Mishkat al-Masabih

He said that God’s messenger used to say, "O God, I seek refuge in Thee from divisiveness, hypocrisy and evil character." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

He said that God’s messenger used to say, "O God, I seek refuge in Thee from hunger, for it is an evil bedfellow; and I seek refuge in Thee from treachery, for it is an evil hidden trait." 1 1. Literally, ‘lining.’ Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Anas said that God’s messenger used to say, “O God, I seek refuge in Thee from leprosy, elephantiasis, madness, and evil diseases.” Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Qutba b. Malik said that the Prophet used to say, "O God, I seek refuge in Thee from objectionable characteristics, deeds and passions." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Shutair b. Shakal b. Humaid said that his father asked God’s Prophet to teach him a formula by which he might seek refuge in God, and he told him to say, “O God, I seek refuge in Thee from evil in what I hear, see, speak, think about, and from evil arising from my sexual passion.” Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Abul Yasar said, that God’s messenger used to make this supplication, “O God, I seek refuge in Thee from my house falling on me; I seek refuge, in Thee from falling into an abyss, drowning, burning and decrepitude; I seek refuge in Thee from the devil harming me at the time of my death; I seek refuge in Thee from dying in Thy path while retreating; and I seek refuge in Thee from dying of the sting of a poisonous creature.” Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it. In another version Nasa’i added, “and from sorrow.”

Mu'adh reported the Prophet as saying, “Seek refuge in God from covetousness which leads to disgrace.” Ahmad and Baihaqi, in ad-Da'awat al-kabir, transmitted it.

‘A’isha told of the Prophet looking at the moon and saying, “Seek refuge in God from the evil of this one, ‘A'isha, for this is the darkness when it overspreads.” 2 2. cf. Qur’an, cxiii, 3. The tradition is said to refer to the moon being eclipsed. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

'Imran b. Husain told of the Prophet asking his father, “How many gods do you worship to-day, Husain?” His father replied, “Seven, six in the earth and one in heaven.” He asked, “Which of them do you take account of regarding your hopes and your fears?” On receiving his reply that it was the one in heaven, he said, “If you were to accept Islam, Husain, I would teach you two phrases which would benefit you.” When Husain accepted Islam" he asked God’s messenger to teach him the two phrases he had promised him, and he told him to say, “O God, direct me in the right way and deliver me from the evil within myself.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

‘Amr b. Shu'aib, on his father’s authority, said that his grandfather reported God’s messenger as saying that when anyone was alarmed while asleep he should say, “I seek refuge in God's perfect words from His anger, His punishment, the evil of His servants, the evil suggestions of the devils and their presence,” for they will not injure him. 'Abdallah b. ‘Amr used to teach them to those of his children who had reached puberty and those who had not. He wrote them down on some material (1) and hung the writing on the child’s neck. 1. The word is sakh which usually means a document. Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it, this being Tirmidhi's wording.

Anas reported God’s messsenger as saying that if anyone asks God for paradise three times, paradise will say, ‘‘O God, bring him into paradise;” and if anyone asks for protection from hell three times, hell will say, "O God, grant him protection from hell.” Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Al-Qa'qa' reported Ka‘b al-Ahbar as saying, “Were it not for some words which I say, the Jews would treat me as an ass.” (2) He was asked what they were and replied, “I seek refuge in God’s mighty Person than which nothing is mightier, in God’s perfect words which no one, whether pious or profligate, can go beyond and in God’s beautiful names, those which I know and those which I do not know, from the evil of what He has created, produced and brought into being.” 2. This might be translated “turn me into an ass.” If that is the correct translation it would suggest the use of magic. Malik transmitted it.

My father used to say at the end of the prayer, “O God, I seek refuge in Thee from infidelity, poverty and the punishment in the grave.” I used to say these words also, so he asked me, “From whom did you get this, sonny?” When I told him that I had got it from him, he said that God’s messenger used to say these words at the end of the prayer. Nasa'i and Tirmidhi transmitted it, but the latter did not mention "at the end of the prayer." Ahmad transmitted the wording of the tradition, but he had, "at the end of every prayer."

Abu Sa'id said he heard God’s messenger say, "I seek refuge in God from infidelity and debt." A man asked him whether he treated infidelity on a level with debt, and he replied that he did. A version has, "O God, I seek refuge in Thee from infidelity and poverty." A man asked whether they were equal, and replied that they were. Nasa’i transmitted it.

“O God, forgive me my sin, my ignorance, my extravagance in my affairs, and what Thou knowest better than I do. O God, forgive me my serious and my frivolous sins, my unintentional and my intentional sins, for I am guilty of all that. O God, forgive me my former and my latter sins, what I have kept secret and what I have done openly, and what Thou knowest better than I do. Thou art the Advancer, Thou art the Delayer, and Thou art omnipotent.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira said that God’s messenger used to say, “O God, order well for me my religion which is the support of my affairs; order well for me my worldly affairs in which my livelihood is found; order well for me my life to come where is my ultimate destination; make life for me a means of increase in all that is good; and make death a rest for me from every evil.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud told on the authority of the Prophet that he used to say, "O God, I ask Thee for guidance, piety, self-control and a competence." Muslim transmitted it.

‘Ali said that God’s messenger told him to say, "O God, guide me and dispose me to do what is right,” keeping in mind when asking for guidance his being guided in the right way, and when asking for disposal to do what is right an arrow’s faculty of hitting the mark. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Malik al-Ashja‘i told on his father’s authority that when a man accepted Islam the Prophet instructed him in the prayer, then commanded him to make supplication with these words, “O God, forgive me, show mercy to me, guide me, grant me health, and grant me provision.” Muslim transmitted it.

Anas said that the Prophet's most frequent supplication was, "O God, bring us blessing in this world, blessing in the next, and guard us from the punishment of hell." (Bukhari and Muslim.)