‘Ali reported that God’s messenger used to say when he lay down, "O God, I seek refuge in Thy noble Person and in Thy perfect words from the evil of what Thou seizest by its forelock; O God, Thou removest debt and sin; O God, Thy troop is not routed, Thy promise is not broken, and the riches of the rich do not avail against Thee. Glory and praise be unto Thee." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id reported God's messenger as saying that if anyone says three times when going to bed, "I ask the forgiveness of God than whom there is no god, the Living, the Eternal, and I turn in repentance to Him," God will forgive him his sins, even if they are like the foam of the sea, or in number like the sand which is accumulated,* or as many as the leaves of the trees, or as numerous as the days of this world. *The word is ‘alij. Some say ‘Alij is a place in the desert, the translation being ‘the sand of ‘Alij; others treat it as translated above. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.

Shaddad b. Aus reported God’s messenger as saying, "If any Muslim recites a sura from God’s Book when he goes to bed, God will put an angel in charge of him, and nothing which may harm him will come near him till he wakes". Tirmidhi transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As reported God’s messenger as saying there are two characteristics which will not be retained by any Muslim without his entering paradise. While they are easy, those who act upon them are few. One should say ‘Glory be to God’ ten times after every prayer, ‘Praise be to God’ ten times and ‘God is most great’ ten times. (He said he had seen God’s messenger counting them on his hand, and saying, “That is a hundred and fifty on the tongue, but one thousand five hundred in the scale”).[The three phrases each said ten times after the five times of prayer makes a hundred and fifty, and as a good deed gets a ten-fold reward the total is treated as one thousand five hundred.] When he goes to his bed he should say ‘Glory be to God,’ ‘God is most Great’ and ‘Praise be to God’ a hundred times, for that is a hundred on the tongue, but a thousand in the scale. He asked them which of them could commit two thousand five hundred sins in a day and a night.* He was asked how they could not retain these characteristics, and told them that the devil comes to a man while he is engaged in prayer, calling such and such and such and such to his memory until he turns away and perhaps may not do it. He also comes to him on his bed and keeps on making him sleep till he falls asleep. *The thousand plus the preceding fifteen hundred make two thousand five hundred good deeds with which the man who observes the two characteristics mentioned is credited, and as one could hardly commit as many sins in a day and a night there is a balance in his favour. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it. In Abu Dawud's version he said, “Two qualities or two characteristics will not be adhered to by a Muslim ...” And also in his version after saying “One thousand five hundred in the scale” he said, “When he goes to his bed he should say ‘God is most great’ thirty-four times, ‘Praise be to God’ thirty-three times and ‘Glory be to God’ thirty-three times.” In most texts of al-Masabih it is given on the authority of ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar.

‘Abdallah b. Ghannam reported God’s messenger as saying, that if anyone says in the morning, "O God, whatever favour has come to me or to any of Thy creatures in the morning, it comes from Thee alone who hast no partner, to whom be praise and thanksgiving," he will have expressed full thanksgiving for the day; and if anyone says the same in the evening he will have expressed full thanksgiving for the night. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told that when the Prophet went to his bed he used to say, “O God, Lord of the heavens, Lord of the earth, Lord of everything, who splittest the grain and the kernel, who hast sent down the Torah, the Injil and the Qur’an, I seek refuge in Thee from the evil of every evil agent whose forelock Thou seizest. Thou art the First and there is nothing before Thee; Thou art the Last and there is nothing after Thee; Thou art the Outward and there is nothing above Thee; Thou art the Inward and there is nothing below Thee. Pay the debt for me and grant me riches instead of poverty.” Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it. Muslim also transmitted it with a slight difference.

Abul Azhar al-Aimari told that when God’s messenger went to his bed at night he said, “In the name of God. I have laid down my side for God. O God, forgive me my sin, drive away my devil, free me from my responsibility, and place me in the highest assembly.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar told that when God’s messenger went to his bed at night he said, “Praise be to God who has given me sufficiency, has guarded me, given me food and drink, been most gracious to me, and given to me most lavishly. Praise be to God in every circumstance. O God, Lord and King of everything, God of everything, I seek refuge in Thee from hell.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Buraida said that Khalid b. al-Walid complained to God’s messenger that he was afflicted by sleeplessness at night, and God’s Prophet told him to say when he went to his bed, “O God, Lord of the seven heavens and what they overshadow, Lord of the earths and what they carry, Lord of the devils and what they lead astray, be a Protector to me from the evil of Thy entire creation lest any of them do evil or act wrongfully to me. Strong is Thy protection and glorious is Thy praise. There is no god other than Thee. There is no god but Thee.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a tradition whose isnad is not strong, and the traditions of al-Hakam b. Zuhair, the transmitter, are abandoned by some traditionists.

Abu Malik reported God’s messenger as saying that when one got up in the morning he should say, "We have reached the morning, and in the morning the dominion belongs to God, the Lord of the universe, O God, I ask Thee for the good this day contains, for conquest, victory, light, blessing and guidance during it; and I seek refuge in Thee from the evil it contains and the evil contained in what comes after it." In the evening he should say the like. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abd ar-Rahman b. Abu Bakra said that he remarked to his father that he had heard him say every morning, “O God, grant me soundness in my body; O God, grant me soundness in my hearing; O God, grant me soundness in my sight. There is no god but Thee and that he repeated it three times morning and evening. He replied, "Sonny, I heard God’s messenger using these words as a supplication and I like to follow his practice." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Abu Aufa told that God’s messenger said in the morning, "We have reached the morning, and in the morning the dominion belongs to God; praise is due to God; majesty and might belong to God; the creation, the command, night and day and what is at rest by night and day belong to God. O God, make the beginning of this day uprightness, its middle success, and its end attainment, O most merciful among those who show mercy." Nawawi mentioned it in Kitab al-adhkar by the transmission of Ibn as-Sunni.

‘Abd ar-Rahman b. Abza told that God's messenger used to say in the morning, “We have reached the morning following the original religion of Islam, the assertion of God’s unity, the religion of our Prophet Muhammad, and the rite of our father Abraham who was a hanif and was not one of the polytheists." [cf. Qur’an, ii. 135; iii, 95; vi, 161; xvi, 123.] Ahmad and Darimi transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying that if anyone who means to have intercourse with his wife says, “In the name of God. O God, keep us away from the devil and keep the devil away from what Thou hast provided us,” should it be ordained that a child be born to them thereby, no devil will ever harm it. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He told that God’s messenger used to say when he was anxious “There is no god but God, the Incomparably Great, the Clement; there is no god but God, the Lord of the mighty Throne; there is no god but God, the Lord of the heavens, the Lord of the earth, and the Lord of the noble Throne.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Two men reviled one another in the Prophet’s presence when we were sitting near him, and when one of them who had become red in the face reviled the other angrily the Prophet said that he knew a phrase by repeating which the man could get rid of his angry feelings: “I seek refuge in God from that accursed devil.” Those present asked the man whether he heard what the Prophet was saying, and he replied, “I am not possessed by a devil.”* *Majnun. The word literally means to be possessed by a jinni, but it can also mean to be possessed by a devil. Shaitan is used in the preceding sentence. Majnun is also used meaning ‘mad’, but that does not fit this context. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, “When you hear the cocks crowing ask God for some of His grace, for they have seen an angel; but when you hear an ass braying seek refuge in God from the devil, for it has seen a devil.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Umar said that when God’s messenger sat on his camel to go out on a journey, he said “God is most great” three times. Then he said, "Glory be to Him who has made this subservient to us, for we had not the strength for it, and to our Lord do we return. O God, we ask Thee in this journey of ours for uprightness, piety and such deeds as are pleasing to Thee. O God, make easy for us this journey of ours and make its length short for us. O God, Thou art the Companion in the journey and the One who looks after the family and the property in our absence. O God, I seek refuge in Thee from the difficulty of travelling, unhappiness in what I see, and finding harm has come when I return to my property and family." When he returned he said these words, adding, "Returning, repentant, serving and praising our Lord." [cf. Qur’an, ix, 112.] Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Sarjis said that when God’s messenger went on a journey he sought refuge in God from the difficulty of the journey, sorrow when he returned, scarcity after abundance, the claim of the oppressed, and seeing harm come to his family and property. Muslim transmitted it.

Khaula daughter of Hakim said she heard God’s messenger say that if anyone says when he alights somewhere, "I seek refuge in God’s perfect words from the evil of what He has created," no evil will befall him till he departs from that alighting-place of his. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told of a man coming to God’s messenger and saying, “Messenger of God, what I have suffered from a scorpion which stung me last night!” He replied that if he had said in the evening, "I seek refuge in God’s perfect words from the evil of what He has created," it would not have harmed him. Muslim transmitted it.

He said that when the Prophet was on a journey he would say at daybreak, "Let a hearer hear beginning with praise of God and His good favour towards us. Our Lord, accompany us and show favour to us who are seeking refuge in God from hell." Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said that when God’s messenger returned from an expedition, a hajj, or an ‘umra, on every rising piece of ground he would say three times, "God is most great." Then he would say, “There is no god but God alone who has no partner, to whom the dominion belongs, to whom praise is due, and who is omnipotent. We are returning repentant, serving, prostrating ourselves before our Lord, and expressing praise. God alone has verified His promise, helped His servant, and routed the Confederates.”* *The reference is to the siege of Medina in 5 A.H. when a trench was dug as a protection. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Abdallah b. Abu Aufa said that God’s messenger invoked a curse on the polytheists at the battle of the Confederates, saying, “O God, who hast sent down the Book and art quick to take reckoning; O God, rout the Confederates, rout them and convulse them.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Abdallah b. Busr said that God’s messenger visited his father and they presented him with some food and a mixture of dates, dried curd and clarified butter,* some of which he ate. Then some dates were brought to him and he ate them, throwing away the stones between two fingers, joining the forefinger and the middle finger. A version says that he began to throw away the stones on the outside of his forefinger and middle finger. He was then brought something to drink, and when he had drunk it [‘Abdallah’s] father took hold of the bridle of his beast and said, “Supplicate God for us.” So he said, “O God, bless them in that with which Thou hast provided them, forgive them and show them mercy.” *The Arabic word for this dish is watba. The word hais is used for very much the same dish. See p. 439, n.1. Muslim transmitted it.

Talha b. ‘Ubaidallah told that when the Prophet saw the new moon he said, “O God, make the new moon rise on us with security, faith, safety and Islam. My Lord and your Lord is God.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan gharib tradition.

‘Umar b. al-Khattab and Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying that if anyone says, on seeing someone who is suffering affliction, “Praise be to God who has kept me free from the affliction He has brought on him and has shown me favour above many whom He has created,” that affliction, whatever it may be, will not smite him. Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted it from Ibn ‘Umar. Tirmidhi said this is a gharib tradition, and ‘Amr b. Dinar, the transmitter, is not strong.

‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying that if anyone says on entering the market, “There is no god but God alone who has no partner, to whom belongs the dominion, to whom praise is due, who gives life and causes death while He is living and does not die, in whose hand is good, and who is omnipotent,” God will record for him a million good deeds, obliterate from him a million evil deeds, raise him a million degrees, and build him a house in paradise. Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a gharib tradition. Sharh as-sunna has, “Says in a general market in which things are sold,” instead of “on entering the market.”

Mu'adh b. Jabal said the Prophet heard a man making supplication saying, “O God, I ask Thee for complete favour,” and asked him what complete favour meant. On his replying that it was a supplication by which he hoped to receive good, he said, “Part of complete favour is to enter paradise and be safe from hell.” He heard a man saying, “O Possessor of majesty and splendour,” and said, “Your prayer is answered, so make request.” The Prophet also heard a man who was saying, “O God, I ask Thee for endurance,” and said, “You have asked God for trial; now ask Him for wellbeing.” [Or, "ask Him for health."] Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying that if anyone sits in an assembly where there is much clamour* and says before getting up to leave, “Glory be to Thee, O God, and I begin with praise of Thee; I testify that there is no god but Thou; I ask Thy pardon and turn to Thee in repentance,” he will be forgiven for what took place in that assembly where he was. *Or, ‘wicked talk,’ or, 'meaningless talk' Tirmidhi and Baihaqi in [Kitab] ad-Da'awat al-kabir, transmitted it.

‘Ali was brought a beast to ride, and when he put his foot in the stirrup he said, “In the name of God.” Then when he sat on its back he said, “Praise be to God.” He then said, “Glory be to Him who has made this subservient to us, for we had not the strength, and to our Lord do we return.” He then said, “Praise be to God (thrice); God is most great (thrice); Glory be to Thee. I have wronged myself, so forgive me, for only Thou forgivest sins.” He then laughed, and when he was asked what he was laughing at, he replied that he had seen God’s messenger do as he had done and laugh after that. He had asked him what he was laughing at, and he told him that his Lord was pleased with His servant when he asked Him to forgive him his sins, for God says, “He knows that I alone forgive sins.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar told that when the Prophet said farewell to a man he took him by the hand and did not let it go till the man let go the Prophet’s hand, and he would say, “I entrust to God your religion, what you are responsible for, and your last deeds.” A version has “Your final deeds.”* *The text of the tradition has akhira 'amalika and the version khawatima 'amalika, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it, but in the version of the last two “your last deeds” is not mentioned.

‘Abdallah al-Khatmi told that when God’s messenger wanted to commend an army [to God’s care] he said, “I entrust to God your religion, what you are responsible for, and your final deeds.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Anas told of a man coming to the Prophet and saying, “Messenger of God, I intend to make a journey, so give me provisions.” He replied, “May God provide you with piety!” He asked for more, so he added, “And forgive your sin.” He said, “Say more, you for whom I would give my father and mother as ransom,” and he added, “And give you abundance of good wherever you are,” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan gharib tradition.

Abu Huraira told of a man who said, “Messenger of God, I intend to make a journey, so give me an injunction.” He told him to maintain fear of God and say “God is most great” on every rising ground, and when the man turned away he said, “O God, make the distance short for him and make the journey easy for him.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said that when God’s messenger was travelling and night came on he said, "O earth, my Lord and your Lord is God; I seek refuge in God from your evil, the evil of what you contain, the evil of what has been created in you, and the evil of what creeps upon you; I seek refuge in God from lions, from large black snakes, from other snakes, from scorpions, from the evil of jinn [Or it may be human inhabitants.] which inhabit a settlement and from a parent and his offspring."* *This last phrase occurs in Qur’an, xc, 3 where it appears to be used in a straightforward sense; but in the tradition it is said to be a reference to lblis and his offspring of devils. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Anas told that when God’s messenger went on an expedition he said, "O God, Thou art my aider and helper; by Thee I move, by Thee I attack, and by Thee I fight." Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Musa told that when the Prophet feared a people he said, "O God, we put Thee in front of them, and we seek refuge in Thee from their evils." Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Umm Salama told that when the Prophet went out of his house he said, “In the name of God; I trust in God; O God, we seek refuge in Thee from slipping, or straying, or causing injustice, or suffering injustice, or doing wrong, or having wrong done to us." Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Nasa'i transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a hasan sahih tradition, In the version of Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah, Umm Salama said that God’s messenger never went out of her house without raising his eye to the sky and saying, “O God, I seek refuge in Thee lest I stray or lead others stray,* or cause injustice, or suffer injustice, or do wrong, or have wrong done to me.” *Some read as above, but others read 'or be led astray'.

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying that when a man goes out of his house and says, "In the name of God; I trust in God; there is no might and no power but in God," the following will be said to him at that time, "You are guided, defended and protected." The devil will go far from him and another devil will say, "How can you deal with a man who has been guided, defended and protected?" Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Tirmidhi transmitted up to “the devil will go far from him."

Abu Malik al-Ash'ari reported God's messenger as saying that when a man goes into his house he should say, “O God, I ask Thee for good both when entering and when going out; in the name of God we have entered and in God our Lord do we trust.” He should then greet his family. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Huraira said that when the Prophet congratulated* a man on his marriage he said, “God bless you, bless you both, and prosper your union.” *The verb used is raffa'a which originally meant saying to someone who had just been married, "may the marriage produce close union and sons." It is said that because this was a phrase used in pre-lslamic times, the Prophet substituted for it the words used in this tradition. The verb thus develops simply the meaning of congratulating without in itself involving any particular formula. Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

'Amr b. Shu'aib, on his father’s authority, said his grandfather told how the Prophet said that when anyone of them married a woman, or bought a servant he should say, “O God, I ask Thee for the good in her and in the disposition Thou hast given her, and I seek refuge in Thee from the evil in her and in the disposition Thou hast given her.” When he buys a camel he should take hold of the top of its hump and say the same kind of thing. In a version regarding a woman and a servant it says he should take hold of her forelock and make supplication for a blessing. Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Bakra reported God’s messenger as saying that the supplications to be used by one who is distressed are, “O God, Thy mercy is what I hope for. Do not abandon me to myself for an instant, but put all my affairs in good order for me. There is no god but Thou.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri told of a man who said to God’s messenger that he was entangled in cares and debts. He replied, “Shall I not teach you words by which, when you say them, God will remove your care and settle your debt?” and when the man expressed a desire to hear them he told him to say morning and evening, “O God, I seek refuge in Thee from care and grief; I seek refuge in Thee from incapacity and slackness; I seek refuge in Thee from niggardliness and cowardice; I seek refuge in Thee from being overcome by debt and being put in subjection by men.” He said that when he did that God removed his care and settled his debt. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Ali told of a slave who had made a contract with his master to pay for his freedom(1) coming to him and saying, “I am unable to fulfill my contract,* so give me help.” He suggested teaching him words he had been taught by God’s messenger, which would be so effective that if he had a debt as large as a huge mountain God would pay it for him, telling him to say, “O God, grant me enough of what Thou makest lawful so that I may dispense with what Thou makest unlawful, and make me able by Thy grace to dispense with all but Thee.” 1. Mukatab. Although the term comes from the root meaning to write, the contract was not necessarily written. *Kitabati. While the word properly refers to something written, it is used for a contract whether written or not. Tirmidhi and Baihaqi, in [Kitab] ad-Da'awat al-kabir, transmitted it.

‘A'isha said that when God’s messenger sat in an assembly or prayed he spoke some words, so she asked him about them. Saying that they were, “Glory be to Thee, O God, and I begin with praise of Thee; there is no god but Thou; I ask forgiveness of Thee and turn to Thee in repentance,” he told her that if one speaks what is good this will act as a seal on his words till the day of resurrection, and that if one speaks what is evil this will act as an atonement for what he has said. Nasa’i transmitted it.

Qatada told of hearing that when God’s messenger saw the new moon he said, “A new moon of good and right guidance; a new moon of good and right guidance; a new moon of good and right guidance. I believe in Him who created you” (three times). He would then say, “Praise be to God who has made such and such a month to pass and has brought such and such a month.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibn Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying that if anyone is afflicted by much care he should say, “O God, I am Thy servant, the son of Thy servant, the son of Thy handmaid, and at Thy disposal; my forelock is in Thy hand; Thy judgment is effective regarding me; just concerning me is Thy decree; I ask Thee by every name Thou hast by which Thou hast called Thyself, or sent down in Thy Book, or taught any of Thy creatures, or kept to Thyself in the hidden place of the unseen, to make the Qur’an the Spring of my heart and the means of clearing away my care and grief.” He declared that no one had ever said it without God removing his grief and giving him joy instead of it. Razin transmitted it.

Jabir said that when they went up to high ground they said, “God is most great,” and when they descended they said, “Glory be to God.” Bukhari transmitted it.