Dhikr on Special Occasions

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) teaches his Ummah how to seek refuge with Allah Almighty in an effective way that wards off anything fearful when a person stops anywhere during a journey, a picnic, or otherwise. In such a situation, one should seek refuge in the words of Allah - which contain perfect excellence, blessing, and benefit and are free from any defect or deficiency - from the evil of any created being. Thus, he will be safe from anything harmful for as long as he stays in that place.

Two men cursed and insulted each other in the presence of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and the face of one of them turned red and the veins surrounding his neck became swollen. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Verily, I know a word; if this angry man said it, his anger would go away. If he said: I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed devil. They said to him: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Seek refuge with Allah from the devil. Thereupon he said: Am I mad? thinking that only the mad seek refuge with Allah from the devil.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned against refraining from invoking Allah's blessings upon him upon hearing his name, nickname, or description. He said: The complete miser is the one in whose presence I am mentioned, but he does not invoke Allah's blessings upon me. This is justified because: First: He acted stingily regarding something that would not cause him to lose anything small or big and would not require him to spend money or exert effort. Second: He acted stingily regarding himself as he deprived it of the reward of invoking Allah's blessings upon His Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) because by refraining from this, he withheld a right that he is required to fulfill in compliance with the command and a means of attaining a reward. Third: Invoking Allah's blessings upon him fulfills part of the Prophet's right, as he is the one who taught us, guided us, called us to Allah Almighty, and brought us this revelation and this Shariah. In other words, he is the cause of our guidance after Allah Almighty. So, the one who does not invoke Allah's blessings upon him is stingy with himself and with his Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), as he withholds one of his simplest rights.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urges one who eats food to praise Allah, for a person has no power to bring food or eat it except through Allah Almighty and His help. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gives glad tidings to one who says these words that he deserves the forgiveness of Allah for his past minor sins.

‘Ā’ishah, the Mother of the Believers, and the wife of our Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in this world and in the Hereafter, related to us this noble act of Sunnah. She told us that every night, when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went to bed, he would blow into his hands mildly, short of spitting, and recite into them Sūrat al-Ikhlās, Sūrat al-Falaq, and Sūrat An-Nās. As the Hadīth does not clearly indicate which should be done first, one may blow first and then recite, or recite first and then blow. Then, he would pass his hands over as much of his body as he could reach, beginning from his head, face, and the front of his body. He would do all this three times.

When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went to bed, he would say this Dhikr in which he would thank Allah for providing him with food and drink. Were it not for Allah, the Almighty,, one would not have access to food and drink, so praise is due to Allah for that. Also, the Prophet would thank Allah for facilitating matters for him, securing him provisions, as well as giving him a place to shelter him, given that many people have no means of sustenance or shelter. So, it is recommended to say this Dhikr when going to bed.

Fātimah (may Allah be pleased with her), the Prophet's daughter, complained about the effect of the grinding-stone on her hand. When captives were brought to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), she rushed to ask him for a servant from these captives so as to do the household chores on her behalf. She, however, did not find him and found ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). She told her about the matter. When he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came, ‘Ā’ishah told him that Fātimah had come to ask him for a servant. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came to Fātimah and ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with both of them) at their house while they were in bed, preparing to sleep. He sat down between them, and ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) felt the coldness of the Prophet's feet on his belly. He said: Shall I teach you something better than what you have asked me for giving you a servant? They replied in the affirmative. So, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: When you go to bed for sleep in the night, say Takbīr thirty-four times: Allāhu Akbar. Glorify Allah thirty-three times, saying: Subhān Allah. And praise Allah thirty-three times, saying: Alhamdulillāh. This Dhikr is better for you than having a servant.

‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) informs us that it was part of the Prophetic guidance that when the wind blew strongly, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would say: O Allah, I ask You for the good of this wind and the good that it contains. The wind that Allah, the Almighty, created is of two types: 1. Normal wind: it is not scary and there is no specific supplication for it. 2. Strong wind: it is scary because Allah, the Almighty, destroyed the people of ‘Ād with a violent barren wind, we ask refuge with Allah from it. Hence, if strong winds start to blow, then follow the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) by saying the following supplication: "O Allah, I ask you for the good of this wind and the good of what is in it and the good of the purpose for which it was sent, and I seek refuge with You from its evil and the evil of what is in it and the evil of the purpose for which it was sent." In other words, You ask Allah for all the good associated with this wind and you seek His protection from all the evil associated with it. That is because the wind may be sent with good and it may be sent with evil. It may lead to prosperity and it may lead to destruction.

The wind is from Allah's mercy for His slaves. It brings mercy, and it brings punishment. Allah sends the wind as a mercy for His slaves, and it results in much goodness and blessings for the people. Allah says in the Qur'an: {And We have sent the fertilizing winds} [Sūrat al-Hijr: 22]. {It is Allah who sends the winds, and they stir the clouds and spread them in the sky however He wills, and He makes them fragments so you see the rain emerge from within them} [Sūrat Ar-Rūm: 48]. {And it is He who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy until, when they have carried heavy rainclouds, We drive them to a dead land and We send down rain therein, and bring forth thereby [some] of all the fruits} [Sūrat al-A‘rāf: 57]. It also brings punishment as explained by the following verses in the Qur'an: {So We sent upon them a screaming wind during days of misfortune to make them taste the punishment of disgrace in the worldly life} [Sūrat Fussilat: 16]. {Indeed, We sent upon them a screaming wind on a day of continuous misfortune. Extracting the people as if they were trunks of palm trees uprooted} [Sūrat al-Qamar: 19-20]. {And when they saw it as a cloud approaching their valleys, they said: "This is a cloud bringing us rain!" Rather, it is that for which you were impatient: a wind, within it a painful punishment} [Sūrat al-Ahqāf: 24]. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When you see it, do not swear at it," i.e. it is not permitted for a Muslim to curse the wind, because it is a creation of Allah and it is ordered by Him to do what it does, and it has no real effect in itself. It neither harms nor benefits except with the orders it takes from Allah. Therefore, swearing at the wind is equivalent to swearing at the One who creates and controls it, namely, Allah, the Almighty. "Ask Allah for its goodness and seek Allah's refuge from its evil", i.e. after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade swearing at the wind, he directed his nation to ask Allah for its good and seek refuge from its evil when it blows. In other words, they should ask Allah that the good that it carries be delivered to them, and that the evil that it carries be diverted away from them.

‘Uthmān ibn Abi al-‘Ās (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, Satan intervenes between me and my prayer and prevents me from offering it with Khushū‘ (humility and focus) and makes me confused and doubtful about my recitation in it. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: That is Satan, who is known as Khinzab. If you perceive that and feel it, seek refuge with Allah from him and blow three times to your left with a bit of saliva. 'Uthmān said: I did what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded me to do, and Allah caused him to depart from me.

Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that a man wanted to travel, so he came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to ask for his permission and to seek provision. Therefore, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated for him, so that his supplication would serve as a provision for the man. The man's provision was for him to observe religious commands and avoid prohibitions. The man asked for more, anticipating more blessings. So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gladdened his heart with supplicating Allah to forgive his sins. The man asked for more, anticipating more blessings. So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made a final supplication that invokes both righteousness and success. He supplicated Allah to make good things of the worldly life and the Hereafter easy for this man wherever and whenever he happens to be.

Meaning of the Hadīth: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach his Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) the Sunnah in act and word. This Hadīth includes one of the supplications that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say immediately after finishing eating while starting to clear away the plates in front of him. “Allah be praised”, i.e. praise and thanks are due to Allah alone, without anyone else. “Abundant praise”, i.e. a plentiful praise that befits Allah's Majesty, Beauty, and Perfection, as well as abundant thanks equivalent to His uncountable blessings and bounties, as Allah, the Almighty, says: {And if you should count the favors of Allah, you could not enumerate them} [Sūrat An-Nahl: 18]. “Sincere praise”, i.e. free of any intent to show off or seek fame. “Blessed praise”, i.e. accompanied by the ultimate acceptance, because the act, which is blessed and accepted, is good, and vice versa. “You are not in need of anyone”, i.e. we praise Allah, Blessed and Exalted, as He is the One Who is Sufficient, Who feeds his creatures and is never fed, and is the One Who needs no one. We also praise Allah, the Almighty, because we cannot do without his favor nor dispense with it.

‘Ali ibn Rabī‘ah, who was a leading Tābi‘i, reported that he was present when ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib was brought his riding mount. When he put his foot in the stirrup, he said: “Bismillah”, meaning: I ride in the name of Allah. When he settled on its back, he said: “Exalted is He…”, praising Him for this great favor; subduing the animal and causing it to yield to let people ride it, safe from any evil it might cause them. “…who has subjected this to us”, meaning that He has made this animal subservient to us, and we would not have been able to subdue it otherwise. Then he said: “Praise be to Allah” three times and then: “Allah is the Greatest” three times. The repetition indicates the glory of Allah, and that the slave does not give Him His true right, even though he is enjoined to worship Him at all times, according to his ability. Then he said: “Exalted are You above any imperfection. I have wronged myself…”, meaning, I have wronged myself by not fulfilling Your due right upon me in expressing gratitude for this great favor, even through slight heedlessness, a passing thought, or a glance. “…so forgive me”, meaning, conceal my sins by not punishing me for them. “…for none but You can forgive sins”, meaning that this indicates admitting negligence, despite the abundant blessings of Allah upon him. “…and then he laughed. It was asked: ‘O Commander of the Believers, what made you laugh?’" In a verified version of Ash-Shamāil, the narration says: “So I asked”, instead of: “It was asked”. The reason he was asked was that nothing had (apparently) happened that would initiate laughter. It is noteworthy that in the question, addressing him as “O Commander of the Believers” preceded the question, due to the etiquette of speech. “He replied: ‘I saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) doing as I have done…’, referring to the riding and saying the Dhikr. “Then he laughed. I asked him, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what made you laugh?’ He said: 'Your Lord, Glorious is He, is pleased.” When ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) remembered this, it necessitated even more gratitude, so he laughed. He did not laugh only by way of imitation. “…hen His slave seeks His forgiveness; he (the slave) knows”, he says this because he is aware and not heedless of the fact that: “...none can forgive sins except Allah.”

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to seek refuge in Allah from the hardships of travel or that he would return from a journey sad due to a calamity that had befallen his family or wealth. He would likewise seek refuge in Allah from adverse conditions and would pray that Allah would save him from the supplications of the oppressed.

This Hadīth talks about the Dhikrs at the time of sleep. It is the moment when one submits his soul to his Lord, a moment in which he possesses neither might nor power. So he leaves it in the hand of its Creator to protect it and return it, as he entrusts his affairs completely to Allah, the Exalted. Scholars stated that the wisdom behind the Dhikr and supplication at the time of sleeping and waking up is to make both the conclusion and commencement of one's deeds an act of obedience. In this blessed Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) explains to us the actions and statements which the slave should perform as an act of the Sunnah at the time of sleeping. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) instructed us on the action to be done in that situation when he said: “When any one of you goes to his bed, let him dust off,” and this is because the Arabs used to leave their beds as they were, and it was possible that some harmful insects would enter the bed after one had left it, or it became polluted with dust or the like. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that the bed should be dusted off before sleeping. Then he referred to the dusting and cleaning tool saying: “Then let him dust off his bed with the end of his lower garment”, i.e. the end of the under clothes, because it is easier in dusting, and to prevent the external part of the clothes from getting dirty, in addition to the fact that this is a better way for concealing one's private parts. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) explains the reason for this dusting and cleaning: “for indeed he does not know what came unto it after he had left it”, and this indicates the keenness of the Shariah on ensuring the wellness of the body, because the body is the element on which religion is established. This way the explanation of the practical Sunnah, along with its reason, are concluded. Second: The verbal Sunnah: Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then one should say: 'In Your Name, O my Lord’”, i.e. in the name of Allah the Most High, the Magnificent, I place this dormant body on the bed. This indicates that it is recommended for a person to remember his Lord at all times. Then he said: “I place my side (on the bed), and by You I will lift it”, i.e. I will not place this body or lift it except accompanied by Your remembrance. Then he said: "If You take my soul, then have mercy on it,” as an allusion to death. His statement, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him: “And if You send it,” as an allusion to life. His statement: “Then protect it as You protect Your righteous slaves”, i.e. protect me and my soul with whatever You protect Your slaves with. It is a general protection from all sins, grave offenses and evils. As he said: “Be mindful of Allah, and Allah will protect you.” This is a general protection, and that is why he made it specific to the righteous. Because the Exalted Lord's protection is attained by righteousness only. Therefore, there is no share for the excessively negligent person concerning Allah’s protection, a special protection that Allah, Exalted, grants His allies and loved ones. However, it is possible that part of the general protection could reach such a negligent person.

Talhah Ibn ‘Ubaydulllāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that whenever the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw the crescent moon on the first, second, or third night of the lunar month, he would say this noble supplication that contains a request to Allah, the Exalted, to let the new moon be accompanied with security against all religious and worldly fears, with persistent and stable faith, and avoidance from deviation. It also contains a request to Allah, the Almighty, to provide safety and Islam. The mentioning of security and safety draws attention to the importance of removing any harm, while mentioning faith and Islam draws attention to the importance of bringing benefits. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ends the supplication saying to the moon that the Lord of them both, the Prophet and the moon, is Allah, the Exalted. This draws attention to the fact that Allah, the Almighty, is far exalted beyond having associates in managing the affairs of His creation. Finally, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicates to Allah, the Almighty, to make this crescent moon a carrier of guidance and good.

The reason for making Takbīr when going up a high place is that people love to be superior and in a higher position due to the feeling of pride and greatness resulted. Therefore, one should belittle oneself by saying "Allah Akbar", meaning Allah is the Greatest. One upon ascending heights needs to remind oneself of Allah's Grandeur and that He is Greater than anything. By doing so, Allah, the Almighty, will appreciate his action and is thankful for his humility and gives him more out of His grace. The reason for making Tasbīh when going down is that low places make one feel constrained, and saying "Subhān Allāh" is a means of relief from constraint and distress. This is what happened in the story of the Prophet Yunus (peace be upon him) who was saved from distress when he made Tasbīh in darkness. Also, going down implies inferiority and humiliation, so the person exalts Allah, Glorified and Exalted, above inferiority and lowness by saying "Subhān Allāh". Indeed, Allah is Above everything. Similarly, one should say Takbīr when the plane takes off and say Tasbīh when it lands. In this case, there will be no difference if ascent and descent occur in the air or on the land. Allah is the Giver of Success!

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to order his Companions that if any of them wanted to sleep, he should lie on t his right side and then say: "O Allah, Lord of the heavens and Lord of the earth and Lord of the Magnificent Throne! Our Lord, and the Lord of everything", i.e. O Allah the Lord of the heavens and the earth, their Creator and their Owner and the One who raises the creation, the Lord, Owner and Creator of the Great and Magnificent Throne, the Creator of all human beings, their Owner and their Nurturer, and the Lord of everything. "The Cleaver of grains and date seeds", i.e. O Allah the One who splits them and brings forth from them plants and date palm trees. Grains and date seeds are mentioned in particular here because of their excellence, or because of their abundance in the land of the Arabs. "The Revealer of the Torah, the Gospel, and the Criterion", i.e. O Allah the One who revealed the Torah to Mūsa, the Gospel to ‘Īsa, and the Qur'an to Muhammad. "I seek refuge with You from the evil of everything that You have grasp of its forelock (You have full control over it)", i.e. I flee to You and seek refuge with You from the evil of all creatures, because all of them are under Your authority, Your power and control. "O Allah, You are the First, there is nothing before You, You are the Last and there is nothing after You, You are the Highest and there is nothing above You, and You are the Nearest and there is nothing nearer than You", the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clearly explained these four names of Allah. "The First" means that everything other than Him is created after being non-existent. This makes it obligatory for the slave to observe the favor of his Lord in every religious and worldly blessing. This is because the cause and the result are all from Allah, the Almighty. "The Last" means that Allah is the only One who will remain, and everything else will perish. He is also the Self-Sufficient to whom all creatures turn in worship, with hope and fear, and ask Him for whatever they need. "The Highest" indicates the greatness of His attributes, and that all things, including entities and attributes, are of no worth when compared to His greatness. It also indicates Allah's real superiority and elevation over all of His creatures. "The Nearest" indicates Allah's knowledge of all secrets, consciences, everything hidden and concealed, and subtle matters. It also indicates Allah's perfect closeness and nearness. There is no conflict between the Highest and the Nearest, because there is no one similar to Allah in His attributes. He is high in His nearness, and near in His elevation. "Remove the burden of debt from us and relieve us of poverty", i.e. the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked Allah, Exalted, to relieve him of his debts and grant him sufficiency against poverty.

When the sunlight vanished, or partially disappeared, during the Prophet's lifetime, he stood up in panic, as his complete knowledge of his Lord made him constantly fearful and watchful, given the misguidance and transgression of most people on earth or the possible imminence of Doomsday. So, he entered the mosque and led people in the Eclipse Prayer, prolonging the standing and prostration in a way not seen before, a sign of repentance and pursuit of forgiveness from Allah, the Almighty. Having finished his earnest supplication, the Prophet turned to people, exhorting them and explaining that Allah sends these signs to His servants as a lesson, a reminder, and a means of intimidation, so that they may hasten to remember their Lord, invoke Him, and engage in prayer.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade insulting or cursing the wind, for it is commanded by its Creator. It comes with both mercy and punishment, and cursing it is equivalent to cursing Allah, its Creator, and being displeased with His decree. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then guided us to turn to Allah, its Creator, by asking Him for the good of the wind, the good that is within it, and the good for which it has been sent, such as bringing rain or transferring pollen and similar benefits. He also taught us to seek refuge in Allah from its evil, the evil within it, and the evil for which it has been sent, such as destroying crops, trees, livestock, demolishing buildings, etc. Asking Allah in this way affirms servitude to Him.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated against three types of people that their noses be stuck to dust, as a sign of humiliation, disgrace, and loss: First type: The one in whose presence the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is mentioned, yet he does not invoke blessings upon him by saying: May Allah's peace and blessings be upon him and the like. Second: The one who witnesses the month of Ramadan, and then the month passes before he is forgiven, due to his negligence in performing acts of obedience. Third: The man whose parents reached old age with him, yet they were not a cause for him to enter Paradise due to his undutifulness and negligence in fulfilling their rights.