Mishkat al-Masabih

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As reported God’s messenger as saying there are two characteristics which will not be retained by any Muslim without his entering paradise. While they are easy, those who act upon them are few. One should say ‘Glory be to God’ ten times after every prayer, ‘Praise be to God’ ten times and ‘God is most great’ ten times. (He said he had seen God’s messenger counting them on his hand, and saying, “That is a hundred and fifty on the tongue, but one thousand five hundred in the scale”). When he goes to his bed he should say ‘Glory be to God,’ ‘God is most Great’ and ‘Praise be to God’ a hundred times, for that is a hundred on the tongue, but a thousand in the scale. He asked them which of them could commit two thousand five hundred sins in a day and a night.* He was asked how they could not retain these characteristics, and told them that the devil comes to a man while he is engaged in prayer, calling such and such and such and such to his memory until he turns away and perhaps may not do it. He also comes to him on his bed and keeps on making him sleep till he falls asleep. *The thousand plus the preceding fifteen hundred make two thousand five hundred good deeds with which the man who observes the two characteristics mentioned is credited, and as one could hardly commit as many sins in a day and a night there is a balance in his favour. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it. In Abu Dawud's version he said, “Two qualities or two characteristics will not be adhered to by a Muslim ...” And also in his version after saying “One thousand five hundred in the scale” he said, “When he goes to his bed he should say ‘God is most great’ thirty-four times, ‘Praise be to God’ thirty-three times and ‘Glory be to God’ thirty-three times.” In most texts of al-Masabih it is given on the authority of ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar.

‘Abdallah b. Ghannam reported God’s messenger as saying, that if anyone says in the morning, "O God, whatever favour has come to me or to any of Thy creatures in the morning, it comes from Thee alone who hast no partner, to whom be praise and thanksgiving," he will have expressed full thanksgiving for the day; and if anyone says the same in the evening he will have expressed full thanksgiving for the night. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told that when the Prophet went to his bed he used to say, “O God, Lord of the heavens, Lord of the earth, Lord of everything, who splittest the grain and the kernel, who hast sent down the Torah, the Injil and the Qur’an, I seek refuge in Thee from the evil of every evil agent whose forelock Thou seizest. Thou art the First and there is nothing before Thee; Thou art the Last and there is nothing after Thee; Thou art the Outward and there is nothing above Thee; Thou art the Inward and there is nothing below Thee. Pay the debt for me and grant me riches instead of poverty.” Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it. Muslim also transmitted it with a slight difference.

Abul Azhar al-Aimari told that when God’s messenger went to his bed at night he said, “In the name of God. I have laid down my side for God. O God, forgive me my sin, drive away my devil, free me from my responsibility, and place me in the highest assembly.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar told that when God’s messenger went to his bed at night he said, “Praise be to God who has given me sufficiency, has guarded me, given me food and drink, been most gracious to me, and given to me most lavishly. Praise be to God in every circumstance. O God, Lord and King of everything, God of everything, I seek refuge in Thee from hell.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Buraida said that Khalid b. al-Walid complained to God’s messenger that he was afflicted by sleeplessness at night, and God’s Prophet told him to say when he went to his bed, “O God, Lord of the seven heavens and what they overshadow, Lord of the earths and what they carry, Lord of the devils and what they lead astray, be a Protector to me from the evil of Thy entire creation lest any of them do evil or act wrongfully to me. Strong is Thy protection and glorious is Thy praise. There is no god other than Thee. There is no god but Thee.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a tradition whose isnad is not strong, and the traditions of al-Hakam b. Zuhair, the transmitter, are abandoned by some traditionists.

Abu Malik reported God’s messenger as saying that when one got up in the morning he should say, "We have reached the morning, and in the morning the dominion belongs to God, the Lord of the universe, O God, I ask Thee for the good this day contains, for conquest, victory, light, blessing and guidance during it; and I seek refuge in Thee from the evil it contains and the evil contained in what comes after it." In the evening he should say the like. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abd ar-Rahman b. Abu Bakra said that he remarked to his father that he had heard him say every morning, “O God, grant me soundness in my body; O God, grant me soundness in my hearing; O God, grant me soundness in my sight. There is no god but Thee and that he repeated it three times morning and evening. He replied, "Sonny, I heard God’s messenger using these words as a supplication and I like to follow his practice." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Abu Aufa told that God’s messenger said in the morning, "We have reached the morning, and in the morning the dominion belongs to God; praise is due to God; majesty and might belong to God; the creation, the command, night and day and what is at rest by night and day belong to God. O God, make the beginning of this day uprightness, its middle success, and its end attainment, O most merciful among those who show mercy." Nawawi mentioned it in Kitab al-adhkar by the transmission of Ibn as-Sunni.

‘Abd ar-Rahman b. Abza told that God's messenger used to say in the morning, “We have reached the morning following the original religion of Islam, the assertion of God’s unity, the religion of our Prophet Muhammad, and the rite of our father Abraham who was a hanif and was not one of the polytheists." Ahmad and Darimi transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying that if anyone who means to have intercourse with his wife says, “In the name of God. O God, keep us away from the devil and keep the devil away from what Thou hast provided us,” should it be ordained that a child be born to them thereby, no devil will ever harm it. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He told that God’s messenger used to say when he was anxious “There is no god but God, the Incomparably Great, the Clement; there is no god but God, the Lord of the mighty Throne; there is no god but God, the Lord of the heavens, the Lord of the earth, and the Lord of the noble Throne.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Two men reviled one another in the Prophet’s presence when we were sitting near him, and when one of them who had become red in the face reviled the other angrily the Prophet said that he knew a phrase by repeating which the man could get rid of his angry feelings: “I seek refuge in God from that accursed devil.” Those present asked the man whether he heard what the Prophet was saying, and he replied, “I am not possessed by a devil.”* *Majnun. The word literally means to be possessed by a jinni, but it can also mean to be possessed by a devil. Shaitan is used in the preceding sentence. Majnun is also used meaning ‘mad’, but that does not fit this context. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, “When you hear the cocks crowing ask God for some of His grace, for they have seen an angel; but when you hear an ass braying seek refuge in God from the devil, for it has seen a devil.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Umar said that when God’s messenger sat on his camel to go out on a journey, he said “God is most great” three times. Then he said, "Glory be to Him who has made this subservient to us, for we had not the strength for it, and to our Lord do we return. O God, we ask Thee in this journey of ours for uprightness, piety and such deeds as are pleasing to Thee. O God, make easy for us this journey of ours and make its length short for us. O God, Thou art the Companion in the journey and the One who looks after the family and the property in our absence. O God, I seek refuge in Thee from the difficulty of travelling, unhappiness in what I see, and finding harm has come when I return to my property and family." When he returned he said these words, adding, "Returning, repentant, serving and praising our Lord." Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Sarjis said that when God’s messenger went on a journey he sought refuge in God from the difficulty of the journey, sorrow when he returned, scarcity after abundance, the claim of the oppressed, and seeing harm come to his family and property. Muslim transmitted it.

Khaula daughter of Hakim said she heard God’s messenger say that if anyone says when he alights somewhere, "I seek refuge in God’s perfect words from the evil of what He has created," no evil will befall him till he departs from that alighting-place of his. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told of a man coming to God’s messenger and saying, “Messenger of God, what I have suffered from a scorpion which stung me last night!” He replied that if he had said in the evening, "I seek refuge in God’s perfect words from the evil of what He has created," it would not have harmed him. Muslim transmitted it.

He said that when the Prophet was on a journey he would say at daybreak, "Let a hearer hear beginning with praise of God and His good favour towards us. Our Lord, accompany us and show favour to us who are seeking refuge in God from hell." Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said that when God’s messenger returned from an expedition, a hajj, or an ‘umra, on every rising piece of ground he would say three times, "God is most great." Then he would say, “There is no god but God alone who has no partner, to whom the dominion belongs, to whom praise is due, and who is omnipotent. We are returning repentant, serving, prostrating ourselves before our Lord, and expressing praise. God alone has verified His promise, helped His servant, and routed the Confederates.”* *The reference is to the siege of Medina in 5 A.H. when a trench was dug as a protection. (Bukhari and Muslim.)