Mu'awiya ibn Qurra said, "When Iyas was born to me, I invited a group of the Companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and I fed them and they made supplication. I said, 'You have made supplication, so may Allah bless you for your supplication. If I make supplication, then you say, "Amen".' He went on, 'I made a lot of supplication for him for his deen, his intellect and things like that.' He added, 'I still recognise the supplication of that day in him."

"I came to Al-Madinah, so I asked Allah to make it easy for me to sit with one who is righteous. He made Abu Hurairah accessible to me, so I sat with him and said to him: 'Indeed, I asked Allah to make it easy for me to sit with one who is righteous, and it is to you that I was guided.' So he said to me: 'From where are you?' I said: 'From the people of Al-Kufah, I came to search out good and to seek it.' So he said: 'Is there not among you Sa'd bin Malik whose supplication is answered, Ibn Mas'ud, the one who used to carry the water for purification and the sandals of the Messenger of Allah (SAW), and Hudhaifah, the keeper of the secrets of the Messenger of Allah (SAW), and 'Ammar whom Allah has guarded from Shaitan upon the tongue of His Prophet, and Salman the companion of the Two Books?'"

Messenger of Allah (PBUH) directed me thus: "Whenever you go to bed, perform Wudu' as you do for Salat then (before sleeping) recite: 'O Allah! I have submitted myself to You, I have turned myself to You, committed my affairs to You and sought Your refuge for protection out of desire for You and fear of You (expecting Your reward and fearing Your punishment). There is no refuge and no place of safety from You but with You. I believe in the Book You have revealed and in the Prophet (PBUH) You have sent."' Messenger of Allah (PBUH) added: "If anyone recites these words and dies during the night, he will die on the true Deen, and if he remains alive till the morning, he will obtain good. And make this supplication your last words (before sleeping)."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

I entered upon `Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Laila, who told me that he heard `Ali (رضي الله عنه) say in ar-Rahbah: I adjure by Allah any man who heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and was present on the day of Ghadeer Khumm to stand up, and no one is to stand up except those who saw him. Twelve men stood up and said: We saw and heard him when he took him by the hand and said, `O Allah, take as friends those who take him as a friend, and take as enemies those who take him as an enemy, support those who support him and forsake those who forsake him.` Everyone stood up except three. He prayed against them and his supplication against them was fulfilled.

God’s messenger prayed at a funeral and I have retained in my memory some of his supplication. He was saying, “O God, forgive him, show him mercy, grant him security, pardon him, grant him a noble provision and a spacious lodging, wash him with water, snow and ice, purify him from sins as Thou hast purified the white garment from filth, give him a better abode in place of his present one, a better family in place of his present one, and a better spouse in place of his present one, cause him to enter paradise and preserve him from the trial in the grave and the punishment in hell.” A version has “And guard him from the trial in the grave and the punishment in hell.” He added that the result was that he wished he had been that dead man. Muslim transmitted it.

Once when we accompanied God’s messenger on a journey and the people began to say aloud, “God is most great”, he said, “Restrain yourselves, people; you are not supplicating one who is deaf or absent, but are supplicating One who hears, sees and is with you. He whom you are supplicating is nearer to each of you than the neck of his riding-beast.” Abu Musa said: I was behind him saying within myself, “There is no might and no power except in God,” and he said, “‘Abdallah b. Qais,* would you like me to guide you to one of the treasures of paradise?” On my replying that I certainly would, he said that it was, “There is no might and no power except in God.” *This is Abu Musa’s name and his father's name. He is most commonly known by his kunya. and nisba as given at the beginning of the tradition. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira said that when God’s Messenger wished to invoke a curse or a blessing on someone he stood in supplication after bowing, and when he said, “God listens to him who praises Him,” he often said, “Praise be to Thee, our Lord! O God, rescue al-Walid b. al-Walid, Salama b. Hisham and ‘Ayyash b. Abu Rabi'a.1 O God, trample severely on Mudar and cause them a famine like that of Joseph,”2 saying that in a loud voice. And he would sometimes say in the course of his prayer, “O God, curse so and so and so and so of the tribes of the Arabs,” till God revealed, “You have nothing to do with the matter. . .”3 1. These were men who were persecuted for their faith and held prisoners. 2. The famine in the time of Joseph lasted seven years. 3. Al-Qur’an; 3:128. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

(1) By the mention of the prisoners at the battle of Badr. He ordered that they be killed and God most high sent down, "Were it not that a decree had come previously from God a severe punishment would have come to you for what you took[1]." (2) By his mention of the seclusion. He commanded the Prophet's wives to seclude themselves and Zainab said to him, "Have you been set over us, son of al-Khattab, when the revelation comes down in our houses?" Then God most high sent down, "And when you ask them for anything ask them from behind a screen[2]." (3) By the Prophet's supplication, "0 God, strengthen Islam by `Umar." (4) By his opinion about Abu Bakr to whom he was the first to swear allegiance. Quran, 8:68. Quran, 33:53. Ahmad transmitted it.

the supplication of the person who is wronged, the supplication of the traveller, and the supplication of a parent for his child.

the supplication of someone who is oppressed, the supplication of someone on a journey, and the supplication of parents for their children."

Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The supplication of any of you is answered as long as he does not make supplication for something which is a wrong action or cutting off ties of kinship or become impatient and say, 'I made supplication and was not answered,' and so he stops making supplication.'"

'Abdullah died and he left (behind him) nine or seven daughters. I married a woman who had been previously married. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said to me: Jabir, have you married? I said: Yes. He (again) said: A virgin or one previously married? I said: Messenger of Allah, with one who was previously married, whereupon he said: Why didn't you marry a young girl so that you could sport with her and she could sport with you, or you could amuse with her and she could amuse with you? I said to him: 'Abdullah died (he fell as martyr in Uhud) and left nine or seven daughters behind him; I, therefore, did not approve of the idea that I should bring a (girl) like them, but I preferred to bring a woman who should look after them and teach them good manners, whereupon he (Allah's Messenger) said: May Allah bless you, or he supplicated (for the) good (to be) conferred on me (by Allah).

Buraida said that once when he entered the mosque with God’s messenger at the time of the evening prayer a man was reciting with a loud voice, so he asked God’s messenger whether he thought the man was hypocritical, but he replied’ “No, he is a penitent believer.” He said that Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari was [also]* reciting in a loud voice, and God’s messenger began to listen to his recitation. Afterwards Abu Musa sat down and engaged in supplication saying, “O God, I call Thee to witness that Thou art God than whom there is no god, One, to whom men repair, who hast not begotten and hast not been begotten, and to whom no one is equal.” God’s messenger then said, “He has asked God using His name when asked by which He gives, and when supplicated by which He answers.” Buraida asked God’s messenger whether he should tell him what he had heard him say, and when he agreed he told him what God’s messenger had said, and Abu Musa said to him, “Today you are a true brother to me, having told me the words of God’s messenger.” *This word is not in the text, but Mirqat explains that it must be understood as Abu Musa as not the man referred to above. Razin transmitted it.

"While I was (practicing) shooting some arrows in Al-Madinah, the sun became eclipsed. I gathered up my arrows and said: 'I want to see what the Messenger of Allah (SAW) will say about the eclipse of the sun.' So I came to him from behind when he was in the masjid, and he started to say the tasbih and takbir and to supplicate until the eclipse was over. Then he stood up and prayed two rak'ahs with four prostrations."

"Umm 'Atiyyah would never mention the Messenger of Allah (SAW) without saying: 'May my father be ransomed for him.' I said: 'Did you hear the Messenger of Allah (SAW) say such-and-such?' And she said: 'Yes, may my father be ransomed for him.' He said: Let the adolescent girls, women in seclusion and menstruating women come out and attend the 'Eid and supplications of the Muslims, but let the menstruating women keep away from the prayer place."

The Prophet said: "When one of you is invited to eat then let him respond, if he is fasting then let him pray." Meaning: supplicate.

Abud Darda' reported God's messenger as saying, "Hunger will be cast upon the inhabitants of hell and will be equal to the punishment they are experiencing. They will cry for help and will be helped with food of dari' [1] which neither fattens nor satisfies hunger. They will then call for food and will be fed with food which chokes[2]. So, remembering that they helped down choking food with drink when they were in the world they will ask for drink and the scalding drink[3] will be presented to them on iron flesh-hooks. When they approach their faces they will scorch their faces, and when they enter their bellies, they will cut in pieces the contents of their bellies. They will then ask the guards of Jahannam to be called and they will say, `Did your messengers not bring you the clear signs?' and when they reply, `Yes,' they will say, `Then make supplication, but the supplication of the infidels is only in error[4].' They will then ask Malik to be called and will say, `0 Malik, would that your Lord might put an end to us!' He will reply to them, `You are remaining'[5] (al-A`mash[6] saying he had been informed that the period between their appeal and Malik's reply to them would be a thousand years). They will then say, `Call your Lord, for no one is better than your Lord,' and they will say, `0 our Lord, our adversity was too much for us and we were a people who were astray. 0 our Lord, bring us out of it; then if we return to evil, we shall indeed be wrongdoers.' He will then answer them, `Retreat into it in shame and do not speak to Me[7].' They will then despair of all good and will begin to sigh, grieve and bemoan themselves." `Abdallah b. `Abd ar-Rahman[8] said that people do not trace this tradition back to the Prophet. 1. Cf. Qur'an, 88:6. The name of a thorny plant which animals avoid. It is used in the Qur'an of some substance which, as Taj al-'arus says, is more bitter than aloes, more offensive than a corpse, and hotter than fire. 2. Cf. Qur'an, 73:13. 3. Cf. Qur'an, 22:19 f. 4. Qur'an, 40:50. 5. Qur'an, 43:77. Malik is the angel in charge of hell. 6. One of the transmitters of the tradition. 7. Qur'an, 23:106 ff. 8. i.e., Darimi, whose Musnad is frequently quoted. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

he said to the Messenger of Allah (saas): "Teach me a supplication which I can say during my prayer." He said: "Say: Allahumma inni zalamtu nafsi zulman kathiran wa la yaghfirudh-dhunub illa Anta, faghfirli maghfiratan min 'indika warhamni, innaka Antal-Ghafurur-Rahim (O Allah, I have wronged myself greatly and no one forgives sins but You, so grant me forgiveness from You and have mercy on me, for You are the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful)."

the Prophet send Muadh to Yemen, and said: “You are going to some people among the People of the Book. Call them to bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and that I am the messenger of Allah. If they obey that, then tell them that Allah has enjoined upon them five prayers every day and night. If they obey that, then tell them that Allah has enjoined upon them charity (Zakat) from their wealth, to be taken from the rich and given to their poor. If they obey that, then beware of (taking) the best of their wealth. And beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between and Allah.”

“The Prophet (saws) heard a man supplicating in his Salat but he did not send Salat upon the Prophet (saws), so the Prophet (saws) said: ‘This one has rushed.’ Then he called him and said to him, or to someone other than him: ‘When one of you performs Salat, then let him begin by expressing gratitude to Allah and praising Him. Then, let him send Salat upon the Prophet (saws), then let him supplicate after that, whatever he wishes.’”

Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "The best of your rulers are those whom you love and who love you, and those who supplicate Allah in your favour and you supplicate Allah in their favour. The worst of your rulers are those whom you hate and who hate you; and whom you curse and who curse you." It was asked (by those who were present): "Should not we oppose them?" He said, "No, as long as they establish Salat; as long as they establish Salat in your midst."

[Muslim].

Whenever the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) went to bed, he would supplicate: "Bismika-Allahumma amut wa ahya (With Your Name, O Allah, I die and return to life)"; and when he woke up, he would supplicate thus: "Al-hamdu lillahilladhi ahyana ba'da ma amatana, wa ilaihin-nushur (All praise belongs to Allah Who has restored us back to life after causing us to die; and to Him shall we return)." [Al-Bukhari]

Anas said that when he was sitting with the Prophet in the mosque a man who was praying said, “O God, I ask Thee by virtue of the fact that praise is due to Thee than whom there is no god, 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, I ask of Thee.” The Prophet then said, “He has supplicated God using His greatest name, when supplicated by which He answers and when asked by which He gives.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

AbulHaytham ibn at-Tayhan prepared food for the Messenger of Allah (saws), and he invited the Prophet (saws) and his Companions. When they finished (food), the said: If some people enter the house of a man, his food is eaten and his drink is drunk, and they supplicate (to Allah) for him, this is his reward.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) used to teach us the supplication for isthikharah (seeking what us beneficial from Allah) as he would teach us a surah (chapter) from the Qur'an. He would tell us: When one of you intends to do a work, he should offer two supererogatory rak'ahs of prayer, and then say (at the end of the prayer): "O Allah, I seek Your choice on the better (of the two matters) based upon Your knowledge, and I seek Your decree based upon Your power, and I ask You for Your great bounties. For Indeed, You are the One Who Decrees, and I do not decree, and You know, and I do not know, and You are the Knower of the Unseen. O Allah, if you know this, and You are the Knower of the Unseen. O Allah, if you know this - here he should name exactly what he wishes - is better for me with regard to my religion, and my life, and my afterlife, and the end result of my affairs, then decree it to me, and make it easy for me, and bless me on it. O Allah, and if You know this to be evil for me - and he says just as he said the first time - then avert it for me, and avert me from it. And decree for me good wherever it might be, the make me content with it." A version goes: "If the work is good immediately or subsequently."

Ibn Maslamah and Ibn 'Isa reported from Muhammad b. al-Munkadir on the authority of Jabir.

'Abdullah bin Zaid bin ’Asim (RAA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah said, "Ibrahim declared Makkah as a Haram (Sanctuary) and made supplication for its people, and I declare Madinah to be a Haram just as Ibrahim declared Makkah as a Haram, and I made supplication for its Mudd and Sa’ (refer to hadith no. 650), just as Ibrahim made supplication for the people of Makkah." Agreed upon.

the Prophet (saas) used to say in his supplication: "Rabbi! A'inni wa la tu'in 'alayya, wansurni wa la tansur 'alayya, wamkurli wa la tamkur 'alayya, wahdini wa yassiril-huda li, wansurni 'ala man bagha 'alayya. Rabbij'alni laka shakkaran laka dhakkaran, laka rahhaban, laka muti'an, 'ilayka mukhbitan, 'ilayka awwahan muniba. Rabbi! Taqabbal tawbati, waghsil hawbati wa ajib da'wati, wahdi qalbi, wa saddid lisani, wa thabbit hujjati, waslul sakhimata qalbi (O Lord! Help me and do not help others against me, support me and do not support others against me, plan for me and do not plan against me, guide me and make guidance easy for me, and help me against those who wrong me. O Lord! Make me grateful to You, make me remember You much, make me fearful of You, obedient to You, humble before You and turning to You. O Lord! Accept my repentance and wash away my sins, answer my supplication, guide my heart, make my tongue speak the truth, make my proof firm and remove resentment from my heard)." (Sahih)(One of the narrators) Abul-Hasan At-Tanafisi said: "I said to Waki': 'Shall I say it in the Qunut of Witr?' He said: 'Yes.'"

whenever the Messenger of Allah (saws) would mention someone and supplicate for him, he would begin with himself (saws).

"The Messenger of Allah (SAW) supplicated for me that Allah should give me Al-Hukm (knowledge, understanding, judging justly, or understanding of the Qur'an) two times."

"They said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Thaqif are razing us with their arrows, so supplicate to Allah against them!' So he said: 'O Allah! Guide Thaqif.'"

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "The miser is the one in whose presence I am mentioned but he does not supplicate for me."

[At- Tirmidhi].

"I am going to watch the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and see how he prays. So, I watched him." And he described (his prayer): "Then he sat and lay his left foot on the ground, and placed his left hand on his left thigh and knee. He put his right elbow on his right thigh, then he made a circle with two fingers of his (right) hand, then he raised his finger and I saw him moving it, supplicating with it."

His father said: "I asked Ibn 'Abbas how the Messenger of Allah (SAW) prayed for rain. He said: 'The Messenger of Allah (SAW) went out (dressed) in a state of humility, beseeching and humble. He sat on the minbar but he did not deliver a Khutbah like this Khutbah of yours, rather he kept supplicating, beseeching and saying the takbir, and he prayed two rak'ahs as he used to do during the two 'Eids.'"

"When the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) met a man from among his Companions, he would shake hands with him and supplicate for him. I saw him one day in the early morning, and I tried to avoid him, then I came to him later in the day. He said: 'I saw you but you were avoiding me.' I said: 'I was Junub and I was afraid that you would touch me.' The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: 'The Muslim is not made impure (Najis).'"

"Umm 'Atiyah would never mention the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) without saying: 'May my father be ransomed for him.' I said: 'Did you hear the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) say such and such?' And she said: 'Yes, may my father be ransomed for him.' He said: 'Let the mature girls, virgins staying in seclusion, and menstruating woman go out and witness the good occasions and the supplications of the Muslims, but let the menstruating women keep away from the prayer place.'"

"Allahumma tahhirni min adh-dhunub wal-khataya. Allahumma naqqini minha kama yunaqqa ath-thawb al-abyad min ad-danas, Allahumma tahhirni bith-thalji wal-barad wal-ma' al-barid (O Allah, purify me of sin and error, O Allah cleanse me of it as a white garment is cleansed of dirt, O Allah purify me with snow and hail and cold water)."

'Abdullah ibn 'Amr reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The swiftest supplication to be answered is the supplication of someone for another person who is not present."

“The Messenger of Allah (saw) stood up in Khaif in Mina, and said: ‘May Allah make his face shine, the man who hears my words and conveys them. It may be that the bearer of knowledge does not understand it, and it may be that he takes it to one who will understand it more than he does. There are three things in which the heart of the believer does not betray: sincerity of action for the sake of Allah, offering sincere advice to the rulers of the Muslims, and adhering to the Jama’ah (main body of the Muslims). Their supplication is answered (i.e. encompassing every good, and all of the people).”

"Ammar bin Yasir led the people in prayer and he made the prayer short. It was as if they disliked that, so he said: 'Did I not do bowing and prostration properly?' They said: 'Yes.' He said: 'And I said a supplication that the Prophet (SAW) used to say:Allahumma bi 'ilmikal-ghaiba wa qudratika 'alal-khalqi ahini ma 'alimtal-hayata khairan li, wa tawaffani idha 'alimtal-wafata khairan li. Allahumma as'aluka khashyataka fil-ghaibi wash-shahadati wa as'aluka kalimatul-aqua fir-rida'i wal ghadab, wa as'alukal-qasda fil faqr wal-ghina, wa as'aluka na'iman la yanfadu wa as'aluka qurrata ainan la tanqati'u wa as'alukar-rida'i ba'dal-qada'i wa as'aluka bardal 'aishi ba'dal-mawti, wa as'aluka ladhatan-nazari ila wajhika wash-shawqa ila liqa'ika fi fitnatin mudillatin, Allahumma zayyina dizinatil-imani waj'alna hudatan muhtadin (O Allah, by Your knowledge of the unseen and Your power over creation, keep me alive so long as You know that living is good for me and cause me to die when You know that death is better for me. O Allah, cause me to fear You in secret and in public. I ask You to make me true in speech in times of pleasure and of anger. I ask You to make me moderate in times of wealth and poverty. And I ask You for everlasting delight and joy that will never cease. I ask You to make me pleased with that which You have decreed and for an easy life after death. I ask You for the sweetness of looking upon Your face and a longing to meet You in a manner that does not entail a calamity that will bring about harm or a trial that will cause deviation. O Allah, beautify us with the adornment of faith and make us among those who guide and are rightly guided."

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "He who supplicates sincerely for martyrdom, it will be granted to him even though he is not killed on the battlefield."

[Muslim].

Yahya related to me from Malik that Abdullah ibn Abdullah ibn Jabir ibn Atik said that Abdullah ibn Umar had come to them in Bani Muawiya, one of the villages of the Ansar, and said, "Do you know where the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prayed in this mosque of yours? "I told him, "Yes," and I pointed out a place near where he was. He said, "Do you know the three things for which he made dua here?" I said "Yes." He said, "Tell me them then." I said, "He asked that He would not make an enemy from among the non- believers triumph over the believers and that He would not destroy the believers by bad harvests, and he was given both these things. And he asked that He would not make the believers fight among themselves, and that was refused." Ibn Umar said, "You have told the truth," and he added, "Turmoil will not cease until the day of rising."

Anas reported God's messenger as saying that when lailat al-qadr comes Gabriel descends with a company of angels who invoke blessings on everyone who is standing or sitting and remembering God who is great and glorious. Then when their festival day comes, i.e. the day when they break their fast, God speaks proudly of them to His angels saying, “My angels, what is the reward of a hired servant who has fully accomplished his work?” They reply, “Our Lord, his reward is that he should be paid his wage in full.” He says, “My angels, my male and female servants have fulfilled what I have made obligatory for them, and then have come out raising their voices in supplication. By my might, glory, honour, high dignity, and exalted station, I will certainly answer them.” Then He says, “Return, for I have forgiven you and changed your evil deeds into good deeds.” He said that they then return having received forgiveness. Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman.

We made complaint to the Prophet when he was using a striped cloak as a cushion in the shade of the Ka'ba, for we had experienced persecution from the polytheists, asking him if he would not make supplication to God. His face became red, and he sat and said, "Before your time a man would have a pit dug for him in the earth and be put in it, then a saw would be brought and placed above his head which would be split in two, but that would not turn him away from his religion. He would be combed with iron combs below his flesh in bone and sinew, but that would not turn him away from his religion. I swear by God that this matter will reach perfection, so that a rider will go from San'a' to Hadramaut fearing nothing but God, or a wolf which may attack his sheep; but you are in a hurry." [*] *An assurance is here given that the polytheists will receive their punishment, but the people who complained to the Prophet are exhorted to exert patience till the time for that comes. Bukhari transmitted it.

"We departed with the Messenger of Allah (SAW) until he was at Harrah As-Suqya which belonged to Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas. So the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: 'Bring me water for Wudu.' So he performed Wudu, then he faced the Qiblah and said: 'O Allah! Indeed Ibrahim was Your servant and Your Khalil, and he supplicated for blessings for the people of Makkah. And I am Your servant and Messenger, and I supplicate for the people of Al-Madinah; that You bless them in their Mudd and their Sa' like You blessed the people of Makkah, for each blessing let there be two blessings."

Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The supplication of any of you is answered as long as he does not get impatient and say, 'I made supplication and was not answered.'"

Anas reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to make supplication with this supplication, "O Allah, give us good in this world and good in the Next World and protect us from the punishment of the Fire."

"The Messenger of Allah (saas) used to teach us this supplication just as he would teach us a Surah from the Qur'an: 'Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min 'adhabi jahannam, wa a'udhu bika min 'adhabil-qabr, wa a'udhu bika min fitnatil-masihil-dajjal, wa a'udhu bika min fitnatil-mahya wal-mamat (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the torment of Hell, and I seek refuge with You from the torment of the grave, and I see refuge with you from the tribulation of False Christ, and I seek refuge with You from the trials of life and death).'"

Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to supplicate: "O Allah, make the provisions of family of Muhammad (PBUH) bare subsistence."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "A slave becomes nearest to his Rubb when he is in prostration. So increase supplications in prostrations."

[Muslim].

(I think that the people of Ziyad informed me that he reported on the authority of the Prophet (saws): A rider should go behind the bier, and those on foot should walk behind it, in front of it, on its right and on its left keeping near it. Prayer should be offered over an abortion and forgiveness and mercy supplicated for its parents.