Will you give information about the duas (supplications) and tasbihat (glorifications) read in prayer (salah) and thawabs given for them?

- I do not know the meanings of some sentences read in prayer. Will you help me about it?
- I want to learn the meanings of Subhanaka, Attahiyyatu, what we read in ruku’ and sajdah and after standing up from ruku.  Will you help me about it?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Tasbihat said in Prayers and their Meanings:

- Subhanalah: Allah is free and away from deficiencies; he is qualified with perfect attributes. 

- Alhamdulillah: Praise be to Allah.

- Allahu akbar: Allah is the greatest.

- Sami'allahu liman hamidah: Allah hears the one who praises Him.

- Rabbana lakalhamd: Our Lord! Praise be to You.

- Subhanarabbiyal-azim: Allah, who is great, is free and away from all deficiencies.

- Subhanarabbbiyal-a'la: Allah, who is sublime, is free and away from all deficiencies.

Supplications and their Meanings read in Prayer:

- Subhanaka:

"Subhanakallahumma wa bihamdik. Wa tabara kasmuk wa taalaa jadduk (-in janazah prayer- Wa jalla thanauk) Wa lailaha ghayruk" (O Allah! Glory be to you, and all praises are due unto You, and blessed is Your name and high is Your majesty (exalted is Your praise) and none is worthy of worship but You.)

When to read it: It is read while standing in prayers in the first rak’ah of each prayer after the opening (iftitah) takbir. It is also read in the third rak’ahs of the sunnah of the afternoon prayer and the first sunnah of the night prayer before al-Fatiha. If tarawih prayer is performed in four rak’ahs, it is also read at the beginning of the fourth rak’ah. It is read with the addition “wa jalla thanauk” in janazah prayer after the first takbir.

- Attahiyyatu:

"Attahiyyatu lillahi wassalawatu wattayyibat. Assalamu alayka ayyuhannabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. Assalamu alayna wa ala ibadillahissalihin. Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh.

("Words of Praise and Salutations are for Allah, and Prayers and pure words. Peace and salutations upon you O Prophet and the Mercy of Allah and His Blessings! And peace be upon us and upon all of Allah's righteous servants! I testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and testify that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger.")

When to read it: It is read in all sittings of prayers.

- Allahumma Salli:

"Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa ala ali Muhammadin, kama sallayta ala Ibrahima wa ala ali Ibrahima innaka hamidun majid."

(O Allah! bestow Your blessings upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You bestowed Your blessings upon Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Assuredly, You are All-Praised, All-Illustrious)

- Allahumma Barik:

"Allahumma barik ala Muhammadin wa ala ali Muhammadin, kama barakta ala Ibrahima wa ala ali Ibrahima innaka hamidun majid."

(O Allah! Your abundant gifts and favors unto Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You sent them unto Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Assuredly, You are All-Praised, All-Illustrious)

When to read them: They are read after at-Tahiyyatu in the last sitting of all prayers, in the first sitting of the Sunnah of the afternoon prayer and the first Sunnah of the night prayer, after the second takbir in janazah prayer.

- Rabbana Atina:

"Rabbana atina fiddunya hasanatan wa fil akhirati hasanatan wa qina adhaban-nar."

(Our Lord! Give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter and save us from the torment of the fire.)

- Rabbanaghfirli:

"Rabbanaghfirli wa li walidayya wa lil mu'minina yawma yaqumul hisab."

(O our Lord! cover (us) with Thy Forgiveness― me, my parents, and (all) Believers, on the Day that the Reckoning will be established.)

When to read them: In the sittings of the prayers after Allahumma salli and Allahumma Barik.

- Qunut Supplications:

1.  "Allahumma inna nastainuka wa nastaghfiruka wa nastahdika wa nu'minu bika wa natubu ilayka wa natawakkalu alayka wa nuthni alaykal-khayra kullahu nashkuruka wa la nakfuruka wa nakhlau wa natruku man yafjuruk."

(Oh Allah, we ask You for help and seek Your forgiveness and guidance, and we believe in You and have trust in You, and we praise You in the best way and we thank You and we are not ungrateful to You, and we forsake and turn away from the one who disobeys You.)

2. "Allahumma iyyaka na'budu wa laka nusalli wa nasjudu wa ilayka nas'a wa nakhfidu narju rahmataka wa nakhsha adhabaka inna adhabaka bilkuffari mulhiq."

(O Allah, we worship You only and pray to You and prostrate ourselves before You, and we run towards You and serve You, and we hope to receive Your mercy, and we fear Your punishment. Surely, Your punishment will catch the unbelievers.)

When to read them: Qunut supplications are read in the third rak’ah of witr prayer after al-Fatiha and an additional chapter is read; the hands are raised with takbir; when the hands are put over each other, qunut supplications are read.

- Ayatul-Kursiyy:

"Allahu la ilaha illa huwal hayyul qayyum. La ta’khudhuhu sinatun wa la nawm. Lahu ma fis-samawati wama fil ard. Man dhalladhi yashfau indahu illa biidhnihi. ya’lamu ma bayna aydihim wama khalfahum wala yuhituna bishay’in min ilmihi illa bima sha’a wasia kursiyyuhus-samawati wal ard. Wala yauduhu hifzuhuma wa huwal aliyyul azim."

(Allah! there is no Allah but He―the living, the Self-subsisting, Eternal. No slumber can seize him nor sleep. His are all things 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 doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and He feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. For He is the Most High, the Supreme (in glory).)

When to read it: It is read as an additional verse in the prayer and before the tasbihat after prayer.

How to say Tasbihat:

1. After the fard of the prayer, "SALAM SUPPLICATION" is read: Astaghfirullah, astaghfirullah, astaghfirullah al-azim al-karim, alladhi la ilaha illa hu, al-hayyal qayyum wa atubu ilayh. Allahumma antas-salamu wa minkas-salam, tabarakta ya dhaljalali wa'l-ikram.

2. "Subhanallahi wal-hamdu lillahi wa la ilaha illallahu wallahu akbar wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil-aliyyil-azim." After reading this supplication, Ayatul-Kursiyy is read. Then, Subhanallah is said 33 times, Alhamdulillah 33 times and Allahu akbar 33 times.

3. After that, the following supplication is read: "Lailaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah. Lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu wa huwa ala kulli shay'in qadir." After that, dua for the prayer is said.

* * *

Thawabs given for what is read in prayer:

There is a thawab for every deed of worship done for the sake of Allah as long as they are in accordance with Allah's orders and consent. However, the most important thawabs come from fards, which are Allah’s definite orders. The most important fards are five daily prayers. Prayer, which is repeated five times every day and which is a continuous deed of worship, reminds man of Allah and takes him to the presence of Allah.

Allah Almighty states the following in the Quran:  

"Verily, I am Allah: There is no god but I: So serve thou Me (only), and establish regular prayer for celebrating My praise!" (Taha, 20/14)

Prayer, which is the pillar of the religion, reminds people of Allah. It reminds people of Allah’s orders and prohibitions, and prevents them from harams. If a person performs five daily prayers on time, regularly and properly, most of his daily life is spent worshipping.  

The Prophet states the following:

"Deeds are according to intentions, and everyone will get what he intends..." (Bukhari, Iman 41; Muslim, Imarah 155; Tirmidhi, Fadailul-Jihad 16)

A person who goes to bed with the intention of getting up for the morning prayer and takes necessary measures like setting the alarm clock starts to get thawabs related to the morning prayer.

Separate thawabs are recorded for those who get up from sweet sleep and warm beds for Allah and with the intention of performing prayer for the preparation of prayer including going to toilet and the steps they take. When they start to make wudu, their minor sins will leave them as water falls down when they wash their wudu organs. 

The Prophet (pbuh) states the following regarding the issue:

"Whoever performs wudu and rinses his mouth and nose, his sins will exit through his mouth and nose. When he washes his face, his sins will exit from his face, even from beneath his eyelids. When he washes his hands, his sins will exit from his hands. When he wipes his head, his sins will exit from his head, and even from his ears. When he washes his feet, his sins will exit from his feet, even from beneath his toenails." (Ibn Majah, Taharah, 6; Muslim, Taharah, 32; Nasai, Taharah, 108)

There are many hadiths and pleasing glad tidings about wudu, which is the key to prayer. Let us consider this treasure, whose key is so valuable and let us consider the thawabs of prayer in the light of this consideration.

Allah’s believing, conscious and sincere slaves, who perform five daily prayers on time and regularly, perform prayers of forty rak’ahs every day. The following exist in prayers of forty rak’ahs:

- Forty qiyams: Standing in the presence of Allah.
- Forty ruku’s: Bowing down in the presence of Allah.
- Eight sajdahs: Prostration in the presence of Allah.
- Twenty-one qa’dahs: Sitting in the presence of Allah.

Those bodily deeds, which form the basic structure and general anatomy of prayer, are the parts of prayers.

The Prophet (pbuh) states the following in a hadith reported by Tabarani and Hakim:

"Allah has not rendered any fard more valuable than prayer (salah) except tawhid (belief) for His creatures. If there were anything more lovable to Allah, His angels would worship like it. Some angels are always in ruku’, some are always in sajdah, some are always in qiyam and some are always in qa’dah." (see Kanzul-Ummal, 10/367; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya wan-Nihaya, 1/38)

Prayer is the origin and root of all deeds of worship after belief; qiyam, ruku’, sajdah and qa’dah are the origins and roots of prayer. 

The Quran repeats the orders "Stand for Allah, bow down for Allah and prostrate for Allah!" all the time and it is emphasized that sajdah (prostration) is a unique deed of worshipping with the order "Prostrate and be close to Allah!".

Things are known by their opposites. Those who stand still before idolized stones with the intention of respect and bow down and prostrate before them for any reason commit the biggest crime and associate partners with Allah.

Those who stand, bow down, prostrate and sit with the belief and consciousness of being in the presence of Allah get the biggest thawab and attain the peak of belief.

The Prophet (pbuh) states the following in a hadith narrated by Tirmidhi:

"If a person reads a letter from Allah's book, there is a hasana for him. A hasana is given ten thawabs." (Tirmidhi, Fadailul-Quran 16)

A person who reads a letter from the Quran outside prayer is given ten thawabs unless he/she is in menstruation, puerperium or junub state. Qira’ah (reading the Quran) in prayer is fard and a part of prayer. Therefore, the thawab of the Quran read in prayer increases many times.

The Prophet (pbuh) states the following in a hadith reported by Bayhaqi:

"If a person who is clean (free from the state of menstruation, puerperium or junub) listens to a letter from the Quran, ten thawabs are recorded for him, ten of his sins are deleted and his level is increased ten times. If a person reads a letter from the Quran in prayer, fifty thawabs are recorded for him, fifty of his sins are deleted and his level is increased fifty times. If a person reads a letter from the Quran in prayer while standing, a hundred thawabs are recorded for him, a hundred of his sins are deleted and his level is increased a hundred times." (see Bayhaqi, Shuabul-Iman, 3/432)

A person who performs five daily prayers (forty rak'ahs) reads the chapter of al-Fatiha 40 times and an additional chapter 33 times. According to Hazin Tafsir, there are 140 letters in al-Fatiha including bismillah. The total number of letters of 40 al-Fatihas is 5.600. The total number of letters in 33 additional chapters is 3.800 if we assume that short chapters are read.

- The number of the letters read in five prayers a day as the chapter of al-Fatiha and additional chapter is 9.400 and the number of the letters read in five prayers a month is 282.000. Since 100 thawabs are given for each letter read in the Quran, the total thawabs of only the chapter of al-Fatiha and additional chapter is 28.200.000. The thawab Allah will give is not limited to it. Allah gives much more thawabs to whomever He wishes.

- Besides, an ayatul-kursiyy is read after each prayer before starting tasbihat at the end of every prayer. There are 170 letters in one ayatul-kursiyy and 850 letters in 5 ayatul-kursiyys. The total letters of ayatul-kursiyy read in one month is 25.500.

- One chapter of al-Fatiha is read after duas in five daily prayers. The total letters of five Fatihas is 700 and the total letters of Fatiha read in one month is 21.000.

- If we add to 282.000 letters read as al-Fatiha and additional chapters in a month, 25.500 letters of ayatul-kursiyy read in a month and 21.000 letters of al-Fatiha read in a month, the total becomes 328.000 letters.

According to Abdullah Ibn Abbas, the sultan of tafsir scholars, the total number of the letters in the Quran is 323.671. The real Muslims who perform five daily prayers regularly read more than the total letters of the Quran in a month and have 4.829 extra letters.

One of the first divine orders given to the Prophet is "And thy Lord do thou magnify..." (al-Muddaththir, 74/3)

A prayer is started with a takbir in order to obey this divine order And thy Lord do thou magnify. A person utters 13 fard takbirs (iftitah takbirs) and 201 sunnah takbirs (intiqal takbirs), totally 214 takbirs in the five daily prayers by saying, "Allahu Akbar".

The Prophet (pbuh) states the following in a hadith included in Tirmidhi:

"To say Subhanallah is half of Mizan. Alhamdulillah fills it. To say Allahuakbar fills between the sky and the earth." (Musnad: 17571; Tirmidhi, Daawat, 87)

Since a takbir (Allahu akbar) uttered outside prayer by believing and with the intention of magnifying Allah fills between the sky and the earth, you can consider the thawabs of 214 takbirs uttered in five daily prayers. 

On the other hand, there is a different property of the 13 iftitah takbirs that are fard. The Prophet (pbuh) states the following in a hadith included in Ramuz:

"A takbir of iftitah uttered with the imam is better than one thousand camels.

Mines (metals) have different values based on their weight, price, places where they are used and being lovable to people; spirituality is like that too. Some words (dhikrs) have different values and properties in terms of thawab, weight, their places in worship and being lovable to Allah.

The following is stated in a hadith in Bukhari and Muslim:

"There are two words that are easy to say, heavy in weight and lovable to Rahman (Allah). They are ‘Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi subhanallahil azim.’" (Bukhari, Daawat 65; Muslim, Dhikr 31)

The following is stated in a hadith in Muslim:

"There are four words that are the most lovable to Allah: Subhanallahi walhamdu lillahi wa la ilaha illallahu wallahu akbar." (see Muslim, Adab, 12)

Allah Almighty is glorified 15 times at the beginning of Subhanaka, 120 times in ruku by saying "Subhana Rabbiyal Azim" and 240 times in sajdah by saying "Subhana Rabbiyal Ala" altogether 375 times with His names Azim and Ala in five daily prayers.

Allah is praised 15 times in Subhanaka by saying "wa bihamdik", 40 times at the beginning of al-Fatiha by saying "Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil Alamin", 40 times while standing up from ruku’ by saying "Sami'allahu liman hamidah" and 40 times after standing up from ruku’ by saying "Rabbana lakal hamd" altogether 135 times.

Consider the thawab of saying "Subhanallah and Alhamdulillah" only once outside prayer and do not forget that this thawab is multiplied tens or hundreds of times in prayer.

Allah Almighty states the following in the Quran:

"The seven heavens and the earth, and all beings therein, declare His glory: there is not a thing but celebrates His praise; And yet ye understand not how they declare His glory! Verily He is Oft-Forbear, Most Forgiving." (al-Isra, 17/44)

Thus, the real Muslims who perform prayers five times a day and are slaves of Allah join this circle of dhikr that covers the whole universe, and glorify, praise and magnify Allah with all beings.

The real Muslims who believe in Allah and live in accordance with their belief present their respect to Allah, who is the Lord of Realms, at the end of after every two rakahs they perform and 21 times a day by sitting at the door of Allah's grace and mercy, saying, "Attahiyyatu lillahi wassalawatu wattayyibat" (Words of praise and salutations are for Allah, and prayers and pure words).

They greet the beloved Prophet (pbuh) by saying "Assalamu alayka ayyuhannabiyyu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh” and wish Allah's greeting, mercy and blessing. Then, they say "Assalamu alayna wa ala ibadillahissalihin", wishing salvation to all righteous slaves that passed away and that are still alive.

Finally, they utter kalima ash-shahada, declaring to all beings that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad (pbuh) is Allah's slave and prophet.

In the last sitting called qa'da akhira the most valuable salawat starting with Allahumma salli ala and Allahumma barik ala are read after Attahiyyatu.

Allah Almighty states the following in the Quran:

"Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O ye that believe! Send ye blessings on him, and salute him with all respect." (al-Ahzab, 33/56)

The Prophet states the following regarding the issue:

"If a person utters salawat for me once, Allah shows him mercy ten times." (Muslim, Salah, 70)

"If a person utters salawat for me once, Allah shows him mercy ten times, deletes his ten sins and increases his level ten degrees." (as-Sirajul-Munir, Bayhaqi)

“The people who will be the closest to me on the Day of Judgment and who deserve my intercession will be those who utter salawat most for me.” (Tirmidhi, Witr, 21)

"When a person reads salawat for me, his salawat is conveyed to me before he finishes reading it." (see Abu Dawud, Salah, 207)

The thawabs of all kinds of deeds of worship related to prayer are increased many times; similarly, the thawabs of salawat read in prayer are also increased many times.

Allahumma salli ala is read 15 times and Allahumma barik ala is read 15 times in five daily prayers totaling 30 salawat every day and 900 salawat every month.

In the last sitting after salawat, a person reads the supplications Rabbana atina and Rabbanaghfirli, which are duas and asking for forgiveness for himself, his parents and all of his believing brothers.

All believers who share the same faith, who walk in the same way and who will live in unity eternally in Paradise are brothers. Therefore, each one of hundreds of millions of Muslims who perform five daily prayers prays for all of his believing brothers and he joins the prayer of hundreds of millions of Muslims.

Those who go to sleep after performing prayers, who are busy with their jobs and who lie under the ground as dead people benefit from duas of their brothers in religion.

We should not forget that adhans are called all around the word any moment and prayers are performed 24 hours a day without interruption. We do not want to say anything to those who resist in their denial and who have the same belief as the people of the Stone Age and worship the same stones. However, I warn, for Allah’s sake, those who believe but who neglect to perform prayers due to laziness caused by their own souls.

Come and join hundreds of millions of people who believe in Allah, turn toward the qiblah and prostrate.

There are so many saints, poles, seven saints, forty saints, three hundred saints, men of Allah and so many righteous people who are valuable in the eye of Allah in this community led by prophets. If you join this community by turning toward the qiblah and prostrate, you will share the prayer (dua) of this holy and distinguished community as long as you live in this world and when you are in your graves.

The Prophet (pbuh) states the following in a hadith narrated by Nasai, Tabarani and Daraqutni:

"If a person reads ayatul-kursiyy after fard prayers, nothing but death can prevent him from entering Paradise at that moment." (see Majmauz-Zawaid, h. no: 16922)

The Prophet states the following in a hadith narrated by Muslim:

"If anyone glorifies Allah after every prayer thirty-three times, and praises Allah thirty-three times, and declares His Greatness thirty-three times, ninety-nine times in all, and says to complete a hundred, 'Lailaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah. Lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu wa huwa ala kulli shay'in qadir'  (There is no god but Allah, having no partner with Him, to Him belongs sovereignty and to Him is praise due, and He is Potent over everything), his sins will be forgiven even if they are as abundant as the foams of the sea." (Muslim, Masajid, 146) 

If a person who performs the fard and sunnah prayers of a time reads ayatul-kursiyy first in the place where he sits, says "Subhnallah" 33 times, "Alhamdulillah" 33 times and "Allahu akbar" 33 times, and says once "Lailaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah. Lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu wa huwa ala kulli shay'in qadir" (There is no god but Allah, having no partner with Him, to Him belongs sovereignty and to Him is praise due, and He is Potent over everything) to complete a hundred, his sins will fall like leaves falling from trees and he will get thawabs that will weigh in Mizan (Scales).

Good deeds attract other good deeds and bad deeds attract other bad deeds. Prayer, which is the pillar of the religion and which is the best deed, attracts such good deeds. Such great good deeds and great thawabs are the extra incomes of the real Muslims who perform five daily prayers regularly.

I have tried to write some things related to the thawabs of prayer. In fact, what I have written is like a small drop in the sea compared to the thawabs of a prayer accepted by Allah.

For, the treasure of Allah, who is Lord of the Realms, is so abundant that He gives His slaves whom He does not love so much property and wealth that cannot be finished even by their grandchildren for centuries in this short world life due to the necessity of His wisdom. 

Why should He not give many times more than that to His slaves who believe, obey His orders, stand with respect and awe in His presence and prostrate before Him in Paradise, which is the realm of eternity?

Allah Almighty increases a single grain of wheat and corn hundreds of times and gives them to people and animals with their stems, grains and hay as sustenance.

Allah Almighty creates a big tree from a single cherry stone and a fig seed, equips those trees with green leaves and gives hundreds and thousands of fruits to His slaves as sustenance.

- Why should He not increase every letter of the Quran read in prayer, every letter of  Takbir, Tasbih, Tawhid, Hamd, Tahiyyat and Salawat hundreds, thousands and tens of thousands of times and place them on our Mizan (Scales) in the Gathering Place?

- Why should He not give eternal happiness in Paradise to His slaves who are suppressed, humiliated and oppressed due to their faith and Islamic lifestyle in this temporary world?

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