Cures for Depression

[شمله ور خراساني]

Bismillahi arrahman ar raheem

as salaamu alaykoum wa rahmatullah

Depression is a very common problem. Some of its causes are entirely physical and need prescribed medication from a doctor.

But there are other causes of depression that can be solved without any medication.

For people who tend to feel depression occasionally, or quite frequently, it is best to seek professional help before relying on the content of this thread.

Once you have seen a professional doctor who can make an assessment of your condition, then you can come and read, listen and watch what is being posted in this thread.

Inshaa allah I will add some material which I think is beneficial for treatment of depression.

Wasalaam

[شمله ور خراساني]

Du’aa’s to remove depression

Are there any duas to remove my deppresion?

Praise be to Allaah.
In al-Saheehayn it was reported from Ibn ‘Abbaas that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say, when he felt distressed:
“La ilaaha ill-Allaah al-‘Azeem ul-Haleem, Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah Rabb il-‘arsh il-‘azeem, Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah Rabb is-samawaati wa Rabb il-ard wa Rabb il-‘arsh il-kareem (there is no god except Allaah, the All-Mighty, the Forbearing; there is no god except Allaah, the Lord of the Mighty Throne; there is no god except Allaah, Lord of the heavens, Lord of the earth and Lord of the noble Throne).”
And it was reported from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say, when something upset him:
“Yaa Hayyu yaa Qayyoom, bi Rahmatika astagheeth (O Ever-Living One, O Everlasting One, by Your mercy I seek help).”
And it was reported that Asmaa’ bint ‘Umays (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to me: “Shall I not teach you some words to say when you feel distressed? ‘Allaah, Allaah, Rabbee laa ushriku bihi shay’an (Allaah, Allaah, my Lord, I do not associate anything with Him).’”
It was reported from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No person suffers any anxiety or grief, and says:
‘Allaahumma innee ‘abduka wa ibn ‘abdika wa ibn amatika, naasiyati bi yadika, maadin fiyya hukmuka, ‘adlun fiyya qadaa’uka, as’aluka bi kulli ismin huwa laka sammayta bihi nafsaka aw anzaltahu fi kitaabika aw ‘allamtahu ahadan min khalqika aw ista’tharta bihi fi ‘ilm il-ghaybi ‘andak an taj’ala al-Qur’aana rabee’ qalbi wa noor sadri wa jalaa’a huzni wa dhahaaba hammi (O Allaah, I am Your slave, son of Your slave, son of Your female slave, my forelock is in Your hand, Your command over me is forever executed and Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every Name belonging to You which You named Yourself with, or revealed in Your Book, or You taught to any of Your creation, or You have preserved in the knowledge of the unseen with You, that You make the Qur’aan the life of my heart and the light of my breast, and a departure for my sorrow and a release for my anxiety)’
- but Allaah will take away his sorrow and grief, and give him in their stead joy.”

Al-Kalim al-Tayyib by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, edited by Shaykh al-Albaani, p. 72

[شمله ور خراساني]

The Wispers of Shaytan and its Cures

[شمله ور خراساني]

Kitaab At-Tawheed

Shaikh Imam Muhammad Abdul-Wahhaab

"The Book of Tawheed"
Compiled by Sameh Strauch
Published by International Islamic Publishing House

Sameh Strauch relied mainly on Al-Jadeed Fee Sharh Kitaab At-Tawheed by Shaikh Muhammad Al-Qar'aawi, Tafseer Ibn Katheer and a number of books of Hadith. You can buy some of Sameh Strauch's books at troid.org

Kitaab At-Tawheed, Chapter: 33
Part of Belief in Allah Consists of Patience in the
Face of All That Allah Has Ordained for Us
Allah , says:

" No kind of calamity occurs except by Allah's leave: And whoever believes in Allah, Allah will guide his heart [aright]: For Allah knows all things" (Qur'an 64:11)

Allah , Most High, informs us in this verse that no calamity, whether loss of wealth, bereavement, or other, occurs unless Allah has written it and ordained it, and that whoever truly believes this, will most assuredly be guided by Allah , so that he accepts and bears with equanimity the trials and tribulations of life and acknowledges Allah's Wisdom, for Allah knows what is best for His slaves, and He is Most Kind, Most Merciful.
Benefits Derived From This Verse

1. That evil, like good, is ordained by Allah.
2. Evidence of the blessing of faith, and that it results in right guidance of the heart and an upright character.
3. Evidence of the all-encompassing nature of Allah's Knowledge.
4. That the reward of goodness is goodness.
5. That the guidance of success comes only from Allah, Most High.

Relevance of This Verse to the Subject of the Chapter and to the Subject of Tawheed
That it proves that patience and equanimity, in the face of Allah's Ordainments are signs of faith in Allah .
Important Note

(a) The Arabic word, sabr means, linguistically speaking, prevention, while in religious parlance, it means preventing or restraining oneself from succumbing to depression or anxiety and guarding the tongue from complaint and angry words, and guarding the limbs from forbidden deeds, such as slapping the cheeks, tugging at the hair and tearing the clothes.
(b) Sabr may be divided into three categories: (i) Patiently persevering in obedience to Allah ; (ii) refraining from what Allah has forbidden; (iii) patiently forbearing in the face of calamities which Allah may ordain for us.

..ooOOoo..

`Alqamah said: "He (i.e. the person referred to in the verse) is the one who, when calamity strikes him, knows that it is from his Rabb and accepts it with equanimity and submits (himself to Allah's Will.")
Relevance of This Narration to the Subject of the Chapter
That it shows that `Alqamah considered that sabr in the face of calamity and calm acceptance are signs of faith.

..ooOOoo..

In Muslim's Saheeh, it is reported on the authority of Abu Hurairah (Radhi Allaahu Anhu) that Allah's Messenger said: "Two traits found in people are signs of disbelief: Defaming a person's lineage and bewailing the deceased."
Because Islam came to abolish all of the vile customs of the Jahiliyyah, which are incompatible with the lofty principles of Islam, the Prophet informed the Companions that defaming another's ancestors and excessive mourning of the dead are traits of disbelief from the days of ignorance which will remain in this Ummah and this is a warning to us, for these two traits cause evil to the individual and to the community: Slandering another's ancestors is bound to cause hurt to and unjustified distress to that person. As for bewailing the deceased, this provokes renewed grief and fear on the part of the bereaved and shows lack of acceptance of Allah's Qadr and it is often accompanied by lying, as they indulge in exaggerated eulogies of the deceased and raise him above his true status.
Benefits Derived From This Hadith

1. The forbiddance of slandering another's ancestors and of bewailing the dead.
2. That these two traits will remain in this Ummah.
3. That a person may possess some of these traits of disbelief without being a disbeliever.
4. That Islam has prohibited everything that might lead to division in society.

Relevance of This Hadith to the Subject of the Chapter and to the Subject of Tawheed
That the Hadith proves the forbiddance of bewailing the dead, for this connotes a lack of forbearance and acceptance of Allah's Qadr which is a necessary requisite of the true Believer.

..ooOOoo..

It is narrated by Bukhari and Muslim, on the authority of Ibn Mas'ood (Radhi Allaahu Anhu) in a marfoo' form: "He who slaps his cheeks and tears his clothes and makes supplications of the Jahiliyyah is not one of us."
Because Islam preaches the noblest of ideals and because it ennobles the soul, it has forbidden all manner of excessive mourning of the dead such as slapping the cheeks, tearing the clothes and making the supplications of the days of ignorance; 1 and it is made clear to us that such actions are completely un-Islamic, because they cause unnecessary and prolonged grief to the bereaved, reflect a lack of acceptance of Allah's Qadr and keep alive the evil customs of the Jahiliyyah which Islam came to destroy.
Benefits Derived From This Hadith

1. The forbiddance of slapping one's cheeks and tearing one's clothes in anguish over the death of a loved one.
2. The falseness and futility of the customs of the Jahiliyyah except those which are in conformity with Islaamic Law and are confirmed by the Qur'an or the Sunnah, such as hospitality to the guest and the like.

Relevance of This Hadith to the Subject of the Chapter and to the Subject of Tawheed
That it proves the forbiddance of slapping one's cheeks, tearing one's clothes and making the supplications of the Jahiliyyah.
Important Note
It is permissible to weep for the dead if it is due to genuine feelings of sadness and compassion, free from all traces of anger and hysteria.

..ooOOoo..

On the authority of Anas it is reported that the Prophet said: "When Allah wills good for His slave, He hastens to punish him in this life and when He wills evil for His slave, He withholds punishing him for his sins until he comes before Him on the Day of Resurrection." 2
Allah's Messenger informs us in this Hadith that sometimes Allah afflicts a person with calamity in order to purify him of his sins, which otherwise, might cause him to be punished in the Hereafter, in order that he might on that Day receive the record of his deeds in his right hand and be among the successful. Alternatively, Allah may withhold punishment from a person, not because He loves him or honours him, but when he is called forth on the Day of Reckoning, he will bear a heavy burden of sins and he will receive the full punishment of those sins; and Allah grants His Favour to whom He Wills and punishes whom He Wills with justice; and He Will not be asked about what He does, but they will be asked about what they did.

Benefits Derived From This Hadith

1. Confirmation of Allah's Divine Attribute of Will, in a manner befitting His Majesty.
2. That good and evil are from Allah's Qadr.
3. That the trials and tribulations to which the Believer is subjected are signs of goodness, so long as they are borne with patience and without resorting to forbidden acts or abandoning one's obligations.
4. It is incumbent upon the Muslim to fear the continuation of blessings and good health, lest they betoken that his sins will not be wiped out by trials in this life.
5. The obligation to think well of Allah concerning the calamities which He might ordain for us.
6. It does not necessarily follow that when Allah gives us something good, that He is pleased with us.

Relevance of This Hadith to the Subject of the Chapter and to the Subject of Tawheed
That it proves that whoever truly believes in Allah , will bear the trials and tribulations which Allah ordains for him with patience and equanimity for he believes that they bode goodness for him.

..ooOOoo..

The Prophet said: "Verily, the greatness of the reward is tied to the greatness of the trial: When Allah loves a people, he puts them to trial. Whoever accepted it, will enjoy Allah's Pleasure and whoever is displeased with it, will incur Allah's Displeasure." 3
The Prophet informs us in this Hadith that the Believer may be afflicted by calamity in this world, such as loss of wealth, bereavement etc., but that Allah will reward him for these calamities if he bears them patiently, and He tells us also that the more a person's trials and tribulations increase, the more his reward with Allah increases and that trials are a sign of Allah's Love for the Believer, not His Anger and that Allah's Ordainment and His Qadr will be implemented and that whoever patiently perseveres in the face of adversity and accepts it, will incur Allah's Pleasure and His Reward, while whoever is angry at what Allah has ordained for him and dislikes it, will incur Allah's Displeasure and His punishment which will be more than suffice him.
Benefits Derived From This Hadith

1. That afflictions wipe out sins, so long as the afflicted does not abandon his obligations or commit forbidden acts.
2. Confirmation of Allah's Divine Attribute of Love, in a manner befitting His Majesty.
3. That the trials to which the Believer is subjected are signs of faith.
4. Confirmation of Allah's Divine Attribute of Pleasure, in a manner befitting His Majesty.
5. The virtue of accepting Allah's Qadr and His Ordainments with patience and equanimity.
6. The forbiddance of anger at Allah's Qadr and His Ordainments.

Relevance of This Hadith to the Subject of the Chapter and to the Subject of Tawheed
That the Hadith forbids anger and despair in the face of Allah's Ordainments, and this shows that patient perseverance in the face of trials and tribulations is a part of faith.
Footnotes
1. Such as: "Woe to me!" or "May I be destroyed!" etc.

2. Something very similar to this was narrated by Imam Ahmad, on the authority of 'Abdullah Ibn Mughaffal.

3. Narrated by At-Tirmizi.

Kitaab At-Tawheed

Shaikh Imam Muhammad Abdul-Wahhaab

"The Book of Tawheed"
Compiled by Sameh Strauch
Published by International Islamic Publishing House

Sameh Strauch relied mainly on Al-Jadeed Fee Sharh Kitaab At-Tawheed by Shaikh Muhammad Al-Qar'aawi, Tafseer Ibn Katheer and a number of books of Hadith. You can buy some of Sameh Strauch's books at troid.org

[شمله ور خراساني]

Patience and Gratitude

[شمله ور خراساني]

Du'a to alleviate grief

[Catya Sher]

I see depression as an entirely spiritual illness.
Where is any physical source of the problem?!
It's all due to feeling sorry for oneself -
not having a sense of perspective to have that gratitude
which must be discussed in the link above -
and bottom line:
NO TRUE CENTREDNESS on Allah [swt]

A lot of people TALK but don't REALLY BELIEVE - at least not so deeply as
to deter any depression from coming to them.

Thank God I never experienced this myself, but I have read frightening accounts
of how a depressive "attack" can affect someone.

It's appalling, and I believe only a spiritual means will change it.

These people with heavy depressive attacks are quite miserable
but perhaps don't want to - or can't - HEAR
about anything that would solve it.

Some types probably enjoy having something to complain about
and to burden people around them with.

There are those types unfortunately out there.
They don't WANT to be healed; because !
then they would have nothing to whine about and drag other people with !

[شمله ور خراساني]

Imaani Majlasoona

an example of the lectures from this page

[Gulalai]

yes!

i am not depressed but i'm sure this thread can help others who are feeling down.

& not only for depression, but for anytime you are feeling sad:
"Verily! Only in the remembrance of Allah will your heart find peace."Quran (Surah 13: Verse 28)

[شمله ور خراساني]

I see depression as an entirely spiritual illness.
Where is any physical source of the problem?!
It's all due to feeling sorry for oneself -
not having a sense of perspective to have that gratitude
which must be discussed in the link above -
and bottom line:
NO TRUE CENTREDNESS on Allah [swt]

A lot of people TALK but don't REALLY BELIEVE - at least not so deeply as
to deter any depression from coming to them.

Thank God I never experienced this myself, but I have read frightening accounts
of how a depressive "attack" can affect someone.

It's appalling, and I believe only a spiritual means will change it.

These people with heavy depressive attacks are quite miserable
but perhaps don't want to - or can't - HEAR
about anything that would solve it.

Some types probably enjoy having something to complain about
and to burden people around them with.

There are those types unfortunately out there.
They don't WANT to be healed; because !
then they would have nothing to whine about and drag other people with !

Depression can be physical. There are certain substances in your brain. If the equilibrium between these substances is no more, then you might start feel depressed.

[شمله ور خراساني]

Imam Al-Nawawi's Riyad-us-Saliheen
Chapter 244
The Excellence of the Remembrance of Allah

Allah, the Exalted, says:
"And the remembering (praising) of (you by) Allah (in front of the angels) is greater indeed [than your remembering (praising) of Allah in prayers]'' (29:45)
"Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying). I will remember you.'' (2:152)
"And remember your Rubb by your tongue and within yourself, humbly and with fear and without loudness in words, in the mornings and in the afternoons, and be not of those who are neglectful.'' (7:205)
"And remember Allah much, that you may be successful.'' (62:10)
"Verily, the Muslims (those who submit to Allah in Islam) men and women... (up to)... And the men and the women who remember Allah much with their hearts and tongues. Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward (i.e., Jannah).'' (33:35)
"O you who believe! Remember Allah with much remembrance. And glorify His Praises morning and afternoon [the early morning (Fajr) and `Asr prayers].'' (33:41,42)

1408. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) 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 and Muslim].
Commentary: This Hadith affirms that man's actions carry weight. On the Day of Judgement, his actions will be cast into the Balance. At that time Allah will endow these actions with weight, or according to some scholars, those records which register man's actions will be weighed. This is quite possible for the reason that Almighty Allah is Capable of weighing things without even their physical form. This discussion apart, when actions will be cast into the Balance, the formula mentioned in the Hadith, the utterance of which is very easy, will prove weighty. Every Muslim should make it a practice to repeat them frequently.

1409. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "The uttering of the words: "Subhan-Allah (Allah is free from imperfection), Al-hamdu lillah (all praise is due to Allah), La ilaha illallah (there is no true god except Allah) and Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)' is dearer to me than anything over which the sun rises.''
[Muslim].
Commentary: This Hadith hightlights the fact that the formulas which mention the Praise and Glory of Allah, His Majesty and Oneness are liked by the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) more than anything in the world, because this is one of the virtues which will survive and will be rewarded, while the world and all that it has will perish.

1410. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "He who utters a hundred times in a day these words: `La ilaha illallahu, wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, wa Huwa `ala kulli sha'in Qadir (there is no true god except Allah. He is One and He has no partner with Him; His is the sovereignty and His is the praise, and He is Omnipotent),' he will have a reward equivalent to that for emancipating ten slaves, a hundred good deeds will be recorded to his credit, hundred of his sins will be blotted out from his scroll, and he will be safeguarded against the devil on that day till the evening; and no one will exceed him in doing more excellent good deeds except someone who has recited these words more often than him. And he who utters: `Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi (Allah is free from imperfection and His is the praise)' one hundred times a day, his sins will be obliterated even if they are equal to the extent of the foam of the ocean.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: Here sins mean minor sins and those which do not relate to the rights of people. This point has already been elaborated in the preceding Ahadith.

1411. Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said: "He who utters ten times: `La ilaha illallahu, wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahulmulku wa lahulhamdu, wa Huwa `ala kulli sha'in Qadir (there is no true god except Allah. He is One and He has no partner with Him. His is the sovereignty and His is the praise, and He is Omnipotent),' he will have a reward equal to that for freeing four slaves from the progeny of Prophet Isma`il.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: "Slaves from the progeny of Isma`il'' is a simile for very precious slaves. That is, it has the same reward to which the emancipation of four very precious slaves is eligible.

1412. Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said to me, "Shall I tell you the expression that is most loved by Allah?'' It is `Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi' (Allah is free from imperfection and His is the praise)'.''
[Muslim].

1413. Abu Malik Al-Ash`ari (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "Wudu' is half of Salat, and the expression: `Subhan-Allah (Allah is free from imperfection)' fills the Balance, and the expression: `Al-hamdu lillah (praise be to Allah)' fills the space between the heavens and the earth.''
[Muslim].
Commentary: "Tuhur'' is purification or Wudu', while "Tahur'' is water or something which is used for purification. According to some scholars, `Faith'' means Salat. This is also the sense in which it has been used in the Qur'an: "And Allah would never make your Faith to be lost (i.e., your prayers).'' [2:143]. Thus when Salat is the Faith, the purification is a prerequisite for Salat. Salat is not valid without purification. Some scholars are of the opinion that Faith here means Faith in general, as the Shari`ah defines it: To sincerely accept and believe in all that the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) came with, i.e., sincere acceptance of Allah and His Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam).
"Purification is half of the Faith'' means the acceptance that purification is the most important article of Faith. It is like the saying of the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) that "Hajj is `Arafah'', which means that `Arafat (the place where the pilgrims stay on the 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah) is the most important element of the Hajj. Thus, this Hadith stresses the importance and merits of purification and offers an inducement for it. It also mentions the eminence of the invocations mentioned in the Hadith by saying that if they are given a form, they will fill the space between the heavens and the earth. In other words, it is a description of the infinite vastness of the Mercy and Grace of Allah.

1414. Sa`d bin Abu Waqqas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: A bedouin came to the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) and said to him, "Teach me a few words to recite frequently.'' He (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "Say: "La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu; Allahu Akbar kabiran, wal-hamdu lillahi kathiran, wa subhan-Allahi Rabbil-`alamin; wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil-`Azizil-Hakim (there is no true god except Allah the One and He has no partner with Him; Allah is the Greatest and greatness is for Him. All praise is due to Him. Allah, the Rubb of the worlds is free from imperfection; there is no might and power but that of Allah, the All-Powerful and the All-Wise.)''' The bedouin said: "All of these for my Rubb. But what is for me?'' Thereupon he (Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam)) said, "You should say: `Allahummaghfir li, warhamni, wahdini, warzuqni (O Allah! Grant me pardon, have mercy upon me, direct me to righteousness and provide me subsistence)'.''
[Muslim].

1415. Thauban (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Whenever the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) concluded his prayer, he would beg forgiveness from Allah thrice and then would recite: "Allahumma Antas-Salamu, wa minkas-salamu, tabarakta ya Dhal-Jalali wal-Ikram (O Allah, You are the Grantor of security, and security comes from You. You are Blessing, O You Who have majesty and nobility)!'' (Imam) Al-Awza`i, one of the narrators of this Hadith, was asked: "How forgiveness is to be sought?'' He answered: "The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) used to say: `Astaghfirullah! Astaghfirullah! (I beseech Allah for forgiveness, I beseech Allah for forgiveness)'.''
[Muslim].

1416. Al-Mughirah bin Shu`bah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) used to say at the conclusion of prayer: "La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku, wa lahul-hamdu, wa Huwa `ala kulli shai'in Qadir. Allahumma la mani`a lima a'tayta, wa la mu`tiya lima mana`ta, wa la yanfa`u dhal-jaddi, minkal-jaddu (there is no true god except Allah. He is One and He has no partner with Him, His is the sovereignty and His is the praise, and He is Omnipotent. O Allah! None can deny that which You bestow and none can bestow that which You hold back; and the greatness of the great will be of no avail to them against You).''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: "Al-Jaddu'' means good luck and richness. That is, good fortune and prosperity will not be of any avail before Allah. What will really benefit a person before Him are Faith and virtuous deeds. The prayer quoted in this Hadith makes a special mention of His Oneness.

1417. It has been reported that `Abdullah bin Zubair (May Allah be pleased with them) used to recite after Taslim at the conclusion of every Salat (prayer): "La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku, wa lahul-hamdu, wa Huwa `ala kulli shai'in Qadir. La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah. La ilaha illallahu, wa la na`budu illa iyyahu, Lahun-ni`matu, wa lahul-fadlu, wa lahuth-thana'ul-hasan. La ilaha ilallahu, mukhlisina, lahud-dina, wa lau karihal-kafirun (there is no true god except Allah; He is One. To Him belongs the dominion and to Him is all praise, and He is Powerful over all things. There is no power and might except with (the help of) Allah. There is no God but Allah and we worship none except Him, to Him belongs the bounty and to Him belongs the grace, and to Him belongs all excellent praise; there is no deity but Allah. We reserve our devotion exclusively for Him though the disbelievers may detest it).'' Ibn Az-Zubair said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) used to celebrate Allah's Greatness in those terms after every Salat (prayer).
[Muslim].
Commentary: The invocation mentioned in this Hadith is ordained by the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) and was his practice. To recite Shahadah repeatedly after Salat and to offer benediction and salutations to the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) collectively is a self-invented formula and is not consonant with the practice of the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam). It is, therefore, a heresy and will have no merit. Every Muslim has to follow only the preachings and practice of the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam).

1418. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The poor Emigrants came to the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) and said: "The wealthy have gone with the highest ranks and lasting bliss.'' He asked: "How is that?'' They replied: "They offer Salat (prayer) as we offer it; they observe fast as we do; (and as they are wealthy) they perform Hajj and `Umrah, and go for Jihad, and they spend in charity but we cannot, and they free the slaves but we are unable to do so.'' The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "Shall I not teach you something with which you may overtake those who surpassed you and with which you will surpass those who will come after you? None will excel you unless he who does which you do.'' They said: "Yes, please do, O Messenger of Allah'' He (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "You should recite: Tasbih (Allah is free from imperfection), Takbir (Allah is Greatest), Tahmid (Praise be to Allah) thirty-three times after each Salat.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Abu Salih, the subnarrator of the Hadith said, when Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) was asked about the manner of reciting Tasbih, Tahmid and Takbir, he said, "Recite: "Subhan-Allah, wal-hamdulillah, wallahu Akbar', till all are recited thirty-three times.
Commentary: This Hadith has already been mentioned, but with a slightly different wording with reference to Sahih Muslim. The elaboration made by Abu Salih apparently seems to indicate that all the three words should be recited in combination while other religious scholars have shown preference for reciting them separately. The purpose is, however, attained in either way. There does arise one question here: Should one recite each of these words thirty-three times or in all for thirty-three times? The wording of the Hadith does not make this clear. Other Ahadith, (which will follow soon) make it clear that each of these words is to be recited for thirty-three times. This is how their aggregate will come to ninety-nine. The Hadith that follows makes this point lear.

1419. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "He who recites after every prayer: Subhan-Allah (Allah is free from imperfection) thirty-three times; Al-hamdu lillah (praise be to Allah) thirty-three times; Allahu Akbar (Allah is Greatest) thirty-three times; and completes the hundred with: La ilaha illallahu, wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, wa Huwa `ala kulli shai'in Qadir (there is no true god except Allah. He is One and He has no partner with Him. His is the sovereignty and His is the praise, and He is Omnipotent), will have all his sins pardoned even if they may be as large as the foam on the surface of the sea.''
[Muslim].

1420. Ka`b bin `Ujrah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "There are some words, the reciters of which will never be disappointed. These are: Tasbih [saying `Subhan-Allah' (Allah is free from imperfection)], thirty-three times, Tahmid [saying `Al-hamdu lillah' (praise be to Allah)] thirty-three times and Takbir [saying `Allahu Akbar' (Allah is Greatest)] thirty-four times; and these should be recited after the conclusion of every prescribed prayer.''
[Muslim]
Commentary: "Muaqqibat'' means the words of Praise and Glorification of Allah which are recited after Salat. This Hadith says that the words "Allahu Akbar'' should be recited thirty-four times.

1421. Sa`d bin Abu Waqqas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) used to seek (Allah's) protection after prayers in these words: "Alla-humma inni a`udhu bika minal-jubni wal-bukhl, wa a`udhu bika min an uradda ila ardhalil-`umur, wa a`udhu bika min fitnatid-dunya, wa a`udhu bika min fitnatil-qabr (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from cowardice, miserliness and from being sent back to a feeble age; and, seek refuge with You from the trials of this life and those of the grave).''
[Al-Bukhari].
Commentary: Some religious scholars are of the opinion that it is better to observe reciting this Du`a after concluding prayers, and that it is better to combine both. Some scholars say that the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) used to recite this Du`a just before Taslim, while he used to recite the Du`a mentioned earlier after Taslim.

1422. Mu`adh (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) took hold of my hand and said, "O Mu`adh! By Allah I love you, so I advise you to never forget to recite after every prayer:"Allahumma a`inni ala dhikrika, wa shukrika, wa husni `ibadatika (O Allah, help me remember You, to be grateful to You, and to worship You in an excellent manner).''
[Abu Dawud].
Commentary: This Hadith stresses the fact that one should seek the Help of Allah for His remembrance, thanksgiving and worship, because one cannot do anything without His Help and Support. It also shows the superiority of Mu`adh (May Allah be pleased with him) and the Prophet's love for him.

1423. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "When anyone of you has done his Tashahhud during Salat (prayer), he should seek refuge in Allah against four things and say: "Allahumma inni a`udhu bika min `adhabi jahannam, wa min `adhabil-qabr, wa min fitnatil-mahya wal-mamat, wa min sharri fitnatil-masihid-dajjal (O Allah! I seek refuge in You from the torment of Hell, from the torment of the grave, from the trials of life and death, and from the mischief of Al-Masih Ad-Dajjal (Antichrist).''
[Muslim].
Commentary: "Trials of life'' means ordeals which one has to face in life and which can harm his Faith and body. "The trials of death'' means the troubles which one has to face before death. "Masih'' means Mumsuh-ul-`Ain, one who is squint. Ad-Dajjal (deceiver, impostor) refers to that man with a squint who will appear before the Day of Judgement. This is why he is called Al-Masih Ad-Dajjal. He will make claim of godhood and in order to test the Faith of people, Allah will get some supernatural works done from him. The pious ones would, however, recognize him and will save themselves from his trap. This will be a great trial indeed and one must seek refuge with Allah from it.

1424. `Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: When the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) was in Salat (prayer), he used to supplicate towards the end of prayer after Tashahhud and before the concluding salutations: "Allahum-maghfir li ma qaddamtu wa ma akh-khartu, wa ma asrartu, wa ma a`lantu, wa ma asraftu, wa ma Anta a`lamu bihi minni. Antal-Muqqadimu, wa Antal-Mu'akh-khiru. La ilaha illa Anta (O Allah! Forgive my former and latter sins, which I have done secretly and those which I have done openly, and that I have wronged others, and those defaults of mine about which You have better knowledge than I have. You Alone can send whomever You will to Jannah, and You Alone can send whomever You will to Hell-fire. None has the right to be worshipped but You.''
[Muslim].

1425. `Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) used to recite frequently in his bowing and prostration: "Subhanak-Allahumma, Rabbana wa bihamdika. Allahum-maghfir li (O Allah! You are free from imperfection and I begin with praising You. Forgive my sins).''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

1426. `Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) used to recite in his bowing and prostration: "Subbuhun Quddusun, Rabbul-mala'ikati war-ruh [You are the Most Glorious. The Most Holy. You the Rubb of the angels and of Jibril
[Muslim].
Commentary: "Subbuh'' and "Quddus'' are two attributive Names of Allah which denote His Perfect Purity and Uniqueness. "Ar-Ruh'' means Jibril (Gabriel). Although he, too, comes in the category of angels but his special mention is made here to emphasize his majesty and honour. In short, the recitation of the prayers mentioned in this Hadith is in keeping with the practice of the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam).

1427. Ibn `Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said: "Glorify your Lord in Ruku` (bowing posture) and exert yourself in supplication in prostration. Thus your supplications are liable to be accepted.''
[Muslim].

1428. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "A slave becomes nearest to his Rubb when he is in prostration. So increase supplications while prostrating.''
[Muslim].
Commentary: Both the Ahadith mentioned above, evidently show that there is greater possibility of acceptance of an invocation which is made in prostration. Therefore, one must do it in the voulntary Salat.

1429. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) used to say in his prostration: Allahum-maghfir li dhanbi kullahu: diqqahu wa jillahu, wa `awwalahu wa akhirahu, wa alaniyatahu wa sirrahu (O Allah! Forgive all my sins, the small and the great, first and the last, the open and the secret).''
[Muslim].
Commentary: Although the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) was innocent and free of sins, he used to pray for the forgiveness of his shortcomings out of his gratitude to Allah's Might and Majesty. Thus, this Hadith has a great lesson for us. In spite of being innocent, he was always fearful of the Wrath of Allah, while we, despite being embodiments of sins, are fearless of Allah.

1430. `Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: One night I missed the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) from his bed. I searched for him. When I found him he was in bowing or prostrating posture and was reciting: Subhanaka wa bi hamdika. La ilaha illa Anta (You are free from imperfection and I begin praising You. There is no true god except You).''
Another narration is: My hand fell over his feet while he was in prostration with his feet erect. He was supplicating: "Allahumma inni a`udhu biridaka min sakhatika, wa bi-mu`afatika min `uqubatika, wa a`udhu bika minka, la uhsi thana'an `alaika, Anta kama athnaita `ala Nafsika (O Allah! I seek protection against Your Wrath in Your Pleasure. I seek protection in Your Pardon against Your chastisement, I am not capable of enumerating praise of You. You are as You have lauded Yourself).''

1431. Sa`d bin Abu Waqqas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: We were with the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) when he asked, "Is anyone of you unable to earn a thousand good deeds?'' One of those present asked: "How can one earn thousand good deeds in a day?'' He (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) replied, "By saying: Subhan Allah a hundred times, then one thousand good deeds will be recorded for him or one thousand sins will be blotted out from his record.''
[Muslim].
Commentary: One thousand good deeds in return for saying the word "Subhan-Allah'' is a minimum reward under the promise that says i.e., ten-fold reward would be given for each good deed. The words "Au yuhattu'' is open to disagreement among the religious scholars. Some of them have mentioned it with "Au'' which means one gets one thousand good deeds or a thousand sins are forgiven; while others have mentioned this Hadith with the word "Wa yuhattu'', that is, one is given a thousand virtues and a similar number of sins are pardoned.

1432. Abu Dharr (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "Every morning charity is due from every joint bone of the body of every one of you. Every utterance of Allah's Glorification (i.e., Subhan-Allah) is an act of charity, and every utterance of praise of Him (i.e., Al-hamdu lillah) is an act of charity, and every utterance of profession of Faith (i.e., La ilaha illallah) is an act of charity, and every utterance of His Greatness (i.e., Allahu Akbar) is an act of charity; and enjoining good is an act of charity and forbidding what is disreputable is an act of charity; and two Rak`ah prayer which one offers in the forenoon (Ad-Duha) will suffice for all this.''
[Muslim].
Commentary: This Hadith has already been mentioned. See Hadith No. 118. It brings into prominence the distinction of the two Rak`ah of Ad-Duha as it is a means to express one's gratitude to Allah for 360 joints in one's body. Similarly, the Praise and Glorification of Allah, the declaration of His Oneness, enjoining good and forbidding vices are all Sadaqah of man's body.

1433. Juwairiyah bint Al-Harith (May Allah be pleased with her) reported, the Mother of the Believers: The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) came out from my apartment in the morning as I was busy in performing the dawn prayer. He came back in the forenoon and found me sitting there. The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "Are you still in the same position as I left you.'' I replied in the affirmative. Thereupon the Prophet said, "I recited four words three times after I had left you. If these are to be weighed against all you have recited since morning, these will be heavier. These are: Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi, `adada khalqihi, wa rida nafsihi, wa zinatah `arshihi, wa midada kalimatihi [Allah is free from imperfection and I begin with His praise, as many times as the number of His creatures, in accordance with His Good Pleasure, equal to the weight of His Throne and equal to the ink that may be used in recording the words (for His Praise)].''
[Muslim].
Commentary: The recitation of the words quoted in this Hadith is highly meritorious and rewarding because they are full of Praise and Glorification of Allah.

1434. Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "The similitude of one who remembers his Rubb and one who does not remember Him, is like that of the living and the dead.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: Lack of remembrance of Allah is akin to death. When a person dies, he is unable to do anything. Similarly, a person who does not remember Allah goes so far from Him that he cannot do anything which can benefit him.

1435. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "Allah the Exalted says: `I am as my slave expects me to be, and I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me inwardly, I will remember him inwardly, and if he remembers Me in an assembly, I will remember him in a better assembly (i.e., in the assembly of angels).''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: "I am as my slave expects me to be'' means that one should have the conviction that He accepts repentance, grants pardon, relieves people of their tensions and emancipates them from their troubles. Along with this conviction one should do good deeds which please Allah and avoid such deeds which have been prohibited by Him. With this conduct, one should hope for the best from Allah. This approach is similar to that of a cultivator who ploughs his land, sows the seed, waters it, takes every possible care of it and then cherishes hope for a good crop. It can also be linked to the endeavours of a person who intends to become a scholar, or a physician or an engineer. The first and foremost requirement to pursue his ambition is to study the books through which he can gain the required knowledge. For every work one intends to do, one has to first make a foundation and then acquire the means essential for it. It is only then that one can hope to achieve one's aim.
Similar is the case of associating good hopes with Allah. Unless a person does not furnish the foundation of Faith and good deeds for it, it will be unwise to associate good hopes with Allah. A slave who rather than serving his master runs away or annoys him and still hopes that his master being so kind will not take him to task for his excesses would be called stupid by the people. The same is true of Allah, who is certainly the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful and Forgiving. But for whom is He so? The answer is for His faithful and obedient slaves and not for those who are followers of Satan. For Satan and his followers, Allah's Decision is that: "I will fill Hell with you (Iblis) and those of them (mankind) that follow you, together.'' (38:85).

1436. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "The Mufarridun have gone ahead.'' He was asked, "Who are the Mufarridun?'' He (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) replied, "Those men and women who frequently celebrate the remembrance of Allah.''
[Muslim].
Commentary: This Hadith highlights the following two points: First, the eminence of plentiful remembrance of Allah. People who have this quality will be ahead of others in reward on the Day of Judgement. Second, people who remember Allah and are obedient to Him, be they men or women, will be rewarded equally. In the matter of reward no distinction will be made on the basis of their gender.

1437. Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) saying, "The best way to celebrate the remembrance of Allah is to say: La ilaha illallah (there is no true god except Allah).''
[At-Tirmidhi].
Commentary: Since the Shahadah is the basis of Islam, its repetition in abundance has the greatest eminence. Some religious scholars regard only La ilaha illallah as eminent, while others hold that the second part of it (Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah) is also included in it. Thus, in their opinion both these parts of the Shahadah should be recited together.

1438. `Abdullah bin Busr (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: One of the Companions said, "O Messenger of Allah. There are many injunctions of Islam for me. So tell me something to which I may hold fast.'' He said, "Keep your tongue wet with the remembrance of Allah.''
[At-Tirmidhi].
Commentary: Shara'i` is the plural of Shari`ah Shari`ah is in the sense of Mashru`ah, that is the Divine injunctions. These Divine injunctions are of various kinds, i.e., some of them are obligatory, some desirable and some voluntary. The obligatory ones are compulsory and their compliance is indispensable. What is termed as Mustahabbat (desirables) are also highly important for gaining the Pleasure of Allah. Similarly, voluntary acts are a means of getting close to Allah. Ordinary people are sometimes puzzled by the abundance of the latter and want to adhere to the first two, that is obligations and what comes in the category of desirables. A desire to this effect is mentioned in this Hadith. The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) answered the query in this matter by saying to the inquirer, "Keep your tongue wet with the remembrance of Allah.'' Keeping the tongue wet with the remembrance of Allah here means its abundant recitation. In other words, one should make the remembrance of Allah a permanent feature. If one is not able to do many voulntary good works, which some people find difficult, the remembrance of Allah will make up the deficiency in that regard.

1439. Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "For him who says: `Subhan-Allahi wa bi hamdihi (Allah is free from imperfection, and I begin with praising Him, and to Him),' a palm-tree will be planted in Jannah.''
[At-Tirmidhi].
Commentary: Jannah is so vast that we cannot even imagine its vastness. The planting of trees in return for the Praise and Glorification of Allah is, therefore, neither something difficult nor surprising. So, there should not be any hesitation in accepting it as a fact. Some people take it is as a metaphor for a plentiful reward.

1440. Ibn Mas`ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "I met Ibrahim (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) on the Night of Ascension (Al-Asra), and he said to me: `O Muhammad, convey my greetings to your Ummah, and tell them that Jannah has a vast plain of pure soil and sweet water. It is a plain levelled land. The plants grow there by uttering: Subhan-Allah, Al-hamdu lillah, La ilaha illallah and Allahu Akbar (Allah is free from imperfection; praise be to Allah; there is no true god except Allah; and Allah is Greatest).''
[At-Tirmidhi].
Commentary: Qi`an is the plural of Qa` which means plain levelled land that does not have any tree. Trees grow on the plain land of Jannah in return for remembrance and Glorification of Allah. The more one remembers Allah, the greater is the number of trees which grow on the piece of land that will be awarded to him.

1441. Abud-Darda (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "Shall I not inform you of the best of your actions which are the purest to your Rubb, which exalt you to the high ranks, which are more efficacious than spending gold and silver (in charity), and better for you than you should encounter your enemies whom you will smite their necks and they will smite your necks?'' They said, "Certainly.'' He (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "Remembrance of Allah the Exalted.''
[At-Tirmidhi].
Commentary: This Hadith also tells us about the eminence of remembrance of Allah, as the basis of every good deed is remembrance of Allah and expression of one's devotion and obedience to Him. Without these two, even the greatest virtue is useless and is of no value. Thus, we must always bear it in mind that remembrance of Allah is superior to everything else.

1442. Sa`d bin Abu Waqqas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) and I went to see a woman. She had date-stones or pebbles in front of her, and she was counting and reciting Tasbih. [`Subhan-Allah' (Allah is free from imperfection)]. He said, "Shall I not inform you of what is easier or better than this for you?'' You should say: `Subhan-Allahi `adada ma khalaqa fis-sama', wa subhan-Allahi `adada ma khalaqa fil-ardi, wa subhan-Allahi `adada ma baina dhalika, wa subhan-Allahi `adada ma Huwa Khaliqun, wallahu Akbaru mithla dhalika, wal-hamdu lillahi mithla dhalika, wa la ilaha illallahu mithla dhalika, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahi mithla dhalika (Subhan-Allah, equal to the number of what He created in the heaven; and Subhan-Allah, equal to the number of His creatures in the earth; and Subhan-Allah, equal to the number in between them; and Subhan-Allah equal to the number of those He will create).' Then say: `Allahu Akbar' (Allah is Greatest) in the same way. Then say: `Al-hamdu lillah' (praise be to Allah) in the same way. Then say: `La ilaha illallah' (there is no true god except Allah) in the same way. Then say: `La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah' (there is no change of a condition nor power except by Allah) in the same manner.''
[At-Tirmidhi].
Commentary: Sheikh Al-Albani has accepted this Hadith as Hasan because of the defect in its authority. He has stated that the original narration of it is without any reference to gravels and stones (of fruits) and that is "Sahih'' and has been mentioned by Imam Muslim in his Sahih with reference to Jawairiyah (May Allah be pleased with her). (See Riyad-us-Saliheen, edited by Sheikh Al-Albani).

1443. Abu Musa (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said to me, "Shall I not guide you to a treasure from the treasures of Jannah?'' I said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah!'' Thereupon he (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "(Recite) `La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah' (There is no change of a condition nor power except by Allah).''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: In this Hadith the invocation "La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah'' has been regarded a treasure of Jannah or one of the most precious stores of Jannah. The reason for its high eminence seems to be that through it, one makes a confession of his utter weakness and helplessness and attributes all power and authority to Allah, and this is very much liked by Allah. This statement is an outright admission that man has no power and if he can prevent himself from any mischief or do any good deed, it is only by the Will of Allah and His Permission.

[شمله ور خراساني]

Imam Al-Nawawi's Riyad-us-Saliheen
Chapter 245
Remembrance of Allah in all Conditions

Allah, the Exalted, says:
"Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding. Those who remember Allah (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides..'' (3:190,191)

1444. `Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) used to remember Allah at all times.
[Muslim].
Commentary: Such religious scholars take support from this Hadith who hold that the recitation of the Qur'an is permissible in a state of Janabah (resulting from coition) and menses. Imam Al-Bukhari is also included among those who hold this view. They say that the words "at all times'' clearly means that. The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) used to remember Allah (which includes the recitation of the Qur'an also) no matter whether he was in a state of minor or major pollution. For this reason, Sheikh Al-Albani has objected Imam An-Nawawi's mentioning these two exceptions (pollution resulting from coition and menses) in the relevant title, and has stated that there is no Hadith in support of these exceptions. In fact, the Hadith narrated by `A ishah (May Allah be pleased with her) contradicts this view. In the opinion of this school of thought, the Ahadith which prohibit the remembrance of Allah when a person is in the state of Janabah are weak in authority and are open to discussion. Thus, such Ahadith do not prove the prohibition. In the opinion of the second school of thought, which holds the opposite view, such Ahadith carry weight despite being weak in authority, because their weakness is not serious. Some of them even believe that such Ahadith come to the level of Hadith Hasan. So far logic is concerned, the viewpoint of the first school carries more weight but the reverence of the Qur'an also calls for caution. The best way to create conformity between the two views is that in inevitable situations one may go by the first view but in the ordinary circumstances it is better to follow the second view. Allah Alone knows what is right.

1445. Ibn `Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "If anyone intends to have (sexual intercourse) with his wife, he should say: "Bismillah! Allahumma janibnash-Shaitana, wa jannibish-Shaitana ma razaqtana (In the Name of Allah, O Allah! Keep us away from Satan and keep Satan away from what You have bestowed upon us);' and if Allah has ordained a child for them, Satan will never harm him.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: One should recite the prayer mentioned in this Hadith before one cohabits with his wife. This will save him and his offspring from the evil effect of Satan. But it must be borne in mind that this prayer is to be recited before the intercourse and not during it.

[شمله ور خراساني]

Imam Al-Nawawi's Riyad-us-Saliheen
Chapter 247
The Excellence of Gathering in which Allah is Remembered

Allah, the Exalted, says:
"And keep yourself (O Muhammad (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam)) patiently with those who call on their Rubb (i.e., your companions who remember their Rubb with glorification, praising in prayers, and other righteous deeds) morning and afternoon, seeking His Face; and let not your eyes overlook them.'' (18:28)

1447. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "Allah, the Exalted, has teams of angels who go about on the roads seeking those who remember Allah. When they find some people remembering Allah they call to one another and say, `Come to what you are looking for;' and they surround them with their wings till the space between them and the lowest sky is fully covered. Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, asks them (although He is best informed about every thing): `What are my slave saying?' They say: `They are glorifying Your Tasbih, Tahmid, Takbir, Tamjid, (i.e., they were declaring Your Perfectness, praising, remembering the Greatness and Majesty of Allah).' He asks: `Have they seen Me?' They reply, `No, indeed, they have not seen You.' He asks: `How would they act if they were to see Me?' Thereupon they reply: `If they were to see You, they would engage more earnestly in worshipping and glorifying You and would extol You more.' He would say: `What do they beg of Me?' They say, `They beg You for Your Jannah.' Allah says, `Have they seen My Jannah?' They say, `No, our Rubb.' He says: `How would they act if they were to see My Jannah?' They reply, `Were they to see it, they would more intensely eager for it.' They (the angels) say, `They seek Your Protection.' He asks, `Against what do they seek My Protection?' They (the angels) say, `Our Rubb, from the fire of Hell.' (He, the Rubb) says, `Have they seen the fire of Hell?' They say, `No. By Your Honour, they have not seen it.' He says: `How would they act if they were to see My Fire?' They say: `If they were to see it, they would more earnest in being away from it and fearing it. They beg of Your forgiveness.' He says: `I call you to witness that I hereby grant pardon to them and confer upon them what they ask for; and grant them protection against what they seek protection from.' One of the angels says: `Our Rubb, there is amongst them such and such slave who does not belong to the assembly of those who are participating in Your remembrance. He passed by them and sat down with them.' He says: `I also grant him pardon because they are the people by virtue of whom their associates will not be unfortunate'.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
(The narration in Muslim is also the same with minor changes in wordings).
Commentary: What kind of circles and gatherings of remembrance of Allah are referred to here? Obviously not those in which Allah is remembered in the ways invented by the participants themselves, i.e., repetition of the slogans "Allah-Hu'', "Haq-Allah'', etc.,which have not been mentioned in any Hadith. The repetition of any specific word, in a specific manner and in a peculiar surrounding (such as by putting the lights off) - this manner of conducting the remembrance of Allah is also not evident from the practice of the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) and his Companions. The circles and gatherings mentioned in this Hadith are those in which, the Prophet's Sunnah is fully observed. The words such as Subhan-Allah, Al-hamdu lillah, La ilaha illallah, Allahu Akbar etc., are recited and Praise and Glorification of Allah are done after Salat. The groups are quietly engaged in the remembrance of Allah, and those who attend the sermons and speeches delivered in mosques on Friday also come in this category of meetings and gatherings as these are ordained in Islam. This Hadith also highlights the distinction of Muslims who are engaged in the remembrance of Allah and the Du`a they recite on the suggested times and occasions.

1448. Abu Hurairah and Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "When a group of people assemble for the remembrance of Allah, the angels surround them (with their wings), (Allah's) mercy envelops them, Sakinah, or tranquillity descends upon them and Allah makes a mention of them before those who are near Him.''
[Muslim].
Commentary: This Hadith also highlights the merits of remembrance of Allah and the high grades of the people indulging in it.

1449. Abu Waqid Al-Harith bin `Auf (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) was sitting in the mosque with his Companions when three people came to him. Two of them stepped forward to the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) and the third went away. Those two men stood by the side of Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam). One of them found a space in the circle and he filled it, while the other one sat behind him. When the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) finished, he said, "Shall I not inform you about these three people? One of them sought refuge with Allah and Allah gave him refuge; the second one felt shy and Allah showed kindness to his shyness (and so he was accommodated in that meeting), and the last one averted, and so Allah turned away His Attention from him.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: This Hadith highlights the following three points:
1. The inducement for participation in the meetings held for the remembrance of Allah.
2. The merit of avoiding anything that causes inconvenience to people and distinction of those who are bashful.
3. The condemnation and evil consequences of avoiding, without any genuine reason, the meetings or gatherings which are held to remember Allah or to disseminate religious knowledge.

1450. Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Mu`awiyah (May Allah be pleased with him) came to an assembly in the mosque and asked them: "What has made you sit together?'' They replied, "We are sitting here to remember Allah.'' He said, "I adjure you by Allah to tell me whether nothing else has made you to sit together.'' They replied: "By Allah! We are sitting only to remember Allah.'' Then he said, "I did not adjure you because I suspected you. No one of my rank in the eyes of the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) is the narrator of so few traditions as I am. The fact is that the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) went out to a circle of his Companions and said, `What has made you sit there?' When they replied that they are sitting together to remember Allah and to praise Him for guiding them to Islam and bestowing favours on them, he (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, `I adjure you by Allah to tell me that nothing else has made you sit together.' On their reply that there was certainly no other purpose, he (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, `I did not adjure you because I suspected you, but Jibril (Gabriel) came to me and told me that Allah was talking proudly of you to the angels.'''
[Muslim].
Commentary: This Hadith, like those preceding it, mentions the merits of the meetings which are held for the remembrance of Allah as well as the distinction of those who participate in them.

[شمله ور خراساني]

Imam Al-Nawawi's Riyad-us-Saliheen
Chapter 248
Remembrance of Allah in the Morning and in the Evening

Allah, the Exalted, says:
"And remember your Rubb by your tongue and within yourself, humbly and with fear and without loudness in words in the mornings, and in the afternoons and be not of those who are neglectful.'' (7:205)
"And declare the perfectness of your Rubb before the rising of the sun, and before its setting.'' (20:130)
"And declare the perfectness of your Rubb and praise Him in the `Ashi (i.e., the time period after the midnoon till sunset) and in the Ibkar (i.e., the time period from early morning or sunrise till before midnoon).'' (40:55)
"In houses (mosques) which Allah has ordered to be raised (to be cleaned, and to be honoured), in them His Name is mentioned in the mornings and in the afternoons or the evenings. Men whom neither trade nor sale diverts from the remembrance of Allah (with heart and tongue).'' (24:36,37)
"Verily, We made the mountains to declare the Perfectness of Allah with him [Dawud (David)] in the `Ashi (i.e., after the midday till sunset) and Ishraq (i.e., after the sunrise till midday).'' (38:18)

1451. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "He who recites in the morning and in the evening the statement: `Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi (Allah is free from imperfection and I begin with praising Him)' one hundred times, will not be surpassed on the Day of Resurrection by anyone with better deeds than one who utters the same words or utters more of these words.''
[Muslim].

1452. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: A man came to the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) and said, "What a trouble I suffered from a scorpion which stung me last night!'' He (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "Had you said in the evening: `A`udhu bikalimatillahit-tammati min sharri ma khalaqa (I seek the protection of Allah's Perfect Words from the evil of whatever He has created),' it would not have harmed you.''
[Muslim].
Commentary: Kalimat means the Words of Allah, His Decisions and His Power. At-Tamat being free from every defect and shortcoming. Thus, it means "I seek the protection of Allah, by means of faultless Words, Decisions and Power of Allah, from the mischief of every living being''. It is the best prayer for protection from dangerous animals, insects and people.

1453. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) used to say in the morning: "Allahumma bika asbahna, wa bika amsaina, wa bika nahya, wa bika namutu, wa ilaikan-nushur (O Allah! With Your Power we have come to the morning, with Your Power we come to the evening, with Your Power we live, and we die, and to You will we return).'' In the evening he would say: "Allahumma bika amsaina, wa bika nahya, wa bika namutu, wa ilaikan-nushur (O Allah! With Your Power, we have come to the evening, by You do we live, by You do we die, and to You is the return).''
[At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud].

1454. Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Abu Bakr asked, "O Messenger of Allah! Teach me some words so that I may recite them in the morning and in the evening.'' The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "Recite these words: `Allahumma fatiras-samawati wal-ardi, `alimal-ghaibi wash-shahadati, Rabba kulli shai'in wa malikahu. Ash-hadu an la ilaha illa Anta, a`udhu bika min sharri nafsi, wa sharrish-Shaitani wa shirkihi (O Allah! Creator of the heavens and the earth! Knower of the hidden and the exposed! Rubb of everything and every one. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but You. I seek Your Protection from the evil of my own self from the evil of Satan and from the evil of Shirk to which he calls).''' The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) added: "Recite these words in the morning and the evening and when you go to bed.''
[Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].

1455. `Abdullah bin Mas`ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: When it was evening, the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) used to supplicate: "Amsaina wa amsal-mulku lillah, wal-hamdu lillah. La `ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lahu (We have entered upon evening and the whole kingdom of Allah, too, has entered upon evening. Praise is due to Allah. There is none who has the right to be worshiped but Allah, the One who has no partner with Him).'' He (the narrator) said: I think that he (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) used to follow the recitation with these words: "Lahul-mulku, wa lahul-hamdu, wa Huwa `ala kulli shi'in Qadir. Rabbi as'aluka khaira ma fi hadhihil-lailati, wa khaira ma ba`daha; wa a`udhu bika min sharri ma fi hadhihil-lailati, wa sharri ma ba`daha; Rabbi a`udhu bika minal-kasali, wa su'il-kibari; Rabbi a`udhu bika min `adhabin fin-nari, wa `adhabin fil-qabri (His is the sovereignty and to Him is all praise due, and He is Omnipotent. My Rubb, I beg of you good that lies in this night and good that follows it, and I seek refuge in You from the evil that lies in this night and from the evil of that which follows it. My Rubb! I seek refuge in You from lethargy and the misery of old age. O Allah! I seek Your Protection from the torment of Hell-fire and the punishment of the grave).'' When it was morning, he (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) would recite the same, replacing the words: "We have entered upon evening and the whole kingdom of Allah, too, has entered upon evening'' with "We have entered upon morning and the whole kingdom of Allah entered upon morning.'' (Replace the words "Amsaina, amsa, hadhihil-lailati, ma ba`daha with Asbahna, asbaha, hadhal-yaumi, ma ba`dahu, respectively.)
[Muslim].
Commentary: It is desirable to recite the invocations cited in the Hadith in the morning and the evening and also when one goes to bed and awakes. The purpose is that the concept of Allah's Providence and Divinity remains alive all the time in one's mind. With these words one seeks Allah's Protection in life and the Hereafter from things which are harmful. One also begs for his safety and guidance in this life and the Hereafter. This Hadith fully expresses one's recognition of Allah's Godhood and Lordship.

1456. `Abdullah bin Khubaib (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said to me, "Recite Surat Al-Ikhlas and Al-Mu`awwidhatain (Surat Al-Falaq and Surat An-Nas) three times at dawn and dusk. It will suffice you in all respects.''
[Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].
Commentary: "Recite Surat Al-Ikhlas and Al-Mu`awwidhatain (Surat Al-Falaq and Surat An-Nas) three times at dawn and dusk. It will suffice you in all respects'' means that then one would not need any other recitation for the remembrance of Allah. Moreover, by virtue of these three Surah, Allah will protect the reciter from every dangerous thing. In other Ahadith, it is stated that after lying in the bed, the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) used to recite these Surah, then blow on his hands and rub them over his body to the extent he could.

1457. `Uthman bin `Affan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, "He who recites three times every morning and evening: `Bismillahil-ladhi la yadurru ma`as-mihi shai'un fil-ardi wa la fis-sama'i, 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),' nothing will harm him.''
[Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].
Commentary: The prayer cited in this Hadith means that "I seek the Protection of Allah by means of which one can save himself from every vice, whether it is an animal or man, a jinn or Satan because He is Aware of everyone's condition and Capable of hearing everybody's petition. He who comes in His Protection none can harm him, except that which He wills.''

[IamDZJ]

i m too good for this world...
no seriously, how does one get to be so stupid as to think that depression is caused by feeling sorry for one's self???
there are so many other factors out there...medication side effects..
m i supposed to read all that??...or the though of having to read something that lengthy...