Prayers for Guidance from the Prophetic Tradition
Our esteemed Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) consistently sought guidance from Allah Almighty, praying for His support to keep his heart steadfast in faith. Below are some of his heartfelt supplications:
- One of the most frequent prayers of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was: (O Turner of the hearts, make my heart firm upon Your religion).
- Imran ibn al-Husayn reported that the Prophet taught his father two expressions to invoke: (O Allah, inspire me with guidance, and protect me from the evil of my soul).
- Al-Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I asked, “O Messenger of Allah, teach me something to ask Allah for.” He replied: (Ask Allah for well-being,) and after a few days, I returned and again requested, “O Messenger of Allah, teach me something to ask Allah for.” He then said: (O Abbas, uncle of the Messenger of Allah, ask Allah for well-being in this world and the Hereafter).
Prayers for Forgiveness from the Prophetic Tradition
Seeking forgiveness from Allah (Glory be to Him) is one of the most noble acts of worship emphasized in numerous Quranic verses and prophetic sayings. Here are some significant prayers for forgiveness:
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stated: (The master of seeking forgiveness is: O Allah, You are my Lord; there is no god but You. You created me and I am Your servant, and I am upon Your covenant and promise as much as I am able. I acknowledge Your blessings upon me, and I acknowledge my sins, so forgive me, for none can forgive sins except You. I seek refuge in You from the evil I have done. If he says this when the evening comes and dies, he will enter Paradise—or he will be among the people of Paradise. If he says this when the morning comes and dies on that day, he will be like it).
- Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to invoke this prayer: (O Allah, forgive my mistakes, my ignorance, my excesses in my matters, and what You know better than me. O Allah, forgive my serious and frivolous errors, and my unintentional and intentional sins, and all of that is with me. O Allah, forgive me what I have done and what I delayed, what I have concealed and what I have made public. You are the Initiator and You are the Delayer, and You are capable of everything).
Prayers for Relief from Worries from the Prophetic Tradition
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) frequently sought refuge from worries and sorrows in his morning and evening remembrances, praying to Allah (Glory be to Him) to alleviate distress and grant relief. Here are some of those supplications:
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: (No one has ever suffered worry or sorrow and then said: O Allah, I am Your servant, the son of Your servant, the son of Your maidservant, in Your grasp. My forelock is in Your hand; Your decree over me is executed, and Your judgment concerning me is just. I ask You by every name that is Yours, which You have named Yourself, revealed in Your Book, taught to any of Your creatures, or kept to Yourself in the knowledge of the unseen with You, that You make the Quran the spring of my heart, the light of my chest, the removal of my sorrow, and the departure of my worry. If he does so, Allah Almighty will remove his worry and sorrow and replace them with joy).
- According to Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to say: (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from incapacity, laziness, cowardice, and miserliness; and I seek refuge in You from the trials of life and death).
Prayers for Deceased Muslims from the Prophetic Tradition
Our Prophet encouraged us to pray for our deceased loved ones and all Muslim souls. Here are some of the prayers he taught:
- The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to say when he prayed for the deceased: (O Allah, forgive our living and our dead, those present among us and those absent, our young and our old, our males and females. O Allah, whoever You give life among us, let him live upon Islam, and whoever You take in death among us, let him die upon faith. O Allah, do not deprive us of his reward and do not lead us astray after him).
- (O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him, pardon him, grant him well-being, make spacious his entrance, wash him with water, ice, and hail, and cleanse him of mistakes as a white garment is cleansed of stains. Grant him a better abode than his, and a better family than his, and protect him from the trial of the grave and the punishment of fire).
Prayers After Prayers from the Prophetic Tradition
One of the most precious moments for every Muslim is the time spent in remembrance and supplication immediately after prayers. These moments are considered among the times when prayers are likely to be accepted. Here are a few notable supplications:
- Among the prayers of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was: (O Allah, assist me in remembering You, thanking You, and worshipping You beautifully).
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: (Whoever glorifies Allah after each prayer thirty-three times, praises Him thirty-three times, and declares His greatness thirty-three times, has counted to ninety-nine. Completing the hundred, he should say: There is no deity except Allah alone; He has no partner. To Him belongs the dominion and praise, and He is over all things capable. His sins will be forgiven, even if they were like the foam of the sea).
Prayers for Sustenance from the Prophetic Tradition
One of the key means of attracting sustenance is through abundant remembrance, seeking forgiveness, and supplication. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) frequently implored Allah for sustenance, among which are the following prayers:
- Mu’adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: (Should I not teach you a supplication that if you were in debt akin to Mount Uhud, Allah would alleviate it for you? Say, O Mu’adh: O Allah, Master of Sovereignty, You grant sovereignty to whom You will and depriveth sovereignty from whom You will. You exalt whom You will and humble whom You will. In Your hands is all good, for You are capable of everything, Merciful in this world and the Hereafter, You give mercy to whom You will and withhold it from whom You will. Grant me mercy that will make me self-sufficient from the mercy of others).
- (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and sorrow, and I seek refuge in You from incapacity and laziness. I seek refuge in You from cowardice and miserliness and from the burden of debt and the oppression of men).