Part 47

BSNS Ye eal gt oT geo “As for the last two verses of surah Al-Bagarah (‘The Cow’

Chapten, whoever reads them at night, then they suffice him.”"?

In what sense are they sufficient for him? An-Nawawee said, “It has been said that ‘suffice him’ means that they are sufficient for him, so that he does not have to stand up at night to pray (voluntary units of prayer, because he will receive a similar reward); it has also been said that it means protection from AshShaitaan (the Devil); and it has also been said that it means protection from illnesses. And all of these interpretations are plausible.”

6) Reading Certain Supplications And Invocations

It was also from the Prophet’s guidance that he # would make certain supplications at the end of the night; every Muslim should read them and remember Allah 3@ before going to sleep, for in a narration related by Abu Hurairah #, the Messenger of Allah 2 said,

“Whoever lies down without remembering Allah Ta’aalaa (The Exalted) during the period that he lies down, then that [time lost] will be a cause of regret for him on the Day of Resurrection. And whoever sits down without remembering Allah ‘Azza Wa-Jall (to Him belongs Might and Majesty) during the period that he sits down, then that [time lost] will be a cause of regret for him on the Day of Resurrection,"

Upon contemplating the various nighttime supplications of the Prophet #%, one should appreciate the wonderful and profound meanings contained in them. In those supplications, the Prophet #8 mentioned At-tawhid and its various categories; expressed his poverty before Allah 4€; asked Allah 4 to forgive him, to accept his repentance, and to protect him from punishment in the Hereafter; took refuge with Allah from Ash-Shaitaan (the Devil); praised and thanked Allah #€ for His favors; and expressed many other beautiful meanings. For the benefit of anyone who wants to increase in goodness, here are some of the invocations that the Prophet #@ supplicated with before going to sleep:

a) The saying: ’’O Allah, protect me from Your punishment on the day Your servants are resurrected.” Hafsah %, wife of the Prophet #, said,

“Whenever he (the Prophet #) wanted to sleep, he # would place his right hand underneath his cheek, after which he #

would say: “‘O Allah, protect me from Your punishment on the

') Related by Abu Daawood (5059), and Al-Albaanee ruled that it is authentic.

day Your servants are resurrected (Three times).”

b) The saying: “In Your name, O Allah, I live and die.” Hudhaifah Ibn Al-Yamaan 4 said, “When the Prophet 2 would retire to his bed, he #% would say,

“In Your name, O Allah, I live and die..."

The saying: “O Allah, verily You have created my soul and You shall take its life..." ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar @ once ordered a man to say the following words upon going to sleep: “O Allah, verily You have created my soul and You shall take its life, to You belongs its life and death. If you should keep my soul alive, then protect it, and if You should take its life, then forgive it. O Allah, I ask You to grant me good health.” A man asked ‘Abdullah 4, “Did you hear this from ‘Umar # (‘Abdullah’s father)?” ‘Abdullah & said, “From one who is better than ‘Umar 4 - from the Messenger of Allah 3%.”

The saying: “In Your name, my Lord, I lie down and in Your name I rise...” Abu Hurairah related that the Messenger of Allah 2 said,

(Sala iBte * hiss by ybieu Related by Ahmad (25926); Abu Daawood (5045) - the above-mentioned wording is from his narration, and Al-Albaanee ruled that it is authentic, with the exception of the words, “Three times”; At-Tirmidhee (3398); and Ahmad (22733), from the hadith of Hudhaifah Ibn Al-Yamaan 2. Related by Bukhaaree (6312), Ahmad (22760), At-Tirmidhee (3417), Abu Daawood (5049), and Ibn Maajah (3880). 1] Related by Muslim (2712) and Ahmad (5478).

“When one of you retires to his bed, then let him dust off his bed with the side of his lower garment, for indeed, he does not know what came on it after he left it [the last time]. Next, let him lie down on his right side, and then let him say, ‘‘In Your name, my Lord, I lie down and in Your name I rise, so if You should take my soul, then have mercy upon it, and if You should return my soul, then protect it in the manner You do so with Your righteous servants,’""]

The saying: “O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens, the earth, and the exalted throne...” Abu Hurairah # said, “The Messenger of Allah # would command us to say [the following] upon retiring to our beds:

“O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens, the earth, and the exalted throne, our Lord and Lord of all things, Splitter of the seed and the date stone, Revealer of the Tawrah, the Injeel, and the Furqaan (One of the many names of the Quran; it means: The Criterion which distinguishes between truth and falsehood), I take refuge in You from the evil of every beast You shall seize by the forelock. O Allah, You are The First, so there is nothing before You, and You are The Last, so there is nothing after You. You are Ath-Thaahir (Indicates the greatness of His attributes

and the insignificance of every single creation in respect to His

Related by Bukhaaree (6320), Muslim (2714), Ahmad (7313), At-Tirmidhee (3401), Abu Daawood (5050), Ibn Maajah (3874), and Ad-Daarimee (2684). And the above-mentioned wording is from Abu Daawood’s narration of the hadith.

greatness and Highness, for He is above all of His creation as regards His essence and attributes), so there is nothing above You and You are Al-Baatin (Indicates His awareness and knowledge of all secrets, of that which is in the hearts and the most intimate of things, just as it indicates His closeness and nearness to all in a manner which befits His majesty), so there is nothing closer than You. Settle our debt for us and spare us from

f) The saying: ““O Allah, Creator of the heavens and the earth...” Abu Hurairah 4 reported that Abu Bakr AsSiddeeq # said, ““O Messenger of Allah, command me with words I should say in the morning and in the evening.” The Prophet #% said,

BSS eydy i we 255 lpi 3bu aaul aD oy ahi eli Ya

WY Sf gat ies 28

“Say: O Allah, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the seen and the unseen, Lord and Sovereign of all things, I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except You. I take refuge in You from the evil of my soul and from the evil and shirk (to associate partners with Allah in worship) of the devil.”

The Prophet # said,

fy cael yy sgl

“Say them (these words) in the morning, in the evening, and when you retire to your bed.”

g) The saying: “All praise is to Allah, Who has fed us and gave

' Related by Muslim (2713), Ahmad (8737), At-Tirmidhee (3400), Abu Daawood (5051), and Ibn Maajah (3831).

"I Related by Abu Daawood (5067), and Al-Albaanee ruled that it is authentic; by Ahmad (7901); by At-Tirmidhee (3392); and by AdDaarimee (2689).

us drink, and Who is sufficient for us and has sheltered us...” Anas 4 related that upon retiring to his bed, the Messenger of Allah #8 would say:

Gy hing CaRbT atl ai Atel "By V5 “All praise is to Allah, Who has fed us and gave us drink, and

Who is sufficient for us and has sheltered us, for how many have none to suffice them or shelter them.’

To make At-Tasbeeh and At-Tahmeed 33 times each, and to make At-Takbeer 34 times ‘Alee # related that Faatimah # complained about her hand and [the sores] it received in working the hand mill. She went to the Prophet ## in order to ask him to provide her with a servant, but since she didn’t find him at his home, she mentioned her situation and request to ‘Aaisha %. When the Prophet # returned home, ‘Aaisha % informed him about her meeting with Faatimah ‘. ‘Alee 4 later related, ‘He (the Prophet ##) then came to us, and by then we were lying down [to sleep]. I made a move to stand up, and he #% said, ‘Remain where you are,’ after which he sat between us until I felt the coldness of his feet on my chest. He #¢ then said,

Sf Ker Sy sh 1 spat be UI es hu le UR Vs ih BE ky gh DES uke Whe “Shall I not guide you to that which is better for you than a servant: When you both retire to your bed or lie down [to go to sleep], then Kabbiraa (i.e., say, ‘Allahuakbar,’ Allah is the

Greatest) 33 times (in other narrations, he #% said, '34 times’), Sabbaihaa (i.e., say, ‘Subhaanallah,’ How perfect Allah is!) 33

times, and Ihmidaa (i.e, say, ‘Alhamdulillah,’ All praise is to Allah) 33 times. Doing this is better for you than [for you to have] a servant.)

The saying: “In Your name, O Allah, I lie down; O Allah, forgive me my sin...” Abu Zuhair Al-Anmaaree 4 related that, whenever the Messenger of Allah #8 would lie down on his bed at night, he # would say,

did which did not please You), and make me join the gathering of the highest company of angels.)

The saying: “I take refuge in the perfect words of Allah from His anger and punishment...” for a person who becomes frightened during his sleep. ‘Amr tbn Shu’aib related from his father, who related from his father that the Messenger of Allah # would teach his Companions # words to say when they became frightened or terrified:

PCE S1jeb 5 coals 345 kk Ly

“ take refuge in the perfect words of Allah from His anger and punishment, and from the evil of His servants, and from the madness and appearance of devils.’”