‘A’isha said that God’s messenger liked comprehensive supplications and abandoned other kinds. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s messenger as saying, “The supplication which gets the quickest answer is that made by one distant friend for another.” Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

I asked the Prophet’s permission to perform an ‘umra and he gave me permission, saying, “Include me in your supplication, little brother, and do not forget me.” Then he said a word to me for which I would not be willing to take the world in exchange. Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it, Tirmidhi’s version ending with “do not forget me.”

one who has just ended a fast, a just imam, and one who has been wronged whose supplication is raised by God above the clouds and for which the gates of heaven are opened. The Lord says, ‘I swear by my might that I will certainly help you, though it be after some time’.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

that of a parent, that of a traveller, and that of one who has been wronged.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, “Let one of you ask his Lord for all that he needs, even for the thong of his sandal when it is cut.” He added in a version from Thabit al-Bunani in mursal form, “even asking Him for salt, and even asking Him for his thong when it is cut.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Anas said that God’s messenger used to raise his hands in supplication so that the whiteness under his armpits was visible.

Sahl b. Sa‘d told of the Prophet being accustomed to place his two fingers opposite his shoulders and make supplication.

As-Sa’ib b. Yazid, on his father’s authority, said that when the Prophet made supplication and raised his hands, he wiped his face with them. Baihaqi transmitted the three traditions in [Kitab] ad-Da'awat al-kabir.

‘Ikrima quoted Ibn ‘Abbas as saying, “When asking for something you should raise your hands opposite your shoulders or thereabout, when asking for forgiveness you should point with one finger, and when making earnest supplication you should stretch out both your hands.” In a version he said, “Earnest supplication should be made thus,” raising his hands and putting their backs next his face. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar used to say, “Your raising of your hands is an innovation. God’s messenger did no more than this,” meaning that he raised them to his breast. Ahmad transmitted it.

Ubayy b. Ka‘b said that when God’s messenger mentioned anyone for whom he made supplication, he began with himself. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan gharib sahih tradition.

He will give him as peedy answer, or store it up for him in the next world, or turn away from him an equivalent amount of evil.” Those who heard it said they would then make many supplications and he replied that God was more ready to answer than they were to ask. Ahmad transmitted it.

that of one who is wronged till help comes, that of a pilgrim till he comes home, that of one engaged in jihad till he stops, that of a sick person till he recovers, and that of someone for an absent brother. Then he added, “The one of those which gets the quickest answer is that for an absent brother.” Baihaqi transmitted it in [Kitab] ad-Da'awat al-kabir.

Abu Huraira and Abu Said reported God’s messenger as saying, “People will not sit remembering God without the angels surrounding them, mercy covering them, peace(1) descending on them, and God mentioning them among those who are with Him.” 1. Here I have translated as-sakina as "peace” , but cf. p.448, n. 2. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira said that when God’s messenger was travelling on the way to Mecca and came to a mountain called Jumdan he said, “Go on, this is Jumdan; the mufarriduna have gone ahead.” On being asked what the mufarriduna meant he replied, “Those men and women who make frequent remembrance of God.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Musa reported God’s messenger as saying, “He who remembers his Lord and he who does not are like the living and the dead.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as stating that God says, “I am present when my servant thinks of me, and I am with him when he remembers me. If he remembers me inwardly I shall remember him inwardly, and if he remembers me among people I shall remember him among people who are better than they.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Dharr reported God’s messenger as stating that God says, “He who does a good deed will have ten times that amount of blessing, and I shall give more; but he who does an evil deed will have an equivalent reward of evil, or I shall grant forgiveness. If anyone draws the length of a span near me I shall draw the length of a cubit near him, and if anyone draws the length of a cubit near me I shall draw the length of a fathom near him. If anyone comes to me walking I shall come to him at a run, and if anyone meets me with sins tantamount to the size of the earth, but has not associated anything with me, I shall meet him with a similar amount of forgiveness.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as stating that God has said, “If anyone is hostile to a friend of mine, I have declared war against him. No one draws near to me with anything dearer to me than what I have made obligatory for him. If my servant keeps drawing near to me with supererogatory acts I shall love him, and when I love him I shall be his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he grasps and his foot with which he walks. If he asks from me I shall certainly give him and if he seeks refuge in me I shall certainly give him refuge. I have not hesitated about anything I do as I hesitate about taking the soul of a believer who dislikes death, for I dislike grieving him, but he cannot escape it.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Bakr met me and asked, “How are you, Hanzala?” I replied, “Hanzala has become a hypocrite."He said, “Praise be to God! What are you saying?” I replied, “We are with God’s messenger and he reminds us of hell and paradise making us almost seem to see them, then when we go out and leave God’s messenger we have dealings with our wives, our children and our properties and forget much.” On hearing this Abu Bakr said, “I swear by God that I have the same kind of experience.” He and I then went to visit God’s messenger, and I said, “Hanzala has become a hypocrite, messenger of God.” He asked what I meant by that and I replied, “Messenger of God, we are with you when you are reminding us of hell and paradise and making us almost seem to see them, then when we go out and leave you we have dealings with our wives, our children and our properties and forget much.” God's messenger replied, “By Him in whose hand my soul is, if you were to continue in what you have been engaged in with me and in remembering God, the angles would shake hands with you when you lie down and when you walk about; 1. but, Hanzala, there is a time for everything.” He said this three times. 1. i.e. when you are at leisure and when you are engaged in business Muslim transmitted it.

Abud Darda’ reported God's messenger as saying, “Would you like me to tell you the best and purest of your deeds in the estimation of your King, those which raise your degrees highest, those which are better for you than spending gold and silver, and are better for you than that you should meet your enemy and cut off one another's head?” On receiving a reply in the affirmative he said, “It is remembering God.” Malik, Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, but Malik traced it no farther back than Abud Darda’.

‘Abdallah b. Busr told of a desert Arab coming to the Prophet and asking who was best among men, to which he replied, “Happy is he whose life is long and whose deeds are good.” He asked God’s messenger what deed was most excellent, and he replied, “That you should leave the world with the mention of God fresh on your tongue.” Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying, “When you come upon the pastures of paradise feed on them.” On being asked what the pastures of paradise were he replied that they were circles where God is remembered. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone sits in a place where he does not remember God, deprivation will descend on him from God; and if anyone lies down in a place where he does not remember God, vengeance will descend on him from God.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "People who arise from an assembly in which they did not remember God will be just as if they had got up from an ass's corpse, and it will be a cause of grief to them." Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

He reported God's messenger as saying, "If people sit in an assembly in which they do not remember God or invoke a blessing on their Prophet, vengeance will descend upon them. If God will He will punish them, but if He wills He will forgive them.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Umm Habiba reported God's messenger as saying, "Everything a son of Adam says counts against him and not in his favour, except recommending what is good, prohibiting what is objectionable, or making mention of God." Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a gharib tradition.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying, "Do not speak much without mentioning God, for much talk without mention of God produces hardness of heart, and the one who is farthest from God is he who has a hard heart." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Thauban said that when "And those who hoard gold and silver" 1. came down they were with the Prophet on one of his journeys. One of his companions said, "It has come down about gold and silver. Would that we knew what property is best so that we might get it!" He replied, "The best property is a tongue which makes mention of God, a grateful heart, and a believing wife who helps a man with his faith." 1. Qur’an, ix, 34. Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id said that Mu'awiya went out to a circle in the mosque and asked them what had made them sit together. When they replied that they had sat down to remember God, he said, "I adjure you by God, has nothing else made you sit together?" On their reply that there was certainly no other cause he said, "I did not adjure you because I suspected you. No one in my position with relation to God’s messenger has fewer traditions from him than I have; but God’s messenger went out to a circle of his companions and asked them what had made them sit there, and when they replied that they had sat together to remember God and praise Him for guiding them to Islam and bestowing favour on them he said, ‘I adjure you by God, has nothing else made you sit together?’ On their replying that there was certainly no other cause he said, ‘I did not adjure you because’ I suspected you, but Gabriel came to me and told me God is speaking proudly of you to the angels’." Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Busr told of a man saying, “Messenger of God, the ordinances of Islam are too many for me, so tell me something to which I may cling.” He replied, “Your tongue will continue to be supple by making mention of God.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it. Tirmidhi saying this is a hasan gharib tradition.

Abu Sa'id said God’s messenger was asked who would be most excellent and most exalted in degree in God’s estimation on the day of resurrection, and replied, “The men and women who make frequent mention of God.” He was asked if they would be superior even to the man who had fought in God’s path, and replied, “Even though he plied his sword among infidels and polytheists till it was broken and smeared with blood, the one who made mention of God would have a more excellent degree than he.” Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it, the latter saying this is a gharib tradition.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying, “The devil is couching at the heart of the son of Adam. When he mentions God he withdraws, but when he is neglectful he makes evil suggestions.” Bukhari mentioned it in a note.

Malik said he heard God’s messenger used to say, “The one who makes mention of God among those who are negligent is like one who goes on fighting after others have fled; the one who makes mention of God among those who are negligent is like a green branch upon a withered tree; (A version has, “Like a green tree amidst the trees”); the one who makes mention of God among those who are negligent is like a lamp in a dark house; the one who makes mention of God among those who are negligent will be shown by God during his lifetime his resting-place in paradise; and the one who makes mention of God among those who are negligent will be forgiven as many sins as the number of those who have the faculty of speech (fasih) and those who are destitute of it (a'jam)” Fasih refers to human beings and a'jam to animals. Razin transmitted it.

Mu'adh b. Jabal said, “A man does nothing more calculated to rescue him from God’s punishment than making mention of God.” Malik, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as stating that God says, "I am with my servant when he remembers me and his lips move making mention of me." Bukhari transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar told that the Prophet used to say, “Everything has a polish, and the polish for hearts is rememberance of God. Nothing is more calculated to resuce from God’s punishment than remembrance of God.” He was asked whether this did not apply also to jihad in God’s path, and said, “Not even if one should ply his sword till it is broken.” Baihaqi transmitted it in [Kitab] ad-Da'awat al-kabir.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “God had ninety-nine names, one short of a hundered. He who retains them in his memory* will enter paradise.” A version has, “And He is One. He loves what is single.” *The Arabic is ahsaha, a word which has different meanings. Besides the meaning above can mean to number, to reach the last number, to understand, to attain comprehensive knowledge. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “God Most High has ninety-nine names. He who retains them in his memory will enter paradise. He is God than whom there is no god, the Compassionate, the Merciful, the King, the Holy, the Source of Peace, the Preserver of security, the Protector, the Mighty, the Overpowering, the Great in Majesty, the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner, the Forgiver, the Dominant, the Bestower, the Provider, the Decider, the Knower, the Withholder, the Plentiful Giver, the Abaser, the Exalter, the Honourer, the Humiliator, the Hearer, the Seer, the Judge, the Just, the Gracious, the Informed, the Clement, the Incomparably Great, the Forgiving, the Rewarder, the Most High, the Most Great, the Preserver, the Sustainer, the Reckoner, the Majestic, the Generous, the Watcher, the Answerer, the Liberal, the Wise, the Loving, the Glorious, the Raiser, the Witness, the Real, the Trustee, the Strong, the Firm, the Patron, the Praiseworthy, the All-Knowing, the Originator, the Restorer to life, the Giver of life, the Giver of death, the Living, the Eternal, the Self-sufficient, the Grand, the One, the Single, He to whom men repair, the Powerful, the Prevailing, the Advancer, the Delayer, the First, the Last, the Outward, the Inward, the Governor, the Sublime, the Amply Beneficent, the Accepter of Repentance, the Avenger, the Pardoner, the Kindly, the Ruler of the Kingdom, the Lord of Majesty and Splendour, the Equitable, the Gatherer, the Independent, the Enricher, the Depriver, the Harmer, the Benefiter, the Light, the Guide, the First Cause*, the Enduring, the Inheritor, the Director, the Patient.” *Or, 'the Incomparable' (al-badi'). Tirmidhi and Baihaqi, in [Kitab] ad-Da'awat al-kabir, transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this a gharib tradition.

Buraida told that God’s messenger heard a man saying, “O God I ask Thee by virtue of Thy being God than whom there is no god, the One, He to whom men repair, who has not begotten and has not been begotten, and to whom no one is equal,” and said, “He has supplicated God using His greatest name, when asked by which He gives and when supplicated by which He answers.” Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

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.

Asma’ daughter of Yazid reported the Prophet as saying, “God’s greatest name is in these two verses, ‘And your God is one God; there is no god but He, the Compassionate, the Merciful’ [Qur'an, ii, 163.], and the beginning of Al 'Imran, ‘A.L.M. God, there is no god but He, the Living, the Eternal’ [Qur'an, iii. 1.]” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

“There is no god but Thee to whom be the glory. I was indeed a wrongdoer.” [Qur'an, xxi, 87] Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

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.

Glory be to God; Praise be to God; there is no god but God; and God is most great." A version has, "The words dearest to God are four: Glory be to God; Praise be to God; there is no god but God; and God is most great. It does not matter which you say first." Muslim transmitted it.

Glory be to God; Praise be to God; there is no god but God; and God is most great, is dearer to me than everything on which the sun rises." Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God’s messenger as saying that if anyone says a hundred times in a day, "Glory be to God, and I begin with praise to Him", his sins will be removed from him though they are like the foam of the sea. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He reported God’s messenger as saying that if anyone says a hundred times morning and evening, "Glory be to God, and I begin with praise of Him", only one who said what he said, or more than it, will bring anything more excellent than he on the day of resurrection. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Glory be to God, and I begin with praise of Him; and Glory be to God the Incomparably Great." (Bukhari and Muslim.)