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What are some common duas (supplications) and when to recite them?

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Shaykh Abdul Razzaq al-Badr· عبد الرزاق البدرSenior Scholar

Fiqh al-Ad'iyah wal-Adhkar (The Jurisprudence of Supplications and Remembrances)

General discussion across all four volumes.

The Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is filled with supplications (du'as) and remembrances (adhkar) for every occasion, connecting the believer to Allah throughout their day. As Shaykh 'Abd al-Razzaq al-Badr explains in his comprehensive work, "Fiqh al-Ad'iyah wal-Adhkar," adhering to the supplications transmitted through authentic narrations is a sign of following the Prophet (ﷺ) and a means of attaining immense reward and protection.

These supplications can be categorized into several types:

  1. Morning and Evening Adhkar: These are a set of supplications to be recited after Fajr prayer until sunrise and after 'Asr prayer until sunset. They are among the most important daily remembrances, acting as a shield for the Muslim. An example is "Sayyid al-Istighfar" (the master supplication for forgiveness), which the Prophet (ﷺ) said whoever recites with conviction in the evening and dies that night will enter Paradise, and whoever recites it with conviction in the morning and dies that day will enter Paradise (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6306).

  2. Supplications for Specific Actions: The Prophet (ﷺ) taught his followers specific words to say for daily activities. This includes saying "Bismillah" before eating, "Alhamdulillah" after eating, the du'a for entering the house and leaving it, and the supplications for entering and leaving the restroom.

  3. Comprehensive Supplications: These are powerful, all-encompassing du'as that ask Allah for immense good. The Prophet (ﷺ) would often use them. One of the most famous is the Qur'anic supplication, "Rabbana atina fi'd-dunya hasanatan wa fil-akhirati hasanatan wa qina 'adhaban-nar." Another is the hadith in which the Prophet (ﷺ) taught 'Aisha to say, "O Allah, I ask You for all that is good, both sooner and later, what I know of it and what I do not know..."

By learning and reciting these authentic supplications at their prescribed times, a Muslim ensures their tongue is moist with the remembrance of Allah and their actions are sanctified by it.

Evidence

Qur'an

Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire. (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:201)

Hadith

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) taught her this supplication: "O Allah, I ask You for all that is good, both sooner and later, what I know of it and what I do not know. And I seek refuge in You from all that is evil, both sooner and later, what I know of it and what I do not know..." (Narrated by Ibn Majah, 3846; classed as sahih by al-Albani).

Key Takeaway

The Prophet (ﷺ) taught his Ummah specific, authentic supplications for nearly every occasion, from morning and evening remembrances to daily activities, which connect a believer's entire life to the remembrance of Allah.

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