1496/1- Usāmah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “If someone is done a favor and [expresses his gratitude] to the doer of the favor by saying ‘Jazāk Allāhu khayran’ (May Allah reward you well), then he has fully expressed his appreciation.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan Sahīh (sound and authentic)]
1) Encouraging Muslims to reward those who do them favors, each according to their ability.
2) Glad tidings that Allah’s reward is greater and more ample than that of the slaves.
1497/2- Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Do not supplicate against yourselves, do not supplicate against your children, and do not supplicate against your property, in case you do it at a time during which Allah answers all supplications so He grants you what you asked for.” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) It is forbidden to supplicate against oneself, one’s children, or one’s wealth. This is an aspect of Allah Almighty’s mercy to his slaves.
2) Invoking evil and destruction upon oneself or others is a form of transgression in supplication, while Allah Almighty says: {for He does not like the transgressors.} [Surat al-A‘rāf: 55]
1498/3- Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The nearest a slave is to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so increase (your) supplications (while in this state).” [Narrated by Muslim]
1) Supplication is more likely to be answered in prostration because it is a state that reflects one’s need and humility to Allah, the Self-Sufficient, the All-Mighty. So, one should supplicate Allah much in his prostration.
2) The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) was careful to teach his Ummah the comprehensive aspects of good and the ways leading to it. Therefore, Muslims should adhere to the Sunnah for it is the lifeboat, for following Sunnah yields blessings while leaving it brings about regret.
1499/4- He also reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The supplication of one of you is answered, as long as he is not in haste, saying: “I have supplicated to my Lord, but He did not answer me.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
In a version narrated by Muslim: “The supplication of a slave continues to be answered as long as he does not supplicate for a sinful thing or for something that would cut off the ties of kinship, and he does not grow impatient.” It was said: “O Messenger of Allah! What does growing impatient mean?” He said: “It is one’s saying: ‘I supplicated again and again but I did not have my prayer answered.’ Thereupon, he becomes frustrated and gives up supplication altogether.”
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1) From the reasons that prevent the answering of supplications are expecting an early response, supplicating for something sinful, impatience and giving up supplication.
2) Good understanding of the etiquette of supplication entails that a person should not become weary, but he should keep on supplicating his Lord while he is certain that his supplication will be answered.
1500/5- Abu Umāmah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Someone asked the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him): “Which supplication is most likely to be answered?” He said: “A supplication made in the middle of the last part of the night and in the end of the obligatory prayers.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; he classified it as Hasan (sound)]
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The last part of the night: at the time when Allah Almighty descends to the nearest heaven, which is the last third of the night.
In the conclusion of the obligatory prayers: at the end of the prayer, before Taslīm.
1) The Hadīth highlights the superiority of the last part of the night over the rest of the night, because it is the time when supplications are most likely to be answered. Therefore, one has to be keen on choosing the suitable time and place for his supplications since it is one of the reasons of having them answered.
2) A Muslim should seize the opportunity of supplicating Allah before ending the prayer, because at this time, he is most devoted to his Lord, and his supplication is worthier of being answered.
1501/6- ‘Ubādah ibn al-Sāmit (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “No Muslim on earth supplicates Allah Almighty except that Allah answers his supplication or averts from him harm equivalent to it, unless he supplicates for something sinful or for the severing of the ties of kinship.” A man from among the people said: “Then we shall supplicate plenty.” The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Allah is more plentiful (in responding).” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi who classified it as Hasan Sahīh (sound and authentic). Al-Hākim also narrated it on the authority of Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri with the following addition: “or He will have in store for him a reward that is equivalent to his supplication.”]
1) A Muslim’s supplication is responded to in either of the following three ways:
a- Granting him what he supplicated for.
b- Delaying the fulfillment of his need and warding off affliction that is equal to it.
c- Keeping it in store for him until the Day of Judgment, when his Lord will give him reward for it.
2) It is recommended to ask Allah abundantly for there is nothing that is beyond His ability, and His treasures can never decrease on account of His slaves’ demands.
An Arab poet once said (translated from Arabic): Allah Almighty gets Angry when you do not ask Him for your needs, while a human gets angry when he is asked.
1502/7- Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to say at times of distress: “Lā ilaha illa Allah Al-‘Azhīm Al-Halīm. Lā ilaha illa Allah Rabbu al-‘arshi al-‘azhīm. Lā ilaha illa Allah Rabbu as-samāwāti wa Rabbu al-ardi wa Rabbu al-‘arshi al-karīm (There is no god but Allah, the Most Great, the Forbearing. There is no god but Allah, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. There is no god but Allah, Lord of the heavens, Lord of the earth, and Lord of the Honorable Throne).” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
1) It is recommended to say this prophetic invocation in times of hardship and distress.
2) It is obligatory to establish Tawhīd in our hearts and lives, as it is what saves us from all evil. The more one magnifies the status of Tawhīd in his heart, the more perfect and certain Allah’s protection for him is. {Those who believe and do not mix their faith with falsehood are the ones who will be secure, and it is they who are rightly guided.}