Allah waits till when one-third of the first part of the night is over; He descends to the lowest heaven and says: It there any supplicator of forgiveness? Is there any penitant? Is there any petitioner (for mercy and favour)? Is there any solicitor? -till it is daybreak.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) used to say at the end of his witr: "O Allah, I seek refuge in Thy good pleasure from Thy anger, and in Thy forgiveness from Thy punishment, and I seek refuge in Thy mercy from Thy wrath. I cannot reckon the praise due to Thee. Thou art as Thou hast praised Thyself."

Abu Dawud said: Hisham is the earliest teacher of Hammad. Yahya b. Ma'in said: No one is reported to have narrated traditions form him except Hammad b. Salamah.

Abu Dawud said: Ubayy b. Ka'b said: The Messenger of Allah (saws) recited supplication in the witr before bowing.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been narrated by 'Isa b. Yunus through a different chain of narrators from Ubayy b. Ka'b. He also narrated it through a different chain of narrators on the authority of Ubayy b. Ka'b that the Messenger of Allah (saw) recited the supplication in the witr before bowing.

Abu Dawud said: The chain of narrators of the tradition of Sa'id from Qatadah goes: Yazid b. Zurai' narrated from Sa'id, from Qatadah, from 'Azrah, from Sa'id b. 'Abd al-Rahman b. Abza, on the authority of his father, from the Prophet (saws). This version does not mention the supplication and the name of Ubayy. This tradition has also been narrated by 'Abd al-A'la and Muhammad b. Bishr al-'Abdi. He heard the traditions from 'Isa b. Yunus at Kufah. They did not mention the supplication in their version.

This tradition has also been narrated by Hisham al-Dastuwa'i and Shu'bah from Qatadah. They did not mention the supplication in their version. The tradition of Zubaid has been narrated by Sulaiman al-A'mash, Shu'bah, 'Abd al-Malik b. Abi Sulaiman, and Jarir b. Hazim; all of them narrated on the authority of Zubaid. None of them mention the supplication in his version, except in the tradition transmitted by Hafs b. Ghiyath from Mis'ar from Zubaid; he narrated in his version that he (the Prophet) recited supplication before bowing.

Abu Dawud said: This version of tradition is not well know. There is doubt that Hafs might have narrated this tradition from some other narrator than Mis'ar.

Abu Dawud said: It is reported that Ubayy (b. Ka'b) used to recited the supplication )in the witr) in the second half of Ramadan.

By Allah, I love you, Mu'adh. I give some instruction to you. Never leave to recite this supplication after every (prescribed) prayer: "O Allah, help me in remembering You, in giving You thanks, and worshipping You well."

Mu'adh willed this supplication to the narrator al-Sunabihi and al-Sunabihi to 'Abu Abd al-Rahman.

"I said to the Prophet: 'Your paternal uncle, the old misguided man has died. Who will bury him?' He said: 'Go and bury your father, then do not do anything until you come to me.' So I buried him then I came, and he told me to perform Ghusl and he prayed for me, and he mentioned a supplication that I do not remember."'

"The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min 'ilmin la yanfa'u, wa min qalbin la yakhsha'u, wa min nafsin la tashba'u, wa min du'a'in la yusma' (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from knowledge that is of no benefit, a heart that is not humble, a soul that is not satisfied and a supplication that is not heard.)'"

The Prophet (saws) said: When you pray over the dead, make a sincere supplication for him.

There is no harm in uttering supplication in prayer, in its beginning, in its middle, and in the end, in obligatory prayer or other.

"I met Umm 'Atiyyah and said to her: 'Did you hear the Messenger of Allah (SAW) say (anything)?' When she mentioned him, she would say: 'May my father be ransomed for him.' (He said) 'Bring out the adolescent girls and the women in seclusion and let them witness goodness and the supplication of the Muslims, but let the menstruating women keep away from the place where the people pray.'"

"I asked the Mother of the Believers 'Aishah about what the Messenger of Allah [SAW] used to say in his supplication. She said: 'He used to say: A'udhu bika min sharri ma 'amiltu wa min sharri ma lam a'mal ba'd (I seek refuge with You from the evil of what I have done and the evil of what I have not done yet.)'"

Lord of the people, remove the malady, cure him for Thou art a great Curer. There is no cure but through Thine healing Power which leaves no trouble, and in the narration transmitted on the authority of Abu Bakr there is a slight variation of wording.

You have not power enough to undergo the torment imposed by Allah. And there is no mention of: He supplicated Allah for him and He cured him.

By Allah, I shall offer prayer like that of the Messenger of Allah (saws). The narrator said: Abu Hurairah used to recite the supplication in the last rak'ah of the noon, night and dawn prayers. He would supplicate for the believers and curse the disbelievers.

The Prophet (saws) used to recite the supplication in the dawn prayer. The version of Ibn Mu'adh has the words: "sunset prayer".

"The Messenger of Allah [SAW] used to say: 'Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min al-arba': min 'ilmin la yanfa'u, wa min qalbin la yakhsha'u, wa min nafsin la tashba'u, wa min du'a'in la yusma'u (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from four: From knowledge that is of no benefit, from a heart that is not humble, from a soul that is not satisfied and from a supplication that is not answered.)'"

"I said to 'Aishah: 'Tell me of a supplication that the Messenger of Allah [SAW] used to say.' She said: 'He used to say: Allahumma, inni a'udhu bika min sharri ma 'amiltu wa min sharri ma lam a'mal ba'd (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done and from the evil of what I have not done.)'"

"I prayed with the Prophet (SAW) one night. He started to recite Al-Baqarah and I thought, 'he will bow when he reaches one hundred,' but he carried on. I thought, 'he is going to recite the whole surah in one rak'ah,' but he carried on. He started to recite An-Nisa' and recited (the whole surah), then he started to recite Al Imran and recited (the whole surah), reciting slowly. When he reached a verse that spoke of glorifying Allah (SWT), he glorified Him. When he reached a verse that spoke of supplication, he made supplication. When he reached a verse that spoke of seeking refuge with Allah, he sought refuge with Him. Then he bowed and said: 'Subhana Rabbiyal-Azim.(Glory be to my Lord Almighty)', and he bowed for almost as long as he had stood. Then he raised his head and said: 'Sami Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him)', and he stood for almost as long as he had bowed. Then he prostrated and started to say: Subhana Rabbiyal-'Ala (Glory be to my Lord Most High),' and he prostrated for almost as long as he had bowed.'"

"The Prophet (SAW) drew back the curtain when the people were in rows behind Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, and said: 'O people, there is nothing left of the features of Prophethood except a good dream that a Muslim sees or is seen by others for him.' Then he said: 'Verily, I have been forbidden from reciting the Qur'an when bowing or prostrating. As for bowing, glorify the Lord therein, and as for prostration, strive hard in supplication for it is more deserving of a response.'"

"I said to 'Aishah: 'Tell me of a supplication that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to say in his prayer.' She said: 'Yes. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) used to say: Allahumma inni author bika min sharri ma 'amiltu wa min sharri ma lam a'mal (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the evil of that which I have done, and the evil of that which I have not done.)'"

"The Messenger of Allah said to Mu'adh when he sent him to Yemen: 'You are going to some of the People of the book. When you come to them, call them to testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. If they obey you in that, then tell them that Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has enjoined on them a charity (Zakah) to be taken from their rich and given to their poor. If they obey you in that, then beware of the supplication of the oppressed person."'

"I asked 'Aishah: 'Tell me of something that the Messenger of Allah [SAW] used to say in his supplication.' She said: 'The Messenger of Allah [SAW] used to say: Allahumma, inni a'udhu bika min sharri ma 'amiltu wa min sharri ma lam a'mal ba'd (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the evil of what I have done and from the evil of what I have not done.)'"

The Prophet (saws) said: The supplication which gets the quickest answer is that made by one distant Muslim for another.

I sought permission of the Prophet (saws) to perform umrah. He gave me permission and said: My younger brother, do not forget me in your supplication.

He (Umar) said: He told me a word that pleased me so much so that I would not have been pleased if I were given the whole world.

The narrator Shu'bah said: I then met Asim at Medina. He narrated to me this tradition and reported the wordings: "My younger brother, share me in your supplication."

When half of the night or two-third of it is over. Allah, the Blessed and the Exalted, descends to the lowest heaven and says: Is there any beggar, so that he be given? Is there any supplicator so that he be answered? Is there any beggar of forgiveness so that he be forgiven? (And Allah continues it saying) till it is daybreak.

(O Allah! ) let Thee be the caretaker of what is left by him, and he said: Grant him expansion of the grave, but he did not say: Make his grave spacious. Khalid said: He supplicated for the seventh (thing too) which I have forgotten.

" O Allah, grant me pardon, have mercy upon me, direct me to the path of righteousness, grant me protection and provide me sustenance."

Earnest supplication should be made like this: he raised his hand and made his palms in the direction of his face.

When the Prophet (saws) made supplication (to Allah) he would raise his hands and wipe his face with his hands.

"One of you is granted an answer (to his supplication) provided he does not say: 'I prayed but I was not granted an answer.'"

"I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, teach me a supplication from which I may benefit.' He said: 'Say: Allahumma 'afini min sharri sam'i, wa basari, wa lisani, wa qalbi, wa min sharri mani (O Allah, protect me from the evil of my hearing, my seeing, my tongue and my heart, and from the evil of my sperm.)'" - Meaning sexual organ.

"I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, teach me a supplication from which I may benefit.' He said: 'Say: Allahumma 'afini min sharri sam'i, wa basari, wa lisani, wa qalbi, wa sharri mani (O Allah, protect me from the evil of my hearing, my seeing, my tongue and my heart, and the evil of my sperm.)" - Meaning his sexual organ.

The nearest a servant come to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself, so make supplication often.

Muhammad reported on the authority of some of his teachers that Ubayy b. Ka'b led them in prayer during Ramadan. He used to recite the supplication (in the witr) during the second half of Ramadan.

"Three supplications are accepted , there is no doubt in them (about them being accepted): The supplication of the oppressed, the supplication of the traveler, and the supplication of his father against his son."

Verily the sun and the moon are the two signs among the signs of Allah by which He frightens his servants and they do not eclipse on account of the death of any one of the people. So when you see anything about them, observe prayer, supplicate Allah till it is cleared from you.

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Three supplications are answered without doubt. The supplication of the oppressed, the supplication of the traveller, and the supplication of the parent for his son."

[At- Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud].

"I was sitting with the Messenger of Allah (SAW) and a man was standing and praying. When he bowed, prostrated and recited the tashahhud, he supplicated, and in his supplication he said: "Allahumma inni as'aluka bi-anna lakal-hamd, lailaha illa ant, al-mannanu badi'us-samawati wal-ard, ya dhal-jalali wal-ikram! Ya hayyu ya qayyum! Inni as'aluka. (O Allah, indeed I ask You since all praise is due to You, there is none worthy of worship but You, the Bestower, the Creator of the heavens and earth, O Possessor of majesty and honor, O Ever-living, O-Eternal, I ask of You.)' The Prophet (SAW) said: 'Do you know what he has supplicated with?' They said: "Allah (SWT) and His Messenger know best." He said: 'By the One in Whose Hand is my soul, he called upon Allah by His greatest Name, which, if He is called by it, He responds, and if He is asked by it, He gives.'"

The Messenger of Allah (saws) used to keep to the rear when travelling and urge on the weak. He would take someone up behind him and make supplication for them all.

When the Messenger of Allah [SAW] traveled, he would say: "Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min wa'tha'is-safari, wa kabatil-munqalabi, wal-hawri ba'dal-kawri, wa da'watil-mazlumi, wa suw'il-munzari fil-ahli wal-mal (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the hardships of travel and the sorrows of return, from loss after plenty, from the supplication of the one who has been wronged, and seeing some calamity befall my family or wealth.)"

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh)went out to the place of prayer to pray for rain. When he wanted to make supplication, he faced the qiblah and turned around his cloak.

The Prophet (may peace be upon him) used to make supplication for rain in this manner. he spread his hands keeping the inner side (of hands) towards the earth, so I witnessed the whiteness of his armpits.

The Prophet (saws) said: Do not cover the walls. He who sees the letter of his brother without his permission, sees Hell-fire.

Supplicate Allah with the palms of your hands; do not supplicate Him with their backs upwards. When you finish supplication, wipe your faces with them.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been transmitted through a different chains by Muhammad b. Ka'b; all of them are weak. The chain I have narrated is best of them; but it is also weak.

I was sitting with the Messenger of Allah (saws) and a man was offering prayer. He then made supplication: 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.

The Prophet (saws) then said: He has supplicated Allah using His Greatest Name, when supplicated by this name, He answers, and when asked by this name He gives.

The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Du'a (supplication) is worship."

[Abu Dawud].

"The Messenger of Allah (SAW) drew aside the curtain when he had a cloth wrapped around his head during his final illness, and said: 'O Allah, I have conveyed (the Message)' three times. 'There is nothing left of the features of Prophethood except a good dream that a person sees or is seen by others for him. But I have been forbidden to recite the Qur'an when bowing and prostrating, so when you bow, then glorify your Lord and when you prostrate, then strive hard in supplication, for it is more deserving of a response.'"

The Messenger of Allah used to teach them this supplication as he taught them surahs of the Quran: Allahumma inna na'udhu bika min 'adhabil-qabri wa a'udhu bika min fitnatil-masihid-dajjal, wa a'udhu bika min fitnatil-mahya wal-mamat (O Allah, We seek refuge with You from the torment of Hell, and I seek refuge with You from the torment of the grave, and I seek refuge with You from the trail of Al-Masihid-Dajjal, and I seek refuge with You from the trails of life and death.)"

When the Messenger of Allah [SAW] traveled, he would say: "Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min wa'tha'is-safari, wa kabatil-munqalabi, wal-hawri ba'dal-kawri, wa da'watil-mazlumi, wa su'il-munzari fil-ahli wal-mali wal-walad (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the hardships of travel and the sorrows of return, from loss after plenty, from the supplication of the one who has been wronged, and seeing some calamity befall my family or wealth or child.)"

"No supplication is more readily responded to, than the supplication made for someone who is absent."

I spent a night with my maternal aunt (sister of my mother) Maimuna. The Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) got up during the night and relieved himself, then washed his face and hands and went to sleep. He then got up again, and came to the water skin and loosened its straps, then performed good ablution between the two extremes. He then stood up and observed prayer. I also stood up and stretched my body fearing that he might be under the impression that I was there to find out (what he did at night). So I also performed ablution and stood up to pray, but I stood on his left. He took hold of my hand and made me go around to his right side. The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) completed thirteen rak`ahs of his night prayer. He then lay down and slept and snored (and it was his habit to snore while asleep). Then Bilal came and he informed him about the prayer. He (the Holy Prophet) then stood up for prayer and did not perform ablution, and his supplication included these words: "O Allah, place light in my heart, light in my sight, light in my hearing, light on my right hand, light on my left hand, light above me, light below me, light in front of me, light behind me, and enhance light for me." Kuraib (the narrator) said: There are seven (words more) which are in my heart (but I cannot recall them) and I met some of the descendants of Al-`Abbas and they narrated these words to me and mentioned in them: (Light) in my sinew, in my flesh, in my blood, in my hair, in my skin, and made a mention of two more things.

Ibn al-Munkadir, Ibn Abi Farwah and a number of jurists of Madina said to me: When you recite the supplication “I am first of the Muslims,” say instead; “I am one of the Muslims”.

The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) went out one day in order to pray for rain. He turned his back towards people, supplicated before Allah, facing towards Qibla, and turned his mantle round and then observed two rak'ahs of prayer.