PRIVATE SUPPLICATIONS RECITED UPON COMPLETING PRAYERS

In accordance with the teachings of the Prophet (peace be upon him), there are
quite a number of private supplications and words of extolling Allah (subhanahu
wa ta'ala) i.e. "Dhikr" which are highly desirable and recommended for recitation
at the end of each prayer. These supplications and extollations (dhikr) are non-
obligatory and constitute separate forms of "IBADAH" (Worship), hence, reciting
them or failure to do so, does not affect the prayer.

However, a person who recites these supplications and extollations would

certainly achieve much additional rewards besides the reward Allah grants for the
Salaat, INSHAA-ALLAH.

We shall now discuss some of these supplications and extollations:

1. Immediately upon completing the prayer it is recommended for the worshipper

to invoke Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) and to ask for His forgiveness by
saying: "ASTAGHFIRULLAAH" three times, which means: I seek Allah's
forgiveness.

2. Immediately thereafter, the worshipper may recite the following supplication:

"ALLAHUMMA ANTA SALAAM, WA MINKA SALAAM, TABARAKTA YAA DHAL

JALALI WAL IKRAAAM " which means: "O Allah, You are the source of peace and
from You comes peace, exalted You are, O Lord of Majesty and Honor."

3. It is also recommended for the worshipper to recite thereafter the following

supplication: "LA ILAHA ILAL-LAHU WAHDAHU, LAA SHARIKA LAHU, LAHUL-
MULKU, WALAHUL-HAMDU, WAHUWA ALAA KULI SHEY-IN QADIIR" which
means: "There is no god but Allah, He is one, He has no partner, to Him belongs
sovereignty and to Him belongs praise and has power over all things".

4. The person may thereafter say: "ALLAHUMMA LAA MANI'A LIMAA

A'7'EYTA WALA MU'Y'IYA LIMA MA NAA TA WA LA YA NFA U DHA L JA DDI
MINKALIAD" which means: "O Allah, none can withhold what You have granted,
and none can grant what You have withheld, and nothing can be offered by the
rich,- richness and fortune comes from You alone".

5. And says thereafter: "LAA HOWLA WALAA QUWATA ILLA BILLAAH" which
means: "There is no might or power, except from Allah".

6. Also, the person may thereafter say: "LAA ILLAHA ILAL LAAHU
WALA NA'ABUDU ILLA IYAHU, LAHU NIMA TU WALAHUL FADHLU,
WALAHUL THANAA AL-HASSAN" which means: "There is no god but Allah
(subhanahu wa ta'ala) and we worship none but Him, to Him belongs prosperity,
and to Him belongs favors and to Him belongs all good praises".

7. The person may also say: "LAA ILAHA ILLAL LAAHU MUKHLISINA LAHU DIINA
WALAO KARIHAAL KAFIRUUN" which means: "There is no god but Allah,

(and we) offer Him sincere devotion even though the unbelievers may detest it".

8. Also, say: "ALLAHUMMA A'INNI 'ALA DHIKRIKA, WA SHUKRIKA, WA HUSNA

IBA DATIK" which means: "O Allah, help me in remembering You, thanking You
and conducting my worship to You in a perfect way".

9. The person also says:

a) SUBHANA -ALLAH - Glory be to ALLAH - (33 times).

b) AL HAMDU-LILLAH- Praise be to Allah - (33 times)

c) ALLAHU AKBAR - Allah is great (33 times).

Then, at the end of the above three recitations, the worshipper recites the
following supplication:"LAA ILLAHA ILAL LAAHU WAHDAHU LAA SHARIKA
LAHU, LAHUL MUL-KU, WALA-HUL HAMDU, WAHUWA ALAA KULI SHEY'INN
QADIIR" which means, "There is no god but Allah alone, He has no partners, to
Him belongs dominion and to Him belongs praises, and He has power over all
things".

By this supplication, the worshipper makes up a total of 100 readings. In this

regard, it was reported in an authentic prophetic saying that whoever comes up
with this 100 phrases at the end of every obligatory prayer: Allah will forgive
him, even if his sins were as abundant as the foam of the sea(Reported by Imam
Muslim).

10. It is also recommended for the person to recite thereafter "AYAT AL

KURSI" i.e: the verse of the Throne (Holy Qur'an 2:255) which has the following
English meaning:

Allah! there is no god but He, the Living the Self-Subsisting, the Eternal. No
slumber can seize Him nor sleep. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and on
earth. Who is there can intercede in His presence except as He permitteth? He
knoweth what (appeareth to His creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor
shall they compass aught of His knowledge except as He willeth. His Throne do
extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and
preserving them or He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory).
The importance of this verse was confirmed by the Prophet (peace be upon him)
in an authentic saying that: Whoever recites this verse at the end of every prayer,
nothing will prevent him from entering Paradise (Reported by Imam Bukhari).

11. It is also strongly recommended that the person recites the following three
chapters of the Holy Qur'an after each prayer:

a) Surah Al-lkhlaas (Purity of Faith) Qur'an, Chapter 112.

b) Surah Al-Falaq (The Dawn) - Qur'an, Chapter 113.

c) Surah An-Naas (Mankind) - Qur'an, Chapter 114.

Note: It is preferred that each of these three chapters be recited three times at
the end of Fajr (Dawn) and Maghrib (Sunset) prayers; while, each chapter may be
recited only once at the end of the other obligatory prayers namely, Dhuhr
(Noon), Asr (Afternoon) and Isha (Evening) prayers.

TIMES WHEN PERFORMANCE OF VOLUNTARY PRAYERS IS PROHIBITED

There are certain times when voluntary prayers are not allowed to be performed
and these are as follows:

1. In between the Fajr Prayer and the rising of the sun.

2. In between when the sun is close to its zenith and the Dhuhr Prayer.

3. In between the Asr Prayer and until sunset.

However, a person can perform the two rakaats prayed as salutation to
mosques (Tahayyatul Masjid) whenever a person enters a mosque even though
the time of entering the mosque may coincide with one of the above stated
timings. This is accordance with the following Prophetic (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) saying: Anyone of you entering a mosque, should not sit until
after performing two rakaats (Reported by Imam Al-Bhukari).

THE WITR (Odd Number) PRAYER

The "Witr" (Odd Number Prayer) is a voluntary prayer traditionally practiced by

the Prophet (peace be upon him) regularly whether he was present at his home
place as a resident, or was on a journey. Such was the importance attached to this
prayer by the Prophet (peace be upon him), that some Muslim jurists and scholars
are of the opinion that it is a necessary prayer. The Prophet (peace be upon him)
exhorting the Ummah (Muslim Nation) to the importance of the Witr prayer
says: Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) is One and loves Witr, therefore O people who
believe in the Qur'an perform Witr prayers! (Reported by Imams Dawood and
Tirmidhi).

The time for the Witr Prayer begins from the end of Isha (Evening) prayer and
continues until the Fajr (Dawn) prayer and is performed as the last prayer of the
night. Preference is given to its performance in the later part of the night as can
be noted from what has been confirmed by Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)
that: The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to offer Witr prayers in all the later
part of the night such that his Witr prayers used to be finished by about dawn
(Reported by Imam Bukhari).

The Prophet (peace be upon him) also said: Make the Witr prayer your last
prayer of the night (Reported by Imam Bukhari).
It is known as Witr (Odd Number) prayer because of its nature, in that, it is
completed in units (rakaats) of odd numbers, thus, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. The
minimum number of rakaats in the Witr Prayer is one and the maximum which
the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to perform was eleven.

However, Muslims largely performed this prayer in three units (rakaats) which
may be performed in either of the following methods:

The worshipper may perform two rakaats (similar to the Fajr prayer). In doing so,
may go for the short and/or medium passages of the Holy Qur'an preferably
chapter 87

"Sabihisma Rabbikal A'Alaa" - (Glorify the name of the Lord, Most High) which
maybe recited in the first rakaat, while, chapter 109 "Al- Kafiruun" (The non-
believers) maybe recited in the second rakaat as that was the Sunnah. As usual,
the words of witness are recited at the end of the two rakaats followed by the
Tasleem to conclude these first two rakaats. The person then stands up to
perform a third rakaat on its own. Chapter 112 "Al-lklas" of the Holy Qur'an
maybe recited in this unit. It is the practice to recite a supplication of obedience
to Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) known as "Qunuut" in this last rakaat and if a
person wishes to recite this supplication, he may do so upon resuming standing
from the Rukuu position and after saying: "SAMI'A ALLAHU LIMAN HAMIDA"
followed by "RABBANA WA LAKAL HAMD". The QUNUUT goes as
follows: "ALLAHUMMA AHDINII FIMAN HADEYTA, WA'AFINII FIMAN 'AFEYTA,
WATAWALANII FIMAN TAWALEYTA, WABARIKLII FIMA A'DEYTA, WAQINII SHARA
MAA QADHEYTA, FA INNAKA TAQDII WALAA YUQDAA ALEYK, INNAHU LAA
YADDILU MAN WALEYTA WALAA YA'IZU MAN A'ADEYTA, TABARAKTA RABBANA -
WATA'ALEYTA" which means: "O Lord, lead me to true faith with those You have
guided, pardon me with those You have pardoned, protect me with those You
have protected, bless for me what You have given me, keep me safe from evils.
You have ordained. It is You Who decrees and it is not decreed upon You, no one
under Your care is brought down and no one to whom You show enmity can be
exalted, O Lord, You are the Most Praised, Most Sublime". Or, the person may
recite any of other supplications of obedience (Qunuut) which the Prophet (peace
be upon him) used to say in his prayers.

Note:

Reciting Qunoot is not obligatory and the Witr in which Qunoot is not
recited is also correct.
Kindly refer (http://islamqa.info/en/ref/20031) for other authentic Duas.
Can also be found in the Book "Fortress of a Muslim"
It is also permissible to recite any other supplications but not Quranic
Verses as commonly practiced.

Upon completing the recitation of this supplication of obedience, the person

would say "ALLAHU AKBAR" and then, proceed to prostration, thereafter, sits up
for the recitation of (At-Tashahud) and concludes the prayer as usual with the
(Tasleem). And thus, is the Witr Prayer done.

Alternatively, the person may perform the Witr prayer by praying all the three
rakaats continuously without break (ie not sitting for Tashahud for the Second
Rakah). After rukuu in the third rakaat, the person would recite the Qunuut
supplication as discussed above and would then proceed to prostration, then
recites At- Tashahud and concludes the prayer with the Tasleem.

Note: We have to differentiate between the Witr & Maghrib Prayers so what is
seen in the Sub-continent and other places of praying Witr like Maghirb is not the
Sunnah way.

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TIPS FOR TEST

1. Do not have to remember the Hadeeths but Memorise the Duas. (Atleast 3 new
Duas)

2. Very important Lesson one that most Qs will come from.

3. Do not have to memorise the Qunoot but remember the rulings.

P.S.- This is a part of TERM 2 of the Main course of LEARN ISLAM, where along
with this we study TAFSIR, TAWHEED, other aspects of FIQH & ETIQUETTES OF
MUSLIM. InshaAllah we will be starting a new TERM after Ramadan'33
corresponding to Sep'12 on LEARN ISLAM...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/LEARN-ISLAM/120849201282962

Happy Learning... JazakAllah Khair... As Salam Alaikum Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa

Barakaatuh :)