In the Company of the Rasul-Allah (ﷺ)

Anas Ibn Malik رضي الله عنه is one of the illustrious Sahabi who served the Prophet (ﷺ) and was at his side for years since the tender age of 10. He had the chance to personally witness the adab of the Prophet, his interactions and to learn from him directly. He is the third more prolific narrator of ahadith from the Prophet. He has narrated a total of 2286 ahadith. Al-Bukhari and Muslim agreed upon 180 of these ahadith. Al-Bukhari individually reported 80 ahadith, whereas Muslim individually reported 90 ahadith. When a person is close to someone they are generally confided in with some of the most important matters. It was this thought that prompted me into looking into the du’as that we come across as were taught to Anas from the Prophet.  Du’a made by the Prophet ﷺ for Anas:

اللَّهُمَّ أَكْثِرْ مَالَهُ وَوَلَدَهُ، وَبَارِكْ لَهُ فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَه “O Allah, increase his wealth and his children, and bless him in what You have given him.” [Bukhari]

We can ask our parents and other elders to make this du’a for us and we can make the same for our young ones.  When Anas was asked as to which Du’a the Prophet ﷺ used to make regularly, he replied with this du’a:

اللَّهُمَّ آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ O Allah, grant us the good in this world and the good in the Hereafter and save us from the torment of Hell-Fire.

Even if Anas made another supplication, he would add this as part of it. [Sahih Muslim] In other narrations the wordings are: اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ [Sunan Abu Dawud] رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ+ وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ [Sahih Muslim] An all-encompassing Du’a:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ O Allah, I seek refuge in You from sadness, grief, helplessness, laziness, being stingy, overwhelming debt, and the overpowering of men. [Jami al-Tirmidhi]

And

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْكَسَلِ وَالْهَرَمِ وَالْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَفِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ وَعَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ O Allah, indeed, I seek refuge in You from laziness, weakness of old age, cowardice, stinginess, the trial of Al-Masih, and the punishment of the grave. [Jami’ al-Tirmidhi]

Master Du’a for Forgiveness

اللهم أنت ربي، لا إله إلا أنت ، خلقتني وأنا عبدك، وأنا على عهدك ووعدك ما استطعت أعوذ بك من شر ما صنعت أبوء لك بنعمتك علي، وأبوء بذنبي، فاغفر لي فإنه لا يغفر الذنوب إلا أنت O Allah! You are my Rubb. There is no true god except you. You have created me, and I am Your slave, and I hold to Your Covenant as far as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge the favours that You have bestowed upon me, and I confess my sins. Pardon me, for none but You has the power to pardon. [Al Bukhari]

And

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ وَأَبُوءُ إِلَيْكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَىَّ وَأَعْتَرِفُ بِذُنُوبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي ذُنُوبِي إِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ O Allah, You are my Lord, there is none worthy of worship except You, You created me and I am Your slave. I am adhering to Your covenant and Your promise as much as I am able to, I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I admit to you your blessings upon me, and I admit to my sins. So forgive me, for there is none who can forgive sins except you. [Jami’ al-Tirmidhi]

Du’a against diseases:

اللهم إني أعوذ بك من البرص والجنون، والجذام، وسيئ الأسقام‏ O Allah! I seek refuge in you from leucoderma, insanity, leprosy and evil diseases. [Abu Dawud]

A Du’a for the Soul:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ لاَ يَنْفَعُ وَقَلْبٍ لاَ يَخْشَعُ وَدُعَاءٍ لاَ يُسْمَعُ وَنَفْسٍ لاَ تَشْبَعُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَؤُلاَءِ الأَرْبَعِ O Allah, I seek refuge with You from knowledge that is of no benefit, a heart that is not humble, a supplication that is not heard and a soul that is not satisfied. O Allah, I seek refuge with You from these four. [Sunan al-Nasa’i]

Asking Allah’s aid when setting out against the enemy:

اللهم أنت عضدي ونصيري، بك أحول وبك أجول وبك أصول، وبك أقاتل O Allah, You are my Supporter and my Helper. With Your help I get strength, and with your help I bounce upon the enemy and defeat it, and with Your help I fight. [Abu Dawud]

We learn so many things from Anas since he is one of the chief narrators of ahadith but there are certain things that stand out when it comes to Du’a: Calling upon Allah with surety. Anas reported Allah’s Messenger ﷺ as saying:

When one of you makes supplication, he should supplicate with determination and should not say: “O Allah, confer upon me if Thou likest,” for there is none to coerce Allah. [Sahih Muslim]

Calling upon Allah with the Best of Names. Narrated Anas ibn Malik:

I was sitting with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and a man was offering prayer. He then made supplication:اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِأَنَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدَ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ الْمَنَّانُ بَدِيعُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ يَا ذَا الْجَلاَلِ وَالإِكْرَامِ يَا حَىُّ يَا قَيُّومُ O Allah, I ask Thee by virtue of the fact that praise is due to Thee: There is no deity but Thou, Who showest favour and beneficence, the Originator of the Heavens and the earth, O Lord of Majesty and Splendour, O Living One, O Eternal One. [Abu Dawud]

اللَّهُمَّ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ الْمَنَّانُ بَدِيعُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ ذَا الْجَلاَلِ وَالإِكْرَامِ O Allah, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah; You are the One Who gives blessings, Originator of the heavens and the earth, Possessor of glory and generosity. [Jami’ al-Tirmidhi]

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِأَنَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدَ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ الْمَنَّانُ بَدِيعُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ يَا ذَا الْجَلاَلِ وَالإِكْرَامِ يَا حَىُّ يَا قَيُّومُ O Allah, I ask Thee by virtue of the fact that praise is due to Thee: There is no deity but Thou, Who showest favour and beneficence, the Originator of the Heavens and the earth, O Lord of Majesty and Splendour, O Living One, O Eternal One. [Sunan Abu Dawud]

The Prophet ﷺ then said:

He has supplicated to Allah using His Greatest Name; when supplicated by this name, He answers, and when asked by this name He gives.

Adab of Calling upon Allah It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said:

“Umm Sulaim came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, teach me some words that I may supplicate with during my prayer.’ He said: ‘Glorify Allah (by saying SubhanAllah) ten times, and praise Him (by saying Alhamdulilah) ten times, and magnify Him (by saying Allahu Akbar) ten times, then ask Him for what you need; He will say: ‘Yes, yes.’ [Sunan An-Nasai]

Best Time to Supplicate Anas reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“The supplication made between the Adhan and the Iqamah is never rejected.” [Abu Dawud]

Raising hands to make Du’a. Anas reported:

I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ raising his hands (high enough) in supplication (for rain) that the whiteness of his armpits became visible. [Sahih Muslim].

Making  Du’a for martyrdom. Anas رضي الله عنه reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

“He who supplicates sincerely for martyrdom, it will be granted to him even though he is not killed on the battlefield.” [Sahih Muslim]

Getting blessings from Allah by praying for others. Anas reported that

the Muhajirun said, “Messenger of Allah, the Ansar have taken all the reward!” He said, “No, not as long as you make supplication for them and praise them for it.” [Adab Al-Mufrad]

Du’a for Ruqyah: Anas رضي الله عنه reported: I said to Thabit, “Should I not perform Ruqyah (i.e., recite supplication or Quranic Ayat and blow) over you, such supplication as was practised by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?” He said: “Please do so.” Anas supplicated:

اللهم رب الناس، مذهب البأس، اشف أنت الشافي، لا شافي إلا أنت، شفاءً لا يغادر سقماً O Allah! The Rubb of mankind! Take away this disease and cure (him or her). You are the Curer. There is no cure except through You. Cure (him or her), a cure that leaves no disease].” [Al-Bukhari].