Most Read in the Category of Supplication (Prayer)

لَااِلٰهَ اِلاَّالله اَلْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ الْمُبِينُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَادِقُ الْوَعْدِ اْلاَمِين  
"La ilaha illallahul malikul haqqul mubin, Muhammadun rasulullahi sadiqul wa’dil amin."

"There is no god but Almighty Allah, the King, the Clear Truth. Muhammad (pbuh), who is the messenger of Allah, fulfils his promises and is trustworthy."

We have not been able to find a hadith narration about the full statement.

However, as for the first part of the statement لَااِلٰهَ اِلاَّالله اَلْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ الْمُبِينُ, it is stated that Jibril (pbuh) said to the Prophet:

“O Muhammad! If a person from your ummah says, لَااِلٰهَ اِلاَّالله اَلْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ الْمُبِينُ La ilaha illallahul malikul haqqul mubin a hundred times a day, it will be a means of salvation from poverty for him, will be his friend when he is alone in the grave, will be a means of acquiring wealth, and will knock on the door of Paradise.” (Zabidi, Ithaf, 5/131; Kanzul-Ummal, no: 5058)

However, it is stated that Fadl b. Ghanim, who is included in the chain of narrators of that hadith is, weak. (see Kanzul-Ummal, ibid)

Nevertheless, it will be nice to read that statement with the intention of praising Allah and His Messenger, praying to Allah and begging, and being saved from afflictions and misfortunes.

As a matter of fact, people like Muhyiddin Ibnul-Arabi read that supplication in order to drive afflictions and misfortunes and to be protected from them. (Majmuatul-Ahzab wa Awrad, Beirut, p. 337-338; Qiladatul-Jawahir, Beirut, 1971, p. 250)

Such supplications have great benefits on both our material life and our ethereal future. State of neediness should be considered exact times of reciting this supplication. It should be recited for the God’s sake and whatever is requested, it should be invoked if it is beneficial for us.Arabic writing of Salawat Sharifa as it is known, Salat-i Nariya holds place in Jawshan Al-Kabeers Dalalilin-Nur section. Arabic recitation of it is:

“Allahumma salli salatan kamilatan wa sallim salaman tamman `ala sayyidina Muhammadini’Lladhi tanhallu bihi ‘l-`uqadu wa tanfariju bihi ‘l-qurabu wa taqda bihi ‘l-hawaiju wa tunalu bihi ‘r-raghaibu wa husnu ‘l-khawatimi wa yustasqa ‘l-ghamamu bi-wajhihi ‘l-karimi wa `ala alihi wa sahbihi fi kulli lamhatin wa nafasin bi `adadi kulli ma`lumin lak”

Salawat-i Sharifa is essentially a supplication, which is meritorious to recite, and it is great in virtue. The meaning of it is:

O God! Send your blessings upon Your Beloved, Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace), upon his Family and upon his Companions and Peace, for every blink of an eye and for every breath that we take so difficulties dissipate, wishes come true and for the sake of his blessed face, it can be requested rain to fall from the clouds

Such supplications have great benefits on both our material life and our ethereal future. State of neediness should be considered exact times of reciting this supplication. It should be recited for the God's sake and whatever is requested, it should be invoked if it is beneficial for us.

These Quranic verses should be consolation for us in the presence of divine predestination:

To God belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. He creates whatever He wills. He grants to whom He wills daughters and grants to whom He wills sons. Or He mingles them, both sons and daughters (granted to whom He wills); and He leaves barren whom He wills. Surely He is All-Knowing, All-Powerful. (Ash-Shura Surah, 42:49, 50)

Therefore, it should be invoked what is beneficial for us. And, this matter should not be disregarded while supplicating.

It is possible to say the duas that the Prophet (pbuh) said before or after tahajjud prayer, or other duas mentioned in the verses of the Quran and hadiths, or any other duas.  

The supererogatory (nafilah) prayer to be performed after isha (night) prayer without sleeping or by sleeping for a very short time is called “salatul-layl”. The prayer to be performed after sleeping for a while and waking up after midnight and before the time of imsak is called “tahajjud” prayer. Tahajjud prayer is performed as two, four, six and eight rak’ahs. It is more virtuous to salute after every two rak’ahs.

Tahajjud prayer was fard for the Prophet (pbuh). The reason why it was fard is the following verse:  

“And pray in the small watches of the morning: (it would be) an additional prayer (or spiritual profit) for thee: soon will thy Lord raise thee to a Station of Praise and Glory.” (al-Isra, 17/79)

The other believers are also encouraged to perform tahajjud prayer. As a matter of fact, the Prophet (pbuh) states the following:

“If a person wakes up at night, awakens his spouse and performs a prayer of two rak’ahs, they will be recorded among the men and women that remember Allah a lot.” (Abu Dawud, Salat, 307)

When the Prophet woke up to perform tahajjud prayer at night, he said the following dua:

للَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ الْحَقُّ، وَوَعْدُكَ الْحَقُّ، وَقَوْلُكَ الْحَقُّ، وَلِقَاؤُكَ حَقٌّ، وَالْجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّارُ حَقٌّ، وَالسَّاعَةُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّبِيُّونَ حَقٌّ، وَمُحَمَّدٌ حَقٌّ، اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ، وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ، وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْتُ، وَبِكَ خَاصَمْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ حَاكَمْتُ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ لا إِلَهَ إِلا أَنْتَ وَلا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ

"O Allah, to You be praise, You are the light of the heavens and the earth, and everyone therein. To You be praise; You are the holder of the heavens and the earth, and everyone therein. To You be praise; You are True; Your promise is true; Paradise is true; Hell is true; the Hour is true; the Prophets are true and Muhammad is true. To You have I submitted; in You I put my trust and in You I have believed. To You I turn in repentance; by Your help I argue; to You I refer my case; so, forgive me for my past and future sins, what I have done in secret and what I have done openly. You are the One Who brings forward and puts back. None has the right to be worshipped but You, and there is none who has the right to be worshipped other than You." (Tirmidhi, Daawat 29; see Bukhari, Tahajjud, 1)

According to what is narrated from Ubade b. Samit, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

"If a person wakes up at night and prays as follows, his sins will be forgiven: 'La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu wa huwa ala kulli shayin qadir. Subhanallahi wal hamdu lillahi wa la ilaha illallahu wallahu akbar,  wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah."

"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. Glorified is Allah; all the praises and thanks are to Allah; there is no god but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest. There is no omnipotence and power except by Allah.” Then, "Rabbighfirli (O Lord! Forgive me!" (Abu Dawud, Adab, 98-99 no: 5060)

Shariq al-Hawzani narrates: I asked Hz. Aisha: "What supplication did the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) say when he woke up at night?" She said,

"You have asked something that nobody has asked me before.

When he woke up at night, he would say, "Allahu akbar (Allah is the Greatest)" ten times, "alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah)" ten times, "Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi (Allah is free from imperfection and praise be to Him)" ten times and "Subhanal malikil quddus (Glory be to the Sovereign, the Most Holy)" ten times. He would ask forgiveness from Allah ten times and say, "Lailaha illallah (There is no god but Allah)" ten times. Then, he would pray as follows: "Allahumma inni audhu bika min diqid-dunya wa diqi yawmil qiyama (O Allah! I seek refuge in Thee from the strait of the world and the Day of Resurrection). After that, he would start tahajjud prayer.” (Abu Dawud, Adab, 99-100 no: 5085)

PRAYERS TO BE READ FOR A PERSON DURING AN EPILEPTIC SEIZURE

1. If ayat al-kursi is read 21 times near a person who is undergoing an epileptic seizure, he will recover inshaallah.

2. A woman went to the Prophet (pbuh) and told him that her child had an epileptic seizure; she asked him to pray for her child. The Messenger of Allah advised her to read the following verse. When the woman read it, her child recovered.

"Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. Wa nunazzilu mina'l-Qur'ani ma huwa shifaun wa rahmatin li'l-mu'minin. Wa la yazidu'z-zalimina illa khasara." (al-Isra, 17/82)

ITS MEANING: "We send down (stage by stage) in the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe: to the unjust it causes nothing but loss after loss."

3. The verses 115-118 of the chapter al-Mu'minun (23) should be read.

A fa hasibtum annama khalaqnakum abathan wa antum ilayna la turjaun.

Fa taala'llahu'l-maliku'l-haqqu, la ilaha illa hu. Rabbu'l-arshi'l-karim.

Wa man yad'u maallahi ilahan akhara la burhana lahu bihi, fa innama hisabuhu inda rabbihi; innaha la yuflihu'l-kafirun.

Wa qul rabbi'ghfir wa'rham, wa anta khayru'r-rahimin." (al-Mu'minun, 23/115-118) THEIR MEANING:

"Did ye then think that We had created you in jest, and that ye would not be brought back to Us (for account)?"

 Therefore exalted be Allah, the King the Reality; there is no god but He, the Lord of the Throne of Honor! If anyone invokes, besides Allah any other god, he has no authority thereof; and his reckoning will be only with his Lord!

And verily the Unbelievers will fail to win through!

So say: "O my Lord! grant Thou forgiveness and mercy! for Thou art the Best of those who show mercy!".

EXPLANATION: Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) read those verse into the ear of a person who had an epileptic seizure and was affected by a jinni. The person recovered immediately. Thereupon, the Prophet (pbuh) asked him, “What did you read into his ear?” Ibn Mas'ud answered: "I read the verses ‘A fa hasibtum annama khalaqnakum..’. The Messenger of Allah said, “If someone read those verses with full belief and fidelity to a mountain, the mountain would move."

Büyük Dua Hazinesi, Bilal Eren

Ibn Abbas narrates: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

"When you pray to Allah, open your palms; do not pray with the back parts of your hands. When you finish saying prayers, wipe your palms on your face."

Hz. Aisha narrates:

"Whenever the Prophet (pbuh) went to bed, he would to cup his hands together and blow over it after reciting the chapters of al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas, and then rub his hands over whatever parts of his body he was able to rub, starting with his head, face and front of his body. He would to do that three times. When he was ill, he would order me to do the same."[Bukhari, Fadailul-Qur'an 14, Tibb 39, Da'awat 12; Muslim, Salam 50, (2192); Tirmidhi, Da'awat 21, (3399); Abu Dawud, Tibb 19]

The following is stated in the narration of Hz. Umar:

“When the Messenger of Allah raised his hands to say prayers, he would not put them down without wiping his face with them.” (Tirmidhi, Da’awat, 11)

This narration shows that it is legitimate to wipe the face with the hands after prayer (dua). Some scholars say,

"Allah never refuses prayers and sends His mercy to the hands that are opened and raised for Him; therefore, it is appropriate to convey that mercy to the face, which is man’s most honorable and respectable organ."

Hands are wiped over the face after prayer for tabarruk. That is, the traces of mercy that come down to the hands with prayer are conveyed to the face by wiping. (see Prof. Dr. İbrahim Canan, Kütüb-i Sitte)

There are different views about wiping the face with the hands or not after prayer; Qadi Abu Tayyib, Abu Muhammad al-Juwayni, Ibn Sabbagh, al-Mutawalli, Sheikh Nasr and Ghazali hold the view that it is mustahab. (see Nawawi, al-Majmu, 3/501)

It is necessary for people not to accuse one another of doing wrong related to an issue on which scholars have different views. Besides, scholars agree unanimously that it is permissible to act according to weak hadiths related to deeds of virtues.

Supplication means to beseech, cry to, and invoke. It is used to call out to God. Humans get closer to God through supplications and find peace and comfort.

Supplication is the spirit of worship and the result of sincere belief. For one who makes supplication shows through it that there is someone who rules the whole universe; One Who knows the most insignificant things about me, can bring about my most distant aims. Who sees every circumstance of mine, and hears my voice. In which case, He hears all the voices of all beings, so that He hears my voice too. He does all these things, and so I await my smallest matters from Him too. I ask Him for them.

Thus, look at the great breadth of sincere belief in God's Unity which supplication gives and at the sweetness and purity of the light of belief that it shows. Understand the meaning of the verse, Say, No importance would your Sustainer attach to you were it not for your supplication; (Al-Furqan Surah, 25:77) listen to the decree of, And your Sustainer says: Call on Me; I shall answer you: (Al-Mumin Surah, 40:60) As the saying goes: "If I had not wanted to give, I would not have given wanting." (1)

That is to say, if God had not given what we want with our supplications, He would not have given the feeling of wanting. We are experiencing the blessing of changing seasons in which God gives the opportunity for us to benefit from the van-loaded provisions available in the springtime. Compassionate and Merciful God will indeed give what we want with our supplications. As He fulfills our physical needs, He will bestow the reward of eternity, which is the desire of our souls and grant us Paradise.

The best, finest, sweetest, most fruit and result of supplica¬tion is this, that the person who offers it knows there is someone who lis¬tens to his voice, sends a remedy for his ailment, takes pity on him, and whose hand of power reaches everything. He is not alone in this great hostel of the world; there is an All-Generous One Who looks after him and makes it friendly. Imagining himself in the presence of-the One Who can bring about all his needs and repulse all his innumerable enemies, he feels a joy and relief; he casts off a load as heavy as the world, and exclaims: "AH praise be to God, the Sustainer of All the Worlds!" (2)

Supplication is an act of worship. There are so many verses and Hadiths on this. Some of those are:

And when (O Messenger) My servants ask you about Me, then surely I am near: I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he prays to Me. So let them respond to My call (without hesitation), and believe and trust in Me (in the way required of them), so that they may be guided to spiritual and intellectual excellence and right conduct. (Al Baqarah Surah, 2:186) Say: "My Lord would not care for you were it not for your prayer. Now that you have denied (His Message), the inescapable punishment will cleave to you." (Al-Furqan Surah, 25:77)

Narrated An-Nu'man ibn Bashir: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Supplication (du'a') is itself the worship. (He then recited:) "And your Lord said: Call on Me, I will answer you" (Al-Mumin Surah, 40:60) (3)

In addition, supplicating is the easiest and one of the most pious acts of all. Because, it can be done easily, abluted or not, while sitting or lying down, while walking around or even working. As because he/she commemorates Gods name all the time, the doors of benefactions will be opened for him/her and As a matter of fact, in a hadith narrated by Ibn Omar, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "For any one among you, if the door of acceptance of du`a is opened, then the doors of His Mercy are also opened. The best du`a Allah likes is the one in which the caller asks for the goodness of this world and the goodness of the next world." (4)

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah, (peace be upon him) said, When it is the last third of the night, our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, descends every night to the heaven of the world and says, 'Is there anyone who supplicates Me (demand anything from Me), that I may respond to his supplication; Is there anyone who asks Me for something that I may give (it to) him; Is there anyone who asks My forgiveness that I may forgive him?' (5)

Bediuzzamans ascertainments on the matter of supplication are very important:

Also, supplication is a form of worship and recognition of man's servitude to God. The fruits of this pertain to the hereafter. The aims pertaining to this world are the times of a particular sort of supplication and worship. For example, the prayers and supplications for rain are a form of worship. Drought is the time for such worship. Worship and supplications of this sort are not in order to bring rain. If they are performed with that intention alone they are not worthy of acceptance, for they are not sincere worship. Sunset is the time of the evening prayers. And eclipses of the sun and moon are the times of two particular prayers known as salat-i kusuf and salat-i khusuf. That is to say, with the veiling of the two luminous signs of the night and day, God's tremendousness is proclaimed, so Almighty God calls his servants to a sort of worship at those times. The prayers are not so that the sun and moon will be revealed (whose appearance and how long the eclipses will continue have anyway been reckoned by astronomers).

In just the same way, drought is the time for the prayers for rain. And the visitation of calamities and infliction of harmful things the times of certain supplications when man realizes his impotence and through his supplication and entreaty seeks refuge at the Court of One Possessing Absolute Power. Even if the calamities are not lifted despite many supplications, it may not be said that they were not accepted. It should rather be said that the time for the supplication is not yet over. If through His graciousness and munificence Almighty God removes the calamity, light upon light, then the time for that supplication is over and done with. That is to say, supplication has the meaning of worship and man's acknowledging his servitude to God.As for worship and servitude to God, it should be purely and sincerely for God's sake. Man should only proclaim his impotence and seek refuge with Him through supplication, he should not interfere in His Dominicality. He should leave the taking of measures to Him and rely on His wisdom. He should not accuse His Mercy. Indeed, what is in reality established by the Qur'an's clear verses is that just as all beings offer their own particular glorification and worship, so too what rises to the Divine Court from all the universe is supplication. This is either through the tongue of innate ability like the supplication of all plants and animals by which each, through this tongue, seeks a form from the Absolute Bestower and to display and manifest His Names. Or it is through the tongue of innate need. These are the supplications for all their essential needs -beyond their power to obtain -offered by all animate beings. Through this tongue, each animate being seeks certain things from the Absolutely Generous One for the continuance of its life, like a sort of sustenance. Or it is supplication through the tongue of exigency, through which all beings with spirits who find themselves in some plight or predicament make supplication and seek urgent refuge with an unknown protector; indeed, they turn to the All-Compassionate Sustainer. If there is nothing to prevent it, these three sorts of supplication are always accepted. (6)


Sources:
1.Risale-i Nur Collection, (Letters, 24. Letter)
2. Risale-i Nur Collection, (Letters, 24. Letter)
3. Tirmidhi, , Abu Davud
4. Tirmidhi, Daawat 112, (3542).
5. Bukhari, Tawhid 35, Tahajjud 14, Daawat 13
6. Risale-i Nur Collection, (Words, 23. Word)

The statement in the question is mentioned in the Quran. This is a prayer of Hz. Yakub. The meanings of the verses regarding the issue are as follows:  

Then came Joseph´s brethren: they entered his presence, and he knew them, but they knew him not.

And when he had furnished them forth with provisions (suitable) for them, he said: "Bring unto me a brother ye have, of the same father as yourselves, (but a different mother): see ye not that I pay out full measure, and that I do provide the best hospitality?"

"Now if ye bring him not to me, ye shall have no measure (of corn) from me, nor shall ye (even) come near me."

They said: "We shall certainly seek to get our wish about him from his father: Indeed we shall do it."

And (Joseph) told his servants to put their stock-in-trade (with which they had bartered) into their saddle-bags, so they should know it only when they returned to their people, in order that they might come back.

Now when they returned to their father, they said: "O our father! No more measure of grain shall we get (unless we take our brother): So send our brother with us, that we may get our measure; and we will indeed take every care of him."

He said: "Shall I trust you with him with any result other than when I trusted you with his brother aforetime? But Allah is the best to take care (of him), and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy!"

Then when they opened their baggage, they found their stock-in-trade had been returned to them. They said: "O our father! What (more) can we desire? this our stock-in-trade has been returned to us: so we shall get (more) food for our family; We shall take care of our brother; and add (at the same time) a full camel´s load (of grain to our provisions). This is but a small quantity."

(Jacob) said: "Never will I send him with you until ye swear a solemn oath to me, in Allah´s name, that ye will be sure to bring him back to me unless ye are yourselves hemmed in (and made powerless). And when they had sworn their solemn oath, he said: "Over all that we say, be Allah the witness and guardian!" (Yusuf, 12/58-66)

Hz. Yakub gave an answer between no and yes when his children wanted Bunyamin. He said: Shall I trust you with him? That is, how can I trust you? It will the same as when I trusted you with his brother before. That is, this trust will not be a real trust. It will be like the trust of his brother.

In fact, this statement expresses both reproach and rejection. Hz. Yakub means the following:

“You know that I entrusted Yusuf to you before. What happened then? You had promised solemnly by saying, "We shall take every care of him." (Yusuf, 12) What did you do? Did you protect him? Can I trust you when you say about his brother, "We shall take every care of him"? Allah is the best to take care of him. He is the best guard. When He wants to guard, He will guard wherever he is, however He wants and in the best way. He will definitely keep him away from all kinds of dangers and protect him. Therefore, it is better to refer him to the protection of Allah. He is the most merciful of those who show mercy. It is expected from His mercy and generosity to protect him and not to inflict any harm upon him.” (see Elmalılı, Hak Dini, the interpretation of the verse in question)

Hz. Yakub entrusted Bunyamin to Allah first and said, “be Allah the witness and guardian.” Then, he made his sons promise in the name of Allah and said, “Allah is the Warden over what we say.” Thus, he expressed his full surrendering to the will of Allah Almighty. This surrendering and high wisdom of his became a means for Bunyamin’s safe and sound return and rejoicing his son Yusuf, whom he had longed for many years. 

In that case, when we are worried that some bad things will happen to the people we love, the soundest and most reliable solution is to take necessary measures and to entrust them to Allah. As it is stated in the verse, Allah is the best to take care and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.

The eleven brothers of Hz. Yusuf became so unperceptive as to kill their half-brother or to throw him into a well alive by being affected by their jealousy and ignorance caused by it and to tell a lie to their father, the Prophet Yaqub. They were under the command of their feelings and ignorance, not their mind and belief.

However, Allah does not allow those who have bad intentions to succeed in implementing their tricks and plans. He gives them some respite but He never neglects. One day, He makes them hoist with their own petard due to the divine justice.

This was the thing that happened to the brothers of Yusuf: They had to bow down in front of their brother, whom they were very jealous of. This state is definitely a law of Allah; when its time comes, He applies it. There is no power and strength to prevent it.

Thus, ignorance was defeated by knowledge, disgrace by virtue, and the wrong by the truth; whatever Allah abased was defeated by whatever He elevated. 

This warning in the story aims to direct the thoughts and feelings of the Makkans first and then the deniers of every age and to remind them that history repeats itself. As a matter of fact, we know that the people of Makkah had to bow down before the truth.

God instructs us how to address our supplications to Him in the Holy Quran clearly so that we do not need any further explanation, Call upon your Lord (O humankind) with humility and in the secrecy of your hearts. Indeed your Lord does not love those who exceed the bounds. (Keep within the bounds He has decreed:) Do not cause disorder and corruption on the earth seeing that it has been so well ordered, and call upon Him with fear (of His punishment) and longing (for His forgiveness and mercy). Gods mercy is indeed near to those devoted to doing good, aware that God is seeing them. (Al-Araf Surah, 7:55, 56) Remember and mention your Lord within yourself (in the depths of your heart), most humbly and in awe, not loud of voice, at morning and evening. And do not be among the neglectful. (Al-Araf Surah, 7:205)

And, also God forbids us not to supplicate by becoming proud and arrogant, to supplicate in a screech tone by raising hands excessively and He orders us to supplicate in a humble, and doleful way with a soft voice. Those who are in your Lords Presence never turn away from His service out of pride, and they glorify Him, and prostrate before Him. (Al-Araf Surah, 7:206)


Human beings are only allowed to address their supplications to God. That is to say, God is the only One that humans can make a request , no one else, because, To Him alone is made the call of truth and the prayer of truth addressed. Those to whom they invoke and call others (to invoke), apart from Him, cannot answer them in any way – (so that he who invokes them is but) like one who stretches out his hands to water (praying) that it may come to his mouth, but it never comes to it. The prayer of the unbelievers is but destined to go to waste. (Ar-Rad Surah, 13:14)

The most admirable and blessed time of supplication in the view of God is when everyone is sleeping or doing else. Elders always have waited for such times to supplicate. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) too, made his supplications of general importance after tahajjud nighttime prayers. By laying all unawareness, and sleeping aside, invoking cause you to become closer to God. Their sides forsake their beds at night, calling out to their Lord in fear (of His punishment) and hope (for His forgiveness, grace, and good pleasure), and out of what We have provided for them (of wealth, knowledge, power, etc.,) they spend (to provide sustenance for the needy and in Gods cause, purely for the good pleasure of God and without placing others under obligation). (As-Sajdah Surah, 32:16)

Before starting to supplicate for an important cause, giving alms, and praying two Rakats (a series of ritual movements form part of the namaz) of namaz (ritual of worship centered in prayer); abluted and turned to Kiblah (refers to the holiest shrine of Islam), praising God first and then sending Salavat to Prophet Muhammad is an inducement for its acceptance. There are some specific times of supplications. These are: Between Adhan (Islamic call to prayer) and Iqama (refers to the second call to Islamic prayer), during Adhan, at the end of the night, after performing farz namaz (mandatory for all Muslims), and especially after morning namaz in Sajda prostration position, in holy places such as Kaba and Masjid-e Nabawi, during the blessed three months (Rajab, Shaban, and Ramadan), during religious celebrations such as Mawlid-un Nabi(is the celebration of the birthday of Prophet Muhammad), and etc. In addition, some supplications and some peoples supplications will not be rejected: parents supplication for their children, neighbors supplication, an oppressed persons supplication, and a believers supplication for his Muslim brother in the absence of him.

To pray and to perform namaz for rain is worship. Drought is the exact time for such a prayer. Worshipping and praying is not just offered to bring the rain, otherwise just because the impurity of the intention, intending to pray only for rain would not be accepted.

Sunset is the time of the evening prayers. And eclipses of the sun and moon are the times of two particular prayers known as salat-i kusuf and salat-i khusuf. That is to say, with the veiling of the two luminous signs of the night and day, God's tremendousness is proclaimed, so Almighty God calls his servants to a sort of worship at those times. The prayers are not so that the sun and moon will be revealed (whose appearance and how long the eclipses will continue have anyway been reckoned by astronomers). In just the same way, drought is the time for the prayers for rain. And the visitation of calamities and infliction of harmful things the times of certain supplications when man realizes his impotence and through his supplication and entreaty seeks refuge at the Court of One Possessing Absolute Power. Even if the calamities are not lifted despite many supplications, it may not be said that they were not accepted. It should rather be said that the time for the supplication is not yet over... (1)

Humanity, who is in need of rain for its survival and incapable of bringing it by itself, with the conscious of knowing that the only power which would bring it is Divine Mercy, takes refuge in God. Praying for rain is sincerely done for the sake of God as it is done in the other prayers. At the end of the prayer, it is supplicated to God to rescue them from the calamity of drought.

As a matter of fact, the apparent consequence of praying for rain is its coming; but the most fundamental and beneficial consequence and pious and delightful fruit of it is: Everyone understands that, neither his father, nor his house, and job give his livelihood, but a Person who holds huge clouds serving as sponge, and earth serving as plantation fields at His disposal, supplies his wants and feeds him. Even, while a little child is used to beg his mother when hungry, he understands that immense meaning in the prayer of rain with his tiny mind that there is a Person who manages this universe as if it is a house, feeds even himself, other children, and all the other mothers. If He does not, nobody would. Therefore, he says that everyone has to invoke Him, and becomes fully faithful. (2)

If drought is the time for supplications for rain, it should be done until the end of drought. Therefore, rain is going to be the end sign of leaving the prayer. Prayer should not be left just because it did not rain, it should be perpetuated until it rains.

Sources:
(1) Bediüzzaman, Sözler Yirmiüçüncü Söz
(2) Emirdağ Lahikası 1, 14. Mektup

It is religiously permissible to supplicate to God by means of an intermediary such as highly righteous persons. Especially, supplicating God through Prophets and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon them all) is an inducement for its acceptance. In fact, by the ordinance of the verse, Surely God and His angels bless the Prophet (He always treats him with His special mercy, with the angels praying to Him to grant him the highest station of praise with Him and for the decisive victory of his Religion). O you who believe, invoke the blessings of God on him, and pray to God to bestow His peace on him, greeting him with the best greeting. (Love and follow him with utmost sincerity and faithfulness, and give yourselves to his way with perfect submission.), (1) it is pointed out the importance of the subject.

Furthermore, in a hadith narrated by Anas bin Malik, it is pointed out the importance of sending Salat (supplication) upon Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), Whoever sends a Salat upon me, God sends ten upon him, forgives ten of his sins, and raises his level ten times. (2)

For this reason, it is permissible to request something from God for the sake of those whether it be a Prophet, a righteous person, or a companion (of Prophet Muhammad). However, it is not religiously permissible to make wishes by lighting candles, wrapping ropes and strings in the tombs of saints as it is done at the present days.

It is narrated by Anas (as), during the caliphate of Hazrath Omar (as), whenever there was drought He (as) used to ask Al-Abbas (as) to supplicate God (swt) for rain. He used to say, "O God (swt) we used to ask our prophet to supplicate you for rain, and you would bless us with rain, and now we ask his uncle to supplicate you for rain! Bless us with rain. For a long time, our elders too, used to supplicate as, O God, for the sake of Your lovers and Your beloved ones, we ask You to bestow Your mercy and blessings on us and make our request possible.

Sources:
(1) Al-Ahzab Surah, 33/56.
(2) Nesâi, Sehiv 55, (3, 50)

In order to get rid of memory impairment (forgetfulness) and to improve the intelligence, the following supplications are recited.

Firstly, this supplication is recited 9 times. “Bismillahirrahmanirrahim, Fardun, Hayyun, Qayyumun, Hakamun, Adlun, Quddusun. Iyyaka na’budu wa iyyaka nastain. Inna fatahna laka fathan mubina.”

And, “Ya kabiru antalladhi la tahdil uqulı liwasfi adhamati.” is recited 1000 times.

After that: “Subhana rabbiyal a’la.” is recited. Then, “Subhana minannaril aflaqi, biadhkaril emlaki kama tuskinul ardha biadhkarizzakirina, qala li adhkari himilatin lil mahmulina, wa maskanatin lil miskinine, wa muharrikatin lil mutahharrikina, subhana man huva kulla yawmin huwa fi sha’nin.” is recited.

And after that what is required is demanded and these are recited: “Ya qiyasal mustaqisina wala havla wala quwwata illa billahil aliyyil adhim.” (Majmuatul Ahdhab).

Hazrat Ibnu Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that: “Hazrat Ali Ibnu Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said: “My mum and dad be sacrificed for you, I cannot keep that holy Qur’an in my mind. I cannot find myself strong enough to memorize it.” The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) answered him as follows:

“O Abul Hussein (the father of Hussein)! (Regarding this matter) Shall I teach you some words that Allah will utilize for you and will be beneficial for someone you taught and you will be able to keep it in your mind?”

Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Yes, O Messenger of Allah, please teach me!” Thereupon, Hazrat Prophet advised him the following:

“If you can wake up in the last third part of the night of Friday (the night that connects Thursday to Friday), get up. That moment is a moment that angels witness. The prayer said at that time is accepted. My Brother Ya’qub (Jacob) said to his children the following: ‘I will ask for forgiveness from Allah for you at the night of Friday.”

If you cannot wake up at that time, wake up in the middle of the night. If you cannot wake up at that time either, wake up in the first part of the night. Perform a four-rakah prayer.

Recite the surahs (“chapter” in the Qur’an) of Fatiha and Yasin in the first rakah; in the second rakah, recite the surahs of Fatiha and ad-Duhan; in the third rakah, recite Fatiha and Aliflammim Tandhilus sajdah; in the fourth rakah, recite Fatiha and Tabaraka’l Mufassal. After reciting at-tahiyyat, give thanks to Allah, glorify Him with a good grace and recite salawat (a prayer which is recited when Our Prophet’s name mentioned) both for me and for other prophets. Ask for forgiveness for believers and for believing brothers and sisters who passed by. Then, after you have supplicated the mentioned prayers, recite this supplication;

“O Allah, have compassion on me by making me abandon sins forever as long as You keep me alive. Have pity on me due to the useless things I have attempted. Make it destined for me to do things that You will be pleased with. O My Lord, who is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and who is Lord of Majesty and Bounty and against whose dignity no one can talk. O Allah! O Rahman! For the sake of your majesty, as you taught me your Holy Book (The Qur’an), please make it easy for me to memorize it. Make it destined for me to read it in a way to please You. O the Creator of the heavens and the earth, I request from You to lighten my eyes, to loosen my tongue, to split my heart, to relieve my breast and to wash my body with Your Holy Book, for the sake of Your Glory. Only You can help me to find the right way, only You can make it destined for me. It is, The power and the strength necessary to reach anything comes only from Almighty Allah .”

 “O Abul Hasan (the Father of Hasan), do what I have told you 3 or 7 Fridays. Allah willing, your prayer will be accepted. I swear by Allah who sent me for righteousness that the prayer of any believer that supplicated that prayer was accepted.”
Ibnu Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I swear by Allah that Hazrat Ali, after 5 or 7 Fridays, came to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) again at the same place and said:

“O the Messenger of Allah! I would learn only four or five ayahs (“verse” in the Qur’an) before. When I recited them on my own, I would forget them. And today, I can learn 40 ayahs and when I recite them on my own, I recite as if the Book of Allah (the Qur’an) is in front of my eyes. I would listen to a hadith before, but when I wanted to repeat it, it flew away from my mind. Today, I am able to tell a hadith to someone whenever I want without missing even a letter after I listen to a hadith from you.”
Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said to Hazrat Ali the following:

“O Abul Hasan! I swear by the Lord of the Kaaba that you are a believer.” (Tirmizi, Daawat 125, (3565)).

The Second Answer:

Besides reciting prayers in order to open the mind and to improve the memory, one should comply with material measures and perform the requirements that needed for it. A student who needs to study his lesson, should not only pray wit his/her tongue but should also pray with his body (deeds). This is called the prayer of deed. After doing what is need to be done properly, praying with tongue is called the prayer of word. Like a two-winged bird, s/he can fly wherever s/he wants by performing both the prayer of deed and word.

In addition, in order not to forget what is learned and to save them, some measures needs to be taken. There are factors that lead to forgetfulness. One should be saved from them. Here we will list some of them:

1.    To look at haram (forbidden things or people).
2.    To be fed with haram.
3.    To fill the mind with unnecessary things that tires it. Such as Television, computer...
4.    To have too much sexual intercourse that will damage body. Especially masturbation.
5.    To idle so much as to prevent the mind from working constantly.

Man’s creation is suitable both for good deed and sin. So, he, time to time, may commit sin willingly or unwillingly. On this matter in the Qur’an it is said: “Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgives anything else, to whom He pleases; to set up partners with Allah is to devise a sin most heinous indeed.” (An-Nisaa, 4/48-116). With these verses it is expressed that whatever sin committed may be forgiven except setting up partners with Allah.
In our books it is expressed that the repentance made with heart and soul will be accepted by Allah. Thus, Allah, the most Compassionate, with the verse “O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance: in the hope that your Lord will remove from you your evil deeds and admit you to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow …” (At-Tahrim, 66-8) declares that the repentances made will be accepted. The sincere repentance mentioned in the verse is as follow:
1.    Being aware of the committed sin before Allah and due to that sin, taking refuge in Him and feeling sorry.
2.    Feeling sorry for the sin committed and conscientiously being uncomfortable because committing such a sin before the Creator.
3.    Being in a determination of not committing such a sin any more.
4.    If it is concerning with rightful share, forgiving each other.

In one Hadith Our Prophet said as follow: “Sincere repentance is this:
-Regretting for the sins.
-Performing obligatory worships.
-Not doing cruelty and hostility.
-Making peace with hurt and cross.
-Being in determination of not going back to sin any more.”
Inshaallah if these conditions are applied, we hope that Allah will accept our repentances.
However, man, every time, should be in a feeling between hope and fear. Neither we may rely on our worships, nor fall into despair due to our sins. As for it is wrong to say “I am very good, I managed that work.”, so too, saying that ‘Allah will not accept me’ is wrong at the same degree.
Note: One can pray for someone else for being forgiven.

How and when should we supplicate? What are the most grateful supplications?

 

There are so many verses of supplication in Holy Quran. Some of the transliterations of those are given below:

What they said (when they encountered the enemy) was: "Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and any wasteful act we may have done in our duty, and set our feet firm, and help us to victory over the disbelieving people!" (Al-Imran Surah, 3:147)

"Our Lord! Indeed We have heard a caller calling to faith, saying: Believe in your Lord!, so we did believe. Our Lord, forgive us, then, our sins, and blot out from us our evil deeds, and take us to You in death in the company of the truly godly and virtuous. "Our Lord! Grant us what You have promised us through Your Messengers. Do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection; indeed You never break Your promise." (Al-Imran Surah, 3:193, 194)

"And do not disgrace me on the Day when all people will be raised up to life... (Ash-Shuara Surah, 26:87)

And among them are those who pray, "Our Lord, grant us in the world what is good, and in the Hereafter what is good, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire." (Al-Baqarah Surah, 2:201)

Those (the God-revering, pious) pray: "Our Lord, we do indeed believe, so forgive us our sins and guard us against the punishment of the Fire." Those who are persevering (in misfortune and steadfast in fulfilling Gods commandments and in refraining from sins), and truthful (in their words and actions, and true to their covenants), and devoutly obedient, and who spend (out of what God has provided for them, in His way and for the needy), and who implore Gods forgiveness before daybreak. (Al-Imran Surah, 3:16, 17)
And who entreat (whether after the Prayers or at other times): "Our Lord! Ward off from us the punishment of Hell; its punishment is surely constant anguish: (Al-Furqan Surah, 25:65)

At that point, Zachariah turned to his Lord in prayer and said: "My Lord, bestow upon me out of Your grace a good, upright offspring. Truly, You are the Hearer of prayer." (Al-Imran Surah, 3:38)

"My Lord! Make me one who establishes the Prayer in conformity with its conditions, and (likewise) from my offspring (those who are not wrongdoers), Our Lord, and accept my prayer! (Ibrahim Surah, 14:40)

You alone do We worship and from You alone do we seek help. Guide us to the Straight Path, The Path of those whom You have favored, not of those who have incurred (Your) wrath (punishment and condemnation), nor of those who are astray. (Al-Fatiha Surah, 1:5-7)

"Our Lord! Make us Muslims, submissive to You, and of our offspring a community Muslim, submissive to You. Show us our rites of worship (including particularly the rites of the Pilgrimage) and accept our repentance (for our inability to worship You as worshipping You requires). Surely You are the One Who accepts repentance and returns it with liberal forgiveness and additional reward, the All-Compassionate. "Our Lord! Raise up among that community a Messenger of their own, reciting to them Your Revelations, and instructing them in the Book (that You will reveal to him) and the Wisdom, and purifying them (of false beliefs and doctrines, of sins and all kinds of uncleanness). Surely You are the All-Glorious with irresistible might, the All-Wise." (Al-Baqarah Surah, 2:128, 129)

(They entreat God:) "Our Lord, do not let our hearts swerve after You have guided us, and bestow upon us mercy from Your Presence. Surely You are the All-Bestowing. (Al-Imran Surah, 3:8)

"Our Lord! We believe in what You have sent down and we follow the Messenger, so write us down among the witnesses (of Your Oneness and Lordship, and of the truth You have revealed)." (Al-Imran Surah, 3:53)

The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and so do the believers; each one believes in God, and His angels, and His Books, and His Messengers: "We make no distinction between any of His Messengers (in believing in them)." And they say: "We have heard (the call to faith in God) and (unlike some of the people of Moses) obeyed. Our Lord, grant us Your forgiveness, and to You is the homecoming." (O believers, if you are worried that God will take every soul to account even for what the soul keeps within it of intentions and plans, know that) God burdens no soul except within its capacity: in its favor is whatever (good) it earns, and against it whatever (evil) it merits. (So, pray thus to your Lord:) "Our Lord, take us not to task if we forget or make mistake. Our Lord, lay not on us a burden such as You laid on those gone before us. Our Lord, impose not on us what we do not have the power to bear. And overlook our faults, and forgive us, and have mercy upon us. You are our Guardian and Owner (to Whom We entrust our affairs and on Whom we rely) so help us and grant us victory against the disbelieving people!" (Al-Baqarah Surah, 2:285, 286)

"My Lord! Make me one who establishes the Prayer in conformity with its conditions, and (likewise) from my offspring (those who are not wrongdoers), Our Lord, and accept my prayer! "Our Lord! Forgive me, and my parents, and all the believers, on the Day on which the Reckoning will be established." (Ibrahim Surah, 14:40, 41)
And who entreat (whether after the Prayers or at other times): "Our Lord! Ward off from us the punishment of Hell; its punishment is surely constant anguish. And who say: "Our Lord! Grant us that our spouses and offspring may be a means of happiness for us, and enable us to lead others in piety (to become a means of the promotion of piety and virtue)." (Al-Furqan Surah, 25:65, 74)

Now (among the good deeds) We have enjoined on human is the best treatment towards his parents. His mother bore him in pain, and in pain did she give him birth. The bearing of him and suckling of him (until weaned) is thirty months, until when he has reached his full manhood and reached forty years of age, he says: "My Lord! Arouse me that I may be thankful for all Your favors (life, health, sustenance, faith, and submission, and more) that You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do good, righteous deeds with which You will be pleased, and grant me righteous offspring (so that they treat me righteously, as I treat my parents). I have turned to You, and I am one of those who have submitted to You." (Al-Ahqaf Surah, 46:15)

During the prayer hands are kept openly up, towards the heavens. The two palms, standing at the level of chest as scale of a balance, wait openly for the blessings of the All-Compassionate from the heavens to come. However, putting the hands together and uniting them occasionally is not contrary to Sunnah. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) prayed in both ways; but, most of the time he kept his hands separate. Thus, in the sect of Shafii, palms are turned facing down at the moment of fearful sentences in prayer; on the other hand, turning down of palms is legitimized only during the ritual prayer for rain whereas other ways are not comprised by the sect of Hanafi. The action of the turning the hands down to protect themselves from calamities of the people of Shafii is based on some Hadiths. One of the Hadith is as follows:
“Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was turning his palm up by the time he was asking Allah anything to be done. However, He was turning his palm down when he wanted to avoid something.” (For Hadiths regarding the issue, see: Musnad, Ahmad b. Hanbal 4/56; Majmau’z- zawaid, 10/168; Jamu’l-fawaid, 2/618; al-Fathu’l-kabir, 2/357; ) Therefore, those who turn their hands down during the prayer act in accordance with that Hadith. They imitate the sect of Shafii about the issue.

As long as having realized that we are the servants of Gods, there are no limits in what we ask from him. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) always applied for high positions and requested them from God (swt), because God (swt) loves to those who request from Him and loves to give to the one who requests. (1) Therefore, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) taught to his companions and community to request without limits; abundant. And again he announced that God will scourge on who does not request from Him. (2) Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), himself always requested for the better and the valuable. For example:

He requested the Makam-i Mahmud -praiseworthy position; then requested to perform shafaat -intercession (so to save his community) for his community in the judgment day. He requested Angel Gabriels companionship during his death. He also gave so many clues to us on what we can request from God. One of them is:

Ask God for everything, even if it is only a shoe lace (3)

Therefore, thoughts such as, What should we request or not from God should be put away and anything for this world and for the Hereafter must be asked from Him, but of course compliance with one condition; sincerity, which is a necessity for all supplications and prayers. God grants to those who request open heartedly and sincerely.

God, which there is nothing so hard for Him, as long as we obtain His consent, He will bestow anything what we want and what we need for. We should request anything from God, just from Him, no matter big or small, important or not. In fact, nothing at all is absent in His treasury, just so we know how to request.

(1) – Tirmidhi, 126:3566
(2) – Tirmidhi, 3:3370; İbnu Maje, 1:3827
(3) – Tirmidhi, 149:3607, 3608

Many psychologists and many other scholars express that supplication has great effects on supplicant. It has been written many books by both Islamic scholars; and ecclesiastics and scientists of West on the subject. Prof. Dr. Alexis Carrels work, The Prayer definitely worth a read, especially with its touches on different aspects of supplication and the effects of it. Every nation and religion has its supplications, because everyone more or less believes in a creators power. Even if he/she does not know and incorrectly express His name, that belief still exists. Supplication is the form of prayer which is known and used by both monotheistic religions scholars; Muslims, Christians, and Jews; and also by those of superstitious religions. Especially in superstitious and primitive religions, supplication is ceremony like, serious form of worship.

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, about the power of supplication, says, The effect of supplication is great. Especially if the supplication gains universality and persists, it almost always has a result, indeed, its result is continuous. It may even be said that one of the reasons for the creation of the world was supplication. That is to say, after the creation of the uni¬verse, the supplications of chiefly humankind, and of them principally the Islamic world, and mainly the sublime supplications of Muhammad the Arabian (Upon whom be blessings and peace) were a cause of it being created. That is to say, the Creator of the World knew that in the future Muhammad (PBUH) would ask for eternal happiness and for a manifes¬tation of the Divine Names in the name of humankind, indeed, on account of all beings, and He accepted that future supplication and created the uni¬verse.

Since supplication possesses this great importance and capacity, is it at all possible that the supplications offered all the time for one thousand three hundred and fifty years by three hundred million of mankind and by uncountable numbers of blessed beings from among men, jinn, angels, and spirit beings for the Person of Muhammad (PBUH), and for all-encompassing Divine Mercy, eternal happiness, and the accomplishment of their aims would not be accepted? Is it in any way possible that their supplications would be rejected? (1)


Sources
1. Risale-i Nur Collection, the Letters, 24. Letter Trans. Sukran Vahide

One of the most acceptable of all supplications is a believers supplication which he/she makes for other believers in the absence of them, because there are no benefits or expectations for him/her in which he/she made. Therefore, it is sincere and genuine. If it is Gods will, the supplication, which is made without any expectations, just for the good of a Muslim brother or sister will be accepted. Anyhow, He (swt), with the expression of our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), Never does God let you go empty handed, if you raise your hands. Bediuzzaman Said Nursi explains it as:

What is the best way believers can supplicate for one another?

It has to be within the sphere of what is acceptable, for supplications become acceptable under certain conditions; their acceptability increases as these conditions are fulfilled. For instance, when supplications are to be made, a person should be purified spiritually by seeking forgiveness; then he should recite Salawat (benedictions) for the Prophet (PBUH}, an acceptable prayer, for intercession; and following his supplication, he should again recite the Salawat. For a prayer offered between two such acceptable prayers itself becomes acceptable. As is praying for another without their knowledge. So too are the traditional supplications and prayers in the Qur'an and Hadiths. For example:

Allahümme inni eselükel-afve vel-afiyete li ve lehü fid-dünya vel-ahireh: O God! I beseech You to bestow forgiveness and well-being on me and on him in religion, this world, and the Hereafter or Rabbena âtinâ fid-dünya ve haseneten ve fil-ahireti haseneh, vekınâ azabennâr: O our Sustainer! Give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and defend us from the torment of the Fire.

General supplications like these which are offered sincerely, and with humility and tranquility of heart; and following the five daily prayers, and the morning prayer in particular; and in holy places, and mosques in particular; and on Fridays, and particularly during the hour when prayers are answered ; and during the three months of Rajab, Shaban, and Ramadan, and on the well-known holy nights, such as the Prophet's birthday and Raga'ib, and on the Night of Power in particular - it is to be strongly hoped from Divine mercy that such supplications will be accepted. The results of such acceptable prayers are either seen exactly as wished in this world, or they are accepted in respect of the eternal life in the Hereafter of the one who offered them. That is to say, if what was sought does not occur exactly as wished, it may not be said that the prayer was not accepted; rather, that it was accepted in a better form.

Sources:
(1) Tirmizî, Daavat 66,(3473, 3475); Ebû Dâvud, Salât 358, (1481); Nesâî, Sehiv, 48, (3, 44).
(2) The Letters 23.Letter, 279. Trans. Shukran Vahide

One should beseech excessively and be persistent while supplicating no matter the supplication is. Supplicating God for once without repetition is a supplication, as if it is of little or no use at all kind, an ordinary one. Therefore, it has a little chance of being accepted. For that reason, repetition and persistency are the basic essentials of supplication.

Otherwise, one can spend words such as, I prayed, but it was not accepted which could lead him to become rebellious towards God and let him get into this kind of an emotional state.

Besides, while supplicating, supplications that have been tried, tested, and proven have to be preferred. That is to say, supplications that are announced through Quran and Sunnah (religious actions that were instituted by Prophet Muhammad) are strongly hoped that they would be accepted.


Since the Qur'an is both a book of invocation, and a book of prayer, and a book of summons, the repetition in it is desirable, indeed, it is essential and most eloquent. It is not as the faulty imagine. For the mark of invocation is illumination through repetition. The mark of prayer, is strengthening through repetition. The mark of command and summons is confirmation through repetition. Moreover, everyone is not capable of always reading the whole Qur'an, but mostly is able to read one Surah. Therefore, since the most important purposes of the Qur'an are included in most of the longer Surahs, each is like a small Qur'an. That is to say, so that no one should be deprived, certain of its purposes like Divine Unity, the resurrection of the dead, and the story of Moses, have been repeated. Also, like bodily needs, spiritual needs also are various. Man is in need of some of them each breath; like the body needs air, the spirit needs the word Hu {He). Some he is in need of each hour, like "In the Name of God." And so on. That means the repetition of verses arises from the repetition of need. And it makes the repetition in order to point out the need and awaken and incite it, and to arouse desire and appetite. (1)

The instances of wisdom which requires the repetition of some of the verses of Quran; the Quran which its all announcements are miracles; also requires the repetition of some of the Dhikr (remembrance of God) and supplications. For, as Quran is being the book of truth, Sharia (the body of Islamic Law), wisdom, and Marifat (communion with the God), it is also the book of Dhikr, supplication, and invitation. Supplication requires repetition, Dhikr requires remembrance, and Dawah (invitation) requires strengthening through repetition. (2)

Sources:
(1) The Letters 19. Letter p. 204. Trans. by Shukran Vahide
(2) Mesnevî, 240.

Bediuzzaman (author of Risale-i Nur Collection) explains the issue as follows:

If you say: We frequently offer supplications, but they are not accepted. However, the verse is general; it states that every supplication is answered.

The Answer: To answer is one thing; to accept is something quite different. Every supplication is answered, but its being accepted and exactly what was sought being given is dependent on Almighty Gods wisdom. For example, if a sick child calls the doctor, saying, Doctor! Doctor!, and he replies, Here I am, what do you want?, and the child says, Give me that medicine! the doctor will either give him exactly what he asks for or something better and more beneficial for him. Or knowing that medicine is harmful for his illness, he will give him nothing.

Thus, since Almighty God is all-Present and all-Seeing, He responds to the supplications of His servants. Through His presence and response, He transforms the desolation of loneliness and solitude into familiarity. But He does this, not in accordance with mans capricious and importunate demands, but in accordance with the requirements of dominical wisdom; He gives either what is sought or what is better than it, or He gives nothing at all. (1)

Besides there are some Hadiths that highlight this issue. One regarding this point was reported by Abu Hurayra. The Prophet Muhammad told:

Your every supplication will be answered if you be patient. There are some who complain, I offered my prayers, but they were not answered. Another report by Muslim is as follows: Unless one of you demands sin or cut-off of kinship from Allah Almighty, your supplications continue to be accepted favorably. Again Tirmidhi reports, He whosoever offers his prayers to Allah Almighty, his prayers will be answered. It will be either accepted in the world or in the hereafter; or through this prayer, his sins will be decreased save he demands sin or cut-off of kinship or be in impatience. (2)

As is clear from the Hadith, mans supplications are accepted unless s/he demands sinful or religiously prohibited things.

(1) The Words / Twenty-Third Word - First Chapter - p.325
(2) Bukharî, Daavat, 22

It is written in hadith books that when the Prophet (pbuh) read verses like ayat al-kursiy, and chapters like al-Falaq, an-Nas and al-Fatiha, he blew to his right, left, front and back, on his hands and an ill person.  

The reason for it is to take measures like that in order to be protected from spiritual and harmful things along with taking material measures in order to be protected from material diseases. Allah, who created us, showed us one of the ways of protection through the Prophet.

We will quote a hadith and give its explanation while explaining this issue:

Hz. Aisha narrates:

"Whenever the Prophet (pbuh) went to bed every night, he would cup his hands together and blow over it after reciting the chapters of al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas, then rub his hands over his head and body. He would do that three times. He ordered me to do the same when he got ill." (Bukhari, Fadailul-Quran 14, Tibb 39, Da'awat 12; Muslim, Salam 50; Muwatta, Ayn 5; Tirmidhi, Da'awat 21; Abu Dawud, Tibb 19.)

EXPLANATION:

1. It is written in reliable narrations that the Prophet (pbuh) read the Quran for cure when he was ill. In fact, it is stated the verses that the Quran is material and spiritual cure for believers: 

"We send down (stage by stage) in the Qur´an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe: to the unjust it causes nothing but loss after loss." (al-Isra, 17/82).

"O mankind! There hath come to you a direction from your Lord and a healing for the (diseases) in your hearts,- and for those who believe, a guidance and a Mercy." (Yunus, 10/57)

2 Ibn Hajar includes different versions of the hadith narration in order to give information about the nature of “breath” the Prophet (pbuh) blew on his body. Accordingly, first, he would cup his hands; then, he would blow on his palms; after that, he would read and blow on his palms while reading. Ibn Hajar states that this blowing can be without spitting or with slight spitting. The chapters of al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and an-Nas are read with this intention.

The deed of wiping was made with the thought of blessing. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) would wipe his head, face and then all of his body parts that he could reach with his hands. Hz. Aisha states the following:

"When the Messenger of Allah suffered from the illness of which he died, I would blow over him and rub his body with his hand because his hand had greater blessing than my hand."

In another narration, Hz. Aisha states that when she rubbed and prayed for cure, the Messenger of Allah came round and said, "No, I no longer want cure. I want Rafiq al-A’la from Allah."

3. Some narrations state that the Prophet applied the treatment of reading the Quran and blowing on the members of his family too. The Companions and Tabiun also practiced the same method. Scholars agree unanimously that it is permissible.

4. Describing breath as "slight blowing without spitting" Nawawi states that it is mustahab in ruqya and that scholars agree unanimously that it is permissible. Hz. Aisha was asked about the breath that the Prophet (pbuh) blew in ruqya; she answered as follows: "His breath was like the blowing of a person eating raisins; there was definitely no spitting in it.'' It is stated that the moisture that comes out with breath involuntarily is not regarded as spitting.  

(Prof. Dr. İbrahim Canan, Kütüb-i Sitte Muhtasarı, VII/50, 51, Akçağ Basım Yayın, Ankara, 1988)

There is enormous growth in all areas and all branches of science all over the world. All the work has contributed quite a lot to the material and spiritual development of humanity. There are productive works being carried out in the fields of astronomy, genetics, physics, chemistry biology, medicine, etc. Some of the related work concerns only certain groups of people of today but some discoveries concern all times and all people. Discoveries related to medicine and health are the most important ones. In medicine, a new kind of treatment which has not yet been proven to the full extent is mentioned a lot: soul-body relationship and the role of faith in treatment.

Researches show that people who have groundless fear and apprehension about health issues are more likely to fall sick and people who have greater will power and who believe in fate are more resistant to sicknesses. It is also known that people who have faith and tranquility are more responsive to treatment than people who have no faith and who have a lot of stress. The reason is that, apart from the chemical and material drugs, spiritual inspirations, a persons point of view with regards to sickness and life in general are important factors in strengthening a humans immune system. The more people are open to spiritual suggestions and have belief in fate, the stronger their immune system becomes and the more resistant they become to sicknesses.

It is certain that the good health of our thoughts, our emotions, our soul and our heart do have a positive effect on the health of our body. For example, when we experience events that affect us deeply or when we are very tired, our immune system weakens and we can fall sick more easily. Good signals are sent to our body when our mind, soul and heart are in a good state. So, we stand stronger against the flu and the cold. When the opposite is true, we are more inclined to become sick. The more negativeness we face in our family life and at work the more likely we are to fall ill. When we fall to depression or when we are tired and exhausted spiritually, falling sick is inevitable. (Henry Dreher (1995). The Immune Power Personality, Reprinted by Arrangement with Dutton Signet, A Division of Penguin Books USA, Inc.
Today, modern medicine has started to accept those truths, though not completely. We can already see that in the near future, modern medicine will bring that concept forward and be proud that it is a major scientific breakthrough. So, psychological factors will be given more importance for the sicknesses occurring from the relationship between the body and the soul and the case of faith will be more upfront. Heavenly religions have provided a solution to where modern medicine is trying to reach eventually. Especially, Islam and the Holy Quran have concluded those issues.

The related verses in the Quran are:

That (the Quran) is the truth and medicament for the believers. The non-believers have severity in their ears and the Quran seems closed and incomprehensible to them. (It is as if) they are being talked to from a far distance (and they dont understand). (Fussilat, 44).
For the believers, we bring down things of medicament and mercy form the Quran. The Quran only increases the damage of the tyrants. (al-Isra, 82).
It is stated that the Quran is all by itself a source of medicament because the Quran promises a healthy body by treating the soul, heart, emotions and senses.

Basing it on the Quran, Badiuzzaman Said Nursi wrote the Treatise for the Patients and it features preventive medicine and assistant curative techniques on soul-body relationships. The Treatise for the Patients is an important work that has no side effects and it is definitely useful. When patients read that pamphlet, listen to it or talk among themselves about the blessing aspects of sicknesses, they observe the fact that their immune systems and their resistance to sicknesses have strengthened and that the effects of medicine and treatment have increased in a short time.

Let us try to give a few explanatory and striking examples on the subject:

1. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Nutku explains:

My late father Dr. Sadullah Nutku and the psychiatry specialist the late Prof. Dr. Ayhan Songar were sitting next to each other on a plane.

They were not talking because they did not know each other. My late father took out the Treatise for Patients from his pocket and started to read it to himself. Prof. Dr. Ayhan Songar cast a furtive look at the book for some time and then they became acquainted. My father started to read the Treatise for Patients aloud. Prof. Dr. Ayhan Songar listened to it carefully because the he had never listened to the Risale Nur Collection before and it contained remedies that concerned him as a psychiatry specialist. At one point, he remarked:

While listening to those spiritual remedies, one wishes to be sick!

When Prof. Dr. Ayhan Songar had patients who came to see him for medical examination or treatment he used to advise most of them the Treatise for Patients.

Prof. Dr. Ayhan Songar had cancer during the last months of his life. During the last days of his life, cancer had spread to his whole body; and the book that he read during those last days and the book he had at his side during his death was the treasure of spiritual remedies: the Treatise for Patients.

2. From an article in Moral Dünyası Periodical by Zeynep Turkoglu:

Fatma Sahin is a radio programmer, a consultant in a center for the rehabilitation of the disabled, an idealist person and the third of four siblings. Most importantly, a disabled who overcame her obstacles. She has a strong will power. She is a graduate of the Department of Public Relations of a university. She is a consultant at a Disabled Center for Rehabilitation. She makes the program Overcomers of Disabilities at Moral FM.

She is a very comfortable person. You would expect a different attitude from a person with a sickness. Her sickness is a genetic muscular sickness. Let us listen to the rest from Fatma Sahin:

It took a very long time to get the right medical diagnosis, about 13-14 years. Yes, I was sick but how would I get along with my life. Somebody tells me that I cannot do anything and I should just sit aside. You feel like your life is over when you are just 25. Its the doctor who tells you that, actually it should be just the opposite. They should be the ones to inform you and encourage you

Unfortunately, thats how the doctor directed us. Your point of view can be very different. For a while, I used to be very sick because I was depressed. You are not related to anything, you feel you are not worth anything and everything is finished for you because you have expired. I used to have constant pains and the doctor could not diagnose anything because it was all because of stress. I had become a hypochondriac but I was so tired of coming back from the doctors empty-handed. I was angry. I was waiting for some serious sickness to be diagnosed so that I could die sooner. Thats how I felt.

You have a lot of time when you do not have anything to do. I tried to fill that time by reading. I read a lot. I read the Treatise for Patients. I also had interest in hadiths related to ill people like me. They used to boost my morale very much. Actually, that itself was a different process. When I first accepted my sickness, I first thought that it was a punishment given to me or to my family. Then, there was the period when I thought: I am glad I am sick. Otherwise, who knows where I would have wasted my health. Then, I started to read more. You would not know; I was almost going to fly!

Those examples are not the first and will not be the last because the soul-body relationship is certain. The spiritual nourishment and treatment of the soul will relieve the body materially and it will eliminate sicknesses originating from stress and disbelief of fate. When somebody has faith, the Divine mercy under the material and physical sickness will be apparent. So, one will be able to love sicknesses and thank Allah rather than have rebellious feelings.

The lessons taught to us by the Treatise for Patients:

Showing patience towards sicknesses is like prayer, fasting and other kinds of worship. It will gain us many good deeds and we should try to benefit from it.
Sicknesses are a means of understanding the Curegiver (Shafi) name of the Almighty and seeking refuge in Him.
Sicknesses remind us to turn our heads towards our real life; the infinite one.
Sicknesses remind us of the importance of health and that we should remember the bounties given to us by Allah and increase our thanks.
It shows us by reminding death that this world is transitory and that our deception by it is destruction and disaster.
Sicknesses make respect, mercy and love seeds emerge between us. They also refresh the old friendships.
One way to lighten the burden of sickness is to eliminate the curiosity and groundless apprehensions. It can be achieved by faith and obedience to Allah.

There are so many scientific researches carried out on that issue that conflict each other. According to the database Psyc Lit, there have been 1100 articles published on that issue between the years 2000-2002. Using the results of just one article to claim that it has been proven that prayer does not affect the recovery of patients is completely a subjective and personal choice and using science to promote ones personal choice.

In a related research done at San Francisco General Hospitals Coronary Unit, patients who have been prayed for have turned out to be more healthy than those who have not been prayed for. Those patients have required less cardiopulmonary resuscitation (the need for artificial blood circulation and artificial respiration by pressuring the chest and giving air into the lungs), less drugs for urine problems, less need for antibiotics. Those patients have had less fluid accumulation at the lungs and fewer deaths.

In a scientific research done at the Durham Duke University Medical Center in 1998 on 4000 patients over the age of 65, it has been concluded that, the people who pray and go to a congregation once a week have less hypertension. In addition, the more religious a person is and the more he attends the weekly congregation, the less likely that person would have high blood pressure problems and 40 percent less chance of having high systolic blood pressure problems. The head of the National Institute for Health Care Research at Rockville, Dr. David B. Larson says that prayer decreases blood pressure and points out that faith does have favorable effects on the nervous system and against the daily stress. More interestingly, the head of the Freedom from Religion Foundation and famous atheist Dan Barker says that prayer and religion takes the form of medicine. He adds that people need a community and environment to take care of them and that they need to stay within a certain environment during times of sickness and that religion provides it and religious thinking helps patients recover.

Scientific viewpoint on prayer in the West and Turkey

In the West, not only the effect of faith, religious life and prayer on sick people is being investigated but also such detailed issues like the effects of prayer on bacteria and the intentions of people far away. In his work on experiments over microorganisms, Be Careful What You Pray For, Dr. Dossey says: The people who do not believe in the effects of intentions from a distance say that the observed results could emerge from the expectation of the person or the power of faith and prayer. The doubters do not deny the effects of faith and prayer. Interpreting the experiments made on the effect of distant intentions on bacteria, Daniel I. Benor says that the results are very meaningful. Based on those kinds of experiments, the effects of prayers from far away distances, no matter how far, made for other people are emphasized. As a result, the experts say: Studies put forward the definite proof on the force of prayer. The results of those works show that there is a force of higher rank and we have the ability to interact with it. The issue was discussed extensively at a forum in December 2003 by the psychiatry professor from Duke University, Harold G. Koenig; academic on religion and health issues from John Templeton Foundation, Dr. Christina Puchalski and from Georgetown University, Dr. Cynthia Cohen. Harold G. Koenig called attention to the fact that, historically, patient treatment had started as a purely religious issue; first hospitals and care centers were founded by religious communities; and as a result of the teachings of Freud, it was only in the 20th century that religion and medical care have tended to be separated. Koenig also quoted a Gallup poll that found that 95 percent of Americans believe in God and especially 75 percent of people over 65 say that religion is very important for them. Koenig stated that religion and prayer give people a positive and optimistic point of view, develop an auto-control mechanism in them by instilling them with hope, help them gain themselves role models like Job (pbuh) and reduce stress. For those and other similar reasons, Koenig stated that prayer and religion have favorable effects on sicknesses and a healthy life. Dr. Koenig also cited, out of 3 researches carried out, all 3 of them had concluded that there was a positive relationship between religious life and the immune system and endocrine (hormone secretion) functions; 5 out of 7 researches concluded that a routine religious life decreased the rate of death from cancer; and out of 23 research, 14 of them concluded that religious life had a positive effect on blood pressure.

Let alone doing researches like those in Turkey, even mentioning them is considered non-scientific. Only a few negative examples are pointed out from the West, many positive examples (some of which have been mentioned above) are not mentioned. Many truths about the West are concealed. For example, in a study made at the Baltimore Sinai Hospital in the U.S., 74 percent of patients have said that their beliefs are important for them while 45 percent have said that not enough emphasis is put on their religious-spiritual needs. The researchers who have interpreted the results have pointed out that religious beliefs are important for patients to deal with their health problems and that there is a need for a mechanism to identify and meet the need of every single patient. In addition, it has been concluded in a study carried out at the Norwegian Tromso University Hospital, Oncology Department, that religion and believing is important in the treatment of chronic and life threatening sicknesses. The study has shown that 70.5 percent of patients have resorted to alternative methods of treatment like belief therapy and treatment with the hand.

As a result of scientific researches, the point of view to medicine and medical education is changing. Christian Puchalski, one of the researchers mentioned above, emphasizes that religious-spiritual and cultural beliefs have affected how people understand their sicknesses and that there are social, emotional and spiritual factors behind pain, perceiving pain and treating it. Puchalski points out that they now feel the need to make big changes in medical education and that 65 percent of medical schools have started to offer courses on the relationship between spirituality and health, moral and psycho-social topics. Physicians now start to deal with every patient on a personal basis and they ask patients What would you like me to do?. Even if they do not pray for them personally, the physicians offer to have a religious person pray for the patient at their side.

Why do the researches give different results?

It is said that one of the reasons that research gives different results on the effects of prayer on sicknesses and even sometimes claims that prayer has no effect, is that prayer is expected to have an immediate effect like medicine. Making further comments on the issue, cardiology expert from Duke University Dr. Mitchell Krucoff says: We have not constructed a prayer room. We also do not have a prayer control group. It is not really ethical to tell some patients or some people not to pray. Furthermore, when you tell people to pray, we do not know who really prays, the timing and duration of the prayers.

The most important reason why some researches give negative results, if they are different and correct, is that people do not know the true nature and characteristics of prayer. The Almighty Allah has manifestations of his names through Rahmaniyat (holistic mercy that encompasses all beings, mercifulness) and Rahimiyat (individual mercy that addresses every being one by one, compassionateness). As a result of the manifestation of Rahmaniyat, Allah has laid down laws to govern the universe and this life. All beings, including humans, are subject to those laws. Positive sciences have their topics as one of those laws or some positive sciences have emerged because of those laws. Applying to a means for a desired result or a farmer plowing a field, a patient applying to a qualified doctor and using the prescribed medicine and a student studying for success are all prayers. That kind of a prayer is seeking refuge in the Rahmaniyat of Allah and obeying the Rahmaniyat laws. Those kinds of prayers are generally (not all the time and surely) accepted. As a manifestation of the same Rahmaniyat laws, there are also prayers made with the tongue of need. Hunger draws us to eat and fatigue to rest and sleep. We are drawn to listen to the demands of our body. As an example, the appetite to be full and to rest which is expressed through being hungry, thirsty and tired are innate prayers of our body and they are generally accepted.

There are times when faced with the laws of Rahmaniyat, we are depressed; the means we have applied to obtain the desired results do not come to fruition; medicine becomes helpless against sicknesses. In these kinds of circumstances, we look for a power above all of the means. Allah the Almighty reminds us of his existence and that He has power and authority over all things so that we do not remain stuck with the means too much and associate partners to Him. Allah also reminds us so that we will not start to feel too proud and think that we have power over all things. In addition, Allah wants us not to fall into despair and knows that He is not there only with manifestation of his Rahmaniyat and laws but also with the personal manifestations and laws. So, we are directed to the fact that we can and should turn towards Him. He gives luster to our hopes, strength to our hearts and breadth to our emotions. Actually, this is the prayer that is being debated. These prayers are also never rejected but because we cannot encompass our past, present and future all together, we look at everything with regard to this world and not the infinite life. So, perhaps we can sometimes wish for things which will be bad for us rather than good because we cannot perceive comprehensively what is good or evil for us. Allah the Almighty, on the other hand, wishes the best for us. In addition, although we are individuals, we are related to our environment and all kinds of times and spaces in varying degrees. We cannot comprehensively conceive it either but Allah does; and He acts in accordance with His divine wisdom (Hikmat). For this reason, when we pray orally, sometimes He gives us what we want, sometimes he gives us just the opposite, sometimes nothing at all and sometimes He leaves it to the Hereafter. There is also a method of praying because we are not addressing an ordinary superior but rather the creator and manager of all worlds and the sultan of eternity.

There is no difference between the manifestations of the names of Allah the Almighty; the manifestation of Kalam is similar to the manifestation of Qudrah (power). For this reason, when He orders to create, He just says Be! So, the manifestation of the Quran is just like the manifestation of Qudrah. If He wishes, if it conforms to His divine wisdom and if there is absolute trust of His mercy and power and that He is absolutely not bound with means, the dead can be brought back, the mountains can be moved and grinded to dust and the sick can be cured if the Quran is read with that kind of a heart and tongue. In his book called Prayer, the double Nobel Prize winner French doctor Alexis Carrel says Prayer can cure even cancer. In his book Towards the Future he says the following: A priest asked Don Alexis, Do you teach your students to pray?. Don Alexis replied: I teach them to make their whole lives a prayer.

Belief necessitates supplication as a certain means of securing needs, and just as human nature has an intense desire for it, so too Almighty God decrees,

"Say, 'My Sustainer would not concern Himself with you but for your supplication,"

 

which has the meaning of: What importance would you have if you did not offer Me supplications? He also commands:

 

"Call upon Me and I will answer you."

 

If you say: "We frequently offer supplications, but they are not accepted. But the verse is general, it states that every supplication is answered."

The Answer: To answer is one thing, to accept is something quite different. Every supplication is answered, but its being accepted and exactly what was sought being given is dependant on Almighty God's wisdom. For example, if a sick child calls the doctor, saying: "Doctor! Doctor!", and he replies: "Here I am, what do you want?", and the child says: "Give me that medicine!", the doctor will either give him exactly what he asks for or something better and more beneficial for him. Or knowing that it is harmful for his illness, he will give him nothing.

Thus, since Almighty God is all-present and all-seeing, He responds to the supplications of His servants. Through His presence and response, He transforms the desolation of loneliness and solitude into familiarity. But He does this, not in accordance with man's capricious and importunate demands, but in accordance with the requirements of Dominical wisdom; He gives either what is sought or what is better than it, or He gives nothing at all.Also, supplication is a form of worship and recognition of man's servitude to God. The fruits of this pertain to the hereafter. The aims pertaining to this world are the times of a particular sort of supplication and worship. For example, the prayers and supplications for rain are a form of worship. Drought is the time for such worship. Worship and supplications of this sort are not in order to bring rain. If they are performed with that intention alone they are not worthy of acceptance, for they are not sincere worship. Sunset is the time of the evening prayers. And eclipses of the sun and moon are the times of two particular prayers known as salat-i kusuf and salat-i khusuf. That is to say, with the veiling of the two luminous signs of the night and day, God's tremendousness is proclaimed, so Almighty God calls his servants to a sort of worship at those times. The prayers are not so that the sun and moon will be revealed (whose appearance and how long the eclipses will continue have anyway been reckoned by astronomers).

 

In just the same way, drought is the time for the prayers for rain. And the visitation of calamities and infliction of harmful things the times of certain supplications when man realizes his impotence and through his supplication and entreaty seeks refuge at the Court of One Possessing Absolute Power. Even if the calamities are not lifted despite many supplications, it may not be said that they were not accepted. It should rather be said that the time for the supplication is not yet over. If through His graciousness and munificence Almighty God removes the calamity, light upon light, then the time for that supplication is over and done with. That is to say, supplication has the meaning of worship and man's acknowledging his servitude to God.As for worship and servitude to God, it should be purely and sincerely for God's sake. Man should only proclaim his impotence and seek refuge with Him through supplication, he should not interfere in His Dominicality. He should leave the taking of measures to Him and rely on His wisdom. He should not accuse His Mercy. Indeed, what is in reality established by the Qur'an's clear verses is that just as all beings offer their own particular glorification and worship, so too what rises to the Divine Court from all the universe is supplication. This is either through the tongue of innate ability like the supplication of all plants and animals by which each, through this tongue, seeks a form from the Absolute Bestower and to display and manifest His Names. Or it is through the tongue of innate need. These are the supplications for all their essential needs Ğ beyond their power to obtain Ğ offered by all animate beings. Through this tongue, each animate being seeks certain things from the Absolutely Generous One for the continuance of its life, like a sort of sustenance. Or it is supplication through the tongue of exigency, through which all beings with spirits who find themselves in some plight or predicament make supplication and seek urgent refuge with an unknown protector; indeed, they turn to the All-Compassionate Sustainer. If there is nothing to prevent it, these three sorts of supplication are always accepted.The fourth sort of supplication is the most well-known; it is our supplication. This too is of two sorts: one is active and by disposition, and the other, verbal and with the heart. For example, having recourse to causes is an active prayer. To gather together causes is not in order to create the effect, but through the tongue of disposition to take up an acceptable position in order to seek the effect from Almighty God. To plough a field is to knock at the door of the treasury of mercy. Since this sort of active supplication is directed towards the Absolutely Generous One's Name and title, it is accepted in the great majority of cases.The second sort is to offer supplication with the tongue and the heart. It is to seek certain wishes which the hand cannot reach. The most important aspect, the most beautiful aim, the sweetest fruit of this is this: "The one who offers the supplications knows that there is Someone Who hears the wishes of his heart, Whose hand can reach all things, Who can bring about each of his desires, Who takes pity on his impotence, and answers his poverty."And so, O impotent, needy man! Do not neglect a means like supplication, which is the key to the treasury of mercy and to an inexhaustible strength. Cling to it! Rise to the highest peaks of humanity! Include in your supplications those of all the universe, like a king! Say, From You alone do we seek help, like a servant and deputy representing all the universe! Be on the Most Excellent Pattern of creation! (The Words, 23rd Word, by Bediuzzman Said Nursi)

Dua (prayer) is a kind of worship. The main principle in prayers should be the aim of worshipping. It is wrong to regard prayer as something that needs to be accepted and something as a petition.

Sometimes, a person prays but what he wants is not accepted seemingly. However, we should not give up prayers in that case. If what is asked is obtained and if God Almighty accepts the prayer, it is much better, of course. However, even if it is not accepted seemingly, one should not say, “my prayer was not accepted.” On the contrary, it is necessary to say, “Allah accepted my prayer in a better way for my hereafter or in this world.”  

In fact, we need to say, “this prayer was not in vain; I will be rewarded for it in the hereafter because it is a kind of worship”; we should not give up prayers but try to pray more.

God Almighty states the following in the Quran: “Call on Me; I will answer your prayer.” (al-Mu’min, 40/60) Acting upon this verse, some people say, “Since Allah said, ‘Call on Me; I will answer your prayer’, why are our prayers not accepted although we pray a lot? The scholars state the following regarding the issue: “In the verse, Allah says, ‘I will answer’; He does not say, ‘I will accept’. If you go to a doctor and say to him, ‘Give me this and that medicine’, the doctor will answer you. However, if the medicine is not useful or if it is harmful, he will give you a better medicine.

Similarly, God Almighty, who has absolute wisdom, answers us and our prayers. However, accepting our prayers is related to His wisdom; He sometimes gives us exactly what we want; but He sometimes gives us a better one; and sometimes, He does not give anything because He knows it is harmful for us.

After this short explanation, let us have a look at the conditions for the acceptance of a prayer:

First of all, the prayer needs to be something acceptable. The mouth that utters the prayer needs to be sincere and sinless. If possible, the person needs to have wudu; he needs to eat halal food. Prayers uttered in holy places, especially in mosques, at holy times, especially in Ramadan, on holy nights like the Night of Qadr (Power), the Night of Barat, after prayers, especially after the morning prayer are more acceptable by the divine wisdom and divine mercy.

When the prayer is away from those conditions, the prayer will be less effective.

It is permissible to read and have on one’s body ruqyahs* (seeking protection and healing through supplication, etc) containing verses and hadiths. It exists in sunnah. However, putting the ruqyah into water and then drinking that water does not exist in the sunnah of our Prophet.

It is permissible to pray and to write verses and hadiths on paper and to have it on one’s body in order to be protected from disease, etc. Abdullah Ibn Umar reported the following from the Prophet (pbuh): "If one of you becomes scared while sleeping, he should say the following: ‘I take refuge in the words of Allah, who is free from all kinds of imperfection, from the wrath and torture of Allah, from the evils of His slaves, from the delusion of the devils and their coming near me‘ Then, nothing will harm him. Abdullah Ibn Amr taught it to his children who reached the age of puberty and wrote it on paper and for his small children and hang it around their necks. (Abu Dawud, Nasai, Tirmidhi).

However, it is definitely haram to exploit the issue and have it as a job and to work together with gullible women.

Halil Günenç Günümüz meselelerine Fetvalar – 2 (Fatwas for Today’s Problems)
*RUQYAH
It means a piece of written paper that is worn around the neck or had on the body in order to keep some diseases, evil things and the evil eye away; it also means something folded in three or piece of paper with three corners.

The Turkish word muska comes from the Arabic word “nuskhah”. It was transferred into Turkish in the form of muska. It is called “hurz” in North Africa, “hamaya”, “hafiz” or “maaza” in East Arabia, “muska”, “nusha” or “hamail” in Turkish. It is called “ruqyah” in hadith and fiqh books.

Ruqyah is usually worn in order to be protected from a possible disease or for treatment. It is generally put in a triangular buff, tin, silver or gold container and worn around the neck or arm. Ruqya which is also put in rectangular containers is used widely all over the Islamic world.

It is permissible to use great personalities as a wasila while praying. To use especially prophets and our Prophet will facilitate the acceptance of the prayer. In a verse the following is stated and this issue is pointed out. "Surely Allah and His angels bless the Prophet (He always treats him with His special mercy, with the angels praying to Him to grant him the highest station of praise with Him and for the decisive victory of his Religion). O you who believe, invoke the blessings of Allah on him, and pray to Allah to bestow His peace on him, greeting him with the best greeting. (Love and follow him with utmost sincerity and faithfulness, and give yourselves to his way with perfect submission.)"(1).

In addition, in a hadith narrated by Hazrat Anas the following is stated by attracting attention to sending blessings: "Allah sends ten blessings to whoever sends me one blessings, and forgives his ten sins and raises his rank ten degrees."(2)

Therefore, it is permissible to ask something from Allah by using prophets, great personalities with virtues, sahabas, walis as wasilas for the sake of them. However, it is not permissible, as some people do today, to light candles, to fasten wires, pieces of cloth and ropes at the tombs.

It is reported that Hazrat Umar went to pray for rain during his caliphate when there was a drought; He took Hazrat Abbas with him and took his hands between his hands and prayed, "O Allah! This is the hand of the uncle of your Prophet. Send us rain for the sake of this hand". Our great personalities prayed as follows, "O Allah! Have mercy on us, forgive us and meet my..need for the sake of the people you love and the people who love you"

(1) al-Ahzab, 33/56.
(2) Nasai, Sahiv 55, (3, 50);

Man’s creation is suitable both for good deed and sin. So, he, time to time, may commit sin willingly or unwillingly. On this matter in the Qur’an it is said: “Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgives anything else, to whom He pleases; to set up partners with Allah is to devise a sin most heinous indeed.” (An-Nisaa, 4/48-116). With these verses it is expressed that whatever sin committed may be forgiven except setting up partners with Allah.
In our books it is expressed that the repentance made with heart and soul will be accepted by Allah. Thus, Allah, the most Compassionate, with the verse “O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance: in the hope that your Lord will remove from you your evil deeds and admit you to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow …” (At-Tahrim, 66-8) declares that the repentances made will be accepted. The sincere repentance mentioned in the verse is as follow:
1.    Being aware of the committed sin before Allah and due to that sin, taking refuge in Him and feeling sorry.
2.    Feeling sorry for the sin committed and conscientiously being uncomfortable because committing such a sin before the Creator.
3.    Being in a determination of not committing such a sin any more.
4.    If it is concerning with rightful share, forgiving each other.
In one Hadith Our Prophet said as follow: “Sincere repentance is this:
-Regretting for the sins.
-Performing obligatory worships.
-Not doing cruelty and hostility.
-Making peace with hurt and cross.
-Being in determination of not going back to sin any more.”
Inshaallah if these conditions are applied, we hope that Allah will accept our repentances.
However, man, every time, should be in a feeling between hope and fear. Neither we may rely on our worships, nor fall into despair due to our sins. As for it is wrong to say “I am very good, I managed that work.”, so too, saying that ‘Allah will not accept me’ is wrong at the same degree.
Note: One can pray for someone else for being forgiven.

How and when should we supplicate? What are the most grateful supplications?

It is permissible to use great personalities as a wasila while praying. To use especially prophets and our Prophet will facilitate the acceptance of the prayer. In a verse the following is stated and this issue is pointed out. "Surely Allah and His angels bless the Prophet (He always treats him with His special mercy, with the angels praying to Him to grant him the highest station of praise with Him and for the decisive victory of his Religion). O you who believe, invoke the blessings of Allah on him, and pray to Allah to bestow His peace on him, greeting him with the best greeting. (Love and follow him with utmost sincerity and faithfulness, and give yourselves to his way with perfect submission.)"(1).

In addition, in a hadith narrated by Hazrat Anas the following is stated by attracting attention to sending blessings: "Allah sends ten blessings to whoever sends me one blessings, and forgives his ten sins and raises his rank ten degrees."(2)

Therefore, it is permissible to ask something from Allah by using prophets, great personalities with virtues, sahabas, walis as wasilas for the sake of them. However, it is not permissible, as some people do today, to light candles, to fasten wires, pieces of cloth and ropes at the tombs.

It is reported that Hazrat Umar went to pray for rain during his caliphate when there was a drought; He took Hazrat Abbas with him and took his hands between his hands and prayed, "O Allah! This is the hand of the uncle of your Prophet. Send us rain for the sake of this hand". Our great personalities prayed as follows, "O Allah! Have mercy on us, forgive us and meet my..need for the sake of the people you love and the people who love you"

(1) al-Ahzab, 33/56.
(2) Nasai, Sahiv 55, (3, 50);

Supplication (praying) is a form of worshipping. Our main principle in supplication should be the intention and aim of worshipping. It is wrong to see supplication as a petition that should be accepted.

Sometimes, we pray for something but what we want is not answered seemingly. However, we should not cease praying. If we get what we want and if God Almighty answers our prayer, it is wonderful. However, if it is not answered seemingly, we should not say, “my prayer was not answered.” On the contrary, we should say, “Allah answered my prayer for the hereafter or for something better in the world.”

We should not cease praying thinking, “the prayer was not in vain; I will receive its reward in the hereafter”; we should try and be motivated to pray more.

God Almighty states the following in the Quran: “Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer).” (al-Mu’min,60) Acting upon that verse, some people say, “since Allah says ‘Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer)’, why are our prayers not answered although we pray a lot?” Our scholars say unanimously that Allah says, “I will answer” not “I will accept”. When you go to see a doctor and say to him, “Give me this or that medicine”, the doctor will definitely answer you.  However, if what you want is useless or harmful, he gives you some better medicine.

Similarly, God Almighty, who is the Perfectly Wise, answers our prayers. However, since accepting our prayers is subject to His wisdom, He sometimes gives us exactly what we want, sometimes better than what we want and sometimes does not give it at all, because He knows that it is harmful for us.

After this explanation, let us have a look at the conditions of the acceptance of a prayer. First of all, the prayer should be something acceptable. Then, one should pray with a sincere and sinless mouth. If it is possible, one should make wudu before praying (dua) and there should not be anything haram in his stomach. It is better, in terms of divine wisdom and mercy, to pray in blessed places, especially in mosques, at blessed times especially in the month of Ramadan and on the nights of Qadr (Power), Barat (middle of the month of Shaban), etc, after daily prayers (salahs), especially after the morning prayer for the prayers to be accepted. It will be a means of acceptance to utter salawat for the Prophet at the beginning and end of the prayer because salawat are among the prayers that are accepted. Prayers uttered between two accepted prayers are expected to be accepted

It is sunnah, not bid’ah, to say/read supplications (duas) after fard prayers.

As a matter of fact, the Prophet (pbuh) stated the following in a hadith reported by Abu Dawud, Nasai and Tirmidhi:

“When one of you performs a prayer, he should praise Allah, say salawat for the prayer and say any prayers/supplications he wishes after that.” (see Naylul-Awtar, 2/577)

Salatan Tunjina Supplication:

"Allahumma salli ala Sayyidina Muhammadin wa ala ali Sayyidina Muhammadin salatan tunjina biha min-jami'il-ahwali wal afat. Wa taqdi lana biha jamial hajat wa tutahhiruna biha min-jami’is-sayyiat wa tarfa'una biha indaka a'lad-darajat wa tuballighuna biha aqsal-ghayat min jami’il-khayrati fil-hayati wa ba'dal-mamat birahmatika Ya arhama'r-rahimin. Hasbunallahu wa ni'mal wakil, ni'mal mawla wa ni'man-nasir. Ghufranaka rabbana wa ilaykal-masir."

Its meaning:

"O Allah! Grant your blessings to our Master Muhammad and the family of our Master Muhammad, blessings with which we will be saved from all adverse conditions and misfortunes with which all our needs will be fulfilled with which we will be cleansed from all sins with which we will be raised to high spiritual ranks, and with which we may attain the best of all kinds of goodness in this life and in the hereafter. O the most merciful of the merciful! Allah is sufficient for us and the best to arrange all our affairs. He is the best Lord I can have and the best One to advise me, I am asking your forgiveness, O our Lord, and to Your presence we return.

We should state that the following part does not exist in some resources: "Hasbunallahu wa ni'mal wakil, ni'mal mawla wa ni'man-nasir. Ghufranaka rabbana wa ilaykal-masir." However, it is very useful to say that part too.

This supplication is of great importance and thawabs. It is hoped that a person who says this supplication regularly will be saved from troubles, protected from misfortunes and that his wishes will be realized and he will have ample sustenance.  

During a dua (supplication), the hands are held separately, the palms facing the sky. The palms of both hands are held open like the two scales of a balance at the level of the chest, awaiting the divine mercy to come from the sky. 

However, it is not contrary to the Sunnah to make the hands adjacent and hold them next to each other sometimes. The Messenger of Allah made dua in both ways. However, it is understood that he generally held his hands separate.

As a matter of fact, in Shafii madhhab, the hands are held backwards, the palms facing the ground, when the sentences that include fear are read but in Hanafis, the palms face the ground only in rain prayer, not in others.

Shafiis’ holding their hands backwards in duas in order to avoid misfortunes is based on some hadiths; it is sunnah. One of those hadiths is as follows:

“When the Prophet (pbuh) asked something to happen from Allah, he would make his palms face the sky. However, when he wanted to avoid something, he would make his palms face the ground.” (For the hadiths regarding the issue, see Musnad, Ahmad b. Hanbal IV/56; Majmauz-Zawaid, X/168; Jam’ul-Fawaid, II/618; al-Fathul-Kabir, II/357)

Therefore, those who hold their hands backwards act in accordance with those hadiths. Hanafis imitate Shafiis when they do so.

A memory regarding the issue:

Ibn Faqihani reports the following incident, which I will summarize, in his book called "Fajru Munir":

Abu Musa, who was a great saint, was on a ship in stormy weather. When the ship was about to sink in the stormy weather, he took refuge in the Prophet (pbuh) as follows:

O Messenger of Allah! Our ship is going to sink; so many innocent people on it are going to be drowned to death. Please show us a way of salvation!

Meanwhile, he heard the following: O Abu Musa! Read the supplication of Tunjina! That is, read the supplication that rescues, the supplication that rescues.

He said: O Messenger of Allah! What is the supplication of Tunjina? We do not know about it.

The Prophet (pbuh) read Salatan Tunjina, which is given above and which we read after prayers today. He told them to read it.

The passengers on the ship learned it from Abu Musa and read it altogether. The storm calmed and they landed safe and sound.

When the danger of enemy appeared in the borders of Muslims’ land, our soldiers would resist them with material weapons and the believers in the country would read this supplication that rescued due to the properties of that supplication. They expelled the enemy with spiritual weapons along with material weapons.

Zapsu, who wrote about the issue in the periodical called Ehl-i Sünnet made an offer and said, ‘We should not read Salatan Tunjina, which was demanded by the Presidency of Religious Affairs to be read in the mosque in order to prevent the danger of the enemy in the borders, any longer. The danger disappeared. If something like that happens again in the future – God forbid – what shall we read then? 

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi states the following for this supplication, which is included in "Dalailul-Khayrat" written by Dawud Efendi of Morocco: "A supplication that many great saints read and give importance to."

This supplication was written based on inspiration. We should not urge others to read it or not to read it. If a person reads it, he gets thawabs. If a person does not read it, he is not regarded to have committed a sin. I myself read it and find it appropriate. As it befits its name, it is a supplication that rescues.

Supplication is a kind of worship. One supplicates when he is needy, feeling his weakness and neediness. Therefore, he performs the worship of supplication this way. Performing the worship is more important than its result. Frankly, Allah gives what one wants if He wishes, or does not give if He wishes not. Nevertheless, every supplication is responded. Allah either gives what is asked for in supplication, or postpones so as to give it later, or He does not give it as it is not good for the asker, postponing it to give in the hereafter. Or He does not give what one exactly asks of but a better one. One cannot say a supplication is not accepted.

What is the reason of refusal of a supplication? Is supplication a sort of worship?

Supplication is a requirement of service to Allah. Our main principle in supplications must be the aim of worship. Otherwise, it is false to consider supplication as merely a petition for needs, which should be accepted.

Sometimes we supplicate to ask for something. However, what we ask for is seemingly not accepted. In spite of this, we should not quit supplicating. If what we ask for is accepted by Allah and given to us, it is more than favorable to us. However, if it is not accepted and not given to us, we will not say “my supplication has not been accepted”. Contrarily, we should say “Allah accepted that supplication of mine for the hereafter or in a better way in this world.”

Actually, that supplication is not in vain; we should try to supplicate more and more eagerly thinking that we will have the return for it in the hereafter, for it is a kind of worship.

Allah says in Quran: “Call on Me; I will answer your (Supplication)” (al-Mu’min, 40:60). , Putting this verse forward, some people say: “Although Allah says “Call on Me; I will answer your supplication”, why are some of our supplications refused although we supplicate a lot?” In this matter, the scholars agree to say that Allah says “I will answer” and not “I will accept”. Imagine that you see a doctor and say “doctor, give me this medicine”. Of course, the doctor will answer you but it does not mean that the answer will be positive. If the medicine you ask for is not good for you, he will not give it to you or maybe he will give you a better one.

Similarly, Allah, the All-wise, of course responds to our supplications. However, He sometimes gives exactly what we ask for, or gives a better one than what we ask for, or does not give it at all as He knows it is bad for us.

After this short explanation, let us talk about the conditions for a supplication to be accepted. First of all, the supplication must be something acceptable. Then it must be made with a sincere and sinless tongue. If possible, it must be done after making wudu and having halal food. Supplication made in holy places, especially masjids and mosques, in holy times especially month of Ramadan and holy nights such as Laylatu’l Qadr, Laylatu’l Barat, after prayers especially morning prayer are likelier to be accepted. The more one leaves these conditions out in his supplications, the less effective the supplications will be.

There are different kinds of supplication:

For instance, you have an examination tomorrow. The supplication for the examination is studying. It is called practical supplication.

After finishing studying, we raise our hands and say “My Lord, give me what is good for me”; and it is verbal supplication.

One should supplicate sincerely and be ready to accept the result because Allah knows that what we want sometimes may not be good for us, but we do not know. As Allah who has infinite mercy knows that it will not be good for us, He accepts that supplication in a different way.

Hazrat Mary’s mother vowed her to the mosque when she was about to be born. And when she saw that her child was not a boy but a girl, she was surprised and sad. Emphasizing that example, Islamic scholars say that Allah definitely accepts our supplication. Sometimes He accepts them in a different and better way. And Hazrat Mary was a girl equal to a hundred boys. One cannot say that Allah did not accept her supplication. As a matter of fact, He accepted her supplication in a better way. And sometimes one thinks that his supplication is never accepted on the earth. However, his supplication is accepted in a better and more elevated way in Heaven.

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In Qur’an, it is stated that there are responds to every supplication. Yet most of our supplications are not accepted favorably?

If you can do something to ameliorate the situation, do it. If you cannot do anything, you can pray. You can pray by opening your hands and uttering the words that you feel especially after the morning prayer. We hope your sincere prayers will be answered and you will return to your previous happy days.   

You should not associate it with evil eyes. The effect of the evil eye is possible. However, you cannot say that it is definite. Besides, Allah tests a person through both abundance and trouble. Those who show patience are given the glad tidings of Paradise. If you show patience and pray, we hope that the misfortune will disappear sooner.

Supplication is a form of worship and recognition of man’s servitude to God. The main aim in our prayers must have a purpose of worshipping. Otherwise accepting prayers as only letters of demand which need to be fulfilled is wrong. Besides, Allah is Al Hakeem (the All-Wise the All-Knowing); He does not do anything without wisdom or in vain. If a person prays God and asks him to create night in the middle of the day, it means he accepts beforehand that his prayer will not be accepted because He does not do anything without wisdom  He does not fulfill his servant’s wishes which are not compatible with the norms of His wisdom.

Another definition of wisdom (Al Hikmah) is as follows: “Wisdom is to have the Divine ethics”.

What is divine ethics? The shortest definition, it is the ethics of the Qur’an… the ethics which God consents to…

Allah has not created anything idle; He has no any useless action. And human grasps this reality to the extent that he gives up useless deeds which we call that are good for nothing. That is why the prayers of God’s beloved servants are mostly accepted.

If we look with the eye of wisdom, it would be understood very well how bad it is to demand something which is considered as stupidity even by humans as if one questions the dignity of our Lord. (God forbid)

Amr Ibnu Shuayb narrates from his father and grandfather: "The Prophet (pbuh) said,

"The most virtuous prayer (dua) is the one said on the day of Arafah. The most virtuous supplication I and the prophets before me said is La ilaha 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)." [Muwatta, Qur'an 32, (1, 214, 215); Tirmidhi, Da'awat 133, (3579)]

Abu Hurayra narrates: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

"If a person says the supplication, "La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah. Lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu wa huwa ala kulli shay'in qadir" one hundred times a day, he will be given thawabs as if he has freed ten slaves; in addition, one hundred thawabs are given to him and one hundred sins of him are deleted. This also protects him against Satan three days until the evening. No one except who reads more than it can do a deed better than his. If a person says "Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi"( Allah is free from imperfection and all praise is due to Him) one hundred times a day, his sins will be eliminated even if they are as abundant as the foams of the sea." [Bukhari, Daawat 54, Bad'ul-Khalq 11; Muslim, Dhikr 28, (2691); Muwatta, Qur'an 20, (1, 209); Tirmidhi, Daawat 61, (3464)]

EXPLANATION:

1. This supplication includes the phrase يُحْيِى وَيُمِيتُ  (gives life and death) in a narration and the phrase بِيَدِهِ اْلخَيْرُ  (the good deeds are in His hand) in another narration.

2. When to read this supplication varies from narration to narration. In a narration, a general phrase like "a day" is used but specific times are mentioned in two other narrations: one being "in the morning" and the other "ten times after the morning prayer before speaking".

Abu Sa'id narrates: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

"If a person says 'La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah. Lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu bi yadihil khayr 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, the good deeds are in His hand and He is Potent over everything) after the morning prayer, he will be given thawabs as if he has freed a slave from Sons of Ismail."

(Prof. Dr. İbrahim Canan, Kütüb-i Sitte)

"Allahumma ajirna minannar."

Its meaning: 

"O Allah! Protect us from hellfire." 

The Prophet (pbuh) states the following for the supplication above:

"When you perform the morning prayer, say the following seven times before speaking to anybody:

Allahumma ajirni minannar = O Allah! Protect me from hellfire.'

If you die that day, Allah will write a decree for you to protect you from hellfire. When you perform the morning prayer, say the following seven times before speaking to anybody:

'O Allah! Protect me from hellfire.'

If you die that night, Allah will write a decree for you to protect you from hellfire." (Musnad, IV/234)

Hz. Salman narrates: "the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

"Your Lord is hayiy and generous. When His slaves opens his hands and prays him, He feels ashamed to reject him." (Tirmidhi, Daawat 118, (3551); Abu Dawud, Salat 358, (1488).

Hayiy means the one who feels ashamed a lot. It is not appropriate to use the lexical meaning of the word ashamed for Allah. For, ashamed means the change and disappointment that takes place in a person with fear of being condemned and blamed. Something like that is impossible for God Almighty. When the word hayiy is used for Allah, it has a different meaning.  

What is meant by haya (shame) is abandoning what is blamed and unpleasant; so, scholars understand it as follows regarding Allah:
 
Allah is "hayiy" means He does what pleases His slave and abandons what harms him. Then, we need to understand the hadith in question as"God Almighty definitely gives His slave who asks from Him what is good for him; He does not leave his prayer unanswered." It is necessary to understand the act of giving as giving him exactly what he wants, giving something better than he wants or giving him rewards and decreasing his sins based on divine wisdom...

Hz. Ibn Mas'ud narrates: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) liked uttering prayers and asking for forgiveness three times." (Abu Dawud, Salat 361, (1524)

Hz. Prophet (pbuh) advises us to insist and to ask repeatedly. This narration shows that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) repeated it three times when he prayed Allah and asked for forgiveness.

Hz. Abu Hurayra narrates: "The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
 
"Your prayers are accepted unless you hurry. However, some of you say, "I prayed Lord but He did not accept my prayer." (Bukhari, Daawat 22; Muslim, Dhikr 92, (2735); Muwatta, Qur'an 29 (1, 213); Tirmidhi, Daawat 145, (3602, 3603); Abu Dawud, Salat 358, (1484).

Another narration of Muslim is as follows:
 
"The prayer of a person is always accepted unless he demands to commit sins and to break relations with his relatives."

Another narration of Tirmidhi is as follows:
 
"Allah answers the prayer of everybody who asks from him. This answer may be in the form of giving him what he wants at once, in the form of giving it in the hereafter; or his sins are decreased based on the amount of his prayer unless he demands to commit sins, to break relations with his relatives or unless he hurries."

In the hadith above, the Messenger of Allah attracts attention to a weakness of people who pray: "isti'jal", that is, hurrying; in other words, the desire to see the result of the prayer at once. In a narration of Muslim, when the Messenger of Allah was asked, "What is isti'jal?", he answered as follows:  

"To say, 'I prayed Allah but I could not obtain anything' and to abandon praying."

Then, Hz. Prophet (pbuh) does not like hurrying that will cause one to abandon prayers. Therefore, he definitely states that prayers will be answered if people keep praying; he says prayers will be answered in one of the following ways:

"1. The prayer is accepted and the result is obtained in this world.

2. Rewards are recorded to be given in the hereafter.

3. The sins of the person who prays are forgiven."

Then, the hadith encourages us to keep saying prayers and asking good things from Allah. It is necessary to keep saying prayers by regarding it as a necessity of servitude. A believer never gets tired of worshipping; the purpose of his life is worshipping and servitude to Allah. For, Allah created man only that he should worship Him. (adh-Dhariyat, 51/56). The reason why the answer to prayer is delayed is that the answering time has not arrived yet or it is necessary for the person to worship and pray more. For, God Almighty likes those who insist on praying and who pray a lot.

(İbrahim Canan, Kutub-i Sitte Tercüme ve Şerhi, Akçağ Yayınları: 6/545.)

Answer 1:

A dua should be made sincerely and persistently because the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) would repeat each dua sentence three times.

The prophet Muhammad (pbuh) advised us to say dua with a sensitive heart, be very precise about the wish, simply describe the wish, not to be hasty for the dua to come true but to be persistent with the dua and repeat the wish for three times when necessary. (See Bukhari, Daawat, 20-22; Tirmidhi, Daawat, 12, 66)

Abdullah bin Masud (RA), one of the Companions, said, “Our Prophet (pbuh)  repeated his wish three times when he said a dua and in the same way he would repeat three times when he requested something” (Muslim, Jihad, 107)

Our Prophet (PBUH) advised Anas bin Malik (RA), one of the Companions, to put his hand on the area where he felt pain and say:

“Bismillah (In the name of Allah), I take refuge in the power of Allah from the harm from the pain I suffer” And he added “then remove your hand and repeat this dua for three or five times” (Abu Ya’la, Dhikr and Dua, No: 1126)

 

Answer 2:

In Islamic sources, it is indicated that it is necessary to obey some conditions related to the form and ethical principles for the dua as it is the case for the other deeds of worship.

Hence, the one who is praying (saying dua), should assume a manner that is appropriate for dua. As a matter of fact, it is described how to act and what to do in salah (prayer), which is also a kind of dua.

These actions apparently frame and discipline the man’s attitude of respect and taking refuge in Allah and inherently and they mean man’s expressing his weakness, incapability in the presence of Allah and presenting Him his wishes of praise, thankfulness and help.

In any kind of dua and prayer, a servant’s being purified from the moral defects such as arrogance, show off, rudeness and ignorance is the essence of good manners. According to a verse in the Quran (al-A’raf 7/, 206) Those who are in the presence of Allah do not disdain to do Him worship; on the contrary, they celebrate His praises, and prostrate before Him. It is necessary for the one who mentions Allah to stand in awe and get the position of begging and to celebrate with respect and without raising his/her voice. The opposite is unheedfulness.

In another verse which demands the prayer (dua) to be said wholeheartedly and secretly, any act opposite to this is described as a deed which Allah does not like and exceeding of the limits. (al-A’raf 7-55, 56)

According to a narration, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) stopped the Muslims who started praising Allah Loudly and said “You are not praying to the one who is deaf or far away but to Allah who hears and sees everything.” (Bukhari, Daawat, 50; Tirmidhi, Daawat, 58)

In another verse in the Quran about this issue, it is indicated that Allah is very close to the people and replies the prayers of those who calls on Him. (al-Baqara 2/186)

Related books include some principles about what kind of a propriety should the servant be in while saying a dua in the presence of Allah and under what circumstances his/her dua would be accepted. Some of the emphasized points are as follows: the subject, time, place, way to start and end a prayer, and the body’s position while saying a dua.

Ghazzali gives a 10-item “manners” list which also includes the principles to make a dua sincerely, secretly and with a low voice. Accordingly, a dua should be done in blessed times and places by facing towards the qiblah, by starting with the name of Allah, by feeling the regret for the sins and persistently by believing that it is going to be accepted by Allah. (Ihya, I, 304-309)

It can be said that sitting on the knees, raising hand palms high in the begging position and praying by heart by praising Allah silently is a natural dua position. The ones who saw the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said that sometimes he raised his hand to a level that allowed his armpits to be seen, he wiped his face after saying a dua, (Bukhari, Daawat, 23; Tirmidhi, Daawat, 11) and sometimes he repeated some words expressing praise, takbir and glory a few times and he used his finger joints to count them. (Tirmidhi, Daawat, 72)

However,  the Messenger of Allah did not want glorification to last for a long time and said that it would be enough to say comprehensive expressions like   “as  many times as the number of creatures” or “as the weight of Allah’s throne” three times. (Muslim, Dhikr, 79; Abu Dawud, Salah, 359; Tirmidhi, Daawat, 89, 114, 121)

Our Prophet (pbuh)  said that it is more appropriate to praise Allah first, say salawat for His Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) before wishing something from Allah while saying a dua. (Abu Dawud, Salah, 358)

A dua should be said secretly and silently, by feeling the regret inside for the sins, by facing the qiblah, by starting with the name of Allah and during the dua, religious consciousness should be increased and focused and one should not be hasty about the acceptance of the dua by Allah. It is necessary to continue saying dua persistently by believing by heart that it will be accepted.

Besides, before presenting the wishes to Allah, it is necessary to thank and praise Allah, and say salawat for the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). One should make wudu (Tirmidhi Daawat, 125), face toward the qiblah if it is possible and repeat  the dua sentences three times.

When the Prophet (pbuh) startedeating a meal, he prayed as follows: 

"Allahumma barik lana fima razaqtana wa qina adhabannar, bismillah."

("O Allah! Bless the food You provided us and save us from the punishment of hellfire. In the name of Allah.") (Nawawi, Adhkar, 205; Majmuatu'l-Ahzab)

There are hadiths about uttering Allah's name while starting a meal:

“Utter Allah's name! Eat with your right hand! Eat from the front of you. Eat of the dish what is nearer to you!” (Bukhari, At`ima 2, 3; Muslim, Ashriba 108. See also Tirmidhi, At`ima 47; Ibn Majah, At`ima 8)

“When one of you eats, he should mention Allah's name; if he forgets to mention Allah's name at the beginning, he should say: "In the name of Allah at the beginning and at the end of it" when he remembers.” (Abu Dawud, At`ima 15; Tirmidhi, At`ima 47)

Once, a man was eating next to the Messenger of Allah. He did not mention Allah's name until the last morsel. When he raised it to his mouth, he said, 'In the name of Allah at the beginning and at the end of it.' The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) laughed and said,

"The devil kept eating along with him. When he mentioned Allah's name, the devil vomited what was in his belly." (Abu Dawud, At`ima 15; Nasai, as–Sunanul–Kubra, Adabul–Akl, 15)

Hz. Prophet (pbuh) said a lot of prayers after meals. Therefore, there are a lot of hadiths about prayers after meals. It will be useful to read some of them by combining them:

"Praise be to Allah who fed us, gave us drink and made us Muslims." (Abu Dawud, III/475)

"O Allah! Bless it for us, and feed us with food better than it." (Tirmidhi, Daawat, 55)

"Provide for our sustenance, for Thou art the best Sustainer." (al-Maida, 5/114) "O Allah! We ask from You the whole of your boons, impeccable ummah and continuation of your sign." (Abu Dawud, III/501)

Anas b. Malik narrates. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

"The sins of a person who prays as follows: after eating are forgiven: 

"Praise be to Allah, who fed me this and granted it as provision to me, without any effort from me nor power." (Tirmidhi, Daawat, 56)

Allah will not allow any good deeds to be lost. There are degrees of light from the light of a candle to the sunlight. Similarly, prayers also have degrees. Those who commit haram deeds lower the degree of their prayers according to the bigness of the harams.

Hz. Abu Hurayra narrates: The Prophet (pbuh) stated the following:

“O people, Allah is Good and He therefore, accepts only that which is good. And Allah commanded the believers as He commanded the Messengers by saying,

“O ye messengers! Enjoy (all) things good and pure, and work righteousness: for I am well-acquainted with (all) that ye do.” (al-Muminun, 23/51),

“O ye who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for you, and be grateful to Allah, if it is Him ye worship.” (al-Baqara, 2/172). Then, he added:

"A person travels for a long time in the way of Allah, his hair disheveled and covered with dust. He lifts his hand towards the sky and makes the supplication: "O Lord, O Lord!" However, what he eats is haram, his drink is haram, and his clothes are haram. How can his supplication be accepted since he feeds himself with haram?” (Muslim, Zakah, 19; Tirmidhi, Tafsir,3;  Ahmad b. Hanbal, 2/328)

Tirmidhi used the phrase “hasan-gharib” for this hadith. (ibid)

The important point here is this: The person who makes a supplication is surrounded by harams. He does not repent. On the on hand, he disobeys Allah and on the other hand, he wants something from Him. It is a bad attitude; it is an example of shamelessness.

Another important point regarding the issue is this: To commit a crime and to obey are inversely proportional. The existence of these two opposite poles side by side indicates a problem. Although nobody is innocent except prophets, to commit crimes and to disobey Allah all the time is not in compliance with the sincerity of a person who believes in Allah sincerely and who places His greatness in his heart. In that case, it is necessary for this person to question his sincerity.

The Prophet stated the following in a hadith:

“The dearest deed to Allah is that which is done regularly, though it is little.” (Bukhari, Iman, 43)

What is emphasized here is regularity. For, doing something regularly shows the value of that thing in a person’s inner world, his resoluteness about it and his intention.

It is possible to reach the following conclusion acting upon that hadith: “The worst of deeds (sins) is the one that is done regularly, though it is little.” For, regularity (doing something continuously) expresses many things. It is a mirror that reflects the system, intention, viewpoint, inner world, character and principles of a person.

As a matter of fact, the following evaluation exists in another hadith:

“A crime that is committed insistently will not remain as something small even if it is small. A crime that is repented and demanded to be forgiven will not be regarded as big even if it is big.” (Ajluni, II/364)

The negative effect of a haram food that diffuses into all cells of the body cannot be denied. For, the interaction of the body and spirit is a scientifically proven fact. As a matter of fact, attention is attracted to the following issue in a hadith:

“When the believer commits sin, a black spot appears on his heart. If he repents and gives up that sin and seeks forgiveness, his heart will be polished. However, if the sin increases, the black spot increases. That is the rusting mentioned by the following verse: ‘By no means! But on their hearts is the stain of the (ill) which they do!’-al-Mutaffifin, 83/14-” (Ibn Majah, Zuhd, 29)

THE PRAYER TO BE RECITED IN ORDER TO HAVE A BABY:

One must ask from Allah what is best for him/her. We may not know what is good or bad for us. As it is stated in one verse of the Quran, sometimes it may be good for us what we assume to be bad and vice versa. Therefore, we must demand the best of everything from Allah, including a child. Of course, having a baby is everyone’s wish. And it is supported by the laws of creation. However, in some cases, it may be better for someone not to have a baby.

Families without kids may strive to remove the causes of failing to have kids and try to have a baby. However, if all the efforts for having a baby do not work, it is not good to make it a big problem or to insist that much. Perhaps it is better for them. Perhaps they would have faced unexpected troubles if they had had a kid, and thus Allah did not give them a child in order protect them.

Yes, one may wish to have a baby, try to have one, but must not cross the line and turn it into an obsession. One must always ask for the best from Allah. May Allah give us the best of everything. (Amen)

1. "Inna rabbaka huwa al-khallaqu alAAaleemu" This verse: “Surely, your Lord knows all kinds of creation” (al-Hijr, 15/86) must be repeated 1267 times, day and night, for three months.

2. Or "Fa-llāhu huwa l-waliyyu wa-huwa yuhyi" This verse: “Surely, Allah is the friend and He is the Creator” (ash-Shura, 42/9) must be repeated 289 times before intercourse.

3. Or the verse "Huwa Allahu al khaliqu albariu" Or this verse: “He is the Creator from nothing” (al-Hashr, 59/24) must be repeated 1054 times.)

4. Or, with the condition that, the woman has no medical problems, the woman who does not have a baby, must write “Bismillahirrahmanirrahim -  In the name of Allah, the most merciful, the most compassionate” on a clean piece of paper 110 times, then keep the paper on her, and have intercourse with her spouse, she will get pregnant by the leave of Allah. (She must keep the paper on her body till she gets pregnant)

THE PRAYER TO BE RECITED FOR HAVING A BOY

(Be it son or daughter, but let it have a smooth face and hands) is a true saying that expresses an important truth. Indeed, we may not know whether a son or a daughter is good for us. We must also ask from Allah a good child. We can wish a boy or a girl. However, we must not be insistent. One must pray like this:

“O my Allah, We want from you a boy (or a girl), but you know better than us. Give us whatever is the best for us.”

Yes, one must pray like that; and, whether it  is a boy or a girl, one must never object or show displeasure. Besides, that reaction will be in vain because, it is beyond our power. It is entirely the judgment of Allah. No one has the authority to object His deeds. Such behavior never complies with the meaning of servitude or the meaning of being a true Muslim. We must surrender to the predestination of Allah and feel contented by His deeds. Let us repeat the sentence at the very beginning: “Be it son or daughter, but let it have a smooth face and hands.” Amen

For begetting a son, one must read the chapter of al-Ikhlas three times with Basmala before the intercourse and then read the following prayer:

"Allahummaj alni min ladunka zurriyyatan tayyibatan mutiatan." MEANING: “O my Allah! Grant me a pure and respectful generation from your high presence.”

(Bilal Eren, Açıklamalı Büyük Dua Hazinesi (The Big Treasure of Prayers with explanations), p 165-166)

Will you please click on the link given below;

What prayer should we recite in order to have a good child?

The date of death does not change in the divine knowledge. Allah knows that a person will pray, and He allocates a life to him accordingly.

MUGHAYYABAT AL-KHAMSA (FIVE UNKNOWN THINGS)

One of the debatable issues about the future is the issue of “Mughayyabat al-Khamsa”, that is, “five unknown things”. The five issues mentioned in verse 34 of the chapter of Luqman are described as “the keys to the unknown” by the Prophet (pbuh). The relevant verse is as follows:

“Verily the knowledge of the Hour is with Allah (alone). It is He Who sends down rain, and He Who knows what is in the wombs. Nor does anyone know what it is that he will earn on the morrow: nor does anyone know in what land he is to die. Verily with Allah is full knowledge and He is acquainted (with all things).” (Luqman 34)

We can summarize these five issues as follows:

1. The knowledge about Doomsday
2. Rain
3. The properties of the fetus
4. How much a person will earn tomorrow
5. Where a person will die.

Among these five issue, there is no disagreement about number 1, 4 and 5. Nobody says, “We know those issues. Then, they are not unknown.”

As for the issues “He sends down rain” and “He knows what is in the womb”, they are subject to evaluations like, “Does only Allah know about them? Can some people know about them?”

The cause of these discussions is the fact that the weather condition is estimated more or less by the sophisticated weather forecast equipment and the gender of the fetus in the womb is known beforehand through x-ray and ultrasound. Before these instruments were invented, interpreters evaluated these two issues in the scope of “absolute ghayb”; some researchers say, “they are included in relative ghayb and they can be known.”

We regard it useful to mention the following points regarding the issue:

1. The verse “He sends down rain” attributes the rain’s coming down to Allah. The meaning of the verse is not “He knows when it will rain.” When some interpreters explained this verse, they said, “Only Allah knows when it will rain.” Therefore, this meaning became famous among people. That is, the objection at this point is not an objection to the verse but to the interpretation of the verse.

2. The attempts to have rain with cloud seeding does not mean “man can cause rain to fall”. These attempts consist of finding the necessary laws for the formation of rain and making use of them. It does not mean to make rain fall out of nothing. Besides, it is not a method that is not used very often because it has a great risk.

3. What meteorologists do is to determine the conditions that occur in the atmosphere and forecast. Therefore, this determination is not the determination of something unknown but determination of something visible. Something similar to it has been done by rheumatoid patients for centuries; they feel one day before that rain is coming.

4. The verse shows that rain is not based on a certain law. Many changeable conditions and effective causes interfere in the law that it is based on. The divine will, which shows us the sun based on a certain law, did not make rain dependent on such a law. He sends it abundantly to places that He wishes and very little amounts to places that He wishes. He sometimes sends it as mercy and sometimes as flood based on His wish.

5. The verse “He knows what is in the wombs” does not say, “Allah knows whether the fetus in the womb is male or female.” However, some tafsir scholar wrote this in the explanation. Therefore, the verse is understood as follows among people: “Only Allah knows whether the fetus in the womb is male or female.”

6. The interpretation made by tafsir scholars is not only about gender; they say Allah knows “whether he/she will be a good or bad person, one baby or twins, ill or healthy, etc.” As it is seen, these issues include a comprehensive explanation about the qadar of the child. For, being male or female is only one of the characteristics of the fetus in the womb. However, its qadar program includes billions of possibilities. Even the features of the face of the fetus cannot be known through x-ray and ultrasound; it is impossible to know its abilities that are different from other people.

Under the light of these views, we do not regard it wrong to include the issues “the falling of rain” and “the characteristics of the fetus” in the issue of ghayb. Instead of rejecting the hadith that include these two issues in ghayb by saying “it is not sahih (sound)”, we accept it as the translator of a sound meaning.

There is no drawback to praying for people who die as believers; both the person who is prayed for and the person who prays will receive its reward.

If a person is known to a believer when he was alive, it is permissible to pray for him even if he is a sinner, oppressor or fasiq. Besides, only Allah knows the inner world of a person. Therefore, it is not religiously permissible to call a person munafiq if he says he is a believer; it is not permissible to tell others that such a person is a munafiq. From this point of view, it is permissible to pray for anybody who is known to be a believer. A person is understood to be a munafiq only when Allah informs it.

It is permissible to pray for living non-Muslims so that they will be Muslims. The Prophet (pbuh) prayed for the unbelievers so that they would attain guidance. When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was asked to "pray so that unbelievers will perish", he said,

"I was not sent as a curser, but as a caller to the right path and as mercy. O Allah! Show my nation the right path because they do not know." (Qadi Iyad, ash-Shifa, 1/78-79)

Once, he prayed as follows: "O Lord! Strengthen this religion with Umar bin Khattab or Amr bin Hisham (Abu Jahl)." (see Tirmidhi, Manaqib, 18) Hz. Umar became a Muslim thanks to this prayer.  

As for a person who died as an unbeliever:

When a relative of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) died as an unbeliever, he said,

"I will ask forgiveness for him if Allah does not prohibit doing so." (see Qurtubi, interpretation of verse 113 of the chapter of at-Tawba)

Then, the following verse was sent down:

"It is not fitting, for the prophet and those who believe, that they should pray for forgiveness for pagans, even though they be of kin, after it is clear to them that they are companions of the Fire." (at-Tawba, 9/113)

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) himself led the janazah prayer of Abdullah b. Ubayy b. Salul, one of the munafiqs. (Qurtubi, VNI/218) (He knew the munafiqs but he did not treat them differently from believers in terms of his politics.) The following was sent down regarding the issue:

"Nor do thou ever pray for any of them that dies, nor stand at his grave: for they rejected Allah and His Messenger...." (at-Tawba, 9/84)

It is stated that the following verse was sent down regarding the same issue, too:

"Whether thou ask for their forgiveness or not, (their sin is unforgivable): if thou ask seventy times for their forgiveness, Allah will not forgive them: because they have rejected Allah and His Messenger; and Allah guideth not those who are perversely rebellious." (at-Tawba, 9/80)

In the presence of these verses and hadiths, Imam Qarafi, a Maliki scholar, dealt with the issue in detail and summarized it as follows:

"It is unbelief to ask for an unbeliever to be forgiven. (A person who prays like that becomes an unbeliever.) For, to ask for something like that though the Quran definitely states in many verses that Allah will not forgive polytheists and that unbelievers will stay in Hell forever means to contradict Allah and to virtually say, 'O Lord! You say so but it will be better if you forgive.' This is unbelief. It is also haram to ask Allah to forgive all believers because it is stated in sound hadiths that sinning believers will stay in Hell for a while." (For detailed information regarding the issue, see Qarafi, al-Furuq, 4/259 ff)

This view is regarded a bit strict by Hanafis they say, "it is unbelief to pray so that unbelievers will be forgiven, but it is not haram to pray so that all sins of all believers will be forgiven." Ibn Abidin states the following while clarifying the issue:

"The issue originates from this: We know that Allah will not break His promise due to His own words. Will He give up His threat that He will torture? Qarafi and those who follow him hold the view that Allah will not give up (break) His promise and His threat; they say if Allah says he will put unbelievers in Hell and make them stay there forever, to ask the opposite of it means to accuse Allah of inappropriateness and to contradict Him, which is unbelief. Hanafi scholar Ibn Amir al Hajj [Death 879 (1474) see Mu'jamul-Muallifin, XI/274)] holds the same view as them regarding praying for unbelievers but acts more tolerantly regarding praying for all believers. This is the correct view." [see Ibn Abidin (Amira), I/351, (Egypt), 1/523]

Accordingly, it is unbelief to pray for someone who died as an unbeliever. However, it is not our right to label those who did not die with clear unbelief as unbelievers acting upon their sins. For instance, we cannot label a person who believes in the oneness of Allah, the prophethood of Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) and the whole Quran as an unbeliever even if he is a cruel person like Hajjaj. However, if a person does not believe them or makes fun of them, we cannot call him a believer.   

The decree is valid for the unbelievers who died. It is regarded permissible by most scholars to pray for the unbelievers who are alive so that they will find the right path. For, when the tooth of the Prophet (pbuh) was broken and his face was wounded at the Battle of Uhud, he prayed for polytheists as follows: "O Allah! Forgive my nation because they do not know." Ibn Abbas states the following:

"The believers used to pray for their relatives that died as unbelievers. When the verse that prohibited it (at-Tawba, 9/113) was sent down, they stopped praying for them. However, this verse did not prohibit them from unbelievers who were alive." (Qurtubi, interpretation of verse 113 of at-Tawba)

Nevertheless, according to the narration of Bukhari, some scholars say the statement of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) at Uhud was not his own prayer. He said, "A prophet who had been wounded before prayed so." (see Bukhari, Maghazi; Muslim, Jihad 103) Thus, they hold the view that it is not permissible to pray for the unbelievers who are alive. (Qurtubi, VNI/278) However, even if it is so, the word of a previous prophet is valid for us unless it is abolished in our shari’ah (Allah knows the best); therefore, there should not be any drawback to prayingfor an unbeliever who is alive so that he will find the right path. For it is not impossible for them to find the right path; Allah did not say that the unbelievers could not be believers in the world; so, when we want this, it does not mean that we demand something that Allah said would not happen. As it is stated in the verse that follows, it is necessary to understand Hz. Ibrahim’s asking for forgiveness for his father like that. (Ibn Abbas explains the verse in a different way. See Qurtubi, interpretation of verse 113 of at-Tawba.)

Yes, it is permissible to supplicate (say prayers) on behalf of another person. Such a prayer is more likely to be accepted. 

A prayer said on behalf of a person in his absence is described as "saying prayers with a sinless tongue". If somebody says a prayer on behalf of a person who sins, he will have prayed with a sinless tongue. For, the person who says the prayer is not responsible for the sin that is committed. 

Two of the hadiths mentioning how important it is for a believer to supplicate for others are as follows:

“There is no believing servant who supplicates for his brother in his absence that the angels do not say: ‘The same be for you too’.” (Muslim, Dhikr 86; Abu Dawud, Witr 29)

“If a Muslim supplicates for his brother in religion in his absence, his prayer is accepted. As he supplicates, the angel commissioned for carrying supplication to his Lord says: ‘Amin! And it is for you also’.” (Muslim, Dhikr 87, 88; Ibn Majah, Manasik 5)

On the other hand, Abu Said al-Khudri said, "Once, I watched the night worship of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) from the evening to dawn. I heard him pray as follows: ‘O Allah! Uthman b. Affan... I am pleased with him.’" (Abu Ja'far Ahmad at- Tabari, ar-Riyadun- Nadira fi Manaqibil- Ashara, III, 29)

Anas b. Malik states that they prayed for each other as follows at night: "May Allah grant you the prayer (salah) of good people who worship at night, fast during the day and do not commit sins." (Abu Nuaym, Hilya, II, 34)

The narrations above show the importance Allah gives to the prayers believers say for one another.  

It pleases Allah Almighty when believers love one another, wish goodness and happiness for one another and pray for one another. He rewards those slaves who are so considerate as to think of others through the angels as it is stated in the hadiths. When a person wishes goodness for his brother in religion or prays for him so that his trouble will be removed, the angel commissioned for carrying supplication to his Lord says: “Amin!” That is, “May Allah accept your prayer!” Then, he says, “May what you ask for your brother be given to you too!” It is more acceptable in the eye of Allah to pray for a Muslim in a way that he will not hear since it will be free from hypocrisy and show off.

The following incident narrated by Hz. Umar regarding the issue is very important:

I asked permission from the Prophet (pbuh) to perform umrah. He gave me permission and said, “My dear brother! Do not forget to pray for me too!” I became so happy when I heard it. I would not be happier even if I were given the whole world. (Abu Dawud, Witr 23) According to another narration, he said, “My dear brother! Include us in your prayer!” (Tirmidhi, Daawat 110; Abu Dawud, Witr 23; Ibn Majah, Manasik 5)

In that case, we should pray for our Muslim brothers and ask them to pray for us.

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How should a believer pray for another believer?

The verses of the Quran are also duas. However, not all duas are verses; therefore, it is necessary to distinguish between them.

It is not permissible to touch the Quran without wudu. However, the verses of the Quran can be read bareheaded, without wudu if you do not touch it, by looking at it or by heart.

Not all duas are revelation. For instance, some duas are duas of Islamic scholars. They can also be said without wudu and bareheaded; it is also permissible to touch them without wudu.

The related narration is as follows:

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (Radiyallahu ′Anhu) said to The Messenger of Allah (pbuh):

- “Teach me a dua and I will recite it in my prayer.” Thereupon, our Prophet (pbuh) said,

اللَّهمَّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي ظُلْماً كثِيراً ، وَلا يَغْفِر الذُّنوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ ، فَاغْفِر لي مغْفِرَةً مِن عِنْدِكَ ، وَارحَمْني ، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفور الرَّحِيم

-Allahumma inni zalamtu nafsi zulman kathiran wa la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa anta, faghfir-li maghfiratan min indik, warhamni innaka antal-ghafuru’r-rahim:

”O Allah! I have done a great wrong to my soul (nafs) and there is none to forgive the sins, except You. Grant me a pardon from Yourself and have mercy on me as You are the Most Forgiving and the Most Compassionate.” (Bukhari, al-Adhan 149, Ad-Daawat 17, at-Tawheed 9; Muslim, adh-Dhikr 48)

Man is a being capable of sinning; he can always make mistakes; and when he is misguided and sins, he wrongs his soul. What is anyone going to do in a situation like that? Our Almighty Lord teaches us that as well and tells us how God-fearing people behave in times like that:

“They are those who, upon committing an evil deed or wronging themselves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness” (Surah Aal-i Imran, 3/135)

That is to say, what matters is is not to make mistakes, but to remember the unique Lord, to turn to him and ask His forgiveness.

How can one wrong himself?

Man's greatest enemy is his own nafs (soul). The nafs constantly advises people to do things that Allah forbids and not to do what He orders. If the nafs cannot persuade man about those matters in person, it tries make him neglect them by saying that he has more time to fulfill a divine order, for example, to perform a prayer.

So, a person who listens to the demands of his nafs on those issues wrongs himself.

The help and favors that people can do are limited. Unlimited grace exists only in the Supreme sight of Allah Ta'ala. When His immense mercy embraces man, that blessed man will be completely cleansed from the stains of sin and will reach the peak of happiness.

Even if a servant is at the level of "Siddiq" (truthful) like Abu Bakr, he may have unintentional mistakes, faults and deficiencies in the eye of Allah Almighty. For this reason, every individual has to ask for Allah's forgiveness and pardon.

That dua, which the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) taught Abu Bakr (r.a) to recite in prayers, and according to some narrations to read in his house, should be read anywhere, anytime and on every occasion.

Thanks to that concise dua, man confesses his sinfulness very sincerely, mentions his need for the forgiveness of his Lord, and expresses his wholehearted belief that only Allah Almighty can purify him from all sins.

Those who want to read that dua in prayer should recite it after at-Tahiyyat and before saluting.

Abu Bakr's statement ” let me read it in my prayer“ is as follows in some narrations:  ”Let me read it in my house". (Muslim, adh-Dhikr 48)

The phrase "zulman kathiran" in the hadith is mentioned as "zulmen kabiran” in some narrations. (Muslim, adh-Dhikr 48)

It would be appropriate to read it as “zulman kathiran kabiran” considering both narrations.

Accordingly:

- As Abu Bakr (r.a) did, one must ask and learn from scholars what he does not know, especially what is beneficial for the hereafter.

- That concise dua should be recited frequently, both in prayers, at home and elsewhere.

The issue is whether it is permissible or not to use prayer beads while making dhikr and glorifying Allah.

The people who call themselves Salafi say that it is not permissible to use prayer beads; what is more, some of them remove the prayer beads from mosques. They think they serve the religion and save Muslims from committing sins by removing the prayer beads from mosques. 

We will prove through definite evidences that it is permissible to use prayer beads with the permission and help of Allah.

Is it bid’ah to use prayer beads?

Salafis state the following:

 ”It is bid’ah (innovation) to use prayer beads. Every bid’ah is a sin.” 

Salafis do not know the meaning of the word bid’ah. Let us talk about the meaning of the word bid’ah.

The lexical meaning of bid’ah is “what emerges afterwards”. Everything that emerges afterwards is called bid’ah and bid’ah is divided into two:

1. Bid’ah hasanah; that is, good bid’ah. Bid’ah hasanah is as follows: 

It means the innovation whose origin exists in the religion, whose equivalent existed during the time of the Prophet (pbuh) and whose evidence exists in religious resources. We will explain it through examples soon. 

2. The second part of Bid’ah is called bid’ah sayyiah, that is, bad bid’ah. Bid’ah sayyiah is as follows:

It is the innovation whose origin does not exist in the religion, whose equivalent did not exist during the time of the Prophet (pbuh) and whose evidence doe not exists in religious resources. We will explain it through examples soon.

It is not possible to reject bid’ah as a whole because with the change of time, some things change. Let us analyze the issue through examples now:

The First Example: The compilation of the Quran in the form of a book (Mushaf).

The compilation of the Quran in the form of a book (Mushaf) is bid’ah. There was no Mushaf when the Prophet (pbuh) was alive. The Quran was written on antelope skins and other things; it was memorized by hafizes. The Quran was compiled in the form of a book during the caliphate of Hz. Abu Bakr. If we are against all bid’ahs, we must be against the compilation of the Quran in the form of a book because it is also bid’ah. However, that bid’ah is regarded as bid’ah hasanah and it is good bid’ah. 

Now we ask the Salafis who say, “We are against all bid’ahs.”: 

- Do you not read the Quran from a book (Mushaf)? 

You do. 

Well, it is bid’ah too. It did not exist when the Prophet (pbuh) was alive. Why do you read the Quran from Mushaf then? Why do you not write the Quran antelope skins and other things? It was like that when the Prophet (pbuh) was alive. Why do you not do it now?

It means some bid’ahs are necessities of time. They are called bid’ah in terms of being bid’ah hasanah.

Second Example: Adding harakahs (vowel marks) to the words of the Quran is bid’ah. 

There were no vowel marks in the Quranic texts when the Prophet (pbuh) was alive. Vowel marks were added to the Quran during the caliphate of Hz. Ali. Vowel marks were added to the Quran because non-Arabs who became Muslims could not read the Quran properly and they distorted the meaning while reading. Vowel marks were added to the Quran upon the order of Hz. Ali. 

Now we ask: 

- Is it bid’ah to add vowel marks to the Quran? 

Yes, it is bid’ah because it occurred afterwards; there were no vowel marks during the era of the Prophet (pbuh). If we are against all bid’ahs, we must also be against the vowel marks in the Quran because it is also bid’ah. However, that bid’ah is regarded as bid’ah hasanah and it is good bid’ah.

Now we ask the Salafis who say, “We are against all bid’ahs.”:

- Are there vowel marks in the copies of the Quran that you read?

Probably there are.

Why do you read the pages with vowel marks? It is bid’ah; it did not exist when the Prophet (pbuh) was alive. Why do you not read a copy of the Quran without vowel marks? You cannot do it because your Arabic is not enough to do so.

It means some bid’ahs are necessities of time. They are called bid’ah in terms of being bid’ah hasanah.

The Third Example is as follows: It is bid’ah to compile hadiths in the form of books.

That bid’ah started during the caliphate of Umar Ibn Abdulaziz. Hadiths were not compiled in the form of books by the state when the Prophet (pbuh) was alive. Yes, some Companions wrote down the hadiths personally but they were not put together as books. In fact, many Companions objected to the hadiths being writing at first.

Now we address Salafis as follows:

- O Salafis! Why are you not against it?

You all have hadith books in your house. Why do you allow that bid’ah into your houses?

You see, if you deny bid’ah hasanah, you will have to destroy even the hadith books. It is bid’ah to publish hadiths as books, but that bid’ah is not bid’ah sayyiah, that is, bad bid’ah. It is bid’ah hasanah, that is, good bid’ah.

The Fourth Example is as follows: It is bid’ah to perform tarawih prayer in congregation.

That bid’ah started to be practiced during the caliphate of Hz. Umar; he said, “what a good bid’ah” about it.

Now we ask Salafis again:

- Do you not perform tarawih prayer in congregation?

You certainly do. How can you say, “We are against all bid’ah” though you perform that prayer in congregation? It is neither possible nor logical to be against bid’ah hasanah. 

The Fifth example is as follows: It is bid’ah to build minarets.

There was no minaret when the Prophet (pbuh) was alive. Adhan used to be recited from a high place only. That is, its origin existed.

Since the minaret was invented after the Prophet (pbuh), it is bid’ah but it is regarded as bid’ah hasanah.

Now we ask Salafis again:

- If you dominated the country, would you demolish all the minarets? Would you not leave a single minaret standing?

If you say, “No, we would not demolish minarets”, it means you are also people of bid’ah according to your description. Do you still not realize that you are in an impasse? 

The Sixth example is as follows: The microphone used in mosques is bid’ah.

The microphone did not exist when the Prophet (pbuh) was alive. It was invented later and everything that is invented later is called bid’ah. If someone says, “I am against all kinds of bid’ah”, he must not use a microphone in the mosque.

Is it used everywhere, including the Kaaba? Yes, it is used. It means it is not possible to oppose bid’ah hasanah. When the Prophet (pbuh) was alive, muezzins acted as microphones; as time changed, muezzins left their duties to microphones. There is nothing strange about it and nothing to be denied.

We gave six examples about bid’ah hasanah. It is probably understood what bid’ah hasanah is with those examples. Now let us give a few examples about bid’ah sayyiah:

It is bid’ah sayyiah to tie pieces of cloth to trees and a sin because it has no place in religion.

It is also bid’ah sayyiah and a sin to burn candles on the graves.

It is also bid’ah sayyiah and a sin to play musical instruments and to dance in mosques.

You can find more examples.

The meaning of Imam Rabbani’s statement, “All bid’ahs are bad” is “All bid’ah sayyiahs are bad.” The meaning of “There are good bid’ahs” is “There are good bid’ahs in terms of being bid’ah hasanah”.

After those explanations, let us go back to our issue now. Salafis state the following:

It is bid’ah to use prayer beads. Every bid’ah is a sin.

Using prayer beads is bid’ah but it is bid’ah hasanah. It is not bid’ah sayyiah.

The origin of prayer beads existed when the Prophet (pbuh) was alive; some Companions counted their beads with date seeds and stones. However, there were no prayer beads like the ones we currently use. Since those prayer beads were invented later, they are called “bid’ah” lexically. However, it is bid’ah hasanah, not bid’ah sayyiah since its origin exists in the shari’ah.

We address those who say, “We do not accept any bid’ahs” as follows:  

Destroy the Mushafs of the Quran then. Remove all mushafs along with prayer beads from mosques because it is bid’ah to compile the Quran in the form of a book. Then, demolish the minarets. Do not allow tarawih prayer to be performed in congregation. Burn the hadith books. Remove the microphones from mosques.

It does not end when you do them. Eating at the table is a bid’ah; then, destroy the dining tables. It is bid’ah to wear a collared shirt; then, destroy the shirts. Sitting in an armchair is bid’ah; destroy the armchairs. It is bid’ah for men to go out bareheaded. Make every man in the street wear a skullcap.

There are too many bid’ahs to count. However, none of those is bid’ah that is haram. They are lexically called bid’ahs. Bid’ahs that are haram are bid’ahs that are called bid’ah sayyiah. In other words, it means to invent something that has no origin in religion, no equivalent in the era of the Prophet (pbuh) and had no evidence in religious sources.

As for using prayer beads, which is our topic, the origin of it existed in the era of the Prophet (pbuh). Now we will give the evidences regarding the issue.

Was Ibn Masud against prayer beads?

Ibn Masud did not regard using prayer beads permissible and opposed it. They report the following incident regarding the issue:

Umar b. Yahya reports the following from his grandfather:

We were sitting by the door of Abdullah Ibn Masud before the morning prayer; we would walk with him to the mosque when he came out. Abu Musa al-Ashari came to us and said: “Has Abdullah come out yet?” We replied, “No.” He also sat with us waiting. Then, Ibn Masud came out of his house. We all stood up and gathered around him. Abu Musa said to him, “O Abdullah! I have just seen something strange that has scared me in the mosque. I swear by Allah it was something good.”

Ibn Masud asked, ‘What was it?’ Abu Musa said, ‘If you wait, you will see it too.’ Then, he narrated the following:

I saw, in the mosque, people sitting in circles. There was a man leading every circle, with pebbles in his hands, giving orders. He said, “Say Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) one hundred times.” After that order, the group uttered takbir one hundred times. Then, the same man said, “Say La ilaha illallah (there is no god but Allah) one hundred times.” The group said it.  Then, the same man said, “Say subhanallah (Allah is free from all imperfection) one hundred times.” The group obeyed him and said it subhanallah one hundred times.

Abdullah Ibn Masud said, “Did you not say anything to them?” Abu Musa said, “No, I did not say to them anything; I wanted to learn your opinion.” Ibn Masud said, “Did you not say to them, ‘Count your sins with them. I assure you that it will not lessen your good deeds’?”

Then, Ibn Masud walked to the mosque. We went with him. When he reached the mosque, he saw one of those circles. He stood next to them and asked, ‘What are you doing?’ They said, “O Abdullah! These are pebbles and we count our takbirs, tahlils and tasbihs with them.”

Ibn Masud said, “Count your sins with those pebbles and I guarantee that your good deeds will not be decreased. O Ummah of Muhammad! How quickly your destruction approaches though there are so many Companions among you, though the shroud of the Messenger of Allah has not moistened yet and his plate has not broken yet...” (Imam Darimi, as-Sunan, I, 79-80, No: 204)

Salafis show that incident and say, Ibn Masud objected to dhikr being counted with pebbles. Prayer beads are like pebbles. In that case, it is not permissible to make dhikr with prayer beads.

We want to answer their claims in items:

1. Abu Musa al-Ashari’s statement, “I have just seen something that has scared me” included in the text of the hadith exists only in Tabarani’s narration; Bukhari, Ahmad Ibn Hanbal and Yahya regard that statement as weak. Those scholars included Abu Musa’s statement, “I have seen nothing but good.” Besides, since Abu Musa says, “I swear by Allah it was something good” after that is an evidence that Abu Musa does not regard it as something scary but something good. It means Abu Musa thinks differently from Ibn Masud and regards it something good.

2. Most of the scholars regard that hadith as weak: 

Ibn Hajar regards the hadith as weak. (Ibn Hajar, Lisanul Mizan, 4/378, No: 1128) Ibni Adiyy, who is a hadith hafiz and critic, regards the hadith as weak. (al-Kamil fid-Duafa, 5/122, No: 1287) Haythami regards the hadith as weak. (Majmau’z-Zawaid, Babul-Umma alas-Sadaqa chapter) Ibnul Jawzi says, “The hadith is weak.” (ad-Duafa waI-Matrukin, 2/ 233, No: 2601) Ibn Main states the following about Amr, the narrator of the hadith. “His narrations are worthless.” (ad-Duafa waI-Matrukin, page 212, No: 3229) Imam Dhahabi states the following about the narrator: “He is among the weakest and a person who is not respected.” (Mizanul-Itidal, 3/293) Ibni Qarrash states the following about the narrator. “He is a person that is not accepted.” (al-Mughni)

The statements and practice of the majority of the Companions are preferred to the statement of Ibn Mas’ud related to the use of prayer beads.

Now we ask Salafis the following question: 

- O Salafis! -The hadith you show as evidence is weak but suppose that we regarded it as sound – Can you show any Companions except Ibn Masud that opposes prayer beads?

You cannot show any. However, we can and will prove through evidences that many Companions used pebbles while making dhikr and glorifying Allah. 

Thus, Ibn Masud did not regard dhikr and glorification by counting pebbles, etc. but other Companions regarded it permissible and used them. The Prophet (pbuh) did not object to their practice. 

The practice of the Companions and the Prophet’s not objecting to them prove that it is permissible to make dhikr and glorify Allah by counting pebbles and seeds. If they are permissible, prayer beads must be permissible too because prayer beads are no different from them in terms of function.

We can quote many similar views that this hadith is weak.

Let us put them aside and suppose that this hadith is sound. Let us even report some other narrations that Ibn Masud objected to it in other places and prove that Ibn Masud objects to it.

Will it be enough?

In the hadith we quoted, Abu Musa al-Ashari regarded glorifying Allah through pebbles nice. He said, “I swear by Allah it is something good.” Ibn Masud is a scholar; is Abu Musa al-Ashari not a scholar? Is he not one of the notables of the Companions? Why can we not prefer his view? What prevents it? 

The Companions can have different views. What we need to do is to follow the view of the majority. Exceptional views can always be seen. Those exceptional views may come from even some great scholars.  

For example, Hz. Abu Bakr objected to the compilation of the Quran in the form of a book (Mushaf). Hz. Abu Bakr opposed but the Quran was compiled in the form of a book. The view of the majority of the Companions was preferred to the view of Hz. Abu Bakr. 

Let us give another example: 

There is the issue of kanz in fiqh. Kanz is haram. Hz. Ali states the following about what kanz is: Wealth more than four thousand dirhams is kanz. A person cannot have more wealth than four thousand dirhams. He has to give away the extra amount as sadaqah (charity).

Although Hz. Ali says so, the majority of the Companions and mujtahids regards kanz as wealth for which zakah has not been given and states the following: “If zakah is paid for some wealth (property/goods), it is not regarded kanz no matter how much it is.” 

The view of Hz. Ali, who is known as “the gate of knowledge”, about kanz was not accepted but the view of other Companions was accepted. If people acted in accordance with Hz. Ali’s view, nobody could have more than four thousand dirhams as wealth.   

You can see that the Companions had different views regarding some issues. We can show dozens of examples like those ones. We regard two examples enough so as not to lengthen the issue.

Did the Companions use prayer beads?

Salafis state the following: The Companions did not use prayer beads. 

“They used their fingers while making dhikr. It proves that using prayer beads while making dhikr is not permissible.”

That is what they say. We address them as follows: 

Fear Allah! You deceive the people who do not know hadiths easily through those statements. How can you explain the following 10 hadiths then?

The First Hadith is the following hadith reported from Hz. Safiyya, one of the wives of the Prophet, by Imam Tirmidhi, Hakim and Imam Tabarani. Hz. Safiyya narrates:

The Messenger of Allah came to my room. There were four thousand date seeds I used for making dhikr in front of me. The Prophet (pbuh) asked me, “O Huyay’s daughter! What are they?” I said, “I use them to glorify Allah.” The Prophet (pbuh) said, “I have glorified Allah more than you since I came here.” I said, “O Messenger of Allah! Teach it to me too.” The Prophet (pbuh) said, “سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَدَدَ مَا خَلَقَ مِنْ شَيْئ I glorify Allah as many times as the number of the things He created.” (Tirmidhi, 3563; Hakim, 1/547; Tabarani, 1/494-495)

In the hadith above, Hz. Safiyya glorified Allah by using date seeds. The Prophet (pbuh) did not prohibit her from it; he advised her to make dhikr with general and great numbers.

Now we ask the following question: 

- If it were not permissible to count dhikr with date seeds, would Hz. Safiyya have counted dhikr with them? 

Suppose that she counted because she did not know. Would the Prophet (pbuh) have not prohibited her from doing it when he saw it. Is it possible for the Prophet (pbuh) to keep silent when a haram deed is committed and not to prohibit it? If he does not prohibit, it means it is permissible. Since he did not prohibit it in that incident, it means it is permissible to use date seeds to count dhikr.

If it is permissible to count dhikr with date seeds, why should it not be permissible with prayer beads? It is definitely permissible. Now we ask Salafis: 

- You said no Companion counted dhikr with pebbles and seeds. Do you not regard Hz. Safiyya as a Companion?

 - You said there was no sunnah of the Prophet regarding the issue.

- Is it not sunnah taqriri (approval) that the Prophet did not object to it? 

As it is known, sunnah taqriri is something that the Prophet saw the Companions did and did not prevent them from doing it. Using seeds, etc. while making dhikr is a sunnah of that kind.

The Second Hadith regarding the issue was reported from Sa’d b. Abi Waqqas by Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasai, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban and Hakim. Imam Tirmidhi regards that narration as hasan and Hakim as sahih (sound).  The hadith is as follows:

Sa’d b. Abi Waqqas and the Prophet (pbuh) stopped by a woman. The woman had date seeds or small pebbles in front of her. She used them to glorify Allah. Thereupon, the Prophet (pbuh) said to her, “Shall I tell you about something easier?” (Abu Dawud, 1500; Tirmidhi, 3577; Nasai, 1355; Ibn Hibban, 837; Hakim, 1/548)

We will not quote the remaining part of the hadith so as not to lengthen the issue. Let us focus on the part of the hadith that is related to the issue:  

The Prophet (pbuh) saw a woman glorifying Allah with pebbles and he did not prohibit her. The same analysis for the previous hadith is valid for this hadith too. We do not repeat it so as not to lengthen the issue.

The Third Hadith regarding the issue was reported by Imam Bukhari, Baghawi, Ibn Asakir and others. 

A ground cloth was put in front of Abu Safiyya, who was the freed slave of the Prophet (pbuh), and a basket with pebbles was brought every day. He would make dhikr with them until noon. Then, they would remove it. After he performed the noon prayer, they would bring back the basket; he would make dhikr with them until the evening. (Bukhari, at-Tarikhul Kabir; Baghawi, Mu’jamus Sahaba; Ibni Asakir, Tarikh)

In fact, we want to make an analysis for every hadith but if we do so, we will lengthen the issue. Therefore, we will report the practices of the Companions without analysis and try to make an analysis in the end for all of them.

The Fourth Hadith regarding the issue is as follows: 

Ahmad Ibn Hanbal reports from Yunus b. Ubayd that his mother said,

 ”Abu Safiyya, who was a Companion of the Messenger of Allah and one of our neighbors, made dhikr using small pebbles.” (Abu Nuaym, Mu’jamus Sahaba, 5/2398)

The Fifth Hadith regarding the issue was reported by Ibn Abi Shayba from Hakim Ibn Daylami, the slave of Sa’d b. Abi Waqqas: 

“Sa’d b. Abi Waqqas made dhikr using pebbles or date seeds.” (Ibn Abi Shayba, 7741)

The Sixth Hadith is the following narration by Ibn Sa’d about Hz. Fatima: 

“Fatima made dhikr with a piece of string with knots on it.” (Ibn Sa’d, VIII, 468, Daru Turathil-Arabi-1417)

The Seventh Hadith is the following narration by Nuaym b. Muhriz: 

“Abu Hurayra had a piece of string with two thousand knots on it. He would not sleep unless he made dhikr with it.” (Abu Nuaym, Hilyatul-Awliya, 1/468)

The Eighth Hadith is the following narration by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal: 

“Abud-Darda had seeds of ajwa dates in a purse. When he performed the morning prayer, he would pick them one by one and make dhikr with them.” (Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, az-Zuhd, 175)

The Ninth Hadith is the following hadith reported from Abu Said al-Khudri by Ibn Abi Shayba: 

“Abu Said al-Khudri made dhikr with pebbles.” (Ibn Abi Shayba, Musannaf, 7742)

The Tenth Hadith: Ibn Abi Shayba reports the following from Zazan: 

“I took Umm Ya’fur’s beads. When I went over Ali, Umm Ya’fur said, ‘Give my beads back.’” (Ibn Abi Shayba, 7744)

We can report even 50 hadiths regarding the issue, let alone 10. If we report all, we will lengthen the issue. Therefore, we regard ten hadiths enough.

After those narrations, we address Salafis as follows:

- O Salafis! You said there was not a single practice by the Companions related to using prayer beads. 

- Is Hz. Safiyye, the wife of the Prophet, not a Companion?
- Is Hz. Fatima, his daughter, not a Companion?
- Is Sa’d b. Abi Waqqas not a Companion?
- Is Abu Hurayra not a Companion?
- Is Abu Said al-Khudri, not a Companion?
- Are the others not Companions?

You also said there was no sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) regarding the issue. Is it not sunnah taqriri that the Prophet saw those who made dhikr by using pebbles or date seeds and he kept silent?

Let us put all those hadiths aside. We will tell you something else: 

Your imam in creed is Ibn Taymiyya. We do not accept Ibn Taymiyya’s views regarding many issues. We say he has dozens of wrong views. However, you praise him very much. Why do you not follow Ibn Taymiyya regarding the issue? Ibn Taymiyya states the following in his book titled “Majmuul-Fatawa”: 

“It is sunnah to count dhikr with fingers. As for dhikr being counted with small pebbles, small fruits, etc., it is something good. There were Companions who made dhikr like that. The Prophet (pbuh) saw one of his wives making dhikr with small pebbles and did not object to it. It is also narrated that Abu Hurayra made dhikr with them.”

“As for dhikr made with beads and similar things on a string, some people regard it nice while others do not. When the intention is good, it will be a deed that is not makruh.” (Majmuul-Fatawa, 227506)

That is what your imam Ibn Taymiyya says. Why do you not listen to your imam? When it serves your purpose, you say, “great imam” but when listening to and obeying him is in question, you turn a deaf ear to him. May Allah guide you!

The decree of a means (tool) is according to the decree of the purpose.

We will show Salafis who do not regard using prayer beads permissible a different evidence.

The evidence is the following rule: The decree of a means (tool) is according to the decree of the purpose.

Let us clarify the rule with some examples:

The First Example: It is a deed of worship to go to hajj. The means of transport for that worship during the era of the Prophet (pbuh) was the camel. People used to go to hajj by riding camels. Then, the means changed; the camel was replaced by cars, trains, etc. People went to hajj in their cars, by train, etc. Then, the means changed again and people began to go to hajj by plane.  

What matters here is to go to hajj. It does not matter how to go there. One can go by riding a camel or by plane. The change of the means is not bid’ah. It is an inevitable result of the natural course of life. Bid’ah is changing the fards, wajibs and sunnahs of hajj. That is, changing the original parts of the worship. It does not matter how you go unless you do not change the original parts of hajj.

The Second Example is as follows: The Quran used to be written on antelope skins and other things during the era of the Prophet (pbuh). People used to read the Quran written on those things. Time passed and the Quran was compiled in the form of a book. People started to read the Quran from pages of books. Now they read the Quran on the screens of smartphones through some software.

What matters here is to read the Quran. It does not matter on which it was written or through which means it is read. It can be read on antelope skins, on paper or on the screen of a smartphone. In the future, we may read it on hologram; we may see the Quranic verses on the air and read. 

The change of the means is not bid’ah. It is an inevitable result of the natural course of life. Bid’ah is not observing the rules tajwid while reading the Quran, distorting the articulation points in a way to change the meaning of the Quran, etc. That is, changing the original parts of reading the Quran. It does not matter with which means you read it unless you do not change the original parts.

The Third Example is as follows: When the Prophet (pbuh) led a congregational prayer with a large group of people or when he preached in the mosque, he would use muezzins to enable the people at the back to hear him. The muezzin would repeat the words of the imam, another muezzin would repeat the words of the first muezzin and so on. The number of the muezzins increased according to the crowd. As time passed and technology developed, devices that increased the volume of the sound were invented. After that, devices such as microphones and loudspeakers were used instead of muezzins.   

What matters here is to enable the person at the back to hear what is recited or preached. It does not matter what device is used for it. The sound can be conveyed through a muezzin or loudspeakers. The change of the means is not bid’ah. It is an inevitable result of the natural course of life. Bid’ah is to change the fards, wajibs, sunnahs and mustahabs of the prayer. That is, to make changes in the parts of the prayer. 

We regard those three examples enough and will make the same analysis related to the use of prayer beads:

What matters is to say “Allah”, to say Alhamdülillah, Subhanallah, Allahu akbar and to mention and glorify Allah with similar words. 

During the era of the Prophet (pbuh), some people counted dhikr by using their fingers. Others – as we have proved before – used pebbles or date seeds. What matters here is not fingers, pebbles or date seeds. What matters is to mention and glorify Allah. Fingers, pebbles and date seeds are only means of counting. Prayer beads are also means of counting just like them. Using them is not a deed of worship. If a person holds prayer beads in his hand and shakes them until the evening, he will not be regarded to have worshipped. Beads are used only as a means of counting dhikr easily. The decree of a means is according to the decree of the purpose. Since the purpose is dhikr and glorifying Allah the decree of the means will be like the decree of dhikr and glorifying. If the purpose were unbelief instead of dhikr, the decree of the means would be accordingly.

That is, neither using beads nor touching the fingers is a deed of worship. Mentioning Allah is a deed of worship. The others are means of determining the number. The change of the means is not bid’ah. We have just given three examples about it.  

Bid’ah is changing the deed of worship. For example, it is sunnah to say subhanallah, alhamdulilah and Allahu akbar 33 times after the prayer. If those words are changed and some other words are said, it is bid’ah and bad. If the words are not changed, it does not matter whether they are counted through fingers or pebbles; it is permissible. However, counting with fingers has a special virtue. We will mention the reason soon.

Is it more virtuous to count dhikr with fingers?

Salafis do not regard using prayer beads permissible. We have proved through definite evidences with the permission of Allah that it is permissible to use prayer beads. Now we will answer the following question:  

- Is it more virtuous to count dhikr with fingers or with prayer beads?

It is more virtuous to use fingers while making dhikr because the Prophet (pbuh) advised it. Once, he addressed the female Companions as follows:   

“Hold on to tasbih (saying Subhanallah), tahlil (saying La ilaha illallah) and taqdis (saying Subhanal malikil-quddus and similar words). Do not be heedless; you will forgive oneness. Count them with your fingertips because they will be asked to speak.” (Ibn Abi Shayba, 7738; Abu Dawud, 1501; Tirmidhi, 3595)

The issue of the organs’ speaking is mentioned in the verses of the Quran too. For instance, the following is stated in verse 65 of the chapter of Yasin:

اَلْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَى أَفْوَاهِهِمْ That Day shall We set a seal on their mouths.  وَتُكَلِّمُنَا أَيْدِيهِمْ But their hands will speak to us.  وَتَشْهَدُ أَرْجُلُهُمْ And their feet bear witness بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ to all that they did. (Yasin, 36/65)

As you can see, man’s organs will witness on that day and mention the deeds they did. Therefore, it is more virtuous to make dhikr with fingers. He who can count with his fingers should prefer counting dhikr with his fingers. If he cannot count with his fingers or if it is possible to confuse the number because the number is big, it is permissible for him to use prayer beads.

When we explain the issue like that, there will be no conflict or difficulty. Everyone will do what they can. If we act like Salafis do and say that using prayer beads is “absolutely haram”, it means we will force a person to do what he cannot do. It is one thing to advise making dhikr with fingers and it is another thing to say “It is haram to use prayer beads”.

Salafis do not know this difference. Since they do not know it, they start conflicts and cause mischief among Muslims. May Allah guide them! May He enable us make efforts to learn the evidences of our creed.

We want to ask to Salafis who oppose prayer beads a question.

We want to ask to Salafis who oppose prayer beads the following question:

Allah Almighty states the following in the Quran: اُذْكُرُ اللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا Celebrate the praises of Allah, and do this often (a lot). We want to obey the order of the Quran and celebrate the praise of Allah a lot. We want to mention Allah a thousand times every day. The question is this: How shall we count one thousand? 

It is not possible to count it with fingers. If we want to mention Him five thousand times or ten thousand times, we can never count it. So, what should we do?

Let’s ask Salafis that question. The answer of a Salafi will be as follows:

Do not make dhikr more than 100 times. It does not exist in the Sunnah to make dhikr more than 100 times.

What a strange answer it is? Can I not say Allah a thousand times a day? Is it a sin to mention Allah a lot? According to Salafis, you cannot say more than 100 times because you need prayer beads to count more than 100. They are against making dhikr more than a hundred times just because they are against prayer beads. Instead of inviting people to mention Allah a lot, they say, “It is enough to say Allah a hundred times” because of being against prayer beads. They prevent people from saying Allah a thousand times, five thousand times, etc. a day. They think they gain thawabs by forbidding people from dhikr.

In fact, now we are going to tell you something that you will not believe. However, we will quote it by giving the name of the book and the page so that anyone who has doubts can check it.

Ibn Taymiyya, who is the imam of Salafis, states the following in his booklet titled “Ubudiyyah”: 

Making dhikr by saying “Allah, Allah” is far from the sunnah; it is the one that is the closest to Satan’s misleading among bid’ahs.” (Ibn Taymiyya, Ubudiyyah, pp. 110, 112)

Goodness gracious! According to Ibn Taymiyya saying, “Allah, Allah” is bid’ah and Satan’s misleading. 

Brothers! Beware! We are faced with a mentality that regards saying “Allah, Allah” as Satan’s misleading. Your mind cannot comprehend it. You are astonished. Those people who astonish you live among us. Some of them teach our children in religious schools. Can you understand how big the fire is now?

O Salafis! Where are thawabs and where are you? Those who think that they will gain thawabs by preventing saying “Allah, Allah” and mentioning Allah a lot are only those who are ridiculed by Satan. You can think about it your position now.

Praise be to our Lord, who enabled us to write and explain another issue in an investigative way and who employed us in this service!

May our Lord make those realities atonement for our sins and the sins of those who contributed to this service, and those who try to read those realities sincerely, learn and spread them! May He make us steadfast and active in the service of belief! May He make us His slave and the ummah of His beloved Prophet! Amin! Amin! Amin!

Supplication is a deed of worship. Our main principle and aim in supplications must be worship. Otherwise, it is false to consider supplication as merely a petition for needs, which should be accepted.

Sometimes we supplicate to ask for something. However, what we ask for is seemingly not accepted. In spite of this, we should not quit supplicating. If what we ask for is accepted by Allah and given to us, it is more than favorable to us. However, if it is not accepted and not given to us, we should not say “My supplication has not been accepted”. Contrarily, we should say “Allah accepted that supplication of mine for the hereafter or in a better way in this world.”

Actually, that supplication is not in vain; we should try to supplicate more and more eagerly thinking that we will have the return for it in the hereafter since it is a kind of worship.

Allah says in the Quran: “Call on Me; I will answer your (prayer)” (al-Mu’min, 40:60).

Putting this verse forward, some people say: “Although Allah says “Call on Me; I will answer your prayer”, why are some of our supplications refused although we supplicate a lot?” In this matter, the scholars agree to say that Allah says “I will answer” and not “I will accept”. Imagine that you see a doctor and say “Doctor, give me this medicine”. Of course, the doctor will answer you but it does not mean that the answer will be positive. If the medicine you ask for is not good for you, he will not give it to you or maybe he will give you a better one.

Similarly, Allah, the All-wise, responds to our supplications. However, He sometimes gives exactly what we ask for, or gives a better one than what we ask for, or does not give it at all as He knows it is bad for us.

After this short explanation, let us talk about the conditions for a supplication to be accepted:

- First of all, the supplication must be something acceptable.

- Then it must be made with a sincere and sinless tongue.

- If possible, it must be done after making wudu and having halal food.

- Supplication made in holy places, especially mosques, at holy times especially in the month of Ramadan and holy nights such as Laylatul Qadr, Laylatul Barat, after prayers especially morning prayer are likelier to be accepted.

The more one leaves these conditions out in his supplications, the less effective the supplications will be.

There are different kinds of supplication:

For instance, you have an examination tomorrow. The supplication for the examination is studying. It is called practical supplication.

After finishing studying, we raise our hands and say “My Lord, give me what is good for me”; and it is verbal supplication. One should supplicate sincerely and be ready to accept the result because Allah knows that what we want sometimes may not be good for us, but we do not know. As Allah, who has infinite mercy, knows that it will not be good for us, He accepts that supplication in a different way.

Hazrat Maryam’s mother dedicated her to the mosque when she was about to be born. And when she saw that her child was not a boy but a girl, she was surprised and sad. Emphasizing that example, Islamic scholars say that Allah definitely accepts our supplication.

Sometimes He accepts them in a different and better way. And Hazrat Maryam (Mary) was a girl equal to a hundred boys. One cannot say that Allah did not accept her supplication. As a matter of fact, He accepted her supplication in a better way. And sometimes one thinks that his supplication is never accepted on the earth. However, his supplication is accepted in a better and more elevated way in Heaven.

As it is known, it is an indispensible duty of every Muslim to say salawat whenever he hears the name of the Prophet. As a matter of fact, the following is stated 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)

Or, “surrender to him fully.”

When Allah utters salawat to His Prophet, it means to have mercy; when angels and we, human beings, utter salawat to the Prophet, it means to ask for the mercy of Allah for the Prophet. If he attains mercy, it means we attain mercy, too. Once, the Prophet begged Allah for his ummah until the morning and God Almighty sent him the following message through Jibril:

“We will satisfy you about your ummah and we will never depress you about them.” (Muslim, Iman: 346)

It is stated in verse 79 of the chapter of al-Isra as glad tiding that he would be given "a station of Praise and Glory", which calls us to be in a close and warm relationship with the Messenger of Allah. Thus, salawat is an important means that establishes, maintains and strengthens this warm relationship between him and us.

Accordingly, it is stated that it is fard for a Muslim to utter salawat once in his lifetime, that salawat after this fard one are wajib and that repetitions of salawat are sunnah; it is also stated that abandoning salawat causes deprivation of intercession (shafa'ah).

People who feel gratitude toward those who do them a favor will definitely feel gratitude toward the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), who will be a means of salvation for them in the hereafter, and will utter salawat with respect and love when they hear his name; thus, they will attain his intercession through this loyalty.

"O ye that believe! Send ye blessings on him and salute him, with all respect."As a necessity of the order of this verse, itis stated that it is fard for a Muslim to utter salawat once in his lifetime, that salawat after this fard one are wajib and that repetitions of salawat in the same place are sunnah.

It is understood that when a salawat is uttered, both our Lord and angels become pleased; besides, angels pray for those who utter salawat. We see in hadith books that some angels pray for a person who utters salawat, which elevates the rank of the Prophet (pbuh) in Paradise, by saying, “May Allah elevate your rank too” and the other angels say 'amin'. They react to those who do not utter salawat by saying, “May Allah not elevate your rank" and the other angels say 'amin'.

That is, those who utter salawat when they hear the name of the Prophet (pbuh) receive good du'a from angels and those who do not are cursed by them. Besides, the Prophet (pbuh) resents the members of his ummah who do not utter salawat; and he expresses his reproach for such a person by saying “May his nose soil with dust!”

There are numerous kinds of salawat. The most famous of them are the ones we read after at-tahiyyat in prayers “Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa ala ali Muhammad” and “Sallallahu alayhi wasallam”. The meaning of them can be expressed as follows:

–May the mercy of our Lord, asking for forgiveness of the angels and our greetings be on the Prophet Hz. Muhammad and on his family!

There are many hadiths of the Prophet regarding the issue; some of them are as follows:

“Do not make my grave a place of joy and feast. Send salawat and greetings to me. Your salawat and greetings reach me no matter where you are.” (Abu Dawud, Manasik: 97.)

“The best day of the days is Friday. Send salawat and greetings to me on that because your salawat and greetings are presented to me.” Somebody asked,

“O Messenger of Allah! How are our salawat and greetings presented to you when you die and no trace of you is left?” The Prophet said,

“Allah prohibited the soil from decaying the bodies of prophets.”(Abu Dawud, Salat: 201)

Once, Ubayy ibn Ka’b asked the Prophet,

“O Messenger of Allah! I send you a lot of salawat and greetings. What percentage of my prayer should I allocate to salawat?”  The Prophet said,

“As much as you wish.” Ubayy asked,

“Shall I allocate one-fourth of it?”The Prophet said,

“As much as you wish, but it is better for you if you increase it.”

“Half of it?”

“As much as you wish, but it is better for you if you increase it.”

“What if I allocate all of my prayer to salawat?”

“Then, Allah will relieve you of all your troubles and forgive your sins.”(Tirmidhi, Qiyamah: 23)

“There are travelling angels of Allah in the world. They convey me the greetings of my ummah.” (Mustadrak, 2:456, no. 3576)

Somebody asked, “O Messenger of Allah! We know how to send greetings to you, but how are we going to send salawat?” The Prophet taught him the salawat of “Allahumma salli, Allahumma barik” , which we perform after at-tahiyyat in prayers. (Bukhari, Tafsir 33:10; Tirmidhi, Tafsir 33:23.)

Salawat like this are prayers (du'a) peculiar to the Prophet; therefore, our Lord will not reject a prayer peculiar to him. If we start our prayers (du'a) with salawat and finish them with salawat having this in mind, we hope that our prayers will be accepted. 

It is better to say and write “Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa ala ali Muhammad” or “Sallallaha alayhi wa sallam” fully when we read and write; to write abbreviations like (sas) and(pbuh) means to write salawat. However, when abbreviations like those, which are placed for respect, are abundant in a text, the readers have difficulty in reading it and sometimes leads them to disrespect, which is contrary to the purpose of placing them. Rather than causing disrespect, it is better to decrease those abbreviations and leave it to the understanding of the reader.   

It cannot be said that salawat uttered for the Prophet will cause our sins to be forgiven. For, such a thing is not in question for the Prophet. It becomes a means of elevating his rank. Therefore, nobody can estimate and determine the rank of the Prophet. For, he receives myriads of salawat from his ummah every moment; it is understood that his elevation will never end and go on until Doomsday.

A Historic Example of Respect:

Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna had a servant called Muhammad. He always called him Muhammad, a name that he loved. Once, however, he called him by his father's name. The servant felt depressed and asked him why he called him by his father's name but not his own name, Muhammad. The Sultan said,

– I always had wudu when I called you; I always pronounced that name with wudu. However, I did not have wudu when I called you by your father's name. I would feel ashamed if I pronounced that name without wudu.

We remind this incident to those who did not feel and do anything when they hear this name.

To Wipe Hands over the Face

It is sunnah to utter salawat when the name of the Prophet is mentioned. Salawat is a form of du'a; after a du'a, the face is wiped by the hands; similarly, the face can be wiped by the hands after salawat.

Qabisa Ibn Mukhariq narrates: One day I went to the Prophet (pbuh). He asked “O Qabisa! What is the reason that gets you here?” I said: “My age got older, my bones got weaker, so I came to you so that you will teach me something that Allah will make me benefit from.” He said:

“O Qabisa! (If you do what I say), each rock, tree or land that you pass by will indeed ask forgiveness of Allah for you. O Qabisa!   If you say “SubhanAllahil-azim wa bi hamdihi” prayer three times after the salat al-fajr (morning prayer), you will be exempt from blindness, leprosy and paralysis. O Qabisa! Say, “O Allah! I ask you to give me from the grace of yours. Pour your treats on me, spread your mercy upon and send your blessing down on me” (Majmuatul-Ahzab, 1/132).

Abu Hurairah narrates: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

"There are two statements that are light for the tongue to remember, heavy in the Scales and are dear to the Merciful: 'Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi, Subhan-Allahil Azim (Glory be to Allah and His is the praise, (and) Allah, the Greatest is free from imperfection)'." (al-Bukhari Book of Daawat, 65)

Abu Dharr al-Ghifari reported that the Prophet (pbuh) once said,

“Shall I inform you about the most beloved words in the eye of Allah? Verily, the most beloved words in the eye of Allah are: Glory belongs to Allah and praise is due to Him.”

The following is stated in another narration: The Prophet (pbuh) was asked what words were the best. the Prophet (pbuh) said:

Those which are chosen by Allah for His Angels and His servants (and the words are): SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi” (Glory be to Allah and His is the praise). (Muslim Masajid, 17)

According to what Jabir narrates, the Prophet (pbuh) said,

“Whoever says “SubhanAllahi wa bihamdihi”, a date-palm is planted for him in Paradise.” (Tirmidhi, Book of Daawat, 60)

According to a narration from Abu Hurairah, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

“Whoever says “Glory be to Allah and His is the praise”, all of his sins will be forgiven, even if they are as much as the foam of the sea.” (Bukhari, Daawat:27, Muslim, Dhikr:17)

The following verses serve for demanding a child and wishing a good heir if recited as a prayer. Because Zacharias (PBUH) and other prophets prayed so. Thus, it is to our benefit to pray with these verses in case of such a problem.

It will be better to read them from the original Quran, but the ones who may not read it, can read the prayers from the translations too.

“And those who pray "Our Lord! Grant unto us wives and offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes and give us (the grace) to lead the righteous..." (al-Furqan, 25/74.)

"if Thou givest us a goodly child, we vow we shall (ever) be grateful." (al-A’raf,7/189.)

“O my Lord! Grant me a righteous (son)!" (as- Saffat, 37/100)

"Now I fear (what) my relatives (and colleagues) (will do) after me: but my wife is barren: so give me an heir as from Thyself― (One that) will (truly) represent me, and represent the posterity of Jacob; and make him, O my Lord! one with whom Thou art well-pleased!" (Maryam,19/5-6)

As it is known, it is an indispensible duty of every Muslim to say salawat whenever he hears the name of the Prophet. As a matter of fact, the following is stated 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)

Or, “surrender to him fully.”

When Allah utters salawat to His Prophet, it means to have mercy; when angels and we, human beings, utter salawat to the Prophet, it means to ask for the mercy of Allah for the Prophet. If he attains mercy, it means we attain mercy, too. Once, the Prophet begged Allah for his ummah until the morning and God Almighty sent him the following message through Jibril:

“We will satisfy you about your ummah and we will never depress you about them.” (Muslim, Iman: 346)

It is stated in verse 79 of the chapter of al-Isra as glad tiding that he would be given "a station of Praise and Glory", which calls us to be in a close and warm relationship with the Messenger of Allah. Thus, salawat is an important means that establishes, maintains and strengthens this warm relationship between him and us.

Accordingly, it is stated that it is fard for a Muslim to utter salawat once in his lifetime, that salawat after this fard one are wajib and that repetitions of salawat are sunnah; it is also stated that abandoning salawat causes deprivation of intercession (shafa'ah).

People who feel gratitude toward those who do them a favor will definitely feel gratitude toward the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), who will be a means of salvation for them in the hereafter, and will utter salawat with respect and love when they hear his name; thus, they will attain his intercession through this loyalty.

"O ye that believe! Send ye blessings on him and salute him, with all respect." As a necessity of the order of this verse, itis stated that it is fard for a Muslim to utter salawat once in his lifetime, that salawat after this fard one are wajib and that repetitions of salawat in the same place are sunnah.

It is understood that when a salawat is uttered, both our Lord and angels become pleased; besides, angels pray for those who utter salawat. We see in hadith books that some angels pray for a person who utters salawat, which elevates the rank of the Prophet (pbuh) in Paradise, by saying, “May Allah elevate your rank too” and the other angels say 'amin'. They react to those who do not utter salawat by saying, “May Allah not elevate your rank" and the other angels say 'amin'.

That is, those who utter salawat when they hear the name of the Prophet (pbuh) receive good du'a from angels and those who do not are cursed by them. Besides, the Prophet (pbuh) resents the members of his ummah who do not utter salawat; and he expresses his reproach for such a person by saying “May his nose soil with dust!”

There are numerous kinds of salawat. The most famous of them are the ones we read after at-tahiyyat in prayers “Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa ala ali Muhammad” and “Sallallahu alayhi wasallam”. The meaning of them can be expressed as follows:

–May the mercy of our Lord, asking for forgiveness of the angels and our greetings be on the Prophet Hz. Muhammad and on his family!

There are many hadiths of the Prophet regarding the issue; some of them are as follows:

“Do not make my grave a place of joy and feast. Send salawat and greetings to me. Your salawat and greetings reach me no matter where you are.” (Abu Dawud, Manasik: 97.)

“The best day of the days is Friday. Send salawat and greetings to me on that because your salawat and greetings are presented to me.” Somebody asked,

“O Messenger of Allah! How are our salawat and greetings presented to you when you die and no trace of you is left?” The Prophet said,

“Allah prohibited the soil from decaying the bodies of prophets.” (Abu Dawud, Salat: 201)

Once, Ubayy ibn Ka’b asked the Prophet,

“O Messenger of Allah! I send you a lot of salawat and greetings. What percentage of my prayer should I allocate to salawat?”  The Prophet said,

“As much as you wish.” Ubayy asked,

“Shall I allocate one-fourth of it?” The Prophet said,

“As much as you wish, but it is better for you if you increase it.”

“Half of it?”

“As much as you wish, but it is better for you if you increase it.”

“What if I allocate all of my prayer to salawat?”

“Then, Allah will relieve you of all your troubles and forgive your sins.” (Tirmidhi, Qiyamah: 23)

“There are travelling angels of Allah in the world. They convey me the greetings of my ummah.” (Mustadrak, 2:456, no. 3576)

Somebody asked, “O Messenger of Allah! We know how to send greetings to you, but how are we going to send salawat?” The Prophet taught him the salawat of “Allahumma salli, Allahumma barik” , which we perform after at-tahiyyat in prayers. (Bukhari, Tafsir 33:10; Tirmidhi, Tafsir 33:23.)

Salawat like this are prayers (du'a) peculiar to the Prophet; therefore, our Lord will not reject a prayer peculiar to him. If we start our prayers (du'a) with salawat and finish them with salawat having this in mind, we hope that our prayers will be accepted. 

It is better to say and write “Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa ala ali Muhammad” or “Sallallaha alayhi wa sallam” fully when we read and write; to write abbreviations like (sas) and (pbuh) means to write salawat. However, when abbreviations like those, which are placed for respect, are abundant in a text, the readers have difficulty in reading it and sometimes leads them to disrespect, which is contrary to the purpose of placing them. Rather than causing disrespect, it is better to decrease those abbreviations and leave it to the understanding of the reader.   

It cannot be said that salawat uttered for the Prophet will cause our sins to be forgiven. For, such a thing is not in question for the Prophet. It becomes a means of elevating his rank. Therefore, nobody can estimate and determine the rank of the Prophet. For, he receives myriads of salawat from his ummah every moment; it is understood that his elevation will never end and go on until Doomsday.

A Historic Example of Respect:

Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna had a servant called Muhammad. He always called him Muhammad, a name that he loved. Once, however, he called him by his father's name. The servant felt depressed and asked him why he called him by his father's name but not his own name, Muhammad. The Sultan said,

– I always had wudu when I called you; I always pronounced that name with wudu. However, I did not have wudu when I called you by your father's name. I would feel ashamed if I pronounced that name without wudu.

We remind this incident to those who did not feel and do anything when they hear this name.

To Wipe Hands over the Face

It is sunnah to utter salawat when the name of the Prophet is mentioned. Salawat is a form of du'a; after a du'a, the face is wiped by the hands; similarly, the face can be wiped by the hands after salawat.

No, the ordering mentioned above is not wrong and it is not contrary to the sunnah.   It is sunnah for a person to pray (say dua) after praising Allah and salawat but there is no drawback to praying without praising Allah and saying salawat.

It is sunnah to glorify Allah (tasbihat) after a prayer. Supplication (dua) is generally made after tasbihat.

Therefore, it is not contrary to the sunnah to say salawat before tasbihat. For, there are verses and hadiths about saying salawat for the Prophet (pbuh) directly.

However, it is sunnah for those who will say dua after tasbihat to say dua as they wish after praising Allah and saying salawat.

The narration mentioned in the question:

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) heard a person supplicating after prayer without praising Allah and blessings the Prophet. Thereupon, he said,

“That man made haste.” He then called him and said either to him or to another person,

 “If any of you prays, he should mention the exaltation of his Lord in the beginning and praise Him; he should then invoke blessings on the Prophet (pbuh). After that, he should supplicate Allah for anything he wishes.” (Abu Dawud, Witr 23; see Tirmidhi, Daawat 65; Nasai, Sahw 48)

Once, while the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was sitting in Masjid an-Nabawi with his Companions, a man arrived. According to another narration of the hadith, this person, whose name we do not know, performed a prayer alone and prayed as follows: "Allahummaghfir li warhamni: O Allah! Forgive me and have mercy on me."

However, prayer has its own manners and method like everything. It is necessary to show respect to God Almighty, from whom something will be asked, whose help will be requested, to praise Him as duly, and to send blessings to the Prophet, who will intercede in the presence of God Almighty.

Therefore, the Messenger of Allah said that this person made haste and wanted to use that opportunity to teach his Companions how to pray. He said the words mentioned above to that Companion whom he had summoned, or to his other Companions while he was sitting next to him.

A person who will pray to Allah after performing a prayer or at other times should say, "Al-Hamdu lillahi Rabbil-alamin was-salatu was-salamu ala sayyidina Muhammadin wa alihi wa sahbihi ajmain" or praise Allah and bless the Prophet (pbuh) with a similar statement.  

As a matter of fact, once, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saw one of his Companions begin to pray by praising Allah and blessing His Messenger. He appreciated that Companion and said, "O the one who performed the prayer! Pray and your prayer will be answered." (Tirmidhi, Daawat 65)

Muslims learn life and way of living as well as prayer and worship from the Messenger of Allah and hence they try to do everything in accordance with their manners and method.

Accordingly:

- One should try to pray as the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) taught.

- One should start prayer (dua) by praising Allah first, and then blessing the Messenger of Allah.

- After that, he should say what he wants from Allah, and then finish the prayer by praising Allah again, for example, by saying "Amin wal-hamdu lillahi Rabbil-alamin".

Allah is free of space; therefore, no place can be thought of Him.

However, the qiblah of the prayer (salah) is the Kaaba; similarly, the qiblah of the dua (supplication) is the sky. Therefore, when we say prayers, we open our hands toward the sky.

Dua is a deed of worshipping. Our main principle in duas should be worshipping. Otherwise, it is wrong to see dua as something that should be accepted and as a petition of needs.

Sometimes, we make dua for something. However, this thing is not accepted apparently. Nevertheless, we should not give up making dua. If we get what we want and Allah Almighty accepts our dua, it will be wonderful. However, if it is not accepted apparently, we should not say, “my prayer was not accepted”. On the contrary, we should say, “Allah accepted my prayer for my hereafter or for something better in the world.”

We should think this dua was not in vain and that we will receive its reward in the hereafter since it is worshipping instead of giving up dua. On the contrary, we should try to make dua more.

Allah Almighty states the following in the Quran

“Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer).” (al-Mu’min, 40/60)

There is no limitation in the verse and it shows that all kinds of duas can be made. Anything can be asked as long as it is halal.

Acting upon this verse, some people say, “Since Allah says, ‘call on me; I will accept your prayer’, why are some of our prayers not accepted though we pray a lot?” Our scholars unanimously say that Allah says, “I will answer”, not “I will accept.” When you go to see a doctor and say to him, “O doctor’ Give me this medicine”, the doctor will definitely answer you. However, if what you want is useless or harmful to you, he will give you a better medicine.

Similarly, Allah Almighty, who has absolute wisdom, answers us and our prayers. However, it is based on His wisdom whether to accept our prayers or not; therefore, He sometimes gives the same thing as we want and sometimes a better one; He sometimes does not give anything knowing that it is harmful to us.

There are some issues that we need to be careful about while praying (making dua):

First of all, the dua should be something that is acceptable. Then, it should be made by a sincere and sinless mouth. If it is possible, it should be made when one has wudu and with halal food. Duas are especially accepted when they are made in mosques, holy times, especially in the month of Ramadan and holy nights like the Night of Power and the Night of Barat, after prayers, especially after the morning prayer based on divine wisdom and mercy. The more one moves away from these conditions, the less the effect the dua will have.

Sakinah Supplication consists of the beautiful names of Allah, all of which are mentioned in the Quran, and some verses of the Quran.

Sakinah lexically means peace of heart, feeling of satisfaction, trust, calm, tranquility, solemnity, etc. (Ibn Manzur, Lisanul-Arab, Beirut nd., XIII/213; Tajul-Arus, I/8069-8071)

In Sufism, Sakinah is generally defined as the state of satisfaction and tranquility experienced by the heart when the unknown and spiritual prosperity come. (Ibn Arabi, Istilahatus-Sufiyya, p. 13; Sayyid Sharif Jurjani, Ta’rifat, I/159)

In our books, Sakinah that came to Hz. Ali is mentioned. That Sakinah is mentioned as “Qasida al-Arjuza” in Majmuatul-Ahzab. (Ahmet Gümüşhanevi, Majmuatul Ahzab, Pages 582-597) It is a supplication made with six great names of Allah: “Fard, Hayy, Qayyum, Hakam, Adl, Quddus”.

The meanings of those six names are as follows in brief:

Fard: Allah is one, single, unique; He has independence and individuality.  

Hayy: Allah is eternally alive; He is pre-eternal and post-eternal; He has immortal life. He is the one that gives life to everything and that revives everything.  

Qayyum: Allah is always existent; so to speak, He is always standing; He is dominant over everything He does. He rules, controls and leads beings as He wishes. Everything exists, stands and continues with Him. No slumber can seize Him nor sleep; nor is heedlessness in question for Him. Everything in the heavens and world continue living and standing thanks to His will and subsistence.   

Hakam: Allah has dominion and wisdom. It is His high practice to have wisdom and benefit in everything He creates. He does not create anything that is useless. He observes and controls His creatures. He distinguishes between the right and wrong among His slaves; He judges with justice among them.     

Adl: Allah has justice. He gives every creature their due; He never wrongs anybody. He judges with justice on the Day of Resurrection. His penalty is not oppression or injustice but justice. Allah has justice and He orders His slaves to act justly. 

Quddus: Allah is pure and clean; He is free form deficiencies, weakness and all kinds of incomplete attributes that the unbelieving and aberrant people think. Allah has perfect attributes. Every attribute, name, act and deed of Allah are perfect. He creates the beings perfectly, cleanly and purely. He likes cleanliness and orders cleanliness. He purifies His slaves who regret and repent of their sins and cleans them.   

In Sakinah, after those names are mentioned, help is asked from Allah with nineteen verses having nineteen letters; then, refuge is taken in Allah; Allah is mentioned with His various names; the prosperity and blessings of those names are asked in order to overcome all worldly and otherworldly difficulties.    

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi expresses the form of reading this supplication called "Sakinah" as “it should be read with seventy-one verses one hundred and seventy-one times all the time” (Lem'alar, p. 425). Afterwards, he chose nineteen of those seventy-one verses and the current “Sakinah supplication” was formed. (Hizbü’l-Envâri’l-Hakâikı’n-Nûriye, p. 119)

The Mysteries of Sakinah Supplication

Sakinah is a supplication of the greatest name of Allah based on the system of nineteen. Stating that this supplication, which includes Allah’s honorable names of nineteen letters in accordance with the nineteen letters of bismillahirrahmanirrahim (in the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful), has great blessings, Imam Ali deals with those names in both Jaljalutiyya and Arjuza.  

It will be useful to mention a few points indicating that Imam Ali took this Sakinah, based on the system of nineteen, directly from the Quran.

1. Sakinah consists of six names (Fard, Hayy, Qayyum, Hakam, Adl, Quddus). The word “sakinah” is mentioned six times in the Quran (al-Baqara 2/248, at-Tawba 9/26, 40; al-Fath 48/4,18,26).

2. The word sakinah mentioned in the Quran indicates the number nineteen in various aspects.

     a) The word Sakinah included in the chapter of al-Baqara is mentioned as a sign of the kingship of Talut; it is a symbol of divine help in the ark of covenant as a great source of morale for believers provided by Allah and is used in the sense of tranquility, security and peace. There are 247 (13x19) verses in this chapter before this verse.

     b) The other repetitions of the word Sakinah are in question for the Prophet (pbuh) and Muslims. The first three of those five repetitions are in the chapter of al-Fath. The last two are mentioned in the chapter of at-Tawba. The sum of the ordinal numbers of those two chapters (9+48) is 57 (3x19). There are 38 (2x19) chapters between those two chapters.

     c) The sum of the numbers of those five verses is 114: (at-Tawba 9/26, 40; al-Fath 48/4,18,26). This number is in compliance with the total numbers of the chapters of the Quran (114).

     d) In terms of the order of revelation, the word “sakinah” was first sent down in the chapter of al-Fath. This chapter was sent down in the nineteenth year of the prophethood (while the Prophet was returning from the Expedition of Hudaybiyya). According to the system of the chapters that do not start with huruf al-muqatta’a (disjointed letters), the ordinal number of first verse is 102x19(=17x114), a multiple of 19.

      e) The form of the word Sakinah in the first verses that it was sent down (al-Fath, 48/4,18) is “as-sakinat”; its abjad value is 571 (the year of the birth of the Prophet). This conformity should be regarded as a sign of the Prophet’s being a source of tranquility and security for humanity. If the letter alif that is silent is excluded, the abjad value is 570(30x19).

3. The number of the letters of the six nouns named sakinah is nineteen.

4. One of the basic elements of Sakinah is bismillahirrahmanirrahim. The number of the letters of bismillahirrahmanirrahim is nineteen.

5. The number of the verse in which bismillahirrahmanirrahim (having nineteen letters) is included is (an-Naml, 27/30) is the same as the number of the verse in which the number (nineteen) of zabanis (angels of hell) is included is the same (al-Muddaththir, 74/30). This conformity shows the existence of a relationship between bismillahirrahmanirrahim and zabanis and confirms the following view of the great Companion Abdullah b. Mas'ud:

“The number of the letters of bismillahirrahmanirrahim is the same as the number of zabanis in Hell: nineteen. In that case, he who wants to be saved from zabanis should read bismillahirrahmanirrahim, which has nineteen letters. If a person reads it, Allah will make each of those letters armor against each zabani. Zabanis, which are angels of Hell, do all their tasks by uttering bismillahirrahmanirrahim and take their strength from bismillahirrahmanirrahim.” (Qurtubi I/12; Beki Niyazi, Namazın Sayısal Mucizesi, p.15)

It is interesting that when the number 30, which is the number of the verse in which bismillahirrahmanirrahim is included and the number of the verse in which the word nineteen is included, is multiplied by 19, we get 570, which is the abjad value of the word “as-sakinat”.

6. The abjad value of the word ”Sakinat” through the method of tahajji (sin=120, qaf=101, ya= 12, nun=106, ta=402) is 741(39x19). It is also interesting that the first verse of the chapter of al-Muddaththir mentioning nineteen is the 741st verse of the Quran from last.

7. Sakinah is read by being added to the six greatest names for different purposes. However, those verses need to in conformity with the number nineteen. As a matter of fact, Badiuzzaman Said Nursi states that he added 171 (9x19) verses to those names in the past when he read them.

8. The “Sakinah“ supplication that is arranged by Nursi and that we have now shows the number nineteen from various aspects:

     a) After Allahu Akbar (Allah is the greatest) is uttered, bismillahirrahmanirrahim, which has nineteen letters, and six names of Allah with nineteen letters are uttered.

     b) The number of the letters of each of the nineteen verses in question is nineteen. – However, the second verse in the twentieth chapter consists of twenty letters- (“wa anatil wujuhu lil hayyil qayyum“. Nevertheless, the letter “waw” at the beginning of the verse is a conjunction meaning and. If we do not count the conjunction, “anatil wujuhu lil hayyil qayyum” will remain in the verse, which has nineteen letters.

      c) The verse ”Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds (Alhamdulillahi Rabbilalamin) ” is in the nineteenth place. This verse is mentioned with a waw at the beginning (“walhamdulillahi Rabbilalamin) in verse 182 of the chapter of as-Saaffat.

- The number of the letters of this verse is nineteen.

- This verse is the 1824th (96x19=5x19x19+19) verse of the Quran according to the system of the chapters that do not start with huruf al-muqatta’a (unencoded).

- This verse is the nineteenth repetition of the word “alhamdulillah” in the Quran.

- The abjad value of this verse is 589 (31x19).

How to read Sakinah Supplication:

As far as we know, there are two different reading styles of sakinah supplication.

The first one: Reading it nineteen times with bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

The second one: According to what we heard from some brothers, Hulusi brother said it could be read as follows too:

1. Niyyah (to make intention and state the purpose of reading it)

2. Istighfar: asking for forgiveness (7 times)

3. Salawat (7 times)

4. Allahu Akbar (10 times)

5. Six names of Allah to be read with each verse (19 times)

- After bismillahirrahmanirrahim, six names of Allah (Fardun, Hayyun, Qayyumun, Hakamun, Adlun, Quddusun) and then the first verse will be read nineteen times. After that, bismillahirrahmanirrahim, six names and the second verse will be read. Example: Bismillahirrahmanirrahim, Fardun, Hayyun, Qayyumun, Hakamun, Adlun, Quddusun “Sayaj‘alullahu ba’da ‘usrin yusra” will be read nineteen times. Then, bismillahirrahmanirrahim, six names and the second verse will be read; thus, all verses will be read. Another reading style is said to be as follows: If a person reads sakinah supplication for a certain purpose, he will read the verse that is in accordance with his purpose 19 times after uttering bismillahirrahmanirrahim and the six names.

It is necessary to consider the following about the number nineteen in the form of reading: 19x19=361. 361 is the angle of the circle. However, mathematicians accepted it as 360 to make it easy for calculations. Every verse in Sakinah has 19 verses and is read 19 times. In our opinion, a luminous shield forms around the person who reads Sakinah as 19X19.

The answer to a criticism:

The following text included in On Sekizinci Lem'a (Eighteenth Flash) is criticized by some people:  

“Then Hz. Jibril brought the greatest name of Allah written on a sheet called Sakinah to the presence of the Prophet and it fell onto the lap of Hz. Ali. Hz. Ali says, "I saw Jibril in the form of a rainbow. I heard his sound and took the sheet and found these names on it..."

As it is seen, Sakinah falling onto the lap of Hz. Ali is mentioned, not revelation received like a prophet. The Sakinah that is in question is a supplication including Allah’s six great names: “Fard, Hayy, Qayyum, Hakam, Adl, Quddus”. Badiuzzaman Said Nursi states the following in the preface of this Lem’a (Flash): It expresses an important hidden miracle of the Prophet (pbuh).” Thus, he presents is as a miracle of the Prophet and a karamah of Hz. Ali, about whom the Prophet said, “I am the city of knowledge. Ali is its door."

What is opposed is the phrase “a sheet (page) called Sakinah”; what is meant by the sheet (page) is an inspirational message; it should not be confused with the “revelation” sent to the Prophet (pbuh). If what is opposed is the state of seeing Jibril, many Companions like Hz. Aisha, Hz. Umar, Ibn Abbas, Usama bin Zayd, Umm Salama, Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqas stated that thy saw Jibril in the form of the Companion Dihya or a cavalry. (Bukhari, Fadailul-Ashab: 30; Maghazi: 18, Libas: 24, Iman: 37; Muslim, Fadail: 46, 47, Iman: 1-7; Qadi Iyad, ash-Shifa, 1/361)

If what is opposed is its falling onto the lap of Hz. Ali, Imam Ghazali expresses it very concisely.  

"When they were sent down to the Prophet (pbuh) through revelation, he ordered Imam Ali, ’Write’ and he wrote. Then, he arranged it." (Şualar, p. 635)

To sum up, when Jibril entered into the presence of the Prophet (pbuh), he brought the supplication including six great names of Allah due to divine demand to the Prophet (pbuh) to dictate it to “Hz. Ali, the key to the city of knowledge”. The Prophet (pbuh) told Hz. Ali to arrange Sakinah in the form of an ode. Divine demand wanted Hz. Ali to arrange it in the form of a poem; therefore, Badiuzzaman Said Nursi says, “It fell onto the lap of Hz. Ali.” (see Cevşenü'l Kebir ve Meali İcmali, Translated by Asst. Prof. Dr. Niyazi Beki, Tenvir Neşriyat; We benefited from the writing by Dr. Emin Şimşek to answer the criticism.)

The Meanings of the Verses Included in Sakinah:

1. After a difficulty, Allah will soon grant relief. (at-Talaq, 65/7)

2. (All) faces shall be humbled before (Him) - the Living, the Self-Subsisting, Eternal. (Taha, 20/111)

3. Verily Allah is to you most kind and Merciful. (al-Hadid, 57/9)

4. For Allah is Oft-returning, Most Merciful. (an-Nisa 4/16)

5. For Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. (an-Nisa 4/23, 106)

6. Verily Allah doth blot out (sins) and hath power (in the judgment of values). (an-Nisa 4/149)

7. For Allah is He Who heareth and seeth all things. (an-Nisa 4/58)

8. And Allah is All-knowing, Al-wise. (an-Nisa 4/11)

9. For Allah ever watches over you. (an-Nisa, 4/1)

10. Verily We have granted thee a manifest Victory. (al-Fath, 48/1)

11. And that Allah may help thee with powerful help. (al-Fath, 48/3)

12. It is the fellowship of Allah that must certainly triumph. (al-Maida, 5/56)

13. He is the Strong One, and able to enforce His Will. (Hud, 11/66)

14. Verily Allah is He (that is) free of all wants, worthy of all praise. (Luqkman, 31/26)

15. Allah sufficeth me: there is no god but He. (at-Tawba, 9/129)

16. For us Allah sufficeth, and He is the best disposer of affairs. (Aal-i Imran, 3/173)

17. The Great Terror will bring them no grief. (al-Anbiya, 21/103)

18. Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek. (al-Fatiha, 1/5)

19. Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher of the worlds. (al-Fatiha, 1/2; al-Anam, 6/45)

Conclusion:

Regularity in dhikr and discipline is necessary in order to keep the heart, which is the center of the spiritual life, alert and active. Giving up dhikr is a sign of the deterioration of the heart. Badiuzzaman Said Nursi expresses it as follows:  

“...The wounds that sin inflicts upon us and the temptations and doubts that arise from those wounds will – may God protect us! – penetrate our inner heart, the seat of belief, and thus wound belief. Penetrating too the spiritual joy of the tongue, the interpreter of belief, they cause it to shun in revulsion the remembrance of God, and reduce it to silence. Sin, penetrating to the heart, will blacken and darken it until it extinguishes the light of belief. Within each sin is a path leading to unbelief. Unless that sin is swiftly obliterated by seeking God’s pardon, it will grow from a worm into a snake that gnaws on the heart.” (Lem'alar, p. 9)

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi, who was wonderfully protected from the terrible afflictions he encountered throughout his life, which lasted almost a century, regularly read the supplication called Sakinah, which he learned from Hz. Ali. Therefore, we hold the view that Sakinah will be a shield and light for us at times of trouble and heedlessness.

You can pray for others by using Allah's names as a means. You can ask Allah to show the effects of that name on another person.

It will be appropriate to do so with the intention of prayer.

Supplication (dua / prayer) is a deed of worship. Every deed of worship has a determined time; supplication also has a determined time.  

Just as a prayer has fard and nafilah parts so too does a supplication have fard and nafilah parts. Nafilah prayers can generally be performed any time but fard prayers have to be performed at certain times.

It is a nafilah deed of worship to make supplication all the time, whether there is a problem or not. However, to make supplication at a time of misfortune and problem is like fard; that is, its time has come.

“The supplication is the essence of worship.” (Tirmidhi, Daawat 1)

It is possible to see the close relationship between worship and supplication from the hadith above.

The more the conditions of supplication are fulfilled, the more probable is the acceptance of supplication. The issues that we need to be careful about so that our supplication will be accepted are as follows:

- To clean our spirit from sins, which are spiritual impurities, by repenting.

- To eat and drink legitimate (halal) food and beverages bought through legitimately earned money.

- To have wudu, to turn toward the qiblah and to open the hands toward the sky.

- To start the supplication with audhu-basmala, praising Allah and sending greetings to the Prophet.

- To abandon oppression and to repent of sins.

- Not to ask things that necessitate sins and not to hurry.

- To make supplication sincerely and to continue supplication.

- Not to ask things against other Muslims and things that will harm them; not to curse the families, children and wealth of other Muslims.

- Not to ask things that are contrary to Islam.

- Not to shout and not to show off through literary arts in supplication.

- To make supplication after prayers, especially fard prayers.

- To make supplication between adhan and iqamah for the fard prayer.

- To make supplication in the prostrations of nafilah prayers.

- To make supplication on Friday.

- To make supplication on Ramadan nights, nights of eid al-fitr and eid al-adha, nights of Miraj, Barat, Qadr and Friday.

- To make supplication when one is ill.

- To make supplication while fasting, especially at the time of iftar (breaking fast).

- To make supplication when one is in ihram for hajj or umrah.

- To make supplication for one’s Muslim brother in his absence.

- To make supplication at times of material and spiritual abundance.

- To make supplication with the supplications mentioned in hadiths and reported from Companions.

- To make supplication heartily and sincerely, believing that every supplication will be answered.

- To start and end a supplication by praising Allah and sending greetings to the Prophet.

- To say "amin" at the end of supplication and wipe one’s face with his hands. 

If a person acts accordingly, that supplication will inshallah be accepted. 

A person needs to regard Allah as the being closest to him and he must never forget Him.

We need to arrange our lives and live according to Islam if we want our supplications to be accepted and attain Allah's consent. (see Imam Nawawi, Dualar ve Zikirler)

In fact, all prayers are answered. However, it is not necessary for every prayer to be accepted exactly and to be given in this world. If you go to see a doctor and say, “O doctor! Will you give me this medicine?”, if that medicine is useful for you, the doctor will say, “Here you are.” However, if what you want is irrelevant, useless or harmful, he will not give it to you; he will give you something better.

Similarly, Allah Almighty, who is absolutely wise, answers us and our prayers. However, to accept a prayer is based on His wisdom; therefore, He sometimes gives exactly what is asked, sometimes better than what is asked and sometimes does not give what is asked because He knows that it is harmful.

For instance, if a person asks a son but if he is given a daughter like Hz. Maryam (Mary), does it mean his prayer has not been accepted or is it regarded to have been accepted in a better way? If a person asks worldly wealth and if he is given otherworldly wealth, does it mean that his prayer has not been accepted?

The Prophet explains this fact as follows:

“There is none who utters a supplication, except that Allah gives him what he asked, or prevents evil from him that is equal to it – as long as he does not supplicate for something evil, or the cutting of ties of kinship.” (Tirmidhi, Daawat 145)

According to what is reported by hadith resources, when the Prophet (pbuh) felt distressed and sad, he would read one of the following supplications: 

a. “La ilaha illallahu Rabbul-arshil-azim, La ilaha illallahu Rabbus-samawati wa Rabbul-ardi wa Rabbul-Arshil-Karim.”(Bukhari, Daawat,27; Muslim, Daawat, 83)

Its meaning: “There is no god but Allah the Incomparably Great, the Compassionate. There is no god but Allah the Lord of the Mighty Throne. There is no god but Allah the Lord of the heavens, the Lord of the earth, and the Lord of the Honorable Throne.”

b. “Ya Hayyu ya Qayyum! Bi rahmatike astaghisu.”(Tirmidhi, Daawat, 91)

Its meaning: “O the One who is always alive and who keeps all beings standing! I ask help from You for the sake of Your mercy.”

c. “Allahumma rahmataka arju fala takilni ila nafsi tarfata aynin, wa aslih li sha'ni kullihi, La ilaha illa anta.” (Abu Dawud, Adab, 101)

Its meaning: “O Allah! Your mercy is what I hope for. Do not abandon me to myself for an instant, but put all my affairs in good order for me. There is no god but You.” 

In addition, reading the chapter of al-Inshirah is an important means of eliminating distress and grief, and attaining relief. It will be useful if it is read thirteen times every day. It will be a means of eliminating distress in the heart and overcoming difficulties.

''Bismillahirrahmanirrahim'' ''Alhamdulillahilladhi at’amana wa saqana wa jaalana minal muslimin (Praise be to Allah who has given us food and drink and made us Muslims). Kulu washrabu wa la tusrifu, innahu la yuhibbul musrifin (Eat and drink: But waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not the wasters).''

"O MONARCH that nurtures us with his bounty! Show us the source and origin of these examples and shadows you have shown us! Draw us nigh to your seat of rule; do not let us perish in these deserts! Take us into your presence and have mercy on us! Feed us there on the delicious bounty you have caused us to taste here! Do not torment us with desperation and banishment! Do not leave your yearning, thankful and obedient subjects to their own devices; do not cause them to be annihilated. O LORD! Forgive our faults, and accept us as Your slaves. Make us sure holders of Your trust until the time comes when it is taken from us. Make our spirits dominant over our bodies, our hearts over our souls and our minds over our stomachs. Make us among Your slaves who seek flavor to thank You!"

"O LORD! For the sake of the blessings You bestowed on Your Most Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), bestow the blessings of abundance on the favors with which You have provided us! Amin!"

''Allahumma zid wala tanqus bi hurmatilfatiha (O Allah! Increase but do not decrease! For the sake of al-Fatiha)''

(Bedîüzzaman Said Nursî, Risâle-i Nûr Külliyâtı)

“Amin! Alhamdu lillahi rabbil-alamin, wal-aqibatu lil-muttaqin was-salatu was-salamu ala sayyidina Muhammadin wa ala alihi wa ashabihi ajmain.”

O Sublime Lord!

You are merciful to all Your creatures and gracious to Your believing servants in particular; we have come to Your door and are begging You with our prayers and supplications; accept our prayers and do not turn us away from the door of forgiveness, O Allah!

You are the sole dominant power and owner of the Day of Judgment; have mercy on us there and protect us from the torment of Hell, O Lord!

We serve You alone and seek help only from You; never separate us from the path of worship and obedience, O Allah!

O Allah! Enable us all to stay on the path of guidance, to be among Your pious servants, and to spend our lives in this world with chastity and honor!

We seek refuge in Your pleasure from Your wrath, in Your forgiveness from Your punishment, in Your infinite mercy from the evil of Satan; You are forgiving; You love to forgive. Forgive us too, O Allah!

Accept the khatm al-Quran in Your sanctuary.

We have gifted the reward of it to the pure spirit of our beloved Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (PBUH) first; convey it to him, O Lord!

We have gifted it to the spirits of other prophets, the spirits of the Companions and the Tabi’un, to the spirits of the scholars and martyrs who served the religion of Islam with their knowledge and swords; convey it to them, O Lord!

We have gifted it to the spirits of the deceased people of our congregation who say amin, to the spirits of all the deceased people of those who caused this gathering, to the spirits of our Muslim brothers and sisters who have no one left in the world to remember them; convey it to them, O Lord!

We have gifted it especially to the spirits of the deceased people of everyone who participated and contributed to this khatm al-Quran; convey it to them, O Lord! If they have sins, convert them into good deeds, O Allah!

Enable all our brothers and sisters who participated in this khatm al-Quran to attain what their hearts desire with goodness and to be pure light with Your light in both worlds! Remove all their troubles, if any, O Lord!

Do not leave us without You at this time when we need Your forgiveness, mercy and grace more than ever, O Lord! We are begging you; we have come to your door; do not turn us away empty, O Lord!

O Allah! You know that we have never called anyone other than You Lord; we have served only You and asked for your help only; and we know that we have done things that You are not pleased with, but You are our Lord; we have no way to go to anyone other than You. You are our Lord in punishing us; and You are our Lord in forgiving us. You are gracious and merciful if You forgive us.

You are forgiving; You love forgiveness; forgive us, O Lord...

Illuminate the graves of those who passed into the hereafter, whose bones decayed and who are in need of al-Fatiha with the light of the Quran. May their stations be in paradise, O Allah!

Make the light of their belief and the Quran their partner in their graves! Make their graves among gardens of paradise; do not make them resemble the pits of hell, O Lord!

If there are those who are suffering from the torment of the grave because of their mistakes as human beings, save them for the sake of the Quran, O Allah! Forgive them for the sake of the beloved Prophet (pbuh), O Allah! Have mercy on them, O Allah, for the sake of the Kaaba al-Muazzama, Ravda al-Mutahhara and other holy places!

You know the situation of all our Muslim brothers and sisters who have been subjected to oppression all over the world, O Allah! Make the oppressors improve, O Lord! If it is not possible for them to improve, devastate them with Your name al-Qahhar (the Subduer), O Allah!

While we are here in a comfortable place with a full stomach and a roof over our heads, even praying seems hard for our souls; what about those Muslim brothers waiting to die in the cold, in hunger and in a corner in the middle of the night all over the world right now? What if one of them says, “I am waiting for the day when I will ask my Muslim brother who withholds even a prayer from me while I am here in this state.” How can we give account of it? O Allah! Grant us this awareness! 

Enable us to pass away from this world by saying “Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh” in our last breath, and to pass away without leaving the true, clean and enlightened path of belief and Islam, O Lord!

Make our religion, which is our honor, our world and our hereafter prosperous.

Protect us from the evil of our eyes, ears, hearts and all the other parts of our body

O our Lord, who is in control of the hearts! Keep us and our family members in obedience to You and in the deeds that will attain Your consent and in Your right path!

We seek refuge in You from raising our hands to You with prayers that will not be accepted, from knowledge that is not beneficial to humanity and Islam, from weakness, laziness and stinginess that do not fit a Muslim. Protect us, O Lord!

Make Your servants who say amin lofty in both worlds. Bless us with Your paradise and beauty and accept our supplication in Your sublime sanctuary, O Lord!

In short, the essence of the prayers: We ask You for all the good deeds that our beloved Prophet (pbuh) asked from You! Grant them to us, O Lord! We seek refuge in You from all the evil, mischief, sedition and discord that our beloved Prophet (pbuh) sought refuge in You! Protect us all, O Allah!

Forgive the sins of everyone who participated and did not participate in the prayer of khatm al-Quran with your vast forgiveness, O Lord!

Grant us blessings that are greater and larger than we can ever imagine, O Lord!

Enable us to be under Your shadow on that terrible day of reckoning when there is no shadow, O Allah!

Make us neighbors in paradise with the friends who participated in this khatm al-Quran, O Lord!

“Subhana Rabbika Rabbil-izzati amma yasifun wa salamun alal-mursalin wal-hamdu lillahi Rabbil-alamin”

For the spirits of all our deceased people and our beloved Prophet (pbuh), for the sake of Allah Taala, al-Fatiha.

The question “Can the prayer of a Christian be accepted?” is related to a very important issue of kalam:

Allah is the Lord of every creature that He created –whether a Christian, a Jew, or a person of another faith, whether he/she knows Him consciously or is heedless about Him – therefore, He answers the prayers of all of His slaves who turn toward him with a sincere heart. It is possible to understand the statement “Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer)” included in verse 60 of the chapter of al-Mumin in that sense.

When and how Allah will respond to the prayers of His servants who pray to Him is something we cannot know. Sometimes He responds instantly and sometimes He delays it. Sometimes He responds and gives exactly what is requested and He sometimes responds by changing what is requested. For, only Allah knows what is good; His slaves cannot know it. That is the general rule regarding the issue.

Allah, who has created His creatures, has guaranteed sustenance for them. That is, Allah does not leave any living thing without sustenance; He sends them their sustenance somehow. Allah, who has bestowed the most vital needs of His servants, will definitely meet the other needs of His servants. That is the case of those who turn toward Him and pray to Him when they need something. Everything is a slave of Allah and everything needs Allah. Nothing is independent of Allah.

However, Allah’s creatures who have consciousness and responsibility are obliged to know what their Lord wants from them and are obliged to act accordingly. Allah sent prophets and books to this end. Allah showed His slaves the way to live in peaceful terms with the universe and called it the straight path (sirat mustaqim). It is necessary for the beings who are conscious and have responsibility to live in the straight path that Allah showed and in accordance with Islam, the true religion that Allah sent.

Those who live in the way that Islam shows will leave this world by passing this worldly test.

Those who do not live in the way that Islam shows will leave this world by losing this worldly test.

 In addition, all kinds of things that happen to us in this world are a means of testing for us because nothing can happen without Allah's knowledge and permission.

As for the issue of the non-Muslim called Dr. Soares being a means of curing ill people by praying:  

Do we know from whom this person asks for help when he prays? Does he pray to Allah, the Creator of the earth and the sky, to give cure to people or does he pray to something that he attributes power, other than Allah? This issue is important.

If he prays to Allah and if he does it with a sincere heart, some of his prayers may be accepted. Some people may have been healed with his prayer. After all, we know and accept that those cures come from Allah. We do not attribute any sanctity to Dr. Soares. Besides, it does not matter whether Soares is Muslim or non-Muslim in this case. The only qualification is whether he prays with a sincere heart or not. His prayer may have been accepted in some cases when he was not sincere. We cannot know about it because it is a test for him.

If he prays to anything to which he attributes holiness other than Allah and his prayer is accepted, it is Allah, the Lord of the realms, who allows his prayer to be realized. Since there is no being other than Allah who has power, there is no other authority that can realize his prayer. That is the truth. We must be aware and conscious of this fact. We hope that our explanations so far have been understood well.

After these points are accepted, the issue can be explained as follows:

Why does Allah help His slaves who pray to beings other than Him and who ask help from them, in other words, who commit polytheism? Why does He accept their prayers? That is the essence of the issue.

Can we determine how Allah will behave in any issue? Allah is the one “who does whatever He wishes”. He will do whatever He wishes in the way that He wishes. What is good and right is what Allah does. We have to think like that as the believers who believe in the Quran and Islam.

This issue and similar ones are a test for people, believers and non-believers. Likewise, similar issues are narrated a lot in the Quran. We learn from the Quran that all kinds of polytheists worshipped all kinds of idols except Allah and asked help from them throughout history but that they still continued to eat, drink and live on earth. After all, it is Allah who gives their sustenance and meets their needs.

Thus, that is the Sunnah of Allah. Allah does not abandon His creatures. Allah knows well how His Lordship is. What His slaves needs to do is to act like His slaves and to worship Him.

While praying, hands are held with palms facing upward (toward the sky) and separately. The palms of both hands are kept like two scales of a balance at the level of the chest, waiting for the divine mercy that will come from the sky.

However, it is not contrary to the sunnah to keep the hands adjacent at times. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) prayed in both ways. However, it is understood that he generally held his hands separate.

As a matter of fact, in Shafii madhhab, palms are faced downward (the ground) during the statements that include fear while praying but in Hanafi madhhab, palms are held downward only in the prayer of rain, not in other prayers.

Shafiis' holding their palms downward while praying in order to avoid misfortunes is based on some hadiths, which is sunnah. One of those hadiths is as follows:

“When the Prophet (pbuh) asked something to happen from Allah, he would hold his hands with palms facing upward. However, when he wanted to take refuge from something, he would hold his hands with palms facing downward.” (For hadiths regarding the issue, see Musnad, Ahmad b. Hanbal IV/56; Majmau’z- Zawaid, X/168; Jamu’l-Fawaid, II/618; al-Fathu’l-Kabir, II/357)

Therefore, those who hold their hands with palms facing down act based on those hadiths. Hanafis imitate Shafiis regarding the issue.

The prayers (duas) about the issue are "from the mischief of death and life".

Ibn Abbas narrates:

"The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said the following prayer:

‘Allahumma inni audhu bika min adhabi jahannam wa audhu bika min adhabi'l qabri wa audhu bika min fitnati'd-Dajjal wa audhu bika min fitnati'l-mahya wa'l-mamat.’

‘(O Allah! I take refuge in You from the torture of Hell;I take refuge in You from the torture of grave; I take refuge in You from the mischief of Dajjal (Antichrist); I take refuge in You from the mischief of life and death.)’”[Abu Dawud, Salat 184, (984)]

The hadith informs us about the torture of grave by mentioning avoiding the torture of grave; thus, it shows that the group of Mutazila, who denies it, is wrong. In fact, the torture of grave is not definite based on this hadith only; there are many other narrations in the degree of spiritual tawatur regarding the issue.  

What is meant by the mischief of mahya (life) –according to Ibn Daqiqul-Id- is all of the worldly mischief and tests that happen to a person: tests based on lust, ignorance, etc. The most serious of these tests is the one during the time of death; for, it will seal man’s life with belief or unbelief.   

What is meant by the mischief of mamat (death) is stated to be the mischief at the time of death. Although it takes place during life, it is attributed to this because it is near death. Besides, it is an important mischief; therefore, it is normal to attract attention to it. It is stated by the scholars that the mischief of grave is aimed by it.

It is definite that those who die will be subject to mischief in their graves; many hadiths state this. We should state that when it is said that the mischief in the grave is meant by the mischief of death, it is necessary to understand the word mischief (fitnah) as “torture”. Fitnah is used in various senses like torture, test, burning, misguiding, doing evil, causing trouble, madness, polytheism, discord, chaos, weakness of belief, unbelief, rebellion and opposition in verses and hadiths.

There are some scholars who say, what is meant by "mischief of life" is being subject to impatience and what is meant by mischief of death is being confused by the questions of munkar and nakir and being unable to answer them.

Hz. Anas narrates:  

"Hz. Prophet (pbuh) took refuge as follows:

"O Allah! I take refuge in You from weakness, laziness, old age at the level of decrepitude, and stinginess. I also take refuge in You from the grave of torture. I take refuge in You from the mischief of life and death." [Bukhari, Da'awat 38, 40, 42, Jihad 25; Muslim, Dhikr 52, (2706); Tirmidhi, Da'awat 71, (3480, 3481); Abu Dawud, Salat 367, (1540, 1541); Huruf 1, (3972); Nasai, Istiadha 6, (8, 257, 258).]

There are definitely a lot of thawabs for the supplications, dhikrs and Asma al-Husna (beautiful names of Allah) when they are repeated a lot. However, there should be some rules of obtaining the results from them. Those who do not act in accordance with those rules will not attain the results that are expected. 

It is the Quran’s order to mention (dhikr) Allah. Mentioning Allah can be with any name of Allah. It is true that when people undergo certain processes, they give importance to certain names. For instance, the dhikr of lovers who are interested in the love of Allah is usually the name al-Wadud (the Loving One); those who are interested in mediation generally mention the name al-Hakim (the Perfectly Wise). It is true.  

- However, it is not appropriate to think that a person who has no share in the valley of taqwa, which consists of obeying Allah’s orders and prohibitions, will cover a distance in that level only by mentioning the name “al-Quddus”. What matters is not to repeat the sounds of those names but to act in accordance with their meanings. What the name al-Quddus (the Pure One), which is the topic of this question, wants from us is to keep away from the impurities that occur due to disobeying Allah, to keep our material environment clean, to have a clean personality and to treat people honestly, displaying a clean, nice personality. 

When we do not keep our environment clean – even if we say al-Quddus a thousand times a day – we will not contribute to this cleaning materially; it is not religiously or logically appropriate to dirty our spiritual environment with sins and heedlessness actually and to think that we will get rid of those impurities by repeating the name al-Quddus a few times. 

- It is necessary to get a broom and clean the floor for material cleanliness; it is necessary to get the broom of repentance and asking for forgiveness first with our tongue and clean the impurities of our heart with it, to spread the spiritual carpet of taqwa, which is the reflection of the name al-Quddus, on the floor of the heart and to weave embroideries of belief and deeds on that carpet for spiritual cleanliness.

Yes, that supplication exits in a hadith as follows:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ وَأَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ حَالِ أَهْلِ النَّارِ

A hadith narration in which that supplication is included is as follows:

According to a narration from Abu Hurayra, the Prophet (pbuh) said,  

 اللَّهُمَّ انْفَعْنِي بِمَا عَلَّمْتَنِي وَعَلِّمْنِي مَا يَنْفَعُنِي وَزِدْنِي عِلْمًا الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ وَأَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ حَالِ أَهْلِ النَّارِ

"Allahumma infa’ni bima allamtani wa allimni ma yanfa’uni wa zidni ilman walhamdu lillahi ala kulli halin wa a’udhu billahi min adhabin-nar."

"O Allah benefit me with that which You have taught me and teach me that which will benefit me and increase me in knowledge. Praise be to Allah in all circumstances and I seek refuge with Allah from the torment of Fire." (Tirmidhi, Daawat, 130; Ibn Majah, Dua, 2)

Benefitting from knowledge occurs by acting in compliance with knowledge and doing what is necessary.  

Beneficial knowledge is the knowledge that is useful in terms of life in the world and life in the hereafter.

“Praise be to Allah in all circumstances.” That is, a believer must always praise Allah whether he is in a state of sorrow and hardship or in a state of joy and abundance.  

In that case, sin, unbelief and the things that lead to them are not praised; anything other than them is a blessing for us and it is necessary to praise and thank Allah for them.

For, the misfortunes that hit a Muslim either cover his sins or prevent worse misfortunes, or they will increase his level in the eye of Allah. They may lead to many other blessings. Therefore, a conscious Muslim knows that each of the states he is in is a blessing for him and thanks Allah in all circumstances.

Thus, a believer must always thank and praise Allah, which is called absolute thanking. If a person stops thanking Allah when a blessing ceases, it is called conditional thanking, which does not fit a Muslim. Therefore, we must praise Allah in all circumstances.  

Umm Salama, one of the wives of the Prophet (pbuh), said that the Prophet (pbuh) asked the following from his Lord:

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَ الْمَسْأَلَةِ، وَخَيْرَ الدُّعَاءِ، وَخَيْرَ النَّجَاحِ، وَخَيْرَ الْعَمَلِ، وَخَيْرَ الثَّوَابِ، وَخَيْرَ الْحَيَاةِ وَخَيْرَ الْمَمَاتِ، وَثَبِّتْنِي، وَثَقِّلْ مَوَازِينِي، وَحَقِّقْ إِيمَانِي، وَارْفَعْ دَرَجَاتِي، وَتَقَبَّلْ صَلاَتِي، وَاغْفِرْ خَطِيئَتِي، وَأَسْأَلُكَ الدَّرَجَاتِ الْعُلَى مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ فَوَاتِحَ الْخَيْرِ، وَخَوَاتِمَهُ، وَجَوَامِعَهُ، وَأَوَّلَهُ، وَظَاهِرَهُ، وَبَاطِنَهُ، وَالدَّرَجَاتِ الْعُلَى مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ آمِينْ

 اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَ مَا آتِي، وَخَيْرَ مَا أَفْعَلُ، وَخَيْرَ مَا أَعْمَلُ، وَخَيْرَ مَا بَطَنَ، وَخَيْرَ مَا ظَهَرَ وَالدَّرَجَاتِ الْعُلَى مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ آمِينْ

 اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَرْفَعَ ذِكْرِي، وَتَضَعَ وِزْرِي، وَتُصْلِحَ أَمْرِي، وَتُطَهِّرَ قَلْبِي، وَتُحَصِّنَ فَرْجِي، وَتُنَوِّرَ قَلْبِي، وَتَغْفِرَ لِي ذَنْبِي، وَأَسْأَلُكَ الدَّرَجَاتِ الْعُلَى مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ آمِينْ

 اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَبَارَكَ فِي نَفْسِي، وَفِي سَمْعِي، وَفِي بَصَرِي، وَفِي رُوحِي، وَفِي خْلْقِي، وَفِي خُلُقِي، وَفِي أَهْلِي، وَفِي مَحْيَايَ، وَفِي مَمَاتِي، وَفِي عَمَلِي، فَتَقَبَّلْ حَسَنَاتِي، وَأَسْأَلُكَ الدَّرَجَاتِ الْعُلَى مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ آمِينْ

Allahumma inni as aluka khayral-mas alati wa hayrad-du‘ai wa khayran-najahi wa khayral-‘amali wa hayrath-thawabi wa khayral-hayati wa khayral-mamati wa thabbitni wa thaqqil-mawazini wa haqqiq imani warfa’ darajati wa taqabbal-salati, waghfir khatiati wa as alukad-darajatil-‘ula minal-jannati.

Allahumma inni as aluka fawatihal-khayri wa khawatimahu wa jawami‘ahu wa awwalahu wa zahirahu wa batinahu, wad-darajatil-‘ula minal-jannati Amin.

Allahumma inni as aluka khayra ma ati wa khayra ma af‘alu wa khayra ma a‘malu wa khayra ma batana wa khayra ma zahara, wad-darajatil-‘ula minal-jannati Amin.

Allahumma inni as aluka an tarfa‘a dhikri wa tada‘a wizri wa tusliha amri wa tutahhira kalbi wa tuhassina farji wa tunawwira qalbi wa taghfira li dhanbi wa as alukad-darajatil-‘ula minal-jannati Amin.

Allahumma inni as aluka an tubarika li nafsi wa fi sam‘i wa fi basari wa fi ruhi wa fi khalqi wa fi ahli wa fi mahyaya wa fi mamati wa fi ‘amali, fataqabbal hasanati wa as alukad-darajatil-‘ula minal-jannati Amin.”

Its meaning:

O Allah! I ask You for the best affair, the best supplication, the best success, the best deed, the best reward, the best life, and the best death. Make my feet steady. Make my good deeds overweigh on the Scale. Confirm my belief. Raise my ranks. Accept my prayer and forgive my sins. I ask You for the highest ranks of Paradise.

O Allah! I ask You for the best of the beginning, the end, the general, the first, the outward and the inner, and the highest ranks of Paradise. Amin.

O Allah! I ask You for the best of what I bring, the best of what I do, the best of what I do, the best of what I hide, the best of what I reveal, and the highest ranks of Paradise. Amin.

O Allah! I ask you to exalt my dhikr, to save me from my sins, to improve my work, to cleanse my heart, to protect my honor, to enlighten my heart, and to forgive my sins. I ask you for the highest ranks. Amin.

O Allah! Bless my soul, my ears, my eyes, my spirit, my nature, my ethics, my family, my life, my death and my deeds. Accept my good deeds. I ask for high ranks in Paradise. Amin.

Reference: Hakim, Mustadrak, no: 1954; Bayhaqi, Daawat, no: 225; Tabarani, Kabir, 23/213, Awsat, 6/213.

Its soundness: Hakim states that the hadith is sound (sahih) and Dhahabi approves it. (see Mustadrak, ibid)

The hadith in question is as follows:

“There are two things that are not rejected - or are rarely rejected -: the prayer (dua) said during adhan, and the prayer said when the battle heats up.” (1)

The hadith is sound. (2)

Although there is always hope for prayers to be accepted, there are hadiths about whether prayers to be made at certain times will be accepted and will not be rejected.

The prayers to be said between adhan and iqamah and when iqamah is being called are also among them. The Prophet (pbuh) states the following regarding the issue:

“When adhan is called, the doors of the sky are opened and prayers are accepted. When iqamah is called, prayer is not rejected.” (3)

The Prophet (pbuh) said, “The prayer said between adhan and iqamah is not rejected.” Thereupon, the Companions said, “O Messenger of Allah! What shall we pray for?” The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Ask Allah for well-being/health in this world and the hereafter.” (4)

The second one is, when the warriors in the way of Allah form ranks, enter the enemy ranks and ­start to fight; the third: the prayer said while it is raining is also acceptable because it is the moment when Allah’s mercy descends.

The war that makes prayer acceptable is the war waged to glorify Allah’s name and attain His consent. It is the war waged with this intention against unbelievers. Wars waged for purposes other than attaining Allah’s consent, such as booty, honor, and victory are not included in it. (5)

Times when prayer is closer to acceptance

Prayer (dua) can be said anytime and anywhere. However, it is stated that prayer made in blessed places and times is closer to acceptance:

At dawn

Two verses about the prayers said at dawn are as follows:

“And in the hour of early dawn, they (were found) praying for Forgiveness.” (6)

“Those who show patience, Firmness and self-control; who are true (in word and deed); who worship devoutly; who spend (in the way of Allah); and who pray for forgiveness in the early hours of the morning.” (7)

Hadiths:

“The prayer said in the last hours of the night and after the fard prayers is acceptable.” (8)

“Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, descends to the sky of the world every night when the last third of the night is left and says: I am the owner of the property! I answer the prayer of anyone who prays to me. I will give to anyone who asks from me. I will forgive anyone who asks me for forgiveness. And it goes like that until dawn.” (9)

At night time

“There is a time at night; when a Muslim comes across that time and asks Allah for something good about this world and the hereafter, Allah will give him whatever he asks. It is like that every night.” (10)

Between adhan and iqamah

“The prayer said between adhan and iqamah is not rejected.” (11)

After performing a prayer (salah)

“The dua said in the last hours of the night and after the fard prayers is acceptable.” (12)

During prostration

“The closest position for a servant to his Lord is in prostration. Therefore, try to pray a lot in prostration!” (13)

However, it is not appropriate to make a request with worldly words during prostrations while praying. After performing a nafilah prostration and saying “subhanarabbiyalala” three times, one can say a special prayer and ask from Allah.

During iftar

“The prayer of a fasting person at the time of iftar is not rejected.” (14)

“The prayer of a fasting person while breaking his fast is not rejected.” (15)

In the month of Ramadan

“The gates of Paradise are opened on the first night of Ramadan. A caller calls out every night until the morning as follows: Is there not anyone who asks forgiveness for his sins? Is there not anyone who repents? May Allah accept his repentance! Is there not anyone who prays? His prayer will be answered. Is there not anyone who wants something? May his request be given immediately!” (16)

During a journey

“There are three prayers that are doubtlessly acceptable: the prayer of the oppressed, the prayer of the guest (traveler), and the prayer of the father for his child.” (17)

On Friday

“There is such a time on Friday that if a Muslim comes across that time while praying and asks something from Allah, Allah will certainly fulfill his wish.” (18)

On blessed days and nights

“... The most virtuous prayer is the one said on the day of Arafah. ...” (19)

“The best prayer is the one said on the day of Arafa.” (20)

“When the half of Shaban (the night of Barat) comes, spend the night with salah and the day with fasting. Allah Almighty descends to the sky of the world with the sunset that night and says: “Is there not anyone who asks for forgiveness from me? I will forgive him. Is there not anyone who asks for sustenance? I will give him sustenance. Is there not anyone who seeks healing? I will heal him.” Allah Almighty becomes manifest on the fifteenth night of Shaban (the night of Barat) and forgives all His servants except those who disobey their parents and those who associate partners with Allah.” (21)

References:
1) Muwatta, Nida 7/1, 70; Abu Dawud, Jihad 41/2540; Darimi, Salah 9.
2) see Nawawi, Nataijul-Afkar, p. 367.
3) Ibn Abi Shayba, Musannaf, 10/32.
4) Tirmidhi, Daawat, 145.
5) İbrahim Canan, Kütüb-i Sitte Tercüme ve Şerhi, Akçağ Yayınları: 6/523-524.
6) adh-Dhariyat, 51/18.
7) Aal-i Imran, 3 /17.
8) Tirmidhi, Daawat 79.
9) Tirmidhi, Salah 326.
10) Muslim, Musafirin 166, 167.
11) Abu Dawud, Salah 35.
12) Tirmidhi, Daawat 79.
13) Muslim, Salah 215.
14) Tirmidhi, Daawat 129.
15) Ibn Majah, Siyam 48.
16) Musnad, 4/22.
17) Abu Dawud, Witr 29.
18) see Bukhari, Jumu’a 37, Talaq 24, Daawat 61; Muslim, Musafirin 166, 167, Jumu’a 13-15.
19) Muwatta, Hajj 246.
20) Tirmidhi, Dua 8.
21) Ibn Majah, Iqamatus-Salah, 191; Tirmidhi, Sawm 38.

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What is the subtle secret in dua (prayer/supplication)? Is every dua accepted?

The word “Jawshan”, which is regarded to have passed from Persian to Arabic, lexically means “a kind of armor and war garment”. Terminologically, it is the name of a prayer (supplication) attributed to the Prophet (pbuh).

The arrangement of the text of Jawshan looks great. There are many subtleties regarding the issue. The virtue of Jawshan, which reached us through Ahl al-Bayt, is so great that some people thought that those narrations were exaggerated, and due to the political structure of that day, the Sunni section acted a little hesitantly related to those narrations.

Alongside this prayer, which is famous as Jawshan al-Kabir [Big Jawshan], there is another prayer with a similar name known as Jawshan as-Saghir [Little Jawshan], especially in Shiite sources; it has nothing to do with the Jawshan prayer. We compared those two texts ourselves. It seems that the name Jawshan was used for this second prayer by its owner as a blessing, with the addition of the word “small” to it. Therefore, when Jawshan is mentioned, only Jawshan al-Kabir comes to mind.

Chain of Narrators of Jawshan al-Kabir

The chain of narrators of Jawshan al-Kabir is attributed to the Prophet (pbuh) with the order of Musa al-Kazim, Jafar as-Sadiq, Muhammad al-Baqir, Zayn al-Abidin, Imam Husayn and Imam Ali.

Ahmed Ziyaeddin Gümüşhanevî, a respected sufi and hadith scholar, does not include the exact chain of narrators of Jawshan al-Kabir, which he includes in his book named “Majmuatul-Ahzab “. Starting from a person whose name he does not mention, he states the chain of narrators as follows:

My father, from Umama, from Jafar as-Sadiq, from Imam Husayn through his father (Muhammed Baqir) and grandfather (Zayn al-Abidin) narrated the following:

Imam Husayn: My father [Imam Ali (k.w.)] said to me:

“Shall I teach you some of the mystery of Almighty Allah that the Prophet (pbuh) taught me?” I said:

“Yes father.” He said:

While I was on my way to Uhud on a very hot day and in armor, I looked at the sky and prayed to Allah. Then I saw the gates of heaven open. Jibril came to me from above in a light and said:

Almighty Allah greets you and says, “Take off this armor and read this prayer; because this prayer is greater than that armor [it protects you more]”. I said,

“O my brother Jibril! Is this prayer something special only for me, or is it valid for my ummah too? Gibril said,

“This prayer is a gift from Allah Almighty to both you and your ummah.”

Gümüşhanevî also includes words implying that he knew the whole of the chain of narrators and underlines the following points when he mentions its chain of narrators:

“There are many other important documents about the source of this prayer and many long narrations about its virtue. However, we regard this short information enough for this prayer, which is famous with the name of Jawshan al-Kabir.”

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi writes the following about the chain of narrators of Jawshan in a short introductory article he wrote at the beginning of the Jawshan al-Kabir, which he published:

“It is a very high and very valuable prayer of the Prophet (pbuh) that Gabriel (Jibril) brought to the Prophet (pbuh) with revelation and said ‘Take off the armor, read this’, narrated from Imam Zayn al-Abidin (r.a.) through tawatur.”

The Text of Jawshan al-Kabir

Wide content

In Jawshan, the knowledge of Allah being explained in the widest way, its being free from contradictions, the existence of no thought that contradicts the religion, reason and scientific realities and the fact that it informs both a thousand and one names and attributes of Allah and many realities about the world and the hereafter prove the sacredness of its source.

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi expresses his opinion about Jawshan, which is a wird he reads all the time, as follows:

“Jawshan al-Kabir, which looks both explicitly and allusively to a thousand and one Divine Names; is a wondrous supplication that in one respect proceeds from the Quran; is superior to all the other invocations recited by those who advance in knowledge of God; which was brought as revelation by Gabriel during a military expedition, who said: “Cast away your armor and in its place read this Jawshan!” — the truths it contains and its perfectly accurate descriptions of the Sustainer testify to Muhammad’s (PBUH) messengership and veracity.

“And, for example, the repetition of the phrase, “Subhanaka ya la ilaha illa anta al-Aman al-Aman khallisna wa ajirna wa najjina minan-nar (Glory be unto You! There is no god but You: Mercy! Mercy! Save us, deliver us, preserve us, from Hell-fire)” in the supplication of the Prophet (PBUH) called Jawshan al-Kabir, which is a true and authentic supplication of the Qur’an and a sort of summary proceeding from it. It contains the greatest truth and the most important of the three supreme duties of creatures in the face of lordship, the glorification and praise of God and declaring Him to be All-Holy, and the most awesome question facing man, his being saved from eternal misery, and worship, the most necessary result of human impotence. So, if it is repeated thousands of times, it is still few.”

Let’s give an example for a better understanding of Nursi’s expression “in one respect proceeds from the Quran”.

O He who alternates the day and the night [yuqallibu]
O Creator of darkness and light [khalaqa]
O Granter of shade and heat [ja’ala]
O Subjugator of the sun and moon [sakhkhara]
O Creator of death and life [khalaqa]
O to whom creation and command belong [lahul khalqu wal amr]
O He who has no consort or child [lam yattakhiz]
O He who has no partner in his dominion [lam yakun lahu sharikun]
O He who needs none to protect Him from humiliation [lam yakun lahu waliyyun]
O to whom power and might belong [lahul hawl wal quwwah]

Glory be unto Thee, Thou art without partner or fault! There is no god but Thee! Mercy, mercy, rescue us from Hell-fire! [najjina] (from section 61 of Jawshan...)

When we look carefully at the following verses for the above sentences in this prayer of our Prophet (pbuh), and compare them with the Jawshan text, the trueness of Nursi’s expression “in one respect proceeds from the Quran” is clearly understood.

“Allah alternates the night and the day.” (an-Nur, 24/44).
“... to Allah, Who made the darkness and the light.” (al-An’am, 6/1).
“…Nor are the (chilly) shade and the (genial) heat of the sun alike.” (Fatir, 35/21).
“Allah is the One who subjected the sun and the moon (to his Law)…” (Ra’d, 13/2).
“He who created death and life…” (al-Mulk, 67/2).
“Is it not His to create and to govern?” (al-A’raf, 7/54).
“…He has taken neither a wife nor a son.” (al-Jinn, 72/3).
“Who begets no son, and has no partner in (His) dominion: Nor (needs) He any to protect Him from humiliation...” (al-Isra, 17/111).
“...Nor (needs) He any to protect Him from humiliation...” (al-Isra, 17/111).
“... that to Allah belongs all power...” (al-Baqara, 2/165).
“..... Why didst thou not, as thou wentest into thy garden, say: '(Allah)'s will (be done)! There is no power but with Allah” (al-Kahf, 18/39; see also adh-Dhariyat, 51/58).

Great Arrangement

The arrangement of the Jawshan text also looks great. There are many subtleties regarding the issue. However, it is possible to summarize them under a few headings without going into details:

a) Jawshan prayer consists of (100) parts (sections). Munajaat consists of a thousand and one names and attributes and, as a rule, each part includes ten names. However, there are eleven [11] names in section 24, and nine [9] names in section 73 and section 86.  Accordingly, the number of the names is 999. However, this number reaches one thousand and one [1001], as a name is also mentioned at the beginning and end of the munajaat.

In addition, the last sentence of the first section (repeated as a cliché) includes the exclamation ‘ya’ [subhanaka ya...], and then continues up to section 17 (16 times) clauses without ‘ya’. Beginning from the next section (section 18), it includes ‘ya’ again and continues like that until the end [in 84 sections in total]. It seems that the change of numbers in those sections is for an important purposeful reason.

b) 25 of those sections begin with the phrase [As’aluka bi asmaika…] translated as “O Allah! I beseech Thee through Thy Names.”

Since [10] nouns/attributes are in question in each section in general, we can say by looking at these expressions that clearly mention the names of Allah that there are 250-251 names and 750 attributes in Jawshan. As a matter of fact, it is possible to understand it from the phrase in the prayer at the end of Jawshan: “Oh Allah! I beseech Thee through the Beautiful Names Thou recountest about Thyself, and Thy elevated attributes…” However, in the art of taghlib (mentioning the attributes with the same names by keeping the names in the foreground), it is permissible to call all of them ‘a thousand and one names of Allah’ and it is said so.

The point we want to emphasize here is again the greatness of the arrangement because 20 out of the 25 parts starting with the phrase [As’aluka bi asmaika] are in the fourth part of the general parts in a complete standard order.

Accordingly, after every thirty (30) attributes that are mentioned, 10 nouns are included. This cipher (30) supports the cipher (30) specified in item (c) below. According to the following order, two of the remaining 5 are in section 3 part; two in section 5; one of them is in section 7.

Along with such a wonderful content, the arrangement based on such a meticulous order is an indication of a superhuman consciousness.

c) The sentence, which is repeated as a cliché and includes the wish to get rid of the fire, is sometimes expressed as “khallisna”, sometimes as “ajirna” and sometimes as “najjina”.

The variation of those expressions is not random, but shows a meticulous attention because this change is made in every thirty sections. For example, the expression “khallisna” is used from the beginning to section 30, “ajirna” from section 31 to 60 and “najjina” from section 61 to section 90. In the remaining ten sections, “khallisna” starts to be used again. In the concluding prayer following the last section, those three words are mentioned together and the expression [Allahumma rabbana khallisna wa ajirna wa najjina minan-nar] is included.

d) The verse that determines the number of 19 angels of Hell is verse 30 of the chapter of al-Muddaththir in the Quran.  Again, the verse that contains bismillah… consisting of 19 letters, which is the key to get rid of those 19 angels of Hell, is also verse 30 of the chapter of an-Naml.

It is definitely not a meaningless coincidence that this supplication, which is based on a kind of bismillah… by mentioning the names of Allah, and indirectly points to the 19 angels of Hell by wanting to get rid of the fire, includes a remarkable change in every 30 sections in accordance with the numbers of the verses in question; it is tawafuq. It shows the light of prophethood.

The abjad value of the last word of section 19 of Jawshan, the verb ‘ahata’ in the phrase ‘O whose knowledge encompasses everything’ [ya man ahata bi kulli shay‘in ilmuhu] is 19, and the abjad value of the word ‘kulli shay’ meaning ‘everything’ is 361, that is 19x19.

In addition, the expression [ya la ilaha illa anta al-Aman al-Aman khallisna minan-nar], which means [Thou art without partner or fault! There is no god but Thee! Mercy, mercy, deliver us from Hell-fire], and which is repeated 100 times has 38(2x19) letters. Its abjad value is 1919.

This tawafuq can also be considered as a sign of the times when the Islamic world was besieged by hell from all sides with the death of the Ottoman State, which was defeated in World War I. Who knows, maybe the blessing of this prayer, which was constantly read in those days, played an important role in the Islamic world’s keeping away from World War II and getting rid of the hell-like conditions that day.

All those tawafuqs show that the 19 letter bismillah…, which is the symbol of tawhid (oneness), and the 19 angels of Hell are taken into consideration in Jawshan prayer.

As a matter of fact, as it has just been mentioned, Badiuzzaman Said Nursi attracts attention to the wisdom behind the repetition of the sentence [Subhanaka ya la ilaha illa anta al-Aman al-Aman khallisna wa ajirna wa najjina minan-nar], which is repeated, 100 times in this prayer of the Prophet (pbuh) named Jawshan al-Kabir, which he considers as a true and complete form of munajaat (supplication) and a kind of extract from the Quran.

The sentence meaning ‘there is no god but You’ in this statement indicates tawhid [which is the summary of the bismillah… consisting of 19 letters]; the sentence meaning ‘Glory be unto Thee’ means tasbih, which is the greatest reality in the universe and the most important of the three great duties of existence towards the Lordship of Almighty Allah; the sentence meaning ‘save us from the fire’, on the other hand, shows the most terrifying problem of people, which ‘getting rid of Hell’, where there are 19 angels. Therefore, even if this expression is repeated thousands of times, it is still few.

It is known that when it was necessary to have a break at any place before completing Jawshan prayer, Badiuzzaman preferred to stop at section 19 and multiples of 19. It should not be forgotten that 19th and 20th centuries turned the life of this world into hell for humanity and especially for the Islamic world. World Wars I and II, other wars and the events of anarchy that have continued throughout the world since then are clear indications of this fact.

Therefore, it was very meaningful that this prayer was constantly recited by Badiuzzaman, who was a mujaddid, and that it was regarded as a very important prayer by those who follow him.

e) The use of a thousand and one names of Allah (1001 = 13x77) in Jawshan to get rid of Hell, which is known to have seven/7 parts, is in accordance with the number seven indicated by Hell with seven doors and seven parts.

f) As it is known, the most beneficial place is Paradise, and the most harmful place is Hell. While trying to get rid of the harms of Hell in Jawshan, it is a point that should not be overlooked that 1001 names of Allah, are fully compatible with 1001, which is the abjad value of the name ‘Darr’, which means the one that causes harm.

g) The last word of section 63 of Jawshan is “ya sharif al-jaza” which means “O the one who repays good deeds and whose reward is honorable”.

This sentence is a proof of the holiness of Jawshan prayer and its source, as it includes news about ghayb in several ways:

1. The name of Allah, “sharif al-jaza”, which means “the one whose reward is honorable”, refers to the life of the hereafter in terms of meaning because the return and reward for the deeds in the world will be given there. The fact that it is in section 63 indicates the reward of the Prophet (pbuh), who died at the age of 63, and he is once again consoled in return for all the troubles he suffered in the way of Allah.  

2. In addition to indicating the life of the Prophet (pbuh) by being in section 63, it also shows the death date of the Prophet (pbuh) as it is in the 632nd place in terms of names in Jawshan.

Interestingly, in section 24, following part 23, 11 names are included [instead of 10 names by exceeding the normal number that should be in a section] as if pointing to the 23-year prophethood period. The name “ashfa’ash-shafi’in”, which is used as an extra name there and which means ‘the best intercessor’, is related to the hereafter.

When this extra name is considered together with the name Allah used at the beginning, the name “sharif al-jaza” used in section 63 in question is in the 632nd place, corresponding to the death date of the Prophet (pbuh), which is 632.

3. The abjad value of the phrase “sharif al-jaza” is 632 [except for the unpronounced hamza al wasl].

There are dozens of other wise tawafuqs in this regard but we regard the ones mentioned above as sufficient.

Those tawafuqs, which appear and amaze man, are of course not a product of the normal human mind, but a reflection of prophethood. Moreover, there is no doubt that Jawshan is also a source of holy prayer, as a supplication containing one thousand and one names of Allah.

Jawshan: A prayer (Dua)

The virtue of Jawshan, which reached us through Ahl al-Bayt, is so great that some people thought that those narrations were exaggerated, and due to the political structure of that day, the Sunni section acted a little hesitantly related to those narrations.

It is possible to summarize the virtue of Jawshan, which is mentioned in narrations, as follows:

Whoever reads or carries it on him, Allah will protect him and make him successful in good deeds. When it is read with a genuine intention, it heals many problems. Those who sincerely adopt it as a wird and act in accordance with its content can achieve great happiness both in this world and in the hereafter.

The most valuable prayer is the prayer made with the names of Allah. [The most beautiful names (al-Asmaul-Husna) belong to Allah. So, call on Him by them]; [Say: either say Allah or say Rahman. Whichever you use is all right because the most beautiful names are unique to Him.] The verses above emphasize this fact.

The hadith “Mention the name ‘Ya dhal-jalali wal-ikram’ a lot in your prayers” narrated from the Prophet (pbuh) indicates the importance of the prayers to be said with the names of Allah.

“Allah has ninety-nine - one hundred minus one - names. Whoever counts them (remembers them and acts in accordance with their meanings) will enter Paradise.” In the hadith above, it is clearly stated that mentioning Allah with 99 names will bring great benefits.

We should state that the ‘99 names’ expressed in this hadith does not aim to limit the beautiful names of Allah, but to point to the comprehensive names that form the basis of other names and attributes.

As some scholars state, there are a thousand names of Allah along with his 99 famous names. This number is in accordance with the number of names in Jawshan. According to Abu Bakr Ibn al-Arabi and Alusi, even this number is few. As a matter of fact, there are some who say that this number is four thousand.

Apart from them, Allah has many other names, the number of which is not known. The prayer of the Prophet (pbuh) that sheds light on the issue regarding the number of Allah’s names gives an important clue in this regard:

According to a narration, the Prophet (pbuh) recommended that a person who has suffered a misfortune or distress recite the following prayer:

O Allah, I am Your servant, the son of Your servant, the son of Your maidservant. My forelock is in Your hand, Your command concerning me prevails, and Your decision concerning me is fair. I call upon You by every one of the beautiful names with which You have described Yourself, or which You have revealed in Your Book, or You have taught to any of Your creatures, or which You have chosen to keep in the knowledge of the Unseen with You, to make the Quran the delight of my soul, the light of my heart, and to remove my sadness and dispel my anxiety.

The view of Badiuzzaman Said Nursi, who assumed Jawshan and some other prayers as wird, regarding the issue is as follows:

Jawshan is a Unique Munajaat

For example, in the supplication Jawshan al-Kabir, taking as intercessor a thousand and one Divine Names, the Prophet (pbuh) so describes and acquaints his Creator that it has no like. Thus, no one has attained to his knowledge of God.

It is Without Peer in terms of Describing Allah

With the Jawshan al-Kabir, from among his thousands of supplicatory prayers and invocations, he describes his Sustainer with such a degree of gnosis that all the gnostics and saints who have come after him have been unable, with their joint efforts, to attain a similar degree of gnosis and accurate description. This shows that in prayer too he is without peer.

An Example of Its Uniqueness

“Whoever looks at the section at the beginning of the Treatise on Supplicatory Prayer which sets forth some part of the meaning of one of the ninety-nine sections of the Jawshan al-Kabir (section 57) will say that the Jawshan too has no peer.”

The explanation of Badiuzzaman regarding that section is as follows:

The great interpreter (Mufassir al-Azam), that is, the Prophet (pbuh) interpreted an aspect of that verse [verse 164 of the chapter of al-Baqara, which is at the beginning of the Munajaat booklet] with this supplication. Here is a short translation of it:

1. O Majestical being, whose grandeur is visible in the heavens and in the celestial bodies!

2. O Perfect being, whose signs and proofs of oneness are observed on the earth and in every being on the earth!

3. O the Necessary being who has signs in everything and creature that indicate his necessary existence.

4. O Majestic and Perfect being who created the wonders in the vast seas [Note the expression uttered fourteen centuries ago, in the middle of the desert, at a time when the oceans and underwater life and living beings were unknown.]

5. [We could not see the translation of the fifth phrase...]

6. O Generous Creator, who brings together the treasures of the mountains for the needs of living beings

7. O Beautiful and Generous being who makes the creation of everything beautiful, manages them well and gives them their supplies in a nice way

8. O Almighty Being and Lord of everything, to whom everything applies in every need, in every command, and on whom everything relies in every aspect and to whom every right, truth, decree and dominion return.

9. O Subtle being who is aware of everything, the works of whose grace, the signs of whose assistance, the fine embroideries of whose fine art, and the graceful gifts of whose mercy are observed in everything.

10. O Almighty wise being who made the universe a manifestation of wonder in order to show His might to His conscious creatures, and made all the beings a testament and a declaration to display His perfections like power, wisdom and mercy! You are holy and free from weakness, partners and faults. There is no god but You who can help us. Mercy, mercy! Save us from Hell-fire!

A Sincere Opinion About Jawshan

If I have been at fault in offering to the Court of my Compassionate Sustainer this instructive piece [3. Şua, Münacat Risalesi] which I have taken from the Qur’an and the Jawshan al-Kabir, a supplication of the Prophet (PBUH), as worship in the form of reflective thought, making the Quran and the Jawshan my intercessors, I beseech forgiveness for my fault.

Experience Speaks

A blessed wird recited just to attain Allah’s consent can also have worldly benefits. If the hereafter is kept in the foreground, sometimes worldly benefits will also be given. In other words, as an indication of the reward for the services done for His consent in the hereafter, Allah sometimes gives “exemplary” bounties in this world as well.

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi is a witness regarding the issue. He says, “Perhaps twenty times, ‘Jawshan’ and ‘Awradu Qudsiyya Shah Naqshband’ have saved me from losing my life due to the physical and spiritual poison of my dissembler enemies.”

Etiquette of Reading the Prayer of Jawshan

“Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer).” It is pointed out in this verse that the dialogue between the Creator and His servants is based on prayer (dua); and the following verse shows that the strongest bond between Allah and His servant is prayer and worship and that what makes a servant valuable in the eye of Allah is also prayer and worship: “Say My Lord would not care for you were it not for your prayer.”

“O ye who believe! Celebrate the praises of Allah, and do this often. And glorify Him morning and evening.” In the verse above, it is indicated that remembering (dhikr) Allah is a requirement of belief.

In the entire Quran, the page where the word “Allah” is mentioned the most is the place where the verse “Celebrate the praises of Allah, and do this often” is located. It is really significant that Almighty Allah actually practices something that He recommends to people in His own book.

This tawafuq is an indication of how important the point that Allah emphasizes is in His eye, and how profitable a trade it is to remember Allah in the heart and tongue, and throughout one’s life. The following is stated in hadiths: “Prayer (dua) is a deed of worship”; “Prayer is the essence of worship”.  Thus, dua is considered as an important deed of worship and is shown as a symbol of servitude.

Since dhikr, munajaat (supplication) and dua (prayer) are deeds of of worship, it is necessary not to include worldly purposes in them. They should aim the consent of Allah.

The most beautiful aspect of dua is this: A person who prays knows that there is an infinitely merciful creator who listens to his voice, cures his illnesses, shows mercy to him, and whose power is enough to reach everything. If He wishes, He will fulfill all his wishes at once and no one can prevent Him because He is the only sultan of the whole universe. All the keys that will open the doors of happiness in the world and the hereafter are in His hands.

The prayer of Jawshan is the greatest supplication to Allah. A person who makes such a supplication must first of all get rid of heedlessness and think that he is in the presence of the Most Sublime Being. Therefore, he should realize that his prayer should not be in the form of repeating like a parrot, presenting his own need to Allah. The mind and the heart should take an active part in prayer.

While reading Jawshan - as in other deeds of worship - one should not pursue any worldly purpose other than attaining Allah’s consent and the happiness of the Hereafter. Worship is performed because it is the order of Allah. Its result is to gain the consent of Allah. Its benefit to man is happiness in the hereafter. Worldly benefits should not be considered as a purpose of worship itself. Those benefits should be seen as incentives, especially to the weak. Otherwise, it will eliminate sincerity and one will be deprived of the important reward of worship.

Thus, those who do not understand this mystery, recite for example the Awrad Qudsiyya Shah Naqshband, which yields a hundred benefits and merits, or Jawshan al-Kabir, which yields a thousand, making some of those benefits their prime intention. Then they do not receive the benefits, and shall not receive them, and do not deserve to receive them because those who benefitted from them benefitted after they read those supplication to attain Allah’s consent; then, they told others to encourage them. What those who aim such worldly benefits at the very beginning of read has no value; therefore, they cannot have the benefits that the righteous people in the past had.

Before reading Jawshan, one should be spiritually cleansed by repenting and asking for forgiveness. He should say salawat for the Prophet (pbuh) at the beginning and end of the prayer because salawat is an acceptable prayer. Acceptance of the prayer between the two prayers that are accepted befits the glory of Allah, whose mercy is endless. If possible, Jawshan should be read after prayers, especially after the morning prayer. All of the prayer, or at least a determined part of it, should be read every day. The following is stated in a hadith: “The best of the deeds is the one that is done regularly, even if a little.”

Arabic Texts and Translations

It would be appropriate to point out a few salient points regarding the Arabic text and translation:

1) First of all, we will start by reporting a determination of Badiuzzaman Said Nursi, who knew the Arabic Jawshan text, translation science and Arabic language / grammar very well, who practiced it and who made the prayer of Jawshan popular in the Sunni part of the Islamic world. We listened to the following reminiscence from the retired Colonel İbrahim Hulusi Yahyagil, one of Badiuzzaman’s first students:

“When my master, Badiuzzaman, said the phrase “ajirna minan-nar” in his prayers, he lengthened the word ‘nar (fire)’ four vowel counts and said that each lengthening indicated a different fire. He considered those four fires as the fire in the world, the fire in barzakh (grave), the fire of the Day of Judgment and the fire of Hell.”

2) The first word of the eleventh (11) phrase is generally in the form of ‘ya iddati’ in the books of Jawshan. This word is usually translated as ‘preparation’. However, this meaning is valid for the word ‘uddat’, not ‘iddat’.

The first form is used as “iddatush-shuhur” in verse 36 of the chapter of at-Tawba and means the “number of months”.

The second form is used as “wa law aradul-khuruja la aaddu lahu uddatan” in the phrase in verse 46 of the same chapter and is used in the sense of preparation. The full meaning of the Quranic phrase is as follows: “If they had intended to come out (for war), they would certainly have made some preparation.” However, the word ‘preparation’ is not fully understood in the place in question. In our opinion, it would be more appropriate to translate it as ‘support/source of trust’.

In the text of the Jawshan translation I made, we had that word written as ‘uddat’ and to make it clear, we translated the aforementioned phrase as: ‘O my source of confidence in times of distress!’ [see Cevşen metni& tercümesi, Niyazi BEKİ]

3) It is grammatically more appropriate to write the first words of the thirty-fourth (34) and forty-fourth (44) sections as “ya a’zama”, “ya aqraba” instead of “ya a’zamu”, ya aqrabu” in the phrases ya a’zama min kulli azim; ya aqraba min kulli qarib. The exclamation word “ya” makes it necessary for the words to end with the vowel a (a’zama, aqraba), not u (a’zamu, aqrabu) in accordance with the rules of Arabic grammar.  

As for the translations, no translation can replace the original. It is almost impossible to translate the expressions of a language such as Arabic, which has a very wide and rich structure.

It is completely impossible to fully translate the divine and prophetic expressions, which have very different purposes and meanings, especially in the way of expression.

However, in accordance with the principle “It is not appropriate to abandon the whole of something because it cannot be obtained completely.” Our duty is to follow the path of valuable people before us, to leave a good work to those who will come after us - as much we can - and to rely on Allah, the owner of endless bounties in all issues.

All beauties are a reflection of divine grace; all deficiencies are a sign of being humans.

We ask Allah, for the sake of Jawshan, to grant us the intercession of the owner of Jawshan; we beg Him to grant us His grace in good service.

As long as we are aware that we are slaves, there is no limit to what we can ask from Allah. The Prophet (pbuh) asked the highest stations from Allah.

For, Allah likes it when people want something from Him and likes giving people what they want. (1) Therefore, the Prophet warned his Companions and ummah about praying to Allah and asking from Him; he said we could ask from Him a lot. Besides, he says that Allah, who is lofty and absolutely rich, gets angry with those who do not want from him. (2) He himself asked from Allah the best of what can be wanted and the most valuable ones.

For instance, he wanted “Maqam al-Mahmud”; then, he wanted “to intercede” for his ummah on the Day of Judgment. He wanted the accompaniment of Jibril when he died. He also gave us several clues about what we can ask from Allah. One of them is as follows: 

“Ask all of your needs from your Lord, even your shoelaces that are torn.” (3)

In that case, we should want everything for our world and hereafter by leaving aside thoughts like the following: “What should we want from Allah? What should we not want? What will be appropriate? What will not be appropriate” However, we should ask sincerely; sincerity is necessary in all prayers and deeds of worship. Yes, if a person wants something from Allah, He will give him whatever he wants; He will not deprive him of what he wants.

Nothing is difficult for Allah; He will answer our prayers and meet our deeds if He is pleased with us and accepts us. We should ask everything “only from Him”, whether small or big, important or unimportant. For, everything is present in His treasury if we ask from Him and know how to ask.

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi expresses this issue as follows:  

“If you say:  We frequently offer supplications, but they are not accepted. But the verse is general, it states that every supplication is answered.”

“To answer is one thing, to accept is something quite different. Every supplication is answered, but its being accepted and exactly what was sought being given is dependent on Almighty Allah’s wisdom. For example, if a sick child calls the doctor, saying: “Doctor! Doctor!”, and he replies: “Here I am, what do you want?”, and the child says: “Give me that medicine!”, the doctor will either give him exactly what he asks for or something better and more beneficial for him. Or knowing that medicine is harmful for his illness, he will give him nothing. Thus, since Almighty Allah is all-present and all-seeing, He responds to the supplications of His servants. Through His presence and response, He transforms the desolation of loneliness and solitude into familiarity. But He does this, not in accordance with man’s capricious and importunate demands, but in accordance with the requirements of dominical wisdom; He gives either what is sought or what is better than it, or He gives nothing at all.” (4)

Besides, there are hadiths regarding the issue. In a hadith narrated by Abu Hurayra, the Prophet (pbuh) says,

“The invocation of anyone of you is granted by Allah if he does not show impatience by saying, "I invoked Allah but my request has not been granted." (5)

Another narration by Muslim is as follows:

“The prayer of a slave is accepted unless he demands sins or wants to sever of the ties of kinship.”

The following is stated in a narration by Tirmidhi:

“There is not a man who calls upon Allah with a supplication, except that he is answered. Either it shall be granted to him in the world, or reserved for him in the Hereafter, or, his sins shall be expiated for it according to the extent that he supplicated - as long as he does not supplicate for some sin, or for the severing of the ties of kinship, and he does not become hasty.” (6)

As it is understood from the hadith, the prayer of a person is accepted unless he wants sins and haram things.

Footnotes:

(1) Tirmidhi, Daawat 126 (3566).
(2) Tirmidhi, Daawat 3, (3370); Ibn Majah, Dua 1, (3827).
(3) Tirmidhi, Daawat 149, (3607, 3608).
(4) İman ve Küfür Muvazeneleri 102.
(5) Bukhari, Daawat, 22.
(6) Tirmidhi, Daawat 145

A hadith narration regarding the issue is as follows:

According to what was reported from Abu Musa al-Ashari, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would pray as follows:  

اللَّهمَّ اغْفِر لي خَطِيئَتي وجهْلي ، وإِسْرَافي في أَمْري ، وما أَنْتَ أَعلَم بِهِ مِنِّي

 اللَّهمَّ اغفِرْ لي جِدِّي وَهَزْلي ، وَخَطَئي وَعمْدِي ، وَكلُّ ذلِكَ عِنْدِي

 اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ ، وَما أَسْررْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ ، وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي ، أَنْت المقَدِّمُ  وَأَنْتَ المُؤَخِّرُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلى كلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

“Allahummaghfirli khatiati wa jahli wa israfi fi amri wa ma anta a‘lamu bihi minni.

Allahummaghfirli jiddi wa hazli, wa khatai wa amdi wa kullu dhalika indi.

Allahummaghfirli ma qaddamtu wama akhkhartu, wama asrartu wama a‘lantu, wama anta a‘lamu bihi minni, antal-muqaddimu wa antal-muakhkhir, wa anta ala kulli shayin qadir.”

“O Allah! Forgive my errors and ignorance, my immoderation in all of my affairs and what You know best of me.

O Allah! O Allah, forgive me my errors which I do seriously, which I do in jest and which I do intentionally. All of these faults are in me.

O Allah! Forgive me for the sins I have committed and those I will commit, those I have committed in secret as well as those I have made public, those I have committed by exceeding and those You know better than me. You are al-Muqaddim (the One who brings forward) and al-Muakhkhir (the One who puts back). You have power over everything.” (Bukhari, Daawat 60; Muslim, Dhikr 70)

 “The previous and future sins” of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) were forgiven by Allah Almighty. (see al-Fath, 48/2)

Therefore, the Prophet had no sins that he had committed knowingly or unknowingly, seriously or in jest, secretly and in public. A sin for a prophet is not to do what is more appropriate and better.

The Prophet’s praying like that should be due to his deep modesty in the presence of his Lord and the great gratitude he felt toward Him.

Besides the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) invoked Allah not only for himself but also for his ummah. It is possible that the supplication in question is one of them.

On the other hand, the following fact also needs to be known:

The Messenger of Allah taught his ummah how to say prayers in order to be saved from sins completely along with teaching many other things. The Prophet (pbuh) advises us to pray as follows: “O Lord! I have committed all those sins; I confess it sincerely but I also know that You are the only pardoner; please forgive me.”

The phrase “those I have committed in secret as well as those I have made public” means the sins I have committed without being seen and being seen by others; it also means the sins I have considered doing in my heart and the sins I have uttered with my tongue.  

The statement “You are al-Muqaddim and al-Muakhkhir” indicates the fact that Allah Almighty, who gave understanding and superior talents to some of His slaves, made them approach His religion and hence gave them the opportunity to elevate their ranks and that He made them deviate from the true path due to some reasons that we do not know and fall to a level lower than that of animals.

Accordingly:

- The concise supplication above, which the Prophet (pbuh) taught, shows all types of sins that we commit and shows us the ways of confessing and getting rid of them.

- The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was very modest toward his Lord. He tried to worship his Lord properly.  

- The Prophet wants us to feel the greatness of Allah Almighty in our hearts and to ask Him to forgive us.

- Since the Prophet, whose sins were forgiven, prayed to and invoked Allah like that, we, who have committed so many sins, have to ask for forgiveness more.  

- Man should pray to Allah on any occasion in order to get rid of his sins.

First of all, we should state that there are manners and rules for everything; saying prayers, thanking Allah and repenting also have some manners and rules. The more we pay attention to those manners and rules, the more probably the prayers, thanking and repentance will be accepted. 

However, it is permissible to say prayers, thank Allah and repent in places, at times and in cases when those manners or rules cannot be fulfilled or when conditions are not suitable.

After this short information, we will answer your questions in items:

Question 1:
Is it permissible to say prayers, to glorify Allah and to make dhikr while lying down? 

Answer:

It is permissible to mention Allah, to say prayers, to glorify Him and to make dhikr while standing, sitting or lying.

It is stated in the Quran that it is permissible to celebrate the praises of Allah while lying down too:

“Men who celebrate the praises of Allah, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides...” (Aal-i Imran, 3/191)

According to what is narrated from Bara b. Azib, when the Prophet (pbuh) went to bed, he would lie down turning to his right side and prays as follows:

“O Allah! I have submitted myself to You. I have committed my affairs to You. I have relied on You since I fear and love You. I take refuge only in You. My salvation depends on you. I believe in the Book You revealed and in the Prophet You sent” (Bukhari, Wudu, 75; Muslim, Dhikr, 56-58)

The same Companion states that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said to him,

“When you want to go to bed to sleep, make wudu as you would for the prayer, then lie on your right side. Say this prayer (the prayer above) and let this prayer be your last words before sleeping.” (Bukhari, Wudu, 75; Muslim, Dhikr, 56)

Click for more information:

- What is the decree of listening to the Quran?
- Is it permissible to say prayers or read the Quran while lying down on a place or in bed?

Question 2:
Is it necessary to cover the parts of the body that need to be covered while saying prayers? Does a woman have to cover all her body except her hands, face and feet and a man between his navel and kneecaps when they say prayers? 

Answer:

It is better for those places to be covered in terms of the manners of prayer (du’a) but it is not obligatory; it is permissible to say prayers when those parts are uncovered.

Question 3:
Is it necessary to turn toward the qiblah while saying prayers, repenting and thanking Allah? Is it necessary to turn toward the qiblah while glorifying Allah?

Answer:

It is permissible to say prayers in any case. It is not necessary to turn toward the qiblah while saying prayers. 

However, there are manners and rules for everything; saying prayers also has some manners and rules. It is better to say prayers by turning toward the qiblah in terms of those manners and rules.

Imam Ghazali gives a ten-item list of manners of saying prayers (du’a) including saying prayers heartily, secretly and with a low voice.

Accordingly, du’a should be said at holy times and places by turning toward the qiblah; it should be started with the name of Allah and one should regret his sins; he should be patient for the acceptance and keep on saying prayers believing that they will be accepted. (Ihya, 1/304-309)

Some narrations related to the Prophet’s saying prayers by turning toward the Kaaba are as follows:

“The Prophet (pbuh) came to the place of waqfa on the day of Arafa. He turned toward the qiblah and said prayers until the sun set.” (Ihya, 3/305)

“When the Prophet went to pray for rain, he turned toward the qiblah.” (Bukhari, Istithqa, 4, 20; Muslim, Istithqa, 2, 4)

“The Prophet said prayers by turning toward the qiblah on the day of Badr.” (Muslim, Jihad, 58/1763)

Click for more information:

What is the decree about turning toward the qiblah while saying prayers and what is the wisdom behind it?

Question 4
Is it permissible to say prayers, thank Allah and repent wearing dirty clothes (with smear of urine, sperm, etc.)? 

Answer:

It is permissible to say prayers thank Allah and repent wearing dirty clothes because there is no condition stating that the clothes to be worn for saying prayers, thanking Allah and repenting must not be dirty. 

However, it is better for the acceptance of the prayer to say prayers, thank Allah, repent, and invoke Him by wearing clean clothes and having wudu along with paying attention to the other manners of prayer.

Question 5:
Is it permissible to say prayers, repent and thank Allah without making ghusl, when one is junub?

Answer:

It is permissible to say prayers, make dhikr and glorify Allah without making ghusl, when one is junub. It is even permissible to recite (by heart) the verses of supplication from the Quran with the intention of du’a.  

As a matter of fact, it is regarded permissible to recite (by heart) the verses of supplication and praise in the Quran with the intention of supplication and praise, not with the intention of reading the Quran. For instance, it is permissible for a junub person to read the chapters of al-Fatiha, an-Nas and al-Falaq, which include verses of supplication and praise and the verse ayatul-kursiyy. (see Ibn Abidin, Raddul-Muhtar –Shamila-, 1/293)

Thus, a junub person can say prayers, thank Allah and repent; he can even recite (by heart) the verses and chapters of al-Fatiha, ayatul-kursiyy, an-Nas and al-Falaq, which include verses of supplication, invocation, glorification and praise with the intention of supplication and glorification.

Click for detailed information about the manners of du’a and the issues to pay attention to while saying prayers:

What are asked during du’a and what are the things that one should pay attention in du’a?

The placebo effect is a concept that is generally used to describe the positive effect of drugs that are medically ineffective on the patient as a result of positive suggestion. A positive result based on suggestion is achieved with the ineffective substance that seems like a drug.

The placebo is also described as a “sugar pill” since it has no useful medicinal ingredient. Its effect originates from the person’s instructing his brain that he will recover when he takes the “sugar pill”, believing that it is a real medicine under the influence of the suggestion.

In fact, what happens is that the person benefits from a system that the Supreme Creator placed in the human brain in order to recover from a physiological or psychological illness or to alleviate his pains.

For example, the person who is given a “sugar pill” as a pain reliever has the expectation that “his pain will be relieved”. Then, the pain-relieving system of his brain becomes active and relieves his pain by releasing soothing hormones.

What is essential at this point is that the brain steps in for the body and the soul it owns, whether medicine is taken or not, and relieves the pain of the human body of which it is a part. Although the doctor giving the ineffective medicine seems to be giving a seemingly empty substance, it actually activates the person's brain by giving him the drug.

Besides, if a person sincerely believes in something positive or negative for his own life and future and makes an effort in this regard, the brain constructs itself accordingly, based on the command of the Supreme Creator again. If the belief of the person is positive, he can overcome the obstacles and solve the problems he encounters. If the opinion of the person about himself is negative, he may stumble in the face of the slightest obstacle because he has programmed his brain accordingly.

What the person does in that case is actually dua (prayer) in a kind of tongue of disposition because dua does not consist of begging Allah only with words; there are prayers said with the tongue of disposition, tongue of words, tongue of ability and tongue of need.

For example, it is a prayer made in the tongue of disposition for a student who wants to be successful at school to study, for women and men who want to have children to marry, and for the farmer who wants to produce to plant seeds in the soil. The person who goes to see the doctor and asks him to prescribe a drug, whether he knows it is a “sugar pill” or not, acts in accordance with a cause and prays with the tongue of disposition.

In conclusion, a person feels relieved with placebo by believing in causes and a system that the Supreme Creator has granted him. That is actually a part of prayer because people find peace and relax while praying.

However, the effect of prayer is not limited to it because when we cannot meet our needs on our own, when misfortunes, diseases, and troubles happen to us, and when we know that no one that we know can help us, we feel the need to open our hands to the Almighty Lord of the realms and pray to Him.

The goal and aim at that point should be to reach the following reality:

“The best, finest, sweetest, most immediate fruit and result of supplication is this, that the person who offers it knows there is someone who listens to his voice, sends a remedy for his ailment, takes pity on him, and whose hand of power reaches everything. He is not alone in this great hostel of the world; there is an All-Generous Being who looks after him and makes it friendly. Imagining himself in the presence of the One who can bring about all his needs and repulse all his innumerable enemies, he feels a joy and relief; he casts off his load, which is as heavy as the world, and exclaims: “لْحَمْدُ ِللهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (All praise be to God, the Lord and Sustainer of All the Worlds.” (Nursi, 24. Mektup)

As it is seen, the placebo effect is neither a prayer nor an alternative to prayer. It is a miraculous system that the Supreme Creator gives to man and in some cases also acts as a prayer.

Although that is the truth, as you state in your question, placebo is shown to be a system that human beings have found outside of Allah's knowledge and power. They try to devalue prayer in order to deny Allah.

It is permissible to use great personalities as a wasila while praying. To use prophets and the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in particular will facilitate the acceptance of the prayer. As a matter of fact, the following is stated in a verse and this issue is pointed out:

“Allah and His angels send blessings on the Prophet: O ye that believe! Send ye blessings on him, and salute him with all respect.” (1)  

In addition, in a hadith narrated by Anas, the following is stated by attracting attention to sending blessings:

“Allah sends ten blessings to whoever sends me one blessings, and forgives his ten sins and raises his rank ten degrees.” (2)  

Therefore, it is permissible to ask something from Allah by using prophets, great personalities with virtues, sahabas (the Companions), walis as wasila for the sake of them.

However, it is not permissible, as some people do today, to light candles, to fasten wires, pieces of cloth and ropes at the tombs.

It is reported that Hazrat Umar went to pray for rain during his caliphate when there was a drought; He took Hazrat Abbas with him and took his hands between his hands and prayed,

“O Allah! This is the hand of the uncle of your Prophet. Send us rain for the sake of this hand.”

Our great personalities have prayed as follows:

“O Allah! Have mercy on us, forgive us and meet my need for the sake of the people you love and the people who love you.”

----------------------------------

(1) al-Ahzab, 33/56.
(2) Nasai, Sahw 55, (3, 50)

Yes, it is a salawat supplication.

This supplication, which is included in "Dalailunnur" chapter of the Great Jawshan Supplication book, is as follows:

Its Transliteration:

Allahumma salli ala sayyidina Muhammadin nuridhdhati was-sirrissari fi jamii asaril-asma was-sifati wa ala alihi wa sahbihi wa sallim adada ma fi ilmika mudaafan bidawamik.

Its Meaning:

O Allah! Send blessings and greetings to the Prophet Muhammad, who is the light of the essence, and who becomes the secret of Your names and attributes by spreading to all of Your works and to his family and Companions as many times as the beings in your knowledge and the numbers to increase with Your eternity.

Hz. Aisha narrates:

I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) pray as follows: “O Allah! I ask You by Your pure, good and blessed Name which is most beloved by You, which if You are called thereby You answer, and if You are asked thereby You give, if You are asked for mercy thereby You bestow mercy, and if You are asked for relief (from distress) thereby You grant relief.”

According to what Hz. Aisha says, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) once said,

“O Aisha! Do you know that Allah has told me the Name which, if He is called thereby, He responds?” I said,

"O Messenger of Allah! May my father and mother be sacrificed for you! Teach it to me." He said,

“O Aisha! It is not appropriate for you to learn it.” Thereupon, I moved away a bit and sat. Then, I stood up, approached and kissed his head, I said,

“O Messenger of Allah! Teach it to me.” He said,

 “O Aisha! It is not appropriate for me to teach it to you. For, it is not appropriate for you to ask for any worldly things thereby.”

Thereupon, I got up, made wudu and prayed two rak'ahs. Then I prayed as follows:

“Allahumma inni adukallah wa adukarrahman wa adukal-barrarrahim wa aduka biasmaikal-husna kullaha ma alimtu minha wa ma lam a’lam antaghfirali wa tarhamani.

- 'O Allah, I call upon Allah, and I call upon You, ar-Rahman (the Most Gracious), and I call upon You, al-Barr ar-Rahim (the Most Kind, the Most Merciful), and I call upon You by all Your beautiful Names, those that I know and those that I do not know, (asking) that You forgive me and have mercy on me.”

Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) smiled and said, then he said:

“'It is among the names by which you called upon (Allah).” (see Musnad, 3/120, 158, 245, 265; 4/ 350, 360; Ibn Majah, Dua 9)

Ism al-Azam is a phrase in the sense of the greatest name of Allah.

The narration above includes a supplication of the Prophet and attracts attention to the fact that Allah has an ism al-azam and that prayers and requests made with that name are accepted and that it is appropriate to ask for things related to eternal happiness, not related to the pleasures of the world, through it.

Scholars have different views related to what name or names of Allah or what verse is ism al-azam based on the hadiths that were narrated. Some of them are as follows in summary:

- The name "Allah"

- Kalima at-tawhid, that is, "La ilaha illallah"

- The names "ar-Rahman, ar-Rahim"

- The names "Allah, ar-Rahman, ar-Rahim"

- The names "aI-Hayy, al-Qayyum"

- "Allahu la ilaha illa huwal-Hayyul-Qayyum"

- "La ilaha illa huwal-Hayyul-Qayyum "

- "Rabb"

- "Allahu la ilaha illa huwal-Ahadus-Samad alladhi lam yalid wa lam yulad wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad."

- "al-Hannanu'l-Mannan Badius Samawati wal-Ard dhul-Jalali wal-ikram al-Hayyu'l-Qayyum" (see Fathul-Bari, XII/526-527)

Acting upon the different narrations and explanations, it can be said that the best and ideal thing to do is to pray to Allah and ask from Him by uttering all of the names and sentences mentioned in all narrations. (see Sünen-i İbni Mâce Tercemesi ve Şerhi, Kahraman Yayınları: X/41-45)

In order to have a righteous child, it is necessary first to feed that child with halal food and to give him a full religious education beginning from a very young age. They are actual prayers. In addition, you can pray as you wish.

When a child is born, a person who has good religious knowledge is invited as soon as possible. He holds the child and reads adhan into his right ear and iqamah into his left ear. Then, he prays as follows: 

"O Allah! Make this child grow as a nice sapling in the field of Islam; make him eternal and constant in Islamic life."

Meanwhile, the mother and the father look at the child and say the following prayer, which Hz. Ibrahim said by looking at Ismail and Ishaq:

"Alhamdulillahilladhi wahaba li alal-kibari Ismaila wa Ishaq. Inna Rabbi lasamiud-dua." Praise be to Allah, Who hath granted unto me in old age Ismail and Isaac: for truly my Lord is He, the Hearer of Prayer)

Once Imam Rabbani and his students were going to a distant place; they stayed in an inn for the night. He said to his students: 

"A disaster will occur tonight. Read the following prayer three times with basmala: 'Bismillahilladhi la yadurru ma’asmihi shay’un fil ardi wa la fissamai wa huwas-sami’ul alim.' (In the Name of Allah with Whose name there is protection against every kind of harm in the earth or in the heaven, and He is the All-Hearing and All-Knowing.)"

A big fire occurred at night. The things in all rooms were burnt down. Nothing happened to those who read that prayer.

This prayer should be read three times, by remembering what Imam Rabbani said, in the morning and evening in order to be protected from problems, troubles, mischief, illnesses, evil eye, magic and the evil of the oppressors. When the verses of protection are read, this prayer should also be read. The following is stated in a hadith:

"If a person reads the following prayer three times in the morning, no misfortune will hit him until the evening; if he reads it in the evening, no misfortune will hit him until the morning: 'In the Name of Allah with Whose name there is protection against every kind of harm in the earth or in the heaven, and He is the All-Hearing and All-Knowing '" (Ibn Majah)

You should read the chapter of Quraysh in a fearful place and in order to be secure and peaceful when faced by the enemy. It was proved.  You should read it at least eleven times at night and during the day. The following is stated in a hadith:

“Nothing can harm a person until he leaves the place he is in when he reads the following prayer: 'Audhu bikalimatillahittammati min sharri ma khalaqa.' (I take refuge in the perfect words of Allah (the Quran) from the evil of all creatures.)” (Muslim)

"The phrase 'Hasbiyallahu wa ni’mal wakil' (Allah is sufficient for me, and He is the best disposer of affairs) is security against all kinds of fear." (Daylami)

You can read or carry on you from verse 37 of the chapter of Taha to the end of verse 39 (from 'Wa laqad' to 'ala ayniya') in order to be saved from something fearful and to attain something you wish.

Imam Rabbani ordered people to read "La hawla wala quwwata illa billahil aliyyilazim" (There is no power and strength except with Allah, who is the highest, the most magnificent) in order to be protected from jinn and at fearful times.

Muhammad Masum said:

"You should say, 'La hawla wala quwwata illa billah' five hundred times and utter salawat one hundred times when you start and when you finish; after that, you should pray in order to get rid of your problems and attain what you wish."

It is necessary to utter istighfar (asking forgiveness) in order to get rid of problems. It was proved many times. The following is stated in a hadith: 

"Allah saves a person who continues uttering istighfar a lot from problems and trouble. He gives him sustenance from an unexpected place."

Istighfar makes man attain his wishes. It is necessary to repent and utter istighfar a lot. It is useful for all kinds of problems and troubles. Allah states the following in the Quran:

"Ask forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him (in repentance): He will send you the skies pouring abundant rain, and add strength to your strength." (Hud, 11/52)

The prayer for preventing a danger:

Sheikh Shihabuddin Suhrawardi said:

Allah Almighty protects a person who reads the following prayer from being burnt, drowned and sudden death:

"Bismillahi ma shaallah la quwwata illa billah. Bismillahi ma shaallah la yasuqul khayra illallah. Bismillahi ma shaallah la yakshifussua illallah. Bismillahi ma shaallah kullu ni’matin minallah. Bismillahi ma shaallah al khayru kulluhu biyadillah. Bismillahi ma shaallah la yasrifussua illallah. Bismillahi ma shaallah ma kana min ni’matin fa minallah." (In the name of Allah, what Allah wishes, there is no power except the power of Allah. In the name of Allah, what Allah wishes, nobody manifests good except Allah; In the name of Allah, what Allah wishes, nobody removes the evil except Allah, In the name of Allah, what Allah wishes, all boons are from Allah; In the name of Allah, what Allah wishes, all goods are in the hand of  Allah; In the name of Allah, what Allah wishes, nobody protect against evil except Allah; In the name of Allah, what Allah wishes, every single boon is from Allah.)

The form of that supplication (dua) in the Sunnah is as follows:

 اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عُفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي

“Allahumma innaka afuwwun tuhibbul-afwa fa’fu anni”

According to a narration, Hz. Aisha said, “O Messenger of Allah! If I definitely know what night is the Night of Power, what shall I say?” The Prophet (pbuh) said,

Say, اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عُفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عني! (O Allah, You are most Forgiving, and You love forgiveness; so forgive me.)” (Tirmidhi, h.no: 3513; Nasai, h.no: 7665; Ibn Hanbal, h.no: 25384)

The form supplication with the additional word “Karim” said by some Islamic scholars is as follows:

اَللَّهُمَّ اِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ كَرِيمٌ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّى

“Allahumma innaka afuwwun karimun tuhibbul afwa fa’fu anni“

There is no drawback to using that additional word. It is highly probable that this word existed in some written hadith copies. As a matter of fact, the researchers who studied Ibn Hanbal’s Musnad (Muassastur-Risala) put the following note in the place where they narrated the hadith: “The word “karim” exists in the written copy. (ibid, 42/236).

Some sources that use the word “karim” are as follows:

(Ibnul-Athir, Jami’ul-Usul, 4/324; al-Umrani, al-Bayan fi Madhhabish-Shafii, 3/568; al-Hazin, Tafsir, 4/452; Ibnul-Qayyim, Badaiul-Fawaid, 2/143; Khatib Shirbini, al-Iqna’, 1/247; al-Amirus-San’ani, at-Takhbir, 4/268; Tahtawi, Hashiyatu Maraqil-Falah, p. 401)

Note: As far as we can see, most of those scholars mention the hadith related to Hz. Aisha (without giving any source) and use the word “Karim”.

Some supplications that are thawab to read on the Night of Power and at other times:

 اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ، وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ 

“O Allah! You are my Lord. There is no true god except You. You have created me, and I am Your slave. I hold to Your covenant as far as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge the favors that You have bestowed upon me, and I confess my sins. Pardon me because none but You has the power to pardon.” (Bukhari, 6307) 

A supplication that is virtuous to read in the morning and in the evening:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي دِينِي وَدُنْيَايَ وَأَهْلِي وَمَالِي، اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِي وَآمِنْ رَوْعَاتِي، اللَّهُمَّ احْفَظْنِي مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيَّ، وَمِنْ خَلْفِي، وَعَنْ يَمِينِي، وَعَنْ شِمَالِي، وَمِنْ فَوْقِي، وَأَعُوذُ بِعَظَمَتِكَ أَنْ أُغْتَالَ مِنْ تَحْتِي 

“O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness and Your protection in this world and the next. O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness and Your protection in my religion, in my worldly affairs, in my family and in my wealth. O Allah, conceal my secrets and preserve me from anguish. O Allah, guard me from what is in front of me and behind me, from my left, and from my right, and from above me. I seek refuge in Your Greatness from being struck down from beneath me.” (Abu Dawud, 5074)

Finally, it is useful to pay attention to the following reality mentioned in Risale-i Nur Collection:

“One of the many instances of wisdom in the fast of Ramadan with respect to man’s gain and profit, who comes to this world to cultivate and trade for the hereafter, is as follows:

“ The reward for actions in the month of Ramadan is a thousandfold. According to Hadith, each word of the All-Wise Qur’an has ten merits; each is counted as ten merits and will yield ten fruits in Paradise. While during Ramadan, each word bears not ten fruits but a thousand, and verses like Ayat al-Kursi thousands for each word, and on Fridays in Ramadan it is even more. And on the Night of Power, each word is counted as thirty thousand merits.” (see Mektubat, Yirmi Dokuzuncu Mektup, pp. 401-402)

We advise the following without entering into details:

It is a different way of gaining thawabs to read Ayat al-Kursi 17 times on the Night of Power.

Allah Almighty states the following in the Quran:

"When trouble toucheth a man, He crieth unto Us (in all postures)- lying down on his side, or sitting, or standing. But when We have solved his trouble, he passeth on his way as if he had never cried to Us for a trouble that touched him! thus do the deeds of transgressors seem fair in their eyes." (Yunus, 10/12)

Prayer is encouraged in verses and hadiths:

"And your Lord says: "Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer)..." (al-Mu'min, 23/60)

The Prophet (pbuh) states the following:

"There is nothing more honorable than prayer (dua) in the eye of Allah." (Tirmidhi, Daawat, 1; Ibn Majah, Dua, 1)

Prayer is also regarded as worship. "Prayer (dua) is worship itself." (Tirmidhi, Tafsiru al-Baqara, 16)

The prayers of the previous prophets are mentioned in the Quran. It is possible to make dua with those effective prayers or as one feels in his heart. However, it is sunnah and better to make dua by saying the prayers reported from the Prophet  Muhammad (pbuh) related to certain deeds like while visiting graves, after eating, before going to toilet, while putting on a new garment and while starting a journey.

The person who makes dua should say it heartily, ask good things and try to make efforts to attain what he wants. He should show his sincerity in his prayer with his deeds.

For instance, if a person mentions being a sincere Muslim who obeys Allah's orders, he should try to be such a Muslim with his deeds. The following is stated in a hadith:

"Know it that Allah will not accept the prayer of a person who prays with a heedless heart." (Tirmidhi, Daawat, 64)

Doubtlessly, Allah knows what man feels in his heart and his needs. However, saying prayers by the tongue is effective in the education of man. Besides, prayer means fulfilling an order of Allah; it is regarded as worship. Allah Almighty teaches His slaves how to pray Him and informs us about the prayers of His messengers. Believers should view those prayers first and make dhikr by uttering those prayers. The one that teaches us what we do not know and what is best is Allah.

"... Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget or fall into error..." (al-Baqara, 2/286)

The Prophet Ayyub (Job) prayed as follows:

"…Truly distress has seized me, but Thou art the Most Merciful of those that are merciful." (al-Anbiya, 21/83);

The Prophet Zakariyya (Zacharias) prayed as follows:

"...O my Lord! leave me not without offspring..." (al-Anbiya, 21/89);

The Prophet Adam prayed as follows:

"...Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls: If thou forgive us not and bestow not upon us Thy Mercy, we shall certainly be lost." (al-A'raf, 7/23)

The Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) prayed as follows:

"…Take Thou my soul (at death) as one submitting to Thy will (as a Muslim), and unite me with the righteous..." (Yusuf, 12/101)

The Prophet Yunus (Jonah) prayed as follows:

"…There is no god but Thou: glory to Thee: I was indeed wrong."

The following is stated in a hadith Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal reported from Abu Said al-Khudri:

"Prayer will definitely be answered and three things about a prayer (dua) will definitely take place: it will be accepted or it will be left to the hereafter or the sins of the person who says the prayer will be forgiven in proportion to his prayer."

When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saw the people who raised their voices while praying, he said,

"O people! Be careful! You are not supplicating one who is deaf and absent, but you are supplicating One Who is nearer to you than the neck of the animal you are riding."(1)

It is necessary to pray through the heart, silently and sincerely, without shouting:

"Call on your Lord with humility and in private: for Allah loveth not those who trespass beyond bounds." (al-A'raf, 7/55)

Prayers (duas) that are sunnah

Before sleep: "O Allah! I die and revive with Your name."

After waking up: "Praise be to Allah who gives us life after He has caused us to die and to Him is the return."

In the morning: "O Allah! We have entered the morning with Your help, reached the evening with Your help. We live with Your help and die with Your help. And to You do we return."

In the evening: "O Allah! I ask You well-being in this life and the hereafter. O Allah! I ask You for pardon and well-being in my religious and worldly affairs, and my family and my wealth. O Allah! Veil my weaknesses and set at ease my dismay. O Allah! Preserve me from the front and from behind and on my right and on my left and from above, and I take refuge in Your majesty lest I should be swallowed up by the earth."

While leaving home: "I trust in Allah with Allah's name. There is no power except His power."

After adhan: Repeating adhan and uttering salawat, and saying, "There is no god but Allah. He is One; He has no partners. Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. I am pleased with Allah as Lord, with Islam as the religion and Muhammad as the prophet."

(1) see Bukhari, Jihad, 131; Daawat, 51; Tawhid 9; Abu Dawud, Witr, 26; Ibn Hanbal, IV, 394, 402, 418; Muslim, Sahih IV, 2076.

This saying is not a hadith. It is a great succinct saying used among great wise men and Sufis to express a great truth. The origin of this saying is in Persian and it is as indicated below:

“Eger ne hahi dad, ne dadi hah” and the meaning is as follows : “Allah would not have given wanting if He had not wanted to give” (see Nursi, Letters, p.302).

The explanation of this saying is as follows: Allah is the owner of endless mercy. As a requirement of this mercy, Allah has created everything necessary for all creatures and especially for human beings. For example; man needs water, air, light, soil, food to survive. He also needs vision, hearing, thinking and speaking. And all those things have been created. This shows that there is a close link between the existence of man and the existence of those things. For instance; it is the same master who created eyes and the sun, ears and the air, food and the stomach. Accordingly, it can be said that Allah would not have given man the wish of seeing and eyesight if He had not wanted him to see. Allah would not have given man the desire of eating if He had not wanted to give man food and Allah would not have given man the wish to marry if He had not wanted man to marry.

At this point, the rule mentioned above is cited as an evidence of the endless mercy, absolute knowledge and limitless power of Allah. From this point of view, the wish of eternity/wish of being alive forever, which has been given to human beings, is presented as clear proof that they are candidates of an eternal life and they will definitely  be resurrected one day after their death and will start a new life.

As a matter of fact, Allah has introduced His endless mercy as a powerful reason for the existence of afterlife. A verse of the Quran related to the issue is as follows:

“Say: "To whom belongeth all that is in the heavens and on earth?" Say: "To Allah. He hath inscribed for Himself (the rule of) Mercy. That He will gather you together for the Day of Judgment, there is no doubt whatever. It is they who have lost their own souls, that will not believe.” (al-An’am, 6/12)

Allah also states the following:

Say (to the Rejecters): "My Lord is not uneasy because of you if ye call not on Him: But ye have indeed rejected (Him), and soon will come the inevitable (punishment)!" (al-Furqan, 25/77)

“And your Lord says: "Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer)” (Ghafir, 40/60)

We understand from those statements that the one who created human beings needy, the one who ordered them to pray to Him for those needs and the one who promised to accept those prayers is Allah.

In the light of those verses of the Quran, it can be said that if Allah had not wanted to give man what they desired, He would not have given them the ability to want. If Allah had not wanted to accept the prayer of the stomach said in the language of hunger, He would have given neither the feeling of hunger nor the wish of expressing the hunger to the stomach. Then, Allah who has given to mankind the feelings and wishes of endless living, willing to exist forever, willing to be together with whom they love, will certainly accept their wishes. Since they are not accepted in  this realm; they will be accepted in another eternal realm.

Yes, if the Being who has created us had not wanted us to watch this realm, would He have given us eyes in the wombs of our mothers? If Allah had not wanted us to hear those beautiful sounds, would He have given us ears? From this viewpoint, the strongest evidence of afterlife is the “wish of living forever”, which is placed in man’s spirit.

1) The answer to the question, “Would it have turned out the same way without all these prayers?” is not something that people know for sure. It is not possible for us to know for sure how it would have happened. The fact that so many and continuous prayers are said is definitely an important factor in the acceptance of the prayers.

Accordingly, it can be said that if it were not for these prayers about Palestine, perhaps the suffering would have been much worse.

- The current situation does not mean that the prayers are not accepted:

 “What would my Lord care for you if not for your supplication?” (al-Furqan, 25/77)

As it is stated in the verse above, prayer (supplication) is a sign of servitude, a sign of worship, service to God. The main result of worship is in the hereafter. The benefits in the world are divine grace.

Since prayer is a deed of worship, we do not know whether a dua (supplication) is accepted or not just as we do not know whether a deed of worship such as salah (prayer) is accepted or not.  

- Moreover, the acceptability of worship and prayer (dua) - along with some other conditions of acceptance - is proportional to whether the worshipper is an acceptable person in the sight of Allah or not.

It is an undeniable fact that today’s Muslims do not have the power and strength, technique and technology, which are regarded as actual prayer, that they mix halal with haram and that they disrespect and disobey Allah all the time.

We should not expect the prayers uttered by those disobedient mouths to be accepted. If they are accepted, it is a grace of Allah; if not, it is a manifestation of divine justice. This fact, expressed in the maxim “One misfortune is better than a thousand pieces of advice”, seems to be an important reason for the decision to continue the misfortune.

- As Badiuzzaman Said Nursi states, the acceptance of the prayers we make verbally is in two ways: Either the same thing we desire is granted, or it is granted in a better way.

“For example, someone asks for a son and Almighty God bestows a daughter like Mary. One should not say, ‘his supplication was not accepted’, but ‘it was accepted in a better way’. Sometimes a person utters prayers for his own happiness in this world, and it is accepted for the hereafter. It cannot be said: ‘His prayer was rejected,’ but ‘It was accepted in a more beneficial form.’ Since Almighty God is All-Wise, we seek from Him and He responds to us. However, He deals with us according to His wisdom. A sick person should not cast aspersions on the wisdom of his doctor. If he asks for honey and the expert doctor gives him quinine, he cannot say: ‘The doctor did not listen to me.’ Rather, the doctor listened to his sighs and moans; he heard them and responded to them. He provided better than what was asked for.” (see Mektubat, p. 301)

“Also, supplication is a form of worship and recognition of man’s servitude to God. The fruits of this pertain to the hereafter. The aims pertaining to this world are the times of a particular sort of supplication and worship.”

“For example, the prayers and supplications for rain are a form of worship. Drought is the time for such worship. Worship and supplications of this sort are not in order to bring rain. If they are performed with that intention alone they are not worthy of acceptance, for they are not sincere worship.”

“Sunset is the time of the evening prayers. And eclipses of the sun and moon are the times of two particular prayers known as salat al-kusuf and salat al-khusuf. That is to say, with the veiling of the two luminous signs of the night and day, God’s tremendousness is proclaimed, so Almighty God calls his servants to a sort of worship at those times. The prayers are not so that the sun and moon will be revealed (whose appearance and how long the eclipses will continue have anyway been reckoned by astronomers). (See Sözler, Yirmi Üçüncü Söz, Birinci Mebhas)

2) Allah is definitely aware of everything. However, Allah evaluates the test He has prepared for people not according to His all-encompassing eternal knowledge, but according to the state of the deeds that people do with their own free will because this is a requirement for the fairness of the test.

In that case, Allah permits the deeds that enable people to win the test just as He permits the deeds that make people lose it. If Allah held the murderer or the thief by the hand, or put a lock on the mouths of people who gossip, backbite, and encourage mischief, then the test would have no losers and it would cease to be a test.

Thus, it is a requirement of justice that those who do good deeds be given the opportunity as well as those who do bad deeds.

Prayer (dua) is a deed of worship. The first reward of prayer is that a person feels his weakness and turns to a being who has power and strength. Thus, he feels that he is not an unattended and desolate person, that his weakness and poverty are not a reason for humiliation and insult, but that his weakness and poverty bring him closer to Allah. Man feels the idea, “I have a Lord who knows me better than me and who has mercy on me” whenever he prays.

Since God Almighty wants a person to feel his weakness and beg Him, we can ask Allah for all kinds of legitimate and positive things that we cannot reach according to the statement, “If He had not wanted to give, He would not have given wanting”. However, if we want those wishes to be transformed into worship, we are to correct our intentions. In other words, it is necessary to have the intention of helping the poor and serving the religion of Islam while asking for wealth and property so that our prayer will be a deed of worship, whether our wishes come true or not. Prayer is not done only with the tongue. However, the most effective prayer is the prayer based on working, which we call actual prayer.

The fact that our Prophet (pbuh) did not want worldly things does not mean that they are bad because there are also his prayers in which he wants his ummah not to experience financial difficulties. Besides, a Muslim needs to abandon worldly things with his heart, not with his deeds. That is, we need to work hard and earn money. We need to rise to high positions but we should not place them in our hearts. Our hearts should be filled with the love of the hereafter, together with Allah. Otherwise - God forbid - if we put the world in our hearts and attach importance to wealth, the things we earn will distance us from Allah.

- Is dua (prayer, supplication) a deed of worship?

The Lord of the Realms arranged the sky and the earth for man. He starts the Quran, which He sent down to show humans and jinn the correct way, the true path, with the verse “Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds”. God Almighty informs His servants that He is Rahman (Most Compassionate) and Rahim (Most Merciful) and that He is the master of the Day of Judgment; then, He virtually makes man speak: “Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek.” Thus, He declares that the real purpose of the arrangement of the realms is worshipping, begging and asking for help. He allocates the remaining part of the chapter to supplication...

As it is known, man’s worldly life is based on two principles: Obtaining benefits and banishing harmful things. Spiritual life is like that too. It also has its benefits and harms. It also has friends and enemies. It can also be fine and get ill. It also eats, drinks, grows; gets ill and dies...

We see those two principles, namely, the issue of obtaining benefits and banishing harmful things in the last part of the chapter in a wonderful way.

By saying “Guide us to sirat al-mustaqim”, that is, to the path of the prophets, the veracious people, the martyrs and the righteous,” we express the greatest need of our spirits through prayer. And we take refuge in our Lord again as if the glitters of this happy day were sighted on the horizon and the danger of their disappearance occurred by saying, “Not to the way of those and who go not astray and incur Your wrath...”

There is worship, taking refuge and prayer (dua) in the creation of man... And man was created extremely poor and weak so that he could easily reach that great honor.

“Your essential nature is kneaded out of fault, deficiency, poverty, and impotence, and like the relative degree of darkness and obscurity shows the brightness of light, with regard to opposites, you act as a mirror through them to the perfection, beauty, power, and mercy of the Beauteous Creator.” (see Sözler, Yirmi Dördüncü Söz)

Man is weak. As Nursi states it in a nice way, a microbe that cannot be seen with the naked eye and can only be seen after being magnified so many times knocks man down and kills him.

Man is helpless. He is not strong enough to meet any of his needs on his own. He needs soil for vegetables and trees for fruits. He is incapable of making either of them. He needs the sunrise and the sunset. Both are beyond his power. He needs his blood to be cleaned and his cells to be changed. They do not occur with his power and strength.

And man is infinitely poor. Nothing is his own wealth and property. Everything, from his eyes to his ears, from his teeth to his nails, is entrusted to him. The wisdom behind the human nature being kneaded out of weakness, helplessness and poverty, is that he can be a bright mirror for the Divine Names.

The eye is in need of the sun and is incapable of bringing it. Allah accepts the prayer of this small piece of oil with the tongue of disposition and sends the sun to help. We also need Paradise, eternal life and divine consent... And it is not likely for us to attain them with our partial power and faint worship...

Prayer (salah), fasting and other deeds of worship are all duas. Allah, who makes the eyes meet the sun, can take us to Paradise as long as our prayers are accepted...

Man, who is not capable of anything and is in need of everything, knocks on the door of prayer (dua); similarly, he asks for help from his Lord and takes refuge in Him against his endless enemies, whom he is too weak to get rid of.

The chapters of the Quran, which begin with praising the Lord of the realms end with taking refuge in Allah, who is “Rabbulfalaq” and ”Rabbunnas”... If you want to catch a flying fly, it will flee from your evil and take refuge in a secluded corner of the room. However, if the air in which it flies becomes an enemy of it, where can it flee? There is only one thing left for it to do: to take refuge in the Creator of air.

Similarly, we seek refuge in Allah, who is Rabbulfalaq and Rabbunnas, from the evil of all creatures, from the evil of our souls, which can be deceived by the devil, and the evil of other people.

There is a nice and detailed prayer (dua) topic in Risale-i Nur Collection. A lesson of reality from it:

“Also, supplication is a form of worship and recognition of man’s servitude to God. The fruits of this pertain to the hereafter. The aims pertaining to this world are the times of a particular sort of supplication and worship.” (see Sözler, Yirmi Üçüncü Söz)

The following is stated in Imam Rabbani’s Mektûbat: “Worship consists of humility and broken heart.” One of the best moments when man feels his weakness and humility and turns toward his Lord with a broken heart is the moment of dua.   

When man prays to Allah, he obeys the order in the chapter of al-A’raf: “Call on your Lord with humility and in private...” (al-A’raf, 7/55) He takes refuge in Him, asks from Him and prays for forgiveness. This state is a form of worship and will bear its fruit in the hereafter. There is also the issue of the realization of the desired things in the world. We do not worship for them; they are only a means of worship. And those moments of need are times of dua. At that time, man understands his poverty and weakness better, and with the understanding that only Rabbul-alamin is capable of fulfilling them, he opens his hands in His presence and begs Him.

The highest and most sublime degree of wanting is to ask Him for Him... To ask for His consent. To seek closeness to Him. To want to attain perfection in belief in Him, in loving Him, and in fearing Him. “...For without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.” (ar-Rad, 13/28)” Listening to the deep message given in the verse above and asking Him to remember Him. With the awareness that He is closer to us than we are, to want to feel His closeness in our hearts and hence to be with Him.

The soul intervenes even in dua. And it makes the servant who begs Him in His presence heedless of Him in a sense. And instead of asking for Him, it tells the heart to be engaged in the blessings of the world.

There are sound hadiths regarding the issue. One of those narrations is as follows:  

“There is an hour during the night in which no Muslim individual will ask Allah for good in this world and the next without His giving it to him; and that applies to every night.” (Muslim, Musafirin 166, 167)

The purpose of the creation of human beings is to worship Allah. One of the most important signs of worshipping is dua (prayer/supplication). “My Lord is not uneasy because of you if ye call not on Him…” (al-Furqan, 25/77) The importance of dua, which is a sincere deed of worship, is underlined in the verse above.

Therefore, Allah wants His slaves to mention him both during the day and at night, and to pray to him for their world and the hereafter. He wants them to pray as follows: “O Lord! Make me happy in both worlds! O Allah! Give me health! O Lord! Make me successful in what I do!”

Both nights and days belong to Allah. He gives the blessing that He wishes when he regards it appropriate. He does not regard it appropriate for His slaves, whom He created in the best mold, to whom He gave the best boons and for whom He prepared Paradise and His jamal, to spend the long night in heedlessness. Allah wants them to know that He owns everything and to tell Him about their needs.   

People are encouraged to worship by being informed beforehand that there will be “a time when prayers are accepted” every night just like Friday and Night of Power.

This time period is kept as a secret; thus, people are encouraged to worship all the time; on the other hand, they are prevented from feeling conceited by saying, “I prayed to Allah at the time when prayers are accepted.”

Moreover, there are two remarkable, important points in the hadith: The phrase “Muslim individual” is emphasized along with the phrase “ask Allah for good”.

The word Muslim indicates a real man who has surrendered to Allah in all aspects.

Asking for good means the things that Allah regards as “good” not what a person wishes as good based on his soul and desire.

It is not something easy to realize those two points.

Thus, the hadith does not say that “any prayer” will be accepted from “anybody”. On the contrary, the hadith says that “good prayers” will be accepted from “Muslims”.

For the hadith narration in question, see Kanzul-Ummal, 3/817.

1) It is a recommended supplication (dua).

As we have stated several times before, some seemingly general words in verses and hadiths are in fact absolute, not general. That is, the decree in question is not valid for everyone, but it is expressed as absolute. The style that expresses it seemingly is a style of guidance. Its meaning is as follows:

The reason why the decree in question is expressed as if it is valid for everyone is to encourage everyone to the decree in question and to that good thing. For example, that it is said "read this supplication to be protected from shirk (polytheism)" aims to draw everyone’s attention to the very bad thought like polytheism and to ensure that people always seek refuge in Allah in this regard.

Therefore, this supplication should not be regarded as a guarantee of being away from polytheism because it is a supplication; it is possible for a supplication to be accepted or not to be accepted

2) Ahmed b. Hanbal’s narration is sound. (see Majmauz-Zawaid, hno: 1769)

Yes, it is.

Salawatu Nuril-Mubin is actually a hymn. Some characteristics of our Prophet (pbuh) are listed and salawat are sent to him.

Nur: It is one of the names of our Prophet (pbuh) meaning material and spiritual light that illuminates and enlightens.

Mubin: It means the one that states the facts clearly. It is one of the names and characteristics of our Prophet (pbuh).

Mubin is mentioned one hundred and nineteen times in the Quran.

In most of the verses in the Quran, it is used with its literal meaning of “distinguishing the truth from the falsehood and halal from haram, explaining everything that the ummah needs, revealing the goodness and blessing of something”.

Salawatu Nuril-Mubin, which is sung as a hym is as follows:

“Sallallahu Rabbuna Alan-Nuril Mubin
Ahmad al-Mustafa Sayyidal-Mursalin
Al Bashir An Nadhir Assirajal Munir
Khatamal Anbiya Ashrafal Alamin”

“Assalatu Wassalamu Alayk
Alayka Ya Ya Rasulallah
Assalatu Wassalamu Alayk
Alayka Ya Sayyidal Awwalina Wal Ahirin
Wa ala Jami’il Anbiyai Wal Mursalin
Walhamdu lillahi Rabbil Alamin”

“Al Bashir An Nadhir Assirajal Munir
Khatamal Anbiya Ashrafal Alamin”

There are certain important deeds that can be done and should be done on all holy nights and that will be a means of attaining forgiveness, gaining rewards and thawabs, developing spiritually, being saved from problems and misfortunes and attaining divine consent for us. It will be useful to remind some of them briefly in items: 

1. The Quran should be read; reciters of the Quran should be listened; Quranic recitals should be organized in appropriate places; the feelings of love, respect and commitment to the Word of Allah should be renewed and strengthened.

2. Greetings and salawat should be said for the Prophet (pbuh); his intercession should be hoped and the consciousness of being his ummah should be refreshed.

3. Missed (qada) prayers and supererogatory prayers should be performed; prayers peculiar to that night, if any, should be performed; a holy night should be spent by worshipping and with the consciousness of ihsan (worshipping Allah as if seeing Him) in essence.

4. One should meditate; he should have deep thoughts related to vital issues like “Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going? What does Allah want from me?”

5. One should check and evaluate his past; he should plan the present time and future.

6. One should repent and ask forgiveness sincerely; he should regard that night as the last opportunity and regret his sins with the determination not to commit them again.

7. One should make plenty of dhikr.

8. One should ask forgiveness from other believers for the violation of their rights.

9. One should reconcile the people who are cross with each other, soften their hearts and please them.

10. One should pray for himself, his family and other believing brothers by mentioning their names.

11. One should seek those who have rights on him and show loyalty to them.

12. Poor and homeless people, orphans, ill, disabled and elderly people should be visited; they should be shown compassion and respect; they should be made happy with gifts and alms.

13. The verses, hadiths and their interpretations about that night should be read from the books individually or in congregation.

14. Religious meetings, panels and talks should be organized; preaching and advice should be listened; poems should be read; hymns and religious songs should be sung to affect the hearts.

15. The evening, night and morning prayers of the holy nights should be performed in congregation and in mosques.

16. The tombs of the Companions, scholars and saints should be visited. One should pray to Allah by benefitting from their spiritual atmosphere.

17.  One should visit the graves of his deceased relatives, friends and elders, and should show his loyalty of brotherhood of belief to them.

18. One should wish his spiritual elders, teachers, parents, friends and relatives a happy holy night by visiting them by making a phone call or by sending messages to them and should ask them to pray for him.

19. One should fast on the day of the holy night if possible.

May Allah Almighty make us among His slaves who make use of these nice opportunities and benefit from those holy nights as much as possible! Amin.

One of the acceptable prayers is the prayer that a believer says in the absence of another believer. For, the person who prays like that has no material interest or expectation while doing so. Therefore, he is sincere. The prayer will inshallah be accepted since he has no expectation and since he thinks of his believing brother only and prays for his needs. Besides, the Prophet (pbuh) said, “He does not refuse the prayer of a person who prays to Him.”

The points to be taken into consideration while praying (supplicating):

When a person wants to offer supplications, he should be purified spiritually by seeking forgiveness; then he should recite benedictions (salawat) for the Prophet (pbuh), an acceptable prayer, for intercession; and following his supplication he should again recite the salawat. For a prayer offered between two such acceptable prayers itself becomes acceptable.

* Praying for another without their knowledge,

* the traditional supplications and prayers in the Qur’an and Hadiths. For example,

“O Allah! I beseech You to bestow forgiveness and well-being on me and on so-and-so in religion, this world, and the hereafter.” (an-Nawawi, al-Adhkar, 74; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, 1: 517.)

“O our Sustainer! Give us good in this world and good in the hereafter, and defend us from the torment of the Fire.” (al-Baqara, 2/201)

* General supplications like these when offered sincerely and with humility and tranquility of heart,

* and following the five daily prayers, and the morning prayer in particular,

* and in holy places, and mosques in particular,

* and on Fridays, and particularly during “the hour when prayers are answered;”,

* and during the three months of Rajab, Sha‘ban, and Ramadan,

* and in Ramadan and on the well-known holy nights.

It is hoped from divine mercy that such supplications will be accepted.

The results of such acceptable prayers are either seen in this world exactly as requested, or they are accepted in respect of the eternal life in the hereafter of the one who offered them. That is to say, if what was sought does not occur exactly as wished, it should not be said that ‘the prayer was not accepted’, but that it was accepted in a better form. (see Badiuzzaman Said Nursi, Mektubat, p. 279)

The hadith narration regarding the issue is as follows:

من أراد أن تستجاب دعوته ، وأن تكشف كربته ، فليفرج عن مُعسر

“If a person wants his prayer (du’a) to be accepted, he should solve a problem of another person who is in difficulty.” (Musnad, 2/22)

This hadith narration is sound. (see Munawi, Faydul-Qadir, 6/66, Hadith No: 8390)

That du’a reminds of verbal requests to Allah does not mean that it is a form of demand realized only with words. What makes a du’a real du’a, what virtually feeds it and enables it to be accepted are deeds.

The Prophet (pbuh) is a model for us in du’a along with all other things; he taught us to support verbal du’a with actual du’a (deeds). That is, he advised us to fulfill the necessary conditions and deeds for a request to happen before wanting it.

The hadith “If a person wants his prayer (du’a) to be accepted, he should solve a problem of another person who is in difficulty” attracts attention to this fact.

Thus, it is necessary for a verbal du’a to Allah to originate from the slave’s deed and to be supported by it. When we utter du’a, if it combines with a deed, it indicates that the result will be affected positively.

Ahmed Ziyaeddin Gümüşhanevî, who introduced Jawshan prayer to the Sunni world, included this prayer in his famous three-volume book “Majmuatul-Ahzab”. He does not include the full chain of narrators but he starts from a person whose name we could not determine exactly and continues as follows:

“Jafar Sadiq, through his father (Muhammad al-Baqir) and grandfather (Zayn al-Abidin), from Husayn, and Husayn from his father, Ali (r.a.) who reported it from the Prophet. [Gümüşhanevi, Majmuatul-Ahzab, 1311(copy date, 1298), 3/231-232]

The difference between the order of the narrators in it and the chain of narrators in Diyanet İslam Ansiklopedisi is only the name Musa al-Kazim, which is absent in Gümüşhanevi.

- In Diyanet İslam Ansiklopedisi, the chain of narrators of Jawshan al-Kabir is given as follows: Musa al-Kazim ­- Jafar as-Sadiq - Muhammad al-Baqir - Zayn al-Abidin - through Husayn and Ali from the Prophet (pbuh)”. (DİA, VII/462- Cevşen article)

- The content of Jawshan is different from the prayers in the books of sound hadith in that it is made with a thousand and one names and attributes of Allah. Otherwise, an important part of the prayers in Jawshan are included both in the verses and in the sound hadith sources - in terms of content.

- In the short introductory article written at the beginning of Jawshan al-Kabir prayer published by Badiuzzaman Said Nursi, he writes the following about the chain of narrators of Jawshan:

“It is a very high and very valuable prayer of the Prophet (pbuh) that Gabriel (Jibril) brought to the Prophet (pbuh) with revelation and said ‘Take off the armor, read this’, narrated from Zayn al-Abidin (r.a.) through tawatur.” (see Niyazi Beki, Büyük Cevşen Duası, Zafer yayınları, İstanbul, 2001, p.9, Introduction)

We think “tawatur” mentioned by Badiuzzaman here is not the tawatur included in the hadith criteria, but something known by a significant number of people.

However, it can be called “tawatur” in terms of the Ahl al-Bayt tradition through which Jawshan’s chain of narration comes.

The fact that Gümüşhanevî uses a title meaning “Jawshan al-Kabir prayer from Zayn al-Abidin” at the beginning of Jawshan supports this concept of “tawatur” in both forms.

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq -narrates: I said,

"O Messenger of Allah! Teach me a prayer (dua) that I can say at the end of prayer (salah)." The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

"Pray as follows:

"O Lord! I have done great injustice to myself; that is, I have committed many sins. Only You forgive sins; You are the real Forgiver and Merciful. Bestow on me a forgiveness from You, and have mercy on me. That is, save me from Hell and enable me to attain Paradise and your Beauty with Your grace and generosity, not with what I deserve." (Bukhari, Adhan, 149, Daawat, 16)

“O Lord! You are the deity. There is no god but You. You are free from all deficiencies. You are lofty. I have wronged myself. O Lord! I expect Your forgiveness.”

“Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You do not forgive us and show us mercy, we will be among those who are losers.”

"O Allah! You are the forgiver. You like forgiving. Forgive us."

A difficult situation is not necessary in order to take refuge in Allah; it is necessary to take refuge in Allah in all situations whether good or bad.

We take refuge in Allah and need His guardianship in order to be protected from sickness before getting sick, from fire before entering into fire, from misfortunes before they occur. Likewise, we seek refuge in Allah and seek help from Him before Satan harms us from the traps of people like Satan before we fall into the traps of people like Satan.

Thus, it is necessary to seek refuge in Allah not only when we are in trouble, but also in all situations from falling into difficulty, and we should constantly seek refuge in His protection.

Therefore, taking refuge in Him is a requirement of belief and an indication of servitude in all circumstances.

Taking refuge in Allah is the most important shelter and dynamic against the temptation and deception of Satan. This dynamic must be used in any case.

A slave who turns toward Allah by saying "Audhu" will have sought refuge in his Lord. Istiadha means to take refuge in Allah Almighty, to seek refuge in Him and to seek His protection.

There seems to be a difference of generality and specificity between dua (prayer) and istiadha.

Dua is a concept broader than istiadha because there is both asking for goodness and taking refuge in Allah from evil in dua.

Only the latter, that is, taking refuge in Allah, His grace and mercy from evils and issues that cause concern are in question in istiadha.

Why Istiadha?

Man, who is weak and incapable and who has endless ambitions and desires, who has very limited means, and who has to struggle with forces that can be considered as enemies throughout his life, such as Satan, his evil-commanding soul, and in addition to them, lust and wrath, has no other choice but to seek refuge in his eternal Lord, who has infinite power and mercy in order to both realize his desires related to good deeds and get rid of the traps and plots of his enemies.

A person who realizes the existence of this remedy and refers to it is deemed to have solved his basic problems because the greatest armor of man against Satan and his soul, which Satan uses like a center, is istiadha, that is, taking refuge in Allah Almighty.

Today, unfortunately, many people act as if Satan does not exist even if they are believers, and these wrong thoughts always leave them exposed to the dangerous tricks and plots of Satan and his helpers. Yes, one of the most dangerous tricks of the conspiratorial, destructive and disruptive Satan is to make man overlook his mistakes and faults and to prevent him from noticing those flaws; and even if man notices them, Satan makes him interpret them differently. Those who are deceived by that trick do not realize that Satan trips them by making them deny himself.

However, those who are aware of their enemies are / should be constantly on the alert. It is natural for those who wander carelessly in dangerous places to fall into the trap of ruthless hunters.

Thus, a person who does not have the anxiety of closing the gaps in his faculties for the purpose of defense becomes the target of the poisonous arrows of the soul and Satan, and is transformed into their toy frequently.

Istiadha is the Command of Allah and the Way of the Messengers  

There are many istiadha prayers in the Quran, hadiths and various prayer collections. What we mean by istiadha prayers is the supplications that include the words and phrases like “audhu, naudhu; aidhni, aidhna; ajirni, ajirna / I take refuge and we take refuge".

Allah Almighty states the following in the Quran:

فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ 
“When thou dost read the Quran, seek Allah’s protection from Satan the rejected one.” (an-Nahl, 16/98)

Acting upon that command, when those who believe want to read the Quran, they say أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ “I take refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan” in order to benefit fully from its guidance, to purify their hearts and spirits and so as not to be affected by the delusions of Satan.

Although it is a sentence in present tense in terms of its form, it is a sentence of supplication in terms of meaning. Its meaning is as follows: "O Allah! Protect me from the evil of Satan!" The following lesson can also be deduced from it. When a person wants to read the Quran, he should be purified from all kinds of Satanic considerations and should read it with a pure heart.

In addition, it means Satan, who can deceive even a person who has the Quran in his hand with all kinds of tricks, can deceive man much easily in other circumstances. Therefore, it is always necessary to be on the alert against Satan and his tricks.

Allah Almighty states the following in verses 97 and 98 of the chapter of al-Muminun, where He wants His slaves to take refuge: وَقُلْ رَبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ “And say ‘O my Lord! I seek refuge with Thee from the suggestions of the Evil Ones’.”

Besides, the chapter of al-Falaq “Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the Dawn; From the mischief of created things; From the mischief of Darkness as it overspreads; From the mischief of those who practise secret arts; And from the mischief of the envious one as he practices envy.” and the chapter of an-Nas

“Say: I seek refuge with the Lord and Cherisher of Mankind, The King (or Ruler) of Mankind, The Allah (for judge) of Mankind,- From the mischief of the Whisperer (of Evil), who withdraws (after his whisper),- (The same) who whispers into the hearts of Mankind,- Among Jinn and among men.”,

which the Messenger of Allah read in prayers, and three times every morning and evening can be cited as examples and evidences regarding the issue.

As it is known, those two chapters are called “Muawwidhatayn”, which means one takes refuge in Allah with them.  

As a matter of fact, as it is seen in the Quran,
- the Prophet Musa (Moses), أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ “I seek refuge in Allah from being among the ignorant.” (al-Baqara, 2/67);
- the Prophet Nuh (Noah), أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ “O my Lord! I do seek refuge with Thee, lest I ask Thee for that of which I have no knowledge.” (Hud, 11/47)
- and the Prophet Yusuf (Joseph), مَعَاذَ اللهِ “I seek Allah’s refuge.” (Yusuf, 12/23) took refuge in Allah with the phrases above.

Some Istiadhas of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) 

Our Prophet (pbuh) is definitely the best example for us in prayer and istiadha as in all issues. He knows best what and how to ask Allah Almighty; he also knows from what issues and how it is more appropriate to take refuge.

We find it useful to quote some istiadha sentences with which the Prophet took refuge in Allah:

أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
“I take refuge in Allah’s perfect words from the evil of His creatures.” (Muslim, Dhikr, 54-55; Tirmidhi, Daawat, 40; Ibn Macah, Tibb, 46; Darimi, Isti’dhan, 48)

أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِي لاَ يُجَاوِزُهُنَّ بَرٌّ وَلاَ فَاجِرٌ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ وَذَرَأَ وَبَرَأَ وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا ذَرَأَ فِي اْلأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتَنِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ طَارِقٍ إِلاَّ طَارِقًا يَطْرُقُ بِخَيْرٍ يَا رَحْمٰنُ 
“I take refuge in Allah’s perfect words, which no good and no evil can overcome, from the evil of what He created, what descended from the sky and ascended there, the trials of the night and day – except for what comes with goodness.” (Musnad, 3/421)

اَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّةِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لاَمَّةٍ 
“I take refuge in Allah’s perfect words from all kinds of devils, bad accidents and evil eye.” (Bukhari, Anbiya, 10; Abu Dawud, Sunna, 20; Tirmidhi, Tibb, 18)

What is meant by the words in the hadiths may be the Quran. Being perfect means that those words are beneficial and healing or that they are free from any deficiency. Allah knows best.

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ غَلَبَةِ الدَّيْنِ وَقَهْرِ الرِّجَالِ 
“O Allah! I take refuge in You from sorrow and grief, incapacity and indolence, cowardice and miserliness. I take refuge in You from being suppressed by debt and from the infliction of enemies.” (Bukhari, Daawat, 36)

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِي وَمِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ دَابَّةٍ أَنْتَ اٰٗخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَا ﴿ إِنَّ رَبِّي عَلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ
“O Allah! I take refuge in You from my soul and all living beings whose forelock You grasp.” (Musnadul-Harith, 2/953)

"Verily, it is my Lord that is on a straight Path." (Hud, 11/56)

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْكُفْرِ وَالْفَقْرِ، اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ لاَ إِلٰهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ 
“O Allah! I take refuge in You from unbelief and poverty. I take refuge in You from the torment in the grave. There is no god but You.” (Abu Dawud, Adab, 110)

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْكَسَلِ وَالْهَرَمِ وَسُوءِ الْكِبَرِ وَفِتْنَةِ الدُّنْيَا وَعَذَابِ اْلاٰخِرَةِ

“O Allah! I take refuge in You from indolence, getting old, problems of old age, the trial of the world and the torment of the hereafter.” (Muslim, Dhikr wa Dua, 74-76)

The Messenger of Allah also took refuge in Allah from other things after performing prayers and at other times and advised his Companions and hence his ummah to take refuge in Allah.

When we read the hadiths of the Prophet (pbuh), we see that he took refuge in Allah from the following:  
- from the wrath of Allah,
- from the trial and torment of Hell and grave,
- from being tested with wealth and poverty,
- from the trial of Dajjal (Antichrist) and evil
- from being mocked by enemies
- from being exposed to misfortunes,
- from diseases,
- from being too old to do things, which he expressed with the phrase "ardhal al-umur"
- from dementia,
- from the trials of the world,
- from the heart that does not fear,
- from the prayer that is not accepted,
- from the insatiable soul,
- from the eye that does not shed tears,
- from the knowledge that is not beneficial,
- from conflicts, hypocrisy and immorality,
- from male and female devils
- and from all their tricks.

After prayers we say,

اَللّهُمَّ أَجِرْنَا

سُبْحَانَكَ يَا اَللهُ تَعَالَيْتَ يَا رَحْمٰنُ أَجِرْنَا مِنَ النَّارِ

سُبْحَانَكَ آهِيًا شَرَاهِيًّا تَعَالَيْتَ لاَ إِلهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ اْلأَمَانَ اْلأَمَانَ أَجِرْنَا من النار

With such supplications and glorification, we say “O Allah! Protect us…” and beg Him, taking refuge in Allah from what the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) took refuge in Him. Thus, we follow his sunnah. We utter the following statement at the end of every part of Jawshan Kabir:

سُبْحَانَكَ يَا لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ الْأَمَانَ الْأَمَانَ خَلِّصْنَا مِنَ النَّارِ، أَجِرْنَا مِنَ النَّارِ، نَجِّنَا مِنَ النَّارِ 
“Glory be unto Thee, Thou art without partner or fault! There is no god but Thee! Mercy, mercy, save us from Hell-fire!”

It is also an istiadha uttered by the blessed tongue of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). In fact, Jawshan itself is an istiadha.

Istiadha with Asma al-Husna

The following statement of Badiuzzaman Said Nursi regarding the issue is very remarkable:

“Man has recourse to many of the ruler’s titles, and seeks his help in many forms in order to be saved from the evil of his enemies. In just the same way, man, who manifests many Names and is charged with many duties and afflicted with many enemies, invokes many of the Names in his prayers and supplications. Like Muhammad the Arabian (Peace and blessings be upon him), the cause of pride of mankind and truly the most perfect man, supplicated with a thousand and one Names in his prayer, Jawshan al-Kabir. It is due to this mystery that the Sura, قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ. مَلِكِ النَّاسِ. إِلٰهِ النَّاسِ. مِنْ شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ   Say, I seek refuge with the Sustainer and Cherisher of men, The Sovereign of men, The God of men, From the evil of the whispering, elusive tempter commands that we take refuge with God through three titles.” (Sözler, p. 356)

As the slaves of Allah Almighty, we actually learn this lesson, that is, the lesson and manner of seeking refuge in Allah with different names, from Jawshan and from the supplications of Allah’s friends, as well as from the chapters of al-Falaq and an-Nas before them:

Allah Almighty orders His slaves to make istiadha by sayingرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ، رَبِّ النَّاسِ، مَلِكِ النَّاسِ، إِلَهِ النَّاسِ in these two chapters through His Messenger. As it is seen, the names Lord, Rab (Lord), Malik (Owner) and Ilah (Deity) are mentioned there.

When a believer who reads those two chapters seeks refuge in Allah from human and jinn enemies, the evils that may come from them, sickness and misfortunes, various failures, he knows that we have a Lord, who first created all human beings from soil, made them perfect by training them, gave them intelligence and understanding, made man a distinguished being among all creatures by informing him about his duties, showed him the way of working for the sake of truth and charity by making him perceive His existence.

Secondly, he thinks that the Sublime Being in whom he takes refuge is the king of the kings and sultan of the sultans, who dominates all human beings, who leads them to goodness and perfection as a necessity of His knowledge and wisdom, who gives property to whomever He wishes and make them the king, who dismisses whomever He wishes from the sultanate, and who has the power to elevate and humiliate whomever He wishes.

Thirdly, he thinks that the door in which he takes refuge is the door of the true God, whose slaves worship him all the time, who possesses universal deeds such as creating, inventing, bringing people into the field of existence and removing them from that field, rewarding with thawabs, punishing with torment, and who has unstoppable power, majesty and grace.

Thus, a person who takes refuge in Allah Almighty with His different names may consider the thoughts similar to those he has while reading those three names for other beautiful names of Allah Almighty according to their meanings and contents.

To sum up, we can say that asma al-husna, which are the most beautiful names of Allah, is of great importance and value in terms of istiadha too. (see Hak Dini Kur’ân Dili, the interpretation of the chapters of al-Falaq and an-Nas)

Conclusion

A believer can neither escape from falling into sins nor perform worshipping properly without taking refuge in his Lord, who is the sole owner of strength and power. He can neither be freed from Satan’s tricks nor be protected from being defeated by his evil-commanding soul.

Therefore, he should frequently refer to istiadha prayers in the Quran, hadiths and prayer collections, and should always express his need for the protection and care of his Lord with the voice of his heart. (Theologian-Author M. Yılmaz)

Dua (prayer) is the servant’s turning to his Lord and asking for help from Him. Man takes refuge in Allah in order to meet his needs that he cannot reach, and to attain his desires that he cannot attain with his own power because there is no one but Allah who hears and fulfills his most secret desires and meets his needs.

Dua is a deed of worship. It is the spirit of worship.

A child cries to get a need or a desire that he cannot reach or he asks for it; that is, he prays with the tongue of the weak and gets what he wants.

Similarly, man is like a gentle and delicate child among all living beings. He turns to God Almighty by crying out of weakness or praying out of need. Otherwise, being ungrateful by saying, “I make these people work under my own power,” like a mischievous child who is afraid of a fly is against the nature of man; such a person deserves severe punishment in the Hereafter.

Man approaches God Almighty through dua. In this respect, various problems and misfortunes are a mercy in that they remind man of his helplessness and weakness and force him to turn to his Lord. Man realizes how weak and helpless he is and needs to find a place to take shelter, particularly at such times. Dua is the best means of it.

Since dua is a deed of worship, it should be done only with the aim of attaining Allah’s consent. Therefore, man should feel his weakness, loneliness and helplessness with all his spirit and should raise his hands to the sky to pray, thinking that Allah is the only person who will help him and save him from fears and worries. The Creator has infinite power, mercy and wisdom. The entire universe is His work, and even a leaf cannot move without His permission. God Almighty, the owner of all perfect attributes, is free from all imperfect attributes. He has endowed all living and non-living beings with countless blessings and honored man with the highest rank above them. Therefore, God Almighty is worthy of endless praise. After all, is the purpose of creation of all beings not to serve Him with praise, glorification and extolment? That is why dua is so important.

Is every prayer accepted?

Not every prayer we say is accepted. However, the following is stated in the verse: “Call on Me; I will answer your prayer” What is the reason for it?

There are two terms used related to prayer (dua); One is answering and the other is accepting. That is, it is different for God Almighty to answer every prayer we say and it is different for Him to accept. Allah answers every prayer. However, He does not always give the exact thing that is asked because His wisdom necessitates so.

It is similar to the example of a doctor and a child. The child who is taken to the doctor sees a medicine in the clinic and immediately asks for it. He thinks that the medicine will cure his illness. The doctor examines him. After diagnosing the disease, he either gives the medicine that the child wants, or gives some other medicine; or, he does not prescribe any medicine at all.

God Almighty is omnipresent. He hears and answers every prayer that man says. However, since He thinks more about man than man himself, He knows his problems and real needs well; since He knows with His pre-eternal knowledge and wisdom what will be good and what will be harmful to him, He can give man the exact thing he wants, or He sometimes gives something better, or sometimes he does not give him anything because it will be harmful. Therefore, man has no right to say, “Allah does not give me everything I want”.

Since dua is a deed of worship, its reward is given in the hereafter. The reasons that lead people to pray is the time of that worship.

For example, when the weather is dry and there is no rain, people pray for rain. The setting of the sun is the time for the evening prayer; similarly, drought is the time for that dua. That dua is not for making it rain. In that case, the prayer is not said for the sake of Allah, but only for the rain to fall. Therefore, it is not worthy of acceptance.

Similarly, when man is hit by some troubles and misfortunes, and gets ill, it is considered the time for some duas. At such times, man realizes his helplessness and weakness, and seeks refuge in Allah with prayer and supplication. Although man prays so much, troubles might not go away and diseases might not end; and as a result, his wishes seem to be not fulfilled for that moment. One should not say, “My prayer was not accepted”; he should say, “The time for my prayer is not due; I need to pray more”. If God Almighty gives him exactly what he asks in his prayer and removes the trouble, the time of prayer is regarded due then.

Another example:

Man asks Allah for a son in his prayer; as in the prayer of the mother of Maryam (Mary), God Almighty gives him a daughter like Maryam. That person cannot say, “My prayer was not accepted.” On the contrary, he should say, “It was accepted in a better way”.

On the other hand, man sometimes prays for a worldly need. However, God Almighty accepts his prayer for the hereafter. In other words, thanks to his prayer, he either gets rid of the torment of Hell or his degree in Paradise rises. This person should not say, “My prayer was rejected”; he should say, “perhaps it was accepted in a better way.”

“The best, finest, sweetest, most immediate fruit and result of supplication is this:

The person who offers it knows there is someone who listens to his voice, sends a remedy for his ailment, takes pity on him, and whose hand of power reaches everything. He is not alone in this great hostel of the world; there is an All-Generous Being who looks after him and makes it friendly. Imagining himself in the presence of the One who can bring about all his needs and repulse all his innumerable enemies, he feels a joy and relief; he casts off his load, which is as heavy as the world, and exclaims: “All praise be to God, the Lord and Sustainer of All the Worlds.”

“Supplication is the spirit of worship and results from sincere belief. For the person who makes supplication shows that there is someone who rules the whole universe, saying: “He knows the least significant things about me, can bring about my farthest aims; who sees every circumstance of mine, and hears my voice. He hears the voices of all beings, and He hears my voice too. He does all these things, so I await my smallest needs from Him too. I ask Him for them!”1

Types of prayer/supplication (dua)

1. Prayer in the tongue of latent ability:

It is the prayer of plants and animals. Through it, all seeds and grains supplicate the All-Wise Creator as follows:

“O Lord! Make us grow! Make our tiny truths sprout and transform us into the mighty reality of a tree, so that we may display the elaborate embroideries of Your names. Give us strength so that we can plant the flag of our own species all over the world. Help us worship you in every corner of the earthly mosque. Give us the strength to display your fine arts with our tongue in the exhibition of the world.”

The causes take up a position for the acceptance of this supplication of plants. For example, water, heat, earth, and light take up positions around a seed and say:

“O Our Creator, make this seed into a tree.” The seed becomes a tree. The coming together of causes is a kind of dua because unconscious causes do not make that tree; it is God Almighty who makes it green. In addition, the seeds of plants reach all over the world through the wind and wave the flag of their own species.2

Everything Says Bismillah

Bismillah is a good prayer. This prayer is said not only by humans but also plants and animals:

All things act in the name of Almighty God, for minute things like seeds and grains bear huge trees on their heads; they raise loads like mountains. That means all trees say: “In the Name of God,” fill their hands from the treasury of mercy, and offer them to us. All gardens say: “In the Name of God,” and become cauldrons from the kitchens of Divine power in which are cooked numerous varieties of different foods. All blessed animals like cows, camels, sheep, and goats, say: “In the Name of God,” and produce springs of milk from the abundance of mercy, offering us a most delicate and pure food like the water of life in the name of the Provider. The roots and rootlets, soft as silk, of plants, trees, and grasses say: “In the Name of God,” and pierce and pass through hard rock and earth. Everything acts in the name of Allah Almighty.

The roots spreading through hard rock and earth and producing fruits as easily as the branches spread through the air and produce fruits, and the delicate green leaves retaining their moisture for months in the face of extreme heat, deal a slap in the mouths of Naturalists and jab a finger in their blind eyes, saying:

“For like the Staff of Moses, each of those silken rootlets conforms to the command of, And We said, “O Moses, strike the rock with your staff” and splits the rock. And the delicate leaves fine as cigarette paper recite the verse, “O fire be coolness and peace”2 against the heat of the fire, each like the members of Abraham (UWP).3

The prayer of every being that is in a state of change and development with the tongue of latent ability is included in this part. Everything glorifies Allah with its unique tongue and also prays to Allah for its needs.4

The prayer of some other beings in their own tongue is expressed in Sözler as follows:

“If you want to observe these elevated truths from close to, go and ask a stormy sea or the quaking earth: “What are you saying?” You will hear that they are saying: “O Glorious One! O Glorious One! O One of Might, All-Compelling!” Then ask the small animals and their young being raised with kindness and compassion in the sea and on the land: “What are you saying?” They will surely reply: “O Beauteous One! O Beauteous One! O Most Compassionate and Merciful One!” Then listen to the skies; they say: “O Glorious One of Beauty!” And give your ear to the earth; it says: “O Beauteous One of Glory!” Listen carefully to the animals; they are saying: “O Most Merciful One! O Provider!” And ask the spring; you will hear many Names like: “O Gentle One! O Most Merciful One! O Most Compassionate One! O Most Generous One! O Gracious One! O Benevolent One! O Giver of Forms! O Giver of Light! O Bestower! O Adorner!”5

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi states that both he and his students noticed that the cats said, “O Most Compassionate and Merciful One!”, with their purring and meowing.

2. Prayer with the tongue of innate need:

All living things, humans and animals ask from God Almighty their essential needs, which they cannot obtain with their own power and will. Every creature asks God Almighty with that tongue of need for their needs of sustenance in order to continue their lives. Those prayers are accepted and their needs are sent from an unexpected place at a suitable time.

3. Prayer with the tongue of exigency:

Every person who is in distress prays to Almighty Allah, takes refuge in a guardian he cannot see, and turns to his Lord. Discoveries and inventions made by mankind throughout history are also included in this prayer.

The prayer of a person who is in distress has a great effect. Sometimes, thanks to such prayers, a great thing comes under the command of a person like a small thing. “Yes, a roaring sea may subside in answer to the prayer of a broken-hearted infant on a piece of wood floating on its surface. This means that the One Who answers prayers has absolute authority over all things and is Lord of creation.” 6

These three kinds of prayers are always acceptable if there is no obstacle.

4. The famous prayer we always do

It has two parts:

a. Actual prayer: Acting in accordance with causes is actual prayer; it is like ploughing. Since soil is the door of the treasury of mercy, the farmer knocks on that door with his plow. Since this prayer addresses directly the name and title of God Almighty, it is generally accepted.

b. Verbal prayer: Prayer made with the tongue and heart: It is to seek certain wishes which the hand cannot reach. The most important aspect, the most beautiful aim, the sweetest fruit of it is this:

“The one who offers the supplications knows that there is someone who hears the wishes of his heart, whose hand can reach all things, who can bring about each of his desires, who takes pity on his impotence, and answers his poverty.”

The sounds that animals make with their own tongue when they are hungry are also included in the verbal prayer.7

The place of turning the palms downward in prayer in the sunnah

The practice of our Prophet (pbuh) in this regard is clear and obvious. According to the statements of the Companions, the Prophet (pbuh) would bring his hands to chest level, open his palms with an inclination toward his face, and pray. Anas bin Malik, who served him for ten years, states that he even raised his hands more during the rain prayer and prayed until the whiteness of his armpits were seen.(8)

It is narrated that our Prophet (pbuh) raised his hands more in prayers other than the rain prayer too.

When we ask Allah for something or pray to Him for protection from something we fear, there are changes in the expressions as well as in the position of the hands.

As a matter of fact, Khallad bin Saib al-Ansari describes how our Prophet (pbuh) held his hands while praying as follows:

“When the Prophet (pbuh) wanted something from Allah, he would raise the palms of his hands toward the sky, and when he sought refuge in Allah from something, he would turn the back of his hands toward the sky.”(9)

Anas bin Malik (ra), who narrates that the Prophet (pbuh) turned the back of his hands upward while praying for rain, states the following:

“The Prophet (pbuh) prayed for rain and he turned the back of his hands toward the sky.” (10)

It is a calamity when the rain stops and it does not rain for a long time. A prayer for rain is made for the elimination of that calamity. It is desired that famine and lack of rain will go away, and blessing and abundance will come. In order to eliminate this drought, the hands are turned upside down during the prayer.

Imam Nawawi, who wrote explanations for Sahih Muslim and who is one of the great scholars of Shafii madhhab, explains that hadith as follows:

“A group of our scholars and some other scholars turned the backs of their hands toward the sky when they prayed to Allah for the elimination of misfortunes like drought and said that it was sunnah to turn the palms toward the sky while asking for something from Allah, using that hadith as evidence.”( 11)

Stating that verse 90 of the chapter of al-Anbiya informs us about the manners of prayer, tafsir scholars say that sometimes the palms and sometimes the backs of the hands face the sky in prayer according to the verse. The verse in question is as follows:

“These (three) were ever quick in emulation in good works; they used to call on Us with love and reverence, and humble themselves before Us.”

The word “raghaban” in the verse means desire and hope while the word “rahaban” means a state of fear. Some tafsir scholars say what is meant by the verse is this: “When something is asked from Allah, the palms of the hands are raised toward the sky and when refuge is sought in Allah in times of fear, the backs of the hands are raised toward the sky.” (12)

The palms of the hands are raised toward the sky while asking Allah for health, well-being, peace, tranquility, blessing and abundance; the backs of the hands are raised toward the sky while taking refuge in Allah in order to avoid evil, famine, drought, calamity, misfortune, financial difficulties, conflict and enmity. While saying “ajirna (protect us)” in the glorification after salah, we take refuge from mischief and misfortunes. At that moment, the hands are turned upside down.

Footnotes:

1. Mektubat, p. 280; Sözler, 295.
2. Mektubat, p. 280.
3. Sözler, pp. 6-7.
4. Mesnevi-i Nuriye, p. 216.
5. Sözler, 310.
6. Mesnevi-i Nuriye, p. 70.
7. Mesnevi-i Nuriye, p. 216.
8. Muslim, Istithqa: 5.
9. Musnad, 4:56.
10. Muslim, Istithqa: 6.
11. Nawawi, Sharhu Sahihi Muslim, 5:190.
12. Bulugh al-Maram Translation, 2:230.

(Mehmed Paksu)

PRAYER TO BE READ TO FIND SOMETHING LOST

Abdullah, Hazrat Umar’s son, said, “Somebody who loses or has something stolen should perform a two-rakah prayer and then pray as follows:

"Allahumma rabba'd-dallati wa hadiya'd-dallati, rudda alayya dallati bi qudratika wa sultanika. Fa innaha min fadlika wa ataika." (O Allah! The Lord of those who are lost and the Guide who guides those who are lost and who lose their way! For the sake of your power and sultanate, return me the thing that I have lost. It is from your blessing and generosity." (Bostanu'l-Arifin; Bilal Eren, Açıklamalı Dua Hazinesi p. 304)

The following prayer can be said 25 times every day for something that has been lost or stolen: "Ya jami’annasi li-yawmin la rayba fihi innallaha la yukhlif-ul mi’ad ijma’ bayni wa bayna ……". (O the Gatherer of the mankind together against a day about which there is no doubt! For Allah never fails in His promise. Gather me and …… together.) He can read it until it is found. In the places of dots, the thing that is lost is mentioned. (Ibni Abidin)

It is enough to say only "Allahumma salli ala sayyidina Muhammad" to send greetings and salawat to him.

There are many kinds of salawat. However, the most famous ones are "salli and barik" supplications that we say after at-tahiyyatu in prayers:

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

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

Their meanings:

"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."

"O Allah! Prosper Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You prospered Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Assuredly, You are All-Praised, All-Illustrious." (see Bukhari, Da'awat 33: Muslim, Salah 66-68)

It is also possible to utter salawat by saying, “Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa ala ali Muhammad” or “Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam” or "alayhissalatu wassalam".

The supplications mentioned in the question are among the supplications of the Prophet (pbuh) and they are mentioned as sound in hadith resources.

- Abu Sa’idil-Khudri narrates:

“Jibril (Gabriel) went to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and asked, 'O Muhammad! Are you ill?' When he said, 'Yes', Jibril read the following supplication:  

'Bismillahi arqika, min kulli dain yu’dhika wa min sharri kulli nafsin aw aynin hasidin. Allahu yashfika, bismillahi arqika.'

'In the Name of Allah, I read a prayer over you against all evils that cause you pain, the evil of every person and evil eye. May Allah cure you, in the Name of Allah I recite a prayer over you.'" (Muslim, Salam 40; Tirmidhi, Janaiz 4)

- Uthman Ibn Abil-As narrates:

"I told the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) that I had had a pain that I suffered since the day I became a Muslim.

He said, 'Put your hand on the place that gives you pain and read this supplication:' Say, 'Bismillah' three times and 'Audhu bi-izzatillahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa uhaziru / I seek refuge in Allah's might, and power from the evil of what I suffer' seven times. 

I did it several times. Allah removed that illness from me. I never ceased telling my family and others to do it." (Muslim, Salam 67; Muwatta, Ayn 9; Abu Dawud, Tibb 19; Tirmidhi, Tibb 29)

“'Put your hand on the place that gives you pain and read this supplication three times: 'Bismillahi audhu bi-izzatillahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu min wajai hadha. // In the Name of Allah, I seek refuge in Allah's majesty and power from the evil of this pain I feel.” (Faydul-Qadir, Hadith no: 448)

Yes, Allah makes things easy for His slave who takes refuge in Him relieves him, or He will reward him in the world or in the hereafter can be among other meanings.

We can briefly understand the following from the statement “Allah does not leave His slave who takes refuge in Him alone or in a difficult situation”:

Allah never ignores the call of a person who seeks a cure for his problems and takes refuge in Him for them; He bestows a remedy upon him and offers a solution. However, that remedy might not necessarily be in line with the wishes of the person who takes refuge in Him. On the contrary, it might be a precaution foreseen by Allah’s infinite wisdom. It is possible to explain the issue with an example:

a) A patient asks for lansoprazole for stomach complaints; the doctor regards that he is right and gives lansoprazole to him; he does not leave him alone.

b) Another patient asks for aspirin for stomach complaints; the doctor does not give him aspirin because it is harmful to the stomach. Instead, he gives a suitable stomach medicine and does not leave him in a difficult situation.

c) Another patient asks for a medicine for stomach complaints but the doctor does not consider it appropriate to give him any medicine; he advises him to abstain from certain food and does not leave him alone with his problems.

d) It seems that Allah never ignores His slaves - who take refuge in Him because of a problem - and does not leave them alone with their problems.

On the contrary, He fulfills His slave’s request in accordance with His eternal wisdom:

- He either gives what he wants.
- Or He gives him something similar or a better one.
- Or, He does not give it to him at all in this world because it is harmful, but He will reward him in the hereafter.

In any of those cases, He does not ignore the request of His slave. He treats His slave with a prescription that His wisdom deems appropriate, and fulfills his request somehow. He will not leave him in a difficult situation.

e) The following statement of Badiuzzaman Said Nursi shedding light on the issue can be a cure for our problems:

“If you say:  We frequently offer supplications, but they are not accepted. But the verse is general, it states that every supplication is answered.”

The Answer:

To answer is one thing, to accept is something quite different. Every supplication is answered, but its being accepted and exactly what was sought being given is dependent on Almighty God’s wisdom. For example, if a sick child calls the doctor, saying: “Doctor! Doctor!”, and he replies: “Here I am, what do you want?”, and the child says: “Give me that medicine!”

The doctor will either give him exactly what he asks for or something better and more beneficial for him. Or knowing that medicine is harmful for his illness, he will give him nothing.

Thus, since Almighty God is all-present and all-seeing, He responds to the supplications of His servants. Through His presence and response, He transforms the desolation of loneliness and solitude into familiarity.

But He does this, not in accordance with man’s capricious and importunate demands, but in accordance with the requirements of dominical wisdom; He gives either what is sought or what is better than it, or He gives nothing at all.

Also, supplication is a form of worship and recognition of man’s servitude to God. The fruits of this pertain to the hereafter. The aims pertaining to this world are the times of a particular sort of supplication and worship.

For example, the prayers and supplications for rain are a form of worship. Drought is the time for such worship. Worship and supplications of this sort are not in order to bring rain. If they are performed with that intention alone they are not worthy of acceptance, for they are not sincere worship.

Sunset is the time of the evening prayers. And eclipses of the sun and moon are the times of two particular prayers known as salat al-kusuf and salat al-khusuf. That is to say, with the veiling of the two luminous signs of the night and day, God’s tremendousness is proclaimed, so Almighty God calls his servants to a sort of worship at those times.

The prayers are not so that the sun and moon will be revealed (whose appearance and how long the eclipses will continue have anyway been reckoned by astronomers).

In just the same way, drought is the time for the prayers for rain, and the visitation of calamities and infliction of harmful things the times of certain supplications when man realizes his impotence and through his supplication and entreaty seeks refuge at the Court of One Possessing Absolute Power.

Even if the calamities are not lifted despite many supplications, it may not be said that they were not accepted. It should rather be said that the time for the supplication is not yet over. If through His graciousness and munificence Almighty God removes the calamity, light upon light, then the time for that supplication is over and done with. That is to say, supplication has the meaning of worship and man’s acknowledging his servitude to God.

As for worship and servitude to God, it should be purely and sincerely for God’s sake. Man should only proclaim his impotence and seek refuge with Him through supplication, he should not interfere in His dominicality. He should leave the taking of measures to Him and rely on His wisdom. He should not accuse His Mercy.” (see Sözler, Yirmi Üçüncü Söz, pp. 317, 318)

The hadith in question is as follows:

عَنْ أَنَسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّه عَنْهُ ، قَالَ : كَانَ رسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وسَلَّم : يَقُولُ : اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّـي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعجْزِ والكَسَلِ وَالجُبْنِ وَالهَرَمِ ، وَالْبُخْلِ ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ القبْرِ ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ المَحْيا وَالمَمَاتِ  وفي رِوايةٍ : « وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ »

According to what was reported from Anas, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) would pray as follows:  

“Allahumma inni audhu bika minal-ajzi wal-kasali wal-jubni wal-harami wal-bukhl, wa audhu bika min adhabil-qabr, wa audhu bika min fitnatil-mahya wal-mamat."

"O Allah! I seek refuge in You from incapacity, indolence, cowardice, senility, and miserliness. And I seek refuge in You from the torment of the grave and from trial of the life and death.” (Muslim, Dhikr 50; bk. Abu Dawud, Witr 32; Nasai, Istiadha 7)

According to another narration, “...wa dalaid-dayni wa ghalabatir-rijal: heavy debt and being overpowered by men”. (Nasai, Istiadha 8; see Bukhari, Daawat 36)

There are various supplications of istiadha, that is, taking refuge in Allah, of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). As a matter of fact,

- the Prophet (pbuh) took refuge in Allah from cowardice, miserliness, senility and trial of the life and death after performing prayers (see Bukhari, Jihad 25, Daawat 37, 41, 44)
- He advised us to take refuge from the torment of the grave and Hell, and the trial of life, death and blind Dajjal (anti-Christ) after finishing at-tahiyyat in prayer. (see Muslim, Masajid 128),
- He also took refuge in God Almighty from indolence, senility and the torment of the grave and Hell. (see Muslim, Dhikr 74-76)

We see that he took refuge in Allah in this hadith from incapacity in addition to some of the things mentioned above.

Incapacity is used, especially in this hadith, in the sense of not being able to do charity and good deeds, and not being able to fulfill the religious and worldly duties that one has to fulfill. There have been many people who have always neglected their duties toward Allah, such as prayer, fasting, and zakah, claiming that they will perform them later. The word incapacity (weakness) expresses this wrong attitude better than neglect.

Indolence (laziness) expresses not doing charity despite being strong enough and not worshipping Allah properly.

Cowardice is the state of not being able to resist one’s soul and Satan due to laxity and self-indulgence, and hence the inability to obey some divine commands. Allah commands jihad in His way but a cowardly person cannot do it. Allah commands the defending of the truth against the oppressor, but a coward cannot obey this command.

Old age is when a person loses his mental faculties to some extent, becoming a child and forgetting what he knows., This state is called ardhal al-umur in the Quran and hadiths. It is not so disadvantageous for a person to age without becoming senile. However, what is meant by old age here is to need other people all the time, to become senile, inconsiderate and unbearable.

Miserliness means not being able to spend one’s wealth on what Allah wants though one is well-off. The evil of miserliness is mentioned in the Quran and it is stated that the things that people need to spend but cannot spend will be wrapped around their necks on the Day of Judgment. (see Aal-i Imran, 3/180)

Another name for the torment in the grave is trial in the grave. It is possible for man to get rid of this torture, which he encounters in that narrow, dark and eerie place, and to transform his grave into a garden from the gardens of Paradise as the Prophet (pbuh) said. We should state here in the light of the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) that talebearing and splashing urine on one’s clothes are just two of the things that cause torment in the grave.

The trial of life is the suffering of a person throughout his life or at some stage of his life in person or because of one of his family members. Undoubtedly, they are means of testing. The trial of life, on the other hand, means not tolerating them, and – God forbid - trying to rebel against God Almighty. Not using the trust called life in the way Allah wants and wasting one’s life in vain in the swamp of sin are also a trial of life.

The trial of death is being caught in the trap set by Satan to make one lose his belief before he dies. The test of munkar and nakir angels in the grave is also accepted as a trial of death. The people who overcome those tests with the help of Allah will be out of the woods. Those who lose will start a bad adventure that starts with the torment of the grave.

Being crushed by debt means a person’s being in heavy debt and not having the financial means to pay his debt. Not being able to respond positively to the demand of the creditor is a difficult problem to endure. The Prophet (pbuh) teaches us that it is necessary to take refuge in Allah from the heavy debt burden.

Being overpowered by men means bad administrators’ persecuting and oppressing people. The Prophet (pbuh) defines it as “ghalabatur-rijal”. People need to take refuge in Allah from being persecuted and oppressed but those who rule people should avoid being oppressing administrators and seek refuge in Allah from falling into such a state.

Accordingly:

- The states listed in the hadith are evils that destroy the spiritual world of man.

- Everybody should take refuge in Allah from those evils.

- An important condition of taking refuge in Allah is to avoid all kinds of sins, primarily harams, and to perform all kinds of deeds of worship, primarily fards.

That is to say, we should take refuge in Allah with our hearts, tongues, moods and deeds, in short, in all aspects.

Laziness, which is criticized in the Quran and Sunnah, is harmful for people's world and hereafter; it is the beginning of failure. Therefore, Islam warns people against laziness.

At the same time, all prophets warned people against laziness.

The opposite of laziness is diligence (working hard). It is also the motto of believers and the way to any success is through diligence.

All prophets ordered people to work.

The most important thing to note here is that every human being must fulfill his/her material and spiritual duties and then attain peace and comfort by relying on Allah for the result.

That is to say, we should first offer our actual prayer and work within the halal and legitimate bounds, and then we should offer our verbal and hearty prayer with our tongues and hearts.

One of the prayers of the Prophet (pbuh) about avoiding laziness is as follows:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّـي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعجْزِ والكَسَلِ وَالجُبْنِ وَالهَرَمِ ، وَالْبُخْلِ ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ القبْرِ ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ المَحْيا وَالمَمَاتِ » . وفي رِوايةٍ : « وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ » رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ .

“Allahumma inni audhu bika minal-ajzi wal-kasali wal-jubni wal-harami wal-bukhl, wa audhu bika min adhabil-qabr, wa audhu bika min fitnatil-mahya wal-mamat:

O Allah! I seek refuge in You from incapacity, indolence, cowardice, senility, and miserliness. And I seek refuge in You from the torment of the grave and from trial of the life and death.” (Muslim, Dhikr 50)

According to another narration, “...wa dalaid-dayni wa ghalabatir-rijal: heavy debt and being overpowered by oppressors”. (Nasai, Istiadha 8)

There are various supplications of istiadha, that is, taking refuge in Allah, of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). We know that

- the Prophet (pbuh) took refuge in Allah from cowardice, miserliness, senility and trial of the life and death after performing prayers (see Bukhari, Jihad 25, Daawat 37, 41, 44).
- He advised us to take refuge from the torment of the grave and Hell, and the trial of life, death and blind Dajjal (anti-Christ) after finishing at-tahiyyat in prayer. (see Muslim, Masajid 128),
- He also took refuge in God Almighty from indolence, senility and the torment of the grave and Hell. (see Muslim, Dhikr 74-76)

We see that he took refuge in Allah in this hadith from incapacity in addition to some of the things mentioned above.

Incapacity is used, especially in this hadith, in the sense of not being able to do charity and good deeds, and not being able to fulfill the religious and worldly duties that one has to fulfill. There have been many people who have always neglected their duties toward Allah, such as prayer, fasting, and zakah, claiming that they will perform them later. The word incapacity (weakness) expresses this wrong attitude rather than neglect.

Indolence (laziness) expresses not doing charity despite being strong enough and not worshipping Allah properly.

Cowardice is the state of not being able to resist one’s soul and Satan due to laxity and self-indulgence, and hence the inability to obey some divine commands. Allah commands jihad in His way but a cowardly person cannot do it. Allah commands the defending of the truth against the oppressor, but a coward cannot obey this command.

Old age is when a person loses his mental faculties to some extent, becoming a child and forgetting what he knows., This state is called ardhal al-umur in the Quran and hadiths. It is not so disadvantageous for a person to age without becoming senile. However, what is meant by old age here is to need other people all the time, to become senile, inconsiderate and unbearable.

Miserliness means not being able to spend one’s wealth on what Allah wants though one is well-off. The evil of miserliness is mentioned in the Quran and it is stated that the things that people need to spend but cannot spend will be wrapped around their necks on the Day of Judgment. (see Aal-i Imran, 3/180)

Another name for the torment in the grave is trial in the grave.

It is possible for man to get rid of this torture, which he encounters in that narrow, dark and eerie place, and to transform his grave into a garden from the gardens of Paradise as the Prophet (pbuh) said.

We should state here in the light of the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) that talebearing and splashing urine on one’s clothes are just two of the things that cause torment in the grave.

The trial of life is the suffering of a person throughout his life or at some stage of his life in person or because of one of his family members. Undoubtedly, they are means of testing. The trial of life, on the other hand, means not tolerating them, and – God forbid - trying to rebel against God Almighty. Not using the trust called life in the way Allah wants and wasting one’s life in vain in the swamp of sin are also a trial of life.

The trial of death means being caught in the trap set by Satan to make one lose his belief before he dies.

The test of munkar and nakir angels in the grave is also accepted as a trial of death. The people who overcome those tests with the help of Allah will be out of the woods. Those who lose will start a bad adventure that starts with the torment of the grave.

Being crushed by debt means a person’s being in heavy debt and not having the financial means to pay his debt. Not being able to respond positively to the demand of the creditor is a difficult problem to endure. The Prophet (pbuh) teaches us that it is necessary to take refuge in Allah from the heavy debt burden.

Being overpowered by oppressors means bad administrators’ persecuting and oppressing people. The Prophet (pbuh) defines it as “ghalabatur-rijal”. People need to take refuge in Allah from being persecuted and oppressed but those who rule people should avoid being oppressing administrators and seek refuge in Allah from falling into such a state.

Accordingly:

- The states listed in the hadith are evils that destroy the spiritual world of man.
- Everybody should take refuge in Allah from those evils.

Dua (supplication) means to beg Allah, to invoke, to pray, to call and to ask for help. It lexically means to call. Man approaches Allah with supplication and attains peace by feeling easy spiritually.

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi states the following about the meaning of and wisdom behind supplication:  

“Supplication is the spirit of worship and results from sincere belief. For the person who makes supplication shows that there is someone who rules the whole universe, saying: “He knows the least significant things about me, can bring about my farthest aims; who sees every circumstance of mine, and hears my voice. He hears the voices of all beings, and He hears my voice too. He does all these things, so I await my smallest needs from Him too. I ask Him for them! See the extensive, sincere belief in God’s unity that supplication gives, and the sweetness and purity of the light of belief that it shows!  Understand the meaning of the verse, ‘What would my Lord care for you if not for your supplication?’ (1) and listen to the decree of ‘Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer).’ (2) If He had not wanted to give, He would not have given wanting.” (3)

If Allah did not give us what we want via supplication, He would not have given us the feeling of wanting/asking. We see that He changes seasons to give us the food and drink that our stomachs want and need and that He fills “the season of spring like a wagon full of sustenance” and sends it to us. Our Lord, who is so compassionate and merciful to His slaves, will definitely give us what we want via our supplications. On the other hand, He will give us eternity, His consent and Paradise, which are the greatest requests and needs of our spirits just like He meets the requests and needs of our stomachs.  

“The best, finest, sweetest, most immediate fruit and result of supplication is this, that the person who offers it knows there is someone who listens to his voice, sends a remedy for his ailment, takes pity on him, and whose hand of power reaches everything. He is not alone in this great hostel of the world; there is an All-Generous Being who looks after him and makes it friendly. Imagining himself in the presence of the One who can bring about all his needs and repulse all his innumerable enemies, he feels a joy and relief; he casts off his load, which is as heavy as the world, and exclaims: ‘All praise be to God, the Lord and Sustainer of All the Worlds!’” (4)

Supplication is also a deed of worship. There are a lot of verses and hadiths regarding the issue. Some of them are as follows:

God Almighty states the following:

“When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me: Let them also, with a will, Listen to My call, and believe in Me: That they may walk in the right way.” (5);

“What would my Lord care for you if not for your supplication?” (6)

According to what is reported from Numan Ibnu Bashir, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, ‘Supplication is verily worship.’ Then, he recited the following verse of the Quran:

“And your Lord says: ‘Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer): but those who are too arrogant to serve Me will surely find themselves in Hell - in humiliation!’” (7) (8)

Besides, supplication is the easiest and best thing a person can do because it is a deed of worship that one can do with wudu or without wudu, while lying down, sitting, walking, working, in short, in any case and under any condition. Since a person who says supplications always mentions Allah, doors of goodness will be opened for him and his deeds will become easier. As a matter of fact, the Prophet (pbuh) says in a hadith narrated from Ibn Umar that supplication opens the doors of mercy and states the following:

“Whomsoever of you the door of supplication is opened for, the doors of mercy have been opened for him. And Allah is not asked for anything more beloved to Him than being asked for afiyah (health, wellbeing). Supplication benefits man against what strikes and what does not strike. Only supplication prevents a misfortune. So, hold fast to supplication.” (9)

According to a sacred hadith reported from Abu Hurayra, our Lord states the following:

“Is there anyone to invoke Me that I may respond to his invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone asking My forgiveness so that I may forgive him?” A version of the hadith in Muslim is as follows: “I am Malik (King). I am Malik. Who will invoke me?” (10)

The following statement of Badiuzzaman Said Nursi related to supplication is very important:

“Also, supplication is a form of worship and recognition of man’s servitude to God. The fruits of this pertain to the hereafter. The aims pertaining to this world are the times of a particular sort of supplication and worship. For example, the prayers and supplications for rain are a form of worship. Drought is the time for such worship. Worship and supplications of this sort are not in order to bring rain. If they are performed with that intention alone they are not worthy of acceptance, for they are not sincere worship. Sunset is the time of the evening prayers. And eclipses of the sun and moon are the times of two particular prayers known as salat al-kusuf and salat al-khusuf. That is to say, with the veiling of the two luminous signs of the night and day, God’s tremendousness is proclaimed, so Almighty God calls his servants to a sort of worship at those times. The prayers are not so that the sun and moon will be revealed (whose appearance and how long the eclipses will continue have anyway been reckoned by astronomers). In just the same way, drought is the time for the prayers for rain, and the visitation of calamities and infliction of harmful things the times of certain supplications when man realizes his impotence and through his supplication and entreaty seeks refuge at the Court of One Possessing Absolute Power. Even if the calamities are not lifted despite many supplications, it may not be said that they were not accepted. It should rather be said that the time for the supplication is not yet over. If through His graciousness and munificence Almighty God removes the calamity, light upon light, then the time for that supplication is over and done with. That is to say, supplication has the meaning of worship and man’s acknowledging his servitude to God.”

“As for worship and servitude to God, it should be purely and sincerely for God’s sake. Man should only proclaim his impotence and seek refuge with Him through supplication, he should not interfere in His dominicality. He should leave the taking of measures to Him and rely on His wisdom. He should not accuse His Mercy. Indeed, what is in reality established by the Qur’an’s clear verses is that just as all beings offer their own particular glorification and worship, so what rises to the Divine Court from all the universe is supplication. This is either through the tongue of innate ability like the supplication of plants and animals, through which they seek forms from the Absolute Bestower and to display and manifest His Names. Or it is through the tongue of innate need. These are the supplications for all their essential needs – beyond their power to obtain – offered by animate beings. Through this tongue, the animate beings seek certain things from the Absolutely Generous One for the continuance of their lives, like a sort of sustenance. Or it is supplication through the tongue of exigency, through which all beings with spirits who find themselves in some plight or predicament make supplication and seek urgent refuge with an unknown protector; indeed, they turn to the All-Compassionate Sustainer. If there is nothing to prevent it, these three sorts of supplication are always accepted.” (4)

References:

(1) al-Furqan, 25/77.
(2) al-Mu’min, 40/60.
(3) Risale-i Nur Collection, I/489, (24. M.).
(4) ibid.
(5) al-Baqara, 2/186.
(6) al-Furqan, 25/77.
(7) al-Mu’min (Ghafir), 40/60.
(8) Tirmidhi, Tafsir, (al-Mu’min (Ghafir), (2973); Abu Dawud, Salah 358.
(9) Tirmidhi, Daawat 112, (3542).
(10) Bukhari, Tawhid 35, Tahajjud 14, Daawat 13, Muslim, Salatul-Musafırin 166, (758); Muwatta, Qur’an 30, (1,214); Tirmidhi, Daawat 80, (3493); Abu Dawud, Salah 311, (1315).