Daily Sunnah

The Daily
Practices of the
PROPHET
(Peace be upon him)
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The Daily
Practices of the
PROPHET
(Peace be upon him)
By:
‘Abdullah bin Hamoud al-Furaih
188
65
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© Maktaba Dar-us-Salam, 2014
King Fahd National Library Cataloging-in-Publication Data
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ISBN:978-603-500-???-?
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Introduction...............................................................................12
Prelude........................................................................................17
The meaning of Sunnah.......................................................17
Examples of the eagerness of the Salaf
(pious predecessors) to apply the Sunnah:.......................17
Some of the fruits of following the Sunnah:.....................21
Before moving to our target................................................23
The Timed Sunnan...................................................................28
Before Dawn..........................................................................28
The first section: Upon waking:..........................................28
Advantage.............................................................................31
The second section Qiyam al-Layl and witr.......................38
1- Sunnah to pray the nigt prayer on time.............................38
2- The Sunnah here is to offer eleven raka’hs:........................42
3- It is Sunnan to start the night prayer..................................42
with two short rak’ahs..........................................................42
4- It is Sunnah to start the night prayer with the
supplications of the Prophet , among which is :...............42
5- It is also Sunnah to prolong standing, bowing
down, and prostrating, so that all of the
pillars of prayer would be perfected. ....................................44
6-What indicates this are the following ahadith: .................44
7- He should make tasleem (salutation)
every two rak’ahs. .....................................................................45
8- It is also Sunnah to read certain chapters in witr. ...........46
9- It is recommended to make Qunut ....................................46
A question: Should one raise their
hands when making Qunut?....................................................48
A question: With what should one start Qunut? .................48
A question: should one wipe
the face after finishing the Qunut?..........................................49
10- Supplication in the last third of the night. ......................50
11- It is Sunnah for the Muslim to say,...................................50
12- It is recommended for both man and woman ................51
13- It is better for the one who offers
the night prayer to be merciful to him/herself,
lest he lose his humbleness (khushu’):...................................52
14- It is Sunnah to make up what was
missed out of the night prayer.................................................53
Secondly Fajr Time...................................................................54
Leaving the mosque after the adhan
has been pronounced is not permitted. .................................59
The Sunnah of Fajr (i.e. offering two rak’ahs that precede
the two obligatory raka’at), includes many Sunnan: ...........60
Assurance of the daily and Sunnan, ......................................61
The Sunnah of Fajr include many things:...............................62
Going to the mosque ................................................................65
Sunnan of prayer: ......................................................................71
While standing for prayer, ......................................................74
While bowing down .................................................................80
Raising form ruku’ ....................................................................83
Prostration has many Sunnan: ................................................85
It is also an act of Sunnah to sit
between the two prostrations: ...............................................88
Among the Sunnan in tashahhud ..........................................90
Sunnah adhkar after making tasleem
and after finishing the obligatory prayers:.............................96
Morning Adhkar.....................................................................103
Morning and evening adhkar:...............................................104
Thirdly,The Time of Adh-Dhuha!........................................113
Fourthly, The Time of Dhur!.................................................119
Fifthly, The Time of 'Asr!......................................................122
Q: Are there any Sunnan to
be performed before the ‘Asr prayer?...................................123
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Morning and evening adhkar: ..............................................124
Q: When does the Time for
morning and afteroon adhkar starts :...................................124
Sixthly, The Time of Maghrib!.............................................127
The first factor is to prevent children
from playing outside at this time..........................................128
The second factor is to lock the door at the
beginning of Maghrib and mention Allah’s name. ............128
The third factor is to offering
two raka’at before the sunset prayer: ...................................130
The fourth factor is that it is disliked
to sleep before the ‘Isha’ prayer.............................................132
Seventhly, The Time of Ìsha!..............................................133
Disliked to talk after ‘Isha’ prayer:........................................134
It is better to delay the ‘Isha’ prayer providing
no harm would be inflicted upon the worshippers:...........135
Sleeping and it has many Sunnan:........................................136
The Sunnan of dreams:...........................................................150
The one who sees a good vision:...........................................151
Adhikr upon waking:...............................................................153
Explanation:..............................................................................154
The Non-Timed Related, Sunnan.......................................155
The Sunnan of food ................................................................156
1. Sunnan of Food:...................................................................159
2. To eat from what is in front of you: .................................162
3. To pick up the fallen morsel, clean it and eat it: .............163
4. Licking one's fingers: ..........................................................164
5. To clean the dish: ................................................................164
6. To eat using three fingers:..................................................165
7. Three breaths in the course of drinking:..........................166
8. Thanking Allah, after finishing the food:.........................167
9. To share food with others:..................................................167
10. Praising the food if a person likes it:...............................168
11. Making du'a for the host: .................................................169
12. It is recommended to offer water ..................................170
to the one on the right-hand side: ...............................170
13. The one who serves the water to the .............................171
people should be the last one to drink: .......................171
14. To cover containers and mention Allah’s
Name when the night falls: ...................................................172
Sunnan of greeting, ...............................................................177
1. To greet people is an act of Sunnah
that is greatly rewarded. ........................................................177
2.It is Sunnah to repeat the greeting thrice if needed.........179
3.It is Sunnah to greet those who you know
and those who you do not:.....................................................180
4.To start greeting people the
same as the Sunnah confirmed:.............................................181
5. It is Sunnah to greet and shake hands with children:....181
6. It is also Sunnah to greet the family
members when entering the home:..................................181
7. It is Sunnah to lower one’s voice when
greeting people if some of them are asleep: ...................183
8. To convey the greeting to people is a Sunnah:................183
9. Giving the Islamic greeting of “Al-Salam”
upon arriving and leaving any place:..............................184
10. Shaking hands with “Al-Salam” is also the Sunnah:....184
11. Smiling is Sunnah:.............................................................184
12. The polite and good word is a form of charity:.............185
13-It is recommended to remember Allah,
the Almighty while sitting:..............................................186
14- It is Sunnah to end the gathering with:
(Kaffarat al-Majlis):..................................................................187
In this chapter the following are forbidden:........................188
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Sunnan in dress and adornment .........................................190
1. To start with the right foot when putting on shoes........190
2. To wear white clothes.........................................................193
3. To use perfume (for men)...................................................194
4- Musk is the most fragrant of the scents:..........................196
5-It is abominable to refuse a gift of perfume......................196
6- The use of perfume is emphatically
recommended in the following cases:............................197
The following persons are
excluded from using perfume: ..............................................201
It is Sunnah to start with right side in combing the hair: .202
According to what is mentioned
above,there are three cases:....................................................203
Importance................................................................................205
Sunan in sneezing & yawning.............................................206
First, The Manners Of Sneezing:...........................................206
Other Daily Sunnan...............................................................210
1-Dhikr of leaving the bathroom:..........................................211
2- Preparing one’s will:...........................................................212
3- Tolerance and leniency in buying and selling:...............213
4- Offering two raka’hs after performing ablution:...........213
5- Waiting for prayer:..............................................................214
6- As-Siwak (Tooth- stick):......................................................215
7- The renewal of Wudu’ for every prayer:..........................216
8- Du’a (Supplication):.............................................................216
The Sunnan of Du’a:................................................................217
Advantage:................................................................................221
How was the relationship between
the Companions and Al-Qur’an?........................................... 223
In the Name of Allah,
the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the One and only and peace
and blessings be upon our leader and last Prophet.
To commence:
I have read the book of sheikh ‘Abdullah bin Hamoud
al-Furaij entitled:. Al-Minaḥ al-’Aleyyah fi Bayān as-
Sunnan al-Yawmeyyah (i.e. the supreme blessings in
illustrating the daily sunnan ) and have found it a very
useful work. It gathered all the verbal and practical
sunnan that should be followed by day and night. All
sunnan quoted in this book are supported by decisive
evidence. May Allah reward him abundantly.
May Allah grant all of us success, amen.
Written by:
Prof. Dr. Khalid bin ‘Ali al-Misiqah
Teacher in Holy Mosque.
One of the student of
Muhammad ibn al Uthaymeen.
Teacher in Qassim University-Sharia College.
On 7th Dhul Qi’dah 1434 A.H.
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Introduction
Introduction
All praise is due to Allah who says in His Holy Book,
‫ﮋﯯ ﯰ ﯱ ﯲ ﯳ ﯴ ﯵ ﯶ ﯷ ﯸ ﯹ ﯺ ﯻ ﯼ ﯽ ﯾ‬
‫ﯿﮊ‬
“Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad)  you have
a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting
with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.”
(33:21)
All praise is due to Allah who sent us His final Messenger
and revealed to us through him His perfect Book and prepared
and selected Companions and pious predecessors to carry out
the mission of conveying Islam. As a result, they delivered
this message to us through their sayings and actions, which
have been documented throughout history.
Thus, they were the best bearers of this message who
exhibited great examples and demonstrated their sincere love
for Prophet Muhammad  Peace and blessings be upon the
most excellent of all human beings, whose Sunnah extends to
Introduction
the first and the last of all humans. There is no one who can
surpass him with regards to praying, fasting and supplicating.
The Prophet bequeathed us his pure and unscathed Sunnah,
and anybody who adheres to it will be safe from the Hellfire.
Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, his family and those
who follow his way until the Day of Judgement.
To proceed:
Respected reader, the following is a compilation of some
Sunnan (practices of the Prophet  ) and acts of worship. It
is the very Sunnan that has been passed down to us through
generations, whether they be known or unknown acts of
worship, or those that are neglected, all of which are blessings
of Allah the Almighty, only for this nation. Therefore, by
adhering to them one increases their own acts of worship, as
these Sunnan help to increase and multiply a person’s reward.
Such a reward was not granted to any previous nation since
Allah the Almighty has favoured this nation above all nations.
He bestows great rewards upon those who hasten to practice
such Sunnan, thus, they are greatly sublime, and fruitful. A
very sincere brother suggested that I note them down - may
Allah reward him abundantly.
In fact, there are two reasons that motivated me to make
this compilation.
Firstly, that which disturbs every Muslim, grieves the
heart and fills the eyes with tears is what is fabricated about
the Prophet  and makes a mockery of him. May Allah take
revenge on those who say and do such deplorable things.
They make fun of the Prophet and draw mocking cartoons
of him and we still hear of such atrocities occurring from
far and wide to this day. This is not something strange, as
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Introduction
such people are simply following in the footsteps of their

disbelieving ancestors when they mock and try to hurt our
beloved Prophet .
In addition, in the past the Companions were also hurt by
such offences against the Prophet. Therefore, defending the
Prophet  is obligatory upon all of us. From among the most
important methods in defending the Prophet  is to defend
his Sunnah. To demonstrate his good manners that have been
distorted by many in the West. To make known his great
skills in leadership and to encourage others to do the same by
writing it down in books and articles.
Those who follow his religion are first to apply these
guidelines. The one who defends the Prophet’s  Sunnah
should be eager to follow his guidance and apply his practices
in a useful way. Thus, he should revive the Prophet’s 
Sunnah within himself, his community, his family members,
his students and also his fellow Muslims.
Secondly, is what our contemporary world is witnessing
by those who are neglectful in following the Prophet’s 
Sunnah, claiming that it is not Fard (obligatory) to do so, i.e.
the one who adheres to the Sunnah will be rewarded but the
one who neglects it would not be punished if it is abandoned.
Respected reader, you will find that the Companions did not
differentiate between the recommended and the obligatory
acts, and what is recommended with regards to application
and inquiry. What is startling is that some people know the
great virtues of these Sunnan, however, they do not try to
practice them even once in their lifetime.
What increases my wonder is the righteous and benevolent
person, who is also neglectful in practicing the majority of
Introduction
the Sunnan. Thus, you do not see the Prophet’s  Sunnah in

his manners, his day to day dealings and his acts of worship.
Unfortunately, this is often the case with students who are
keen to gain knowledge but you see them neglecting the
Sunnah, even though they know a lot about it and are aware
of its great merits and scientific issues.
The pious predecessors defined knowledge as, “Fear that
would engrave more acts of worship in a person’s heart,
increase good habits and make the person more eager to
apply them.”
So, how would our knowledge, our understanding of the
issues of differences, and the proofs of many questions affect
our application of the Sunnan and acts of worship?
The same applies to women and especially the pious ones
amongst them. Many a time we come across Sunnan, but
we do not apply them into our lives. A person once said to
another who often sought knowledge but did not practice
what he learnt, “You wasted your life in collecting weapons,
so, when will you fight?” The pious predecessors (may Allah
have mercy upon them) used to scold the one who did not
practice the knowledge they knew. The same could be said
about he who seeks knowledge but does not practice it.
Once, when collectors of ahadith went to Al-Awza’i (may
Allah have mercy upon him), he looked at them and said,
“ Many people are eager, obedient and ravenous to seek
knowledge, yet, they neither benefit themselves nor benefit
others from it.” When Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi (may Allah have
mercy upon him) saw that there were many people who were
curious to memorise ahadith and collect them although they
did not practice it, he wrote a dissertation entitled, “Knowledge
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Introduction
requires practicing it.”

Consequently, what is mentioned above is the case of
many of us. I cannot deny that there are luminous examples
in our lives and forms of neglecting the Sunnah are many.
Ponder, dear readers, at the examples of the early generations
who were both practically and emotionally very close to the
Sunnah of the Prophet . They were also followed by pious
predecessors (may Allah have mercy upon them) and such
examples are various in this chapter. I mentioned some in
the introduction, in order to motivate both you and myself to
practice this Sunnah. If Allah wills this will stimulate our will
to apply the Sunnah in our lives.
I ask Allah with His fairest names and His supreme
attributes to make me and you follow the Sunnah, and to
apply it into our lives and actions. Indeed, Allah is fully able
to do so. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our
Prophet , his family and his companions until the Day of
Judgment.
Written by one who is meek and looks for Allah’s Mercy,
‘Abdullah bin Hamoud al-Furaih

Rafha, Saudi Arabia
E- mail: forih@hotmail.com
Prelude
Prelude
The meaning of Sunnah:
S unnah means what is recommended and preferred

So, Sunnah is that which is commanded in the
Shari’ah but is not obligatory. The fruit of which is,
the one who applies it will be rewarded and the one
who neglects it will not be punished.
Examples of the eagerness of the Salaf (pious

predecessors) to apply the Sunnah:
1. Imam Muslim reported through An-Nu’man Ibn Salim
from ‘Amr Ibn Aws that he said, ‘Anbasa Ibn Abu
Sufian told me in his illness by which he died about
a Hadith so that he might be relieved by it. He said: I
heard Umm Habibah saying: I heard the Messenger of
Allah  saying,
“He who prays twelve rak’ahs in a day and night, a house
will be built for him in paradise because of them.”
Umm Habibah said: “I have never abandoned observing
them since I heard about them from the Messenger
of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.”
‘Anbasa said: “I have never abandoned observing them
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Prelude
since I heard them from Umm Habibah.” ‘Amr Ibn Aws

said: “I have never abandoned observing them since I
heard them from ‘Anbasa.” An-Nu’man Ibn Salim said:
“I have never abandoned observing them since I heard
them from ‘Amr Ibn Aws.” 1
2. ‘Ali  narrated that Fatimah (may Allah be pleased
with her) went to the Prophet  complaining about
the bad effects on her hands due to working the stone
hand-mill. She heard that the Prophet had received a
few slave girls. But (when she came there) she did not
find him, so she mentioned her problem to ‘Aishah.
When the Prophet came, ‘Aishah informed the Prophet
about that. ‘Ali added, “So the Prophet came to us
when we had gone to bed. We wanted to get up (on his
arrival) but he said, ‘Stay where you are.’ Then he came
and sat between me and her and I felt the coldness of
his feet on my abdomen. He said, ‘Shall I direct you to
something better than what you have requested? When
you go to bed say “Subhan Allah” thirty-three times,
“Alhamdulillah” thirty three times, and “Allahu Akbar”
thirty four times, for that is far better for you than a
servant.’”2
In another narration, ‘Ali said: “I have never left
them since I heard them from the Prophet .” He was
asked, “Even on the night of the Battle of Siffin?” He
said: “Even on the night of the Battle of Siffin.”3 It is
known that ‘Ali  was one of the leaders in the Battle
of Siffin and despite him being occupied with his role
in it, he did not abandon this particular Sunnah.
15 Muslim no. 1727
25 Muslim no. 3705, Muslim no. 2727
35 Al-Bukhari no. 5362, Muslim no. 2727
Prelude
3. Ibn ‘Umar  used to lead people in the funeral prayer

and then afterwards would get up and leave. He would
not follow the funeral procession to the grave as he did
not know about the virtues of it. When he was told
about the hadith of Abu Hurairah , he regretted it. So,
imagine what he said? ‘Amir Ibn Sa’d Ibn Abu Waqqas
reported on the authority of his father that while he
was sitting along with ‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar, Khabbab,
the owner of Maqsura, said: “Ibn ‘Umar, do you hear
what Abu Hurairah says that he heard the Messenger
of Allah  say? He who goes out with the funeral bier
when taken out from its residence and offers prayer
for it and he then follows it till the person is buried,
he would have two qirats of reward, each qirat being
equivalent to (Mount) Uhud; and he who, after having
offered the prayer, (directly) came back, would have
his reward (as great) as Uhud.”
Ibn ‘Umar sent Khabbab to ‘Aishah in order to ask her
about the words of Abu Hurairah (and also told him)
to come back to him (Ibn ‘Umar) and inform him what
‘Aishah said. (In the meanwhile) Ibn ‘Umar took up a
handful of pebbles and turned them over in his hand
till the messenger (Khabbab) came back and informed
him that ‘Aishah testified to (the statement of) Abu
Hurairah. Ibn ‘Umar threw the pebbles he had in his
hand on the ground and then said: “We missed a large
number of qirats.”1
An-Nawawi said, “This hadith reveals the condition of
the Companions, as they were eager to increase acts of
worship. They also used to regret what they missed of
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Prelude
the Sunnah, as they were unaware of its virtues.” 1

4. The hadith of Sa’id Ibn Jubair  that ‘Abdullah Ibn
Mughaffal  that he saw a man throwing stones with
two fingers (at something) and said to him, “Do not
throw stones, for Allah’s Messenger  has forbidden
throwing stones, or he used to dislike it.” ‘Abdullah
added: “Throwing stones will neither hunt the game,
nor kill (or hurt) an enemy, but it may break a tooth or
gouge out an eye.” 2
Examples of maintaining the Sunnah and respecting it are
numerous; and there is no wonder here, as the Companions
were eager to do goodness. Thus, later generations were
affected by them. History recorded the examples of those who
stuck to the Sunnah - and of course - this enabled the people
to follow the Sunnah.
Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy upon him) collected
nearly forty thousand ahadith in his Musnad, and he followed
all of them. He said, “I never learned a hadith without applying
it.” When he read that the Prophet  had himself cupped and
paid Abu Taibah, the cupper, one Dinar of gold, he (Ahmad)
said, “I had myself cupped and I also paid the cupper one
Dinar too.” Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy upon him)
did so in order to apply the hadith, and there are many other
similar examples of this. We ask Allah – glorified be He – to
revive the Sunnah in our hearts so that we may attain part of
these blessings and favors and be close to Allah through the
Sunnah that He entrusted to Prophet Muhammad  .
Ibn al-Qayyem (may Allah have mercy upon him) said,
“Unlike others, you will find the one who follows the Sunnah
15 Refer to: Al-Minhaj, 7/15
Prelude
to be showered with spirituality, glory, greatness and the

approval (of the people).”
Al-Hassan al-Basri said, “The real believer is the one who
is given sweetness (of faith) and respect.” 1
• Some of the fruits of following the Sunnah:
Respected reader, there are many fruits which result of
following the Sunnah:
1. Reaching the stage of love, i.e. drawing closer to Allah.
By performing additional prayers (nawafil), a believer
attains Allah’s love. Ibn al-Qayyem (may Allah have
mercy upon him) said, “Allah will not love you until
you love His beloved (Prophet Muhammad ) both
internally and externally, until you believe him, you
obey his orders, reply to his call, you resort to his
judgment, you prefer his love over the love of other
human beings, and you give priority to being obedient
to him. Otherwise, do not overburden yourself, go
back to your previous state, and try to find some other
pathway, but know you will not be on the right track
if you do.”2
2. To gain the company of Allah, so that Allah guides him/
her to success. Thus, the person’s organs will only do
what Allah, the Almighty, pleases because if the person
gains Allah’s love, he will also gain His company.
3. Having his supplications answered, as this also leads
to Allah’s love. Thus, the one who draws closer to
Allah through acts of nawafil, he will attain Allah’s
love and the one who gets Allah’s love will have his
supplications answered.
15 Refer to: Jima’ al-Juyosh al-Islameyyah, 1/8
25 Madaraij as-Salikin, 3/37
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Prelude
What indicates to these three

fruits is the following:
Abu Hurairah  reported that Allah’s Messenger 
said,
“Allah Most High says, ‘He who is hostile to a Wali (friend)
of Mine, I declare war against him. My slave approaches Me
with nothing more beloved to Me than what I have made
obligatory for him, and My slave keeps drawing nearer to
Me with voluntary acts until I love him. And when I love
him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his sight with
which he sees, his hand with which he seizes, and his foot
with which he walks. If he asks Me, I will surely give to him,
and if he seeks refuge in Me, I will surely protect him.’”1
4. Making up what is missing of the obligatory prayers,
as nawafil would make up the shortcomings of the
obligatory prayers. What indicates this is the following
hadith: Abu Hurairah  reported that Allah’s
Messenger  said,
“The first thing the people will be held accountable for
on the Day of Judgment is the prayer, Allah will say to
His angels (even though he already knows): ‘Look at my
servants prayers. Were they complete or not?’ If they
were complete, it will be written as complete. If they were
not fully complete, Allah will say: ‘See if my servant has
voluntary prayers.’ If he has them Allah will say: ‘Complete
the shortage of his obligatory prayers with his voluntary
prayers.’ Then the rest of his deeds will be dealt with in the
same manner.”2
5. The sparkle of the heart, as we already mentioned.
15 Al-Bukhari no. 6502

25 Ahmad no. 9494, Abu Dawud no. 864, At-Tirmidhi no. 413
Prelude
Hence, if the worshipper is committing himself to the

Sunnah, he is committing himself to everything. Thus,
he would not neglect the religious obligations nor delay
them and in turn, he would gain another virtue, i.e.
to consider the rites of Allah as sacred. Therefore, his
heart would be revived, and the one who neglects the
Sunnah would be punished by losing the full reward of
the obligation.
6. Being protected from falling into innovations in the
religion, because as long as the slave follows the Sunnah
and is eager to apply it, he will not follow anything else
in his acts of worship. Accordingly, he will be saved
against falling into the traps of innovation. Maintaining
the Sunnah and applying it has many benefits. Ibn
Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy upon him) said,
“Anyone who follows the Prophet , Allah will suffice him,
guide him, and give him substance.”1
His disciple Ibn al-Qayyem said,
“The one who accompanies the Qur’an and Sunnah and
keeps his heart away from this worldly life and people, he has
migrated with his heart to Allah and he is a successful and
truthful person.” 2
• Before moving to our target

Respected reader, before beginning our topic and
presenting the Sunnan that I have compiled, I shall point out
to you the following:
Firstly, I cannot pretend that I have collected all the Sunnan,
but, it is sufficient for me that I - at least - made some ijtihad.
15 Al-Qa’idah al-Jalilah, 1/160
25 Madarij as-Salikin, 2/267
www.alukah.net
Prelude
I have collected in the following pages some of the daily

Sunnan. I have intentionally left some Sunnan out, as I am
not 100% sure of their authenticity, or because there is a kind
of disagreement regarding quoting them or using them as
proofs. I am very eager to present the authentic Sunnah only
– may peace and blessings be upon its founder Muhammad.
Secondly, there are Sunnan that fit certain cases, places
and times, thus, some people may consider them as a matter
of daily routine, while others may not. I also did not mention
them because they might not be relevant to all people. For
example, a person who lives near the Holy Mosque in Makkah
or al-Madinah can visit the Holy Mosque every day and
therefore, should pray there and as a result have their reward
doubled. Moreover, there are some Sunnan that are particular
to Imams and Muezzins only and so on.
That is why there are some Sunnan that are not applicable
to all people. There are also some Sunnan that could differ
according to the case itself, such as visiting a Muslim for the
sake of Allah, pondering over the universe, thanking Allah,
visiting the sick, sending peace and blessings upon Prophet
Muhammad , visiting the graves, being kind to your family
and relatives, seeking knowledge, giving charity and the
Sunnan of ritual bathing, all which I have intentionally not
included since I am not confident that they are daily Sunnan
for everyone. Nevertheless, the person can practice them as
much as he wishes, but my focus here is to refer to the ones
that a person commonly repeats.
Thirdly, know my respected and beloved reader that
following the Sunnah of the Prophet includes following his
manners, his way of dealing with people, his conduct with
Prelude
His Lord and his way of informing people about his Sunnah.
Therefore, never, blessed reader, ignore this great request.
Manners are an important cornerstone on which our very
existence depends. We ask Allah, the Almighty, to guide
us to having the best of manners and to keep us away from
possessing bad manners.
Be aware that drawing closer to Allah by performing the
obligatory acts is greater rewarded and is foremost and prior
to drawing closer to Him through the nawafil acts. Allah –
Exalted be He – says in His Qudsi hadith
“…and the most beloved things with which My slave draws
nearer to me, is that which I have enjoined upon him.”
Fourthly, with these Sunnan I am addressing my neglectful
soul as well, and indeed Allah knows that my aim behind
presenting these Sunnan is to be able to benefit from them and
also see whether I am neglectful so I can hasten to apply them.
Besides, another aim is to follow the teachings of the Prophet
 and to benefit my brothers and sister in Islam and motivate
you to follow in the footsteps of Prophet Muhammad .
Hence, respected reader, we should exert greater effort in
order to bring ourselves closer to the teachings of Prophet
Muhammad .
By doing so, we would also make our days blessed through
the worship of our Lord, revive our hearts and gain Allah the
Almighty’s love and the fruits of the Sunnan.
Lastly, I advise you, dear reader, while dealing with the
Sunnah, two pieces of advice that Imam An-Nawawi (may
Allah have mercy on him) mentioned:
Firstly, never leave any type of the Sunnan when you have
learned of a part of it even once. An-Nawawi (may Allah have
www.alukah.net
Prelude
mercy on him) said,

“Know that whoever hears anything about virtuous acts
should at least do some of which, even if once, just to be part
of the people of righteousness. He should never leave it as the
Prophet said,
‘If I order you to do something, do as much as you can of it.’”1 2
Secondly, if Allah favors you with a type of worship that

you perform most of the time, but you miss it one day, then
do try to make it up if you can. Furthermore, if the worshipper
gets used to neglecting certain religious duties, he/she will
spoil the whole deed. An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy
upon him) also said,
“As for the virtue of making up dhikr, he who performs
dhikr whether in the day or night after finishing the prayers or
in any case but missed it, he should make it up or substitute it
with something of equal value. He should not neglect adhkar
because if he gets used to it, he would not leave it. Yet, if he
tolerated making it up, it would be easy for him to neglect it
all.” 3
I ask Allah to make me and you of those who follow
the teachings of Prophet Muhammad in every aspect, our
intentions and deeds, follow in his footsteps and be gathered
with him on the Day of Judgment. Indeed, Allah is fully able
to grant us that, May He send His peace and blessings upon
Prophet Muhammad, his family and his Companions until
the Day of Judgment.
15 Al-Bukhari, no. 7288

25 Refer to: Al-Adhkar, 1/16
35 Refer to: Al-Ashkar, 1/23
The Timed
Sunnan
www.alukah.net
The Timed Sunnan
The Timed
Sunnan
T imed Sunnan means those acts associated with
specific times during the day and night. Thus,
they are to be performed according to such specific
times. I have divided them into seven categories:
Before dawn, dawn, forenoon, noon, afternoon,
sunset and evening.
Before Dawn
This is the time of the day when we wake up to perform the
Fajr prayer. The texts have indicated that there are numerous
Sunnan that the Prophet  used to perform during this time.
Accordingly, the Sunnan pertaining to this time are further
divided into two sections:
The first section: Upon waking:

There are many things that the Prophet  used to upon
waking up from sleep, including:
1. Rubbing his mouth with a tooth pick/brush. On the
authority of Hudhaifah  it was reported, “When the
Prophet got up at night, he used to clean his mouth
28
The Timed Sunnan
with siwak”1 In another narration by Imam Muslim, “If

the Prophet woke up at night, he would rub his mouth
with siwak ”2
2. He (SAW) used to recite certain adhkar upon waking
up. An example is which was reported in Al-Bukhari’s
sahih hadith also by Hudhaifah  who said, “When the
Prophet  would go to sleep at night he would say,
‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم أَ م ُوتُ و َ أَ حْ يَا‬

َ ‫ك‬ َ ِ ‫ب ِاسْم‬
‘In the name of Allah we die and we live.’

When the Prophet woke up he would say,
ُ ِ ‫ح ْمد ُ ل َِل ّه ِ ال َ ّذ ِي أَ حْ يَان َا بَعْد َ م َا أَ م َاتَنَا و َِإلـ َيْه‬

»ُ‫الن ّش ُور‬ َ ‫« الْـ‬
‘All praise is due to Allah who has given us life after our
death and to Him is the resurrection.’”3
It was also reported by Muslim through the hadith of Al-
Baraa . 4
3. He would wipe his face after waking.
4. He would look at the sky.
5. He would recite the last verses of the chapter of Al-
’Imran, (i.e. chapter no. 3)
These are the first three Sunnan as they are reported in an
agreed upon hadith related by Ibn ‘Abbas who said, “I spent the
night with my aunt Maimoonah (may Allah be pleased with
her) (who was the wife of the Prophet  . During the night,
the Prophet  got up to perform his night prayer (Tahajjud). I
also got up and stood at his left side. He then caught hold of
15 Al-Bukhari, no. 245, Muslim, no. 255
25 Muslim no. 255
35 Al-Bukhari, no. 6324
45 Muslim, no. 2711
29
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The Timed Sunnan
my head and made me stand on the right side.” (Note: At this

time Abdullah bin ‘Abbas was very young and had not yet
reached the age of puberty).1
In another narration of Imam Muslim it was said, “The
Prophet  woke up at the last part of the night, he went out
and looked at the sky. Then, he recited,
‫ﮋﮉ ﮊ ﮋ ﮌ ﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒ ﮓ ﮊ‬
“Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in
the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for
men of understanding.” (3:190)
He would also rub his eyes just to expel sleep. In Muslim’s
narration, we find the illustration of what should be recited to
practice this Sunnah. Therefore, the person should recite these
verses, 3:190-200, and the recitation of the Prophet of these
verses before making ablution indicates that it is permissible
to recite the Qur’an even while being in a state of minor
impurity.
6. He would wash his hands three times. Abu Hurairah
, narrated that the Prophet  said,
“When anyone of you awakens from sleep, he should wash
his hands three times before placing them in a basin of
water, because he does not know where his hands had spent
the night.”
7. To sniff water up the nostrils thrice and to blow it out
thrice. Abu Hurairah  reported that Allah’s Messenger
 said,
“When any one of you awakes up from sleep and performs
ablution, he must clean his nose three times, for the devil
30
The Timed Sunnan
spends the night in the interior of his nose.” 1

In the narration of Bukhari it reads,
“If anyone of you rouses from sleep and performs ablution,
he should wash his nose by sniffing water into it and
blowing it out thrice.” 2
Advantage
As for the Prophet’s  saying
“…for the devil spends the night in the interior of his nose,”
scholars have differed about its meaning. A group said
that it is metaphorical and not real, while another group said
that it is real as the nose is one of the ways that leads to the
heart. All other ways are closed except the nose and ears, thus
the devil would enter through them. ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud
 narrated that it was mentioned before the Prophet  that
there was a man who slept the night until the morning (after
sunrise). The Prophet said,
“He is a man in whose ears (or ear) Satan has urinated.” 3
As for the mouth, it could be closed also. Hence, the Prophet
 encouraged us to close it upon yawning as a means to prevent
the devil from entering. Muslim reported in a sahih hadith
through ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud  that the Prophet said ,
“When one of you yawns, he should try to restrain it
with the help of his hand since it is the Satan that enters
therein.”4
In another narration it reads,
“Yawning in prayer is an act of Satan, so when one of you
15 Muslim, no. 2994
25 Al-Bukhari, no. 6226, Muslim no. 2994
45 Muslim no. 2995
31
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The Timed Sunnan
yawns he should restrain it as much as possible.”1

In an agreed upon hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah , it
reads,
“Yawning in prayer is an act of Satan, so when one of you
yawns he should restrain it as much as possible.”2
Nonetheless, every Muslim should believe and have faith,
practice submission and have obedience towards the Sunnan,
whether he knows the wisdom behind it or not. Hence, he
should consider this as matters of the ghayb (unseen) of which
only Allah knows its reality as His Knowledge encompasses
all things.
Thereafter, he makes ablution, as mentioned in the previous
hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them), which
says that he  brought a water skin and made ablution out of
it. As for the issue of ablution, we have to illustrate it in brief
as it is known for all. I just want to remind you in order to
practice the Sunnan in full.
Thus, among the

Sunnan of ablution are:
1. Using the Siwak (tooth-stick), this should be done
before beginning ablution or before rinsing the mouth.
This is the second case in which siwak is permissible.
Abu Hurairah  narrated that Allah’s Messenger said,
“If it was not for the fact that I would be overburdening
my nation, I would have ordered them to use the tooth-
stick (siwak) before every prayer.”3
15 Muslim no. 2994

35 Reported by Ahmad no. 9928, Ibn Khuzaimah no. 1/37/140, Al-Hakim
no. 1/245, and it was also reported by Al-Bukhari.
32
The Timed Sunnan
2. Mentioning Allah’s name before commencing ablution,

for Abu Hurairah  narrated that the Prophet said,
“There is no ablution for him who does not mention Allah’s
name upon it.”1
3. Washing the hands three times. ‘Uthman  described
the Prophet’s  way of making his ablution. He said, “He
(the Prophet ) asked for water, he washed his hands
three times.” He (‘Uthman) said, “I saw the Prophet 
performing his ablution in the same manner. ”2 Washing
the hands is not obligatory as Allah’s saying,
‫ﮋﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﮊ‬
“O you who believe! When you intend to offer As-Salat (the
prayer), wash your faces and your hands (forearms) up to
the elbows, rub (by passing wet hands over) your heads, and
(wash) your feet up to ankles.” (5:6)
Hence, the verse did not mention washing the hands.
4. Beginning with the right parts when washing the hands
and legs. ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her)
narrated, “The Prophet  would love using his right
hand or leg first when putting on his shoes, waking,
purifying himself and in all of his affairs.”3 Also, the
hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah  says,
“Start with your hand right when you make ablution. ”4
5. Starting with rinsing the mouth and sniffing water into
the nostrils. ‘Uthman  narrated, “He rinsed his mouth
and sniffed water into his nostrils and then washed his
15 Reported by Ahmad no. 11371, Abu Dawud no, 101, and Ibn Majah no.
397.
45 Abu Dawud, no. 4141
33
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The Timed Sunnan
face three times.”1 Thus, if the person washed his face

first and delayed rinsing the mouth and blowing water
into the nose, there would be no problem.
6. Exaggeration in sniffing water into nose, unless the
person is fasting. It was reported by Luqait Ibn Sabrah
 that the Prophet  said,
“Wash completely; interlace between your fingers; and
exaggerate in sniffing water into your nose, unless you are
fasting.”2
Sheikh Ibn ‘Uthaimeen (may Allah have mercy upon
him) said,
“Exaggeration in rinsing the mouth means to flush water
strongly around inside the mouth so that the entire
mouth will be washed. Exaggeration in sniffing water into
the nostrils means to inhale it with a strong breath. Yet,
exaggeration is disliked for the one who is fasting, as this
would lead the person to swallow water which would
automatically go to the stomach thereby invalidating his
fast.”3
Isbagh means to completely wash all of the limbs (areas of
ablution) so that water reaches every part and this isbagh is
compulsory. However, the recommended isbagh is to follow
the Sunnan, thus the absence of which would not invalidate
the ablution. Isbagh has a great reward especially when it is
difficult to use water due to the cold weather or the water
being very hot during the summer. Thus, if the person applies
isbagh, he is very close to having his sins forgiven and his
deeds accepted and elevated.
15 Al-Bukhari no. 199, and Muslim no. 226

25 Reported by Ahmad no. 17846, Abu Dawud no. 142
35 Refer to: Al-Mumti’, 1/171
34
The Timed Sunnan
What indicates this is the following: Abu Hurairah

 narrated that the Prophet  said, “Shall I not tell you
something by means of which Allah erases sins and raises
people in status?” They said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He
said: “Doing ablution properly at times when it is difficult to
do so, taking many steps to the mosque, and waiting for the
following prayer after the prayer has finished. That is constant
readiness.” 1
7. Rinsing the mouth out and sniffing up water with only
one handful (of water). ‘Abdullah Ibn Zaid  described
the Prophet’s  ablution by saying,
“ He put his hand into the vessel and rinsed his mouth
and washed his nose with water and then blew it out thrice
with only one handful of water.” 2
8. Ibn Al-Qayyem (may Allah have mercy upon him) said,
“There is no authentic hadith that states that the Prophet
Muhammad  took an interval between rinsing the mouth
and sniffing water into the nose and blowing it out again.”3
9. Wiping the head and how to do it in accordance with
the Sunnah: One is to use both hands, wipe the front of
the head, all the way to the back of it, and then go back
again from the starting position. A woman would do
the same thing, however, she does not have to wipe the
entire length of her hair. This is proven by the hadith
of ‘Abdullah Ibn Zaid , who described the Prophet’s
 ablution saying,
“He wiped his entire head with his hands. He started with
the front of his head, then moved to the back, and then
15 Muslim no. 251
35
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The Timed Sunnan
returned his hands to the front again.”1

To wash every part thrice: The first rinsing with water
is obligatory, whereas the second and third are Sunnah
and it is never to be done more than three times. This
is proven by the authentic hadith reported by Al-
Bukhari. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them
him) narrated, “The Prophet  washed every part only
once.”2 Al-Bukhari reported that through ‘Abdullah Ibn
Zaid  that, “The Prophet  washed every part twice.”3
It was also reported in the two sound sahih collections
though ‘Uthman  that, “The Prophet  washed each
part thrice.”4 Hence, it would be better to follow the
different ways of washing parts separately. In other
words, you can wash parts once, then twice, and then
thrice, but occasionally. Moreover, it is possible to
wash the face thrice, the hands twice, and the feet once,
as it was proven in the hadith of ‘Abudllah Ibn Zaid in
another narration. 5
10. The supplication after finishing ablution according to
the Sunnah: On the authority of ‘Umar  who narrated
in an elevated hadith, the Prophet  said,
“None of you makes ablution and completes the ablution
without uttering, ‘I bear witness that none has the right
to be worshipped except Allah Alone and He has no
partners; and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave
and Messenger,’ after which all eight gates of Paradise will
be opened for him, so he may enter by whichever gate he

25 Muslim no. 244
35 Muslim no. 250
45 Muslim no. 234
36
The Timed Sunnan
pleases.”1
Furthermore, it was reported in the hadith narrated by
Abu Sa’id  that the Prophet  said,
“Whoever makes ablution and says, ‘Glory be to You, O
Allah, and all praise be to You. I bear witness that there
is no god except You. I beg Your forgiveness and I repent
unto you,’ will have it written down for him in the great
book, and placed on a tablet which will not be broken until
the Day of Resurrection.” 2
Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy upon him) authenticated
the isnad (chain of narration) of this hadith and he said it is
not classified as marfu,’ it should be mawquf (refers to a
narration attributed to a Companion, whether a statement of
that companion, an action or otherwise). Nevertheless, there
would be no harm to grade it as marfu.’
Hence, whenever a Muslim intends to perform ablution
let him remember that he is doing an act of worship that has
three great virtues. Firstly, it is a reason to gain Allah’s love.
Secondly, it leads to the forgiveness of sins. Thirdly, he will
be given the best attire and adornments to wear as a type of
compensation for his ablution.
Allah the Almighty says,
‫ﮋ ﯚ ﯛ ﯜ ﯝ ﯞ ﯟﮊ‬
“Truly, Allah loves those who turn unto Him in repentance
and loves those who purify themselves (by taking a bath and
cleaning and washing thoroughly their private parts, bodies,
for their prayers, etc.).” (2:222)
15 Muslim no. 250

25 An-Nasa’i, Chapter of Deeds of the Day and Night, p. 147, and Al-
Hakim, 1/752
37
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The Timed Sunnan
Abu Hurairah  reported that the Prophet  said, “When

the Muslim – or believing slave does wudu and washes his
face, every wrong thing at which his eyes had looked at
leaves with the water – or with the last drop of water. When
his washes his hands, every wrong thing which his hands
had touched leaves with the water – or with the last drop of
water. When he washes his feet, every wrong thing to which
his feet had walked towards leaves with the water – or with
the last drop of water until he emerges cleansed of his sins.”1
He also narrated, “My beloved friend (the Prophet ) said to
me: ‘A believer adornment would reach the places where the
ablution reaches.’” 2
The second section Qiyam al-Layl (night prayer)

and witr (prayer that is performed at night after Isha’a
(night-time prayer) or before Fajr (dawn prayer):
There are many Sunnan to be performed and they include:
1. It is an act of Sunnah to pray the night prayer on time;
thus if someone were to ask what the best time would be
to perform for the night prayer? It should be answered
that it starts after finishing the ‘Isha’a prayer and lasts
until dawn breaks. Hence, the time for witr is between
the ‘Isha’a prayer and Fajr prayer. This is proven by the
following ahadith.
(A) ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her)
narrated, “Allah’s Messenger  used to offer
eleven rak’ahs between the ‘Isha’a and Fajr prayers.
He used to make tasleem (i.e. to say peace be upon
you when finishing the prayers to indicate the
15 Muslim no. 244
25 Muslim no. 250
38
The Timed Sunnan
prayer is finished) and then would end with a

single rak’ah.”1 An agreed upon hadith.
(B) ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her)
narrated, “Allah’s Messenger  offered the witr
prayer in the beginning of the night, the middle,
and at the end and would offer it until the time of
sahar (i.e. the last portion of the night).2
(C) Ibn al-Mundhir said, “Scholars unanimously
agree that the time for witr is between the ‘Isha’a
and the Fajr prayer.”3
As for the best time to offer the night prayer, it is the second
third of the night when nearly half of it is finished. In other
words, the Muslim would divide the night into thirds, and
then offer the prayer in the second part and sleep in the last.
What proves this is the hadith narrated by ‘Abdullah Ibn
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased him) when Allah’s Messenger
 said,
“The most beloved fasting to Allah was the fasting of the
Prophet Dawud, who used to fast alternate days. And the
most beloved prayer to Allah was the prayer of Dawud,
who used to sleep the first half of the night, pray for one
third of it and again sleep for a sixth of it.’”4
Hence, if someone wanted to apply this Sunnah,
how would he calculate the night time?
A person should calculate the time once the sun sets until
the appearance of dawn. Then, he should divide the night into
25 Al-Bukhari no. 996, Muslim no. 745.
35 Refer to: Al-Ijma,’ p. 45
39
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The Timed Sunnan
six portions. The first three portions are the first half of the
night and he should rise after it, (i.e. to offer prayer at the first
third of the night) and then sleep. Therefore, ‘Aishah (may
Allah be pleased with her) said, “I usually find the Prophet 
asleep at that time.”1
Thus, it would be the best to offer the night prayer as the
hadith of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with
him) mentioned.
Therefore, has the worshiper achieved the Divine Descent
of Allah by that time?
The answer is in the affirmative. When the Muslim divides
the night in this way, he has achieved the time in which Allah
descends to the lowest heaven as the hadith has stated. Hence,
the one who rises after midnight has achieved the last third
of the night. Prophet Muhammad  guided us to this time
through the hadith of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be
pleased with him) which says, “And the most beloved prayer
to Allah was the prayer of Dawud, who used to sleep the first
half of the night, and pray for one third of it and again sleep
for a sixth of it.’”2
It is the Prophet  who guided us to the virtue of night
prayer when he told us that Allah descends (in a way that
suits His Majesty) every night to the lowest heaven in the last
third of the night. Therefore, we can reconcile the two ahadith
according to what has already been mentioned. Thus, the one
who cannot get a virtue, he can move to the other one, thus
he would offer the night prayer in the last third of the night.
In conclusion, the advantage of the night prayer is of
15 Ahmad no. 27481, Abu Dawud no. 1433
40
The Timed Sunnan
three categories:
Firstly, that the person sleeps half of the night, prays one of
its thirds, and then sleeps one-sixth of it as has been illustrated.
Secondly, that a person prays the second third of the night.
What indicates this stage is the hadith that Abu Hurairah 
narrated that the Prophet  said,
“Our Lord - Blessed and Exalted is He - descends every
night to the lowest heaven in the last third of the night
and says: ‘Who is supplicating to Me so that I may answer
him? Who is asking forgiveness from Me so that I may
forgive him?1’”
Also, the hadith of Jabir  that will be quoted later.
However, if someone fears that they would not be able to rise,
let them offer the night prayer at the beginning of the night or
any portion of it and this constitutes the third stage.
What proves this stage is the following hadith narrated by
Jabir . The Prophet  said,
“Whoever fears losing the first part of the night, let him
pray at that time. Whoever wishes to rise at the last part of
the night, let him pray at that time, as it is blessed by Allah
and that would be better.”2
What supports this also is the recommendation of the
Prophet  to Abu Dhar,3 Abu ad-Darda4 and Abu Hurairah5
(may Allah be pleased with them all) as each one of whom
used to say, “My beloved one (i.e. the Prophet ) advised
me with three things, one of which is to offer the witr prayer
25 Muslim no. 755
35 An-Nasa’i in as-Sunnan al-Kubra, 2712
41
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The Timed Sunnan
before I sleep.”
2- The Sunnah here is to offer eleven raka’hs:

This is the complete form in which to offer the night prayer
as ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated, “Allah’s
Messenger  would not pray more than eleven rak’ahs in
Ramadan or in any other month. ”1
However, the Prophet  is reported to have offered thirteen
rak’ahs. ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported,
“The Messenger of Allah  used to observe thirteen rak’ahs
of the night prayer. Five out of them consisted of witr, and he
did not sit, but at the end for the salutation.”2 Moreover, in Ibn
‘Abbas’s narration (may Allah be pleased with him) we find,
“The Prophet  offered thirteen rak’ahs in that night and then
he  slept. ”3
This is a kind of diversity in offering the witr prayer. In
general, the Prophet  would offer eleven rak’ahs and rarely
offer thirteen. Thus, we can reconcile the different ahadith all
together.
3- It is Sunnan to start the night prayer

with two short rak’ahs.
‘Aishah –(may Allah be pleased with her) narrated,
“Allah’s Messenger  would start his night prayer with two
short rak’ahs. ”4
4- It is Sunnah to start the night prayer with the

supplications of the Prophet , among which is :
A- ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated
25 Muslim no. 737
45 Muslim, no. 767
42
The Timed Sunnan
that when the Prophet  would start his night prayer

he would say, “O Allah! Lord of Jibreel, Mika’eel, and
Israfeel, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower
of the seen and unseen, You will judge between Your
servants in what they used to differ. Guide me by Your
grace to the truth in what they differ about. Indeed, You
guide whomever You please to a path that is straight.”1
B- What was reported in the two sahih ahadith

through Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) is
that when the Prophet  would pray tahajjud he would
say,
“O Allah! Our Lord, Yours is the praise. You are the
light of the heavens and Earth and all that they contain.
Yours is the praise. You sustain the heavens and Earth
and all that they contain. You are the King of the heavens
and Earth and all they contain. Yours is the praise. You
are the truth. Your promise is true. The meeting with
You is true. Your word is true. Paradise is true. Hell is
true. The Prophets are true. Muhammad is true. The
Final Hour is true. O Allah, to You I have submitted and
in You I have believed, and upon You I rely. I repent
my sins to You. For your sake I dispute and by Your
standards I judge, so forgive me for what I have sent
before me and what I have left behind, for what I have
committed secretly and what I have committed openly
and what only You know that I have done. You are the
one who sends forth and You are the one who delays.
There is no God but You. There is no might or power
except with You.”2
15 Muslim no. 770
43
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The Timed Sunnan
5- It is also Sunnah to prolong standing, bowing

down, and prostrating, so that all of the pillars of
prayer would be perfected.
He should follow the Sunnan in his recitation, e.g. –
a- He should follow a moderate way of recitation, not
too fast, nor too slow.
b- He should rest between verses, namely, he should
pause according to the breaking of the surah. He
should not recite two or three verses together without
stopping at the end of each verse.
If he passes by a verse of praise he should praise, if
he passed by a verse of supplication Allah, he should
supplicate, and if he passes by a verse seeking Allah’s
refuge, he should do so.
6-What indicates this are the following ahadith:

The hadith of Hudhaifa  which states, “I prayed with
the Messenger of Allah  one night and he started reciting
al-Baqarah. I thought that he would bow at the end of one
hundred verses, but he proceeded on; I then thought that he
would perhaps recite the whole (surah) in a rak’ah, but he
proceeded and I thought he would perhaps bow on completing
(this surah). He then started al-Nisa’, and completed it; he then
started Al-’Imran and recited leisurely. And when he recited
the verses which referred to the Glory of Allah, he glorified by
saying (Subhan Allah-Glory to my Lord the Great, and when
he recited the verses explains (how the Lord) is to be begged,
he (the Holy Prophet) would then beg (from Him), and when
he recited the verses dealing with protection from the Lord, he
sought (His) protection and would then bow and say: َ‫سب ْح َان‬ ُ «
»‫ِيم‬
ِ ‫‘ر َبِّي َ ال ْعَظ‬Glory be to my Mighty Lord.’ His bowing lasted
44
The Timed Sunnan
about the same length of time as his standing (and then on

returning to the standing posture after ruku’) he would say:
«ُ ‫‘ »سَم َع ال ل��ه لم َِنْ حَمِد َه‬Allah listened to him who praised Him,’ and
he would then stand about the same length of time as he had
spent in bowing. He would then prostrate and say:
« ‫سب ْح َانَ ر َبِّي َ الأَ ع ْلَى‬
ُ » ‘Glory be to my Lord most High,’ and
his prostration lasted nearly the same length of time as his
standing. In the hadith transmitted by Jarir the words are:
“He (the Holy Prophet) would say: ‘Allah listened to him who
praised Him, our Lord, to You is the praise.’”1
Moreover, Ahmad reported in his Musnad hadith (may
Allah have mercy upon him) from the hadith of Umm Salamah
(may Allah be pleased with her) when she was asked about
the Prophet’s  recitation, she said, “His recitation is clearly-
distinguished letter by letter,”
‫ﮋﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﭚ ﭛ ﭜ ﭝ ﭞ ﭟ‬
‫ﭠﭡ ﮊ‬
‘In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most
Merciful. All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of
the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists). The Most
Beneficent, the Most Merciful. The Only Owner (and the
Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of
Resurrection).‘ (1:1-4)2
7- He should make tasleem (salutation) every two

rak’ahs.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that
a man asked Allah’s Messenger  about the night prayer.
Allah’s Messenger  replied,
15 Muslim no. 772.

25 Ahmad no. 26583
45
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The Timed Sunnan
“The night prayer is offered as two rak’ahs followed by

two rak’ahs and so on and if anyone is afraid that dawn
is approaching (Fajr prayer), he should pray one raka’ah
and this will suffice as witr for all the rak’ahs which he has
prayed before.”1
This means that he did not pray four rak’ahs, but only two
and after finishing them he would make tasleem and so forth.
More to the point, this is proven by the hadith of ‘Aishah
(may Allah be pleased with her) that we already referred
to, “Allah’s Messenger  used to offer eleven rak’ahs
between ‘Isha and Fajr prayers. He used to make tasleem
and then would end with a single raka’ah. ”2
8- It is also Sunnah to read certain chapters in witr.
Hence, a person reads the chapter of ‫ﮋ ﮟ ﮠ ﮡ ﮢ ﮊ‬
Al-A’la (i.e. no.87) in the first raka’ah, ‫ﮋ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓﮊ‬
al-Kafiroun (i.e. no. 108) in the second, and ‫ﮋ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔﮊ‬
al-Ikhlas (i.e. no. 112) in the third. What proves this is the
following hadith narrated by Ubay Ibn Ka’b , “The Prophet
 would pray witr and he would read chapters no. 87, 108 and
112.”3
9- It is recommended to make Qunut

(a loud supplication made in the last raka’ah)
in the witr prayer occasionally.
This means that this supplication should be made in the
last raka’ah in which he/she recites chapter no. 112. Qunut is
Sunnah, therefore, it would be better to do it occasionally.
Sometimes the Imam should not perform it and this is the
15 Al-Bukhari no. 990, Muslim no 749
25 Refer to: Ibn Khuzaimah’s sahaih, 2/152
35 Abu Dawud no. 1423, An-Nasa’i no. 1733 and Ibn Majah 1171
46
The Timed Sunnan
opinion of Ibn Taymiyyah, i.e. that it should left more often

than it is recited.
Justification: In fact, numerous ahadith reported by ‘Aishah,
Umm Salamah, Ibn ‘Abbas, Hudhaifah and Ibn Mas’ud (may
Allah be pleased with them all) described the Prophet’s  way
of performing the witr prayer. None of which showed that the
Prophet  made Qunut in the witr prayer. ‘Aishah (may Allah
be pleased with her) stayed with the Prophet  for a long time
and she did not report that he made Qunut in witr.
***********************
Yet, it was proved that some Companions made Qunut.
‘Ata was asked about it and he said, “The Companions of the
Prophet  used to do it.” Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud and
At-Tirmidhi reported through a fair hadith that ‘Umar Ibn
al-Khattab  performed it. Ibn Abi Shaibah reported that
‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) also
performed it.
***********************
What is clear – and Allah knows best – is that the issue of
Qunut is dependent on ease. Thus, it is possible to perform it
before bowing down and before prostration in the last raka’ah.
Al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy upon him) dedicated a
complete chapter to this topic and called it, “The Chapter of
Qunut and What Comes After it.” However, most ahadith
talk about Qunut before prostration as a group of scholars
(may Allah have mercy upon them) stated. Hence, it should
be given preference over the one performed before bowing
down. Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy upon him) said,
“Qunut before prostration is beloved to me.”1 Thus, diversity
15 Refer to: The Issues of Imam Ahmad, 1/10
47
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The Timed Sunnan
in making Qunut is possible; therefore it can be performed

before bowing down or before the prostration.
***********************
A question: Should one raise their
hands when making Qunut?
The right answer is that you should raises your hands and
this is the opinion of the majority of early scholars (may Allah
have mercy upon them). This is proved through ‘Umar Ibn
al-Khattab  as stated and authenticated by Al-Bayhaqi.1 Al-
Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy upon him) said, “A number
of Companions raised their hands while making Qunut. ”2
A question: With what should one start Qunut?

The preponderant opinion – and Allah knows best – is that
he starts praising Allah, glorifying Him, sending peace and
blessings upon Prophet Muhammad , and then he makes
the supplication. This would be the closest to having his
supplication accepted. What proves this is what the hadith
of Fudhalah Ibn ‘Obayd  as he said, “The Prophet  heard
a man making supplication, but he did not send peace and
blessings upon the Prophet . He said, ‘This man was hasty,’
and then he called him. He said to him and others: ‘When
any of you make supplication, let him start by praising Allah,
glorifying Him, sending peace and blessings upon the Prophet
and then let him supplicate for what he wishes.’ ” 3
Ibn al-Qayyem (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “It
is recommended in du’a (supplication) that the person starts
with praising Allah, glorifying Him and asking Him to fulfill
15 Op. cit, p. 18
25 Refer to: As-Sunnan al-Kubra, 2/211
35 At-Tirmidhi no. 3477 and he graded it as authentic.
48
The Timed Sunnan
his request as the hadith of Fudhalah stated. 1

A question: should one wipe
the face after finishing the Qunut?
The correct opinion is that a person should not wipe the
face after the Qunut, as there is no authentic evidence that
supports this action.
Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) was told
about a man who wiped his face after finishing the du’a and he
disapproved it. He said, “I did not find anybody of the early
generations doing that.”2
Furthermore, Al-Maruzi (may Allah have mercy upon
him) said, “As for Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Abu Dawud narrated
to me and said, “I heard that Ahmad did it.” He was asked
about the man who wipes his face after finishing the witr? He
said, “I did not hear anybody doing it, nor Imam Ahmad.”
Besides, Al-Bayhaqi (may Allah have mercy upon him), he
said,
“As for wiping the face after finishing the du’a, I did not
find any of the pious predecessors (Salaf) doing that, although
there might be some narrations that prove that wiping the
face could be done after du’a, but not during prayer.
Yet, there is a weak hadith that some people use to wipe
the face, but not during the prayer. As for wiping the face
during the prayer, there is no authentic hadith or report
that confirms this practice. Hence, the correct view is that it
should not be done and we should therefore stick to what the
pious predecessors (may Allah have mercy upon them) did.
Namely, just raise the hands but not wipe the face.” 3
15 Op. cit, p. 18
25 Refer to: The book of al-witr by Al-Maruzi, p. 236.
35 As-Sunnahn al-Kubra, 2/212
49
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The Timed Sunnan
Sheikh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy upon him) said,

“As for wiping the face, there is only one or two ahadith and
they cannot be used as a decisive evidence.” 1
10- Supplication in the last third of the night.
From among the emphatic Sunnan is to make supplication
at the end of the night. Yet, if a person made du’a in the
Qunut, that would be enough for him. However, if he did not
make du’a in the Qunut, let him make it at that time. It is the
time in which the du’a would be accepted as it is the time in
which Allah, the Almighty, descends (in a manner befitting His
Majesty).
It has been reported in the two sound collections of Bukhari
and Muslim through Abu Hurairah  that the Prophet  said,
“Allah, Our Lord, descends (in a manner befitting His Majesty)
to the nearest heaven to us of this universe during the last third of
the night and says: ‘Is there anyone to call upon Me so that I shall
respond to him (fulfill his prayer). Is there anyone to ask of Me that
I may grant his request. Is there anyone to seek My forgiveness so
that I shall pardon him (and forgive his sins)’.”2
11- It is Sunnah for the Muslim to say,
“ Glory be to the King and the Holy,” when he finishes
his witr thrice. He should raise his voice in the last one. It
was narrated that Ubayy Ibn Ka’b  said: “The Messenger
of Allah  used to recite: “Glorify the Name of your Lord the
Most High.” (Al-A’La: 87) in witr, and in the second rak’ah he
would recite: “Say: O you disbelievers! (Al-Kafiroon: 109),”
and in the third, “Say: He is Allah, (the) One.” (Al-Ikhlas:112).3
And “only said the tasleem at the end.” Besides, in the hadith
15 Al-Fatawa, 22/519
35 An-Nasa’i. 1702.
50
The Timed Sunnan
of ‘Abdul Rahman Ibn Abza  , he (the Prophet ) would say –

meaning after the tasleem: ‘Subhanal-Malikil-Quddus (Glory be
to the sovereign, the Most Holy)’ three times.”1
12- It is recommended for both man and woman
to wake their family members to offer the night prayer
and this kind of co-operation to do goodness. What proves
this is the hadith narrated by ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased
with her), “I used to stretch my legs towards the Qiblah of the
Prophet  while he was praying; whenever he prostrated he
touched me and when he was about to offer witr, he would
wake me up to offer it too.”2
Besides, Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her)
narrated that the Prophet once woke up and said, “Subhan
Allah! How many tribulations have been manifested tonight
and how many treasures have been disclosed! Go and wake
the dwellers of these apartments (i.e. his wives) for prayer.
A well-dressed soul in this world may be naked in the
Hereafter.”3
In the last ten days of Ramadan, any person performing
the night prayer would be greater rewarded. ‘Aishah (may
Allah be pleased with her) narrated, “During the last ten
nights of Ramadan, the Prophet  would tighten his waist
belt and spend the night in worship. He would also wake up
his family.”4
13- It is better for the one who offers the night
prayer to be merciful to him/herself, lest he lose his
humbleness (khushu’):
15 Ahmad no. 15354. An-Nasa’i No.1734
35 Muslim no. 1174
45 Muslim no. 1174
51
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The Timed Sunnan
• If a person feels tired, then they should pray while

sitting. Anas  narrated that, “Once the Prophet
 entered the Mosque and saw a rope hanging in
between its two pillars. He said, ‘What is this rope?’
The people said, ‘This rope is for Zainab who, when
she feels tired, holds it (to help het keep standing for
the prayer).’ The Prophet said, ‘Do not use it. Remove
the rope. You should pray as long as you feel active,
and when you get tired, sit down.’”1
• If a person feels drowsy, they should take a nap as this
will help them regain their energy and then, they can
continue praying. ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with
her) narrated that the Prophet  said,
“If one of you feels drowsy while he is praying, then let
him rest until his sleepiness is gone. Verily, if one of you
is praying while he is drowsy, he does not know if he is
asking for forgiveness or abusing himself.”2
• The same also applies to a person who feels drowsy
while reciting the Qur’an at night. It is the Sunnah
to sleep so when a person rises they will be more
energetic. Abu Hurairah  narrated that Allah’s
Messenger  said,
“ If one of you wakes up at night to recite the Qur’an,
but found it difficult to recite (due to drowsiness) and he/
she cannot not discern their recitation, then it is better for
such a person to sleep. ”3
14- It is Sunnah to make up what was
missed out of the night prayer.
Thus, if it was a persons habit to pray witr three rak’ahs
35 Muslim no. 787
52
The Timed Sunnan
altogether and he was unable to offer it due to illness or sleep,

he may offer them as four rak’ahs in the daytime. If it was his
habit to offer five rak’ahs at night and could not offer them due
to the same reason, he may then offer six rak’ahs in the day
and so on. ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated,
“If the Prophet  felt sleepy or tired and could not offer the
night prayer, he would offer twelve rak’ahs during the day the
following day.” 1
15 Muslim no. 746
53
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Secondly
Fajr Time
Secondly Fajr Time
Secondly,
Fajr Time
T here are numerous actions that form part of the
Sunnah of the Prophet , of which include:
1. To repeat after the Muezzin. It is Sunnah for the one

who hears the adhan to repeat the same words as the
adhan except when the Muezzin says, “Hayy ‘ala as-
Salah, hayy ‘alal al-falah,” a person should say, ‫لا حول‬
‫“ولا قوة إلا بال ل��ه‬lahawla wa la quwata illa billah,” (there
is neither might nor power except in Allah) in its
place in accordance with the following hadith. It was
narrated from ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab  that the Allah’s
Messenger  said:
“If the Muezzin says, ‘Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar (Allah
is most great, Allah is most great),’ and one of you says,
‘Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar (Allah is most great, Allah
is most great)’; Then he says, ‘Ashhadu an lā ilāha ill-
Allah (I bear witness that there is no god except Allah),’
and you say, ‘Ashhadu an lā ilāha ill-Allāh (I bear witness
that there is no god except Allah)’; Then he says, ‘Ashhadu
anna Muhammadan Rasulullah (I bear witness that
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah),’ and you say,
‘Ashhadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah (I bear witness
that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah)’; Then he says,
‘Hayya ‘alal-solāh (Come to prayer),’ and you say, ‘La
hawla wa lā quwwata illa Billāh (There is no power and no
55
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Secondly Fajr Time
strength except with Allah)’; Then he says, ‘Hayya ‘alal-

falāh (come to prosperity),’ and you say, ‘Lā hawla wa lā
quwwata illa Billāh (There is no power and no strength
except with Allah)’; Then he says, ‘Allahu Akbar, Allahu
Akbar (Allah is most great, Allah is most great),’ and you
say, ‘Allāhu Akbar, Allāhu Akbar (Allah is most great,
Allah is most great)’; Then he says, ‘Lā ilāha illallāh (There
is no god but Allah),’ and one of you says, ‘Lā ilāha illallāh
(There is no god but Allah),’ From the heart, he will enter
Paradise.”1
2. Ibn al-Qayyem (may Allah have mercy upon him) said,
“This responds to the great wisdom of the link between
the Muezzin and the one who hears him. Therefore, the
words of the adhan are dhikr, and it is the Sunnah to
repeat them. The words “hayy ‘ala as-Salah” (come to
pray) is the call for the prayer, hence, it is Sunnah for
the one who hears the adhan to say: “There is neither
might nor power except in Allah, asking Allah’s aid to
be able to offer the prayer.2
During the Fajr prayer when the Muezzin says, “As-
salaatul khairun mina an-Nawn,” (prayer is better than
sleep) instead of “hay ‘ala as-Salah.” Sheikh Muhammad
Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy upon him) said, “The
Prophet’s  saying, ‘Say as the Muezzin say,’ indicates
that the one who hears the dawn adhan is allowed to
say that prayer is better than sleep.”3 Ibn Hajar reported
from Ibn Juraij that the latter said, “I reported that
people used to listen to the adhan the same way as they
15 Muslim no. 384

25 Zad al-Ma’ad, 2/391
35 View his fatawa, 2/135
56
Secondly Fajr Time
would listen to the Qur’an.” 1

3. To say the following dhikr after hearing the two
testimonies of the Muezzin (I bear witness that there
is nothing worthy of worship but Allah and that
Muhammad  is Allah’s Messenger). It is Sunnah to
say the following dhikr after the Muezzin’s saying, “I
bear witness that Muhammad  is Allah’s Messenger.”
This is proven by the hadith of Sa’d Ibn abi Waqqas 
(may Allah be pleased with him) as he narrated that the
Prophet  said,
“Whoever says, when he hears the muezzin: ‘Ashhadu
an la ilaha illallah wahdahu la sharika lahu wa anna
Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa Rasuluhu, raditu Billahi
Rabban, wa bil-Islami dinan was bi Muhammadin Rasula
(I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship
except Allah alone, with no partner or associate, and
that Muhammad is the His slave and Messenger; I am
content with Allah as my Lord, Islam as my religion and
Muhammad as my Messenger),’ his sins will be forgiven.”2
4. To send peace and blessings upon Prophet
Muhammad  after the adhan. ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr
(may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Allah’s
Messenger  said,
“Whoever says upon hearing the adhan, Allaahumma
rabba haadhihi da’waatu-t-taamma wa-s-walaatul qaaeema
, aati Muhammad al-waseela wal-fadhwila , wab’athuhu
maqaaman mahmoomadaan allaadhi wa’addtahu (O Allah
Lord of this perfect call and this established prayer, grant
Muhammad the Highest station (al-waseela) and the honor:
15 Refer to: Al-Fath, hadith no. 611, Chapter of what should the person say
when he hears the adhan
25 Muslim no. 386
57
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Secondly Fajr Time
and resurrect him in the praiseworthy position which You

have promised him.” Whoever says this upon hearing the
adhan, then my intercession becomes due to him. ”1
“The best formula to be said is the Abrahamic one which
is, »...‫كما صليت على إبراهيم‬, ‫ل على محمد وعلى آل محمد‬
ِ ّ ‫« اللهم ص‬
‘O Allah! Send Your peace and blessings upon Muhammad
and his family the same as You did to Ibrahim and his
family…’ up to the end.’”
5. To make supplication after the adhan: Jabir  narrated
that the Prophet  said,
“Whoever says the following after hearing the call to prayer
deserves my intercession (shafaà) on the Day of Judgment:
َ ‫آت م ُح ََّمدًا الْوَسِيلَة‬

ِ , ِ ‫ و َالصَّ ل َاة ِ الْق َائِمَة‬, ِ ‫«ال َّله ُ َّم ر ََّب هَذِه ِ ال َّد ْعوَة ِ ال َّتا َّمة‬
» ِ ‫شف َاعَت ِي يَوْمَ الْق ِي َامَة‬

َ ُ ‫َّت لَه‬
ْ ‫حَل‬, ُ ‫ و َابْعَثْه ُ مَق َام ًا مَح ْم ُودًا َّالذِي وَعَدْتَه‬, َ ‫و َالْف َضِ يلَة‬
‘O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and ready prayer!

Grant Muhammad the mediation (waseela) and honor,
and resurrect him on the praised station that you have
promised him.”2 The word waseela here is defined by the
previous hadith narrated by ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr (may
Allah be pleased with him) “Then ask Allah to grant me
the mediation (waseela), for it is a rank in Paradise that
none but a single servant of Allah’s servants deserves, and
I hope that it be me, so whoever asks Allah that he grant me
the mediation shall have my intercession.”3
The word fadilah mentioned in the supplication is a rank
in heaven that is only given to Prophet Muhammad .
15 Muslim no. 384
25 Muslim no. 385
35 Al-Bukhari, 1182
58
Secondly Fajr Time
Sheikh Ibn ‘Uthaimeen (may Allah have mercy upon

him) said,
“The perfect call mentioned in the hadith is the adhan.
It is described as complete because it includes the
Oneness and Greatness of Allah, confession of the two
testimonies and call to goodness. The praiseworthy
position includes all manifestations of the Day of
Judgement, particularity the great intercession granted
to Prophet Muhammad . ” 1
6. To supplicate after the adhan as ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr
(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated, “A man
said to Allah’s Messenger  : ‘O Messenger of Allah!
Muezzins are more privileged than us!’ He replied said,
‘Say as they say and when you finish ask Allah and He will
respond to your request.’” 2
Also, there is the hadith narrated by Anas  where the
Prophet  is reported to have said,
“A supplication made between the Adhan and Iqama is not
rejected.” 3
Leaving the mosque after the adhan
has been pronounced is not permitted.
What proves this is the hadith that Muslim reported. Abu
al-Sha’tha said, we were sitting with Abu Hurairah  in the
mosque. A man went out of the mosque after the adhan for
the afternoon prayer had been called. Abu Hurairah said: “As
in regards to this (man), he had disobeyed Abu al-Qasim, the
Prophet . ”4
15 Refer to: Ah-sharh al-Mumti’ by Sheikh Ibn ‘Uthaimeen, 2/87-88
25 Muslim no. 728
35 At-Tirmidhi no. 415
45 Al-Bukhari no. 1180, Muslim 792
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The Sunnah of Fajr (i.e. offering two rak’ahs that

precede the two obligatory raka’at), includes many
Sunnan:
It is one of the daily Sunnan that the Muslim performs
routinely. It comprises of numerous acts of other Sunnan.
Before presenting them, it is compulsory on me to present the
permanent Sunnan that the Muslim performs on a daily basis
and they are the twelve raka’at.
The hadith of Umm Habibah (may Allah be pleased with
her-) who said,
“I heard the Messenger of Allah  saying, ‘Whoever prays
twelve rak’ahs in a day, Allah , the Mighty and Sublime,
will build for him a house in Paradise.’” 1
In another narration by At-Tirmidhi, he added,
“ Four rak’ahs before Dhuhr and two rak’ahs after Dhuhr,
two rak’ahs before ‘Asr, two rak’ahs after Maghrib and two
rak’ahs before Subh prayer.”2
It would be better to offer the regular Sunnah at home and
what proves this are the following ahadith:
A- Zaid Ibn Thabit  narrated that Allah’s Messenger 
said,
“O people! Perform your (voluntary) Salat (prayers) at
your homes because the best prayer of a man is the one he
performs at home, except for the obligatory prayers.’’3
B- Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased him) narrated that
the Prophet  said,
“Do not turn your homes into graveyards, observe some of
15 Muslim no. 728
25 At-Tirmidhi no. 415.
35 Al-Bukhari no. 7290 , Muslim No. 781
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the Nawafil (voluntary) prayers in your homes.’’1

C- Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah  narrated that Allah’s Messenger
 said,
“If one of you performs prayer at the mosque, let him offer the
additional (voluntary) prayers at home, as Allah will give him
goodness for doing that.”2
Assurance of the daily and Sunnan,

what indicates this are the following ahadith:
A- ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, “I would
not leave the two rak’ahs before Fajr prayer under any
circumstance. ”3
‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the
Prophet  said,
“The two rak’ahs of Fajr are better than the whole word.”4
Imam Muslim also reports through ‘Aishah (may Allah
be pleased with her) that the Prophet  also said that.5
B- Besides, it was reported in the two sahih ahadith that
the Prophet  would neither leave the two rak’ahs
before Fajr nor the witr whether travelling or not. Ibn
Al-Qayyem (may Allah have mercy upon him) said,
“He  would not leave the Sunnah of Fajr whether
travelling or at home. He used to stick to the witr and Fajr
Sunnan more than anything else. He was not reported
to offer any other Sunnan in his travels apart from these
two.” 6

25 Muslim no. 778
45 Muslim no. 725
65 Muslim no. 743
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The Sunnah of Fajr include many things:

Firstly, its legality in travel or residence as we have already
explained. As for the rest of Sunnan, it is better to leave them
in these two cases as the Sunnan of noon, afternoon and sunset
prayers.
Secondly, its reward is better than the whole world as was
stated.
Thirdly, it would be better to perform them quickly. What
proves this is the hadith of ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with
her) as she stated, “The Prophet  used to perform the two
rak’ahs before the Fajr prayer so quickly that I would wonder
whether he recited al- Fatihah or not. ”1
Yet, this performing of the Sunnah quickly should not lead
the person to hasten his prayer to such an extent so that it
would spoil their prayer.
Fourthly, it is Sunnah to recite the chapter of Al-Kafiron
(no. 108)‫ ﮋ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﮊ‬in the first raka’ah after al-Fatihah
and to read the chapter of ‫ ﮋ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﮊ‬Al-Ikhlas (no. 112).
Alternatively, a person can recite the following verse in the
first Raka’ah,
‫ﮋﭣ ﭤ ﭥ ﭦ ﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮ ﭯ‬
‫ﭰﭱﭲﭳﭴﭵﭶﭷ ﭸﭹﭺﭻﭼﭽ‬
‫ﭾﭿﮀﮁ ﮊ‬
“Say (O Muslims), ‘We believe in Allah and that which has
been sent down to us and that which has been sent down
to Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma’il (Ishmael), Ishaque (Isaac),
Ya’qub (Jacob), and to Al-Asbat [the twelve sons of Ya’qub
(Jacob)], and that which has been given to Musa (Moses)
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and ‘Iesa (Jesus), and that which has been given to the
Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between
any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam).’”
(2:136)
In the second raka’ah a person can can recite the

following verse,
‫ﮋﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮ ﭯ ﭰ ﭱ ﭲ ﭳ ﭴ ﭵ ﭶ ﭷ‬
‫ﭸ ﭹ ﭺ ﭻ ﭼ ﭽ ﭾ ﭿ ﮀ ﮁ ﮂﮃ ﮄ ﮅ ﮆ‬
‫ﮇﮈ ﮉ ﮊ‬
“Say (O Muhamma ):“O people of the Scripture (Jews and
Christians): Come to a word that is just between us and
you, that we worship none but Allah, and that we associate
no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others
as lords besides Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: “Bear
witness that we are Muslims.” (3:64)
These are some of the Sunnan that came in different forms
and a Muslim may follow any of which they want to choose.
What supports this is the following:
A- The hadith of Abu Hurairah  that the Prophet  used
to recite chapter no. ‫ ﮋ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﮊ‬108 and chapter
no. ‫ ﮋ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﮊ‬112 in the second raka’ah. 1
B- The hadith of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah
be pleased with him) which mentions that Allah’s
Messenger  would recite the verse:
‫ﮋﭣ ﭤ ﭥ ﭦ ﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﮊ‬
“Say (O Muslims), “We believe in Allah and that which has
been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to
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Ibrahim (Abraham).” (2:136)

In addition to this this, he would read the following verse
in the second raka’ah,
‫ﮋ ﯫ ﯬ ﯭ ﯮ ﯯ ﯰ ﯱ ﯲ ﯳ ﯴ ﯵﯶ ﯷ ﯸ‬
‫ﯹ ﯺ ﯻ ﯼ ﯽ ﯾ ﯿ ﰀﮊ‬
“Then when ‘Iesa (Jesus) came to know of their disbelief,

he said: “Who will be my helpers in Allah’s Cause?” Al-
Hawariun (the disciples) said: “We are the helpers of Allah;
we believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims
(i.e. we submit to Allah).” (3:52)
In Muslim’s narration through Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah
be pleased with him” it says that in the second raka’ah the
following verse is to be recited,
‫ﮋﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮ ﭯ ﭰ ﭱ ﭲ ﮊ‬
“Say (O Muhammad): “O people of the Scripture (Jews
and Christians): Come to a word that is just between us
and you.” (3:64)
Fifthly, it is Sunnah to lie on the right side after
finishing the Fajr prayer according to the following
ahadith:
A- ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that,
“The Prophet  would lie on his right side when he
finished performing the two rak’ahs of Fajr. ”1
B- ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that,
“The Prophet  would talk to me when he would finish
the two rak’ahs of Fajr if he found me awake, if he found
15 Refer to: Ibn Sa’d in his book entitled at-Tabaqat, 5/138
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me asleep, he would lie down.”1

It is advised to perform the salaah while it is still dark, i.e.
to offer it on time. This is the opinion that the majority of
scholars chose and this is supported by the following ahadih:
A- ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated,
“Women would pray Fajr with the Prophet  , and they
would return wrapped in their garments, unknown in
the darkness.”2
B- The hadith of Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah  narrated that the
Prophet  prayed the morning prayer and it was still
dark.3
Going to the mosque

and there are numerous Sunnan to be followed:
Since Fajr prayer is the first prayer of the day, the trip to the
mosque requires various Sunnan including:
1. It is Sunnah to go to the mosque early because of the
hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah  that the Prophet 
said,
“If people were to know the virtues of the Fajr prayer, they
would race one another for it.”4
The pious predecessors (Salaf) were eager to hasten to
the Fajr prayer. Sa’id Ibn al-Musayyeb (may Allah have
mercy upon him) said,
“Since thirty years, the Muazzin did not make adhan,
but I was already seated in the mosque.” 5
He also said,
15 Muslim no. 649
35 Muslim no. 602
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“I did not hear the adhan in my home for nearly thirty

years (i.e. because he used to attend the prayer in the
mosque).” 1
2. That a person should go to the mosque even in the
state of major and minor purity in order to have his
sins erased and good deeds doubled. Abu Hurairah 
reported that Allah’s Messenger said,
“The prayer of a man in congregation is twenty-five times
more superior (in reward) to his prayer in his house or
market - and this is because he performs ablution and
perfects it and goes to the mosque with the sole purpose
of performing the prayer. He does not take a step without
being raised a degree and having one of his sins erased.
When he prays, as long as he does not lose his ablution,
the angels keep on praying [for him] ‘O Allah, bless him.
O Allah, have mercy upon him.’ And he is considered in
prayer as long as he is waiting for the next prayer.” 2
3. To go for prayer in a state of serenity and humbleness.
Abu Hurairah  narrated that the Prophet  said,
“When you hear the Iqamah, walk to the mosque slowly
and humbly and with tranquillity and do not rush or run
to catch the prayer. If you catch it from the beginning that
is fine otherwise, make up the rak’ahs you missed.”3
Imam an-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy upon him)
said,
“The word sakinah (tranquillity) mentioned in the
above hadith means to walk with humbleness, respect,
to avoid idle things, lowering one’s gaze, speaking
15 Muslim no. 713

35 Muslim no. 440
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softly and not looking left and right.” 1

4. Upon leaving home, a man should say that adhakr
attributed to the Prophet . It is reported by Imam
Muslim through Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased
with him) that he said,
“The Muezzin made the adhan and the Prophet  went
out for prayer saying, ‘O Allah, place light in my heart,
light in my tongue, light in my hearing, light in my sight,
light behind me, light in front of me, light on my right,
light on my left, light above me and light below me; place
light in my sinew, in my flesh, in my blood, in my hair and
in my skin; place light in my soul and make light abundant
for me; make me light and grant me light.”2
5. Enter the mosque with the right foot and leave it with
the left foot: Anas  said, “It is from the Sunnah that
you enter the mosque with your right foot and leave
with your left foot.”
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) said the
same thing.3 Al-Bukhari dedicated a chapter in his sahih
collection to ahadith related to this issue and he called
it “The chapter of entering with the right foot in the
mosque and other places.”
‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that,
“The Messenger of Allah  used to like to start things
with the right. He would accept things with his right
hand and give things with his right hand, and he liked
to start with the right in all his affairs.”4 The rule is that
15 Refer to: Ah-sharh Muslim 602,
25 Muslim no. 763
35 Al-Hakim no. 1/338 and he graded it authentic if approved by Imam
Muslim.
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anything that leads to honouring the person, should be

started with the right, otherwise, one should start with
the left.
6. To utter the Sunnah adhkr upon entering and leaving
the mosque: Abu Humaid or Abu Usaid (may Allah
be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of
Allah said,
“If one of you enters the mosque he should say:
‫ك‬ َ َ ‫اللّه ُ َ ّم اف ْت َحْ ل ِي أَ ب ْو‬

َ ِ ‫اب رَحْمَت‬
‘O Allah! Open Your gates of mercy for me,’
and if he leaves the mosque he should say:
‫ك‬ َ ُ ‫اللّه ُ َ ّم ِإن ِ ّي أَ سْ أَ ل‬

َ ِ ‫ك م ِنْ ف َضْ ل‬
‘O Allah! I ask You out of Your favors.”1
7. That he should offer two rak’ahs to greet the mosque:
This is in case if a person comes early to the mosque, it
is Sunnah for him to offer two rak’ahs before sitting. Abu
Qatadah  narrated that Allah’s Messenger  said,
“If anyone of you enters a Mosque, he should not sit until
he has offered a two units of prayer.”2
Offering two rak’ahs would be enough to greet the
mosque and the two Sunnah rak’ahs before Fajr, noon,
or duha (forenoon) prayer would replace the rak’ahs for
greeting the mosque. The same is said about the witr
or even an obligatory prayer because the significance
is that the person should not sit down before offering
some rak’ahs as mosques were built mainly for prayer.
8. It is Sunnah for men to hasten to be in the first row
15 Muslim no. 713.
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as it is the best line, for women the last row is the

best for them: Abu Hurairah  reported that Allah’s
Messenger  said,
“The best of the prayer lines for men are the first rows,
the worst being the final rows. The best of the prayer lines
for women are the final rows and the worst are the first
rows.”1
The best means with regards to having the greatest
reward and the worst means with regards to having the
least reward. This hadith applies in the case when men
and women pray together with no separation. Thus, the
last row would be the best as they are away from men’s
eyes. However, if there was a barrier such as a curtain,
wall, etc. or there is a separate room for women, the
best line here would be the first for women of course
as they are far away from men. There are many ahadith
that indicate the virtues of the first row. Abu Hurairah
 narrated that Allah’s Messenger  said,
“If the people knew the reward for pronouncing the adhan
and for standing in the first row (in the congregational
prayer) and found no other way to get it except by drawing
lots they would do so, and if they knew the reward of
offering the Dhuhr prayer early (in its stated time), they
would race for it and if they knew the reward for ‘Isha’
and Fajr prayers in congregation, they would attend them
even if they had to crawl.”2
Also, the hadith of Jabir Ibn Samurah  that the
Prophet  said,
“Why don’t you draw yourselves up in rows as angels do
15 Muslim no. 440.
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in the presence of their Lord?” We said, “Messenger of

Allah, how do the angels draw themselves up in rows in
the presence of their Lord?” He said, “They make the first
rows complete and keep close together in the row.”1
Imam an-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy upon him)
said,
“The first row is preferred then the next, then the next
and so on. This applies to men’s rows in general and
women who pray separately. However, if women pray
at the same place with men without separation, the
best row for women would be the last because of Abu
Hurairah’s hadith, ‘The best of the prayer lines for men
are the first rows, the worst being the final rows. The
best of the prayer lines for women are the final rows
and the worst are the first rows.’” 2 3
9. It is a Sunnah to be close to the Imam: As we already
mentioned that the best thing is to be in the first line
and then it would be better to be close to the Imam.
Hence, the best one is the nearest to the Imam. What
indicates this is the following hadith of ‘Abudllah Ibn
Mas’ud  as the Prophet  is reported to have said,
“Let those of you who are sedate and prudent be near me.”4
This shows that it is required to be close to the Imam.
Ibn Muflih (may Allah have mercy upon him) in his
book entitled al-Furu’ said, “There is no distinction or
privilege whether the person stands right or next close
to the Imam.” 5
15 Muslim no. 430
25 Muslim no. 440
35 Al-Majmu’, 4/192-193.
45 Muslim no. 505
55 Muslim no. 506
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10. We ask Allah the Almighty to be among those who

would follow the Qur’an and Sunnah, among those
who fight the innovations (in the religion), for indeed
Allah is fully Able to do that. What has been said are the
Sunnan that precede prayer in addition to the Sunnan
of the adhan. Yet, prayer has many Sunnan what I will
show most of it.
• Sunnan of prayer:
Prayer has many Sunnan that the Muslim should eager to
follow. Hence, the more he follows such Sunnan, the more
reward he gets. Allah does not do injustice to anybody. People
could be distinguished by applying such Sunnan. So, two
people might join prayer at the same time and might leave
it at the same time too. However, there is a big discrepancy
between both of them as one of them fulfilled the Sunnan,
pillars, and obligatory parts of the prayer while the other one
fulfilled only the pillars and obligatory parts of prayer.
Therefore, prayer has many Sunnan, among which are
the following:
1. It is Sunnah to take a sutrah (screen) for both the Imam
and the person who is praying alone. The follower of
the Imam however does not need it, as the sutrah of the
Imam is sufficient for those praying behind the Imam.
Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri narrated an elevated hadith
in which the Prophet  said,
“Let the one of you who is in prayer put a sutra in front of
him even if it is an arrow.”1
There are many ahadith that talk about sutrah. The
Prophet  used different forms for the sutrah such as
15 Muslim no. 510
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a bed, wall, wood, trunk, spear, she-goat, mount, and

so on. It is permitted in urban and rural areas and in
travel or residence whether the person fears someone
might pass in front of him or not. This is because the
ahadith did not differentiate between urban or rural
areas. In addition, the Prophet  used to take a sutrah
when travelling or when resident as was reported in
the hadith of Abu Juhaifa. 1
2. It is also Sunnah to be close to the sutra. The distance
between the person and the sutra is as like a place
where a goat could pass. Sahl as-Sa’idi narrated,
“The distance between the Prophet’s praying place and
the wall (i.e. sutra) was like a place where a goat could
pass.”2 Imam Ahmad and Abu Dawud stated that the
distance between the Prophet  and sutrah was three
arms. 3
3. It is Sunnah to prevent anyone from passing in front
of the worshipper: Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported
that Allah’s Messenger  said,
“If any one of you is praying, he should not let anyone
pass in front of him. Let him push him away as much as
he can, and if he insists then let him fight him, for he is
nothing but a devil4”
However, if what passes in front of the worshippers was a
woman, black dog, or a donkey, this must be prevented from
passing as this would invalidate the prayer according to the
hadith of Muslim.
15 Refer to: Al-Mumti’, 3/245
45 Ahmad no. 111473, Abu Dawud no. 776, At-Tirmidhi 243, and An-Na-
sa’i 900
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The hadith is narrated by Imam Muslim in his collection

of sahih hadith.1 Unlike the three types mentioned here, other
things do not invalidate prayer if they pass in front of the
worshipper.
Ibn ‘Uthaimeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“It is possible to say that there should be a difference
between that which invalidates the prayer and what does not
if it passes in front of the praying person. Hence, that which
is known to invalidate the prayer should be prevented from
passing in front of the worshipper. Yet, that which does not
invalidate prayer can be tolerated as this only decreases the
reward of prayer but does not invalidate it completely.”2
The mentioning of women alongside with a black dog
(and Allah knows best) has no bearing at all and it does not
undermine the woman. Yet, every case has its justification.
Namely, the woman might seduce the man and therefore
cause him to lose his concentration. For the other two types,
it is because of impurity and because a black dog - as is
mentioned in a hadith states - is a devil.3 There are also other
reasons that were mentioned in this regards, and is a kind
of wisdom that is perhaps hidden to the worshippers and as
slaves, we therefore, have to submit.
4- It is Sunnah to use siwak (tooth-pick) before every
prayer: This is the third occasion where we assure the use
of siwak. What supports this is the following hadith. Abu
Hurairah  narrated that the Prophet  said,
15 Muslim no. 391

25 Refer to : Al-Ifsah, 1/124. Muslim no. 399. Muslim no. 600
35 Abu Dawud no. 7555, An-Nasa’i no. 888 and it was authenticated by
Imam al-Albani.
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“If I had not found it hard for my followers, I would have

ordered them to clean their teeth with the ‘siwak’ before
every prayer.”1
While standing for prayer,
the following Sunnan are to be followed:
1. Raising one’s hands while making takbirat al-Ihram
(i.e. saying Allahu Akbar at the beginning of the prayer)
for the following: Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased
with him) narrated the following hadith, “When the
Prophet  stood to pray, he would raise his hands until
they were the same height as his shoulders and then
he would make the takbir. When he wanted to bow, he
would again raise his hands in a similar fashion. When
he raised his head from the bowing, he did the same
and said, ‘Allah hears him who praises Him’’2
In his book entitled al-Ifsah, Ibn Haibarah (may Allah
have mercy on him) stated,
“Scholars unanimously agreed that raising hands is
a Sunnah and not obligatory.”3 This is the first place
in which we raise our hands when we make takbir.
Scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) in general
agreed on this point, but they disagreed over it in other
places. There are three places in which the hands are to
be raised: when making takbirat al-Ihram, when bowing
down, and when standing after bowing down. These are
the three places in which hands are to be raised and they
proven in the hadith narrated by Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah
be pleased with them) as we have already illustrated.
35 Refer to: Al-Ifsah, 1/123
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The fourth place is when standing up after making

the middle tasleem. This is also supported by the hadtih
narrated by Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them)
as reported in Al-Bukhari’s collection of sahih hadith.
2. It is Sunnah to make the fingers stand pointing
upward: Abu Hurairah  narrated, “The Prophet
used to make his fingers stand pointing upward when
starting his praying.”1
3. It is Sunnah to raise the hands according to the
Sunnah: Texts have proven that there are two ways of
raising the hands and both of them are Sunnah. In the
hadith of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)
reported by Imam Muslim, it is stated that the Prophet
 raised his hands up to his shoulders.2 In another
narration reported by Muslim through Malik Ibn al-
Huwarith , the Prophet  is reported to have raised
his hands up to his ears.3 Therefore, the person has the
choice to do it any of the two ways, but it is better to do
it both ways occasionally.
4. It is Sunnah to put the right hand over the left
hand after making takbiarat al-Ihram: Scholars
unanimously agree on this as reported by Ibn Hubairah
(may Allah have mercy on them all.) 4
5. It is Sunnah to hold the left hand with the right hand:
As for the practice of placing the right hand on the top
of the left hand, there are two different ways and it is
recommended to implement both ways occasionally.
15 An-Nasa’i no. 906, and Ibn Khuzaimah no. 1/251
and he also authenticated it.
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The first way is it to place the right hand over the top of
the left hand because of the hadith reported by Wael Ibn
Hujr  who said, “The Prophet was seen placing his
right hand on the top of his left hand while standing
for prayer.”1
The second way is to place the right hand over the
left arm which is based on the hadith of Sahl Ibn Sa’d
 who narrated, “People were ordered to place their
right hands over their left arms while praying.” Thus,
the worshipper could place it on his left hand on one
occasion and on his left arm on another just to be
diverse in applying the Sunnah.
6. It is Sunnah to start the prayer saying the opening
supplication: This supplication has numerous formulae
and it is recommended to vary in using them. Hence,
on one occasion the worshipper could use a certain
formula and use another formula in a different prayer.
The following are some of the Sunnah supplications:
َ ُ ‫ تَبَارَك َ اسْم‬, َ ‫ك الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم و َب ِحَمْدِك‬
A- »َ ‫ وَلا َ ِإله َ غَي ْرُك‬, َ ‫ك وَتَع َالَى ج َ ّد ُك‬ َ َ ‫سب ْح َان‬
ُ «
“Glory be to you, O Allah, and all praises are due unto
you, and blessed is your name and high is your majesty
and none is worthy of worship but you.” Narrated by
Abu Sa’id  .2 Imam Muslim reported that ‘Umar Ibn
al-Khattab  used to say it loudly in order to teach it
to the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them
all). 3
B- “Praise be to Allah, a great praise that our Lord blesses.”

About its virtues Allah’s Messenger  said,
25 Muslim no. 487
35 Muslim no. 771
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“I saw 12 angels racing to write the reward of this phrase.”1

Narrated by Anas Ibn Malik .
C- , ‫ِب‬
ِ ‫ق وَال ْمَغْر‬
ِ ِ ‫َاي كَمَا ب َاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ ال ْمَشْر‬ َ َ‫« الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم ب َاع ِ ْد بَيْنِي و َبَيْن‬
َ ‫خطَاي‬
‫ الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم‬, ‫س‬
ِ َ ‫ن الد َّن‬
َ ِ ‫ْب الأَ ب ْي َُض م‬
ُ ‫َاي كَمَا يُنَقَّى الث ّ َو‬ َ ْ‫الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم ن َ ِّقنِي م ِن‬
َ ‫خطَاي‬
»ِ‫َاي ب ِالث ّ َل ِْج وَال ْمَاء ِ وَال ْبَرَد‬
َ ‫خطَاي‬
َ ْ‫ا ْغسِلْنِي م ِن‬
“O Allah, distance me from my sins just as You have
distanced the East from the West, O Allah, purify me
of my sins as a white robe is purified of dirt, O Allah,
cleanse me of my sins with snow, water, and ice.” 2
D- ً ‫سب ْح َانَ اللّه ِ بُك ْرَة ً وَأَ صِيلا‬

ُ َ ‫ و‬, ً ‫ وَا ْلحم َْد ُ للّه ِ كَث ِيرا‬, ً ‫اللّه ُ أَ كْ ب َر ُ كَب ِيرا‬
“Allah is the Greatest, very great. Praise be to Allah,
again and again. Glorified is Allah the Almighty.”
Regarding the virtues of this phrase, Allah’s Messenger
 said,
“I was astonished about its benefit! The gates of heavens
were opened for it.”3
Narrated by Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with
him). There are also some other supplications that we
have already mentioned when discussing the Sunnan
of the night prayer.
7. Isti’adhah (seeking Allah’s refuge): It is from the

Sunnah and also recommended to implement different
formulae from time to time. Among the formulae is the
following:
A- “I seek refuge with Allah against the cursed devil.”
15 Muslim no. 600
35 Muslim no. 601
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This is the formula that most scholars (may Allah have

mercy on them) chose and Allah, the Almighty, said
the following about it,
‫ﮋﮝ ﮞ ﮟ ﮠ ﮡ ﮢ ﮣ ﮤ ﮊ‬
“So when you want to recite the Qur’an, seek refuge with
Allah from Shaitan (Satan), the outcast (the cursed one).”
(16:98)
B- ‫أعوذ بال ل��ه من الشيطان الرجيم‬
“I seek refuge with Allah, the All-Hearer, the All-

Knower, against the cursed devil,” and Allah, the
Almighty says the following about it,
‫ﮋﮩ ﮪ ﮫ ﮬ ﮭ ﮮ ﮯﮰ ﮱ ﯓ ﯔ ﯕﮊ‬
“And if an evil whisper from Shaitan (Satan) tries to
turn you away (O Muhammad) (from doing good, etc.),
then seek refuge in Allah. Verily, He is the All-Hearer,
the All-Knower.” (41:36)
8. Basmalah (i.e. to say, ‫ِيم‬ َ ‫ن‬

ِ ‫الر ّح‬ َ ِ ‫“ ب ِس ْ ِم الل ّ َه‬In the Name of
ِ ‫الر ّحْم‬
Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.”): It is
Sunnah to say it after seeking Allah’s refuge and one
should say, “In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent,
the Most Merciful.” Nu’aim al-Mujmir  narrated, “I
prayed behind Abu Hurairah and he recited: ‘In the
Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful,’
then he recited Umm Al-Qur’an (Al- Fatihah), and
when he reached: ‘not (the way) of those who earned
Your anger, nor of those who went astray,’ he said:
‘Ameen’ and the people said ‘Ameen.’ And every time he
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prostrated he said, ‘Allahu Akbar’ and when he stood

up from sitting after two rak’ahs he said: ‘Allahu Akbar.’
And after he had said the Salam he said: ‘By the One
in Whose Hand is my soul! My prayer most closely
remembers the prayer of the Messenger of Allah.’”1
What this shows is that it is not obligatory as when
the Prophet  taught the man who was making some
mistakes in his prayer and as is narrated by Abu
Hurairah . 2
9. To say “Ameen” when the Imam finishes reciting Al-

Fatihah: It is Sunnah to say it when the Imam finishes
Al-Fatihah in the loud prayers. Abu Hurairah t narrated
“Say Ameen when the Imam says it and if your Ameen
coincides with that of the angels, then all the past sins will
be forgiven.”3
The meaning of this word is: O Allah! Respond to our
supplication.
10. Reciting a chapter after al Fatihah: Reading it is Sunnah
in the first two rak’ahs as agreed by the majority of
scholars (may Allah have mercy on them all). Abu
Qatadah narrated, “The Messenger of Allah  led us
in prayer and recited Surat al-Fatihah in the first two
rak’ahs of the noon and afternoon prayers and then
prayed two other chapters. Sometimes he would recite
the verses loud enough for us to hear them and would
prolong the first rak’ah more than the second. He did
15 Ahmad no. 17081, Abu Dawud no. 863, and An-Nasa’i, 1038
25 Has already been authenticated
35 Muslim no. 498
79
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the same in the morning prayer.”1 Moreover, there is

the saying of Allah’s Messenger ,
“There is no (valid) prayer for the person who does not
recite Surat-al Fatihah.”2 It can be concluded from this
hadith, that it is valid just to recite Al-Fatihah with no
other surah thereafter. As for the follower of the Imam, he
does not need to read the second Surah after Al-Fatihah
in the loud prayers, he just listens to the recitation of the
Imam. Ibn Qudamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“There is no disagreement among the scholars with regards
to reciting a chapter after Al-Fatihah in the first and second
rak’ahs in every prayer.” 3
• While bowing down, the following Sunnan are

to be observed:
1. It is Sunnah to place the palms on the knees and
spread the fingers: Abu Humaid as-Sa’idi  narrated,
“I am the most knowledgeable of you about the
prayer of the Messenger of Allah . The Messenger of
Allah  stood up and said, ‘Allahu Akbar,’ and raised
his hands, then he raised them when he said ‘Allahu
Akbar’ for ruku,’ then he stood up and raised his hands
and stood straight until every bone had returned to
its place.”4 Furthermore, ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud 
reported, “Allah’s Messenger  placed his hands on his
knees while bowing as though he was clutching them,
bending his arms like a bow and arrow and keeping
them away from his ribs.”
15 Has already been authenticated
25 Refer to : Al-Majmu’, 3/410
35 Al-Mughni, 1/568
45 Muslim no. 479. .
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2. When you bow down, it is Sunnah to keep the back

straight in line with the front: This should be done as
the above-mentioned hadith of Abu Humaid  “And
stood straight until every bone had returned to its
place.”1 Namely, he would bend his back in a right
angle and not taking the shape of an arch. In addition,
his head should be parallel to his back, namely, it
should not be higher or lower as ‘Aishah (may Allah
be pleased with her) narrated in the following hadith
reported by Muslim, “When the Prophet  made ruku’, he
would neither raise his head nor lower it, but keep a position
between both.”2
3. It is Sunnah to keep the arms away from the sides
when bowing down: What proves this is the hadith
of ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud  who reported, “Then he
bowed down, put his hands on his knees, and spread his
fingers. I saw the Prophet praying like this.”3 However,
this is on condition that the worshipper should not
harm those who stand beside him/her. Imam an-
Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“I know that scholars agreed that it is recommended
and I did not see anyone who opposed this opinion.
Imam at-Tirmidhi also said that it is recommended in
bowing down and prostration and that it is the opinion
of the scholars in general.”4
4. It is Sunnah to follow the adhkar that should be said
in ruku.’. Therefore, after saying, “Glory to my Lord
the Exalted,” some other adhakr could be said and this
25 Al-Bukhari, 795
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would include:
A- “O my Lord Glory to you with your praise. O God

forgive me,” because of the hadith of ‘Aishah (may
Allah be pleased with her).1
B- “Glory to the Living who does not die, All-Perfect, All-

Pure, the Lord of the angels and the Spirit.”2
C- “O Allah, it is for You that I bowed. I affirm my faith

in You and I submit to You, and submit humbly before
You, my hearing, my eyesight, my marrow, my bone
and my sinew.”3
D- “Glory be to the One who has the full Might, all of the
Kingdom, the Pride and Greatness.” 4
Thus, it is Sunnah to say as much as possible of these

various adhkar during ruku.’ Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be
pleased with him) narrated that Allah’s Messenger
 said, “As for ruku,’ glorify the Lord (Exalted be
He).”5 Yet, the best thing is to stick to all of the adhkar
that the Sunnah has come with, namely, that which
we have already referred to.
• Raising form ruku’ and it has various Sunnan:

1. Prolonging this pillar: Thabit al-Banai narrated
through Anas  that he said, “I shall lead you in prayer
in a way that resembles the Prophet’s.” Thabit al-Banani
25 Muslim no. 477
35 Muslim no. 600, Al-Bukhari no. 799
45 Reported by Ahmad no. 23411, Abu Dawud no. 873, and An-Nasa’i no.
1050
55 Muslim no. 479
82
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said, “Anas was doing something that you do not do.

When he would rise from ruku,’ he would stay for a
while to the extent that someone might say he forgot. If
he raised his head after finishing prostration, he would
stay also for a while to the extent that someone might
say he forgot.”1
2. To have diverse formulae of the phrase, “O Lord,
praise is due to You” and this would include:
َ َ ‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم ر َ َب ّنَا وَل‬
A- » ُ ‫ك ا ْلحم َْد‬ َ «
“ O Allah our Lord! Praise is due to you.” Reported by

Al-Bukhari through the hadith of Abu Hurairah .2
َ َ ‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم ر َ َب ّنَا ل‬
B- »ُ ‫ك ا ْلحم َْد‬ َ «
“O Allah our Lord! Praise is due to You.” An agreed upon

hadith through Abu Hurairah . 3
C- َ َ ‫« ر َ َب ّنَا وَل‬
» ُ ‫ك ا ْلحم َْد‬
“O Our Lord! And praise is due to You.” An agreed upon

hadith narrated through ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with
her). 4
َ َ ‫ « ر َ َب ّنَا وَل‬
D- » ُ ‫ك ا ْلحم َْد‬
“O Our Lord! Praise is due to You.” Reported by Al-Bukhari

through Abu Hurairah .5 Thus, he can use any of the
15 Al-Bukhari no. 821 ,Muslim no. 472
55 Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaibah, 1/236.
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above-mentioned formulae.
1. It is Sunnah to mention the following adhkar after
rising from bowing down:
A- ٍ ‫ وَم ِلْ ء ُ م َا شِئ ْتَ م ِنْ شَيْء‬, ‫ض‬ ِ ‫ات وَالأَ ْر‬ ِ َ ‫سَم َاو‬
ّ ‫ م ِلْ ء ُ ال‬, ُ ‫ك ا ْلحم َْد‬َ َ ‫« ر َ َب ّنَا ل‬
َ ‫ الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم لا‬, ٌ‫ك عَبْد‬
َ َ ‫ وَك ُل ّ ُنَا ل‬, ُ ‫ل ال ْعَبْد‬
َ ‫ق م َا قَا‬ َ َ‫ أ‬, ِ‫ل الث َّنَاء ِ وَال ْمَجْد‬
ُّ ‫ح‬ ُ ْ ‫ أَ ه‬, ُ ‫بَعْد‬
َ ْ ‫ وَلا َ يَنْف َ ُع ذ َا الْج َ ّدِ مِن‬، َ‫ي لم َِا م َنَعْت‬
»ُّ‫ك الْجَد‬ َ ِ ‫ وَلا َ مُعْط‬، َ‫م َان ِ َع لم َِا أَ ْعطَي ْت‬
“O Allah! our Lord, to You be the praise that would fill
all the heavens and the earth, and all that it pleases You
besides (them). O Possessor of praise and majesty, [the
truest thing a servant has said (of You)], [and we are all
Your Servants]. [O Allah, none can prevent what You
have willed to bestow]. And nobody can give what You
hold back. Hard efforts by anyone for anything cannot
benefit one against Your Will.” 1 The hadith is reported
by Muslim through Abu Sa’id al-Khudri .
B- « ِ ‫»ّ ا ْلحم َْد ُ للّه ِ حَم ْدا ً كَث ِيرا ً طَي ِّبا ً م ُبَارَكا ً ف ِيه‬
“Praise be to Allah, much praised and blessed.” When
the Messenger of Allah  finished the prayer he said:
“Who amongst you uttered these words?” The people
remained silent. He (the Prophet  again said): “Who
amongst you uttered these words? He said nothing
wrong.” Then a man said: “I came and had some
difficulty in breathing, so I uttered them.” He replied:
“I saw twelve angels racing one another as to who will
take them up (to Allah).2” The hadith is reported by
Muslim through Anas  and was also reported by Al-
Bukhari through Rifa’ah Ibn Rafi’ .

25 Muslim no. 487.
84
Secondly Fajr Time
C- « ‫وب‬ َ ِ ‫ الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم َطهّ ِرْنِي م‬, ِ‫الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم َطهّ ِرْنِي ب ِالث ّ َل ِْج وَال ْبَرَدِ وَال ْمَاء ِ ال ْبَارِد‬
ِ ُ ‫ن الذ ُّن‬
‫ن ال ْو َسَ ِ خ‬
َ ِ ‫ْب الأَ ب ْي َُض م‬
ُ ‫ّ» وَالْخَطَاي َا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الث ّ َو‬
“O Allah! Wash my sins from me with snow, water and
hail. O Allah! Cleanse me of my sins in the manner that
a white garment (is cleansed) from dirt. “1 This addition
was reported by Muslim in the hadith of ‘Abdullah Ibn
abi Awfa . Hence, if a Muslim makes these adhkar, he/
she can prolong these pillars.
• Prostration has many Sunnan:

1. It is Sunnah for the worshipper to keep a distance
between his/her arms and side and between his/her
thighs and belly (when prostrating). ‘Abdullah Ibn
Bahina  narrated, “When the Prophet  prostrated,
he used to keep his arms so wide apart that we used
to see his armpits.”2 Besides, Maimoonah (may Allah
be pleased with her) narrated, “When the Prophet 
prostrated he would make a space between his arms
and sides to such an extent that it would allow a sheep
to go through.”3 Of course this is just an exaggeration,
but it indicates that it is Sunnah to keep the arms away
from each other. However, this should not cause any
harm to those praying next to one another. It is also
Sunnah to keep the thighs away from one another when
prostrating. Abu Humaid as-Sa’id narrated, “I am
the one who is more knowledgeable of the Prophet’s 
prayer than any one of you. After finishing his recital,
he raised his hands until they were level with his ears,
said the takbir and from there, performed the ruku.’
15 Muslim no. 771.
25 Al-Bukhari no. 390, Muslim no.495
85
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He placed his palms on his knees and posed his back

straight, neither raising his head nor lowering it.”1 Ash-
Shawkani (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “The
hadith indicates that it is permissible to make a space
between the thighs during prostration and keep them a
distance away from the belly, and scholars have agreed
on that point. ”2
2. It is Sunnah for the one who prostates to ensure
his toes face towards the Qiblah: Abu Humaid
reported, “I am the one who is most knowledgeable of
the Prophet’s  prayer. When he wanted to prostrate,
he would place his hands on the ground neither
stretching them nor grasping them and he would make
his toes face towards the Qiblah.”3As for the fingers, it
is Sunnah to keep them tightened during prostration
and the hands should face towards the Qiblah as well.
Imam Malik4 in his book entitled Muwatta’ and Ibn
abi Shaybah in his Musannaf through Hafs Ibn ‘Asim
reported through ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be
pleased with them) that he said, “It is Sunnah to close
the fingers and place the hands on the ground and
make them face towards the Qiblah.” 5
3. It is Sunnah to say the adhkar that should be uttered
in prostration: Hence, beside saying, “Glory to my
Lord the greatest,” he can say the following:
A- ‫ الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم ا ْغفِر ْ ل ِي‬،َ ‫ك الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم ر َ َب ّنَا و َب ِحَمْدِك‬

َ َ ‫سب ْح َان‬
ُ
15 Abu Dawud no. 735

25 Nayl al-Awtar, 2/257
35 Al-Bukhari no 828
45 Refer to: Muwatta Malik
55 Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaibah, 1/236.
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“Glory and praise be to You, O Allah! Forgive me, ”1

which is taken from the hadith of ‘Aishah (may Allah
be pleased with her).
ِ ّ ‫الر‬
ُ َ ‫ب ال ْمَلائ َِكَة ِ و‬
B- ‫وح‬ ٌ ‫وح ق ُ ّد‬
ّ ُ َ ‫وس ر‬ ٌ ّ ‫س ُُب‬
“Glory to the Living who does not die, All-Perfect, All-
Pure, the Lord of the angels and the Spirit”2 which is
taken from the hadith of ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased
with her).
C- ُ ‫ سَ جَد َ وَجْ ه ِي لِل ّ َذ ِي خ َلَق َه‬، ُ‫ك أَ سْ لَم ْت‬ َ َ ‫الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم ل‬

َ ِ ‫ و َب‬، ُ‫ك سَ جَدْت‬
َ َ ‫ وَل‬، ُ‫ك آمَن ْت‬
ُ َ‫ تَبَارَك َ ال ل��ه أَ حْ س‬،ُ‫ وَش ََقّ سَم ْع َه ُ و َبَصَر َه‬،ُ‫ص َو ّرَه‬
َ‫ن الْخَالِق ِين‬ َ َ‫و‬
“O Allah! To You I prostrated, in You I believe, and

to You I submit. I prostrate my face to the One Who
created it, and gave it hearing and sight by His Might
and His Power. Glory is to Allah, the Best of creators,”3
which is taken from the hadith of ‘Ali  .
D- ُ ‫ وَعَلان َِيَت َه ُ وَس ِ َر ّه‬،ُ‫خر َه‬

ِ ‫ وَأَ َ ّولَه ُ وَآ‬، ُ ‫الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم ا ْغفِر ْ ل ِي ذ َنْبِي كُل َّه ُ دِق َّه ُ وَجِل ّ َه‬
“O Allah! Forgive me for all that I’ve done, forgive my

sins -the big and small, the ones done in public, and
secret, please forgive them all,”4 which is taken from
the hadith of Abu Hurairah .
E- ‫ك‬
َ ِ ‫ وَأَ ع ُوذ ُ ب‬, ‫ك‬
َ ِ ‫ك م ِنْ عُق ُوبَت‬ َ ِ ‫الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم أَ ع ُوذ ُ بِرِضَاك َ م ِنْ سَ خَط‬
َ ِ ‫ و َبِمُع َافَات‬, ‫ك‬
‫ك‬
َ ‫س‬ َ ْ ‫ لا َ ُأحْ ص ِي ثَنَاء ً عَلَي‬, ‫ك‬
ِ ‫ أَ ن ْتَ كَمَا أَ ث ْنَي ْتَ عَلَى ن َ ْف‬, ‫ك‬ َ ْ ‫مِن‬
25 Muslim no.487
35 Muslim no. 771
45 Muslim no. 483
87
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“O Allah! We seek Your pleasure to guard us against

Your anger, and Your mercy to guard us against Your
punishment. However much we try to praise You,
we cannot praise You as much as You have praised
Yourself,”1 which is reported through the hadith
of ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), hence
it is recommended to use each of these formulae
occasionally. It is known that the obligatory formula in
the position of bowing down is, “Glory be to my Lord,
the Great.” To say it only once is obligatory. Additional
utterances are Sunnah and the same should be said for
the phrase “Glory be to my Lord, the Highest,” when
we make prostration.
4. It is Sunnah to increase in supplications while making
prostrations as in the hadith reported by Muslim and
narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with
them), the Prophet  said,
“Increase your du’as when you prostrate as this is when it
is more likely to be answered.”2
• It is also an act of Sunnah to sit
between the two prostrations:
1. It is Sunnah to position the left leg to sit on it and
erect the right one. This is supported by a sahih
(trusted) hadith of Abu Humaid as-Sa’idi which
states, “When he (the Prophet ) sits between the two
prostrations, he sits on his left leg and erects the right
one. ”3
2. Prolonging this pillar because of the hadith of Thabib
15 Muslim no. 486
25 Muslim no. 479
88
Secondly Fajr Time
al-Banani that we have already mentioned.

3. It is Sunnah for the worshipper to sit for a while
before he rises up for the second, third or fourth
rak’ah: Which is called the rest between sittings and it
has no specific dhikr. The legality of this has been proven
in three different ahadith. One of them is that which was
narrated by Malik Ibn al-Huwairith  where he said,
“I saw the Prophet  praying and in the odd rak’ah, he
used to sit for a moment before getting up. ”1
He is the same narrator who reported to us the
Prophet’s saying, “Pray as you have seen me praying.”2
Scholars differed whether this short resting is Sunnah
or not. Yet, the correct view is that it is Sunnah due to
the hadith of Malik . Among the scholars who said
that it is Sunnan are: An-Nawawi, ash-Shawkani, Ibn
Baaz and Al-Albaani (may Allah have mercy on them
all). In addition, the permanent committee for Iftaa
(may Allah prolong their lives) said that it is Sunnah.
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“This is the right opinion as it has been proved by an
authentic hadith. ”3
• Among the Sunnan in tashahhud (i.e. a specific
formula that should be recited after the Sajdah
in the 2nd raka’ah for all prayers except for Fajr,
as it is only two rak’ahs):
1. It is Sunnah to sit on the left thigh, with the left leg
under the right, while keeping the right foot upright:
35 Al-Majmoo no. 441/3
89
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Secondly Fajr Time
This should be done after finishing the second raka’ah

whether in a two, three or four rak’ahs prayer. This
must be followed in the second raka’ah of each prayer.
Abu Humaid as-Sa’idi narrated in a sahih (trusted)
hadith, “And when he sat, he would sit on the left leg
and erect the right one.”1 In addition, there is the hadith
of ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that says,
“He used to say tashahhud after every two rak’ahs and
used to sit on his left leg and erect the right one.”2 As
for the tashahuud in the two, three, four rak’ahs prayer,
this will be presented later on.
2. It is Sunnah to vary the position of the hands during
tashahhud and here are two positions: Firstly, that the
two hands should be placed on the thighs. Secondly,
that the left hand should be put on the left leg and the
right hand used for pointing with the index finger.
However, this will be discussed in detail later further
on. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them)
narrated, “When the Messenger of Allah  sat for
tashahhud he placed his left hand on his left knee and
his right hand on his right knee and pointed his right
finger (index), which is next to the thumb, making
supplication this way, and stretched his left hand on
his left knee.”3 In another narration it says, “He placed
his left hand on his left knee and placed his right hand
on his right knee.”4
3. It is Sunnah to vary the position of fingers during the
tashahhud: The worshipper should tighten the fingers
15 Its reference has been mentioned.see footnote 3.
25 Muslim no. 498.
35 Muslim no. 580
45 Muslim no. 579
90
Secondly Fajr Time
of the right hand and use the index for pointing and the
left hand should be left loose as Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah
be pleased with him) narrated, “When the Messenger
of Allah  sat for tashahhud, he placed his left hand
on his left knee and placed his right hand on his right
knee, and pointed with his finger of attestation.”1
4. It is Sunnah to use both of the formulae of tashahhud:
thus, he would use this formula here and another
formula there. Among these formulae are the following:
A- ُ ‫الن ّب ِ ُيّ وَرَحْم َة‬

َ ‫ك أَ ُ ّيهَا‬ ّ َ ‫ ال‬, ُ‫طي ِّبَات‬
َ ْ ‫سلَام ُ عَلَي‬ َ َ ‫ و‬, ِ ‫الت ّح َِي ّاتُ ل َِل ّه‬
ّ َ ‫ وَال‬, ُ‫الصّ لَوَات‬ َ
َ ِ ‫الل ّه‬
‫ أَ شْهَد ُ أَ ْن ل َا ِإلَه َ ِإ َلّا‬, َ‫الصّ الِ �حِين‬ ّ َ ‫ ال‬, ُ ‫الل ّه ِ و َب َرَك َاتُه‬
َ ِ‫سلَام ُ عَلَي ْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَاد‬ َ
ّ َ َ‫ وَأَ شْهَد ُ أ‬, ُ ‫الل ّه‬
ُ ‫ن مُحَم ّدًا عَبْد ُه ُ وَرَسُولُه‬ َ
“All of the compliments, prayers and good things are
due to Allah, peace be upon you, O Prophet and Allah’s
mercy and blessings be upon you. Peace on us and on
the true pious slaves of Allah. I testify that none has the
right to be worshipped but Allah and I also testify that
Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. ”2
َ ‫ك أَ ُ ّيهَا‬
B- ّ‫الن ّبِي‬ ّ َ ‫ ال‬, ِ ‫طي ِّبَاتُ ل َِل ّه‬
َ ْ ‫سلاَم ُ عَلَي‬ ّ َ ‫الصّ لَوَاتُ ال‬
َ , ُ‫الت ّح َِي ّاتُ ال ْمُبَارَك َات‬
َ
“All the blessed compliments and sincere prayers

are due to Allah, peace be on you, O Prophet,”3 then
he would complete until the end as illustrated in the
above formula.
C- ..ّ‫الن ّب ِ ُي‬
َ ‫ك أ ُ ّيهَا‬ ّ َ ‫ ال‬, ‫الصّ لَوَاتُ ل ل��ه‬
َ ْ ‫سلاَم ُ عَلَي‬ َ ُ‫الت ّح َِي ّاتُ الطَّي ِّبَات‬
َ
15 Muslim no. 850

25 Al-Bukhari no. 1202, Muslim no 402 through the hadith of ‘Abdullah Ibn
Mad’ud 
35 Al-Bukhari no. 403 through the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas 
91
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Secondly Fajr Time
“All sincere compliments and prayers are due to

Allah, peace be on you, O Prophet,” 1 then he would
complete until the end as illustrated in section A
above. This indicates that the worshipper should move
between such formulae, as is the rule with the rest of
Sunnan. Namely, the worshipper should use both of
the different formulae and positions of the Sunnah.
5. The worshipper should lean his body weight on the

left thigh in the last tashahhud with regards to two or
three rak’ahs prayers: In other words, the worshipper
should sit on his left buttock. This way of sitting has
come in different shapes and sizes and it is better to
change between such shapes. Among such shapes are
the following:
1- To slacken the left leg, erect the right one, and let the
buttocks to rest on the ground. This is the description
that Al-Bukhari reported through Abu Humaid as-
Sa’idi .2
2- To relax both legs in a sitting position and let the
buttocks rest on the ground. This is the description
reported by Abu Dawud, Ibn Hibban, al-Bayhaqi
through the hadith of Abu Humaid as-Sa’idi
and was corrected by Imam Al-Albaani (may
Allah have mercy upon him).3 It should be known
– according to the preponderant opinion - that
these positions are not in every last tashahhud, yet,
it is the last tashahhud in the three and four rak’ahs
15 Muslim no. 404 through the hadith of Abu Musa al-Ash’ari 
35 Reported by Ahmad no. 24215
92
Secondly Fajr Time
prayer, but not the one that has two rak’ahs.

6- To use different formulae in sending peace and
blessings upon Prophet Muhammad  in tashahhud:
In this regards, there are many formulas that show
the way to send peace and blessings upon Prophet
Muhammad . Yet, he should move among these
formulas. These adhkar would include the following:
ِ ‫ وَعَلَى آ‬, َ ‫كَمَا ص ََل ّي ْتَ عَلَى ِإ ب ْر َاه ِيم‬, ‫ل مُحَم ّ ٍد‬
A- ‫ل‬ ِ ‫ وَعَلَى آ‬, ‫ل عَلَى مُحَم ّ ٍد‬ َ ‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم‬
ِّ ‫ص‬ َ
َ‫كَمَا ب َارَكْ ت‬, ٍ‫ل مُحَم ّد‬ ْ ِ‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم ب َار‬

ِ ‫ وَعَلَى آ‬, ‫ك عَلَى مُحَم ّ ٍد‬ َ , ٌ‫مج ِيد‬ َ ّ ‫ِإ ب ْر َاه ِيم َ ِإ َن‬
َ ٌ‫ك حَم ِيد‬
‫مج ِيد‬ َ ّ ‫ل ِإ ب ْر َاه ِيم َ ِإ َن‬

َ ٌ‫ك حَم ِيد‬ ِ ‫وَعَلَى آ‬, َ ‫عَلَى ِإ ب ْر َاه ِيم‬
“O Allah! Send prayers on Muhammad, and on his
household, and on his wives and progeny, as you
sent prayers on the family of Ibrahim; You are indeed
Worthy of Praise, Full of Glory. And send blessings on
Muhammad, and his household, and his wives and
progeny, as you sent blessings on the family of Ibrahim;
You are indeed Worthy of Praise, Full of Glory.”1
B- ‫ك‬
ْ ِ‫ و َب َار‬, َ ‫ل ِإ ب ْر َاه ِيم‬
ِ ‫ل مُحَم ّد كَمَا صَل ّ َي ْتَ عَلَى آ‬
ِ ‫ل عَلَى مُحَم ّ ٍد وَعَلَى آ‬ َ ‫الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم‬
ِّ ‫ص‬
َ ّ ‫ ِإ َن‬, َ‫ فِي ال ْع َالم َي ِن‬, َ ‫ل ِإ ب ْر َاه ِيم‬
‫ك‬ ِ ‫ل مُحَم ّ ٍد كَمَا ب َارَكْ تَ عَلَى آ‬
ِ ‫عَلَى مُحَم ّ ٍد وَعَلَى آ‬
‫مج ِيد‬
َ ٌ‫حَم ِيد‬
“O Allah! Send prayers on Muhammad, and on the

family of Muhammad, as you sent prayers on the
family of Ibrahim. And send blessings on Muhammad,
and on the family of Muhammad, as you sent blessings
on the family of Ibrahim; You are indeed Worthy of
15 Muslim no. 582
93
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Secondly Fajr Time
Praise, Full of Glory.”1
ِ ‫كَمَا صَل ّ َي ْتَ عَلَى آ‬, ِ ‫جه ِ وَذُرِّ َي ّتِه‬

C- , َ ‫ل ِإ ب ْر َاه ِيم‬ ِ ‫ل عَلى مُحَم ّ ٍد وَعَلَى أَ زْوَا‬ َ ‫الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم‬
ِّ ‫ص‬
َ ّ ‫ ِإ َن‬, َ ‫ل ِإ ب ْر َاه ِيم‬
‫ك‬ ِ ‫ كَمَا ب َارَكْ تَ عَلَى آ‬,ِ ‫جه ِ وَذُرِّ َي ّتِه‬
ِ ‫ك عَلَى مُحَم ّ ٍد وَعَلَى أَ زْوَا‬
ْ ِ‫و َب َار‬
‫مج ِيد‬
َ ٌ‫حَم ِيد‬
“O Allah! Send prayers on Muhammad and [on] his

wives and progeny, as You sent prayers on [the family
of Ibrahim]. And send blessings on Muhammad, and
[on] his wives and progeny, as You sent blessings on
[the family of] Ibrahim; You are indeed Worthy of
Praise, Full of Glory.”2
7- One should seek Allah’s refuge against four things
before making tasleem: This is the opinion of the
scholars (may Allah have mercy on them). This opinion
is supported by the hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah
 that the Prophet  said,
“When any one of you completes the last tashahhud, he
should seek refuge with Allah from four (trials), i.e. from the
torment of Hell, from the torment of grave, from the trial
of life and death and from the mischief of Maseeh ad-Dajjal
(Antichrist).”3
This was reported by Muslim through the hadith of
‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and it is in the
two sound collections. 4
Besides, there are other Sunnah supplications
that the worshipper should move back and forth
15 Refer to: Al-Adhkar, p. 66
45 Muslim no. 591 through the hadith of Thawban 
94
Secondly Fajr Time
from and they include:
1. َ ِ ‫الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم إن ِ ّي أَ ع ُوذ ُ ب‬
‫ك من المأْ ث َ ِم والمغْر َ ِم‬
“O Allah! I seek refuge with You from sin and debt. ”1
2. َ ‫ن‬
‫الن ّار‬ َ ِ ‫ك الج َنَ ّة َ وَأَ عَوْذ َ ب‬
َ ِ‫ك م‬ َ ُ ‫الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم إن ِ ّي أَ سْ أَ ل‬
“O Allah! I ask You to admit me to Paradise and to keep

me far away from Hell. ”2
3. َ ُ ‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم ِإن ِ ّي ظَلَم ْتُ ن َ ْفس ِي ظُل ْمًا كَث ِير ًا وَل َا يَغْف ِر ُ ال ُذ ّن‬
ْ ‫ فَاغْفِر‬, َ‫وب ِإ َلّا أَ ن ْت‬ َ
َ ُ ‫ ِإ َن ّك أَ ن ْتَ ال ْغَف ُور‬, ‫ارحَمْنِي‬

ُ ‫الر ّحِيم‬ ْ َ ‫»ل ِي مَغْف ِرَة ً م ِنْ عِنْدِك َ و‬
“O Allah! I have transgressed against myself and
wronged myself and confess my sins. Forgive all my
sins, for no one forgives sins but You, have mercy on me
for You are the Most- Forgiving, the Most Merciful.”3
4. ‫ك‬
َ ِ ‫ن عِبَاد َت‬
ِ ‫س‬
ْ ‫ح‬ ُ َ ‫ و‬, َ ‫الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم أَ عِن ِ ّي عَلَى ذِكْرِك‬
ُ َ ‫ و‬, َ ‫شكْرِك‬
“O Allah! Help me to remember You, to thank you, and
truly worship You.” 4
5. ّ‫ن ُأر َ َد‬

ْ َ‫ك أ‬
َ ِ ‫ وَأَ ع ُوذ ُ ب‬, ِ‫ك م ِنْ الْ�جبُْن‬
َ ِ ‫ وَأَ ع ُوذ ُ ب‬, ‫ل‬ َ ِ ‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم ِإن ِ ّي أَ ع ُوذ ُ ب‬
ِ ْ‫ك م ِنْ ال ْبُخ‬ َ
ِ ‫َاب الْقَبْر‬ َ ِ ‫ وَأَ ع ُوذ ُ ب‬, ‫ك م ِنْ ف ِت ْنَة ِ ال ُد ّن ْيَا‬

ِ ‫ك م ِنْ عَذ‬ َ ِ ‫ وَأَ ع ُوذ ُ ب‬,ِ‫ل ال ْعُمُر‬
ِ َ ‫ِإلَى أَ ْرذ‬
“O Allah! I seek refuge in You from incapacity,
from indolence, from cowardice, from senility, from
miserliness, and I seek refuge in You from the torment
15 Muslim no. 596

35 Muslim no. 597
45 Ahmad no. 22119, Abu Dawud, 1522, Al Nisai 1304
95
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Secondly Fajr Time
of the grave and from trial of life and death.”1
6. ‫حسَاب ًا يَسِير ًا‬ ِ ‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم ح َا‬

ِ ‫سبْنِي‬ َ
“O Allah! Make my reckoning (on the Day of Judgment)

light.”2
Thereafter he would make tasleem, as this is the Sunnah.
Exaggeration in making tasleem is also Sunnah as the Prophet
 used to do it until people could see the whiteness of his
cheeks. Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqas  narrated, “I used to see Allah’s
Messenger  making tasleem to his right and left sides until I
could see the whiteness of his cheeks. ”3
• Sunnah adhkar after making tasleem and after
finishing the obligatory prayers:
Imam An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“Scholars unanimously recommended making adhkar after
prayer.”4 It is also recommended to raise one’s voice as the
hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) stated,
“Raising one’s voice with adhkar after finishing the prayer
was practiced during the time of the Prophet .” In another
narration by Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), “I
would know when the Prophet  finished his prayer by his
takbir (i.e. saying Allahu Akbar).
• These adhkar are:
1- That he asks Allah’s forgiveness three times and
then says,
‫الإك ْرَا ِم‬

ِ َ‫ل و‬ ّ َ ‫ك ال‬
ِ َ ‫ تَبَارَكْ تَ ذ َا الْجَلا‬, ُ ‫سلاَم‬ ّ َ ‫الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم أَ ن ْتَ ال‬
َ ْ ‫سلاَم ُ وَمِن‬
25 Ahmad no. 24215
35 Ahmad no. 582
45 Refer to: Al-Adhkar, p. 66
96
Secondly Fajr Time
“O Allah! You are the original source of Peace; from

You is all Peace, and to You returns all Peace. So,
make us live with Peace; and let us enter paradise: the
House of Peace. Blessed be You, our Lord, to whom
belongs all Majesty and Honor.1
2- ‫ل‬
ِ ّ ُ ‫ك وَلَه ُ ا ْلحم َْد ُ وَه ُو َ عَلَى ك‬
ُ ْ ‫ لَه ُ ال ْمُل‬, ُ ‫ك لَه‬
َ ‫لا َ ِإله َ ِإلا ّ َ اللّه ُ وَحْد َه ُ لا َ شَر ِي‬
َ ّ ‫ وَلا َ نَعْبُد ُ ِإلا‬,ُ‫ لا َ ِإله َ ِإلا ّ َ اللّه‬,ِ‫ل وَلا َ ق َُو ّة َ ِإلا ّ َ ب ِاللّه‬ َ َ ‫ لا‬,ٌ ‫شَيْء ٍ قَدِير‬
َ ْ ‫حو‬
َ‫مخ ْل ِصِ ين‬

ُ ُ ‫ لا َ ِإله َ ِإلا ّ َاللّه‬, ‫ن‬ ُ ْ‫ لَه ُ الن ِّعْم َة ُ وَلَه ُ الْف َض‬,ُ‫ِإ َي ّاه‬
ُ َ‫ وَلَه ُ الث َّنَاء ُ الْحَس‬, ‫ل‬
َ‫ وَلَو ْ كَر ِه َ الْك َاف ِر ُون‬, ‫ن‬

َ ‫لَه ُ الد ِّي‬
“There is no god but Allah alone with no partner.

The kingdom and praise belong to Him and He
has power over everything. There is no power
nor strength except by Allah. There is no god but
Allah. We worship Him alone. He has blessing
and He has excellence and he has excellent praise.
There is no god but Allah, making the religion
sincerely His, even if the unbelievers dislike it.”2
Az-Zubair  narrated, “The Prophet  would say
them loudly in the wake of every prayer.”
3- ‫ل‬ ِ ّ ُ ‫ك وَلَه ُ ا ْلحم َْد ُ وَه ُو َ عَلَى ك‬

ُ ْ ‫ لَه ُ ال ْمُل‬, ُ ‫ك لَه‬
َ ‫لا َ ِإله َ ِإلا ّ َ اللّه ُ وَحْد َه ُ لا َ شَر ِي‬
َ ‫ وَلا‬, َ‫ي لم َِا م َنَعْت‬ َ ِ ‫ وَلا َ مُعْط‬, َ‫ الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم لا َ م َان ِ َع لم َِا أَ ْعطَي ْت‬, ٌ ‫شَيْء ٍ قَدِير‬
‫ك الْج َُ ّد‬
َ ْ ‫يَنْف َ ُع ذ َا الْج َ ّدِ مِن‬
15 Refer to: Zad al-Ma’ad, 1/285

25 Abu Dawud, 1525
97
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Secondly Fajr Time

The kingdom and praise belong to Him and He
has power over everything. O Allah! None can
prevent what you have willed to bestow and none
can bestow what you have willed to prevent, and
no wealth or majesty can benefit anyone, as from
You all wealth and majesty. ”1 From the hadith of
al-Mughirah Ibn Shu’nbah .
4- Then, he will say the Sunnah praises that are
attributed to Prophet Muhammad .
Firstly,
)33( ‫وال ل��ه أكبر‬،‫مرة‬

ّ َ )33( ‫ والحمد ل ل��ه‬، ‫مرة‬
ّ َ )33( ‫[ سبحان ال ل��ه‬
...‫ لا إله إلا ال ل��ه وحده‬: ‫وتمام المائة‬،‫مرة‬
َّ
(Subhana Allah) glory be to Allah 33 times, Praise
be to Allah (Alhamdulillah) 33 times, Allah is the
Greatest (Allahu Akbar) 33 times and end with:
The kingdom and praise belong to Him and He has
power over everything (la ilaha illa allah wahdaho la
sharika lahu lahu al-mulku wa lah al-Hamdu yohyi wa
yomeeet wa howa ‘ala kol shayin qadeer). ”
Abu Hurairah  reported that the Prophet  said,
َ‫ وَحَمِد َ اللّه َ ثَلاَثا ً وَثَلاث َِين‬،َ‫ل صَلاَة ٍ ثَلاَثا ً وَثَلاث َِين‬ َ ّ ‫م َنْ س ََب‬
ِ ّ ُ ‫ح اللّه َ فِي د ُبُر ِ ك‬
َ ‫ لا َ ِإله‬:ِ ‫ل تَمَام َ الْمِائَة‬
َ ‫ وَقَا‬, َ‫ك تِسْع َة ٌ وَتِسْع ُون‬ َ ْ ‫ فَتِل‬،َ‫ك َب ّر َ اللّه َ ثَلاَثا ً وَثَلاث َِين‬
َ َ‫ و‬،
ٌ ‫ل شَيْء ٍ قَدِير‬ ِ ّ ُ ‫ك وَلَه ُ ا ْلحم َْد ُ وَه ُو َ عَلَى ك‬
ُ ْ ‫ لَه ُ ال ْمُل‬،ُ ‫ك لَه‬َ ‫ِإلا ّ َ اللّه ُ وَحْد َه ُ لا َ شَر ِي‬
15 Al-Bukhari no. 255/1 , Muslim No. 418/1
98
Secondly Fajr Time
ِ‫ل ز َبَدِ ال ْب َحْ ر‬

َ ْ ‫خطَاي َاه ُ و َِإ ْن ك َان َْت مِث‬
َ ‫ غُف ِر َْت‬,
“If anyone extols Allah (by saying Subhan Allah)
after every prayer thirty three times and praises
Allah (by saying Alhamdulillah) thirty three times
and declares His Greatness (by saying Allahu
Akbar) thirty three times, ninety nine times in all
and say to complete a hundred says, “There is no
god but Allah alone with no partner. The kingdom
and praise belong to Him and He has power over
everything,” his sins will be forgiven even if they
are as abundant as the foam of the sea.”1
Secondly,
)43( ‫ وال ل��ه أكبر‬، ‫مرة‬

ّ َ )33( ‫سبحان ال ل��ه‬
‫مرة‬
َّ
“Glory be to Allah 33 times, Praise be to Allah
33 times, Allah is the Greatest 34 times. Ka’b Ibn
‘Ujrah  narrated that the Prophet  said, “There
are some things (i.e. glorifications) that the one
who says it – or does it – after the obligatory
prayers will not lose out, (that is) thirty three times
tasbeeh (Subhan Allah), thirty three times tahmeed
(Alhamdulillah), and thirty four times takbir (Allahu
Akbar).”2
Thirdly,
)52( ‫ وال ل��ه أكبر‬، ‫مرة‬

15 Muslim no. 1352
25 Muslim no. 596
99
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Secondly Fajr Time
‫مرة‬
ّ َ )52( ‫ ولا إله إلا ال ل��ه‬، ‫مرة‬
َّ
“Glory be to Allah 25 times, Praise be to Allah 25
time, Allah is the Greatest 25 times, and “There
is no god but Allah alone with no partner. The
kingdom and praise belong to Him and He has
power over everything 25 times.” This formula
was reported by At-Tirmidhi through the hadith
of ‘Abdullah Ibn Zaid . 1
Fourthly,
‫مرة‬
ّ َ )10( ‫ وال ل��ه أكبر‬، ‫مرة‬
ّ َ )10( ‫ والحمد ال ل��ه‬، ‫مرة‬
“Glory be to Allah 10 times, Praise be to Allah ten
times, and there is no god but Allah etc. ten times.”
These formulas came in the hadith of ‘Abdullah Ibn
‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with them). 2 Besides,
as we stated earlier that the person should move
among these formulas and should not only use
one particular formula all the time. It is Sunnah
to use our fingers when we make tasbeeh as both
Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi reported that the Prophet
said, “And count dhikr using your fingers, for verily
they will be questioned and made to speak (on the
Day of Judgment).”3
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy
on him) said, “Making dhikr with the help of the fingers (to
25 Ahmad no. 8719
35 Muslim no. 2723. Please check this footnote as the text says the hadith is
reported by Ahmad and at-Tirmidhi?
100
Secondly Fajr Time
count) is a Sunnah as the hadith says, “For verily they will be

questioned and made to speak.” Yet, as for those who use other
things such as rosary beads etc, some people consider it
disliked while others consider it recommended providing the
pure intention. 1
5- Reciting Ayatul Kursi (the Verse of the Throne):
Abu Umamah  narrated that Allah’s Messenger 
said,
“Whoever recites Ayatul Kursi after every (obligatory)
prayer, there is only death between him and Paradise,” he
will enter into Paradise immediately when he dies.”2
Ibn al-Qayyem (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “I was
told about my Sheikh Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy
upon him) that he never left it after each obligatory prayer. ”3
Reciting al-Mu’awithatayn (i.e. chapter of Al-Falaq
no. 113, and an-Nas no. 114): ‘Uqbah Ibn Nafi’  narrated,
“The Messenger of Allah  commanded me to read the
Muàwwidhatayn after every prayer.” Hence, these are
different types of Sunnan that the Muslim is recommended to
apply during the Fajr time. Yet, we showed these Sunnan as
we do need them while we are taking about the Fajr prayer.
And Allah knows best.
• Things which are prohibited are: Looking left and
right while praying, to look up to heavens when making
supplication, to kneel with the feet upright, resting on
one’s heels, extending arms while prostration more
than normal, playing with anything, put ones’ hand on
the waist, praying whilst resisting the urge to urinate
15 Al-Bukhari no. 6306 . Please check.
25 An-Nasa’i in as-Sunnahn al-Kubra 9928.
35 Refer to: Zad al-Ma’ad, 1/285
101
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Secondly Fajr Time
or defecate, praying in the presence of food (as it might

distract the person), praying while being distracted
by something in front of him or behind him, praying
quickly, sitting in praying resembling camels, going
down into prostration like a camel, talking while
praying, racing with the Imam in performing the
prayer, not tucking up the clothes or hair.”
• It is Sunnah to sit for a while after finishing the Fajr
prayer till the sun rises: Jabir Ibn Samurah  narrated,
“The Prophet  used to remain seated in his place in
the mosque in a cross-legged position until the Sun had
fully risen. ”1
Morning
15 Muslim no. 670
102
Morning
Adhkar
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Morning Adhkar
Adhkar
T ime for morning adhkar starts from the time
of Fajr once the muezzin makes the adhan.
Undoubtedly, such adhkar protect the Muslim in this
life and are treasures for him in the Hereafter. We will
mention more about morning and evening adhkar
– Allah willing - when we talk about the afternoon
prayer.
Morning and evening adhkar:

1- Whoever says,
‫ل‬
ِ ّ ُ ‫ وَه ُو َ عَلَى ك‬, ُ ‫ك وَلَه ُ ا ْلحم َْد‬
ُ ْ ‫ لَه ُ ال ْمُل‬, ُ ‫ك لَه‬ َ ‫ل َا ِإلَه َ ِإ َلّا‬
َ ‫الل ّه ُ وَحْد َه ُ ل َا شَر ِي‬
ٌ ‫شَيْء ٍ قَدِير‬
“There is no god but Allah alone with no partner. His
is the kingdom and His is the praise, and He has power
over everything,”
ten times a day in the morning, has the same reward
as if he had freed a slave, and a hundred good deeds
are written for him and a hundred bad deeds are
erased from him and he has protection from Shaytan
on that day until evening. And whoever says that in
the evening, he will have the same reward. ”1 Narrated
form the hadith of Abu Hurairah , and Sheikh Ibn
Baaz (may Allah have mercy upon him) graded its
isnad as Hassan (fair).
15 Ahmad no. 18967, At-Tirmidhi no. 3389, Ibn Majah no. 3870.
104
Morning Adhkar
2- ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud reported that when it was

evening Allah’s Messenger  used to supplicate,
ُ ‫ك لَه‬
َ ‫الل ّه ُ وَحْد َه ُ لا َ شَر ِي‬ َ ‫ وَا ْلحم َْد ُ ل َِل ّه ِ لا َ ِإلَه َ ِإ‬, ِ ‫ك ل َِل ّه‬
َ ّ ‫لا‬ ُ ْ ‫أَ ْمسَي ْنَا وَأَ مْس َى ال ْمُل‬
‫ك م ِنْ شَرِّه َا‬ َ ِ ‫ك م ِنْ خَيْر ِ هَذِه‬
َ ِ ‫ وَأَ ع ُوذ ُ ب‬,‫الل ّيْلَة ِ وَخَيْر ِ م َا ف ِيهَا‬ َ ُ ‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم ِإن ِ ّي أَ سْ أَ ل‬
َ
,ِ ‫ وَسُوء ِ ا�لْكِبَر‬, ‫ وَال ْه َر َ ِم‬, ‫ل‬
ِ َ‫كس‬
َ ْ ‫ن ا�ل‬ َ ِ ‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم ِإن ِ ّي أَ ع ُوذ ُ ب‬
َ ِ‫ك م‬ َ , ‫وَشَر ِّ م َا ف ِيهَا‬
ِ ‫ وَعَذ‬, ‫وَفِت ْنَة ِ ال ُد ّن ْيَا‬
ِ ‫َاب الْقَبْر‬
“We entered upon evening and the whole Kingdom of
Allah and praise is due to Allah. There is no god but
Allah, the One Who has no partner with Him. O Allah, I
beg of You the good of this night and I seek refuge in You
from the evil of this night and the evil which follows it.
O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from sloth, from the evil of
vanity. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from torment in the
Hell-Fire and from torment in the grave."
In the morning he used to say,
َ ُ ‫ أسْ أَ ل‬...ِ‫ك ل َِل ّه‬

،‫ك خَيْر ِ م َا فِي هَذ َا ال ْي َوم وَخَي ْر م َا بعدِه‬ ُ ْ ‫ح ال ْمُل‬
َ َ ‫أَ صْ ب َحْ نَا وَأَ صْ ب‬
‫وَأَ ع ُوذ ُ ب ِك م ِنْ شَر ِّ م َا فِي ه َذا الي َوم وَش َر م َا بَعْدِه‬
“We entered upon evening and the whole Kingdom of
Allah and praise is due to Allah, There is no god but
Allah… etc. O Allah, I beg of You the good of this day
etc.”1
From the hadith of ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud .
3- Sayyid al-Istighfar – Master supplication for forgiveness,
َ ‫وَأَ ن َا عَلَى ع َ ْهدِك‬,َ ‫وَأَ ن َا عَبْدُك‬,‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم أَ ن ْتَ ر َب ِ ّي ل َا ِإلَه َ ِإ َلّا أَ ن ْتَ خ َلَقْتَنِي‬
َ
‫ك‬
َ ِ ‫ك بنِِعْم َت‬
َ َ ‫ أَ بُوء ُ ل‬, ُ‫ك م ِنْ شَر ِّ م َا صَنَعْت‬
َ ِ ‫أَ ع ُوذ ُ ب‬, ُ‫وَوَعْدِك َ م َا اسْ تَطَعْت‬
15 Muslim no. 1884
105
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Morning Adhkar
َ ُ ‫ك بِذ َنْبِي فَا ْغفِر ْ ل ِي ف َِإ َن ّه ُ ل َا يَغْف ِر ُ ال ُذ ّن‬

َ‫وب ِإ َلّا أَ ن ْت‬ َ َ ‫وَأَ بُوء ُ ل‬,ّ‫عَل َي‬
“O Allah! You are my Lord! None has the right to be

worshipped but You. You created me and I am Your
slave, and I am faithful to my covenant and my promise
as much as I can. I seek refuge with You from all the evil
I have done. I acknowledge before You all the blessings
You have bestowed upon me, and I confess to You all
my sins. So I entreat You to forgive my sins, for nobody
can forgive sins except You.” “If somebody recites it
during the day with firm faith in it, and dies on the
same day before the evening, he will be from the people
of Paradise; and if somebody recites it at night with firm
faith in it, and dies before the morning, he will be from
the people of Paradise.”1
4- When the morning comes say,
ُ ‫ك‬
‫الن ّش ُور‬ َ ْ ‫و َِإلَي‬, ُ‫ك نَمُوت‬
َ ِ ‫ و َب‬,‫نح ْيَا‬
َ ‫ك‬
َ ِ ‫و َب‬,‫ك أَ ْمسَي ْنَا‬ َ ِ ‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم ب‬
َ ِ ‫ و َب‬,‫ك أَ صْ ب َحْ نَا‬ َ
“O Allah, by You we enter the morning and by You we
enter the evening, by You we live and by You we die, and
to You is the final return.”
And when the evening comes say,
ُ ‫ك ال ْم َصِ ير‬
َ ْ ‫ك نَمُوتُ و َِإلَي‬
َ ِ ‫نح ْيَا و َب‬
َ ‫ك‬
َ ِ ‫ك أَ صْ ب َحْ نَا و َب‬ َ ِ ‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم ب‬
َ ِ ‫ك أَ ْمسَي ْنَا و َب‬ َ
“O Allah, by You we enter the evening and by You we
enter the morning, by You we live and by You we die,
and to You is the final return.”2
Reported from the hadith of Abu Hurairah  and
Sheikh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy upon him) –
15 Ahmad no. 4795, Abu Dawud no. 5074, An-Nasa’i in as-Sunnan al-Kubra
no. 10401, Ibn Majah no. 3871. Al-Hakim graded it as sound.
25 Ahmad no. 7898, At-Tirmidhi 3437
106
Morning Adhkar
graded its isnad as sound.
ِ ‫ عَالِم َ ال ْغَي‬, ‫ض‬

5- ‫ ل َا ِإلَه َ ِإ َلّا‬, ِ ‫ْب وَال َش ّه َادَة‬ ِ ‫ات وَالْأَ ْر‬ ّ َ ‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم فَاطِر َ ال‬
ِ َ ‫سم َو‬ َ
َ ِ ‫ أَ ع ُوذ ُ ب‬, ُ ‫ل شَيْء ٍ وَم َلِيك َه‬
ِّ‫ك م ِنْ شَرِّ ن َ ْفس ِي وَم ِنْ شَر‬ ِّ ُ ‫ب ك‬
ّ َ َ ‫أَ ن ْتَ ر‬
ْ ُ ‫ أَ ْو أَ ج ُ َرّه ُ ِإلَى م‬, ‫ِف عَلَى ن َ ْفس ِي سُوءًا‬
‫سل ِ ٍم‬ َ ‫ وَأَ ْن أَ ق ْتَر‬, ِ ‫ن وَشِرْكِه‬ ّ َ ‫ال‬
ِ ‫شيْطَا‬
“O Allah, Knower of the unseen and the evident, Maker

of the heavens and the earth, Lord of everything and
its Possessor, I bear witness that there is none worthy
of worship but You. I seek refuge in You from the evil
of my soul and from the evil of Satan and his helpers.
(I seek refuge in You) from bringing evil upon my soul
and from harming any Muslim.”
Allah’s Messenger said,
‫ك‬
َ َ ‫و َِإذ َا أَ خَذْتَ م َضْ جَع‬, َ‫و َِإذ َا أَ ْمسَي ْت‬, َ‫قلُْه َا ِإذ َا أَ صْ ب َحْ ت‬
“Say it in the morning, in the evening, and when you

go to your bed.”1
Reported from the hadith of Abu Hurairah  that
Abu Bakr as-Siddiq  said, “O Messenger of Allah!
Tell me words that I can say in the morning and
evening.” He taught him the previous words. The
hadith is also reported by Al-Bukhari in his book
entitled al-Adab al-Mufrad and its isnad was graded
as sound by Sheikh Ibn Baaz. 2
6- ِ ‫سم َاء‬ ِ ‫الل ّه ِ ال َ ّذ ِي ل َا يَض ُ ُر ّ م َ َع اسْمِه ِ شَيْء ٌ فِي الْأَ ْر‬

ّ َ ‫ض وَل َا فِي ال‬ َ ‫ب ِس ْ ِم‬
15 Muslim no. 2708
25 Al-Bukhari in al-Adab al-Mufrad, 1/412/1202
107
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Morning Adhkar
َ ّ َ ‫وَه ُو َ ال‬
ٌ ‫ ل َ ْم يَضُر ّه ُ شَيْء‬, ‫ات‬
ٍ ‫سمِي ُع ال ْعَل ِيم ُ ثَلَاثَ م َ َ ّر‬
In the Name of Allah, Who with His Name nothing can

cause harm in the earth nor in the heavens, and He is
the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.
(Recite three times in Arabic). “Whoever recites it
three times in the morning will not be afflicted by
any calamity before evening, and whoever recites
it three times in the evening will not be overtaken
by any calamity before morning.”1 From the hadith
of ‘Uthman Ibn ‘Affan  and both at-Tirmidhi and
Ibn Baaz graded it as fair sound.
7- َ ‫س َل ّم‬ َ ‫ و َب ِمح ُ َمّ ٍد صَلَ ّى‬, ‫ و َب ِال ِْإسْ لَا ِم دِينًا‬, ‫رَضِيتُ ب َِالل ّه ِ ر َ ًب ّا‬
َ َ ‫الل ّه ُ عَلَيْه ِ و‬
ِ ‫الل ّه ِ أَ ْن يُرْضِي َه ُ يَو ْم َ الْق ِيَامَة‬

َ ‫ح ً ّقا عَلَى‬
َ َ‫ ِإ َلّا ك َان‬, ‫نَب ًِي ّا‬
“I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, with Islam as my

religion and with Muhammad  as my Prophet. Allah
has promised that anyone who says this three times
every morning or evening will be pleased on the Day of
Resurrection.”
From the hadith of Thawban  and Sheikh
Ibn Baaz graded its isnad as fair. Imam Muslim
reported through Abu Sa’id al-Khudrai that the
Prophet  said,
ُ ‫ وَجَب َْت لَه ُ الْج َنَ ّة‬, ‫ و َب ِمح ُ َمّ ٍد نَب ًِي ّا‬, ‫ و َب ِِالإسْ لا َ ِم دِينًا‬, ‫م َنْ رَضِيَ ب َِالل ّه ِ ر َ ًب ّا‬
"Whoever said: ‘I am pleased with Allah being my

Lord and Islam be my religion and Muhammad be my
15 Abu Dawud, 5088. At-Tirmidhi 3388
108
Morning Adhkar
messenger, paradise was guaranteed to him.’"1

8- The Prophet would not leave these supplications
day or night.
َ ُ ‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم ِإن ِ ّي أَ سْ أَ ل‬
َ ‫ك ال ْعَفْو‬ ِ ‫ك ال ْع َاف ِي َة َ فِي ال ُد ّن ْيَا وَالْآ‬
َ , ِ ‫خرَة‬ َ ُ ‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم ِإن ِ ّي أَ سْ أَ ل‬
َ
ْ‫ وَآم ِن‬,‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم اسْ تُرْ عَو ْرَاتِي‬
َ , ‫ وَأَ ه ْل ِي وَم َال ِي‬, ‫اي‬
َ َ ‫وَالْع َاف ِي َة َ فِي دِينِي وَدُن ْي‬
‫ وَع َنْ يَمِينِي وَع َنْ شِمَال ِي‬, ‫َي وَم ِنْ خ َلْفِي‬ّ َ ‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم احْ ف َ ْظنِي م ِنْ بَيْنِ يَد‬
َ ,‫ر َ ْوعَاتِي‬
‫تحْتِي‬
َ ْ‫ل م ِن‬ َ ‫ك أَ ْن ُأغْتَا‬ َ ِ ‫ وَأَ ع ُوذ ُ ب ِعَظَم َت‬, ‫وَم ِنْ فَو ْقِي‬,
“O Allah, I ask you for well-being in this world and the
Next. O Allah, I ask you for forgiveness and well-being
in my religion and in this world and in my family and
my property. O Allah, veil my faults and calm my fears.
O Allah, give me protection in front of me and behind
me, on my right and my left and above me. I seek refuge
by Your might from being overwhelmed from under
me.”2
9- ‫ق‬
َ َ ‫ات م ِنْ شَر ِّ م َا خ َل‬ َ ِ ‫الل ّه‬
ِ ّ‫الت ّا َم‬ َ ‫ات‬ِ َ ‫أَ ع ُوذ ُ بِكَل ِم‬
“I seek refuge in the complete words of Allah from the

evils of what He created.”
Narrated by Abu Hurairah  and Ibn Baaz graded
its isnad as fair.3 Muslim reported through Khawlah
bint Hakim (may Allah be pleased with her) that the
Prophet  said, “When anyone lands at a place, and
then says,
‫ل‬ َ ْ‫ق ؛ ل َ ْم يَض ُ َرّه ُ شَيْء ٌ ح ََت ّى يَر‬

َ ِ ‫تح‬ َ َ ‫ات م ِنْ شَرِّ م َا خ َل‬ َ ِ ‫الل ّه‬
ِ ّ‫الت ّا َم‬ َ ‫ات‬ِ َ ‫أَ ع ُوذ ُ بِكَل ِم‬
15 Abu Dawud, 1529

25 Abu Dawud, 5074. Ibn Majah no. 3871.
35 Ahmad no. 7898. At-Tirmidhi 3437
109
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Morning Adhkar
‫ك‬
َ ِ ‫م ِنْ مَنْز ِلِه ِ ذَل‬
“I seek refuge in the Perfect Word of Allah from the evil
of what He has created,” nothing would harm him until
he marches from that stopping place.”1
10- The Prophet  used to say in the morning,
َ ‫ صَلَ ّى‬- ‫وَدِي ِن نَب ِي ِّنَا مُحَم ّ ٍد‬,ِ‫ وَكَل ِمَة ِ ال ِْإخْلَاص‬, ‫أَ صْ ب َحْ نَا عَلَى فِطْرَة ِ ال ِْإسْ لَا ِم‬
ُ ‫الل ّه‬
َ‫ وَم َا ك َانَ م ِنْ ال ْمُشْرِكِين‬,‫ وَم ِلَ ّة ِ أَ بِينَا ِإ ب ْر َاه ِيم َ حَن ِيف ًا‬- َ ‫س َل ّم‬
َ َ ‫عَلَيْه ِ و‬
“We have entered a new day upon the natural religion
of Islam, the word of sincere devotion, the religion of
our Prophet Muhammad  , and the faith of our father
Ibrahim. He was upright (in worshipping Allah), and
a Muslim. He was not of those who worship others
besides Allah.”
When the night comes he would say,
... ‫أمسينا على فطرة الإسلام‬

“We have entered a new night upon the natural religion
of Islam… etc. ”2
Narrated by ‘Abdul Rahman Ibn Abza  and its isnad
was graded as sound by Ibn Baaz.
The above-mentioned supplications are collected in a book
by Sheikh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) entitled
‘Tuhfat al-Akhyar bi bayan jumlah nafi’ah mima warada fi al-Kitab
wa as-Sunnah mina al-Ad’eyah wa al-Adhkar,’ in the chapter of
the virtues of the adhkar of the day and night. Yet, there is also
a dissertation about the night and day adhkar that was revised
15 Ahmad no. 2708.
25 Ahmad no. 15367,21144
110
Morning Adhkar
and authenticated by Sheikh al-’Ulwan (may Allah protect

him) and he added two adhkar also:
1- َ ِ ‫ي َا حَ ُيّ ي َا ق َُي ّوم ُ ب ِرَحْمَت‬

‫ وَل َا تَكِلْنِي ِإلَى‬, ُ ‫ك أَ سْ ت َغ ِيثُ أَ صْ ل ِحْ ل ِي شَأْ نِي ك َُل ّه‬
ٍ‫ن َ ْفس ِي َطر ْف َة َ عَيْن‬
“O Ever Living One, O Eternal One, by Your mercy I

call on You to set right all my affairs. Do not place me
in charge of my soul even for the blinking of an eye (i.e.
a moment).”1 Narrated by Anas .
2- Whoever says in the morning and evening,
‫سب ْ َع‬
َ , ‫ِيم‬
ِ ‫ش ال ْعَظ‬
ِ ‫ب ال ْع َر‬
ّ ُ َ ‫سبِي َ ال ل��ه لا َ ِإله َ ِإلا ّ َ ه ُو َ عَلَيْه ِ تَوَكَّلتُ وَه ُو َ ر‬
ْ ‫ح‬
َ
ُ ‫كف َاه ُ ال ل��ه م َا أَ ه َم ّه‬
َ ‫ات ؛‬
ٍ ‫م َ َ ّر‬
“Sufficient for me is Allah; there is no deity except Him.

On Him I have relied, and He is the Lord of the Great
Throne, it will be enough to protect him in respect of
everything.”2
15 An-Nasa’i no. 10405,

111
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Thirdly,
The Time of
Adh-Dhuha!
Thirdly,The Time of Adh-Dhuha!
Thirdly,
The Time of
Adh-Dhuha!
I t is a Sunnah at the time of adh-Dhuha for the
worshipper to offer the Dhuha prayer. Abu
Hurairah  said, “My friend (i.e. the Prophet  )
advised me to do three things:
(i) to fast for three days in every month,
(ii) to offer a two rak’ah prayer at adh-Dhuha and
(iii) to offer the witr prayer before sleeping.”1
The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) offered differing
opinions regarding the nature of the Sunnah of Adh-Dhuha:
The first opinion held that it is a
Sunnah to offer it sometimes.
Those who adhered to this opinion cited as evidence the
hadith of Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri , who said, “The Messenger
of Allah  used to offer the Dhuha prayer until we would say,
‘He will not leave it.’ And he would leave it until we would
say, ‘He will not pray it (again).’2 But this is weak, because its
chain of narrators contains ‘Atiyyah Ibn Sa’eed Al-‘Awfi.3
15 Narrated by Al-Bukhari (no. 1981) and by Muslim (no. 721).
25 Narrated by Imam Ahmad (11155) and by At-Tirmidhi (no. 477).
35 Translator’s note: Yahya Ibn Ma’een and others described him as weak and a
mudallis (one who conceals the identity of a weak narrator, such as by mention-
ing him by his first name only, or by his agnomen).
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The second opinion held that it is not

prescribed and that rather, it is an innovation.
Those who supported this position cited as evidence the
hadith of ‘Aìshah (may Allah be pleased with her), who
said, “I did not see the Messenger of Allah  glorifying
Allah through the Dhuha prayer, but I do so.”1 And it was
also narrated by Al-Bukhari on the authority of Murawwiq
Al-‘Ujli that he said, I said to Ibn ‘Umar, “Do you offer the
Dhuha prayer?” He said, “No.” I then asked, “Then ‘Umar?”
He replied, “No.” I then asked him, “Then Abu Bakr?” He
said, “No.” I then asked, “Then the Prophet ?” He answered,
“I do not think so.”2
The third opinion held that it is a Sunnah for the
worshipper to offer the Dhuha prayer if a person did not offer
the night prayer on the previous night, but that if he offered
the night prayer, he should not offer the Dhuha prayer. This
was the preferred opinion of Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
(may Allah have mercy on him).
The fourth opinion held that it should be performed for
a specific reason, because the Prophet  did it for a specific
reason, such as when he returned from a journey, when he
conquered Makkah, when he visited a people, as mentioned
in the hadith of ‘Utban  whose authenticity was agreed
upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim – when he visited Masjid
Quba and the like.
What appears most correct – and Allah knows best – is
that the Dhuha prayer is an unrestricted Sunnah – and that is
the opinion of most of the scholars (may Allah mercy on them
all).
15 Narrated by Al-Bukhari (no. 1177).
25 Narrated by Al-Bukhari (no. 1175).
114
This is proven by the following:
(a) The (aforementioned) hadith of Abu Hurairah,

who said, “My friend (i.e. the Prophet [e]) advised me
to do three things: (i) to fast for three days in every
month, (ii) to offer a two rak’ah prayer at adh-Dhuha and
(iii) to offer the witr prayer before sleeping.” And the
Prophet  also advised Abu Ad-Darda`  to offer it, as
narrated by Muslim. 1 And he  also advised Abu Zarr
 to offer it, as narrated by An-Nasaì in his ‘Sunnan.’2
(b) The hadith of Abu Zarr), who reported from the
Prophet  that he said,
“You are required to give sadaqah (charity) on behalf
of every joint in your bones. Every tasbeehah (saying
‘Subhan Allah [Glory be to Allah]’) is a charity, every
tahmeedah (saying ‘Al-Hamdu Lillah [All praise and
thanks be to Allah]’) is a charity, every tahleelah (saying
‘La Ilaha Illa Allah [None has the right to be worshipped
except Allah]’) is a charity. Every takbeerah (saying
‘Allahu Akbar [Allah is Greater]’) is a charity. Enjoining
the good and forbidding the evil is a charity. But it is
sufficient in place of all of this to offer the two rak’ah prayer
of adh-Dhuha.”3
And it was reported in ‘Sahih Muslim’ in the hadith of
‘Aìshah (may Allah be pleased with her) that every person
was created with three hundred and sixty joints. Whoever
affirms Allah’s Greatness (by saying: ‘Allahu Akbar [Allah is
Greater]’), praises Allah, extols Allah, and seeks forgiveness
15 Narrated by Muslim (no. 722).

25 Narrated by An-Nasaì in ‘As-Sunan Al-Kubra’ (no. 2712).
115
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from Allah, removes stones from the path of the people,

enjoins what is good and forbids the evil to the amount of
those three hundred and sixty joints, he will walk on that Day
(i.e. the Day of Judgment) having distanced himself from the
Hellfire.” 1
• The time for it: The time of the Dhuha prayer begins
when the sun has risen a spear’s height above the
horizon – i.e., when the time of prohibition is over –
and it ends just before the sun reaches its zenith – i.e.,
about ten minutes before the time for the Dhuhr prayer
begins.
This is proven by the hadith of ‘Amr Ibn ‘Absah , to
whom the Prophet  said,
“Offer the morning prayer, then refrain from praying
until the sun has risen and become high, for when it rises,
it rises between the horns of Satan and at that time the
disbelievers prostrate to it. Then pray, for the prayer is
witnessed and attended until the shadow of a spear falls
directly north (i.e., when the sun is directly overhead in
the afternoon or midday). Then refrain from praying, for
at that time the fire of Hell is stoked up.”2
• The preferred time for it: is at the end of the prescribed
time, which is when the young weaned camels feel the
severity of the sun’s heat.
This is proven by the hadith of Zaid Ibn Arqam , who
stated the Prophet  said,
“Al-Awwabeen Prayer is when the young weaned camels

116
feel the severity of the sun’s heat.”1

Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “The
meaning of the Arabic word ‘tarmadh’ used in the hadith is
that the severe heat of the sun beats down on them, while the
word ‘al-fisal’ refers to the young offspring of camels. And it is
a prayer the performance of which is preferable at the end of
the permitted time.”2
Ibn ‘Uthaimeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “The
word ‘tarmadh’ means than they stand up due to the severity
of the scorching heat – and that is about ten minutes before
the sun reaches its zenith.”3
• The virtue of it:
1. That the Prophet  advised some of the Companions
 to offer it, such as Abu Hurairah, Abu Ad-Darda`
and Abu Zarr (may Allah be Pleased with them all)
as mentioned previously. And whenever the Prophet
advised someone to do something, it is considered
to be an advice for all of his Ummah, just as when
he ordered anyone to do something or prohibited
someone from doing something, it is directed to the
whole Ummah, unless some evidence is brought which
proves that it was specific advice to one Companion 
and there is no such evidence in this case, so it is an
advice to the whole Ummah – and Allah knows better.
2. That it is equal to three hundred and sixty acts of
charity, as made clear in the aforementioned hadith of
Abu Zarr  which was narrated by Muslim.
3. That it is a clear sign that the slave returns repeatedly
25 See: ‘Fatawa Islamiyyah (1/515).’
35 See: ‘Al-Mumti’’ (4/88).
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to his Lord, especially if he offers it at the preferred

time, which is at the end of the permitted time, as
described in the aforementioned hadith of Zaid Ibn
Arqam narrated by Muslim.
4. That it is a prayer that is attended and witnessed by
the angels (peace be upon them all), as confirmed by
the aforementioned hadith of ‘Amr Ibn ‘Absah  which
was narrated by Muslim.
118
Fourthly,
The Time of
Dhur!
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Fourthly, The Time of Dhur!
Fourthly,
The Time of
Dhur!
This includes various areas of discussion
The first subject matter is concerned with the

Sunnan that should be performed before the
prayer as well as those thereafter:
We have already discussed the regular Sunnan and we
mentioned that it is Sunnah to offer four raka’at before
the noon prayer and an additional four thereafter as
indicated by the hadith of ‘A’ishah and Umm Habibah
(may Allah be pleased with them both).
The second area under discussion

is to lengthen the first raka’ah:
The hadith of Abu Sa’id al-Khudri  who narrated the
following states:
“The Iqamah for Dhuhr prayer would be made and a person
could go to the Al-Baqi’, relieve himself, perform ablution and go
(to the mosque), and the Messenger of Allah  would still be in the
first raka’ah, making it lengthy.”1
Accordingly, it is Sunnah to prolong the first raka’ah of
15 Muslim no. 454
120
Fourthly, The Time of Dhur!
Dhuhr prayer and the same is applicable if a person prays

alone. Unfortunately however, this practice is one of the
neglected Sunnan. We ask Allah, the Almighty, to make us of
those who are eager to apply and adhere to the Sunnah.
The fourth point of focus is to delay

the prayer when it is hot until it cools down:
What substantiates this is the following elevated hadith
(i.e. marfu’ and this means that the hadith is traced directly to
the Prophet ) narrated by Abu Hurairah  that the Prophet
 said,
“If it is very hot, then pray the Dhuhr prayer when it
becomes (a bit) cooler, as the severity of the heat is from the
raging of the Hell-fire.”1
Ibn ‘Uthaimeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “As
for what people used to do, namely, praying after the end
of the zawal time (when the sun moves away from its central
meridian) by half an hour or an hour, they said that this was
just to avoid the sun’s heat. In fact, this is not true as it is known
that the sun becomes hotter after the zawal time. Hence, if we
say that the zawal in summer ends at 12:00pm and ‘Asr time at
4:30pm, this means that the time of Ibrad (waiting until it cools
down) will continue until 4:00pm approximately.”2
Ibrad is general for the one who prays in congregation
or alone and this is the correct opinion that was adopted by
Sheikh bin ‘Uthaimeen (may Allah have mercy on him). This
includes women too, because of the general meaning of the
hadith of Abu Hurairah .
15 Al-Bukhari no. 533 and 534, Muslim no. 516

25 Refer to: Al-Mumti’, 2/104.
121
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Fifthly,
The Time of
'Asr!
Fifthly, The Time of 'Asr!
Fifthly,
The Time of
'Asr!
Q&A:
Q: Are there any Sunnan to
be performed before the ‘Asr prayer?
W e have already discussed the Sunnan of ‘Asr

prayer in great detail, thus it can be concluded
that there is nothing to be performed before the ‘Asr
prayer.
A: Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy

on him) said, “As for before ‘Asr prayer, no one told us that the
Prophet  performed Sunnan at that time. What was reported
in this regard is either weak or a mistake.”1
The correct opinion - and Allah knows best – is that the
Muslim should not specify a certain Sunnah before the ‘Asr
prayer and they should leave this unrestricted. Hence, if
someone wants to pray two raka’at or more, let them do so
the same as they do with the other prayers. Yet, they should
not offer additional raka’at at times when it is prohibited.
15 Refer to: Al-Fatawa, 23/125
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Accordingly, it is not allowed to offer a Sunnah prayer before

the ‘Asr prayer and make this a regular Sunnah.
Morning and evening adhkar:

Q: When does the time for morning
and afternoon adhkar start?
A: Morning adhkar time:
It starting time is the break of the true dawn, namely, the
time for dawn (Fajr) prayer. Hence, if the muezzin makes the
adhan, the time for adhkar begins. This is the opinion of the
majority of scholars (may Allah have mercy on them all).
Yet, the time for morning and evening adhkar has no
authentic hadith and scholars have disagreed over its
beginning and ending times.
The correct opinion – and Allah knows best **** is that the
time for morning adhkar ends when the sun rises. However,
this does not mean that one cannot make the adhkar after
this time has elapsed, especially if it was not made for a
particular reason. The period of time after the sun rises is
known as morning, and this of course, will lead to obtaining
the blessings and virtues of morning adhkar, therefore, there
should be no problem to make it even when the sun has risen.
Time for afteroon adhkar:

It appears – and Allah knows best – that the correct opinion
is that it starts after ‘Asr prayer and continues until sunset
(Maghrib). The ruling that applies to the morning adhkar could
also be put into practice here, namely, it could be made after
sunset, especially if it was left for a particular reason. The
part of the day after sunset is called evening; thus, the person
should do their best to seek the blessings and virtues of this
124
time by doing the adhkar.

Ibn al-Qayyem (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “The
first chapter is about the morning and evening adhkar and it
starts from sunrise and ends at sunset. Allah, the Almighty
says,
‫ﮋﯺ ﯻ ﯼ ﯽ ﯾ ﯿ ﰀ ﰁ ﰂ ﰃ ﰄﮊ‬
“O you who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance
 And glorify His Praises morning and afternoon [the early
morning (Fajr) and ‘Asr prayers.” (33:41-42)
Al-Johari said that the word asil translated here as ‘Asr
prayer means the time after ‘Asr until sunset. Allah, the
Almighty also says,
‫ﮋﮒ ﮓ ﮔ ﮕ ﮖ ﮊ‬
“And glorify the praises of your Lord in the Ashi (i.e. the time
period after the midnoon till sunset) and in the Ibkar (i.e. the
time period from early morning or sunrise till before midnoon)
[it is said that, that means the five compulsory congregational
Salat (prayers) or the ‘Asr and Fajr prayers.” (40:55)
This means the beginning and end of the day. Allah, the
Almighty also says,
‫ﮋ ﮊ ﮋ ﮌ ﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑﮒ ﮊ‬
“And during a part of the night (also), glorify His praises

(iMaghrib and ‘Isha prayers), and (so likewise) after the
prayers [As-Sunnah, Nawafil optional and additional prayers,
and also glorify, praise and magnify Allah - Subhan Allah,
Alhamdu lillah, Allahu-Akbar.” (50:40).
Accordingly, this explains what was narrated in the hadith:
“Who says such and such in the morning and evening…” and
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this stands for what should be said before sunrise and sunset.
Hence, the time for adhkar is directly after the Fajr and ‘Asr
prayers.”1
Sheikh bin ‘Uthaimeen (may Allah have mercy on him)
was asked, “What is the time for the evening adhkar? Which
time is the best to make it and can it be made up if it was not
said?”
He answered, “All praise is due to Allah, the entire time
from after ‘Asr prayer until the night prayer (‘Isha) is called
evening. There is no difference if the adhkar is made at the
beginning or the end of this time except for some adhkar that
is linked to a specific time, such as Ayatul Kursi in the hadith,
“…who recites it at the evening…” Hence, what is dedicated
to the daytime should be said during the day and the adhkar
for the night should be said at that specific time also. As for
making the adhkar up in case of forgetting to say it, I ask Allah
to reward the one who do so.”2

15 Refer to: Al-Wabi as-Sayyeb p. 186 and refer to what Ibn Taymiyyah also said
in this regard.
25 Refer to: Ibn ‘Uthaimeen’s fatawa for Da’wa magazine vol. 174, part. 7/2 1421
AH, page. 36. Also refer to: Sharh Riyadh as-Salheen, 2/1533, chapter of morn-
ing and evening adhkar.
126
Sixthly,
The Time of
Maghrib!
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Sixthly, The Time of Maghrib!
Sixthly,
The Time of
Maghrib!
T here are many factors to be considered and
mentioned regarding this period of time:
The first factor is to prevent children

from playing outside at this time.
The second factor is to lock the
door at the beginning of Maghrib
and mention Allah’s name.
Applying these two acts of Sunnah is said to protect one
from the evil of the devils and the Jinn. Hence, by preventing
children from playing outside, particularly at this time, will
also protect them against the devils. In addition, locking the
doors and mentioning Allah’s name will keep the devils away.
See how great our religion is! It protects our homes and kids
from evil. What proves this is the following:
Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him)
128
narrated that Allah’s Messenger  said,

“When night falls, keep your children close for the devils
spread out at that time. But when an hour of the night
elapses, you can let them go. Close the doors and mention
the Name of Allah, for Satan does not open a closed door.”1
In another narration by Muslim,
“Do not send your cattle and your children outside when
the sun disappears until the blackness of the night is gone,
for verily the devils spread out when the sun sets, until
the blackness of the night is gone.”2
An- Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “The
phrase ‘keep your children close’ means do not let them go
outside at this time. The Prophet’s  saying, “ ...for indeed
the devils are sent forth...” means all types of devils. In other
words, since the number of devils is many at this time, they
might harm children if they come across them and Allah
knows best. As for the Prophet’s  saying, “Do not send your
cattle and your children outside when the sun disappears
until the blackness of the night is gone, for verily the devils
spread out when the sun sets, until the blackness of the night
is gone,”3 when this period of time elapses, there should be no
problem in letting children go outside. It is said that when this
period ends, the devils find another resort.
The wisdom behind the spreading about of the devils at
this time is as Ibn Hajr (may Allah have mercy on him) stated,
“They move better in darkness and it is known that evil deeds are

25 Muslim no. 2013
35 Refer to: An-Nawawi’s explanation of Muslim’s Sahih, hadith no. 2012, chap-
ter of the order of covering utensils and water-skins.
129
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usually committed in darkness.”1

However, it should be noted that keeping the children in
doors and pulling the latches is just recommended. 2
The third factor is to offering
two raka’at before the sunset prayer:
‘Abdullah Ibn Mughaffal al-Muzani  narrated that the
Prophet  said,
“ Offer a prayer before the sunset prayer”,
and he said in the third time of his command,
“ …for the one who wishes”,
so that people would not take it as Sunnah.3 Besides, Anas
Ibn Malik  narrated, “I used to see the Companions of the
Prophet  racing one another to make lines to offer the two
raka’at.”4
Anas narrated, “When we were in Madinah, the moment
the muezzin made the call for the sunset prayer, the people
hastened to the pillars of the mosque and prayed two raka’at,
with the result that any stranger coming into the mosque
would think that the obligatory prayer had been observed
owing to the number of people who were praying then.”5
Ibn al-Qayyem (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “It is
reported in the two sahihs through ‘Abduallh al-Muzani that
the Prophet  said,
“ Pray before sunset, pray before sunset”,
15 Refer to: Fath al-Bari, hadith no. 3280, chapter of the description of Iblis (head
of the devils) and his soldiers.
25 Refer to: Fatawas of the Permanent Committee, 26/317.
35 Al-Bukhari no. 1183.
55 Muslim no. 837
130
and the third time he said,

“ …for the one who wishes”.
He did so just to prevent people from adopting it as Sunnah
and this is the correct opinion, that it is a recommended
Sunnah and not like the other emphatic Sunnan. 1
It is also Sunnah to offer two raka’at
between the time of the adhan and iqamah:
This applies when the two raka’at are before the Fajr
or Dhuhr prayers. It is enough to offer these two raka’at as
additional prayers even if one is sitting in the mosque and
hears the adhan, one should stand up to offer them. What
substantiates this is the hadith of ‘Abdullah Ibn Mughaffal al-
Muzani  that the Prophet  said,
“There is a prayer between the two Adhans (Adhan and
Iqamah)…”,
and he added,
“...for the one who wants to pray.” 2
Sheikh Ibn Bzaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “
Every Muslim should offer two raka’at after the adhan, whether
it is a regular Sunnah or not, because of the Prophet’s  hadith,
“There is a prayer between the two Adhans (Adhan and
Iqamah)…”,
and he added,
“…for the one who wants to pray.”
Scholars have agreed on the authenticity of this hadith. The
command here applies to all prayers. The hadith indicates the
legality of offering two raka’at even if they are regular Sunnan,
15 Refer to: Al-Huda, 1/312
25 Refer to :Al-Huda, 1/312
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Seventhly, The Time of Ìsha!
like those offered before the Dhuhr or Fajr prayers.”1

There is no doubt that the two raka’at before Maghrib or
after the adhan are not emphatic Sunnan and they could be left
sometimes and it is for this reason the Prophet  said,
“ …for the one who wishes,”
to make sure that people do not consider them as regular
Sunnah.
The fourth factor is that it is disliked
to sleep before the ‘Isha’ prayer.
Abu Barza al-Aslami  narrated, “The Prophet  never
found any harm in delaying the ‘Isha’ prayer to the first
third of the night and he never liked to sleep before it and to
talk after it.”2 The reason why sleeping before ‘Isha prayer is
disliked is because it is feared that the person might oversleep
and neglect to pray.
15 Refer to: Majmu’ al-Fatawa, Vol. 1

25 Al-Bukhari no.7452, Muslim no.763
132
Seventhly,
The Time of
Ìsha!
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Seventhly,
The Time of
Ìsha!
There are several areas of discussion here:
The first one is that it is
disliked to talk after ‘Isha’ prayer:
The previous hadith of Abu Barza al-Aslami  says, “The
Prophet  never liked to sleep before it and talk after it.” There
is no problem however if a person wants to stay awake to
discuss beneficial information for Muslims, for work, or for
welcoming a guest and so on. What substantiates this is the
following:
A- The hadith of ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab  who said,
“The Prophet  used to talt with Abu Bakr about the
affair of the Muslims’ and I was with them.”1
B- Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated
“ Once I stayed overnight at the house of (my aunt)
Maymuna while the Prophet  was with her, to
see how the night prayer of Allah’s Messenger 
was. He talked to his wife for a while and then
15 Ahmad no. 178, At-Tirmidhi no. 169 and he graded it as fair.
134
slept.”1
The reason that it is disliked to stay awake after ‘Isha’ – and
Allah knows best – is that the person might oversleep and not
perform the Fajr prayer or miss the additional night prayer if
it was his habit to do so. Thus, the Prophet  chided the one
who oversleeps and misses the Fajr prayer as it is reported
in Ibn Mas’ud’s  two sound sahihs that Ibn Mas’ud said,
“A person was mentioned before the Prophet  and he was
told that he had kept on sleeping until morning and had not
woken up for the prayer. The Prophet  said: ‘He is a man in
whose ears (or ear) Satan had urinated.’”2 The significance of
this hadith is that it is disliked for the person to oversleep as
he might lose the Fajr prayer. ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab  used
to prevent people from spending the whole night awake (for
no valid reason) as this would lead them to neglect the Fajr
prayer. He – as ‘Abdul Razzak said in his collection of ahadith
- used to say, “Awake in the beginning of the night and sleep
at its end.”3
The second matter is that it is better to delay

the ‘Isha’ prayer providing no harm would be
inflicted upon the worshippers:
It is preferred to delay it for a little while; yet, this delay
should not lead to cause any trouble for the worshippers.
What substantiates this is the following ahadith:
A- ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated,
“The Prophet  stayed for a while during one of
the nights until a big part of the night was gone.
Worshippers in the mosque fell asleep because of the
35 ‘Abdul Razzaq, 1/560
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delay. Then, the Prophet  prayed. He said, ‘

It is its time now, had it not been difficult on my nation.’”1
B- Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him)
said, “The Prophet  used to pray the Dhuhr prayer
at midday, and the ‘Asr at a time when the sun was
still bright, the Maghrib after sunset (at its stated time)
and the ‘Isha’ at a variable time. Whenever he saw the
people assemble early (for Ìsha’ prayer) he would
pray earlier and if the people delayed, he would delay
the prayer. And they or the Prophet  used to offer the
Fajr prayers when it was still dark.”2
C- Abu Hurairah  narrated that the Prophet  said,
“Were I not afraid that it would be hard for my followers
(or for the people), I would order them to pray ‘Isha’
prayer at this time.”3 As for the Sunnah for women, as
long as she is not entitled to follow the congregational
prayer, she can delay the ‘Isha’ prayer if this would not
cause her any harm. The same applies to a man if he is
traveling and the like.
Sleeping and it has many Sunnan:

1- Locking the door when sleeping: Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah
 narrated that the Prophet  said, “Put out any
lamps when you go to bed, shut the doors, and cover
water and food containers.”4 The reason behind
locking the doors is to prevent devils from entering
as was mentioned in the previous hadith narrated by
15 Muslin no. 638

136
Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased him) that

the Prophet said, “And lock your doors and mention
Allah’s name as devils do not open a locked door.”1
2- To put the fire out before sleeping: The previous
hadith of Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah  says: “Put out lamps
when you go to bed.” Also, the hadith of Ibn ‘Umar
(may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Prophet
said, “And do not leave the fire burning in your
homes when you go to bed.”2 It was reported in the
two sound sahihs through Abu Musa al-Ash’ari  , “A
house in Madinah caught fire at night and the roof and
walls fell down upon the occupants. When this was
reported to the Messenger of Allah, he  said, “Fire is
your enemy; so put it out before you go to bed.”3 The
reason for putting fire out before sleeping was revealed
in the following hadith: “Secure your doors, tighten
your drinking water containers, cover your saucepans
and put out your lights. Satan does not open a secured
door, loosen a knot, or uncover a saucepan. However,
a mouse could set a house on fire.”4
The significance of putting the fire out is as the hadith of
Jabir  states, “…and put out your lights. Satan does not
open a secured door, loosen a knot, or uncover a saucepan.
However, a mouse could set a house on fire.”5 The hadith
talks about a mouse that should be killed in the holy shrine
area. It might set a house on fire and this would also include
any other thing that may lead to the same result. Great
25 Muslim no. 2015
137
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cautions should be taken with regards to heaters, ovens and

any other thing that might set a house alight as the hadith of
the Prophet  confirms. However, if precautions were taken
and heaters, for example, would not cause any harm to the
home dwellers, then there would be no problem to keep them
burning throughout the night of one wishes.
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “The
Prophet’s  saying,
‘And never leave the fire burning in your homes when you
go to bed,’
means the fire of lamps (that use oil etc, as was the case in
the past). As for hanging lanterns in mosques, for example, if
there was fear that they might cause fire, then they should be
put out also. Otherwise, they could be left burning. The reason
- as the previous hadith states - is that a mouse could set the
house or mosque on fire. Once this cause has been lifted, there
would be no harm to keep lamps, lanterns, etc burning.1 Ibn
Daqiq al-’Id (may Allah have mercy on him) stated that this
ruling is just recommended and not obligatory as Ibn Hajr
(may Allah have mercy on him) stated.”2
3. Making ablution before going to bed:
Al-Bara Ibn ‘Azib  narrated that the Prophet  said,
“When you want to go to bed, perform ablution as you do
for prayer, then lie down on your right side and say: ‘O
Allah! I turned my face towards You...’”3
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “If
15 Refer to his explanation of Muslin’s sahih, hadith no. 2015, chapter of covering
the vessels and tightening the water-skin.
25 Refer to: Fath al-Bari, hadith no. 6293, chapter of: Do not leave the fire burning
when you go to bed.
138
he was in a state of purity, then that should be enough.

It is better to go to bed in a state of purity just in case
one passes away and then he would meet Allah, the
Almighty while in that state. Besides, the Muslim
might have a good dream that comes true and being in
a state of cleanliness will keep Satan away from him.”1
4- It is Sunnah to dust off the bed before sleeping:
It is Sunnah to dust off the bed thrice and mention Allah’s
name while doing so. Abu Hurairah  narrated that the
Prophet  said,
“When one of you goes to your bed, dust it off with the
inside of your lower garment, for you do not know what
went onto it after you left it. Then say, ‘In Your name,
my Lord, I lie down, and in Your name I rise. If You
should take my soul then have mercy on it, and if You
should return my soul then protect it as You protect Your
righteous slaves.’”2
In another narration it states,
“When one of you goes to your bed, dust it off with the
inside of your lower garment, and do so three times.”3
Muslim narrates,
“When one of you goes to your bed, dust it off with
the inside of your lower garment, and mention Allah’s
name.”4
Accordingly, these ahadith indicate that dusting off the
15 Refer to his explanation of Muslim’s sahih, hadith no. 2710, chapter of what
should the person say when going to bed.
45 Muslim no. 2714
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bed is an act of Sunnah and that it should be done thrice and

Allah’s name should also be mentioned.
The hadith reveals the wisdom behind doing so which is,
“…for you do not know what went onto it after you left it.”
Thus, there might be something harmful on the bed. It is also
recommended to first dust off the garment and that is the
opinion of many scholars including Sheikh Ibn Jibreen (may
Allah have mercy upon him). He said this can be achieved
even by dusting off one’s turban.
5. Lying on the right hand side.
6. Placing one’s hand under one’s cheek:
What substantiates the following Sunnan are the
following ahadith: Al-Bara Ibn ‘Azib  narrated that
the Prophet  said, “When you want to go to bed,
perform ablution as you do for prayer, then lie down
on your right hand side and say: ‘O Allah! I turned
my face towards You...’”1 Also, Hudhaifah  narrated,
“The Prophet  would put his right hand under his
cheek whenever he wanted to sleep.”2
7. Making the adhkar of sleeping:
Sleeping has certain adhkar quoted from the Qur’an and
Sunnah.
1- From the Qur’an:
A- Ayatul Kursi: It is Sunnah to recite it before
sleeping, as it will protect a Muslim until the morning.
What substantiates this is the following hadith: Abu
Hurairah  narrated,

140
“The Prophet Muhammad  put me in charge of guarding

compulsory charity collected in the month of Ramadan.
Somebody came and began to take away some food from
it. I caught him and said, ‘I must take you to the Prophet
 .’ He replied, ‘I am a needy man with a large family,
and so I have a pressing need.’ So I let him go. When I
saw the Prophet the next morning, he asked me, ‘O Abu
Hurairah! What did your captive do last night?’ I said,
‘O Prophet! He complained of a pressing need and a big
family. I felt pity for him and I let him go.’ The Prophet
 said, ‘He told you a lie and he will return.’ I was sure
according to the saying of the Prophet  that he would
return. I waited for him. He sneaked up again and began
to steal food from the charity. I caught him and said, ‘I
must take you to the Prophet .’ He replied, ‘Let go of
me, I am a needy man. I have to bear the expenses of a
big family. I will not come back.’ So I took pity on him
and let him go. I went at dawn to the Prophet  who
asked me, ‘O Abu Hurairah! What did your captive do
last night?’ I replied, ‘O Prophet of Allah! He complained
of a pressing need and the burden of a big family. I took
pity on him and so I let him go.’ The Prophet  replied,
‘He told you a lie and he will return.’ (That man) came
again to steal the food. I arrested him and said, ‘I must
take you to the Prophet  of Allah, and this is the last of
three times. You promised that you would not come again
but you did.’ He replied, ‘Let go of me, and I shall teach
you some words with which Allah may benefit you.’ I
asked, ‘What are those words?’ He replied, ‘When you
go to bed, recite Al-Kursi verse (Qur’an 2:255), for there
will be a guardian appointed over you from Allah, and
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no devil will be able to approach you till morning.’ So

I let him go. Next morning the Prophet  asked me,
‘What did your prisoner do last night?’ I answered, ‘He
promised to teach me some words which he claimed will
benefit me before Allah. So I let him go.’ The Prophet
 asked, ‘What are those words that he taught you?’ I
said, ‘He told me: “When you go to bed, recite Al-Kursi
verse from the beginning to the end and that by reciting
it, there will be a guardian appointed over you from Allah
who will protect you during the night, and no devil will
be able to come near you until morning.”’ The Prophet
 said, ‘Verily, he has told you the truth though he is
a liar. O Abu Hurairah! Do you know with whom you
were speaking for the last three nights?’ I said, ‘No.’ The
Prophet  replied, ‘That was a devil.’”1
B- Reciting the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah:

Abu Mas’ud al-Ansari  narrated that Allah’s
Messenger  said,
“Whoever recites the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah
at night, those two verses shall be sufficient for him.”2
Yet, these two verses are not of the sleeping adhkar
in particular. However, they would be read for their
blessing. Hence, the one who did not read them at
night, he can read them while going to bed. Scholars
disagreed over the meaning of the phrase, “Shall be
sufficient for him.” A group said that they will give
him the reward as he performed the additional night
prayer. Another group said they will protect him
15 Al-Bukhari no. 2311, An-Nasa’i no. 10795.

142
against the devil. In the same regards, a third group

said that they will protect the person against anything
that might harm him. An-Nawawi (may Allah have
mercy on him) said they would stand for all these
virtues.1
C- Reciting the chapter of Al-Ikhlas (no.112), al-

Falaq (no.113) and an-Nas (no.114), blowing one’s
hands, and wiping the body three times:
What substantiates this is the following:
‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) states that,
“When the Messenger of Allah  would lie down
every night on his bed, he would raise his hands in the
supplication position and pray. He would recite Surat
al-Ikhlas (no. 112) three times, Surat al-Falaq (no.
113) once and Surat an-Nas (no.114) once and blow
on his palms and wiping his hands over his blessed
body where they could reach, this was done thrice.”2
Thus, the following could be learnt from the above
mentioned hadith. The Prophet  used to apply this
Sunnah every night as we know from the saying of
‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her). The one who
wants to apply this Sunnah should do the same thing
as the Prophet did.3
D- Reciting the chapter of Al-Kafiroon (no. 109):

‘Urwah Ibn Nawful narrated through his father  that
15 Refer to his explanation of Muslin’s sahih, hadith no. 808, chapter of the vir-
tues of the chapter of Al-Fatihah and the last verses of Surah al-Baqarah.
25 Please check this footnote.
35
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the Prophet said to him,
“Recite the chapter of Al-Kafiroon and make it the last

thing you read as it clears you against disbelief.”1
Ibn Hajr (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “There
are many ahadith that refer to the recitation of Ayatul Kursi
and we already referred to it. There is also the hadith of
Ibn Mas’ud  about the virtues of the last two verses
of Surah al-Baqarah and we already referred to it while
taking about the virtues of the Qur’an. Besides, there
is the is the hadith of ‘Urwa Ibn Nawful , ‘Recite the
chapter of Al-Kafiroon and make it the last thing you
read as it clears you against disbelief.’”2
2- There are many du’as of the Sunnah:
A- ْ َ‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم أَ م ُوتُ وَأ‬

» َ ‫حي‬ َ ‫ك‬ َ ِ ‫« ب ِاسْم‬
“O Allah by Your name I revive and by Your name I die.”3
B- ‫ن أَ حْ يَيْتَهَا‬
ْ ‫ ِإ‬,‫مح ْيَاه َا‬ َ َ ‫ ل‬,‫« الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم خ َلَقْتَ ن َ ْفس ِي وَأَ ن ْتَ تَو َف ّ َاه َا‬
َ َ ‫ك مَمَاتُهَا و‬
َ ُ ‫ الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم ِإن ِ ّي أَ سْ أَ ل‬,‫ و َِإ ْن أَ م َتّهَا فَا ْغفِر ْ لَهَا‬،‫فَاحْ ف َ ْظه َا‬
»َ ‫ك ال ْع َاف ِي َة‬
“O Allah, You have created my soul and You take it back.

Unto You is its death and its life . If You give it life then
protect it , and if You cause it to die then forgive it. O Allah,
I ask You for strength.”4
15 Ahmad no. 21934, Abu Dawud no. 5055, at-Tirmidhi no. 3403 and Al-Albani
graded it as fair.
25 Fath al-Bari, hadith no. 6319, chapter of asking Allah’s refuge against the devil
and reciting some chapter while going to bed.
35 Al-Bukhari no. 6324 through the hadith of Hudhaifah .
45 Muslim no. 2712 through the hadith of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar – may Allah be
pleased with them.
144
C- ‫ ر َ َب ّنَا‬, ‫ِيم‬
ِ ‫ش ال ْعَظ‬
ِ ْ ‫ب ال ْعَر‬
ّ َ َ ‫ض وَر‬
ِ ‫ب الأَ ْر‬
ّ َ َ ‫ات وَر‬ ّ َ ‫ب ال‬
ِ َ ‫سم َاو‬ ّ َ َ ‫« الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم ر‬
‫ن‬
ِ ‫ل وَالْفُر ْقَا‬
ِ ‫الإنْ ج ِي‬ َ ‫ل‬
ِ َ ‫الت ّو ْرَاة ِ و‬ َ َ‫ب و‬
َ ِ ‫ وَمُنْز‬, ‫الن ّو َى‬ َ ِ ‫ فَال‬,ٍ‫ل شَيْء‬
ِّ َ ‫ق الْح‬ ِّ ُ ‫ب ك‬
ّ َ َ ‫وَر‬
‫ل‬ ِ ‫ل شَيْء ٍ أَ ن ْتَ آ‬
ُ ‫ الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم أَ ن ْتَ الأَ َ ّو‬, ِ ‫خذٌ بنَِاصِيَتِه‬ ِ ّ ُ ‫ك م ِنْ شَرِّ ك‬
َ ِ ‫ أَ ع ُوذ ُ ب‬,
ُ ‫ وَأَ ن ْتَ الظَّاه ِر‬, ٌ ‫ْس بَعْدَك َ شَيْء‬ َ ‫خر ُ فَلَي‬ِ ‫ وَأَ ن ْتَ الآ‬, ٌ ‫ك شَيْء‬ َ َ ‫ْس قَب ْل‬
َ ‫فَلَي‬
َ ْ ‫ض ع ََن ّا ال َد ّي‬
‫ن‬ ِ ْ ‫ اق‬, ٌ ‫ك شَيْء‬
َ َ ‫ْس د ُون‬َ ‫ن فَلَي‬ُ ِ‫ وَأَ ن ْتَ ال ْبَاط‬, ٌ ‫ك شَيْء‬
َ َ ‫ْس فَو ْق‬
َ ‫فَلَي‬
»ِ‫ن الْف َ ْقر‬
َ ِ ‫وَأَ غْن ِنَا م‬
“O Allah! Lord of the seven heavens and Lord of the

Magnificent Throne. Our Lord and the Lord of everything.
Splitter of the grain and the date-stone, Revealer of the Torah
and the Injeel1 and the Furqan (the Qur’an), I seek refuge in
You from the evil of everything that You shall seize by the
forelock. O Allah You are the First and nothing has come
before you, and You are the Last, and nothing may come
after You. You are the Most High, nothing is above You
and You are the Most Near and nothing is nearer than You.
Remove our debts from us and enrich us against poverty.”
From the hadith of Abu Hurairah .1
D- ‫ن أَ ْمسَكْتَ ن َ ْفس ِي‬

ْ ‫ك أَ ْرف َع ُه ُ ِإ‬
َ ِ ‫جنْبِي و َب‬
َ ُ‫ضعْت‬
َ َ‫ب و‬
ِّ َ ‫ك ر‬
َ ِ ‫« ب ِاسْم‬
َ َ ‫تحْف َُظ بِه ِ عِبَادَك‬
» َ‫الصّ الِ �حِين‬ َ ‫ارحَمْه َا و َِإ ْن أَ ْرسَلْتَهَا فَاحْ ف َ ْظه َا بِمَا‬
ْ َ‫ف‬
“With Your Name1 my Lord, I lay myself down; and with

Your Name I rise. And if my soul You take, have mercy on
it, and if You send it back then protect it as You protect Your
righteous slaves.”
From the hadith of Abu Hurairah . 2
15 Muslim no. 2713.
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E- َ ‫ فَك َ ْم م َِم ّنْ لا َ ك َافِي‬,‫كف َان َا وَآوَان َا‬ َ َ ‫« ا ْلحم َْد ُ للّه ِ ال ّ َذ ِي أَ طْ عَم َنَا و‬
َ َ ‫ و‬،‫سق َان َا‬
»‫لَه ُ وَلا َ مُؤْوِي‬

“Praise to Allah who fed us and gave us drink, gave us what
suffices us and gave us shelter. How many are those who
have no one to suffice them nor to give them shelter.” From
the hadith of Anas  who said, “Allah’s Messenger used to
say: ‘Praise be to Allah upon going to be.’”1
Al-Mubarkafouri (may Allah have mercy on him) said
in the book entitled Tuhfat al-Ahudhi, “‘What suffices
us,’ means that which protects us against harms or
fulfill our requests, and ‘gave us a shelter’ means
facilitate the way for us to get housing.”2
F- َ َ ‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم قِنِي عَذ َاب‬

َ ‫ك يَو ْم َ تَبْع َثُ عِبَادَك‬ َ
“ O Allah protect me against Your punishment when You

resurrect Your slaves.”3
Reported by Ahmad through Al-Bara Ibn ‘Azib  that
the Prophet  would put his hand under his cheek
when he would sleep...”4 Reported by Ahmad, at-
Tirmidhi through Hudhaifah Ibn al-Yaman. Al-Albani
graded this hadith as sound.5
G- It is Sunnah to Glorify and Praise Allah 33 times
and say Allah is the Greatest 34 times:
It is Sunnah to say SubhanAllah 33 times, Alhamdullilah
15 Muslim no. 2715.
25 Refer to: Tuhfat al-Ahodhi, hadith no. 3396, chapter of what should the person
say when he goes to bed.
45 Muslim no. 2715.
55 Refer to: Tuhfat al-Ahudhi, hadith no. 3396, chapter of what should be said
upon going to bed.
146
33 times, and Allahu Akbar 34 times before going to bed.

They have a powerful affect on the body throughout
your day. What substantiates this is the following
hadith: ‘Ali  narrated that Fatima (may Allah be
pleased with her) went to the Prophet  complaining
about the bad effect of the stone hand-mill on her
hands. She heard that the Prophet had received a few
slave girls. But (when she came there) she did not find
him, so she mentioned her problem to ‘Aishah. When
the Prophet came, ‘Aishah informed him about that.
‘Ali added, “So the Prophet came to us when we had
gone to bed. We wanted to get up (on his arrival) but
he said, ‘Stay where you are.’ Then he came and sat
between me and her and I felt the coldness of his feet on
my abdomen. He said, ‘Shall I direct you to something
better than what you have requested? When you go to
bed say SubhanAllah’ thirty-three times, Alhamdulillah’
thirty three times, and Allahu Akbar thirty four times,
for that is better for you than a servant.’”1 In another
narration, ‘Ali said: “I have never left them since I
heard them from the Prophet .” He was once asked:
“Even on the night of the Battle of Siffin?” He said:
“Even on the night of the Battle of Siffin.”2 It is known
that ‘Ali  was one of the leaders of the Battle of Siffin
and despite him being occupied with his role in it; he
did not abandon the Sunnah. ‘Ali’s words illustrate
the practice of the Companions to strongly stick to
the Sunnah. He did not forget to say the words even
when he was tasked by being the leader of the army.
15 Muslim no. 3705, Muslim no. 2727.
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What about those who leave many Sunnan while

being busy?!! And what about those who abandon the
Sunnah without any reason except for having a lazy
heart who forgets Allah?! May Allah shower us with
His Mercy.
َ ْ ‫ وَف َو ّضْ تُ أَ ْمر ِي ِإلَي‬, ‫ك‬

H- ُ‫ وَأَ لْجأْ َت‬, ‫ك‬ َ ْ ‫الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم ِإن ِ ّي أَ سْ لَم ْتُ وَجْ ه ِي ِإلَي‬
,َ‫ك ِإلا ّ َ ِإلَيْك‬

َ ْ ‫ لا َ م َل ْج َأَ وَلا َ مَن ْج َا مِن‬.َ‫ رَغْب َة ً وَرَه ْب َة ً ِإلَيْك‬, ‫ك‬
َ ْ ‫َظ ْهرِي ِإلَي‬
َ‫ك ال ّ َذ ِي أَ ْرسَل ْت‬

َ ِّ ‫ و َبِنَب ِي‬, َ‫ك ال ّ َذ ِي أَ ن ْزَل ْت‬
َ ِ ‫آمَن ْتُ بِكِتَاب‬
“O Allah, I submit myself to You, turn my face to You,

relinquish my affairs to You, and support my back on You,
out of hope (for rewards) and fear (of punishment) from You.
There is no shelter or escape from You – except with You. I
believe in Your Book that You have revealed, and in Your
Prophet whom You have sent.”1
Al-Baraa ibn ‘Aazib  reported that the Prophet
said:”
“When you go to bed, perform wudhu like that for prayer,
then lie on your right side and say:
.....َ‫الل ّ َه ُ َ ّم ِإن ِ ّي أَ سْ لَم ْتُ وَجْ ه ِي ِإلَيْك‬

‘O Allah, I submit myself to You and turn my face to
You.’ The Prophet  added: “If you would then die during
that night, you die upon fitrah. And let these be your last
words.”
There is another Sunnah in this hadith and it is to ensure
these words are the last things uttered before sleeping, and
as a result they would have a great reward, for if they die in
148
the night, they will be upon the Fitrah of Ibrahim, and if they
wake up in the morning, they will gain the charity of the day.
It is important to refer to this great Dhikr which has a great
reward. In Sahih Al-Bukhari, Shadad Ibn Aws  said that the
Prophet  said,
‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم أَ ن ْتَ ر َب ِ ّي ل َا ِإلَه َ ِإ َلّا أَ ن ْتَ خ َلَقْتَنِي وَأَ ن َا‬

َ :َ‫سَيِّد ُ ال ِاسْ تِغْف َارِ أَ ْن تَق ُول‬
‫ك م ِنْ شَرِّ م َا‬

َ ِ ‫عَبْدُك َ وَأَ ن َا عَلَى ع َ ْهدِك َ وَوَعْدِك َ م َا اسْ تَطَعْتُ أَ ع ُوذ ُ ب‬
ُ ‫ك بِذ َنْبِي فَاغْفِر ْ ل ِي ف َِإ َن ّه ُ ل َا يَغْف ِر‬

َ َ ‫ك عَل َيّ وَأَ بُوء ُ ل‬
َ ِ ‫ك بنِِعْم َت‬
َ َ ‫صَنَعْتُ أَ بُوء ُ ل‬
ِ ‫ وَم َنْ قَالَهَا م ِنْ ال َنّهَارِ م ُوق ِنًا بِهَا فَمَاتَ م ِنْ يَوْمِه‬: ‫ل‬ َ ‫ قَا‬, َ‫وب ِإ َلّا أَ ن ْت‬ َ ُ ‫ال ُذ ّن‬
‫ن بِهَا‬
ٌ ِ ‫ل وَه ُو َ م ُوق‬ َ ْ‫ وَم َنْ قَالَهَا م ِن‬, ِ ‫ل الْج َنَ ّة‬
ِ ْ ‫الل ّي‬ ِ ْ ‫ل أَ ْن يمُْسِيَ فَه ُو َ م ِنْ أَ ه‬
َ ْ ‫قَب‬
ِ ‫ل الْج َنَ ّة‬

ِ ْ ‫ح فَه ُو َ م ِنْ أَ ه‬
َ ِ ‫ل أَ ْن يُصْ ب‬
َ ْ ‫فَمَاتَ قَب‬
“O Lord of Forgiveness, O Allah, You are my Lord. There

is no god, but You. You created me and I am Your servant,
and I uphold Your covenant and (my) promise to You as
much as I am able. I seek refuge in You from the evil I have
done. I acknowledge before You Your favor upon me, and
I acknowledge my sin; so forgive me. Indeed, there is none
who can forgive sins except You. He added, “Whoever
recites this in morning with firm faith in it and dies the
same day will enter paradise. And whoever recites it in
the evening with firm faith and dies the same day will
enter Paradise.”1
The slave should keep and stick to this great bounty by
saying this Dua’ in the day and night with strong firm faith in
order to gain Paradise. We ask Allah, Almighty to bestow us
from His bounty.
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The Sunnan of dreams:

In the two sahihs Abu Qatadah narrated, “The Prophet 
told us that it may be a vision from Allah, a dream from Satan,
or nonsense.” These dreams may make someone happy all
the day or sad all the day. The Sunnah makes us feel happy
and relaxed, but we often forget it. When some people have a
dream they become frightened and rush to search for someone
to interpret it for them. I wrote in detail on this subject in a
book titled ‘O the dream owner (Ya Sahib Al-Ro’ia).’ Hence,
knowing the Sunnah and acting upon it keeps us calm, happy
and away from fear.
The Sunnan of this chapter:

Abu Salama  narrated: “I used to have a dream which
would make me sick until I heard Abu Qatadah saying, ‘I
too, used to have a dream which would make me sick until I
heard the Prophet saying, ‘A good dream is from Allah, so if
anyone of you has a dream which he likes, he should not tell
it to anybody except to the one whom he loves, and if he has
a dream which he dislikes, then he should seek refuge with
Allah from its evil and from the evil of Satan, and spit three
times (on his left shoulder) and should not tell it to anybody,
for it will not harm him.’”1 In another narration, “A good
dream that comes true is from Allah, and a bad dream is from
Satan, so if anyone of you sees a bad dream, he should seek
refuge with Allah from Satan and should spit on the left, for
the bad dream will not harm him.”2
Abu Hurairah  narrated that the Prophet said,
“When the Day of Resurrection approaches, the dreams
25 Al-Bukhari no. 3292, Muslim no 2261.
150
of a believer will hardly fail to come true, and a dream

of a believer is one of forty-six parts of prophethood, and
whatever belongs to prophethood can never be false.”1
Jabir  narrated that the Prophet  said,
“And let him ask Allah’s protection against the devil and
let him change to the other side (when sleeping).”2
Abu Sai’d al-Khudri  narrated that the Prophet said,
“A good dream is from Allah, so if anyone of you saw a
dream which he liked, he should praise Allah.”3
We conclude from the previous ahadith that it is Sunnah for
The one who sees a good vision is to:

Firstly: praise Allah, because it is from Him.
Secondly: only tell it to those whom they love.
The one who has a bad dream is to:
Firstly: spit on their left shoulder three times.
Secondly: seek refuge in Allah, Almighty from Satan and
from the evil they saw three times by saying: “I seek refuge in
Allah from Satan and from its evil (three times).”
Thirdly: don’t tell it to anyone to avoid its harm as the
Prophet  commanded.
Fourthly: turn on your other side. If you are sleeping on
your back turn to sleep on your side and so on.
Fifthly: pray two Raka’at.
Remember Abu Qatada’s and Abu Salama’s words: “I
used to have a dream which would make me sick,” but after
15 Muslim no. 2263.

25 Muslim no. 2262.
35 Al-Bukhair no. 7045.
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doing the Sunnah of the Prophet , they never cared about

it ever again. Therefore, it is better for those who have any
discomposing dream to apply the Prophet’s Sunnah in order
to gain the reward due to his  saying:
“…for it will not harm him.”
Al-Nawawi said: “Even if he did just some of this Sunnah,
it would protect him from the harm InshaAllah.” Al-Qady
said: “The dry spitting three times is to get rid of the devil and
its bad dream. The spitting on the left especially is good for
this purpose, because it is the dirties’ position and the right is
vice versa with it.”1
We can conclude the following

from the previous ahadith:
A Muslim’s dream is a part from the prophecy and thus
if the Muslim is candid in his awaking, their vision will be
nearer to truth or reality. This is the effect and the blessing of
telling the truth on the Muslim, even while sleeping time.
Ibn Hajr said: “Al-Qurtubi said, ‘Because those who always
speaks the truth, their hearts are lightened, their awareness is
sharper and the right meaning of everything is clear for them.
However, those who always tell lies, their hearts are dark and
they cannot detect what’s right and wrong clearly. There are
some rare occasions that the candid might have a bad and
false dream and the one who lies sees it as a good and truthful
dream - and Allah knows best.’” Ibn Hajr said: “The previous
explanation confirms that the pious believer’s vision may be a
part from the prophecy.”2
15 Refer to his explanation of Muslim’s sahih, hadith no. 2261, chapter of dreams.
25 Fath al-Bari, hadith no. 2017, chapter of dreams.
152
It is Sunnah to utter the

following dhikr upon waking:
‘Ubadah Ibn Samit  said that the Messenger of Allah 
said:
“Whoever wakes up in the night and says:
‫ل‬
ِ ّ ُ ‫ك وَلَه ُ ا ْلحم َْد ُ وَه ُو َ عَلَى ك‬ ُ ْ ‫ لَه ُ ال ْمُل‬, ُ ‫ك لَه‬ َ ‫الل ّه ُ وَحْد َه ُ ل َا شَر ِي‬ َ ‫ل َا ِإلَه َ ِإ َلّا‬
‫ وَل َا‬, ُ ‫الل ّه ُ أَ كْ ب َر‬ َ ‫ وَل َا ِإلَه َ ِإ َلّا‬, ِ ‫الل ّه‬
َ َ ‫ و‬, ُ ‫الل ّه‬ َ َ‫سب ْح َان‬ُ َ ‫ و‬, ِ ‫ ا ْلحم َْد ُ ل َِل ّه‬, ٌ ‫شَيْء ٍ قَدِير‬
, ُ ‫ِيب لَه‬ َ :َ‫ ث َُم ّ قَال‬,ِ‫ل وَل َا ق َُو ّة َ ِإ َلّا ب َِالل ّه‬
َ ‫ أَ ْو د َعَا اسْ تُج‬, ‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم اغْفِر ْ ل ِي‬ َ ْ ‫حو‬
َ
ْ َ ‫ضأَ وَصَلَ ّى قُبِل‬

ُ ‫ت صَلَاتُه‬ ّ َ َ ‫ف َِإ ْن تَو‬
‘None has the right to be worshipped but Allah. He is the

Only One and has no partners. For Him is the Kingdom
and all the praises are due for Him. He is Omnipotent. All
the praises are for Allah. All the glories are for Allah. And
none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, And Allah
is Great And there is neither Might nor Power Except
with Allah,’ and then says: ‘O Allah! Forgive me,’ or
invokes (Allah), he will be responded to and if he performs
ablution (and prays), his prayer will be accepted.”1
There are two great glad tidings mentioned in this hadith.
If a person wakes up and says this dhikr, he will have the two
following rewards.
If he says: “O Allah forgive me,” or makes du’a, then his
du’a will be answered.
If he performs wudu’ (to pray salah), his prayer will be
accepted.
Praise be to Allah who granted us all of these bounties and
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we ask Allah to guide us to the good acts.
Explanation:
The words “wake up” in the previous hadith has many
meanings such as speak, pay attention and wake up terribly
etc.
Ibn Al-Atheer, Ibn Manzoor, Sheikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
and Ibn Baaz1 said that it means to wake up after sleeping. It
is a great mercy and blessing from Allah. Therefore, whoever
hears these words should never forget to repeat them.2
Ibn Hajr said that Ibn Battal said: “Allah promised us
through his Prophet’s tongue to accept the dua and the prayer
of those who wake up from their sleep and utter the words
of Tawheed with complete submission to Allah, admitting His
favors, praising Him, Glorifying Him, saying Allahu Akbar
and feeling that all the power is for Him Only and by Him.”3
We have now concluded the section on Sunnah related to
time.
In this chapter, it is detested to:

Sleep on the stomach, sleep on a non-stoned place, forget
to wash the hands from food, and leave the fire on as was all
previously discussed.
15 Majmu’ al-Fatawa, 22/479.

25 Majmu’ al-Fatawa, 22/479, various articles, vol. 26, page. 43 under the title of
permissible adhkar and what should be done upon sleeping and waking up.
35 Al-Fath, hadith no. 1154, chapter of the one who wakes up in order to pray.
154
The Non-Timed
Related,
Sunnan
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The non-timed related Sunnan
The non-timed
related
Sunnan
T his makes up the second part of the daily Sunnan
and is a detailed and miscellaneous section. Some
of these Sunnan do not change due to change of place,
people or time, and I shall illustrate what is the most
repeated. I am going to pass over certain Sunnan as
this section cannot be restricted to something specific.
I put my trust in the Lord and I will do my best -
if my memory will serve me correctly – to apply the
information in this humble paper.
The first thing to start with in this section is:
The Sunnan of food

I did not find it suitable to include the Sunnan of food
with the time related Sunnan because eating and drinking do
not have a specific time, therefore you can adjust the Sunnan
accordingly. Though, eating and drinking may occur at certain
intervals nowadays, that was not the case during the times of
156
the Companions and pious predecessors. They did not have the
luxury of having various types of food like we do in this day
and age. At this juncture, I am particularly referring to those
who were unable to have meals at certain times due to a lack of
it. The majority of them – may Allah have mercy on them all
often queried whether they had anything to eat or not?
Here is the example of the Prophet , the luminous lamp
of this nation and the best that Allah has ever created, where
he goes to 'Aishah (may Allah have mercy on her) and asks
her one day,
“O 'Aishah! Do we have anything to eat?” She answered,
“O Messenger of Allah! No.” He then said, “So, I am
fasting.”1
Abu Hurairah  narrated,
“One day a poor and hungry man came to Prophet Muhammad
 to ask for some food. Prophet Muhammad  guided him to
go to the homes of his wives and get something to eat. All of
them had no food in their homes and thus could not offer the
poor man anything. He returned to Prophet Muhammad 
who then asked his Sahabah (Companions), 'Who is going to
invite this guest to his home?' Then, a man from among the
Ansaar (Helpers) hosted him." 2
That was a true indication of the Companions' life and at
the top we find Abu Bakr and 'Umar (may Allah be pleased
with them). It was reported by Imam Muslim through Abu
Hurairah  who said,
"The Prophet  went out during an hour in which he
would normally not go out, nor meet with anyone. Then Abu
Bakr  came to him. So he said: ‘What brought you O Abu
15 Muslim no. 1154

25 Muslim no. 2054
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Bakr?’ He said: ‘I came to meet the Messenger of Allah  and

to look at his face, and to make sure he was safe. It was not
long before 'Umar  came. He said: ‘What has brought you
O 'Umar?’ He said: ‘Hunger O Messenger of Allah!’ He said:
‘I also experienced some of that’ So they went to the home of
Abu al-Haitham at-Taiyyihan al-Ansari . He was a man with
many date palms and sheep, but he had no servants so they
did not find him there. They said to his wife: ‘Where is your
companion?’ She said: ‘He has gone to fetch us some good
water.’ It was not long before Abu Al-Haitham  came along
hauling a large water-skin which he put down. Then he came
to hug the Prophet  and uttered that his father and mother
should be ransomed for him. Then he went to his grove and
he spread out a mat for them. Then he went to a date palm
and returned with a cluster of dates, which he put down in
front of them. He also slaughtered an animal for them. The
Prophet  said: ‘Why don't you select some ripe dates for
us?’ He said: ‘O Messenger of Allah  ! I wanted you to select
from the ripe dates and the unripe dates.’ So they ate and they
drank from that water. The Messenger of Allah  said: ‘By
the One in Whose Hand is my soul! This is among the favors
which you shall be asked about on the Day of Judgment. Cool
shade, tasty ripe dates, and cool water.’1"
Furthermore, we have heard the transmitter of the Sunnah,
namely, Abu Hurairah  through Al-Bukhari (may Allah
have mercy on him) report, that Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
said, “We were with Abu Hurairah  and he was wearing two
linen garments dyed with red ochre. He blew his nose in one
of them and said: 'Excellent! Abu Hurairah blows his nose in
linens! I saw a time when I would pass out between the Minbar
15 Muslim no. 2038.
158
of the Messenger of Allah  and the dwelling of 'Aishah from

overwhelming hunger. Someone came and placed his foot on
my neck thinking that I was a mad man, but I was not crazy, it
was nothing but hunger."1
It was not only Abu Hurairah , but ponder over those
Companions who fell down whilst in prayer due to hunger.
It was reported by At-Tirmidhi through Fudalah ibn 'Ubaid
who said, “When Messenger of Allah  led the prayers, some
people would fall down from their standing posture out of
extreme hunger. They were from the people of As-Suffah.
The nomad Arabs would say that they were insane. After
concluding the prayer, the Messenger of Allah  would turn
to them and say, ‘If you were to know what is in store for
you with Allah, the Exalted, you would wish to augment your
starvation and lack of provisions.’ Fudalah  said, ‘I was with
the Prophet  at that time.’”2 At-Tirmidhi graded it as sound.
That was the norm during the golden era of Islam and with
the generations that followed. They would only eat when
there was food and they did not have specific times set for
meals because most of the time they did not have anything to
eat. Yet, this is not the place to narrate such stories and reports
of those great people (may Allah have mercy on all of them).
1. Sunnan of Food:
Before you eat or drink anything, begin by saying:
“Bismillah” (In the name of Allah.” 'Umar ibn abu
Salamah  narrated,
“I was a boy under the care of Allah's Messenger  and
my hand used to go around the dish while I was eating.
Therefore, Allah's Apostle said to me, 'O boy! Mention
15 Al-Buhkari no. 7324.
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the Name of Allah, eat with your right hand and eat of
the dish what is nearest to you.' Since then I have applied
those instructions when eating.”1
It is better to stick to the phrase “Bismillah” (In the name
of Allah) as the texts confirm.
Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) stated, “What is
meant, is to say: ‘Bismillah’ before your first sip or bite.” The
most vivid example in this regard is the hadith reported by
Abu Dawud and an-Nasa'i through Umm Kulthum through
'Aishah (may Allah be pleased with them all) – that the
Prophet  said,
“When one of you eats, he should mention Allah’s name
(Bismillah); if he forgets to mention Allah’s Name at the
beginning, he should say (when he remembers): ‘Bismi
Allah fi awalihi wa fi akhirih’ (I begin with the name of
Allah at the beginning and at the end.”2 Abu Dawud and
An-Nasa'i also report a hadith through Umayyah ibn
Makhsi which supports this. The Prophet said, "Satan had
been eating with him but when he mentioned the Name of
Allah, Satan vomited up all that was in his stomach."
As for an-Nawawi's saying (may Allah have mercy on hi m)
in his book entitled ‘Adhkar,’ in the chapter of the etiquettes of
eating, “The formula of saying in the Name of Allah is the best
thing to know. It is better to say: 'In the Name of Allah, most
Compassionate, most Merciful.' It is enough for the Muslim
just to say: 'In the name of Allah,' and through this formula
he/she has applied the Sunnah." However, I did not find any
proof that supports an-Nawawi's opinion.3
25 Abu Dawud no. 3767, At-Tirmidhi no. 1858
35 Refer to: Fath al-Bari hadith no. 5376, chapter of saying in the name ofAl-
lah upon eating.
160
Scholars have differed with regards to tasmiyah (i.e. saying

Bismillah upon starting to eat or drink). Some have argued it is
Sunnah, while others have said it is obligatory because of the
Prophet's  command in the hadith.
• If a person forgets to mention Allah’s name at the
beginning, when they remember they should say: “I
begin with the name of Allah at the beginning and at
the end,” and this is because of 'Aishah's hadith that bears
the same meaning.1 Besides, the hadith indicates that the
Muslim should eat using his right hand so he would
not resemble Satan. However, if the Muslim did not
say the tasmiyah or ate using the left hand, they would
then resemble Satan.
This also indicates:
Hudhaifa  reported: “When we attended a dinner along
with the Messenger of Allah  we did not lay our hands on
the food until Allah's Messenger  had laid his hand and
commenced eating (the food). Once we went with him at
a dinner when a girl came rushing as it someone had been
pursuing her. She was about to lay her hand on the food,
when Allah's Messenger  caught her hand. Then a desert
Arab came there (rushing) as if someone had been pursuing
him. He (the Prophet ) caught his hand; and then Allah's
Messenger  said, ‘Satan considers that food lawful on which
Allah's name is not mentioned. He had brought this girl so
that the food might be made lawful for him and I caught her
hand. And he had brought a desert Arab so that (the food)
might be lawful for him. So I caught his hand. By Him, in
Whose Hand is my life, it was (Satan's) hand that was in my
hand along with her hand.’”2
15 Abu Dawud no. 3767, At-Tirmidhi no. 1858
25 Muslim no. 2017.
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Also, 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with

him) narrated that Allah's Messenger  said,
“None of you should eat or drink with his left hand, for
verily Satan eats and drinks with his left hand.”
Nafi' added that the Prophet  said,
“Do not give or take with it (the left hand).”1
The explicit meaning of the hadith indicates that Satan eats
just as human beings eat.
Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “At-Taybi
said: 'Do not eat with the left hand, if you did so, you are from
the supporters of Satan as he told his supporters to do so.'
However, this saying is not correct and the correct opinion
is that Satan actually eats like humans. This is accepted and
a hadith indicated this view, thus there is no opportunity to
present another interpretation of Satan's manner of eating.”2
Satan is eager to enter homes so he can spend the night and
share the food and drink of the people. Jabir ibn 'Abdullah
narrated that he heard Allah's Messenger  saying,
"If a person mentions the Name of Allah upon entering
his house or eating, Satan says, addressing his followers:
'You will find nowhere to spend the night and no dinner.'
But if he enters without mentioning the Name of Allah,
Satan says (to his followers); 'You have found (a place) to
spend the night in,’ and if he does not mention the Name
of Allah at the time of eating, Satan says: 'You have found
(a place) to spend the night in as well as food.’”3
2. To eat from what is in front of you:
The previous hadith supports this. An-Nawawi (may Allah
15 Muslim no. 2020

25 Refer to: Fath al-Bari hadith no. 5376, chapter of making tasmiyah upon
eating and starting with the right hand.
35 Muslim no. 2018.
162
have mercy on him) said, “The third is to eat from what is in

front of you, as eating from the same place where your friend
eats is bad manners and unacceptable. He might feel disgust
especially when eating meat and the like.”1
Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “I said what
indicates the use of the right hand while eating is the hadith
that warns against using the left hand. It is reported by Imam
Muslim through Salamah ibn al-Akwa' (may Allah be pleased
with them) that a man ate with his left hand in the presence of
Messenger of Allah , whereupon he  said, “Eat with your
right hand.” The man said: “I cannot do that.” Thereupon he
(the Prophet  ) said, “May you not be able to do that.” It was
vanity that prevented him from doing it and he could not raise
it (the right hand) up to his mouth ever again afterwards.”2 3
3. To pick up the fallen morsel,

clean it and eat it:
It is from the Sunnah that if a morsel falls on the ground,
one should pick it up, clean it and eat it. By doing so a person
will have applied the Sunnah. This is also to prevent Satan
from sharing one's food and not leaving the falling morsel for
Satan to eat. What proves this is the following hadith:
Jabir ibn 'Abdullah  narrated that Allah's Messenger 
said,
“When a morsel of any of your food falls to the ground,
he should pick it up, remove any of the dirt on it and then
eat it. It should not be left for Satan nor should one wipe
his hand with a towel until he has licked his fingers, for
15 Refer to his explanation of Muslim’s Sahih and the hadith no. 2022, chap-
ter of etiquettes of foods and drinks and their rulings.
25 Muslim no. 2020
35 Refer to: Fath al-Bari hadith no. 5376, Chapter of tasmiyah and using the
right hand while eating.
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he does not know in what portion of the food the blessing

lies."1
The one who contemplates on this hadith will find Satan
eager to share with man in all of his affairs in order to spoil his
life and make it void of blessing. What indicates that Satan is
keen to share in on man's affairs is the hadith “Satan is eager
to share everything in your life.” Texts have come to this effect
as we have already explained with regards to food. However,
we shall present additional Sunnan in the following pages In-
sha-Allah.
4. Licking one's fingers:
This means to lick your thumb, index finger and middle
finger with the tip of your tongue or have your wife do so. It
is Sunnah to not wipe your fingers with a tissue cloth, but first
rather lick them as mentioned above. What supports this is
the previous hadith of Jabir ibn 'Abudllah . Ibn 'Abbas (may
Allah be pleased with him) narrated in the two sahihs ahadith
" When one of you finishes eating, he should not wipe his
fingers until he has licked them or given them to someone
else to lick for him.”2
In another hadith, he is reported to have said,
“…and he should not leave it for Satan nor wipe his hand
with a towel until he has licked his fingers, for he does not
know in what portion of the food the blessing lays.”3
5. To clean the dish:
This means to clean the dish by eating every morsel of food
therein and not leave anything, such as when rice is served,
15 Muslim no. 2033
25 Al-Bukhari no. 5456 and Muslim no. 2023
35 Muslim no. 2033.
164
every last grain of it should be eaten (unless the food is to

be kept for later consumption). What substantiates this is the
hadith narrated by Anas who reported, “The Prophet 
ordered us to clean the dish.” 1 In another narration by Muslim,
“Let one of you clean the dish.” 2 Sheikh bin 'Uthaimeen (may
Allah have mercy on him) said, “The Prophet's  order to
clean the dish means to eat the little amounts that stay behind
and lick it. This is one of the Sunnan that many people have
unfortunately abandoned, even some of our own students
and you notice that when they have finished their food there
is still some food on their plates. They do not eat until they
clean their plates and this contradicts the Sunnah that the
Prophet  ordered to follow.”3
6. To eat using three fingers:
It is from the Sunnah to eat using three fingers (the thumb,
index finger and middle finger) especially with things that can
be picked up easily, such as dates etc., and this is supported
by Ka'b ibn Malik's  hadith, “The Prophet  used to eat with
three fingers and would lick them before wiping them.”4
Sheikh bin 'Uthaimeen (may Allah have mercy on him)
said, “It is better for the Muslim to eat using three fingers (i.e.
the thumb, index finger and middle finger) as this indicates
that the person is not greedy and humble as well. This applies
to the type of food that you can eat using three fingers.
However, with some other types of food such as rice, you can
use more than three fingers. Eating using three fingers is only
in the case of food that suits it, such as dates as I have already
15 Muslim no. 2034

25 Muslim no. 2035
35 Sharh Riyadh as-Saliheen, 1/892.
45 Muslim no. 2032
165
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mentioned, as this is the Sunnah of the Prophet .1

An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him said) “As for
the Prophet's  saying: “For he does not know in what portion
of the food the blessing lies,' this means, and Allah knows
best, that the food the person eats is blessed, but, he does
not know where the blessing is. It could be in what he ate, in
what he licked, in what remains in the dish, or in the falling
morsel. Hence, if he takes care of all of this, he could attain
this blessing. Allah knows best what benefits health, prevents
harm and leads to worshipping Allah and so on.”2
7. It is Sunnah to take three breaths

in the course of drinking:
This means to drink in three gulps and breathe after
each gulp. What demonstrates this is the hadith of Anas
who said, “Allah's Messenger  used to breathe three times
during the course of a drink and used to say that drinking
in this manner is more acceptable, more thirst quenching
and more wholesome.” Anas  said, “And I breathe three
times when drinking.”3 In Abu Dawud's narration we
find, “more pleasing” instead of "more wholesome."4 The
meaning here is that one should breathe out of the vessel as
breathing inside it is disliked because of what is reported
in Abu Qatadah's  hadith in the two sahihs, when Allah's
Messenger  said, “When one of you drinks from a vessel, he
should not breathe into it.”5 An-Nawawi said, "The Prophet's
 saying, 'more wholesome' means more thirst quenching."
15 Refer to: Sharh Riyadh as-Saliheen, 2/1069.
25 Refer to his explanation of Muslim’s sahih, chapter of licking fingers and
the dish, hadith no. 2033.
35 Al-Bukhari no. 5631 and Muslim no. 2028
166
It is said it is more beneficial and also prevents diseases that

might come as a result of a person breathing into the vessel.
Besides, 'more acceptable' also means more palatable and
Allah knows best.1
8. Thanking Allah, the Almighty,
after finishing the food:
It is Sunnah to praise Allah, the Almighty, after finishing
the food and drink. What establishes this is the hadith narrated
by Anas  that the Prophet  said,
"Indeed Allah is pleased with His servant who, when he
eats a morsel, praises Him for it, or drinks a sip and then
praises Him for it. ”2
Thus, if a person just says,
“Praise be to Allah,”
after eating or drinking, he will gain Allah's pleasure.
There are numerous formulae in which to thank Allah, the
Almighty, such as:
A- “All praise is due to Allah, praise which is abundant,
pure, and full of blessings, which is indispensable and
to which one cannot be indifferent.” 3
B- “Praise be to Allah our Lord. Your favour cannot be
compensated, nor can be left, nor can be dispensed
with, O our Lord.”4
9. To share food with others:

It is Sunnah to gather while eating. Jabir ibn 'Abdullah
15 Refer to his explanation of Muslim’s sahih, chapter of disliking to breathe

in the vessel, hadith no. 2028.
25 Muslim no. 2743
35 Al-Bukhari no. 5458 through the hadith of Abu Umamah 
45 Al-Bukhari no. 5459 through the hadith of Abu Umamah 
167
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(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

"I heard Allah's Messenger  saying,
"The food of two people suffices for three people and the
food of three people suffices for four people.'"1
Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “The hadith
of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) – reported by
At-Tabarani presents the reason for this. It says that it is better
to eat together and not scatter, as the food for one is enough
for two.”2 Thus, we can conclude that blessings can be attained
by having many people share food. The more people there are, the
more blessing there is.3 Ibn al-Qayyem (may Allah have mercy
on him) said, “Tasmiyah at the beginning and thanking Allah
at the end of eating and drinking have a great effect. They
make food useful and nourishing. Imam Ahmad said: ‘If food
combines four things it will be perfect: to mention Allah's
name at the beginning, to praise Him at the end, to have many
people share the food, and ensure it was gained through legal
ways.’” 4
10. Praising the food if a person likes it:

It is Sunnah to praise one's food if a person likes it. What
ascertains this is the hadith of Jabir ibn 'Abdullah . He
narrated, “The Prophet  asked for sauce and was told that
there was nothing except vinegar. He then asked for it and
began to eat from it saying, 'How excellent is vinegar when
eaten as sauce! What a good condiment vinegar is, what
a good condiment vinegar is.'”5 It should be noted that the
15 Muslim no. 2059

25 At-Tabarani no. 7/259/7444
35 Refer to: Fath al-Bari
45 Refer to: Zad al-Ma’ad, no. 4/232
55 Muslim no. 2052
168
vinegar they used was sweet and not sour like the one we use
today. An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) classified
a chapter in his book and called it, "Don't criticize food and the
recommendation to praise it."
Sheikh bin 'Uthaimeen said, “This is also from the Prophet's
 Sunnan that if one likes food or bread, they should praise it.
It is therefore recommended to do the same and by doing so
you would have followed the Sunnah.”1
The one who contemplates over our current situation will
find that a lot of people do not follow the Sunnah. Rather,
they oppose it by dishonouring food in many cases. This is not
following the guidance of the Prophet  as we are told by Abu
Hurairah's  hadith collected in the two sound collections,
“The Prophet  never dishonored any food. If he liked it, he
would eat it; if not he would leave it.”2
11. Making du'a for the host:

What supports this hadith is the following: “Abdullah ibn
Busr narrated that Allah's Messenger  came to my father and
we brought to him a meal and a preparation from dates, cheese
and butter. He ate out of that. He was then given dates which
he ate but he placed their stones between his fingers, and he
joined his forefinger and middle finger.” Shu'bah reported:
“I think that this hadith, Allah willing, also contains (these
words): ‘Putting of date stones between two fingers. Then a
drink was brought for him and he drank it, and then he gave
it to a the one who was on his right side.’ He (the narrator)
said: “My father took hold of the rein of his riding animal
and requested him to supplicate for us. Thereupon he said: ‘O
Allah, bless them in what You have provided them with as a
15 Refer to: Sharh Riyadh as-Saliheen, 2/1057
169
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sustenance; and forgive them and have mercy upon them.’”1

The hadith indicates that the Prophet  used to pick up the
date stones using the index finger and middle finger.
It is also Sunnah to accept a dinner invitation if a person is
fasting, even if a person will not eat. The person should also
make a du’a for the host. What assures this is the following
hadith. Abu Hurairah  narrated that Allah’s Messenger 
said, “If one of you is invited, let him accept the invitation. If
he is fasting, he should make du’a for them. If he is not fasting,
then he should eat.”2
12. It is recommended to offer water
to the one on the right-hand side:
Namely, if one drinks, it is Sunnah to pass the vessel to
the one on the right-hand side. What substantiates this is the
following hadith: Anas ibn Malik  narrated, “I saw Allah’s
Messenger  drinking milk. He came to my house and I
milked a sheep and then mixed the milk with water from the
well for him . He took the bowl and drank. Abu Bakr was
sitting on his left and a Bedouin on his right. He  gave the
remaining milk to the Bedouin and said, ‘The right! The right
(first)’ Anas  added: It is Sunnah repeating it thrice.”3
Also, Sahl ibn Sa’d as-Sa’idi  narrated, “Once there
was a young boy sitting on the right side of the Prophet ,
while on the left side there was one of the wise elders of the
Companions; someone brought the Prophet  something to
drink and he drank a little of it. He then turned to the boy on his
right and asked with great politeness: ‘With your permission,
can I give this to the older person first?’ The young boy said:
15 Muslim no. 2042.
25 Muslim no. 1431.
35 Al-Bukhari 2571, Muslim no. 2029
170
‘O Messenger of Allah! I do not wish to give away anything

that you have offered to me!’ So, the Prophet  gave the drink
to the young boy.”1 An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on
him) said, “These ahadith show that it is Sunnah to do so and
this also agrees with the texts of the Shari’ah.”
It is also from the Sunnah to start with the right side in all
affairs. For example, water should be given to the one who
is on the right hand side whether young or old, because the
Prophet  gave priority to the young boy in the presence of
Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them). As
for giving priority to the aged person, they are equal in other
aspects. In other words, the one who is more knowledgeable
and whose recitation is better, he should lead people in
prayer.2
13. The one who serves the water to the

people should be the last one to drink:
What supports this Sunnah is the hadith that Abu Qatadah
 narrated. He said, “The Prophet  was pouring water for
me and I was serving it to the people until all the people
drank except the Prophet  and I. He said to me: ‘Drink.’ I
said that I would not drink until he drank. He said, ‘The one
who serves water to the people should be the last to drink.’
So, both of us drank.”3
Advantage:
It is Sunnah for the one who drinks milk to rinse his mouth
after finishing drinking so that no trace of fat will be left in his
25 Refer to his explanation of Muslim’s sahih, chapter of giving priority in
drinking and eating to the one who is on the right hand side, hadith no.
2029.
35 Muslim no. 681
171
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mouth. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated,

“The Prophet  drank some milk and after a while he asked
for some water. He rinsed his mouth and said: ‘It has fat.’” 1
14. To cover containers and mention Allah’s
Name when the night falls:
It is Sunnah to cover utensils or containers (that have food
or water in them) when the night falls and to mention Allah’s
Name when doing so. Jabir (may Allah be pleased with thim)
narrated, Allah’s Messenger  said,
“Tie the mouth of your water-skin and mention Allah’s
Name; cover your containers and utensils and mention
Allah’s Name. Cover them even by placing something
over it, and extinguish your lamps.”2
This hadith reveals the reason behind covering containers,
which is to prevent anything harmful from falling into them.
It should be noted that the Shari’ah came with all goodness to
people in this life and in the Hereafter. O Allah, we are very
neglectful with regards to the greatness of this religion. This
hadith also indicates the importance of applying the Sunnah
as the Prophet  guided us here to the simple things. If a
person does not find anything to cover his container, he can
do so even with a stick just to follow the Sunnah. Al-Bukhari
reported a hadith that indicates that it is from the Sunnah to
cover containers that have food in them too. Jabir (may Allah
be pleased with him) narrated that Allah’s Messenger  said,
“Put out the lamps when you go to bed, shut the doors, and
cover water and food containers.” Jabir added, “I presume
that he said: ‘Even with a stick.’”3
25 Al-bukhari no. 5623
172
In Muslim’s sahih hadith there is another cause behind

covering containers. Namely, Satan wants to spoil the food
and eat it. The Prophet  said,
“When night falls stop your children from going out, for
the devils spread out at that time. But when an hour of
the night has passed, release them and close the doors and
mention Allah’s Name, for Satan does not open a closed
door. Tie the mouth of your water-skin and mention
Allah’s Name; cover your containers and utensils and
mention Allah’s Name. Cover them even by placing
something across it, and extinguish your lamps.”1
This hadith reveals another Sunnah, which is to tighten
the water-skin and cover containers and mention the name of
Allah. Undoubtedly, this will make Satan run away and the
food lawful.
Here we have to say something:
Imagine dear brothers and sisters how Satan seeks to harm
a person and spoil their life and religion. Hence, he will eat,
drink and spend the night as the Prophet  said in the agreed
upon hadith. He said the following about a man who spent
the night but did not pray Fajr in the mosque,
“This is a man in whose ear or ears Satan urinated.”2
Satan laughs when the Muslim yawns without restraining
his yawning – as we shall see. He also weeps when the
Muslim prostrates upon reading a verse of prostration.
Satan will say, “Woe to me. The son of Adam was ordered
to prostrate and he did so and, therefore, he will be granted
paradise. I was ordered to prostrate and disobeyed and,
15 Muslim no. 2012

173
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therefore, I shall go the Hellfire.”1

He flees and passes wind upon hearing the adhan as it
was reported in the two sahihs ahadith. The Prophet  said,
“When the adhan is pronounced Satan takes to his heels and
passes wind with noise during his flight in order not to hear
the adhan. When the adhan is completed he comes back, but
again takes to his heels when the Iqamah is pronounced, and
after its completion he returns again till he whispers into the
heart of the person (to divert his attention from his prayer).
He makes him remember things which he did not recall in
his mind before the prayer and that causes him to forget how
much he has prayed.”2
It is disliked for the Muslim to sit half in the shade and half
in the sun as reported by Imam Ahmad, An-Nasa’i and graded
as sound by Al-Albani. It is also disliked for the Muslim to
wear one shoe only (not pairs) as reported by At-Tahaawai
and graded as sound by Al-Albani.
The most beloved deed to Satan is to sow sedition and cause
separation of a husband from his wife. Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah
(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated, Allah’s Messenger
 said:
“Iblis (Satan) places his throne upon the water, then he
sends his groups out. The closest to him are those who
(tempt people to) commit the most grievous of sins (fitnah).
One of them would approach him and say: ‘I did such-
and-such.’ Iblis would reply: ‘You have done nothing.’
Another would approach and say: ‘I did not leave him (a
man) until I caused him to leave his wife and for them
to be separated.’ Iblis would then bring him close to his
15 Muslim no. 81
174
throne and would say: ‘How good you are!’”1

The door by which Satan easily comes to the Muslim is
the through the word “If” as reported in Muslim’s sahih
hadith through Abu Huriarah  that the Prophet  said, “If
something happens to you that you do not like, do not say
that if you would have done such and such, it would have
been such and such, rather say that this is the decree of Allah
and He willed as He did.”
Hence the word “If.” which is “Low” in Arabic, opens the
door for Satan2. Satan is most eager to spoil the Muslim’s
prayer as was already mentioned. Also, ‘Uthman ibn Abi’l-
Aas  went to the Prophet  and said:
“Satan comes between me and my prayer and recitation
of the Qur’an, and he is confusing me.” The Messenger of
Allah  said: “That is a devil called Khinzab. If you notice
that happening (in the prayer), then seek refuge with
Allah from him, and spit dry air onto your left shoulder
three times.” Uthman ibn Abi’l-Aas  said: “I did that
and Allah took him away from me.”3
Having mentioned the above, Satan consumes man’s food
and drink, stays in his bed, accompanies him when man
yawns and laughs at him and also accompanies him during
his prayer. Furthermore, Satan has the ability to separate a
husband from his wife through his evil plots and stops at
nothing to spoil man’s acts of worship and creed. It is narrated
in the two sahihs ahadith through Abu Hurairah  that the
Prophet  said, “Satan comes to one of you and asks, ‘Who created
so-and-so?’ Until he asks, ‘Who has created your Lord?’ So, when
he asks such a question, one should seek refuge with Allah and give
15 Muslim no. 62813.
25 Muslim no. 2664
35 Muslim no. 2203
175
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up such thoughts.” 1
In conclusion, Satan is present in all of man’s affairs as
Allah’s Messenger said, “Satan is present in all your affairs.”2
Thus it is imperative that every Muslim be aware of Satan’s
whispers and plots so that they do not lose any of their good
deeds. Hence, in order not to lose any blessings, the Muslim
should be cautious and try to keep Satan away from their life.
Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that
Allah’s Messenger  said,
“If, whenever anyone of you sexually approaches
their spouse, you should say: ‘O Allah, keep Satan
away from us, and keep him away from any offspring
You may bless us with,’ then the Satan will never
harm any offspring you are destined to produce.’”3
Also when a Muslim recited Ayatul Kursi before sleeping,
Allah will keep Satan away from that person, as is proved
in the sound hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah  .4
And Allah knows best.
• Prohibited things in this section: It is prohibited to
eat or drink from silver or gold vessels, to eat birds
and animals which have talons and canines with
which they catch prey, to breathe into the vessel, to
eat while lying down, to eat using the left hand, to
eat two dates at the same time (and this also applies
to other fruits), to over eat and to offer prayer in the
presence of food.

25 Muslim no. 2033.
176
Sunnan of greeting,
gathering and sitting with others
1. To greet people is an act of Sunnah that is
greatly rewarded.
There are numerous detailed evidences that support this
Sunnah. Abu Hurairah  narrated that Allah’s Messenger
said,
“Six are the rights of a Muslim over another Muslim.”
It was said to him: “Allah’s Messenger, what are these?”
Thereupon he said: “When you meet him, offer him
greetings; when he invites you to a feast accept it, when
he seeks your council give him, and when he sneezes and
says: ‘All praise is due to Allah,’ you say ‘Yarhamuk Allah’
(may Allah show mercy to you); and when he fails ill visit
him; and when he dies follow his bier."1
In another narration it mentions,
“If you meet him, greet him,”
and this was the practice of the Prophet  and his
Companions. There is also more than one hadith that
indicates this act of Sunnah. As for replying to this greeting, it
is obligatory as Allah the, Almighty says,
‫ﮋﯿ ﰀ ﰁ ﰂ ﰃ ﰄ ﰅ ﰆﰇ ﰈ ﰉ ﰊ ﰋ ﰌ ﰍ ﰎﮊ‬
“But when you are greeted with a greeting [of peace], answer
15 Muslim no. 2162.
177
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with an even better greeting, or [at least] with the like thereof.
Verily, Allah keeps count indeed of all things. ”(4:86)
The majority of the scholars such as Ibn Hazm, Ibn ‘Abdul
Barr, Sheikh Taqy ed-Din, and others (may Allah have mercy
on them) all agree that it is obligatory to reply to a Muslim’s
greeting.1
1. The best formula of greeting and response is, “May

the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you.” Ibn
Al-Qayyem (may Allah mercy on him) said, “The
Prophet’s  Sunnah when ending the greeting is to say,
‘And Allah’s blessings.’” 2 Ibn ‘Abdul Barr (may Allah
have mercy on him) said, “Ibn ‘Abbas and ibn ‘Umar
(may Allah be pleased with them) said: ‘The greeting
ends with asking for Allah’s blessings as the Qur’an
stated,
‫ﮋ ﭥ ﭦ ﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮ ﮊ‬
“May the mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you,
people of the house.” (11:73).
They did not like anyone to add other words to the
Islamic way of greeting and that such greetings end
with the words, “and His blessing.” Accordingly,
adding the word “and His forgiveness” has no basis in
the Sunnah.”3
To spread greetings (salam) among people is Sunnah and
an act of Sunnah that is greatly rewarded, as mentioned in
the hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah . Allah’s Messenger
15 Refer to: al-Adab ash-Shar’eyyah 1/365 Musssat ar-Reslah Press.
25 Zad al-Ma’ad, 2/714
35 Refer to: At-Tamhid 5/293
178
 said,
“By Him in whose Hand is my soul, you will not enter
paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until
you love one another: ‘spread salaam’ (the greeting of
peace) among you.”1
2. It is Sunnah to repeat the

greeting thrice if needed:
This is only in the case when there is doubt whether the
other person heard your greeting or not, so you are allowed
to repeat it three times. An example of this would be when
there is a big gathering and only those in close vicinity hear
it, so it is repeated in order to have all the people hear. What
supports this is the Prophet’s  hadith that Anas  narrated,
“If he spoke, he would repeat his words thrice so people could
understand him. If he met some people, he would also greet
them thrice.”2 Ibn Hajar stated, “The greeting can be repeated
in case of gatherings, when some people do not hear it.” This
is the same opinion and understanding of An-Nawawi on the
hadith of Anas. The same thing applies if a person made the
greeting and thought that the people did not hear him, so it is
better to repeat it twice or thrice. 3 Also, it could be concluded
from the previous hadith of Anas , that it is Sunnah to repeat
a word twice or thrice if needed, such as when a person talks
and no one hears them, thus they repeat it twice and thrice if
they were not understood or heard.
said, “However, it is recommended to say it thrice if they were
15 Muslim no. 54
35 Referto: Fath al-Bari hadith no. 6244, chapter of greeting and asking for
permission thrice. Refer to: Sharh Riyadh as-Salihin, 2/11.64.
179
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not understood or heard, otherwise, they should not repeat

it.”1
3. It is Sunnah to greet those who
you know and those who you do not:
The following is the hadith of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may

Allah be pleased with him) where a man asked the Messenger
of Allah  ,
“Which act in Islam is the best?’’ The Prophet  replied:
“To give food and to greet everyone, whether you know
them or not.’’2
As for spreading the greeting among only the people you
know, then my dear brothers and sisters, you have strayed
far from the Sunnah. Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy
on him) said that this act is one of the signs of the Day of
Judgment and it was graded as sound by Al-Albani. Ibn
Mas’ud  said.
“I heard Allah’s Messenger  saying. ‘One of the signs of
the Day of Judgment is when you see people only greeting
those they know.’” 3
In another narration it says,
“Indeed, one of the signs of the Day of Judgment is to greet
only the one you know.”4 In a different narration it says,
“A vivid sign of the Day of Judgment is when you greet
only those you know.”5
15 Refer to: Sharh Riyadh as-Salihin, 2/1164.

35 Ahmad no. 3664
45 Ahmad no. 3848
55 Ahmad no. 3870
180
4. To start greeting people the

same as the Sunnah confirmed:
“Allah’s Messenger  said, ‘The one who is riding should
greet the one who is walking, the one who is walking
should greet the one who is sitting and the small number
of people should greet the big number.’”1
In another narration that Al-Bukhari reported we find,
“The young should greet the old, the one who is riding
should greet the one who is sitting and the small number
should greet the large number.”2
There is no problem if someone does the opposite, namely,
the old greet the young, but it is better of course to follow the
Sunnah.
5. It is Sunnah to greet and
shake hands with children:
Anas ibn Malik  narrated that he was walking with the
Prophet  and he passed by some children, so, he (the Prophet
) shook hands with them.3 Greeting children and shaking
hands with them shows humbleness and teaches people the
Sunnah.
6. It is also Sunnah to greet the family
members when entering the home:
This is in general even if the house is empty. However, this
should be done after rubbing one’s teeth with siwak (tooth-
stick). This is the fourth place that assures the use of siwak.
35 Al-Bukhari no. 6247, and Muslim no. 2168.
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‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated,

“The Prophet used to use siwak upon entering his home.”1
Hence, he used to use siwak and greet his family members.
Furthermore, some scholars have said that it is Sunnah to say
the words of the greeting even if there is no one at home, since
Allah the Almighty says,
‫ﮋ ﯝ ﯞ ﯟ ﯠ ﯡ ﯢ ﯣ ﯤ ﯥ ﯦ ﯧ ﯨﯩ‬
‫ﯪ ﯫ ﯬ ﯭ ﯮ ﯯ ﯰﮊ‬
“But when you enter houses, give greetings of peace upon
each other - a greeting from Allah, blessed and good. Thus
does Allah make clear to you the verses [of ordinance] that
you may understand.” (24:61)
Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “This
would include making the greeting even if there was no one
at home according to the Qur’anic verse mentioned above.”
Besides, it is also Sunnah to greet any family that one is going
to visit. Allah, the Almighty says,
‫ﮋﯯ ﯰ ﯱ ﯲ ﯳ ﯴ ﯵ ﯶ ﯷ ﯸ ﯹ‬
‫ﯺ ﯻﯼ ﯽ ﯾ ﯿ ﰀ ﰁ ﮊ‬
“O you who have believed, do not enter houses other than
your own houses until you ascertain welcome and greet
their inhabitants. That is best for you; perhaps you will be
reminded.” (24:27)
Importance
From the above-mentioned discussion, we can conclude
that there are three Sunnan when entering the home:
15 Muslim no. 53.
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Firstly, to mention Allah’s name, especially at night

because of what Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased
with them) narrated:
“When a man enters his house and remembers Allah the
Exalted upon entering and before eating, Satan says:
‘There is no place for you to spend the night and there is
no supper for you.’ When he enters the house and does
not remember Allah, Satan says: ‘You have found a place
to spend the night’ and when he does not remember Allah
upon eating his food, Satan says: ‘You have found a place
to stay and some supper.’”1
Secondly, to use siwak due to the hadith of ‘A’ishah (may
Allah be pleased with her) that we already mentioned.2
Thirdly, to greet the family members that are there.
7. It is Sunnah to lower one’s voice when
greeting people if some of them are asleep:
That was the practice of the Prophet  as Al-Miqdad ibn
al-Aswad said,
“We used to milk our animals and everyone would get
his share. We would give the Prophet  his share. So, he
would come later and greet people in a low voice so as not
to awake people.”3
8. To convey the greeting to people is a Sunnah:
Conveying the greeting to people is a Sunnah although
scholars differed about this issue as we will briefly show. An
example is when someone says to you: “convey my greeting
to so and so.” ‘Aishah narrated that the Prophet said to her,
15 Muslim no. 2016.
25 Op. cit.
35 Muslim no. 2055.
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“The archangel Jibril conveys his greeting to you.” She

said, “Peace and blessings of Allah be upon you and him.”1
9. Giving the Islamic greeting of “Al-Salam”

upon arriving and leaving any place:
It is Sunnah to greet everyone who is in the same place as
you with “Al-salam.” Abu Hurairah  narrates that Allah’s
Messenger  said,
“When one of you comes to a gathering, he should give the
greeting. If he leaves, he should give the greeting. Neither
is more of a duty than the other.”2
At-Tirmidhi graded it as fair and Al-Albani graded it as
sound fair.
10. Shaking hands with “Al-Salam”
is also the Sunnah:
It was one of the acts of Sunnah carried out by the
companions. Qatadah  narrated, I said to Anas: “Was it the
practice of the Companions during the Prophet’s life time to
shake hands with one another?” He said, “Yes.”3
11. Smiling is Sunnah:
Abu Dharr  narrated that Allah’s Messenger  said,
“Do not underestimate any good deed even meeting your
brother with a cheerful face.” 4
At-Tirmidhi reported through Abu Dharr  that Allah’s
Messenger 
“Smiling in the face of your brother is a charity.”5
25 Ahmad no. 9664, Abu Dawud no. 5208, and At-Tirmidhi no. 2706.
45 Muslim no. 2626.
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12. The polite and good word

is a form of charity:
To speak a good and polite word when meeting someone or
sitting with someone is from the Sunnah and a form of charity.
Abu Hurairah  narrated that Allah’s Messenger said,
“The kind word is a form of charity.”
‘Adey ibn Hatim  narrated, “While I was sitting with
Allah’s Messenger  two people came to him; one of them
complained about his poverty and the other complained
about the prevalence of robberies. Allah’s Messenger  said,
‘As in regards to stealing and robberies, there will shortly
come a time when a caravan will go to Mecca (from
Medina) without any guard. And regarding poverty, The
Hour (Day of Judgment) will not be established till one
of you wanders about with his object of charity and will
not find anybody to accept it And (no doubt) each one of
you will stand in front of Allah and there will be neither
a curtain nor an interpreter between him and Allah, and
Allah will ask him, ‘Did not I give you wealth?’ He will
reply in the affirmative. Allah will further ask, ‘Didn’t
I send a messenger to you?’ And again that person will
reply in the affirmative. Then he will look to his right and
he will see nothing but Hell-fire, and then he will look to
his left and will see nothing but Hell-fire. And so, any
(each one) of you should save himself from the fire even by
giving half of a date (in charity). And if you do not find
half a date, then (you can do it through saying) a good
pleasant word (to your brethren).1"
The good and polite words people usually say, which if
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made with the niyah of charity, will be the reason for receiving
these great rewards.
Ibn ‘Uthaimeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“These good words are saying things such as: ‘How are you?’
‘How are your brothers?’ ‘How is your family?’ etc. These
kind words please your friend and every good and polite
word is a form of charity and the reward will be bestowed by
Allah, the Almighty for saying them.”1
13-It is recommended to remember Allah,
the Almighty while sitting:
There are many ahadith about the bounty of remembering
Allah in order to urge us to remember Allah at all times.
Abu Hurairah  narrated that the Prophet  said,
“Allah has some angels who look for those who celebrate
the Praises of Allah on the roads and paths. And when
they find some people celebrating the Praises of Allah,
they call each other, saying, ‘Come to the object of your
pursuit.’’ He added, “Then the angels encircle them with
their wings up to the sky of the world.” He added, “(After
those people celebrated the Praises of Allah, and the angels
go back), their Lord, asks them (those angels) --though He
knows better than them--’What do My slaves say?’ The
angels reply, ‘They say: Subhan Allah, Allahu Akbar,
and Alham-du-lillah.’ Allah then says ‘Did they see Me?’
The angels reply, ‘No! By Allah, they didn’t see You.’
Allah says, ‘How it would have been if they saw Me?’ The
angels reply, ‘If they saw You, they would worship You
more devoutly and celebrate Your Glory more deeply, and
15 Refer to: Sharh Riyadh as-Saliheen, 2/996, chapter of speaking gently and
meeting people with a cheerful face.
186
declare Your freedom from any resemblance to anything

more often.’ Allah says (to the angels), ‘What do they ask
Me for?’ The angels reply, ‘They ask You for Paradise.’
Allah says (to the angels), ‘Did they see it?’ The angels
say, ‘No! By Allah, O Lord! They did not see it.’ Allah
says, ‘How it would have been if they saw it?’ The angels
say, ‘If they saw it, they would have greater covetousness
for it and would seek it with greater zeal and would have
greater desire for it.”1
Gatherings to remember Allah has numerous bounties,
which shall not be reiterated here, but it must be mentioned
that Allah should be remembered before leaving any place of
sitting.
Abu Hurairah  narrated that the Prophet  said,
“No people rise from a gathering in which they did not
mention Allah the Almighty without it being like rising
from the carcass of a donkey and they will regret it. ”2
14- It is Sunnah to end the

gathering with: (Kaffarat al-Majlis):
Abu Hurairah mentions that the Prophet  said,
“Anyone who sits in his place and utters a lot of prattle in
it, but says before getting up from it,
ُ ُ ‫ أَ سْ تَغْف ِرُك َ وَأَ ت‬، َ‫ك اللّه ُ َ ّم و َ ب ِحَمْدِك َ أَ شْهَد ُ أن لا َ إلَه َ إلا ّ أن ْت‬
‫وب‬ َ َ ‫سب ْح َان‬
ُ
‫ك‬
َ ِ ‫سه ِ ذ َل‬
ِ ِ ‫مج ْل‬
َ ‫ك ِإلا ّ غ ُف ِر َ لَه ُ م َا ك َانَ في‬
َ ْ ‫ِإلَي‬
‘Glory be to You, O Allah and Your praise. I testify that
there is no god but You. I ask Your forgiveness and I
25 Ahmad no. 10680, Abu Dawud no. 4855, and At-Tirmidhi no. 3380.
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turn in patience to You;’ will be forgiven what occurred

during that time.”1
That is the wording of At-Tirmidhi. It was reported by
Ahmad and Abu Dawud through the hadith of ‘Abdullah ibn
‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with them). Besides, An-Nasa’i
reported it through ‘Aishah – (may Allah be pleased with her).
Ibn Hajr said in Fath al-Bari that the sanad (chain of narrators)
of this hadith is strong. Ibn as-Salah graded it as sound and
the hadith in general is strong and sound. It was also graded
sound by Sheikh Al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him).
In this chapter the following are forbidden:

• To initiate a greeting to the People of the Book.
• To sit alone with a woman that you are allowed to
marry / a man that she is allowed to marry.
• To shake hands with a non-Mahram man/woman.
• For the visitor to be the Imam in a house except if the
owner of the house gives him permission.
• To sit between two men without their permission.
• For any couple out of a crowd to speak secretly
excluding the latter.
• To listen in on any conversation between people who
did not want anyone to hear them.
• To repeat or say things that people have said without
first confirming whether it is the truth, as it may be lies.
• To frighten a Muslim.
• To walk with pride.
• To backbite.
15 Ahmad no. 10415, At-Tirmidhi no. 3433.
188
• To gossip.
• To revile others.
• To be involved in blameworthy debates.
• Hatred
• To swear by anything else other than Allah the
Almighty especially in selling and buying.
• To boost ancestors and feeling proud of their
achievements and lineage.
• To disdain others.
• To involve in false accusation against Muslims.
• To feel happy upon the disasters of others and so on.
• Envy
• Spleen and so on of the heart diseases.
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Sunnan in dress and

adornment
1. To start with the right foot
when putting on shoes
When putting on shoes, it is Sunnah for a Muslim to
start with the right foot first and when taking them off it is
Sunnah to start with the left foot first. What substantiates this
is the hadith of Abu Hurairah , who narrated that Allah’s
Messenger  said,
“When any of you puts on his shoes, he should put on the
right one first; and when he takes them off, he should begin
with the left. Let the right shoe be the first to be put on and
the last to be taken off.”1
In Sahih Muslim, Abu Hurairah  narrated that Allah’s
Messenger  said,
“When one of you puts on sandals, he should first put on
the right foot and when he takes them off he should take off
the left one first, or he should put them on together or take
them off together.”2
In other wording relayed by Muslim, it is reported,
“None of you should walk with one shoe, but should either

25 Muslim no. 2097
190
wear them both or take them both off.”1

In further different wording reported by Muslim, it is
reported,
“If the strap of the sandal of one of you breaks, let him not
walk in one sandal until he fixes it.”2
A strap is the name for the leather of the sandal.
There are three Sunnan mentioned in these two ahadith:
1. Start with right-hand side when putting on shoes.
2. Start with left-hand side when taking them off.
3. Wear both sandals or take off both so you do not walk
with only one shoe, rather, the Prophet  disallowed
the walking with one shoe due to what was mentioned
in the ‘other’ relation:
“None of you should walk with one shoe…”.
4. One might ask: what is the objective of preventing one
from walking with only one shoe?
Imam an-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
“Walking with one shoe or one sandal without an excuse
is abominable (makrouh) and it is supported by the ahadith
mentioned in Muslim’s sahih.”
Scholars say that the reason is that it is a distortion and
contrary to solemnity and because the foot which wears
the shoe is higher than the other, and as a result walking
becomes difficult and may even cause tumbling. These three
good manners are unanimously ordered, however, without
obligation (mustahabb) and if the straps of the shoes are broken,
one should take off both shoes and not walk in one only until
the straps are fixed as the Hadith shows/states.”3
15 Muslim no. 2097

25 Muslim no. 2098
35 Refer to his explaining of Sahih Muslim, hadith no. 2097.
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Concerning the reason of the prohibition of walking in

only one shoe, it is said that Satan walks in one shoe and this
is based on what is narrated by Al-Tahawy in Mushkal al-
Athar, and the sahih hadith, that Abu Hurairah  narrated that
mentioned that the Messenger of Allah  said,
“Satan walks in one shoe.”
Al-Albani graded it as sound.
Furthermore, it is Sunnah to pray while wearing shoes;
Saìd bin Yazid Al-Azdi said: “I asked Anas whether the
Prophet  had ever, prayed with his shoes on? He replied,
‘Yes.’”1
It is mentioned in Sunnan Abu Dawud that Shadad ibn
Aws  said: “The Messenger of Allah  said,
‘Act differently from the Jews, for they do not pray in their
sandals or their shoes.’”2
It should be mentioned that if applying the Sunnah leads
to sedition, the warding-off of this sedition precedes applying
it, such as in the case of the conflict and disapproval of some
commons who do not know the Sunnah of praying with shoes
on, which happens when people who are keen on the Sunnah
do that in our mosques. This action changes from person to
person and from society to society, according to warding
off the sedition, hence in certain isolated cases this Sunnah
should not be practiced due to the sedition it may cause.
In instances where this corruption is not rife, we should
then warn of another matter which is the polluting of the
mosque by the slippers’ harm, therefore, special care should
be taken that this Sunnah is not applied for this reason. In
the Prophetic traditions there are many a hadith that urge
192
maintenance of the mosques, cleaning it, removing the

harmful things from it and teach that spitting in it is a sin as
well as all kinds of harmful things, since these are considered
as bad manners.
The above words do not mean or encourage the abandoning
of this Sunnah –Allah forbid - my pen does not write on these
white papers but to explain the Sunnah and urge people to
practice it and adhere to it. Muslims can practice this Sunnah
in many instances such as when they are at home or when
they goes for an excursion, when travelling, or in a mosque in
which people are accustomed with praying with their shoes
on and also in other conditions that allow the practicing of
this Sunnah.
We ask Allah to make us from those who live and die
practicing the Prophet’s  Sunnah, and make us avoid
heresies and apparent and unapparent conflict. Allah hears
our supplications and can respond it. He is the Most Beneficent
and Generous, hence we ask Him to provide us, our parents
and all Muslims, of his Great Generosity.
2. To wear white clothes
Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
“I heard the Messenger of Allah  say,
‘Put on white clothes because they are the best; and use
them for shrouding your dead.’”1
The most important point regarding orders and
prohibitions is that they address the entire Muslim
Ummah, men and women alike until there is evidence that
comes to indicate the specialty of either man or woman.
In the last hadith, there is nothing that singles one of them out,
15 Ahmed no. 2219, Abu Dawud no. 3878, and At-Tirmidi no. 994
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however, it may be said, in this case, that wearing of white

clothes is mainly for men in a society in which women are not
accustomed to wearing white clothes, so that the clothes of
men do not resemble that of women as is common nowadays.
However, if the woman is used to wearing white, then the
hadith addresses both men and women, thus it can be said
that woman is then addressed with this Sunnah like the man,
as long as there is nothing prohibited which arises as a result,
like the dress resembling that of men’s clothes, to be strikingly
dressed, or wear clothes that do not cover all of her body. All
of this not only violates the Sunnah, but it also violates the
Islamic law (Shari’ah) and Allah knows best.
said: “White clothes include shirts and wraparounds, but if he
wears another color, there is nothing wrong with it provided
that it is not something that resembles the clothes worn by
women.“1
This does not mean that woman cannot wear white clothes;
in fact, it is permitted as there is no evidence prohibiting it. The
matter which is Sunnah is urged to be practiced by women
keen on applying it and break the known dress of women.
Thus, they resemble men except if wearing white clothes
is usual to them since she is addressed by the hadith of Ibn
Abbas as well as men and Allah knows best.
3. To use perfume (for men)
Using perfume is Sunnah and is emphatically recommended
in some cases which shall be indicated hereafter in point 6.
This is substantiated by the following:
A- Anas  narrated, “The Messenger of Allah said:
15 See the explanation of Riyadh Al-Saliheen, 2/1087.
194
‘In this world, women and perfume have been made dear
to me, and my comfort has been provided in prayer.’”1
The hadith which mentions, “In this world, three
things are endeared to me...” is a weak hadith.
B- Anas  also narrated, “I have never touched silk or
Dibaj (thick silk) softer than the palm of the Prophet 
nor have I smelled a perfume nicer than the sweat of
the Prophet.’”2
C- Nafi’  narrated that when Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah
be pleased with him) wanted to perfume himself he
acquired the scent from aloes wood, without mixing
anything with it, or putting camphor with it and then
said: “This is how Allah’s Messenger  perfumed
himself.”3
Imam Al-Nawawi (may Allah be merciful to him) said:
“To fragrance oneself means to use perfumes and incense. It
is derived from which is incense.”
Al-asmae’ and Abu ‘Obaid and other linguists mention:
“Aloes wood means the joss stick and his saying ‘without
mixing anything with it,’ means without mixing it with
another perfume.” The hadith reveals that using perfume
is recommended (mustahab) for men like women, but men
use perfumes which have appeared scent and hidden color.
If women want to go to the mosque or any other place, it
is abominable to use perfume with an apparent scent. It is
strongly recommended for men on Fridays, ‘Eid prayer, while
attending Muslim convocations, or when a husband or wife
wants to be intimate with their partner and so on and Allah
15 Ahmed no. 12293, an-Nasa’I no. 3940
35 Muslim no. 2254
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Knows best.
The Prophet  hated to have an unpleasant odor. ‘A’ishah
(may Allah be pleased with her) reported that Allah’s
Messenger  disliked it very much that any unpleasant odor
should emit from him.” 1
4- Musk is the most fragrant of the scents:
It is reported in Sahih Muslim that Abu Sa’id Khudri 
reported that Allah’s Messenger  made mention of a woman
of Bani Israel who had filled her ring with musk and musk
is the most fragrant of the scents.2 Abu Dawud reported it in
other words too:
“The best of your perfumes is musk.”3
Muslims should use the best perfume they can find as the
Prophet  used to do so before he entered the state of Ihram;
‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: “When
the Messenger of Allah  intended to enter upon the state of
Ihram he perfumed himself with the best of perfumes he could
find and afterwards I would see the glistening of (perfume)
oil on his head and beard.”4
5-It is abominable to refuse a gift of perfume
This is supported by the following ahadith:
a. Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him)
reported:
“The Prophet  never refused a gift of perfume.”5
b. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

25 Muslim no. 2522.
35 Abu Dawud no. 3158.
45 Muslim no. 1190.
196
“The Messenger of Allah  said,

‘He who is presented with a flower of sweet basil should
not reject it, because it is light in weight and pleasant in
odor.’”1
In Sahih Muslim it is reported that Abu Hurairah (may
Allah be pleased with him) said:
“The Messenger of Allah  said,
‘He who is presented with a flower of sweet basil should
not reject it, because it is light in weight and pleasant in
odor.’”2
Flowers of sweet basil may refer to all kinds of perfumes as
mentioned by Al-Munzry.
The author of Awn Al-Ma’boud (may Allah be merciful
to him) said: ”This hadith indicates that refusing the gift of
perfume is not the practice of the Prophet because there is no
reason for refusing it, as it is light in weight and pleasant in
odor, so it can not harm the one to whom it is given.”3
6- The use of perfume is emphatically
recommended in the following cases:
1- Friday: Abu Saìd  narrated, “I testify that Allah’s
Messenger  said,
‘The taking of a bath on Friday is compulsory for every
male Muslim who has attained the age of puberty and
(also) the cleaning of his teeth with Siwak and the using of
perfume if it is available.’”4
15 Abu Dawud no. 4172.
25 Muslim no. 2253.
35 Awn Al-Ma’boud in explaining Sunan Abi Dawud,Hadith no. 4172,The
chapter of “Refusing perfume.”
45 Al-Bukhari no. 880 , Muslim no. 846.
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This is the fifth case in which the Miswak is strongly

recommended. In Sahih Muslim it says:
"…and applying some perfume, that is available-these are
essential."1
In another narration it says:
”As far as perfume is concerned, it may even be that used
by a lady.”2
That is, the perfume of his wife. These two narrations
increase the application of perfume on Friday prayer. Some
scholars say that it is recommended to be perfumed for the
‘Eid prayers, but I cannot recall or locate a Sahih hadith to be
used as an evidence for that and - Allah knows best.
2- When the woman takes a bath
after finishing her menses:
À’ishah narrated:
“A woman asked the Prophet  about the bath which is
taken after the finishing of menses. The Prophet  told her
what to do and said, ‘Purify yourself with a piece of cloth
scented with musk.’ The woman asked, ‘How shall I purify
myself with it?’ He said, ‘Subhan Allah! Purify yourself
(with it).’ I pulled her to myself and told her to rub the
place soiled with blood with it.”
This hadith proves that it is recommended for woman to
perfume themselves after taking a bath at the completion of
their menses and postpartum bleeding by rubbing the soiled
place with it. This is not special for the woman’s pudendum, as a
group of scholars have said that it is because the hadith indicates
rubbing the place of blood and it is preferred to use musk.
15 Muslim no. 846.
25 Muslim no. 846.
198
Note: The legitimacy of tasbih (saying ”Subhan Allah”) when

astonished is understood from the previous hadith and the
Prophet’s saying: ”Subhan Allah! Purify yourself (with it).” So
it is permissible to say Subhan Allah in astonishment or denial,
as when the Prophet  was astonished he said, “Subhan Allah.”
In is related in Sahih Muslim and Al-Bukhari through Abu
Hurairah 
“The Prophet  came across me in one of the streets of
Medina and at that time I was Junub (in a state of major
ritual impurity), so I slipped away from him and went to
take a bath. On my return the Prophet  said, ‘O Abu
Hurairah! Where have you been?’ I replied that I was
Junub, so I disliked to be in your company. The Prophet 
said, ‘Subhan Allah! A believer never becomes impure.’”1
Moreover, in Sahih Muslim and Al-Bukhari it states:
”At that moment in time two Ansari man passed by the
Prophet  and when they saw him they quickened their
pace. The Prophet  said to them, ‘Do not hurry. She is
Safiyyah, daughter of Huyai, my wife.’ They said: ‘Subhan
Allah (Allah is free from imperfection)! O Messenger of
Allah! (You are far away from any suspicion).’” 2
What is more, giving the Takbeer [saying “Allahu Akbar”
(Allah is the Greatest)] is said to show astonishment. In Sahih
Muslim and Al-Bukhari it states:
“Then, I entered upon the Prophet  and said while
standing, ‘Have you divorced your wives?’ The Prophet
 replied in the negative. On that I said, ‘Allahu-Akbar
(Allah is the Greatest.)’”3
15 Muslim no. 371.
25 Al-Bukhari no. 3281, Muslim no 2175.
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In at-Tirmidhi it states:
“They said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Make a Dhat Anwat
for us as they have a Dhat Anwat.’ The Prophet  said:
‘Allahu Akbar! This is the way of those who were before
you.’” 1
Thus, saying Takbir and Tasbih are allowed in instances of
astonishment, but some scholars have said that the takbir is
abominable in the case of astonishment and it is a preferred
saying.
3-Befor entering the state of Ihram:
A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported.
“I applied perfume to the Messenger of Allah  before he
entered upon the state of Ihram and (concluding) before
circumambulating the (sacred) House.”2
This hadith illustrates that it is recommended to use
perfume in this case and before Tawaf Al-Ifadah for the one
who wants to exit his first ihram.
4-Perfuming the dead:
It was narrated that Umm ‘Atiyyah (may Allah be pleased
with her) said:
“One of the daughters of the Prophet  died, and he sent
word to us saying:
‘Wash her with water and lotus leaves and wash her an odd
number of times, three, five, or seven if you think (that is
needed), and put some camphor on her the last time. When
you have finished, inform me.’ When we had finished, we
informed him, and he threw his waist-wrap to us and said:
15 Tirmidhi no. 2180.

200
‘Shroud her in this.’1 And we combed her hair and put it

in three braids, and put it behind her.”
Camphor is a mixture of perfumes. Some scholars said
that it is recommended for the wife and husband to perfume
themselves because it shows the good relation between them.
Also, it is recommended when attending assemblies like ‘Eid
and Friday prayer and the evidence has been indicated above.
The following persons are
excluded from using perfume:
Someone in ihram –whether male or female- as after the
pilgrim and who performs minor Hajj (‘umrah) entered ihram,
and it is prohibited to use perfume even after the death of
someone who died while in a state of Ihram because of what
is recorded in the hadith of Ibn Abbas regarding the man who
was killed by his camel while he was with the Prophet  and
he was a Muhrim. Hence the Prophet  said,
“Neither perfume him nor cover his head.”2
Also the hadith of Ibn ‘Umar which says:
“A man asked the Prophet  : ‘What (kinds of clothes)
should a Muhrim (a Muslim intending to perform Ùmrah
or Hajj) wear?’ He replied, ‘He should not wear a shirt,
a turban, trousers, a head cloak or garment scented with
saffron or Wars (kinds of perfume).’”3
The woman has been specified with two additional cases:
1- For the widow in the period of waiting; she is prohibited
from wearing any perfume for four months and ten days. The
evidence for that is narrated by Umm ‘Atiyya (may Allah be
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pleased with her). “We were forbidden to mourn for more than
three days for a dead person, except for a husband, for whom
a wife should mourn for four months and ten days (while in
the mourning period) we were not allowed to put kohl on our
eyes, nor perfume our-selves, nor wear dyed clothes, except
a garment of ‘Asb (special clothes made in Yemen). However,
it was permissible for us that when one of us became clean
from our menses and took a bath, to use a piece of a certain
kind of incense. And it was forbidden for us to follow funeral
processions.”1
2- When she passes by men who are not her Mehram: It is
forbidden for to be perfumed in this case. This is substantiated
by the following ahadith: It was narrated by Al-Ash’ari  who
said, The Messenger of Allah  said:
“Any woman who puts on perfume and passes by people
so that they can smell her fragrance is considered to be like
an adulteress.”2
Zainab, the wife of ‘Abdullah (bin ‘Umar), reported,
“The Messenger of Allah  said to us: ‘When any one of
you comes to the mosque, she should not apply perfume.’”3
“The Messenger of Allah  said: ‘Whoever perfumes
herself with scent should not join us in the ‘Isha’ prayer.’”4
It is Sunnah to start with
right side in combing the hair:
‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated, “Allah’s
25 Ahmad no. 19576, Abu Dawud no. 4173, At-Tirmidhi no. 2786.
35 Muslim no. 443.
45 Muslim no. 444.
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Messenger  loved to begin with the right while putting

on his shoes, combing his hair, in his purification and in all
honorable affairs.”1
It has already been mentioned that it is Sunnah to start
with right side of the body and then the left side when taking
a Ghusl, and the same applies to when making ablution
(Wudu’). Moreover, it was aforementioned in detail that it is
Sunnah to start with the right foot when putting on shoes.
The third case that the Prophet  liked starting with the right
is when combing the hair, including anointing it and Allah
knows best.
‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) saying, ”‘in
all of his affairs’ means in everything, but these things are
mentioned for honor as some scholars said."In Al-Bukhari it
mentions that the Prophet  used to start everything honorable
from the right (whenever it was possible in all his affairs and
‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) specified those
three things. There are other things that were mentioned in
the Prophetic tradition such as entering the mosque, cutting
the hair, eating and drinking. Regarding the things that cause
harm, it is recommended to begin with the left side like in
Istinja’ (cleaning with water after using the toilet), entering the
bathroom and taking off the shoes and so on. The following is
a ruling mentioned by Sheikh Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah be
merciful to him): ”The right deserves to lead in doing good
things and deserves to be delayed in doing harmful things.”2
According to what is mentioned above,
there are three cases:
The first case: To honor the right side, thus it precedes
25 Refer to: Sharh al-’Umdah, 1/139.
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whether it is hand or left, in combing the hair, putting on

shoes and making ablution, entering the mosque, cutting the
hair, eating, drinking and all other honorable things and the
evidence for this has been mentioned before. It is the hadith of
‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her).
The second case: is when the left leg or hand is given
priority, such as entering the bathroom, leaving the mosque,
using the left hand to remove impurities, taking off of the
shoes and so on. What supports this is the agreed upon ahadith
that Abu Qatadah  narrated Allah’s Messenger  said, “And
whenever anyone of you goes to a lavatory, he should neither
touch his genitals nor clean his private parts with his right
hand.”1
The third case is when the person has the option to use
any hand, but originally should use the right one. ‘Aishah
(may Allah be pleased with her) narrated, “Allah’s Messenger
loved to start with the right hand (or leg) in all of his affairs.”
Upon commenting on this hadith, Imam an-Nawawi (may
Allah have mercy on him) said, “This is a working ruling in
the Shari’ah and it is part of honoring man to start with his
right hand in cases like wearing clothes and socks, using the
siwak, trimming the hair, cutting the mustache, plucking the
armpit hair, shaving the hair, shaking hands, washing the
limbs when making ablution, leaving the lavatory, eating
and drinking, touching the black stone and so on where it is
recommended to start with the right hand first or move with
the right leg. However, it is recommended to use the left leg or
hand first in certain other cases, such as entering the lavatory,
removing impurities, taking off clothes or socks and so on.
Scholars have unanimously agreed that it is better to
204
start with the right side in ablution, however, if one did the
opposite, the ablution would still be valid, but it is better to
start with the right side first.”1
Importance
It is Sunnah for the one who wants to have his hair shaved
to start with the right side and then the left one. Regrettably,
this is an act of Sunnah that people have abandoned. Anas 
narrated, “Allah’s Messenger  went to Mina and he threw
the stones. Then, he slaughtered an animal and asked for a
barber and said to him: ‘Cut the right part first and then he
gave his hair to the people. ‘”2
What is prohibited in this section is
when men imitate women and vice-versa.
To imitate disbelievers in their dress and the like, to wear
something for the sake of showing off, to wear something
transparent that displays the body, to wear gold and silk
except with a legal excuse (for men), to shave one’s beard, to
leave the moustache, for the woman to show her adornment,
to pluck the eyebrows, for the woman to be tattooed or make a
space between her teeth to look more attractive, to wear a wig
or join artificial hair to hers, to change the creation of Allah,
the Almighty and to die her hair black.
15 Refer to his explanation of Muslim’s sahih, hadith no. 269, chapter of

starting with the right organs in purification and other things.
25 Muslim no. 1305.
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Sunan in
sneezing & yawning
The Prophet said,
``Verily, Allah loves sneezing and detests yawning;
so if one of you sneezes and [then] praises Allah, it is a
right upon every Muslim who hears him to say to him,
`Yarhamakullah (May Allah have mercy on you).’ As for
yawning, then verily, it is from the Shaitaan only; so if one
of you yawns, then let him ward it off (i.e., ward off and
stifle the yawn) as much as he is able to1......
First, The Manners Of Sneezing:
1)Saying `May Allah Have Mercy On You’
To The Person Who Sneezed
Sneezing is a blessing of Allah upon His slaves, and when
one is given a blessing from Allah , he should praise Allah and
thank Him for it. The matter is no different in regard to sneezing,
for when a person sneezes, it is legislated for him to praise
Allah , by saying, ‘‘ Alhamdulillah (All praise is to Allah).’’ Al-
Baraa Ibn Àazib said, ``The Prophet ordered us with seven
[commands] and forbade us from seven [prohibited matters]:
he ordered us to follow funerals (by praying the funeral prayer
and then following the corpse until the burial is completed), to
visit the sick, to answer (i.e., accept the invitation of) a person
who invites [one to partake of a meal, for example], to help the
one who is wronged, to fulfill one’s oath, to return greetings of
15 Bukhari no. 2626.
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peace, and to do Tashmeet of a person who sneezes [i.e., to say, `

Yarhamukallah (may Allah have mercy on you),’ when he says,
` Alhamdulillah (All praise is to Allah),’ after he sneezes]...’’ It is
compulsory to say, `May Allah have mercy on you,’ to a person
who sneezes; however, it is a compulsory duty on the group of
people that hears the sneezer say, Àll praise is to Allah,’ and
not upon every single individual from them. What this means
is that at least some of them must say, `May Allah have mercy
on you,’ and that, if some of them say it, saying it is no longer
compulsory on the rest of them. Though this is the ruling that
scholars mention, no one should refrain from saying, `May
Allah have mercy on you,’ to someone who sneezes, for the
Prophet said,
"So if one of you sneezes and [then] praises Allah, it is a
right upon every Muslim who hears him to say to him,
`Yarhamakullah (May Allah have mercy on you"
2)One Should Say, `May Allah Have Mercy On You,’
Only After The Sneezer Praises Allah
Anas said, ``Two men sneezed in the presence of the
Prophet ; he Shammata (i.e., said, ` Yarhamukallah - May
Allah have mercy on you’) to one of them but not to the other.
The [latter] man said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, you Shammatta
(i.e., said, `May Allah have mercy on you’) to him but not to
me?’ The Prophet said,
"Verily, he praised Allah, and you did not praise Allah."
And in another Hadeeth , Abu Moosa Al-Ash’aree reported
that he heard the Messenger of Allah say,
``When one of you sneezes and then praises Allah, then
Shammitooh (i.e., then say to him, `May Allah have
mercy on you’); and if he does not praise Allah, then do
not Tushamitooh (i.e., do not say to him, `May Allah have
mercy on you.1"
15 Muslim no. 2992, Ahmed 19197
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1- If someone does not praise Allah the Almighty.

2- If someone sneezes more than three times, this shows
that they have caught a cold.
3- It is Sunnah to restrain from yawning with the help
of his hand:
What proves this is the following:
Abu Hurairah  narrated that the Prophet  said,
“Allah likes sneezing and dislikes yawning, so if someone
sneezes and then praises Allah, then it is obligatory on
every Muslim who heard him, to say: ‘May Allah be
merciful to you (Yar-hamuka Allah).’ But in regards to
yawning, it is from Satan, so one must try one’s best to
stop it, if one says ‘Ha’ while yawning, Satan will laugh
at him.’”1
Imam Muslim reports through Abu Sa’id  that the
Prophet  said,
“When one of you yawns, he should try to restrain it with
the help of his hand since it is from their that Satan enters
therein.”2
Thus, one should preventing yawning either by restraining
it through closing the mouth, by the hand, or the like. Ibn
Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “As for yawning,
it is from Satan.” Ibn Battal commented, “Attributing yawning
to Satan because he loves to see man in that shape so he (i.e.
Satan) would laugh at him.”
Also Ibn al-’Arabi said, “We stated that every disliked act
is attributed to Satan because he is the tool and every good act
has been attributed to Allah because He is the One who causes
it. Yawning comes as a result of having one’s stomach full and
25 Muslim no. 2995
208
of course this will lead to laziness. However, sneezing results

from having less food which automatically leads to zeal and
enthusiasm. Hence, Allah loves it.”
An-Nawawi said, “Yawning has been attributed to Satan as
he (Satan) calls for desires and this results also from filling the
stomach. Thus, the warning here is against the cause behind
this, i.e. to replete the stomach.” 1
In addition, it better for the yawner not to raise his voice or
make some sounds such as “Haa” or “Aah” while yawning as
this will make Satan laugh at him.
What proves this is the following:
The hadith reported by Abu Hurairah  that the Prophet
 said,
“But as in regards to yawning, it is from Satan, so one must
try one’s best to stop it, if one says ‘Ha’ while yawning, Satan
will laugh at him.’”2
The narration of Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on
him) states, “If one of you yawns, let him restrain it as much
as he can. He should not say, ‘Aah’ while he yawns as Satan
will laugh at him.”3
Warning:
Some people are used to saying, “I ask Allah’s refuge
against the devil” after yawning. It should be noted that there
is no valid evidence for this saying and it is not part of the
Prophet’s  Sunnah.
15 Refer to Al-Fath
35 Ahmad no. 9540
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T he dhikr of entering and leaving the bathroom:The
one who enters the bathroom should say the
dhikr that is recorded in the hadith collected in Sahih
Al-Bukhari and Muslim, which states:
Anas (may Allah bless him) said: “Before the Prophet 

enters the bathroom he says: ‘(In the name of Allah). O Allah!
I take refuge with you from all evil and evil-doers.’”1
The meaning of evil-doers in this supplication are the evil
male and female Jinn. Thus, a person is seeking refuge in
Allah from all the evil male and female Jinn and from and
from those who do evil deeds.
Dhikr of leaving the bathroom:

1. ‘Aishah (may Allah bless her) mentioned that when the
Prophet  used to step out of the bathroom, he would
say: “Ghufranak (I ask You (Allah) for forgiveness.” 2
• Advantage:
It is said that we say “Ghufranak” because when man
remembers that he has to get rid of the harm of the body
15 Al-Bukhari 6322, Muslim no. 375
25 Ahmad no. 25220, Abu Dawud no. 30, at-Tirmidhi no. 7
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(through urinating or defecating), he should also remember

to get rid of the sins, thus he asks Allah to forgive him.
Ibn Al-Qayyem said that we say “Ghufranak” as a form
of dhikr because we must not remember Allah while on the
toilet.1
2- Preparing one’s will:

Preparing our will is an act of Sunnah during health and
illness. The Prophet  says:
“It is the duty of a Muslim who has something which is to
be given as a bequest, not to have it for two nights without
having his will written down regarding it.”2
By saying two days the Prophet  means any short period,
not precisely two days, because no one knows exactly when
they will die.
Relating to the rights of Allah Almighty regarding Zakat,
Hajj or Kaffarah (expiation) and the people’s rights regarding
debts, they are a must and not Sunnah, so you must write
them in your will, especially if no one knows about them.
3- Tolerance and leniency in buying and selling:

Both the purchaser and the seller should deal together
politely. The purchaser should not force the seller to give him
the goods for a very cheap price which may harm him, also
the seller should not ask for a very high price that may harm
the purchaser. Both of them should not exploit the other in a
bad way.
Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah  said that the Prophet  said:
“May Allah’s mercy be on him who is lenient in his
15 Ighatat al-Lahfan, 1/58
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buying, selling, and in demanding back his money.”1

The same applies when he asks for his rights back, it is
Sunnah to be lenient and tolerant as the Prophet  said,
“and in demanding back his money.”
Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy upon him) said, “and in
demanding back his money,” namely he demanded his money
back with easiness and leniency. In another narration reported
by Ibn at-Teen it is mentioned, “if he repays,” namely, he pays
the due money.
Abu Hurairah  narrated that the Prophet  said:
“Verily! Allah loves the one who is lenient in his buying,
selling and in demanding back his money.”2
An-Nasa’i reports an elevated hadith through ‘Uthman
, “Allah has forgiven a man who was before you. He was
tolerant when selling, tolerant when purchasing and tolerant
when repaying.”3
All of these ahadith urge us to deal with etiquette and
leniency during the transaction of buying and selling, leave
hassle, hatred, and pardon people.4
4- Offering two raka’hs after performing ablution:
It is from the daily Sunnah that has great reward which is
paradise.
Abu Hurairah  reported that the Prophet  said,
“Bilal, tell me which act you did at the time of the morning
prayer for which you hope to receive good reward, for I
35 An-Nasa’i no. 4670
45 Refer to: Al-Fath, hadith no. 2067, Chapter of leniency and tolerance in
buying and selling and the one who demands his right back should do
this with chastity.
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heard during the night the sound of your footsteps before

me in Paradise?” Bilal  replied: “I did not do any act
in Islam for which I hope to get any benefit, but this, that
when I perform complete ablution during the night or day
I then offer prayer with that purification, what Allah has
ordained for me to pray.” 1
5- Waiting for prayer:
Waiting for the prayer has a great reward. Abu Hurairah 
said that the Prophet  said,
“Each of you is in the prayer as long as he is waiting for it
and there is nothing but the prayer preventing him from
going to his family.” 2
Thus, Muslims are rewarded for waiting for prayer, the
same as the prayer itself.
Abu Hurairah  said that the Prophet  said:
“The angels pray for every one of you as long as you
remain in the place in which you prayed and do not break
your wudu,’ saying, ‘O Allah, forgive him! O Allah, show
mercy to him!’”3
In another narration by Imam Muslim it is mentioned,
“as long as he neither broke his ablution nor hurt
anybody.”4
Yet, this reward is conditional, which is not to do anything
that warrants needing to perform a new wudu.’
Anas Ibn Malik  reported:
“We waited for the Messenger of Allah  one night until
35 Muslim no. 649.
45 Riyadh Al-Saliheen, 2/1296
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it was about midnight. He (the Prophet ) came and

observed prayer and then turned his face towards us, as
he was turning I saw the luster of the silver ring on his
finger and he said, “People prayed and slept and you are
in prayer as long as you are waiting for it.” 1
Sheikh Ibn ‘Uthaimeen said:
“All of these ahadith show the bounty of waiting for the
prayer, even after a former prayer, or if you are going there
for the coming prayer.”2
Also Abu Hurairah  narrated that the Prophet  said,
“Should I tell you about actions with which Allah forgives
sins and raises the grade? Performing perfect ablution in
unfavorable conditions, the many steps one takes to the
mosques, and waiting for the following prayer after the
prayer has finished, for this is the ribat (i.e. strong robe
that connects us to Allah). ”3
6- As-Siwak (Tooth- stick):
As-Siwak is from the Sunnah that may be done at anytime.
The Prophet  urged us to use it many a time. Anas said that
the Prophet  said:
“I overburdened you with regards to as-Siwak.”1
A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the
Prophet  said:
“as-Siwak cleanses the mouth and pleases the Lord.”2
The time of using as-Siwak is recommended in certain
situations such as: the night prayer, wudu,’ before every
15 Ahmad no. 9928, Ibn Khuzaimah 1/73/140, Al-Hakim 1/245. Al-Bukhari
also reported in the chapter of: The fresh and dry siwak for the one who
is fasting.
25 Ahmad no. 7, An-Nisai No. 6
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prayer and after entering one’s home and Allah knows best.
7- The renewal of Wudu’ for every prayer:
It is Sunnah for the Muslim to renew wudu’ for every
prayer. If a Muslim has made wudu’ for Al-Maghrib and is still
in wudu’ when ‘Isha’ prayer comes in, it is Sunnah to make a
new wudu.’
What proves this is what Al-Bukhari reported that the
Prophet  used to make wudu’ for every prayer.1
It is also Sunnah to keep the wudu’ during the day. Thawban
(may Allah have mercy on him) said that the Prophet  said:
“No one could keep his wudu’ during the day except the
believer.”2
8- Du’a (Supplication):
The Du’a is one of the main causes of attaining the message.
It is a sign of Tawheed when the slave makes du’a with complete
obedience to Allah the Almighty, admitting that there is no
power but in Allah the Most High, the Most Great.
Al-Du’a makes a person feel the sweetness of submission
and obedience. It is a reason to gain blessings and remove
afflictions and has many other advantages that these short
lines cannot include. Al-Du’a is an act of worship which
signifies the complete dependence on Allah, the Almighty.
There are two kinds of Du’a:
a) Du’a as an act of worship: it is included in Al-dhikr
and we shall discuss it later.
b) Du’a to ask Allah for something: it is when a slave
has a need and he supplicates to ask for whatever

25 Ahmad no. 22434, Ibn Majah N0. 277 , Al-Dawarmi No.655
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he wants.
There are some daily situations when Du’a is more likely to
be accepted, such as in: Sujud, the third part of the night and
between the Adhan and the Iqamah.
The Sunnan of Du’a:

1-Keeping Wudu’
Both Bukhari and Muslim report in their sahihs the hadith
of Abu Musa al-Ash’ari  and his story with his uncle Abu
‘Amer  when the Prophet  sent him on the top of the
army of Awtas. The hadith says that ‘Amer was killed and
he advised Abu Musa to convey greeting to him and asked
for his (i.e. the Prophets) du’a. Abu Musa  said, “I told the
Prophet about Abu ‘Amer’s request.” So, Allah’s Messenger
 asked for water to make ablution. He raised his hands and
said, “O Allah! Forgive Abu ‘Amer.” Abu Musa  said, “I saw
the whiteness of his armpit.” Then, the Prophet  said, “O
Allah! Raise his rank on the Day of Judgment. ” 1
2- Sitting towards the Qibla
Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him)
narrated, ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattab  said, “When it was the day
on which the Battle of Badr was fought, the Messenger of
Allah (may peace be upon him) cast a glance at the infidels,
and they were one thousand while his own Companions were
three hundred and nineteen. The Prophet  turned (his face)
towards the Qibla. Then he stretched his hands and began his
supplication to his Lord saying:
“O Allah, accomplish for me what Thou hast promised to
me. O Allah, bring about what Thou hast promised to me. O
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Allah, if this small band of Muslims is destroyed. Thou will

not be worshipped on this earth.”
He continued his supplication to his Lord, stretching his
hands, facing the Qibla, until his mantle slipped down from
his shoulders. So Abu Bakr came to him, picked up his mantle
and put it on his shoulders. Then he embraced him from
behind and said: “Prophet of Allah, this prayer of yours to
your Lord will suffice you, and He will fulfill for you what He
has promised you.”1
3- Raising both hands:
The evidence for this can be found in the previous hadith
narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas, “And Allah’s Messenger faced the
Qibla, and then he raised his hands.”
4- Starting Du’a by praising Allah the Almighty, then
sending peace and blessings upon his Prophet :
At-Tirmdhi (may Allah have mercy upon him) reported
through Fadhalah Ibn ‘Obaid  who said, “That the Prophet
 (may Allah praise him) heard a man supplicating during the
prayer. The man said, “O Allah, forgive me and have mercy
on me.” So the Prophet (may Allah praise him) told him,
“You were hasty. When you pray, praise Allah, ask Allah
to exalt my mention, then ask Allah.”2 In another narration,
“If one of you prays, let him start by praising Allah, exalting
Him, send peace and blessings upon me, and then let him
supplicate with what he wishes.”3
5- Make Du’a with the 99 names of Allah the Almighty
15 Muslim no. 1763

25 At-Tirmidhi no,. 3476
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A person should choose the name that corresponds to his

need so that his du’a is more likely to be fulfilled. For example,
if someone is invoking Allah for his or her livelihood, it is
better to say, “O Allah! Superb Provider!” If someone is
invoking Allah for mercy, it is better to say, “O Allah! The
Most Merciful.” If someone is invoking Allah for dignity, it is
better to say, “O Allah, the Almighty.” If someone is asking
Allah for forgiveness, it is better to say, “O Allah, the Ever-
Forgiving.”
6- Repeating and insisting on du’a:
Ibn ‘Abbas  narrated in the hadith we quoted before that
the Prophet  said, “O Allah, accomplish for me what You
have promised to me. O Allah, bring about what You have
promised to me.” He continued his supplication to his Lord,
stretching his hands, facing the Qibla, until his mantle slipped
down from his shoulders. So Abu Bakr came to him, picked
up his mantle and put it on his shoulders. Then he embraced
him from behind and said: “Prophet of Allah, this prayer of
yours to your Lord will suffice you, and He will fulfill for you
what He has promised you.”1
In the two sahih, Abu Hurairah  narrated that the Prophet
 made du’a for the tribe of Daws and said, “O Allah guide
Daws! O Allah guide Daws and bring them here as Muslims.”2
Imam Muslim also reports in his sahih, “A man who had
traveled on a long journey, his hair disheveled and discolored
with dust. He will raise his hands to the sky saying ‘O Lord!
O Lord!’” 3
It is Sunnah to make du’a three times and this is taken from
the hadith by Ibn Mas’oud  that the Prophet  invoked Allah
15 Muslim no. 1736
35 Muslim no. 1015
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against Quraish three times. 1

7-Making Du’a in secret:
Allah Almighty said,
‫ﮋﮨ ﮩ ﮪ ﮫﮬ ﮭ ﮮ ﮯ ﮰ ﮊ‬
“Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret. He likes not
the aggressors.” (7:55).
Making du’a in secret is more sincere; hence Allah praised
Zakariah,
‫ﮋﭙ ﭚ ﭛ ﭜ ﭝ ﮊ‬
“When he called out his Lord (Allah) a call in secret.” (19:3).
Some interpreters said that he did so in order to be sincere.
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah be pleased with
him) said: “Muslims made special efforts to make du’a silently.
No one could hear them. It was only whispers between
themselves and God, because Allah the Almighty said,
‫ﮋﮨ ﮩ ﮪ ﮫﮬ ﮭ ﮮ ﮯ ﮰ ﮊ‬
“Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret. He likes not the
aggressors.” (7:55).
Sheikh al-Islam referred to many reasons why Muslims
should make du’a in secret.
In making Du’a we should not be hostile, use a lot of
rhyme, or exaggerate with regards to linguistic styles, or ask
for what is forbidden or evil, i.e. calling for sins or the cutting
of from relations with relatives, gaining illegal money etc, as
these prevent the acceptance of the du’a, the same one should
not hesitate when making du’a and also not say Insha’Allah in
the du’a.
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Advantage:
Someone might say: What can I ask for in du’a?
A person should make du’a to ask for whatever they want
from this world or the Hereafter. It is better to use the du’as
that are found in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, as they include
all the good things in the world and the Hereafter. When
someone asked the Prophet  this question, he answered
with great words that collect all good things in the world and
the Hereafter for the Muslim. Abu Malik al-Ashja’i reports
through his father (may Allah be pleased with him) that
he narrated that a man came to the Prophet  and said, “O
Messenger of Allah! What should I say when I supplicate
my Lord?” The Prophet  said: “Say: ‘O Allah! Forgive me,
have mercy on me, give me soundness in this life and in the
hereafter, give me sustenance.’” He would collect his finger
except the thumb. Then the Prophet  said, “This supplication
will give you the goodness of this life and the hereafter.”1
In another narration, it is reported that when a man would
meet the Prophet, he would order him to use these words
for supplication, “O Allah! Forgive me, have mercy upon
me, guide me, give me soundness in both lives, and give me
substance.”2
Advantage:
It is Sunnah to pray for your brother when he does not see
or hear you, and it is an accepted du’a and the one who does
so will be rewarded greatly. Imam Muslim (may Allah bless
him) says in his Sahih hadith that Abi Al-Darda’ said that the
Prophet said : “‘The du’a of a person for his Muslim brother
15 Muslim no. 2697
25 Muslim no. 2697
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in his absence will be answered. At his head there is an angel,

and every time he prays for him for something good, the
angel who has been appointed to be with him, says, ‘Ameen,
may you have likewise.’1
8- Increase the remembrance of Allah
Adh-Dhikr is a vast horizon with an all including
connotation. It has two meanings:
a) General meaning:
It includes all types of worship: prayer, fasting, Hajj,
reciting the Qur’an, Du’a, glorifying, praising and exalting
Allah and every act of worship and obedience.
Sheikh al-Islam said: “Every righteous act that is done by
the tongue or the heart, even if you just think it, will make you
nearer to Allah. Learning Islamic sciences and teaching them
and the promotion of virtue and the prevention of vice are
also kinds of dhikr.
b) Specific meaning:
To make dhikr of Allah is to use the words of Allah the
Almighty from the Qur’an or Sunnah which includes the
exaltation and glorification of Allah, and belief of Tawheed.
The greatest dhikr is reciting the Qur’an, which prevented
our ancestors from sleeping at night as they used to recite
Qur’an to worship Allah. Allah said,
‫ﮋﮌ ﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒ ﮓ ﮔ ﮕ ﮊ‬
“They used to sleep but little by night, invoking their
Lord (Allah) and praying, with fear and hope. And in the
hours before dawn, they were (found) asking (Allah) for
forgiveness.” (51:17-18).
15 Muslim no. 2733
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At night you would have found them reciting Qur’an and

making the du’as according to the Sunnah. How great is the
one who does so, and how humble are those who do not
waste their nights in amusement and play.
How was the relationship between
the Companions and Al-Qur’an?
In the previous Sunnan we referred to the hadith of Hudhaifa
 mentioned that the Prophet  read Surat ul-Baqarah in one
raka’ah then Surat ul-Nisa’ in the second and Surat ul-‘Imran
in the final. Abu Wa’il narrated through ‘Abdullah  who
said, “I was praying with the Prophet  and he stood for a
long time. I thought about doing something evil.” We said,
“What was it?” He said, “I thought about sitting down and
letting the Prophet  continue his standing in prayer.”1
In the two Sahih ahadith, Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr  said that the
Prophet  told him to read the entire Qur’an at least once a
month. It was reported from Abu Salamah , from ‘Abdullah
bin Amr  that the Prophet  said, “Recite the Qur’an in one
month.” He responded, “I find myself (more) energetic.” The
Prophet  said, “Recite it in twenty (days).” He responded,
“I find myself (more) energetic.” The Prophet  said, “Recite
it in fifteen.” He responded, “I find myself (more) energetic.”
The Prophet  said, “Recite it in ten.” He responded, “I find
myself (more) energetic.” So he (the Prophet,  said, “Recite it
in seven and do not do more than that.”2 The Prophet  gave
the companions a chance to regain the reward if they slept
before reading their wird (i.e. a specific portion of the Qur’an
that should be read on a daily basis) of the Qur’an. He said,
“Whoever misses reading his hizb (portion) at night and reads
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it from when the sun has passed the meridian until the dhuhr
prayer has not missed it, or it is as if he has caught it.”1
Aus Ibn Hudhaifa  said, “I asked the companions of the
Messenger  : ‘How do you divide the Qur’an?’ They said:
‘3 Surahs, and 5 Surahs, and 7 Surahs, and 9 Surahs, and 11
Surahs, and the section of the “Mufassal” from Surah Qaaf until
the end.”2 They mean the first three Surat on the first day, then
the coming five Surat… until they completed the Qur’an in a
week. Our ancestors were the same as the companions that
were taught in their school. History tells us that they recited
the Qur’an very frequently and completed it every few days
or over a short period of time like a week.
Hamad Ibn Yazeed said that Ataa’ Ibn El-Sai’b (may Allah
be pleased with him) said that Aba Abd-El-Rahman said: “We
took the Qur’an from some people who said: ‘When we would
learn 10 verses of the Qur’an, we should not jump to learn new
ones until we applied these 10 into our lives. Thus, we used to
learn the Qur’an and act accordingly. Yet, some people might
come after us who would not apply the Qur’an to their lives.”3
Dhikr revives the heart:
In this day and age, many people complain of the hardness
of their hearts due to their preoccupancy with this worldly
life, thus their heart forgets the remembrance of Allah. In a
hadith collected in Sahih Al-Bukhari, Abu Mousa Al-Ash’ri 
said that the Prophet  said:
“The example of the one who remembers his Lord (God) in
comparison with the one who does not remember his Lord
is that of the living and the dead.”
15 Muslim no. 747
35 Siyar a’lam an-Nubala, 4/269
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In Muslim’s narration,
“The example of the house in which Allah’s name is
remembered and the house in which Allah’s name is not
remembered is that of the living and the dead.”1
In Madarij as-Salikeen, in the chapter of
“The value of the Dhikr,”
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyem said,
“Al-Dhikr is from the greatest stages of the pious. ‘You
(Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for
each and everything),’ from which people increase their
strength on their path to Allah. They always go to this stage
which makes the connection. It is the light of life which if they
forget, their bodies become like empty vessels. Ad-Dhikr is
a kind of treatment for the heart. When man increases his/
her remembrance of Allah, his/her love and longing for Allah
increases too. It is the greatest means for the slave to connect
with Allah which is never closed except by the slave who
forgets Allah.”2
Ibn Al-Qayyem mentioned in Al-Wabil as-Saiib more than
100 benefits of doing Al-Dhikr. It is better to read the Qur’an
to increase your will to maintain this great worship. He gave
examples for those who remembered Allah often, like his
beloved teacher, Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah.3
1-Allah urges us in numerous
verses to remember Him:
‫ﮋﯺ ﯻ ﯼ ﯽ ﯾ ﯿ ﰀ ﰁ ﰂ ﰃ ﰄ ﮊ‬
15 Muslim no. 779
25 Madarij as-Salikeen, 2/422
35 Al-Wabil Al-Saiib, p. 94
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“O you who believe! Remember Allah with much

remembrance And glorify His Praises morning and afternoon
[the early morning (Fajr) and ‘Asr prayers].” (31:41-42)
2-Allah promised to forgive those who
remember him and give them a great reward.
‫ﮋﯗ ﯘ ﯙ ﯚ ﯛ ﯜ ﯝ ﯞ ﯟ ﯠﮊ‬
“And the men and the women who remember Allah much
with their hearts and tongues (while sitting, standing, lying,
etc. for more than 300 times extra over the remembrance of
Allah during the five compulsory congregational prayers) or
praying extra additional Nawafil prayers of night in the last
part of night, etc.) Allah has prepared for them forgiveness
and a great reward (i.e. Paradise).” (31:35).
3- Allah warned us of being like the hypocrite who
rarely remembers Allah.
‫ﮋﭸ ﭹ ﭺ ﭻ ﭼ ﭽ ﭾ ﭿ ﮀ ﮁ ﮂ ﮃ‬
‫ﮄﮅﮆﮇﮈﮉ ﮊ ﮊ‬
“Those (hypocrites) who wait and watch about you; if you
gain a victory from Allah, they say: ‘Were we not with you,’
but if the disbelievers gain a success, they say (to them): ‘Did
we not gain mastery over you and did we not protect you
from the believers?’ Allah will judge between you (all) on
the Day of Resurrection. And never will Allah grant to the
disbelievers a way (to triumph) over the believers.” (4:142)
4- Allah warned us of paying all our attention to money
and offspring and forgetting Allah the Almighty:
‫ﮋﮝ ﮞ ﮟ ﮠ ﮡ ﮢ ﮣ ﮤ ﮥ ﮦ ﮧﮨ ﮩ‬
‫ﮪ ﮫﮬﮭﮮ ﮊ‬
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“O you who believe! Let not your properties or your children

divert you from the remembrance of Allah. And whosoever
does that, then they are the losers.” (63:9)
5- Imagine with me this great reward,
Allah said,
‫ﮋﯩ ﯪ ﮊ‬
“Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying, etc). I

will remember you, and be grateful to Me (for My countless
Favors on you) and never be ungrateful to Me.” (2:152)
Allah said in the Al-Hadith Al-Qudsi: “I am just as My slave
thinks I am, (i.e. I am able to do for him what he thinks I can
do for him) and I am with him if He remembers Me. If he
remembers Me in himself, I too, remember him in Myself; and
if he remembers Me in a group of people, I remember him in
a group that is better than they.”1
6- Allah praised the believers who
remember Allah in all their situations.
He, Almighty, said,
‫ﮋﮉ ﮊ ﮋ ﮌ ﮍ ﮎ ﮏ ﮐ ﮑ ﮒ ﮓ‬
‫ﮔﮕﮖﮗﮘﮙ ﮚﮛﮜﮝ ﮞ‬
‫ﮟﮠ ﮡﮢﮣﮤﮥﮦﮧﮨﮩ‬
“Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in
the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for
men of understanding. Those who remember Allah (always,
and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their
sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and
the earth, (saying): ‘Our Lord! You have not created (all)
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this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted be You above all

that they associate with You as partners). Give us salvation
from the torment of the Fire.’ (3:190-191)
The Sunnah of the one who was the living embodiment of
the Qur’an (the Prophet ) shows us the interpretation of this
Ayah practically. He was in dhikr all of the time. ‘Aishah said:
“He used to mention Allah in all his affairs.”1
Just try to imagine my Muslim brothers and sisters - how
the Prophet  used to remember Allah in every situation, then
what about us? I do not mean that we could ever come close to
the Prophet , but we should try to be like him as best we can.
Are we from those who simply remember Allah sometimes?!
May Allah bless us and guide us.
Even more amazing is what Imam Muslim narrates in his
Sahih about the dhikr of the Prophet  during the times he
was busy. Al-Aghar al-Mazny said that the Prophet  said,
“Sometimes I perceive a veil over my heart, and I supplicate
Allah for forgiveness a hundred times in a day.”2
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “This
means what makes the heart distracted.” Al-Qadi ‘Iyad said,
“This refers to distractions that make the person leave his
adhakr that he used to recite. Yet, if the worshipper neglected
his heart and left it for such distractions, then he is sinful and
should ask for Allah’s forgiveness.” Yet, it is said this hadith
talks about the Prophet’s  concern about his nation and the
news that he was foretold. So, he would ask Allah to forgive
them. It is also said that he was careful about his nation, its
affairs, fighting its enemy, reconciling the hearts, and so on.
Hence, he might be busy with these things and he might see
15 Muslim no. 2702
25 Muslim no. 2702
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this as a sin with regards to his supreme status. Al-Mahashi

said, “Angels’ and Prophets’ fear is glorification of Allah
although they are saved of Allah’s punishment.”1
· Dhikr is of two types: restricted and unrestricted:
The worshipper should be eager to remember Allah with
both his tongue and heart as this is the best position. Some
people do not feel the taste of the adhkar they make because
it is only their tongue that makes the adhkar. However, if
their hearts would feel what they do, then their faith would
increase and their hearts would become tender.
Respected and blessed brothers and sisters, you should
know that dhikr is of two types: restricted and unrestricted. As
for the restricted one, it is the one that is confined to a specific
place, time, or case. However, the unrestricted one is the
type that could be said anytime of the day such as the adhkar
after the prayers or the adhkar after the adhan. In this same
regard, every dhikr the Prophet  said in a specific place or
time should be given preference over the rest of unrestricted
dhikr just to follow his Sunnah. In other words, if a person
finished his obligatory prayer, it is better for his to say the
adhkar that are for this purpose particularly. He should not
say other adhkar even if he is going to read the Qur’an because
thats what the Prophet  did. Goodness can only be achieved
by following his  guidance.
By doing dhikr the worshipper will be among the
as-Sabiqeen (those foremost in Islamic Faith of
Monotheism and in performing righteous deeds):
Discussing dhikr and it’s merits will take a long time, but
the Muslim should increase his adhkar and should do his best
to keep those great blessings that could be found in dhikr. He
15 Sharah Sahi Muslim no. 2702
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should do his best to get accustomed to this habit which is

part of worship. Hence, he would repeat a particular dhikr and
say it for a while until it becomes part of his daily life. Then,
he would wish to move to another dhikr and so on until he
becomes among those who remember Allah most of the times
and for whom Allah prepared forgiveness and a great reward.
Thus, he will be among the Mufarideen, those people that
the Prophet  mentioned in the following hadith. Imam
Muslim narrated through Abu Hurairah  that the Prophet
 was passing in Makkah. He came across a mountain called
Humdan. He said, “Proceed, this is Humdan. The devotees
have surpassed all.” They asked, “Who are these exceptional
people (mufarridun), O Prophet of Allah?” He replied, “Those
men and women who remember Allah unceasingly.”1
Thus, the Prophet  defined the mufarideen as those who
remember Allah most of the time. This means that they
excelled others in their closeness to Allah the Almighty. Some
scholars said it is very shameful for the person to have a heart
that is void of Allah’s remembrance and a tongue that does
not mention Allah.
A man came to the Prophet  and said to him, “The laws
of Islam are too heavy for me, so tell me something that I can
easily follow,” the Prophet told him, “Let your tongue always
be busy with the remembrance of Allah.”2
My dear and respected brother, if there is something that
you cannot achieve all of it, never leave all of it. Just stick to
one dhikr and this will help you to stick to the others. That
would be better for you than leaving all of this sublime form
of worship altogether.
15 Muslim no. 2676
25 Ahmad no. 17680, at-Tirmidhi no. 3375
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There are many Sunnah adhkar in this regard:

1. Abu Hurairah  narrated that Allah’s Messenger 
said,
“ If one says one-hundred times in one day: “None has
the right to be worshipped but Allah, the Alone Who
has no partners, to Him belongs Dominion and to Him
belong all the Praises, and He has power over all things
(i.e. Omnipotent),” one will get the reward of freeing
ten slaves, and one-hundred good deeds will be written
in his account, and one-hundred bad deeds will be wiped
off or erased from his account. Also for that day he will
be protected from the morning till evening from Satan,
and nobody will be superior to him except one who has
done more than that which he has done. And whoever
says, ‘Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi,’ (glory and praise be
to Allah) one hundred times a day, will be forgiven all his
sins even if they were as much as the foam of the sea. ”1
2. Abu Ayub  narrated that Allah’s Messenger  said,
“Whoever says there is no god but Allah alone, who has
no partner. His is the dominion and His is the raise, and
He is able to do all things ten times, will have the reward
for freeing four slaves from the Children of Isma’il.”2
3. Sa’d Ibn abi Waqqas  narrated: “We were sitting with
Allah’s Messenger  and he said,
‘Is anyone of you incapable of earning one thousand
Hasanah (rewards) a day?’ Someone from the gathering
asked, ‘How can anyone of us earn a thousand Hasanah?’
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: ‘Glorify
Allah a hundred times by just saying, “Subhanallah” and
15 Al-Bukhari no. 3293, Muslim 2691
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good deeds will be written for you, or a thousand sins will

be wiped away.’”1
4. Abu Hurairah  narrated that Allah’s Messenger 
said,
“Whoever says ‘Glory be to Allah and Praise Him’ at
morning and evening time, one hundred times, none shall
come on the Day of Resurrection with anything better
except someone who has said the same or more.”2 Also in
a hadith reported by Muslim, Allah’s Messenger  said,
“Whoever says, “Glory be to Allah and Praise Him” one
hundred times a day, will be forgiven all his sins even if
they were as much as the foam of the sea.”3
Ahadith about the virtues of adhkar are so many. The ones I
quoted are the well-know and authentic ahadith. Yet, there are
also other ahadith the deal with the same issue.
• Abu Musa al-Ash’ari  said, Allah’s Messenger  said
to me,
“Shall I tell you a word that is one of the treasures of
Paradise? It is: ‘There is no power, nor any might except
with the permission of Allah’”4
• Abu Hurairah  that Allah’s Messenger  said,
“For me to say (Glory be to Allah, all praise is for Allah,
there is no god but Allah, Allah is the Greatest) is dearer to
me and all that the sun rises upon (i.e. the whole world).”5
Furthermore, asking Allah’s forgiveness is a type of dhikr.
We already quoted the hadith of al-Aghar al-Mazny that
15 Muslim no. 2698
35 Muslim no. 2692
55 Muslim no. 2695
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Muslim reported, the Prophet  said,

“Sometimes I perceive a veil over my heart, and I
supplicate Allah for forgiveness a hundred times in a
day.”1
This is the deed of Allah’s Messenger  and he urged us
to ask forgiveness also as Muslim reported through al-Aghar
 also,
“Oh people, repent to Allah, for indeed, I repent to Allah
100 times every day.”2
Al-Bukhari also reported through Abu Hurairah  that the
Prophet  said,
“I swear by Allah that I supplicate for Allah’s forgiveness
and turn to Him in repentance more than seventy times
a day.”3
Finally, I would conclude the Sunnan of dhikr – and all daily
Sunnan as well - with this great dhikr. It is the dhikr by which
Al-Bukhari ended his sahih and by which Ibn Hajar ended his
book entitled Bulugh al-Maram, Abu Hurairah  reported that
Allah’s Messenger  said,
“Two words are light on the tongue, but weigh heavy
in the balance and they are loved by the Most Merciful
One. Glory be to Allah, and Praise, Glory be to Allah, the
Supreme ”4
Praise be to Allah,
by His favors goodness is accomplished.
15 Muslim no. 2702

25 Muslim no. 2702
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The Daily

HEAD OFFICE K.S.A. Darussalam Showrooms:

No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or

such people are simply following in the footsteps of their

the Sunnan. Thus, you do not see the Prophet’s  Sunnah in

requires practicing it.”

‘Abdullah bin Hamoud al-Furaih

S unnah means what is recommended and preferred

Examples of the eagerness of the Salaf (pious

since I heard them from Umm Habibah.” ‘Amr Ibn Aws

3. Ibn ‘Umar  used to lead people in the funeral prayer

the Sunnah, as they were unaware of its virtues.” 1

to be showered with spirituality, glory, greatness and the

What indicates to these three

15 Al-Bukhari no. 6502

Hence, if the worshipper is committing himself to the

• Before moving to our target

I have collected in the following pages some of the daily

mercy on him) said,

Secondly, if Allah favors you with a type of worship that

15 Al-Bukhari, no. 7288

The first section: Upon waking:

with siwak”1 In another narration by Imam Muslim, “If

‫الل ّه ُ َ ّم أَ م ُوتُ و َ أَ حْ يَا‬

‘In the name of Allah we die and we live.’

ُ ِ ‫ح ْمد ُ ل َِل ّه ِ ال َ ّذ ِي أَ حْ يَان َا بَعْد َ م َا أَ م َاتَنَا و َِإلـ َيْه‬

my head and made me stand on the right side.” (Note: At this

15 Al-Bukhari no. 183, Muslim no. 763

spends the night in the interior of his nose.” 1

yawns he should restrain it as much as possible.”1

Thus, among the

15 Muslim no. 2994

2. Mentioning Allah’s name before commencing ablution,

face three times.”1 Thus, if the person washed his face

15 Al-Bukhari no. 199, and Muslim no. 226

What indicates this is the following: Abu Hurairah

returned his hands to the front again.”1

15 Al-Bukhari no. 185, Muslim no. 235

15 Muslim no. 250

Abu Hurairah  reported that the Prophet  said, “When

The second section Qiyam al-Layl (night prayer)

prayer is finished) and then would end with a

2- The Sunnah here is to offer eleven raka’hs:

3- It is Sunnan to start the night prayer

4- It is Sunnah to start the night prayer with the

that when the Prophet  would start his night prayer

B- What was reported in the two sahih ahadith

5- It is also Sunnah to prolong standing, bowing

6-What indicates this are the following ahadith:

about the same length of time as his standing (and then on

7- He should make tasleem (salutation) every two

15 Muslim no. 772.

“The night prayer is offered as two rak’ahs followed by

9- It is recommended to make Qunut

opinion of Ibn Taymiyyah, i.e. that it should left more often

15 Refer to: The Issues of Imam Ahmad, 1/10

in making Qunut is possible; therefore it can be performed

A question: With what should one start Qunut?

his request as the hadith of Fudhalah stated. 1