulayni has reported through a valid chain of authority that Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) said, “Whoever truly believes in Almighty Allah and in the Final Day must not miss reciting Surah al-Tawheed after each obligatory prayer. Verily, whoever recites it, Almighty Allah will gather for him both the wealth of this world and the goodness of the Hereafter and will forgive him, his parents, and their descendants.”

According to another tradition, whoever recites Surah al-Tawheed ten times after each obligatory prayer, Almighty Allah will give him in marriage the Paradisiacal women.

Sayyid Ibn Tawus has reported that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, “Whoever recites Surah al-Tawheed after each prayer, mercy from the heavens will be showered on him, tranquility will be poured down on him, Almighty Allah will look at him with the eye of mercy, forgive his sins, grant him whatever he has asked for, and he will be placed under the security of Almighty Allah.”

Eighteenth: Al-Kulayni, may Allah have mercy upon him, and others have reported the following from the Ahl al-Bayt (a.s.) through a considerable chain of authority:

After each obligatory prayer, one may put his right hand on his beard and raises his left hand towards the sky, repeating the following supplicatory prayer three times:

يا ذَاالْجَلالِ وَالاِكْرامِ اِرْحَمْنى مِنَ النّارِ

He may then repeat the following supplicatory phrase three times, too:

اَجِرْنى مِنَ الْعَذابِ الاَليمِ

He may then open his right hand by making its palm face the sky, put it under the beard, and repeat the following supplication three times:

يا عَزيزُ يا كَريمُ يا رَحْمنُ يا غَفُورُ يا رَحيمُ

He may then turn his hands over, by making their outer part face the sky, and repeat the following supplicatory prayer three times:

اَجِرْنى مِنَ الْعَذابِ الاَليمِ

He may then say the following invocation:

وَصَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ وَالْمَلاَّئِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ

If one does all that, Almighty Allah will forgive him and will be pleased with him; and all creatures, except men and jinn, will invoke forgiveness upon him until he dies.

DUA FOR PARDONING OF SINS

Nineteenth: In his book of al-Majalis, al-Mufid has reported the following narration from Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah (Imam Ali’s son):

While the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) was circumambulating the Holy House (of Allah; i.e. the Ka’bah), he saw a man handing to the curtains of the Ka’bah and praying Almighty Allah with the coming supplication.

“Has this supplication been composed by you?” Imam Ali asked.

“Have you heard it before?” The man replied with a question.

Imam Ali(a.s.) answered, “Yes, I have.”

The man instructed, “You may then say it after each prayer. I swear by Allah, any believing individual who supplicates Almighty Allah with this supplication after the prayers will most certainly be forgiven by Almighty Allah, even if his sins have been as many as the stars in the sky, the drops coming down from the sky, the pebbles, and the stones of the earth.”

Imam Ali(a.s.) clarified, “I have full knowledge of that. Allah is Ample-giving and Knowing.”

The man, who was al-Khidr, commented, “You, O Commander of the Faithful, have said the truth. I swear it by Allah. Verily, above every one possessed of knowledge, there is a more knowledgeable one.”

Al-Kaf’ami has also reported the supplication in his book of al-Balad al-Amin.

The supplication is the following:

يا مَنْ لا يَشْغَلُهُ سَمْعٌ عَنْ سَمْعٍ يا مَنْ لا يُغَلِّطُهُ السّآئِلُونَ وَيا مَنْ لا يُبْرِمُهُ اِلْحاحُ الْمُلِحّينَ اَذِقْنى بَرْدَ عَفْوِكَ وَمَغْفِرَتِكَ وَحَلاوَةَ رَحْمَتِكَ

Twentieth: In his book of A’lam al-Din, Ibn ‘Abbas reported the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) to have said, “He who recites the following three Quranic verses three times after the Sunset (Maghrib) Prayer will be regarded as having settled all that which he missed on that day and his prayer will be accepted. If he recites them after every obligatory or voluntary prayer, rewards that are as numerous as the stars of the sky, the drops of rain, the leaves of trees, and the pieces of the soil of the earth will be recorded for him. After he dies, for each single reward, ten rewards will be recorded for him in his grave. These Quranic verses are the following:

فَسُبْحانَ اللّٰهِ حينَ تُمْسُونَ وَحينَ تُصْبِحُونَ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِى السَّمواتِ وَالاَرْضِ وَعَشِيّا وَحينَ تُظْهِرُونَ يُخْرِجُ الْحَىَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَيُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ الْحَىِّ وَيُحْيِى الاَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِها وَكَذلِكَ تُخْرَجُونَ سُبْحانَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ الْعِزَّةِ عَمّا يَصِفُونَ وَسَلامٌ عَلَى الْمُرْسَلينَ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمينَ

DUA FOR LONGEVITY

Twenty-first: Sayyid Ibn Tawus, through a valid chain of authority, has reported the following incident from Jamil ibn Darraj:

A man visited Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) and said, “My master, I have become old aged, my relatives have all died, and I fear lest death will come upon me while I have no one to entertain me and to whom I may refer.”

The Imam (a.s.) answered, “Some of your brothers-in-faith are closer to you than relatives and you can find with them entertainment more pleasant that that which you may find with your relatives. However, if you wish that you and your relatives will live longer, you must say the following supplicatory prayer after each ritual prayer:

اَللّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ اَللّهُمَّ اِنَّ رَسُولَكَ الصّادِقَ الْمُصَدَّقَ صَلَواتُكَ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ قالَ اِنَّكَ قُلْتَ ما تَرَدَّدْتُ فى شَىْءٍ اَ نَا فاعِلُهُ كَتَرَدُّدى فى قَبْضِ رُوحِ عَبْدِىَ الْمُؤْمِنِ يَكْرَهُ الْمَوْتَ وَاَكْرَهُ مَسآئَتَهُ اَللّهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَجَّلْ لِوَلِيِّكَ الْفَرَجَ وَالْعافِيَةَ وَالنَّصْرَ وَلا تَسُؤْنى فى نَفْسى وَلا فى اَحَدٍ مِنْ اَحِبَّتى

If you wish, you may mention the persons you love by names.”

The old man thereafter said, “By Allah I take the oath, I lived for such a long time until I became bored of life.”

This ultimately considerable supplicatory prayer is mentioned in all books of supplications.

TAQIBAAT OF FAJR PRAYERS

The supplications and doxologies that have been mentioned to be said after the Dawn Prayers are more than the supplications to be said after other prayers. Likewise, too many are the traditions demonstrating the merits of saying such supplications after the Dawn Prayers. In this connection, Imam AliAmeer al-Momineen(a.s.) is reported to have said, “To supplicate and mention Almighty Allah in the space of time between Dawn Prayer and sunrise brings about sustenance swifter than going about in the lands.”

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is reported to have said, “He that sits in his prayer-place, supplicating and mentioning Almighty Allah from the Dawn Prayer up to sunrise will be hidden by Almighty Allah from Hellfire.”

Imam al-Baqir (a.s.) is reported to have said, “Iblis (i.e. Satan) deploys his troops, the troops of daylight, in the space of time between dawn and sunrise. As for his troops of night, he deploys them in the space of time between sunset and the vanishing of the western redness of the sun. Therefore, you should mention Almighty Allah at these two times very frequently, for Iblis exerts all his efforts at these two times to distract man from mentioning Almighty Allah.”

Through an authentic chain of authority, it is reported that Imam al-Rida(a.s.), during his stay in Khurasan, used to sit in his prayer-place, after he would perform the Dawn Prayer, mentioning and supplicating Almighty Allah up to sunrise. Then, a piece of cloth containing some teeth-brushing sticks would be brought to him and he would use them one by one. He would then chew some gum before he would start reciting the Glorious Book of Allah.

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is reported to have said, “He who sits in his prayer-place where he performed the Dawn Prayer, mentioning Almighty Allah up to sunrise, will be granted the reward of going on pilgrimage to the Holy House of Allah.”

According to a Word of Sacredness (hadith qudsi), Allah the All-exalted says, “O son of Adam, remember Me an hour after morning and an hour after afternoon so that I will settle on behalf of you whatever has concerned you.”

The post-Dawn Prayer utterances are as follows:

First: Ibn Baabwayh has reported through a valid chain of authority that Imam al-Baqir (a.s.) said, “He who repeats the imploration for Almighty Allah’s forgiveness seventy times after the Dawn Prayer will be forgiven by Almighty Allah even if he would commit seventy (or seven hundred according to another narration) sins on that day.”

Second: Ibn Baabwayh has also reported through an authentic chain of authority and other valid chain of authority that Imam AliAmeer al-Momineen(a.s.) said, “He who performs the Dawn Prayer and follows it with reciting Surah al-Tawheed eleven times will not be followed by any sin to commit even if Satan may be averse.”

In the book of al-Balad al-Amin, it is mentioned that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, “He who recites Surah al-Tawheed ten times every day will not be followed by any sin to commit even if Satan exerts all efforts against so.”

Third: Al-Kulayni has reported though an authentic chain of authority that Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) said: He who repeats the following doxology one hundred times after the Dawn Prayer will not face any terrible thing on that day:

ماشآءاللّهُ كانَ وَلاحَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ اِلاّ بِاللّهِ الْعَلِىِّ الْعَظيمِ

The same narration is reported by al-Tusi and others in their books on supplications.

MERITS OF SURAH QADR AND RECITING IT 76 TIMES IN THE DAY

Fourth: Al-Kaf’ami and others have reported Imam al-Baqir (a.s.) to have said, “He who recites Surah al-Qadr ten times after the Dawn Prayers, ten times at middays, and ten times after afternoons will tire out two thousand writers (of rewards) for thirty years.

Imam al-Baqir (a.s.) is also reported to have said, “Whenever a servant (of Allah) recites Surah al-Qadr seven times after dawning, a line of angels will invoke blessings and mercy upon him, each seventy times.”

Imam Muhammad al-Taqi(a.s.) is reported to have mentioned abundant rewards for one who recites Surah al-Qadr seventy-six times a day; seven times before the Dawn Prayer and ten times after it, ten times before the supererogatory prayer of midday and twenty-one times after it, ten times after the Afternoon (Asr) Prayer, seven times after the Evening (Isha’) Prayer, and eleven times when going to bed. One of these rewards is that Almighty Allah will create one thousand angels to record the rewards of this act for thirty-six thousand years.

Fifth: Ibn Baabwayh and other scholars, may Allah be pleased with them, have reported through valid chains of authority that Imam al-Baqir (a.s.) quoted the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) to have said: After you perform the Dawn Prayer, you may say the following doxology ten times, for if you do so, Almighty Allah will heal you from blindness, lunacy, leprosy, poverty, demolition, and senility:

سبحان اللّه العظيم و بحمده و لا حول و لا قوّة الاّ باللّه العلى العظيم

Sixth: In the book of al-Balad al-Amin, it is reported that Imam AliAmeer al-Momineen(a.s.) reported the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) to have said: He who wishes that Almighty Allah will grant him a longer lifetime and victory over his enemies and safeguard him against terrible death, must keep on saying this doxology every morning and evening. He may say the following three times:

سُبْحانَ اللّٰهِ مِلاَ الْميزانِ وَمُنْتَهَى الْعِلْمِ وَمَبْلَغَ الرِّضا وَزِنَةَ الْعَرْشِ وَسَعَةَ الْكُرْسِىِّ

He may say the following three times:

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ مِلاَ الْميزانِ وَمُنْتَهَى الْعِلْمِ وَمَبْلَغَ الرِّضا وَزِنَةَ الْعَرْشِ وَسَعَةَ الْكُرْسِىِّ

He may say the following three times:

لا اِلهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ مِلاَ الْميزانِ وَمُنْتَهَى الْعِلْمِ وَمَبْلَغَ الرِّضا وَزِنَةَ الْعَرْشِ وَسَعَةَ الْكُرْسِىِّ

He may say the following three times:

اَللَّهُ اَكْبَرُ مِلاَ الْميزانِ وَمُنْتَهَى الْعِلْمِ وَمَبْلَغَ الرِّضا وَزِنَةَ الْعَرْشِ وَسَعَةَ الْكُرْسِىِّ

Merit of reciting بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم along with لاحول ولا قوة الا بالله‎

MERIT OF RECITING BISMILLAH ALONG WITH LA HAWL LA WA LA ....

Seventh: Through valid chains of authority, Sayyid Ibn Tawus reported Imam al-Rida(a.s.) to have said: He who repeats the following doxology one hundred times after the Dawn Prayers will be closer to the Greatest Name of Almighty Allah than the blackness of the eye to its whiteness:

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ لا حَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ اِلاّ بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِىِّ الْعَظيمِ

Through valid chains of authority too, Imam al-Sadiq and Imam al-Kazim (a.s.) are reported to have said, “He who says this doxology seven times after the Dawn Prayers and the Sunset Prayers before he speaks or moves from his position, Almighty Allah will fend off from him seven kinds of misfortunes the easiest of which are leprosy, mycobacterium, trickeries of Satan, and evils of ruling authorities.

According to other validly reported traditions, this doxology may be repeated three or ten times. However, it may be repeated three times as minimum and one hundred times as maximum; the more the best in rewarding.

Eighth: Ahmad ibn Fahad and others have reported that a man came to Imam Abu’l-Hasan al-Kazim (a.s.) and complained about his profession and that whenever he went to do any of his affairs, it would not be settled. The Imam (a.s.) therefore said to him: You may repeat the following words ten times after the Dawn Prayer:

سُبْحانَ اللّٰهِ الْعَظيمِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰهَ وَاَسْئَلُهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ

The man then said, “A little time after I had committed myself to this instruction, people from the desert came to me to inform that one of my relatives had died and he had no inheritor except me. I therefore went there to receive the inheritance due to which I became rich.”

COMPREHENSIVE DUA FOR THE WORLD & HEREAFTER

The following is quoted from the two books of al-Kafi and Makarim al-Akhlaq: A man, called Halqam, asked the Holy Imam (a.s.) to teach him a brief supplicatory utterance by which the wealth of this world and the goodness of the Hereafter are gathered to him. The Imam (a.s.) therefore instructed him to say the aforementioned supplicatory utterance to be repeated after the Dawn Prayer up to sunrise. When the man did, his conditions were changed excellently.

DUA FOR RELIEF FROM POVERTY & AILMENTS

Tenth: Al-Kaf’ami has reported that a man complained to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) about poverty, misery, and ailment. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) thus instructed him to repeat this supplicatory utterance ten times every morning and evening. As the man persevered in carrying out the Prophet’s instruction for three days, he was saved from poverty and ailment.

Shaykh al-Tusi and others mentioned the same supplicatory utterance to be said after the Dawn Prayers:

لا حَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ اِلاّ بِاللّٰهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى الْحَىِّ الَّذى لا يَمُوتُ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذى لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدا وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ شَريكٌ فِى الْمُلْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ وَلِىُّ مِنَ الذُّلِّ وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبيرا

DUA OF COVENANT WITH ALMIGHTY ALLAH (S.W.T)

Eleventh: Al-Tusi, al-Kaf’ami, and other scholars have reported that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said to his companions, “Will you be too feeble to make a covenant with Almighty Allah every morning and evening?”

“How can we do that?” they asked.

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) instructed, “You may say this supplicatory covenant. When you do so, the covenant will be sealed and put under the Divine Throne. On the Resurrection Day, a caller will call out at those who have made a covenant with the All-beneficent Lord. You will be then given that covenant and allowed to enter Paradise.”

Shaykh al-Tusi has mentioned this supplicatory covenant to be said after the Dawn Prayers:

اَللّهُمَّ فاطِرَ السَّمواتِ وَالاَرْضِ عالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهادَةِ الرَّحْمنَ الرَّحيمَ اَعْهَدُ اِلَيْكَ فى هذِهِ الدُّنْيا اَنَّكَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لا اِلهَ اِلاّ اَنْتَ وَحْدَكَ لا شَريكَ لَكَ وَاَنَّ مُحَمَّدا صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ عَبْدُكَ وَرَسُولُكَ اَللّهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ وَلا تَكِلْنى اِلى نَفْسى طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ اَبَدا وَلا اِلى اَحَدٍ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ فَاِنَّكَ اِنْ وَكَلْتَنى اِلَيْها تُباعِدْنى مِنَ الْخَيْرِ وَتُقَرِّبْنى مِنَ الشَّرِّ اَىْ رَبِّ لا اَثِقُ اِلاّ بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِصَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ الطَّيِّبينَ وَاجْعَلْ لى عِنْدَكَ عَهْدا تُؤَدّيهِ اِلَىَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيمَةِ اِنَّكَ لا تُخْلِفُ الْميعادَ.

Twelfth: In the book of ‘Uddat al-DAI, it is recorded that Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) has said: He who invokes Almighty Allah’s blessings upon the Holy Prophet and his Household using this form after the Dawn Prayers before speaking, Almighty Allah will save his face from being burnt with Hellfire:

ربّ صلى على محمّد و اهل بيته

In his book of Thawab al-A’mal, Ibn Baabwayh has reported the following through a valid chain of authority: In order that Almighty Allah will save your face from being burnt with Hellfire, you may repeat the following invocation of blessings one hundred times after the Dawn Prayers:

اللّهمّ صلّ على محمّد و ال محمّد

According to another tradition, you may repeat the following invocation of blessing and supplicatory prayer one hundred times before you say any other word (after the accomplishment of a ritual prayer):

يا ربّ صلّ على محمّد و ال محمّد،و اعتق رقبتى من النّار

PROSTRATION OF THANKSGIVING (SAJDA AL-SHUKR)

Merits

Once you finish the post-prayer utterances, you may do the thanksgiving prostration. As is unanimously agreed by all Shi’ite scholars, thanksgiving prostration may be done whenever a new bliss is obtained or a misfortune is fended off. It is most favorable to do it after the prayers as expression of thanks to Almighty Allah for performing the prayer.

Through a valid chain of authority, Imam al-Baqir (a.s.) is reported to have said, “Whenever (Imam) Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) remembered a grace of Allah the Almighty and Majestic, he would prostrate. Whenever he recited a verse from the Book of Allah in which prostration is mentioned, he would prostrate. Whenever Almighty Allah warded off from him an evil that he feared, he would prostrate. Whenever he accomplished an obligatory prayer, he would prostrate. Whenever he was granted success to conciliate between two persons, he would prostrate.”

The traces of prostration were seen in all organs of prostration in his body; therefore, he was called the Prostrating (al-Sajjad).

Through an authentic chain of authority, Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is reported to have said, “Whenever a faithful believer prostrates himself before Almighty Allah as expression of thanks for a grace in other than a prayer, Almighty Allah will certainly record for him ten rewards, erase from him ten sins, and raise him ten ranks in Paradise.”

Through a valid chain of authority too, Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is also reported to have said, “The nearest position a servant may be to Almighty Allah is when he prostrates himself and weeps.”

Through another authentic chain of authority, Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is also reported to have said: The thanksgiving prostration is obligatory upon all Muslims. Through it, you make your prayers perfect and attain your Lord’s pleasure and the angels’ admiration. When a servant does a thanksgiving prostration after a prayer, the Exalted Lord removes the screen between the angels and that servant, saying to them, “O my angels, look at this servant of Mine. He has carried out his duty towards Me, perfected his pledge to Me, and then prostrated himself before Me as expression of thanking Me for what I have given him of my graces. O my angels! What will I grant him?”

The angels will answer, “O our Lord! Grant him Your mercy.”

Then the Blessed and Exalted Lord will say, “What more will I grant him?”

The angels will answer, “O our Lord! Grant him Your Paradise.”

Then the Blessed and Exalted Lord will say, “What more will I grant him?”

The angels will answer, “O our Lord! Grant him settlement of what concerns him.”

The Blessed and Exalted Lord will keep on asking them and the angels will answer with similar answers, leaving no single item of goodness. Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, will then say, “What more will I grant him?”

The angels will then answer, “O our Lord! We do not know.”

Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, will say, “I will thank him just as he has thanked Me, attend him with My graces, and show him My great mercy on the Resurrection Day.”

Through an authentic chain of authority, Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is also reported to have said, “Almighty Allah has taken (Prophet) Abraham as His friend just because he used to prostrate himself on the ground very frequently.”

According to another validly reported tradition, Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is reported to have said, “Whenever you remember any of Almighty Allah’s favors to you and you are in a place where no dissident can see you, you should place your cheek on the ground (i.e. prostrating yourself before Almighty Allah). When you are in a place where you fear lest a dissident can see you, you may bow yourself in submission to Almighty Allah by putting your hand under your stomach to make the dissident believe that you have been affected by colic.”

According to many traditions, Almighty Allah revealed to Prophet Moses (a.s.), saying, “Do you know why I have chosen you to speak to Me over My other creatures?”

“No, I do not, my Lord,” answered Moses (a.s.).

Almighty Allah said, “O Moses, I had turned over all My servants, but I could not find anyone of them more submissive to Me than you are. O Moses, whenever you prayed, you would place your cheeks on the soil.”

Through an authenticated chain of authority, Imam al-Rida(a.s.) is reported to have said, “A prostration after an obligatory prayer is an expression of thanking Almighty Allah for granting His servant success to carry out his duty towards Him. The least of what can be said while prostrating is to repeat the following words three times:

شكرا للّه

“What is the meaning of Thanks to Allah?” the reporter asked, and the Imam (a.s.) answered, “It means that this prostration is a thanksgiving from me to Almighty Allah for the success that He has granted me to serve Him and carry out my duty towards Him. Verily, thanking Almighty Allah increases graces and grants more success to obey Him. If it happens that a prayer is still imperfect and the supererogatory prayer has not covered that imperfection, then this thanksgiving prostration will perfect it.”

PROSTRATION OF IMAM MOSA AL KAZIM (A) AND SOME OF HIS COMPANIONS

Method of Thanksgiving Prostration

The validity of thanksgiving prostration is not conditional upon any thing; it is therefore acceptable to do it any way one chooses. However, it is precautionary to prostrate on the ground, to use the seven organs of prostration that are used in the prostrations of prayers, to put the forehead on a thing acceptable to prostrate on, and to more preferably stick your arms and abdomen to the ground on the contrary of what is done in the prostrations of prayers. One of the traditions of thanksgiving prostrations is to put the forehead on the ground, the right and then the left cheeks, and then return to the normal position of prostration; that is putting the forehead on the ground again. Therefore, this prostration is sometimes called the two thanksgiving prostrations. Apparently, it is unobjectionable to prostrate oneself on the ground without uttering any supplication or doxology although it is a tradition to say any statement while prostrating oneself.

It is therefore more preferable to choose any statement from the following utterances of thanksgiving prostration.

It is also recommended to prolong the prostration. Imam al-Kazim (a.s.) is reported to have kept himself in the position of prostration from post-dawning up to midday and from post-afternoon up to sunset.

According to another tradition, for more than ten years, Imam al-Kazim (a.s.) used to prostrate himself every day for the space of time between the first light up to midday.

Through an authentic chain of authority, Imam al-Rida(a.s.) is reported to have prostrated himself for such a long time that the pebbles of the mosque would be wet by his sweat and he used to stick his two cheeks to the ground of the mosque.

The following is quoted from al-Kashshi’s famous book of biographies of narrators (i.e. Kitab al-Rijal): Al-Fadl ibn Shadhan said that he, once, visited Muhammad ibn Abi-’Umayr and found him in the state of a very long prostration. When he raised his head, al-Fadl asked him about such a long prostration. Muhammad answered, “What will you say if you see the prostration of Jamil ibn Darraj? One day, I visited him and found him in a state of prostration, which took very long time. When he raised his head, I asked him about that very long prostration. Jamil said, ‘What will you say if you see the prostration of Ma’ruf ibn Kharrabuz?’”

In another narration, al-Fadl ibn Shadhan related that Hasan ibn Ali ibn Fadhdhal used to go out for serving Almighty Allah. He used to prostrate himself for such a long time that even birds would fall down on him, thinking that he was a piece of cloth or a rotten material. When beasts grazed around him, they would not run away, because they would not feel any thing strange.

In another narration, it is reported that Ali ibn Mahziyar would fall in prostration at sunrise and would not raise his head before he supplicated for the good of one thousand persons of his brethren-in-faith as same as he would supplicate for himself. Because of such very long prostrations, there was a mark on his forehead similar to the marks found on camels’ knees.

In another narration, it is reported that Ibn Abi-’Umayr used to prostrate himself after the Dawn Prayer and raise it at the Noon (Zohr) Prayer.

It is better to do the thanksgiving prostrations immediately after the post-prayer utterances and before the supererogatory prayers except for the Sunset (Maghrib) Prayers, because the majority of scholars believe that the thanksgiving prostration after this prayer should be done after the supererogatory prayer, while others see the opposite. Hence, to do it according to any party’s notion is good enough although it may be more preferable to precede it to the supererogatory prayers, according to the report of al-Himyari from the Awaited Imam, may Allah hasten his reappearance. To solve the question, it must be more preferable to do it before and after the supererogatory prayers.

DUA OF PROSTRATION OF THANKSGIVING

Although many utterances are reported to be said in thanksgiving prostrations, here are the easiest of these:

First: Through a valid chain of authority, Imam al-Rida(a.s.) is reported to have instructed that one may repeat the following word one hundred times in thanksgiving prostrations:

شكرا للّه

One may also repeat the following word one hundred times:

عفوا عفوا

In the book of ‘Uyun Akhbar al-Rida, it is reported on the authority of Raja’ ibn Abi’l-Dahhak that Imam al-Rida(a.s.), on his way to Khurasan, used to prostrate himself after the post-Afternoon Prayer utterances and repeat the following phrase one hundred times:

حمدا للّه

Second: Al-Kulayni has reported through a valid chain of authority that Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) said: The closest position of a servant to Almighty Allah is when he prostrates himself before Him and supplicates Him. Therefore, when you prostrate, you may say:

يا رَبَّ الاَرْبابِ وَيا مَلِكَ الْمُلُوكِ وَيا سَيِّدَ السّاداتِ وَيا جَبّارَ الْجَبابِرَةِ وَيا اِلهَ الاْلِهَةِ صَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

You may now pray Him to grant you your request.

After that, you may say:

فَاِنّى عَبْدُكَ ناصِيَتى فى قَبْضَتِكَ

You may then pray Almighty Allah, for He is forgiver of all sins and no problem is unsolvable for Him.

Third: Al-Kulayni has reported through an authenticated chain of authority that Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) said: One night, I saw my father prostrating himself in the mosque. I could hear him saying with tender tone:

سُبْحانَكَ اَللّهُمَّ اَنْتَ رِبّى حَقّا حَقّا سَجَدْتُ لَكَ يا رَبِّ تَعَبُّدا وَرِقّا اَللّهُمَّ اِنَّ عَمَلى ضَعيفٌ فَضاعِفْهُ لى اَللّهُمَّ قِنى عَذابَكَ يَوْمَ تَبْعَثُ عِبادَكَ وَتُبْ عَلَىَّ اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ التَّوّابُ الرَّحيمُ

Fourth: Through a valid chain of authority, al-Kulayni also reports that Imam Musa al-Kazim (a.s.) used to say the following supplicatory prayer while prostrating himself:

اَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ نارٍ حَرُّها لا يُطْفى وَاَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ نارٍ جَديدُها لا يَبْلى وَاَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ نارٍ عَطْشانُها لا يُرْوى وَاَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ نارٍ مَسْلُوبُها لا يُكْسى

Fifth: Through a valid chain of authority, al-Kulayni also reports that a man complained to Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) about an ailment that affected one of his bondwomen. The Imam said: In the thanksgiving prostration after all obligatory prayers, you may say this supplicatory prayer:

يا رؤوف يا رحيم،يا ربّ يا سيّدى‏

You may then pray Him to grant you your request.

Sixth: Through several valid chains of authority, Imam al-Sadiq and Imam al-Kazim (a.s.) are reported to have very frequently said the following supplicatory prayer when they did the thanksgiving prostrations:

اسالك الرّاحة و عند الموت و العوف عند الحساب

Seventh: Through an authentic chain of authority, it is reported that Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) used to say the following statement when he prostrated himself:

سجد وجهى اللّئيم لوجه ربّى الكريم

Eighth: In some considerable reference books, it is reported that Imam AliAmeer al-Momineen(a.s.) said: The most favorite words to Almighty Allah is that when a servant (of Him) prostrates himself, he should repeat the following statement three times:

انّى ظلمت نفسى فاغفر لى

Ninth: In the book of al-Ja’fariyyat, it is recorded through an authentic chain of authority that Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) quoted the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) to have used to said when he placed his face on the ground for prostration:

اَللّهُمَّ مَغْفِرَتُكَ اَوْسَعُ مِنْ ذُ نُوبى وَرَحْمَتُكَ اَلاَرْجى عِنْدى مِنْ عَمَلى فَاغْفِرْ لى ذُ نُوبى يا حَيّا لا يَمُوتُ.

Tenth: Al-Qutb al-Rawandi has reported Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) to have said: Whenever an ordeal or agony afflict or accumulate against you, you may prostrate on the ground and say:

يا مُذِلَّ كُلِّ جَبّارٍ يا مُعِزَّ كُلِّ ذَليلٍ قَدْ وَحَقِّكَ بَلَغَ مَجْهُودى فَصَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَفَرِّجْ عَنّى.

In the book of ‘Uddat al-DAI, Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is reported to have said, “Anyone who is afflicted by a disaster, a misfortune, or a tribulation may bare his knees and arms to the elbows and stick them, as well as his chest, to the ground and supplicate for the settlement of his problem.”

Eleventh: Ibn Baabwayh, through a valid chain of authority, reports Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) as saying: When a servant repeats the following supplicatory prayer three times while prostrating, the Blessed and Exalted Lord will answer him, “Here I am to respond to you, My servant! Ask for what you need.”

This is the supplicatory prayer:

يا اللّه يا ربّاه‏ يا سيّداه

In the book of Makarim al-Akhlaq, it is recorded that when a servant prostrates himself and repeats the following supplicatory prayer all in one breath, the Blessed and Exalted Lord will answer him, “Here I am to respond to you. What do you need?”

This is the supplicatory prayer:

يا ربّاه يا سيّداه

Twelfth: In the book of Makarim al-Akhlaq too, Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) is reported to have related that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) passed by a prostrating man and could hear him saying this supplicatory prayer:

يا رَبِّ ماذا عَلَيْكَ اَنْ تُرْضِىَ عَنّى كُلَّ مَنْ كانَ لَهُ عِنْدى تَبِعَةٌ وَاَنْ تَغْفِرَ لى ذُ نُوبى وَاَنْ تُدْخِلَنِى الْجَنَّةَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ فَاِنَّما عَفْوُكَ عَنِ الظّالِمينَ وَاَ نَا مِنَ الظّالِمينَ فَلْتَسَعْنى رَحْمَتُكَ يا اَرْحَمَ الرّاحِمينَ.

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said to him, “Raise your head. Your prayer has been responded. You have just prayed Allah with the supplicatory prayer of a prophet who lived among the people of ‘Ad.”