Evening Adhkar

Brief Commentary

• Āyah al-Kursī begins with ‘Allah’. According to many scholars, ‘Allah’ is the Greatest Name of Allah, and is the most frequently mentioned Name in the Qur’ān, appearing over 2,500 times.

• ‘Allah’ refers to the One who is adored and worshipped. Thus, the āyah begins by establishing the greatest truth: that Allah is the sole being that deserves to be worshipped.

• It then describes Allah as the “Ever Living (al-Ḥayy)”: The one who has all the attributes of life in the most complete form e.g. hearing, seeing, knowing, power etc. Al-Ḥayy is the one who will never die, and nor is He touched by even the ‘smaller death’ (sleep). His life is absolutely perfect, and He alone gives life.

• Since He alone is the absolute source of life, and possesses the attributes of perfect life, it only makes sense that He alone is “The Sustainer of all (al-Qayyūm)”. Al-Qayyūm is the one who maintains all; but needs none to maintain Him. Everything within the heavens and the earth is dependent on Allah and needs Him to sustain and manage their existence. He, however, is completely Self-Sustaining, and independent of any of His creation.

• Whoever needs to sleep will always be deficient in maintaining and sustaining the affairs of His subjects. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Allah does not sleep, and it is not befitting that He should sleep” (Muslim). Not only does Allah not sleep, he does not even feel drowsy: ‘Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep.’ This is also very comforting, as we do not need to worry about the heavens and planets falling on us, or to worry that He may be unavailable when we may need Him.

• ‘To Him Alone belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth’: Allah is the Master and Owner of all. He is the Owner and King of everything in the heavens and the earth. Nothing happens in this world except that Allah has willed it. Everything is subject to His will and decree. We are only custodians of what we have been given, not the true owners. Once we firmly believe that what we own is only a loan from Allah for a limited time, we will feel content and humble. We will empty our hearts from greed and stop chasing worldly pleasures. Whether we are tested with wealth or poverty, our hearts will remain attached to the True Owner of the heavens and the earth: Allah. This part of the verse also grants believers solace, as they know who to turn to for all their needs.

• After mentioning His ownership and complete dominion, Allah says, ‘Who is it that can intercede with Him except with His permission?’ This further explains Allah’s oneness and uniqueness. No one even comes close to sharing His power and will. Only those He will give permission to on the Day of Judgement (such as our beloved Messenger ﷺ) will be allowed to intercede.

• ‘He knows what is before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills’: Allah’s knowledge is not just limited to the present. It also encompasses the past, and extends to the future.

This belief should fill our hearts with awe and fear, as everything we do is within Allah’s knowledge. Likewise, it should make us content with our decree, as it was decreed by the One Who knows how things will develop in the future.

• All the technological advancements that we see now are only due to Allah granting us the permission to encompass this knowledge. Thus, we should always remain humble, and thankful to Allah.

• We are then introduced to one of Allah’s greatest creations, allowing us to ponder on Allah’s greatness: ‘His Kursī (footstool) extends over the heavens and the earth’: The Prophet ﷺ said, “The seven heavens in comparison to the Kursī is nothing but like a ring thrown in a desert, and the excellence of the Throne of Allah over the Kursī is like the excellence of that desert over that ring.” (Bayhaqī)

Our limited minds are unable to comprehend the Greatness of Allah. However we can attempt to appreciate His Greatness by pondering over His creation. When we ponder on the greatness of Allah’s creation such as the heavens, the earth, His Kursī and His Majestic Throne, and then realise our own inability to comprehend them due to their greatness, we arive at the most important realisation: how Great must their Creator be!

• By knowing this, it is then no surprise that ‘their preservation tires Him not’ as the heavens and the earth are insignificant in size to Him. Allah cares for and provides sustenance to billions of beasts and creatures: those that crawl in the land, those that swim in the ocean, and those that fly in the sky. And yet, He never becomes tired.

• The ending ‘And He is the Most High, the Magnificent’ perfectly summarises the verse, as the whole verse is describing the greatness of Allah. These are two of the majestic Names of Allah. Allah is Great in Himself. All of His Names and Attributes are great and most perfect. Allah is Great in His might, and Great in His knowledge. Everything that He does is Great. Allah is far, far above any weakness or defect. No one can overpower Him, and He is Greater than anything we can imagine.

`  `
Benefits & Action Points

The Greatest Ayah

• The main theme of all of the morning and evening adhkār is tawḥīd (the Oneness of Allah), and at the forefront is Āyah al-Kursī.

• Āyah al-Kursī is the greatest verse of the Qur’ān. This is because the verse beautifully describes who Allah is. The most majestic verses in the Qur’ān are the verses that talk about Allah, as there is no topic of discussion which is more grandiose, more majestic and more beautiful than Allah (ʿazza wa jall). The āyah starts off with one word ‘Allah’; and then goes on to mention 20+ of Allah’s Names and Attributes.

• Āyah al-Kursī is a gift to us from Allah, our Creator and Master. We were created to worship and know Allah; and in just a few lines He has perfectly summarised to us who He is, including His Greatness, His Power, His Knowledge, His Kingdom, and ultimately His Oneness. There is nothing on earth that will teach us about Allah better than this āyah.

• lbn al-Jawzī (raḥimahullāh) writes, “By Allah, if an intelligent believer recited Sūrah al-Hadīd, the end of Sūrah al-Hashr, Ayah al-Kursī, and Surah al-Ikhlās with deep thought and contemplation, his heart would burst open out of the awe (of Allah), and he would be baffled by His Greatness.”

• Āyah al-Kursī contains the Greatest Names of Allah (al-Ḥayy and al-Qayyūm), as mentioned by the Prophet ﷺ (Abū Dāwūd). When we ask Allah by these Names, our duʿas are accepted.

• Āyah al-Kursī has a tongue and two lips that glorify Allah at the leg of the Allah’s Throne (as reported in Aḥmad).

Recite it 8x a Day

• Memorise this verse and recite it every day. It is sunnah to recite Āyah al-Kursī every day:

1) Before sleeping: “When you lie down in your bed, recite Āyah al-Kursī from beginning to end; a guardian angel will stay by you and no devil will approach you, until you wake up in the morning” (Bukhārī).

2) After every farḍ prayer: “Whoever reads [Āyah al-Kursī] after every obligatory prayer, there is nothing that will prevent him from entering Paradise except death” (Nasā’ī).

3) In the morning and evening: “Reading Āyah al-Kursī from Sūrah al-Baqarah. If you read it in the morning, you will be protected from us (i.e. the devils) till the evening. And if you read it in the evening, you will be protected from us (i.e. the devils) till the morning” (Ḥākim).

• By reading this verse a multiple number of times daily, we refresh our knowledge of Allah, renew our īmān in Him, and affirm His Oneness.

A Powerful Source of Protection

• A great portion of the morning and evening duʿās revolve around asking Allah for protection. By starting off the adhkār with Āyah al-Kursī, we begin to appreciate the greatness of Allah. This should help us to be more attentive and optimistic when reciting the remainder of the adhkār.

• Āyah al-Kursī is one of the strongest means of protection from the devils. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “In Sūrah al-Baqarah, there is a verse which is the best verse of the Qur’ān. It is never recited in a house except that the Shaytān leaves: it is Āyah al-Kursī” (Ḥākim).

Living by Āyat al-Kursī

• By knowing that the entire universe belongs to Allah and that He possesses the ultimate power and knowledge, we rely only on Him. Knowing that He always takes care of us and is the Perfect Manager of the entire creation makes us love Him and place our hope in Him.

• Since He is the Magnificent, we are in awe of Him and always humble ourselves to Him. He is the Only one who possesses all of these unique attributes, so we submit ourselves to Him and worship Him Alone.

Brief Commentary (Surah al-Ikhlas) • Sūrah al-Ikhlās is a perfect summary and description of Allah (subḥānahū wa taʿālā). • **“Allah”** is the One who is adored and worshipped. The Name ‘Allah’ includes all of His majestic and beautiful qualities and attributes. • The Sūrah begins by affirming that Allah is **“One”**. He is Unique in His Perfection, in His Most Beautiful Names and Perfect Lofty Attributes, and He is Unique in His Perfect Deeds. There is nothing like Him. • The Arabic word used in the Sūrah to affirm that Allah is **“One”** (Aḥad) also carries the meaning of “only” i.e. His oneness is unique, and there is none like Him. • In the next verse, Allah describes Himself as “al-Ṣamad”. Al-Ṣamad is the Perfect Master, the One who the whole creation turns to for the fulfilment of their needs. He needs no one, but everyone needs Him, and are fully dependent on Him. He is Perfect in His knowledge, mercy, wisdom, power, honour and glory. Since He is perfect, He doesn’t need anyone, as nothing they can do can benefit or harm Him. He does not feel hunger nor thirst. He is the Everlasting who will never perish. To Him and Him alone are all prayers and supplications addressed. He and only He decides everything independently, and no one shares His authority. • The people of Quraysh wanted to know the lineage of Allah, so He clarified to them in this Sūrah that **“He has not given birth and was not born”** i.e. He does not have a parent or child. When one has a parent, this shows they needed someone to cause them to be brought into existence. And when one has a child, this shows they need someone to assist them or to carry their lineage, and that this person is similar to His father. Since all of these points contradict the quality of Allah being “**al-Ṣamad**”, it is only befitting that Allah is free from them. • Anything that is born is ‘dependent’. And anything which is ‘dependent’ cannot be divine, and therefore does not deserve to be worshipped. • “**And to whom no one is equal**”: This last verse is a summary of the previous verses in that there is none like Allah, and that He has the most perfect and complete attributes. No one resembles Him in anything or is equivalent to Him in any respect. ` ` ` ` **Benefits & Action Points (Surah al-Ikhlas)** • We recite Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ (for the morning and evening adhkar) first because we praise Allah through it. Similar to when making duʿā’, we praise Allah first and then make our requests. Here, we are praising Allah through Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ, and then following up with the next two Sūrahs (**al Mu’awwidhatayn**), which consist of requests. Similarly, by starting off with Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ, we develop certainty (yaqīn) that Allah is truly the only One who can help us. • This Sūrah outlines, in the clearest of terms, the principal and most fundamental ideas of the great truth of Islam: **The Oneness of Allah**. • This Sūrah covers some of the most fundamental points of Islamic creed. It counters all false claims and allegations made by humans across the centuries in relation to knowing Allah, despite its brevity. • The 1st verse affirms Allah’s Oneness. The 2nd verse affirms His Perfection. The 3rd verse affirms His being Eternal, without a beginning or end, negating any parents or children. And the last verse affirms His Greatness and Uniqueness, negating any rivals or companions. • This Sūrah is about the Oneness and Uniqueness of Allah. When we understand that Allah Alone possesses these qualities, it only makes sense that we worship Him Alone. We love Him above everyone and everything else, we only fear Him, and we submit to Him. • When we free ourselves from believing in anything but Allah, and uphold this everlasting truth, we begin to enjoy freedom from all shackles, false ideas, evil desires, fears and confusions of any sort. • As with Āyat al-Kursī, this Sūrah deals with the greatness of Allah. It is included in the morning and evening adhkār to stir appreciation for the greatness of Allah, thereby helping the person be more attentive and optimistic when reciting the remainder of the duʿās. • This Sūrah affirms that we are all in need of Allah, and that He can fulfill all of our needs. Reflect over this when reciting this Sūrah to set yourself in the right frame of mind for making the subsequent adhkār. ` ` ` ` **Virtues of Surah al-Ikhlas** • Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ is equivalent to one third of the Qur’ān. Whoever recites it ten times, Allah will build a palace for him in Paradise. • Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ leads to Paradise. There was a Companion (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) who would lead the prayer and would always recite Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ in every rakʿah of ṣalāh, and then follow it up with reciting from elsewhere.  When the Messenger ﷺ asked him why he did this, he said, “O Messenger of Allah, indeed I love it.” He ﷺ said, “Your love for it will admit you into Paradise” (Tirmidhī). • Another companion did something similar. When the Messenger ﷺ told his companions to ask him why he did this, he replied, “**Because it is the description of al-Raḥmān, and I love to recite it**.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Inform him that Allah loves him.” • Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ also contains the Greatest Names of Allah (ism Allah al-Aʿẓam). Buraydah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard a man saying: **اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ بِأَنِّيْ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ أَنْتَ اللهُ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ الْأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِيْ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُوْلَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ ***“O Allah, I ask You as I bear witness that You are Allah, there is no god but You, the One, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who has not given birth and was not born, and to Whom no one is equal.” * The Messenger of Allah ﷺ remarked: “By the One in Whose Hand is my life, He has certainly asked Allah with His Greatest Name; when He is supplicated by it, He responds, and when asked, He gives” (Tirmidhī). ` ` ` ` **Brief Commentary (Surah al-Falaq)** • “**I seek protection**”: Istiʿādhah (seeking protection) is an act of the heart. When seeking protection with Allah, we are: (1) throwing ourselves in front of Him, displaying our need of Him, and (2) submitting and humbling ourselves in front of Him. Istiʿādhah is an acknowledgment of Allah’s ultimate power, and the human being’s weakness and inability to combat evil by himself. • We seek protection from the “**Lord (Rabb)** of the daybreak.” Rabb is a special Name of Allah which fills our hearts with gratitude, love and comfort. Rabb is the One who nurtures, nourishes and sustains the whole of creation. He is The Owner, The Master, The Creator and Provider. Rabb is the one who regulates our affairs, protecting us and granting us endless blessings. • ‘**Daybreak**’ is when darkness departs, and daylight overcomes. Daylight, which represents the beginning of the day, pushes the evil elements of the night away. The filthy, the criminals and the debased return to their hideouts. • By reminding ourselves that Allah is the Lord of the daybreak, who erases and replaces darkness with daylight, He too can erase the difficulties in our lives and bring us ease. • We seek refuge from four things in this sūrah: • (1) We seek refuge in Allah “**from the evil of what He has created**”. We remind ourselves that this harm is within the creation of Allah, and therefore we feel at peace knowing that Allah is able to protect us from it as it is under His authority. • Nothing falls outside the creation of Allah, so we have sought refuge from all forms of evil. • 2) After seeking refuge from general evil, we seek refuge from a specific evil: “**from the evil of the darkening night when it settles**”. At night, the devils spread and are more active. The night provides cover in which evil forces can operate without being detected (e.g. thieves), and one is more likely to be attacked by harmful animals. Moreover, when you are alone at night, anxieties and worries can deepen, leading to insomnia and paranoia. • 3) Then we seek refuge in Allah from those “**who blow on knots**” i.e. magic. Instead of fearing magicians, we should seek protection in Allah through this powerful Sūrah. • This verse is linked to the next verse. The root cause of why people do magic is envy. • 4) The last thing we seek refuge in Allah from in this Sūrah is the envy of others, including the evil eye, which something that can have an adverse effect on us. • This also remind us that we shouldn’t be envious of others or wish evil for them. ` ` ` ` **Benefits & Action Points (Surah al-Falaq)** • When we seek Allah’s protection (istiʿādhah), we kill our own ego, and instead express our servitude (ʿubūdiyyah) to Allah and express our dire need of Him. • This Sūrah, along with Sūrah al-Nās contain a command from Allah, to take refuge in Him and seek His protection in the face of any source of fear, subtle or apparent, known or unknown. It is as if Allah is kindly and affectionately calling on His servants to resort to His care through which they will feel safe and at peace. • When you say you seek refuge in Allah, think about the state of refugees around the world: They leave the worst behind them to seek refuge elsewhere as they believe this place will save them from their current state. This is how we should feel when we seek refuge in Allah; that we are doomed without His refuge and cannot live without it. • When we recited Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ, we referred to Allah as ‘al-Ṣamad’: the One whom we all depend on; this Sūrah teaches us **how** to depend on Him. • In this Sūrah, we seek refuge in Allah from **external** sources of harm, such as the devils and the envy of others. In Sūrah al-Nās, we seek refuge in Allah from **internal** sources of harm. These two surahs together therefore are a formidable form of protection against all harm. • Always recite this Sūrah with complete conviction in the protection that Allah can give you so that you can benefit the most from it. • Ibn Kathīr (raḥimahullāh) writes, ‘The most beneficial cure for magic is what Allah ﷻ revealed to His Messenger ﷺ as a cure: Sūrah al-Falaq and al-Nās. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “No seeker has sought protection with anything like them”’ (Abū Dāwūd). • Envy is a destructive trait. Learn how to protect yourself from this disease. • This Sūrah highlights the evil of envy and the harm it incurs. This harm reaches the victim by way of the envier’s evil self and sight, despite never having used his hands or tongue. Evil eye is a form of envy. The evil effect takes place when it is intentionally addressed through one’s eyes staring at the person envied. But the intensity of this effect differs according to the weakness of the victim and the power of the evil jealous self. • Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) writes, “The evil eye is an arrow, shot by the one who is jealous, hitting (the victim) sometimes and missing it sometimes. So, if the victim is uncovered and without the protection (of the adhkār), then he definitely will be affected by it. But if the victim is taking precaution (through the adhkār), then it will not affect him; rather it may happen that this arrow is returned back to the envier.” ` ` ` ` **The Virtues** • The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Do you not see that there have been verses revealed to me tonight the like of which has not been seen before. They are (Sūrah al-Falaq and Sūrah al-Nās).” (Muslim) • **Best Ruqyah**: ʿĀ’ishah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhā) narrated that whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would become sick, he would recite [the last 3 Sūrahs of the Qur’ān] and then blow over his body. She says: “During his last illness from which he passed away, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to blow over himself. But when his sickness intensified, I used to (recite and then) blow on him (with these Sūrahs), and I would wipe his own hand (over him) because of its blessing” (Bukhārī). In another hadīth, she mentions that whenever anyone from his family would become ill, he ﷺ would blow over them with these three Sūrahs. (Muslim) • **Best Protection**: Sūrah al-Nās and Sūrah al-Falaq are the best protection against envy, evil eye and the devils. Anas (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to seek refuge in Allah from the jinn and the human evil eye until the Muʿawwidhatayn (Sūrah al-Falaq and al-Nās) were revealed. When they were revealed, he adopted them and abandoned everything else” (Tirmidhī). He ﷺ also said, “Shall I inform you of the best words with which you can seek Allah’s protection?” I said: “Yes.” He ﷺ said, “Sūrah al-Falaq and Sūrah al-Nās.” (Aḥmad) ` ` ` ` **Brief Commentary (Surah al-Nas)** • “**Lord of mankind**” is how Allah foremostly describes Himself. He is the Rabb, the One who creates, and then nurtures and protects all of us. He looks after our every affair. This verse affirms the Oneness of Allah through His Lordship. • “**King of mankind**” is an attribute of Allah that follows on from Him being the Lord. He looks after all of our affairs, and this can only be done if He has full control and ownership over us. • As Allah is the Lord and the King of mankind, it only makes sense that He alone is worshipped and is the True God: **“God of mankind”**. This verse therefore affirms the Oneness of Allah in terms of His [deserving of] worship. • After praising Allah with three of His Attributes and affirming His true Oneness, we seek refuge from “**the evil of the retreating whisperer**” i.e. Shayṭān. • Shayṭān is described as “**the retreating whisperer**”. This is because when a person is weak and forgets Allah, Shayṭān constantly whispers evil in his ear. However, when a person becomes strong and remembers Allah, Shayṭān hastily retreats, and is prevented from influencing him. • The last verse in this surah clarifies that the ‘Shayṭān’ who leads us to evil is not always from the jinn, but can be from human ‘shayāṭīn’ (devils). They could be evil friends, the musicians we listen to, the celebrities we idolise and the media we consume. ` ` ` ` **Benefits & Action Points (Surah al-Nas)** • In this Sūrah, refuge is sought in the Lord, King and God of mankind from the sneaky whisperer, jinn or human, who prompts evil ideas in people’s minds. The mind on its own cannot shut out this invisible evil. It needs Allah, and the Sūrah tells us why it is only Allah who is able to do this: He is the Lord, who preserves, directs, cherishes and protects mankind. He is the King who owns, governs and independently runs the world. He is the God, the only True Being who deserves to be worshipped. • Since Shayṭān knows that the heart is the essence of the person, he tries to constantly attack it with whispers, tempt him with desires, and glamourise for him evil words and actions. The only way we can be protected from his evil plots is through asking Allah for help and clinging on to Him. • Allah gave Shayṭān the ability to affect and have direct contact with our hearts. Since this sneaking whisperer operates secretly and constantly suggests evil, we need to be more alert in order to confront it. The best way to confront it and make it ‘retreat’ is through the remembrance of Allah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ quoting Prophet Yaḥyā (ʿalayhis-salām) said: “I command you to remember Allah. Verily, the parable of that is a man who goes forth while his enemies are fast upon him, and then he comes to a safe fortress, where he protects himself from them. In the same way, a servant will not protect himself against Shayṭān except by the dhikr of Allah” (Tirmidhī). • Sūrah al-Falaq teaches us how to seek refuge from **external** sources of harm, and this Sūrah teaches us how to seek refuge from **internal** sources of harm, as following the whispers of Shayṭān will lead us to commit sins. In this way, we would cause ourselves to be harmed and punished. • Sūrah al-Falaq teaches us how to seek refuge from the harms that we **cannot** control; and this surah teaches us to seek refuge from the harms that we **can** control. • Sūrah al-Falaq teaches us how to seek refuge from harms related to **this life**; and this Sūrah teaches us how to seek refuge from harms related to the **hereafter**. • In Sūrah al-Falaq, we seek refuge in Allah using one of His Attributes from **four different sources of evil**; but in this Sūrah we seek refuge in Allah using three of His Attributes from **one source of evil**. This teaches us that the harms related to the hereafter are far greater than those related to this life. ` ` ` ` **Three Powerful Surahs** • It is Sunnah to recite these three Sūrahs three times in the morning and evening, three times before going to sleep, once after every ṣalāh, and when one is ill. • Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) said, “These Sūrahs are extremely effective in repelling magic, evil eye, and the rest of the evils…The need for a slave to seek Allah’s protection with these Sūrahs is greater than his need for eating, drinking and clothes.”

**Brief Commentary** • We are asking the Almighty by His Greatest Name (according to many scholars): the name “**Allah**” itself which means the One who is adored and worshipped. • We are asking Him through (also known as tawassul in Arabic) His Oneness and His Lordship: He is our Sole Master, the One who created us, provides for us and manages our affairs. • To further reiterate Allah’s Lordship over us, we remind ourselves that He is the one who created us, so we are His slaves and must worship Him as He commands. Thus, we acknowledge our servitude to Him. • After acknowledging Allah’s superiority over us, we move on to how we are supposed to interact with Him: trying to fulfil our pledge to Him. • Our “**pledge**” to Allah is the pledge we made when we were taken out from the back of Ādam (ʿalayhis-salām) as Allah mentions in the Qur’ān, “And when your Lord took out the offspring from the loins of the Children of Ādam and made them bear witness about themselves, He said, ‘Am I not your Lord?’ and they replied, ‘Yes, we bear witness’ (7:172). • Allah’s “**covenant**” to us is the one mentioned in the ḥadīth narrated by Muʿādh b. Jabal (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu), which is that Allah will not punish the person who does not associate any partners with Him (Bukhārī 7373). • By highlighting that we will keep our pledge “**to the best of my ability**”, we acknowledge our weakness and shortcomings towards Allah, as we will never be able to worship Him and thank Him as He truly deserves. • We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our actions as they could lead us to be punished. Similarly, we seek protection from further misguidance, as the punishment of a sin is to be deprived from doing good deeds. • By acknowledging Allah’s blessings over us, we feel more shame to disobey Him. • Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) beautifully explains this part of the du‘ā’: “The words “**I acknowledge the favours that You have bestowed upon me and I admit my sins**” combine the recognition of divine favours with the awareness of the defects of the human soul and its deeds. The perception of **Allah’s favours** leads one to love, praise and thank Him. The awareness of **the soul’s defects** leads one to be humble, need Allah and turn to Him in repentance at every moment. Thus, the ‘ārif (one who has attained Allah’s recognition) journeys towards Him on these two wings: awareness of his own faults and recognition of his Lord’s grace. He cannot journey without them, and if he loses one, he would be like a bird that has lost a wing.” • All of what was mentioned so far in this duʿā’ is just a preparation for the last part, which is to ask Allah for forgiveness. • We end this duʿā’ by saying, “**Forgive me, for none forgives sins but You**.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Your Lord, Most High, is pleased with His servant when he says: “Forgive me my sins.” He knows that no one forgives sins except Him” (Abū Dāwūd). ` ` ` ` **Action Points & Benefits** • Though this duʿā’ is to ask Allah for forgiveness, we only do so at the end. Thus, we learn that the best way of seeking forgiveness is not to immediately ask for it, but to **precede** it with the following: 1) Acknowledging Allah’s greatness and that He alone deserves to be worshipped. 2) Acknowledging the pledge we made to Allah, which is to take Him as our Lord. 3) Having hope in the promise of Allah (i.e. the promise of admitting us into Paradise if we do not associate partners with Him). 4) Seeking refuge in Allah from the evil of our sins. 5) Acknowledging Allah’s blessings over us. 6) Acknowledging our shortcomings towards Allah (i.e. our sins and our inability to perfect acts of worship). • This duʿā’ teaches us the **adab** of seeking forgiveness and how to approach Allah with the true humility of a servant. • It also teaches us the mindset of a believer and in a few words, reminds us about **the bond between servant and Master**. • It reminds us **who Allah is** and who we are; how weak we are and how Powerful He is. • When read daily, in the morning and in the evening, it gives us a chance to **reaffirm our tawḥīd** to Him and be purified from our endless sins inshā’Allah. • It is no surprise that the Prophet ﷺ said that whoever says this with certainty will enter Paradise. This is because whoever says it with certainty is someone who sincerely repents to Allah; and **sincere repentance guarantees Paradise**. • If we gain the habit of reciting this duʿā’ every day, inshallah we hope that whenever we die, we will be admitted into Paradise. • The Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever says it during the day with **firm belief in it**…” Reciting these adhkār with firm belief and conviction (yaqīn) requires us to know what they mean. This is why we should learn the meaning of the adhkār and reflect on it, so that we can increase in our conviction and attain the full reward.

**Brief Commentary** • ‘**Anxiety (hamm)**’ is when a person experiences sadness and worries about something which will occur or may not occur i.e. it is related to the future. • ‘**Grief (ḥuzn)**’ is when a person experiences sadness about something which has already occurred i.e. it is related to the past. For example, one may experience ‘ḥuzn’ over the death of a loved one. • Anxiety and grief can both be debilitating, which is why the Prophet ﷺ taught us to seek protection from it. Ibn al-Qayyim writes, “Sadness weakens the heart and diminishes determination and wanting to go forward. There is nothing more beloved to Shayṭān than the sadness of a believer.” • ‘**Inability**’ is not restricted to physical inability. It can also be mental or spiritual inability where a person does not have the strength to get up for ṣalāh, or to fast, or to part with their wealth; so we seek refuge in Allah from all forms of inability. • We then seek protection from ‘**laziness**’. Sometimes we are able to do good, but we feel lazy to do it. • Inability and laziness prevent a person from fulfilling his duties. Laziness deprives a person from immense good, as one prioritises personal rest over worshipping Allah and serving His creation. In this duʿā’, we are asking Allah to make us energetic and productive, and to save us from delaying our tasks (procrastination). • ‘**Cowardice**’ can also lead to inability or may even lead to harm. Cowardice stops one from fulfilling one’s obligations, speaking the truth, defending the dīn and the oppressed, enjoining the good and forbidding the evil. Cowardice also stops one from doing good deeds in front of others (e.g. avoiding praying in a public place due to fear of embarrassment). • ‘**Miserliness**’ is a great evil as it leads to a person neglecting his farḍ duties (e.g. zakāh, spending on his dependants) and missing out on the great rewards of other forms of spending (e.g. ṣadaqah, honouring one’s guests). Islām is a dīn of giving and generosity. Similarly, the miserly person is the one who does not invoke ṣalawāt on the Prophet ﷺ when he is mentioned in his presence. • ‘**Being overcome by debt**’ is when a person has no control over their financial situation and has no one to turn to. This duʿā reminds us that we always have Allah with us to help us. Debt can weigh down upon a person, and can lead him to doing things which are unlawful. It may also cause him a lot of anxiety, and prevent him from worshipping Allah as he ought to. • ‘**Being overpowered by men**’ is when a person has no control over their physical situation and has no one strong enough to turn to. This duʿā’ reminds us that we always have Allah with us to help us. Being overpowered by others could lead one to one feeling weak, humiliated and sad. This can negatively impact one’s ʿibādah. Sometimes it can lead to bitterness and hatred, and the desire for revenge. ` ` ` ` **Action Points** • This is a comprehensive duʿā’ in which our beloved Prophet ﷺ taught us to seek protection from eight things. Each of these is a substantial form of harm and we should not belittle these harms. • There has been a rise in the number of people suffering from mental health problems. Similarly, the Ummah is facing unprecedented challenges on multiple levels. Thus, we should cling on to this duʿā’ and make it sincerely from the bottom of our hearts. • Many of the above harms can be due to another human’s behaviour, so ensure your behaviour does not lead another Muslim to suffer from any of them. Just as we should ask Allah to protect us from being oppressed, we should ask His protection from being the oppressors. • Since all of the things mentioned are difficult things that a Muslim may face, we should try to identify anyone who may be suffering from them and help them to overcome these problems. • This is another duʿā’ where we seek refuge. This is a reminder once again that our real refuge is with Allah. Even if someone helps you, realise that it was Allah who facilitated that person’s help. • When we experience difficulties, we should recite this duʿā’ with sincerity and conviction (yaqīn) that Allah will remove our sorrows and worries, just as He removed the worries of Abū Umāmah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) as mentioned in the ḥadīth above:  “Then I did that, and Allah removed my worries and settled my debts.”

**Brief Commentary** • In this duʿā’, we seek Allah’s forgiveness and ask Him for wellbeing. This is a very important thing to ask Allah, as the Prophet ﷺ said, “Ask Allah for forgiveness and wellbeing, for no one is given anything after certainty that is better than wellbeing” (Tirmidhī 3557). • When seeking Allah’s forgiveness, we are asking Him to forgive our sins and also wipe them off our record of deeds. • Wellbeing in this life includes protection from physical, mental  and spiritual ailments, including sins. • When we ask for wellbeing, we are asking Allah to save us from all trials and tribulations, to strengthen our heart and our physical state so that we meet Him free from sins. • We ask Allah for wellbeing ‘**in this world and the next**’. This encompasses all the states that we will be in. • Wellbeing in the next life includes protection from the punishment of the grave, terrors of the Day of Judgement, and the torments of the Hellfire. • To strengthen our request, we repeat it again, clarifying that we want wellbeing in our **religion, our life, our family, and wealth**. • Wellbeing in our ‘**religion**’ means to be saved from committing sins or having incorrect beliefs; and ensuring our tawḥīd of Allah is complete. • Wellbeing in our ‘**worldly affairs**’  means to be saved from calamities and errors that cause us to be heedless of the remembrance of Allah or completing acts of worship. • Wellbeing in our ‘**family**’ means that we are all saved from trials and evil, including being saved from having problems with each other. • Wellbeing in our ‘**wealth**’ is protection from it being lost or stolen; and to be saved from spending it in a way that displeases Allah. • As a supplement to asking Allah for wellbeing, we also ask Him that He conceals our faults. This includes everything we dislike for others to know about us. • We also ask Him to calm our fears, so that we can live peacefully. • For the final part of the duʿā’, we ask Allah to protect us from all angles. This includes the four angles that Shayṭān promised to attack us from, as Allah mentions in the Qur’ān that Shayṭān says, “And then I shall come to them from in front of them, from behind them, from their right, and from their left…” (7:17). • In addition to these four angles that Shayṭān promised to attack us from, we also ask Allah to protect us from the remaining two angles, which are from above us and from beneath us. • The request to be saved from beneath us is a stronger request (i.e. the addition of ‘from being unexpectedly destroyed’ instead of just ‘beneath me’; and asking through Allah’s ‘Greatness’). This could refer to being swallowed up by the earth as a punishment by Allah, just as Pharaoh and Qārūn were destroyed, and will happen to people towards the end of times. It could also refer to unexpected difficulties. Thus, we are asking Allah to protect us from committing something that deserves for us to be punished in this life by Him. ` ` ` ` **Action Points** • Always ask Allah for forgiveness and wellbeing as it is from the greatest gifts you can receive. • The whole duʿā’ is all-encompassing within the first few words. However, we repeat this request and detail our requirements further so that we show insistence in our request – and this is something that Allah loves. • We also repeat and expand on this request so that we actually ponder over what we want and therefore request it from our heart. • Shayṭān tries to attack you from all angles so ensure you are always aware of his plots, and ask Allah to protect you from him.

**Brief Commentary** • We begin this duʿā’ by glorifying Allah and praising Him, as this is the etiquette (adab) of duʿā’. This increases the chances of having our duʿā’ answered. • The praise of Allah begins by acknowledging His infinite knowledge as He knows what is hidden and what is apparent. The knowledge of Allah encompasses the past, the present, and the future. It includes what we can physically see, and that which is hidden from us. • The praise of Allah then moves on to acknowledging His infinite power as He is the one who invented and created the heavens and the earth. The One who is able to create this magnificent creation is undoubtedly an All-Powerful Creator. • As Allah is the one who knows everything and has created everything, it is only right that He is the Lord and King of everything. Thus, we mention and acknowledge this in the subsequent part of the duʿā’, after praising Him for His knowledge and power. • ‘Rabb’ is the one who nurtures and looks after everything. If Allah is the Lord of everything, then this means that everything is dependent upon Him. This means that He alone should be worshipped. Thus, in the following part of the duʿā’, we testify that there is none worthy of worship but Him. • After praising Allah and acknowledging our dependence on Him, we begin to ask Him our needs: • Our first request is that Allah saves us from the evil of our own nafs (inner self). We seek refuge in Allah from our ‘inner self’ (nafs), even though our nafs is a part of us. So how can it be our enemy? Ibn al-Qayyim said, “Beware of your nafs (inner self), for you have not been faced with a tribulation except due to it. Do not make peace with it, for by Allah you do not honour it if you do not degrade it. You do not give it respect if you do not humiliate it. You do not give it strength if you do not break it. You do not give it rest if you do not tire it. You do not give it safety if you do not frighten it, and you do not give it happiness if you do not make it sad.” • The statement of Ibn al-Qayyim can be understood when one considers that the life of the soul does not end at death. Rather it journeys on to the Hereafter. If you resist the temptations of your nafs (inner self) in this world, tomorrow you will enjoy eternal bliss, success and peace in the hereafter inshā’Allah. • There are two **sources** of evil: (1) the evil which emanates from our own ‘**nafs**’ (**inner self**), and (2) the evil which results from the whispers of **Shayṭān**. In this duʿā’, we seek refuge in Allah from both of these sources of evil. • The **recipients** of the evil are also two: (1) ourselves, and (2) others. Thus, in the last part of the duʿā’, we seek refuge in Allah from bringing harm to either recipient. • Thus, we see the comprehensiveness of the Prophet’s words in this duʿā’, as he sought protection from these four components of evil, through just a few words. • We seek protection ‘**from the evil of Shaytān and from the evil of polytheism to which he calls**’, as shirk (polytheism) is one of Shayṭān’s greatest objectives: to ensure we associate partners with Allah, and thereby join him to burn for eternity in Hell-fire.  ` ` ` ` **Action Points** • This duʿā’ begins with a lengthy praise of Allah, signifying the importance of the request being made. Thus, we should focus on what is being requested from Allah and ensure we mean it from our heart. • The main request in this duʿā’ is to ensure we do not commit evil and harm ourselves or others. • The two sources of evil identified in this duʿā’ are: the nafs (inner self) and Shayṭān. We can avoid the evil of our nafs by treating it as Ibn al- Qayyim advised us above; and we can avoid the evil of Shayṭān by ensuring we constantly seek refuge in Allah from Shayṭān, and by maintaining the morning and evening adhkār.

**Brief Commentary** • We begin this duʿā’ by calling Allah through His Name: al-Ḥayy: “**The Ever Living**.” Allah’s ‘living’ is very different to our own living, as our living contains periods of illness, tiredness, sleep, and many other deficiencies, including having a beginning and end. However, Allah has the most perfect form of life, as He was always present and will always remain. His life is not interrupted by any periods of sleep nor loss of power. • When we call upon Allah ‘al-Ḥayy’ (the Ever Living), we should realise we are calling the Being who will always be present and available to help. • We then call upon Allah through His Name ‘al-Qayyūm’, **The Sustainer of all**. Al-Qayyūm is the one who Himself is Self-Sustaining, and at the same time sustains His creation by creating them, managing their affairs, providing for them, and protecting them. He is the one who keeps everything in place e.g. planet orbitals, keeping the earth and the heavens intact etc. • The Sustainer of all (‘Qayyūm’) implies that Allah is complete in terms of His ability to carry out actions, therefore we call upon Him as He is always there, and fully capable of fulfilling our needs. • The Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said that Allah has the greatest name that if you ask Him with it and supplicate to Him with this name then He will surely accept your duʿā’ (Tirmidhi 3544). Many scholars have mentioned that this Greatest Name comprises the two Names at the beginning of this duʿā’: “**O Ever Living One, O Sustainer of all**.” • We then ask Allah for “**assistance**” through His mercy. We don’t mention what we seek assistance for, but inferring from how the duʿā’ continues, it is understood that we are asking Him for assistance in **everything** good, since we cannot rely on ourselves for anything. • We then ask Allah to rectify all our affairs. This includes matters related to this life and the hereafter. • The last part of this duʿā’ sets in place a very important concept in our life, which is that we need Allah for everything in our lives. If we are left to ourselves even for a moment, then this would lead to our destruction. • By realising we cannot depend on ourselves alone, we implement what we recite at least 17 times a day, which is the verse in Sūrah al-Fātiḥah: ‘Only You do we worship, and only in You do we seek assistance’. ` ` ` ` **Action Point** • Memorise the Greatest Names of Allah (‘Ḥayy’ and ‘Qayyūm’) and ensure you always call upon Allah with these Names whenever you supplicate to Him. • Though very short, this duʿā’ carries great meanings, and must never be said without contemplation as you are setting your frame of mind for the rest of the day when you say this duʿā’. • Whenever you say this duʿā’, always keep in mind that you will fail if you only depend on yourself, even if it is for one moment of your life. • Once you say this duʿā’ from the bottom of your heart, you will feel at great ease and comfort as you have entrusted all your affairs to Allah; and inshāAllāh you will have a very successful morning or evening. • Ibn al-Qayyim writes, “The Names ‘al-Ḥayy’ and ‘al-Qayyūm’ are extremely effective in getting one’s duʿās answered, and one’s calamities removed. Among the experiences of the wayfarers (on the path to Allah) that have been tried and found to be sound is that whoever accustoms himself to reciting: ‘O Living, O Sustainer of all! There is no god worthy of worship but You,’ shall be bequeathed life into his heart and mind because of it.”

**Brief Commentary** • The blessings we receive from Allah every morning and evening are too many and large for us to count, yet saying this simple duʿā’ will allow us to fulfil the gratitude that is due upon us for that morning and evening. When a person ponders over this, they would realise that the fact that this duʿā’ is coupled with a great reward, is another blessing that requires to be thanked for. • We do not mention a specific blessing in this duʿā’. Instead we mention blessings in their broadest form. This ensures our gratitude encompasses **all of the blessings** we have received from Allah, whether the blessing is related to this life or the hereafter; and whether it is a blessing we have acknowledged, or one we are ignorant of. • In this duʿā’ we also show gratitude for the blessings received by others. This is for a number of reasons, including: 1. Blessings received by others allows them to help us so we must show gratitude to Allah for this. 2. Other people may not show gratitude to Allah for the blessings they receive, which is something that should upset us. So we try to make up for this by showing gratitude to Allah for it ourselves, even though we ourselves may have not benefited from the blessing. • In addition to showing gratitude to Allah, we also affirm in this duʿā’ **the Oneness of Allah**, and that all the blessings we receive are from Him alone, and not from anyone else, as He does not have any partners. • The final part of the duʿā’ is the crux of the matter, which is that we **praise Allah and thank Him** for the blessings we and others have received. Since we received the blessings from Him alone, we ensure we praise Him alone, and we thank Him alone.  ` ` ` ` **Action Points** • This duʿā’ is another example of how the morning and evening duʿās are not just to provide us protection, but they are also for us to increase in reward, and to ensure we fulfil our duties. • The reward stipulated for this duʿā’ is great, yet it is very easy and quick to say. This means that this duʿā’ should not just be recited mindlessly. Rather, it should be contemplated upon, spring from the heart before the tongue, and should be something we live by. • Mindfully recite this duʿā’ by pondering over the many blessings you receive from Allah. • As this duʿā’ fulfils the gratitude that is due for the morning and evening, we should realise that **we owe thanks to Allah** every morning and evening. • Acknowledging and thanking Allah for the blessings He bestows upon us leads to the preservation and increase in these blessings, as He ﷻ says: “And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, **I will certainly give you more** (14:7)”. • The Prophet ﷺ told us that if we say these few words, we have fulfilled our ‘obligation to thank Allah for that day’. Look at the generosity and appreciation of Allah! • There are three components of gratitude: (1) Thanking Allah by humbling our **hearts** to Him. (2) Thanking Allah by acknowledging His favours and praising Him with our **tongues**. (3) Thanking Allah by using all of our body parts to obey Him.

**Brief Commentary** • It is from the blessings of Allah that He made our natural disposition to be in conformance with the teachings of Islam; hence Islam is the natural and complete way of life to follow. • We say this every morning and evening so that we can remind ourselves that we are following the religion that is in conformance to our nature. This makes it easier to accept and follow. • The “**statement of pure faith**”, is the testimony that none is worthy of worship except Allah i.e. it is the first pillar from the five pillars of Islam. • ‘Ikhlāṣ (pure faith)’ is also translated as ‘sincerity’ as we should utter this statement with complete sincerity to its meanings and what it entails. It is also called ‘the statement of purity’, as when we say it, we are purifying our beliefs from associating any partners with Allah. • We affirm that we are following the religion of our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as this is the only religion that is acceptable to Allah ( See Qur’an 3:85). • We also affirm that we are on the path of our father Ibrāhīm (ʿalayhis-salām), who was the Imām (leader) of tawḥīd. We are not the first people to follow this monotheist religion; and to be a true follower of Abraham, one has to single out His worship and devotion to Allah alone, without associating any partners with Him.  ` ` ` ` **Action Points** • Whenever you say this duʿā’, ensure your heart is filled with the love of Allah as He has made the religion easy for you by creating you to naturally follow this religion. • If you ever find yourself straying away from the commandments of Allah, then realise that you are not only disobeying Allah, but you are going against the nature of your creation, which will no doubt harm you. • The “**statement of pure faith**” (i.e. lā ilāha illa Allah) is a very strong statement and testimony. Ponder over its meanings and realise the magnitude of this statement every time you say it. Ensure it is not just coming from your lips, but you are saying it from your heart too. • We are the true followers of the path of Ibrāhīm (ʿalayhis-salām). Muslims are the ones who truly follow this path, whilst the other religions have significantly strayed from this path.

**Brief Commentary** • There is no better way to start our morning or evening than to start by praising Allah and thank Him. • The word **‘Ḥamd’ includes**: **(1)   Gratitude** for what Allah (ʿazza wa jall) has blessed us with; īmān, life, health etc and **(2)   Praise**: Allah (ʿazza wa jall) is worthy of every possible praise on account of His very existence, His mercy, beauty, generosity and all of His other Noble Attributes and Names. All of His Attributes are perfect; be they of His majesty (jalāl) or beauty (jamāl). Even if none of His slaves praised Him, He would still be worthy of all praise. • Our praise of Him emanates from our love and reverence of Him. Our praise of Him is, in fact, a blessing from Him which deserves even more praise. • Even if we were to spend our entire life praising Him, this would not be enough. • We then go on to affirm the most important belief: the first pillar of Islam, which is the testimony of faith: “There is no god worthy of worship but Allah.” • The testimony of faith is no light utterance. لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا الله is the greatest statement ever uttered, the foundation of faith and the cornerstone of existence itself. For it, the heavens and the earth were created. For it, thousands of messengers were sent. For it, the final hour will occur, the creation will be gathered and questioned, and then driven either into Hell or Paradise.   ` ` ` ` **Action Points** • This dhikr is not commonly known as it is not mentioned in many compilations of morning and evening adhkār, though it is an authentic narration. Thus, ensure you say this dhikr to be from the select few who revive the forgotten sunnahs of our beloved Prophet ﷺ. • Mindfully recite this dhikr by pondering over the many blessings you receive from Allah. • Every time you say or repeat this dhikr, try and think of a different reason why He is deserving of praise to ensure that you praise Him with a present and conscious heart. • When saying the second part of the dhikr, remind yourself that Allah alone is worthy of worship: He Alone is worthy of your utmost love, fear, and hope. You are his humble servant and He is your Lord. • Acknowledging and thanking Allah for the blessings He bestows upon us leads to the preservation and increase in these blessings, as He ﷻ says: “And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, **I will certainly give you more** (14:7)”.

**Brief Commentary** • “**We have entered the evening**” means we have entered another evening, covered in Your protection, O Allah; enveloped in Your blessings, occupied with Your remembrance, seeking help with Your Name, and only breathing and living through Your will and power. • We begin the duʿā’ by affirming that the kingdom belongs to Allah, therefore He is the true King who has ownership over everything. The knowledge of this increases the awe and veneration we have for Allah. • After affirming the kingdom belonging to Allah, we praise Him. This is a deserved praise since we are happy and pleased that everything belongs to Him as He is the Just and Merciful Creator. We are living in a kingdom ruled by the King with these qualities, and this is something deserving of praise. • After praising Allah for being our King, we negate any partners from Him, as this is the most complete form of Kingship. He is the only True Creator and King, who has no partners, and does not even need any partners. • In the first part of the duʿā’, we affirm that kingdom and praise belong to Allah, but it is worded in a way which does not stipulate exclusivity. Thus, after reminding ourselves that Allah has no partners, we again affirm kingship and praise to Him, but this time we affirm it exclusively to Him. • Since Allah is “**All-Powerful over everything**”, it only makes sense that the kingdom and the praise belong exclusively to Him. • The first half of this duʿā’ consists wholly of the praise of Allah so that we increase our veneration of Him, and come closer to Him with good deeds before asking Him our need (i.e. the second part of the duʿā’). • In the second part of the duʿā’, we ask Allah for the good of this day/night, and the good of what comes after it. We do not specify what good we want; therefore, we are asking Allah for **all the good** that there is. This includes the good with regards to this life (e.g. peace, health etc.) and more importantly, the good with regards to the hereafter (e.g. praying the night prayer, reciting the Qur’ān etc). • Similarly, we seek refuge in Allah from all the evil of this day/night and the evil of what comes after it, which includes the evils and harm related to this life and the hereafter. • We seek refuge in Allah from “**laziness**”, and “**misery of old age**” , as both are obstacles to doing good, so we want to save ourselves from anything that stands in the way between us and coming closer to Allah. Whilst laziness is something that we have control over and it prevents us from doing good, old age is something that we have no control over. Thus, we seek refuge in Allah from the things that are within our control, as well as those outside our own control. • Finally, we seek refuge in Allah from the punishment of Hellfire, as it is the most severe form of punishment; and from the punishment of the grave, as it is the first type of punishment we could face after we leave this world.  ` ` ` ` **Action Points** • True kingdom belongs to Allah alone. All the leaders and kings in this life all fall within the kingdom and dominion of Allah. This should remove the fear of worldly kings, authorities and leaders from our hearts, and make us realise that we have the King of kings by our sides. • Learn from this duʿā’ the best way to ask Allah something, which is to begin by praising Him before you ask from Him what you want. • Whenever we are taught to seek refuge in Allah from something, then we should realise this is a very harmful thing that we should avoid. In this duʿā’, we seek refuge in Allah from laziness, so we must avoid this destructive trait. • Laziness and procrastination are one of shayṭān’s tools to stop us attaining our purpose in life. Alongside reciting this duʿā’, we should be physically proactive, and avoid delaying the fulfilment of our responsibilities.

**Brief Commentary** • “**We have entered the evening**” means we have entered another evening, covered in Your protection, O Allah; enveloped in Your blessings, occupied with Your remembrance, seeking help with Your Name, and only breathing and living through Your will and power. • We begin the duʿā’ by affirming that the kingdom belongs to Allah, therefore He is the true King who has ownership over everything. The knowledge of this increases the awe and veneration we have for Allah. • After affirming the kingdom belonging to Allah, we mention what He does with His Kingdom: He looks after it. We describe Allah as being “**Lord of the worlds**” i.e. all that exists. When we say Allah is the Lord, we mean He is the one who looks after, nurtures and provides, therefore we should be grateful for Allah as He is the Lord of all that exists. • Once we realise that Allah is the one who provides for us and looks after us in the general sense, we begin to ask Him for specific things that we want from this morning or evening. • The first thing we ask Allah, is that we ask Him for the “**goodness of this day/night**.” We do not specify what good we want; therefore, we are asking Allah for all the good that there is. This includes the good with regards to this life (e.g. good health, security, peace of mind[s2] ); and more importantly, the good with regards to the hereafter (e.g. praying the night prayer, reciting the Qur’an). • We ask Allah for “**victory**” and “**help**”. The victory here is both a physical and spiritual one, so we are asking Him for His help to allow us to be victorious against our enemies, shayṭān, as well as against our own nafs (inner self). • The “**light**” of the day refers to the light of guidance and īmān, which is present in the heart of the believer. It also refers to beneficial knowledge and righteous actions. • When Allah places His blessings on a matter, it will bear much more fruit than a matter which is not blessed. Therefore, when we ask Allah for the “**blessings**” of this day, we are asking Him to bless everything we have and do on this day, such as: our time, food, sleep and wealth. We are asking Allah to facilitate a pure and lawful income. More importantly, we are asking Him to bless our acts of worship, and cause them to be a means of further good in all aspects of our lives and the hereafter. • The last specific thing we ask Allah in this duʿā’, is to grant us the goodness of this day in terms of the “**guidance**” we receive. We are asking Allah to increase us in guidance, and to grant us steadfastness on it. • We finish off the duʿā’ by seeking refuge in Allah from all the evil that exists on this day, as well as all the evil that exists after it. This includes evil in terms of matters that may affect us in the world (e.g. harm, injury) as well as those that affect us in the hereafter (e.g. sins and transgressions against Allah).  ` ` ` ` **Action Points** • True kingdom belongs to Allah alone. All the leaders and kings in this life all fall within the kingdom and dominion of Allah. This should remove the fear of worldly kings, authorities and leaders from our hearts; and make us realise that** we have the King of kings by our sides**. • We are asking for ‘**opening**’ **in knowledge**, **guidance**, **sustenance**, and all good. It also includes the ‘opening’ (i.e. **removal**) **of grief**, **sorrow and all complicated matters**. • When asking Allah for victory, do not just think about victory against the visible enemies. Focus also on your **hidden enemies** that could cause a greater destruction to your hereafter, such as Shayṭān, and your own nafs. • Always ask Allah to bless all your matters. Someone may sleep for 4 hours and **feel very refreshed and energetic **for the remainder of the day, whereas someone may sleep for over 8 hours, yet does not have much energy during the day. This is due to the blessings Allah had placed on the former, and the lack of it in the latter. • A means of securing blessings is to **wake up early in the morning**, as the Prophet ﷺ prayed for the mornings of his ummah to be blessed. • Making this duʿā’ in the morning is an indication that **the true believer does not sleep or be heedless of his Creator at this precious time**, as the morning is when the sustenance is distributed. Asking for ‘guidance’ is one of the most important duʿās we can make, hence why we seek guidance at least 17 times a day in Sūrah al-Fātiḥah. We should never underestimate the danger of slipping off the path of guidance (the straight path), and should always ask Allah to grant us steadfastness.

**Brief Commentary** • We testify before Allah, His Angels, and all of His creation that there is none worthy of worship but Him, with no partners, and that Muhammad ﷺ  is His slave and Messenger. • These angels and creation of Allah will testify on the Day of Judgement on your behalf in front of Allah, and testify that you affirmed His Oneness. • All of the angels are special. There are some, however, who hold a higher status than others. These include the Bearers of Allah’s Throne. These are eight special angels, as mentioned by Allah in the Qur’ān (See 69:17). • The bearers of the throne are a magnificent creation. The Prophet ﷺ said that the distance between the earlobe and the shoulder of one of these angels is like the distance of travelling for 700 years (Abū Dāwūd: 4727). • We describe the Prophet ﷺ as a “**servant**” before “messenger”. This is because it is the most noble description and highest accolade one can attain: to be a true servant of Allah. Allah says, “Glory be to the One Who took His servant by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed…” (17:1); and “Yet when the **servant** of Allah stood up calling upon Him (alone), the pagans almost swarmed over him” (72:19). ` ` ` ` **Action Points** • In this duʿā’, we do not ask Allah for anything directly. Rather, we affirm the first pillar of Islam, which is the testimony of faith. This points to the importance of constantly repeating this testimony. • The testimony of faith is no light utterance. لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا الله is **the greatest statement ever uttered**, the foundation of faith and the cornerstone of existence itself. For it, the heavens and the earth were created. For it, thousands of messengers were sent. For it, the final hour will occur, the creation will be gathered and questioned, and then driven either into Hell or Paradise. • Furthermore, in this duʿā’, we are not just uttering this statement, but **making Allah Himself, His angels and His creation witness to our testimony**. Thus, we have to say it with **certainty (yaqīn)** and the presence of the heart, as this is no light matter. • In the midst of all the trials and tribulations we face, alongside the confusion from all the differing opinions, let us remember the essence of our faith, which is found within this duʿā’. • Do not be ashamed or shy of your religion. This duʿā’ teaches us that **we should always profess our beliefs** and make them manifest.

**Brief Commentary** • “**We have entered the evening**”, covered in Your protection, enveloped in Your blessings, occupied with Your remembrance, seeking help with Your Name, and only breathing and living through Your will and power. • The phrase “**by You we live**” is the crux of this duʿā’: here we are testifying that everything, small or large, is by and through the One. All matters belong to Him, and Him alone. We cannot do without Him for even the blink of an eye. Everything we have is from His generosity upon us. • “**By You we die**”: When we acknowledge that we will only die when Allah wills, we become more reliant and dependent upon Him. We feel less scared of oppressors and of death itself, as we know that He alone decides when, how, and where we will die. • In the morning, we finish off the duʿā’ by saying that our “**resurrection**” will be to Allah. This is particularly relevant in the morning, as we have just woken up from a minor death (sleep), so we remind ourselves that when we wake up from the major death, it will be to stand before Allah. • In the evening, we finish off the duʿā’ by saying that our “**return**” will be to Allah. This is pertinent to be said in the evening, as we are about to finish and complete our day, so we remind ourselves that when we finish and complete our life, we will return to Allah. Through this duʿā’, we remind ourselves to remain focused on our eternal destination. ` ` ` ` **Action Points** • This duʿā’ reminds us to always be connected to Allah and remember His blessings over us, as we acknowledge that we only entered the morning and evening through His blessings, and we are only living due to His blessings over us, and we will only die when He decrees it. • Make sure you always acknowledge Allah’s blessings over you, no matter how small the blessing may seem. • Going to sleep and waking up seem like ordinary daily actions. For the believer, however, they are reminders of their ultimate journey to Allah. Similarly, we should see reminders of Allah and the hereafter in our everyday actions.

**Brief Commentary** • By asking Allah to grant us “**well-being**” in our body, we are asking to be cured from all physical and spiritual ailments, so that we possess both a healthy body and a pure heart, and therefore use this healthy body in a way that pleases Allah. • Although the seeing and hearing are both senses of the body, they have been singled out owing to their importance because: (1)  **The hearing and sight lead us to knowing Allah**. It is through the ‘sight’ that we can see the signs (āyāt) of Allah in the universe; and it is through ‘hearing’ that we can hear the verses (āyāt) of the Qur’ān. (2)  **These two senses provide direct routes to our heart**. If they are pure, then our heart will only receive that which is pure and beneficial. The heart is an important body part that affects the whole body in this life and the hereafter. The Prophet ﷺ  said that if the heart is sound, the whole body is sound, and if the heart is corrupted, the whole body will be corrupted (Bukhārī: 52). • By concluding the first segment of the duʿā’ with the affirmation that none is worthy of worship except Allah, it is as if we are reminding ourselves why we want this well-being, and that is so that we can use it to worship Allah. • In the first segment of the duʿā’, we ask Allah to **grant** things to us, and in the latter segment, we seek **refuge** in Him alone from some things. • We seek refuge in Allah from “**disbelief**” as it will lead to eternal punishment in the hereafter and the wrath of Allah. • We seek refuge in Allah from “**poverty**” as it can lead to being displeased with the decree of Allah, which may eventually lead to disbelief in Allah. • We seek refuge in Allah from the “**punishment of the grave**” as you could be a Muslim but still be punished in the grave. Thus, it is not sufficient to stay away from disbelief alone, but we should stay away from all sins. • The second segment of the duʿā’ concludes by affirming that none is worthy of worship except Allah. We are again reminding ourselves of this, as by worshipping Allah, we can be saved from the above things we are seeking refuge from, or be saved from their ill-effects. ` ` ` ` **Action Points** • In this duʿā’, we ask Allah for well-being in our body, our sight, and our hearing. These are very important matters that we take for granted. We should, however, be **praising Allah** for them, and **looking after them**. • We learn from this duʿā’ that we do not seek the ‘world’ for its own sake. Rather, it is a **means to help us work for the hereafter**. Thus, we are asking for ‘well-being’ so that we use it in a way that pleases Allah. Ensure you have this intention in your heart each time you make this duʿā’. • We now live in a society where it is very easy to sin through the eyes and ears (open shamelessness and social media etc.) Thus, **it is even more vital that we protect them, and avoid looking at and listening to ḥarām**. Instead, we should use them to come closer to Allah. • Poverty can lead a person to disbelief, so we should strive and remove poverty wherever possible, by **working hard, giving in charity and looking after the poor**. • Do not just say these duʿās every morning and evening, but always **ponder** over what impact they should have on your life, and what key points are they highlighting. What values and teachings should you be absorbing from them?

**Brief Commentary** • In this duʿā’, we do not explicitly ask Allah for anything, but instead we remind ourselves of our relationship with Allah, and set ourselves in the correct frame of mind for the day. • We commence this prayer by affirming that “**Allah is sufficient**” for us. We say it in the general form i.e. Allah will suffice us in absolutely everything, no matter how small or large it is, whether it is related to this life or the hereafter. • As Allah is the only one who deserves to be worshipped, He alone possesses the complete qualities of perfection and majesty. Therefore, He is the **only** one who can fully suffice us. • As Allah is sufficient for us, the next part of the duʿā’ is the result of knowing this, which is that we rely on Him Alone (tawakkul). • To further confirm why we rely on Him, we remind ourselves of His greatness, for He is the Lord of the Majestic Throne. Its majesty has been described in the commentary of Āyat al-Kursī (duʿā’ 1). • We repeat this duʿā’ seven times so that the meanings settle in our hearts, and we feel our īmān in Allah increase each time we utter it. • When Allah wanted to mention the main qualities of believers in Sūrah al-Anfāl, He included the quality of their tawakkul (reliance) on Him (8:2-4). • Tawakkul brings many benefits. The Prophet ﷺ said, “If you have tawakkul on Allah as you truly should, then He would provide for you like He provides for the birds. Do you not see that they leave in the early morning with an empty stomach, and return full in the afternoon?” (Tirmidhī 2344). • There are 70,000 people who will enter Jannah without any punishment or questioning [by Allah]. One of their qualities is that they have true tawakkul on Allah in everything they do (Bukhārī 6472).  ` ` ` ` **Action Points** • Make sure you remind yourself to live by this duʿā’ every time you recite it i.e. **have true tawakkul on Allah**. • Tawakkul is to take the lawful means, with a complete reliance and trust in Allah to bring about good and remove harm. Tawakkul stems from having **certainty (yaqīn)** in Allah. • Abū Saʿīd al-Khazzāz defined tawakkul as, “Constant movement without being stationary, and being stationary without movement”. In other words, you should be physically moving and using whatever means you possess to achieve your goals. At the same time, your heart is stationary in terms of its dependence on Allah i.e. your heart is so confident that Allah will take care of you; and thus you don’t feel anxious and always feel inner calm, no matter what the circumstances are. • Though this may sound like a simple duʿā’, it is in fact a great duʿā’ to save a person from distress. Ibn ʿAbbās (radiy Allāhu ʿanhumā) narrated that the duʿā’ حسبي الله ونعم الوكيل (a shorter version of this duʿā’) is what Ibrāhīm (ʿalayhis-salām) said when he was thrown into the fire, so Allah saved him; and it is what our Prophet ﷺ said when the disbelievers regrouped immediately after the battle of Uḥud, so Allah saved the Muslims from them (Bukhārī 4563).

**Brief Commentary** • This dhikr emphasises the state of contentment and pleasure, which is far greater than mere tolerance. Being content with a matter means that if that matter were in your own hands, you would act no differently. • Imām al-Nawawī (raḥimahullāh) said, “Being content here is as though one is saying: “I’m convinced, I’m sufficed, and desire nothing else.” • The **first matter** that we affirm our contentment with is that of Allah being our Lord (Rabb). Rabb is The One who nourishes and sustains the whole of creation. It is He who regulates their affairs and grants them endless blessings. He is their sole Creator and Provider. He is their Protector and Caretaker. He is the one who decrees and decides; therefore we affirm our contentment with everything that Allah decrees for us. We should be happy with what He has legislated, and content with how much sustenance He chooses to give us. • Being content with Allah as your Lord means you are content with the provisions He has decreed for you; for the life He has chosen for you; for the trials He has placed upon you; and for everything He has placed before you. • The **second matter** is to be content with Islam as your religion. Islam means to submit wholly to the commandments of Allah. • Being content with Islam as your religion means you are content with every single commandment, prohibition, law, and punishment contained within this blessed religion, even if it goes against your own desires or society’s norms. • The **third and final matter** is to be content with Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as our Prophet. This Prophet is the one who delivered the message of Allah in the best and most complete form. • Being content with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as your Prophet means you are content with all the commandments and prohibitions he taught us, with the way he lived his life, with the decisions he took, with the friends he had, and the women he married. It also means you believe everything that he said to be true. **Action Points** • This dhikr – though concise and light on the tongue – carries a huge reward for the one who truly contemplates it and lives by it. • A person who says this duʿā’ every morning and evening is **preparing** himself for the day as he is reminding himself that he is content with these matters. He is prepared to abide by all of them, including anything that Allah decides for him that day. • A person who says this dhikr and then shows displeasure when faced with a calamity, or rejects a teaching of Islam, or something that was part of the Prophet’s ﷺ life – is someone who is a liar, and has a trait of hypocrisy. He says something on his tongue, yet his actions reflect otherwise. • Living by this dhikr will also inshallah help a person in the first stages of the afterlife when he will be placed in his grave and two angels will ask him the questions, **“Who is your Lord? What is your religion? Who is this person that was sent to you?”** (Aḥmad 18063). The answers to these three questions are the three matters we affirm our contentment with every morning and evening with this duʿā’! • Living in a time with unprecedented threats from atheism, liberalism and secularism, we should reflect on this dhikr and say it **wholeheartedly**. With enemies and hypocrites trying to attack the core fundamentals of our din, and trying to change the perfect dīn of Allah, we should utter this dhikr every day and try our best to live by its meanings. • We should not feel inferior or embarrassed by our perfect dīn. Instead, we should realise how **fortunate** we are that Allah allowed us to know Him, to know His Messenger ﷺ and gifted us with Islam. Let us teach our children to also repeat and reflect on these powerful words every morning, so they feel **strengthened** as they go out and face the world.

Brief Commentary • This duʿā’ begins by saying, “In the Name of Allah” but does not specify what we are saying it for. • In Arabic there is always a verb implied with “bismillāh.” For example, when we say bismillāh before eating, it means “In the name of Allah, I begin eating.” Similarly, when we say bismillāh before reciting, it means “In the name of Allah, I begin reciting.” Each time we say bismillāh, there is a verb implied based on the context. • In this duʿā’, we are implying, “In the name of Allah **I seek refuge**”. • In this duʿā’, we are not seeking refuge or help from Allah directly, but we are seeking it with His Name. Such is the magnificence of Allah, that even His Name alone is sufficient for protection! • With the protection of Allah’s Name, nothing in the **earth** can harm you, whether it is a human, jinn, animal, electronic device, or anything else. • With the protection of Allah’s Name, nothing in the **sky** can harm you, whether it is rain, wind, hurricane, lightning, or anything else. • Allah is ‘**The All-Hearing**’: He can hear all voices at the same time, no matter how low the voice is, and whatever language it is in. He hears it, understands it, and responds to it if it is calling Him. All these meanings are encompassed within this Name. • Allah is ‘**The All-Knowing**’: He knows everything, whether hidden or apparent; whether past, present, or future.  ` ` ` ` **Action Points** • Allah’s Name is great, so utter it before you begin any matter (e.g. leaving/entering the house; before eating, before using the bathroom and doing wūḍū; before undressing etc.) • When reciting this duʿā’, ensure your heart’s presence and its humility, whilst mentioning Allah’s most Beautiful Names. Be conscious of the Almighty’s greatness, so that you can truly benefit from this duʿā’. Contemplate over Allah’s names, for Allah is ‘**The All-Hearing**’, so He hears you whilst you recite this duʿā’, and He is ‘**The All-Knowing**’, so He knows your need when you are reciting this duʿā’. • Imām al-Qurṭubī writes, “This is an authentic narration, and a true statement based upon textual evidence and experience. Since I heard it, I acted upon it so nothing harmed me until I left it. I was stung by a scorpion at night, and when I pondered over this, I realised I had forgotten to say this duʿā’ that night.”

Explanation coming soon…

Explanation coming soon…

Explanation coming soon…

اللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ [O Allah, honour and have mercy]: O Allah, have mercy upon Muḥammad and praise him in the lofty assembly. The ‘lofty assembly’ refers to the elite angels who are close to Allah (ʿazza wa jall).

Ṣalāh also means ‘honour him’ i.e. honour him in this world by elevating his mention, granting victory to his dīn and preserving his sharīʿah; honour him in the hereafter by rewarding him abundantly, accepting his intercession on behalf of his ummah and granting him the loftiest station of glory (*maqām maḥmūd*).

وَعَلَىٰ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ [And upon the family of Muḥammad ﷺ]: This phrase could be a reference to: 1) His family 2) His followers. By invoking ṣalāh on his followers, you are honouring the Messenger ﷺ by honouring those who are dear to him.

بَارِكْ [Bless]: *Bārik* is derived from barakah, and linguistically has two meanings: (1) to be firm and continuous and (2) to grow and increase. Thus, it is similar to stating, “O Allah continue to bless and honour Muḥammad ﷺ and his followers. Increase him and his followers in every form of good. Bless him in the mission that he came with and make his legacy universal.”

حَمِيْدٌ [The Most Praiseworthy]: Allah (ʿazza wa jall) is worthy of all praise in His Essence, His Attributes and His Actions. He also praises His praiseworthy slaves. One of His greatest blessings is that He allowed His creation to praise Him.

مَجِيْدٌ [The Most Glorious]: His glory and greatness know no ends. He is the Most Generous and bestows endless favours. He is Noble and Exalted. The glory of Allah (ʿazza wa jall) refers to His beautiful actions combined with nobility.

– Why do the ṣalawāt end with these two specific names?

In asking Allah (ʿazza wa jall) to bestow ‘ṣalawāt’ on His beloved ﷺ, you ask Him to praise him, honour him, and elevate his mention. Thus, it is befitting that you ask ‘al-Ḥamīd’ (The Most Praiseworthy) and ‘al-Majīd’ (The Most Glorious) – the real and ultimate source of praise and glory – to increase the Messenger ﷺ in praise and glory.

Explanation coming soon…