Supplications For The Morning And Evening[1]

Supplications for the Morning and Evening Supplication 112: Allah subhana wa ta ala says: “O you who believe remember Allah with much remembrance. And glorify His praises in the morning and afternoon.” (33:41,42) And what is meant by the afternoon is that which is between Asr and the setting of the sun. And Allah says: “and glorify the praises of your Lord in the Ashi (the time period after the mid-noon till the sunset) and in the ibkar (the time period from early morning or sunrise till before mid-noon.)” (40:55) And Allah says: “Glorify the praises of your Lord, before the rising of the sun and before its setting.” (50:39) And Allah says: “So glorify Allah when you come up to the evening and when you enter the morning.” (30:17) and the meaning of these verses can be many. What is mentioned is that it is from the early morning, after the Morning Prayer up until before the sun rises. It is said that the evening is from salatul Asr until sunset. We see that this time is a long length of time in the event that the slave forgets (to make the supplication) at its appropriate time. There is no problem for him to make his supplication after the sun has risen or for him to make the evening supplication after the setting of the sun. As for the supplications that can be said at these two virtuous times that have been authentically transmitted are many, and if Allah wills we will review some of them along with their great meanings and strong proofs. It is narrated from Abu Dawud and Tirmithi and from other than them, on the authority of Uthman ibn Affan (ra) that he said, the Prophet (saws) said: “Whatever slave says every morning and every evening: ‘In the name of Allah who with His name nothing is harmed in the earth nor in the heavens and He is the All Hearing, the All Knowing,’ and they say this three times, nothing will harm them.” (Supplication in Arabic)

َ ِ ‫مه‬ ‫ماِء‬ ِ ‫س‬ ِ ّ ‫سم ِ اللهِ ال‬ ُ َ ‫ذي ل ي‬ ّ ‫ض َول في ال‬ ْ ِ ‫معَ ا‬ ْ ِ‫ب‬ َ ‫س‬ َ ‫ضُر‬ ْ ‫ش‬ ِ ‫يٌء ِفي ال َْر‬ ‫م‬ ِ ‫س‬ ّ ‫وَهُوَ ال‬ ُ ‫ميعُ العَِلي‬

(Bismillahi Lathi laa yadurru ma’a ismihi shai’oon feel ardi wa laa fee samaa’e wa huwa Samee’ul Aleem)

This is from the great supplication that is necessary for the Muslim to preserve and recite every evening and every morning, so that by it one can be safeguarded and protected, by the permission of Allah, so that you are not struck by a sudden tribulation and harmed by something evil or the likes. Al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) stated in regard to this hadith. This is an authentic narration and it was stated by the trustworthy (saws) and he taught its proof. Al-Qurtubi states, “Since I heard this narration I have acted upon it and nothing has harmed me until I left it off. When I left it off I was stung by a scorpion in the city at night, and I remembered that I forgot to seek refuge in Allah with those words.” The sunnah in this narration is that you state it three times every morning and every evening, just as the prophet (saws) has guided us to do. And he stated in the hadith “bismillah (in the name of Allah)” which means: In the name of Allah I seek refuge, as every act needs an appropriate action for that situation, so due to that, we say In the name of Allah. And his statement “Al-lathi laa yadurru ma’a ismihi shai’oon feel ardi wa laa fee samaa’e (Who with His name nothing is harmed in the heavens or in the earth)” which means: whoever seeks refuge with the name of Allah then verily, no trial will strike you whether it is from part of the earth or part of the heavens. And his statement “wa huwa Samee’ul Aleem (He is the All Hearing, the All Knowing)” which means: The One who hears the statements of His slaves, and the One who is All Knowing of the actions that cannot be concealed within the heavens or the earth. It is established in the hadith narrated by Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Abee Hurairah (ra) that a man came to the prophet (saws) and said, “O messenger of Allah! Yesterday I was bitten by a scorpion.” The prophet (saws) said to him, “Had you said when you woke up: I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what he has created, you would not have been harmed.”

َ َ ‫ن‬ ‫خَلق‬ َ ‫ما‬ ِ ‫ت‬ ِ ‫ما‬ ِ ‫ما‬ َ ‫شّر‬ ّ ‫ت اللهِ الّتا‬ َ ِ ‫ا َع ُوْذ ُ ب ِك َل‬ ْ ‫م‬

(Authu bikalimaatil lahi tammati min sharri maa khalaq)

And in Tirmithi it is narrated that whoever says three times in the morning: “Authu bikalimaatil lahi tammati min sharri maa khalaq (I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He has created)” no sting will harm him that night.” And here, the word sting means the sting of any animal that possesses poison; like that of the scorpion or anything similar to that. Within this hadith is proof for this virtuous supplication. Whoever says it when the evening approaches, then he is protected by the permission of Allah from being harmed or stung by a snake, a scorpion or the like. He stated in the hadith “Authu (I seek refuge),” which means: I seek refuge (in Allah), I hold onto (Allah). The reality of it is to flee from that thing which one fears, to the One who can defend you from its evil. This returning or going back to Allah is to flee from that which can harm or destroy you and to seek that refuge with your Lord, your King by fleeing or turning to Him. By this you hold onto Him, seeking His protection and seeking His refuge. The meaning of “bikalimaatil lahi (with the words of Allah)” is said to be the Noble Qur’an. The meaning of “tammati (the perfect words)” this means the words which are not connected to any type of deficiency or short comings, like those words that may be connected to the speech of human beings. His (saws) saying, “min sharri maa khalaq (from the evil of what He has created)” means: from every evil, from every created thing that can cause harm whether it be from animals or other than them, from humans or jinn, from vermin’s or pests and from strong winds or thunderbolts. This also means any kind of tribulation that one can be afflicted by in this life or in the next.

It is established in Sunan Abee Dawud and At-Tirmithi and other than them on the authority of Abdullah ibn Khubaib (ra) that he said: “We exited (our homes) on an extremely dark rainy night looking for the Prophet (saws) to lead us in prayer ,and we met him (saws), and he (saws)said: “Say!” I did not say anything, and then he (saws) said, “Say!” I did not say anything, and then he (saws) said, “Say!” So I said to him (saws), “Oh Messenger of Allah what is it that you want me to say?” He replied and said, “Recite, ‘He, Allah, is One’ (meaning Recite surah Ikhlas, Qul huwa Allahu Ahad) along with the recitation of the mu’awithatain (which means the two chapters which we seek Allah’s protection by that is commonly know in our religion as surah Naas and Falaaq) and that they are recited every morning and every evening three times and it will be sufficient as a protector for you from everything.” So in this hadith we see the virtues of these three chapters, Surah Ikhlas, Surah Falaq and Surah Naas. We see the virtues of reciting them in the morning and in the evening and that if one preserves their recitation and recites them in these times that it will be sufficient for him as a protector by the permission of Allah against everything. That you will be protected from being struck by evil and with Allah alone is the success and He (Allah) has no associates. Supplication 113: Verily, from the great forms of remembrance and the blessed supplications which every Muslim should preserve and recite every morning and evening comes the hadith that has been established in Saheehul Bukhari on the authority of Shadad ibn Aus. Shadad ibn Aus (ra) related that the Prophet (saws) said, “The leader of Supplication when seeking forgiveness is to say, O Allah you are my lord, there is no god worthy of worship except you, You created me and I am Your slave, I am upon Your covenant and Your promise to the best of my ability, I seek refuge in You from the evil that I have done, I confess to You the favors that You have bestowed on me, and I confess to You my sins, forgive me as none can forgive (sins) except You. Whoever says this in the morning and is firm upon it and he dies that day before the evening then he will be from the people of paradise. Whoever says this in the evening and is firm upon it and he dies that night before reaching the morning then he will be from the people of paradise.”

َ ِ ‫على ع َهْد‬ َ ُ ‫قت َِني وََانا ع َب ْد‬ ‫ك‬ ْ َ ‫خل‬ َ ‫ وََانا‬،‫ك‬ َ ،‫ت‬ َ ْ ‫ه ِال ا َن‬ َ َ ‫ت َرّبي ل ا ِل‬ َ ْ ‫م ا َن‬ ّ ُ‫الل ّه‬ َ ِ ‫مت‬ َ َ ‫ ا َب ُوُْء ل‬،‫ت‬ َ ِ ‫ ا َع ُوْذ َ ب‬،‫ت‬ َ ِ ‫وَوَع ْد‬ َ ‫ن‬ ‫ك‬ ِ ‫ك‬ ْ ‫ما ا‬ َ ْ‫ك ب ِن ِع‬ ُ ْ‫صن َع‬ َ ‫شّر‬ ُ ْ‫ست َط ّع‬ َ ‫ك‬ َ ‫ما‬ ْ ‫م‬ َ َ ‫ وَا َب ُوُْء ل‬،‫ي‬ ‫ت‬ ِ ْ‫ه ل ي َغ‬ ِ ْ ‫ك ب ِذ َن ِْبي َفاغ‬ َ ْ‫فُر الذ ّن ُو‬ َ ْ ‫ب ِال ا َن‬ ُ ّ ‫ فَا ِن‬،‫فْرِلي‬ ّ َ ‫ع َل‬

(Allahumma anta rabbee laa ilaha illa anta, khalaqtanee wa anaa abuduka, wa anaa alaa ahdika wa wa’adika mastata’tu, authu bika min sharri ma sana’atu, abu’ulaka bini’matika alaiyya, wa abu’ulaka be thanbi faghfirlee, fa innahu laa yaghfiru thunuba illa anta)

This great supplication shows how one turns to Allah the Most High in repentance and humility. The Prophet (saws) called this supplication the leader/master of supplications. The reason for him (saws) labeling it with these words is because this supplication and its virtues surpass all other forms of seeking repentance and it is raised in rank. From the meaning of the word “sayyid (leader)” refers to the one that raises its people and causes them to be raised. The Prophet (saws) began by praising Allah and acknowledging that he (saws) is a slave created by Allah-Gorified is He-, and that He-glory be to Him-is the lord who is worshipped in truth and there is no god worthy of worship in truth except Him. And that he (saws) is standing upon the promise. That he (saws) is firm in his (saws) covenant of believing in Him, His book, His messengers and Prophets and that he (saws) is upon that to best of his ability. Then one seeks refuge in Him-Glorified is Hefrom every evil that is performed. Then we follow this by acknowledging the blessings that has been bestowed upon us by Him the Most Glorified. One also acknowledges what we have done of sins and then immediately preceding this acknowledgement one asks for Allah’s forgiveness from all of those sins. Acknowledging that none can forgive sins except Allah-Glorified is He. What follows will complete what is within this supplication and it will show the reason for its virtue, greatness and the cause of sins being forgiven. He (saws) said in the beginning of the supplication, “Allahumma” meaning O Allah. This O here which is usually the Arabic word yaa which is substituted here by the letter meem that has a shaddah on it is used for one seeking something. He (saws) said “Anta rabbi laa ilaha illa anta khalaqtanee wa ana abduka (You are my lord there is no god worthy of worship except You, You created me and I am Your slave.)” Within this statement we find submission and humility and the belief in Him alone. This belief in Him is found in the unity of His Lordship (rububiyyah) and the unity of His worship (Uluhiyyah), as he (saws) said, “Anta Rabbi (You are my Lord) meaning I do not have any other Lord nor creator except you. The Lord is the King, the Creator, the Provider, the one who arranges the affairs of His creation. This is the acknowledgement in the rububiyyah (unity of lordship) and this is followed by his (saws) saying “khalaqtanii (You created me)” meaning You are my Lord the one who has created me and I have no creator other than you.

His (saws) statement “Laa ilaha illa anta (there is no god worthy of worship except you) means there is nothing worthy or deserving of worship except You as You and You alone are the only one deserving of worship. This is the affirmation of the unity of worship (tawheed Uluhiyyah). This is followed by his (saws) statement “Wa anaa abduka (and I am Your slave) meaning I am a worshipper to you as you are the god worshipped in truth and there is none deserving of worship except you. His (saws) statement “Wa anaa alaa ahdika wa wa’adika mastata’tu” (I keep your covenant and my pledge to you as far as I am able to) meaning I fulfill the covenant that was placed upon me, and I fulfill the pledge of believing in you, obeying you and following the commands that have been given by you. “Mastata’tu” (as far as I am able to) meaning that which I am capable of doing, Verily Allah does not burden a soul with that which it cannot handle. His (saws) statement “Authu bika min sharri maa sana’tu” (I seek refuge in you from the evil that I have done) meaning I turn to you O Allah and I seek your refuge from the evil of what I have done and its evil consequences, its evil end, its ugly punishment and from its awful characteristics. His (saws) statement “Abu’u laka bini’matika alaiyyah” (I admit to your blessings upon me) meaning I am aware and conscious of your great blessing that have been bestowed upon me. His (saws) statement “Wa abu’u laka bithanbi”( I confess to you my evil deeds) meaning I recognize my sins and that which I have committed of them, from those that were small sins in the obligatory affairs and prohibited actions. I recognize my sins and the short path of tawbah (repentance) and whoever recognizes his sins and repents from them, Allah will forgive him. His (saws) statement “Faghfirlee” (forgive me) Meaning O Allah forgive all of my sins as your mercy is all expansive and wide and you are the most forgiving. You are the forgiver the merciful and there is none who can forgive sins except you. Allah says in the Qur’an “And those when they have committed fahishah (lude evil acts) or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allah and ask for forgiveness for their sins; and none forgive sins but Allah” (3:135).

Then the Prophet (saws) ended this supplication with clarifying the great reward that one can obtain if one preserves and recites this supplication every morning and evening, where he (saws) said, whoever says it (meaning these words in the supplication) in the morning and they are firm upon it, meaning they attest to its truthfulness and believe in it and that it comes from the infallible speech of the one who speaks not from his own desires (meaning Muhammad), but that it is from revelation (that which he speaks), and they die that day before reaching the evening, then they will be from the people of paradise. Whoever says it at night and they are firm in it and they die before reaching the morning, they will be from the people of paradise. Whoever holds onto and preserves this supplication, they will receive from the generous promise and from the great reward due to them beginning their morning with it and concluding it with tawheed of Allah in His rububiyyah (lordship) and uluhiyyah (worship), whilst witnessing the favors laid upon them and being aware of the defects and shortcomings within one self and they seek the forgiveness from the forgiver, whilst being humble in that which they seek when they begin their day and when they end it. They will be deserving of pardoning and forgiveness. We ask Allah the most Generous for His blessings. Supplication 114 It is narrated from ibn Sunni on the authority of Abee Darda (ra) that the Prophet (saws) said, “Whoever says everyday when he awakes or when he reaches the evening: Allah is sufficient for me. There is no god worthy of worship except Him, upon Him I rely and He is lord of the great throne, and it is said seven times, Allah will be suffice for them from the worries of this life and the hereafter.” (hadeeth was checked by Albanee)

ْ ْ ّ ‫ت وَهُوَ َر‬ َ ْ ‫ح‬ ُ ْ ‫ه ا ِل ّ هُوَ ع َل َي ْهِ ت َوَك ّل‬ َ َ ‫ي الله ل ا ِل‬ َ ِ ‫سب‬ ِ ‫ش العَظ ِي ْم‬ ِ ‫ب العَْر‬ (hasbi Allahu Laa ilaha illa hu alaihi tawakaltu wa huwa rabul arshil atheem)

This blessed supplication contains great benefit in protecting the Muslims from the worries of this life and the next. The meaning of “Hasbi Allah” means that Allah is sufficient for me. From the great supplications that have been legislated for the morning and the evening is that the Muslim says upon waking up: “Glorified is Allah and all praise is to Him”

‫حْمِدِه‬ َ ‫ل َوِب‬ ِ ‫نا‬ َ ‫حا‬ َ ‫سْب‬ ُ (Subhanallahi Wa bihamdi)

Glorified is Allah and all praise belongs to Him and this is said one hundred times as it has been established in Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Abee Hurairah that the Prophet (saws) said, “whoever says when he reaches the morning or when he reaches the evening: Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi (Glorified is Allah and all praise belongs to Him) one hundred times, no one will come on the day of judgment with better than that which he has arrived with (due to him saying this one hundred times) except the one who says equal to what he has said or more than him.” This supplication combines glorification and praise, as glorification includes Allah’s infallibility, meaning that He is free from any defects or shortcomings. His praise shows His perfection. The sunnah is to perform this supplication by utilizing ones hand in following the Prophet (saws) and not to utilize thikr beeds or any devices similar to that from the different things that has been utilized by lots of people. It has been narrated in sunan Abee dawud on the authority of Abullah ibn Amruu (ra) where he states, “I saw the Prophet (saws) making tasbeeh (glorifying and extolling Allah) with his (saws) right hand.” That which comes to every Muslim is that the best guidance is the Guidance of Muhammad (saws), we ask Allah to make us and you from those who hold on to his (saws) sunnah.

Supplication prior to going to sleep Supplication 121 Verily from the blessed supplications that the prophet (saws) safeguarded and said every night prior to going to sleep whilst being in bed is the supplication that has been established in the saheehain (bukhar ‫ ه‬and muslim) on the authority of Aaishah (raa) “That when the Prophet (saws) would enter his (saws) room and get to the bed he would join his hands together and then spit (lightly) into them, then he would recite: Qul huwa Allahu Ahad, Qul Authu bi rabbil falaq and Qul Authu bi rabbin Nas. After reciting these three sura’s he would use his hands and wipe over his (saws) body, that which he was able to reach. He would begin by wiping over his head, then his face and then his body and he (saws) would do this three times.”

This is from the great manner of seeking refuge and from the shields for mankind and it is the protection for them by the permission of Allah from being harmed by something evil while sleeping, and that he is protected from being harmed by harmful vermin’s or killer insects. This is so that he is not harmed as mankind is heedless to many things that can affect them while they are asleep. So if one does this prior to going to sleep and holds onto the shield and protection, then they will be protected by the permission of Allah and this is sufficient for them and they will be protected until morning. This gives us certainty that it is important for the Muslim to safeguard this supplication every night prior to going to bed so that he is protected and shielded from harm. The prophet (saws) held onto and safeguarded this supplication and he would not leave it off in any night (meaning he (saws) performed it every night). From the great ways that the Prophet (saws) sought protection is that which has been established in some of the ahadith that has been narrated by Aaishah (raa) where she said, “When the prophet (saws) used to complain (meaning got ill) he (saws) would order me to perform that on him (meaning reciting the three Qul over him).” It has been established in the saheeh from her Aaishah (raa): “that the prophet (saws) he used to (recite) upon himself (by spitting in his hands and reciting the three Quls) when he used to get sick and he would hold onto that manner of seeking refuge, and when it the sickness would become heavy on him then I would do it for him utilizing this manner and I would wipe him (saws) with his own hands for the barakah.” So the prophet (saws) would hold onto this manner of seeking refuge when he (saws) was struck by extreme sickness and he (saws) would recite these verses. He would spit into his blessed hands and then he would order me (raa) to wipe his body with his (saws) hands. The statement of Aaishah (raa) “When he would come to the bed” meaning when he would come to the bed and enter it (the bed) or whatever place that mankind uses as sleeping quarters. Her statement “every night” in this statement is the proof that the Prophet (saws) preserved this manner of seeking refuge every night. Her statement “he (saws) would join his hands” meaning he would join his hands together one with the other and they would be open facing his face, so that he would be able to spit in them (lightly).

Her statement “he would spit in them” meaning in his (saws) hands and the spit was like blowing air and it was just a light spit. He used to blow a little air combined with a light spit from his mouth. Her statement “then he would wipe them over his body as much as he was able to” this proves that the sunnah is to wipe over the body as much as one is able to. What is necessary for us to learn here is that the wiping of the face and the body is exclusively for this point and it is not correct to do it for every supplication or form of remembrance. This was not established in this hadith from the prophet (saws) (that you wipe over your face or body after supplicating but it was particular to that circumstance.) Shaikhul Islam ibn taimiyyah said about this, “as for the wiping of the face with the hands then there is no proof for it except one or two hadith’s and they cannot be used as a proof.” Her statement “he began with his head and then his face followed by the body” in this is clarity that the sunnah established for the Muslim to begin with the highest part of his body which is the head and the face and then with that which can be reached from the body finishing with that which is at the bottom of the body. The sunnah is that the Muslim does this action three times in following the Prophet (saws). verily these first three chapters contain the attributes of our Lord exalted is He and it is named surah Ikhlas (The Purity) because it contains the purity of tawheed that is for Allah blessed and exalted is He. If one was asked by someone who is Allah? It would be a sufficient reply to recite this surah and it is a sufficient response. The one who is Alone with perfection, highness and with the most beautiful and most complete attributes, the one who none is equal or similar to Him.