The life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has been a role model for all Muslims and the entire mankind for as long as this world exists. He not only explained Qur'an through his personal example, but also taught his companions supplications in carefully selected words so that believers could make supplications in the words as taught by him.
We have already shared one of the supplications which the revered Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to make after finishing his prayer or saying taslim [What should a person supplicate after the Taslim ]. But that is one of the many supplications he made after the prayers. Today we share yet another Prophetic supplication which Prophet Muhammad ﷺ made after the Taslim.
[What is Taslim: After making all of the supplications that you want, you should end the prayer with taslim, which means to say the salutation: as-salāmu 'alaykum wa raḥmatullah to the right and left hand sides.]
This supplication is mentioned in Sunan Abi Dawud (Book # 8 Prayer (Kitab Al-Salat): Detailed Injunctions about Witr / كتاب الوتر / Chapter # 511 What A Person Should Say When He Says The Taslim / باب مَا يَقُولُ الرَّجُلُ إِذَا سَلَّمَ as Hadith number # 1509, quoted herein under:
'Ali b. Abi Talib said:
When the Prophet (ﷺ) uttered salutation at the end of the prayer, he used to say: "O Allah, forgive me my former and latter sins, what I have kept secret and what I have done openly, and what I have done extravagance; and what You know better than I do. You are the Advancer, the Delayer, there is no god but You."
Arabic Text:
حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ عَمِّهِ الْمَاجِشُونَ بْنِ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي رَافِعٍ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا سَلَّمَ مِنَ الصَّلاَةِ قَالَ " اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَفْتُ وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ " .
Grade: Sahih (Al-Albani)
This hadith, narrated by Ali b. Abi Talib, relates to a supplication that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) used to recite at the end of the prayer, asking Allah for forgiveness. It contains a rich meaning, and when understood in light of the Qur'an, it provides deeper insights into the relationship between the believer and Allah.
Key Elements of the Hadith:
- Seeking Forgiveness: The Prophet (ﷺ) asks Allah to forgive his past and future sins, both those that are public and private, as well as any excesses or wrongs that may have been committed unknowingly.
- Acknowledging Allah’s Sovereignty: The Prophet (ﷺ) recognizes Allah as the one who has control over all matters (i.e., the Advancer and the Delayer), and emphasizes the uniqueness of Allah, declaring that there is no god but Him.
Explanation in Light of the Qur'an
- Seeking Forgiveness for Sins: The Prophet’s supplication includes a request for forgiveness of sins — both public and private, and those committed knowingly or unknowingly. This resonates with the Qur'anic guidance on seeking forgiveness from Allah, as it is central to a believer's relationship with Him.
- Allah commands believers to seek forgiveness for their sins:
- Surah Al-Furqan (25:70): “Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.”
- Surah An-Nisa (4:110): “Whoever does an evil or wrongs himself but then seeks forgiveness of Allah will find Allah Forgiving and Merciful.”
- This emphasizes that Allah’s mercy is vast, and He is always ready to forgive those who repent sincerely.
- Public and Private Sins: The Prophet (ﷺ) explicitly mentions both the "secret" and "open" sins in his supplication, highlighting the comprehensive nature of human shortcomings.
- The Qur'an acknowledges that Allah is aware of both the public and private actions of people:
- Surah Al-Mujadila (58:6): “On the Day when their faces will be turned over in the Fire, they will say, ‘Woe to us! How could we have failed to respond to Allah’s call?’”
- Surah Al-Imran (3:29): "Say, 'Whether you conceal what is within your breasts or reveal it – Allah knows it.’"
- Allah’s knowledge encompasses all things, both seen and unseen, and He is fully aware of all that we do, making the Prophet’s supplication a reminder that we should seek forgiveness for all types of transgressions, even those that we may think are hidden.
- Excessive Actions (Extravagance): The Prophet (ﷺ) also asks for forgiveness regarding "what I have done extravagance," which may refer to any actions that were beyond moderation or were excessive, whether in worship or in worldly matters. Islam emphasizes the importance of balance and moderation.
- Surah Al-A’raf (7:31): “O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.”
- The Qur'an encourages believers to avoid extravagance, whether in material matters, worship, or other aspects of life.
- Allah as the Advancer and Delayer: The Prophet (ﷺ) concludes by referring to Allah as the "Advancer" (Muqaddim) and "Delayer" (Mu'akkhir). This refers to Allah’s control over all matters, especially in the context of life and death, blessings and trials.
- The Qur'an repeatedly mentions Allah's control over everything:
- Surah Al-Mulk (67:1): “Blessed is He in whose hand is the dominion, and He is over all things competent.”
- Surah Al-Ahzab (33:61): “They have been cursed wherever they are found, being seized and murdered in a massacre.”
- This aligns with the understanding that Allah has complete authority to advance or delay anything in creation, from the course of events to the granting of forgiveness.
Theological and Spiritual Insight
- Humility and Dependence on Allah: This supplication reveals the humility of the Prophet (ﷺ), despite his infallibility as the best of creation. It teaches the believer that no matter how righteous one is, seeking Allah's forgiveness and recognizing one's imperfections is crucial.
- Comprehensive Repentance: The mention of both secret and open sins encourages believers to reflect on all aspects of their actions, not just those that are visible to others.
- Trust in Allah’s Mercy: By acknowledging Allah’s sovereignty over all matters, the supplication instills trust in Allah’s ability to forgive and provide relief from one's sins, demonstrating reliance on Allah’s mercy.
In summary, this hadith encapsulates key themes of repentance, seeking Allah's forgiveness, and acknowledging Allah's control over all things. It aligns with the Qur’anic teachings on forgiveness and moderation while also emphasizing Allah's encompassing knowledge and mercy.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
You may refer to our reference: page: Supplications attributed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ for more prophetic supplications
For more hadiths on varying subjects, refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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