Hadeeth Cards
Da'wa cards that highlight great meanings from the noble prophetic hadiths in a simple style and attractive display that helps the Muslim to have a deeper understanding of his religion in an easy way
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Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) once heard a man saying: "O Allah, I ask You by virtue of my testimony that You are Allah, there is no God but You, the One, the Eternal Refuge, Who did not beget, and was not begotten, and to Whom no one is equal." Thereupon, he: "Verily, he has asked Allah by His Name by which He gives when asked, and by which He answers when supplicated."
Narrated by Ibn Majah - Narrated by At-Termedhy - An-Nasaa’i - Narrated by Abu Daoud
This great supplication which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) heard a Bedouin supplicate and implore Allah with, includes the Greatest Name of Allah. It indicates that Allah is One, Unique, the Eternal Refuge, upon Whom all people depend in fulfilling their needs. He is The One Who does not beget, because He has no equivalent and is Free of need to anyone. He was not begotten, and there is none like Him in terms of His Essence, Attributes and Actions. These great meanings are the foundation of Islamic monotheism, and are all combined in this great supplication. This is what makes it the greatest type of supplication. There is no servant who supplicates Allah with this supplication, except that Allah will give him what he asks for.
‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Allah, just as You made my external form beautiful, make my character beautiful as well."
Narrated by Ahmad
Man is obliged to ask Allah, the Exalted, just as He has perfected his outward appearance and beautified it, to also perfect his inner character by granting him noble manners that complete his humanity and cleanse his inner self.
Juwayriyah bint al-Hārith (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "I recited four phrases, after I had left you, if they were to be weighed against what you have been reciting since morning, they would outweigh them. These are: Praise and glory be to Allah by the number of His creatures and His pleasure, and by the weight of His throne and the ink of His words."
Narrated by Muslim
Juwayriyah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) left her one day to perform Fajr prayer and returned in the forenoon. He found her remembering Allah, the Almighty,, so he informed her that he had recited four phrases after leaving her, were they to be weighed against what she was reciting, they would be either equal or heavier than hers in terms of reward. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then mentioned these four phrases, saying: "Praise and glory be to Allah by the number of His creatures and His pleasure, and by the weight of His throne and the ink of His words." They mean that Allah is glorified and praised as much as the number of His creatures that only Allah knows; as great as it pleases Him; and as heavy as His Throne; and a continuous and endless praise and glorification.
Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say: “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from incapacity, laziness, miserliness, decrepitude and the torment of the grave. O Allah, grant me piety and purify my soul as You are the best to purify it. You are its Guardian and Master. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from knowledge that is not beneficial, and from a heart that does not fear (You), and from a soul that does not feel content and from a supplication that is not answered."
Narrated by Muslim
Seeking refuge with Allah is an act of worship of the heart that is to be dedicated solely to Allah, the Almighty. Incapacity and laziness are two inseparable companions that cut off the roads to goodness in this world and the Hereafter. They represent helplessness, disinterest, and negligence. If what prevents man (from worshiping) is the result of his own doing, this is “laziness”. This is why Allah, the Almighty, describes the hypocrites as follows: {...and when they stand up for prayer they stand up sluggishly} [Sūrat An-Nisā': 142], because this is due to their weak faith and their diseased hearts. Laziness only emanates from a diseased soul. However, if the impediment is not the result of man’s own doing and its reason is an actual inability, this is “incapacity” – and we seek refuge in Allah from it. “Miserliness” is holding on to money and being unwilling to spend it in the way of good and to benefit. It is the inclination of the soul to love wealth, collect it, hoard it, and refrain from spending it in the ways that Allah commanded. “Decrepitude” refers to the senile stage of someone’s life, when he becomes weak in mind, strength, and resolve. He becomes unable to do the good deeds that could earn him the good in this world and the good of the afterlife. Allah, the Almighty, says (what means): {He whom we bring unto old age, We reverse him in creation (making him go back to weakness after strength)} [Sūrat Yā Sīn: 68] “…and the torment of the grave”: the torment of the grave is true, and this is unanimously agreed upon by Ahl As-Sunnah wa al-Jamā‘ah. Allah, the Almighty, says (what means): {..and behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected} [Sūrat al-Mu’minūn: 100]. The grave is either a garden of Paradise or a pit of Hellfire. For this reason, it is a Sunnah to seek refuge from the torment of the grave in each prayer and it is also due to the enormity and terror of this torment. “O Allah, grant me piety…”: let me comply with (Your) commands and avoid (Your) prohibitions. Another explanation says that piety here is the opposite of wickedness, as in the verse: {And He inspired it (with discernment of) its wickedness and its righteousness} [Sūrat Ash-Shams: 8] “…and purify my soul”: i.e. cleanse it from vice. “You are the best to purify it”: i.e. there is no Purifier for it but You and no one is able to purify it but You, our Lord. “You are its Guardian…”: the One who supports it and looks after it. “…and Master”: the One who owns it and bestows blessings on it. “O Allah, I seek refuge in You…”: I seek protection from You. “…from knowledge that is not beneficial”: this is knowledge that does not realize any benefit, or knowledge that a person does not act upon and it thus becomes an argument against him on the Day of Judgment. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The Qur'an is an argument either in your favor or against you.” Knowledge that is not beneficial does not discipline the inner morals and is thereby not reflected in outward deeds which would entail the most perfect rewards. “…a heart that does not fear (You)”: a heart that does not feel submission when Allah, the Almighty, is mentioned and when His words (the Qur'an) are recited is a hardened heart. He (the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked Allah to make his heart submissive to its Creator, eager to obey Him and prepared to receive the light. If the heart is not like this, it is a hard heart from which one must seek refuge. Allah, the Almighty, says (what means): {Then woe to those whose hearts are hardened} [Sūrat Az-Zumar: 22] “…a soul that does not feel content”: that is because it is keen on attaining the pleasures of this perishable world, feels greed and gluttony, and has hopes for a long life. “…and from a supplication that is not answered": i.e. I seek refuge in Allah from any reasons that would make my supplication rejected and unanswered due to being deprived of Allah’s mercy or subjected to His wrath. The rejection of a supplication is a sign of the rejection of the supplicant; as opposed to a believer whose supplication is not rejected. The believer’s supplication is answered in this world, Allah wards off affliction from him in equivalence to his supplication, or it is saved for him to be answered in the Hereafter. Hence, the prayer or supplication of a believer is never lost or wasted, contrary to that of the disbeliever. Allah, the Almighty, says (what means): {…but the supplication of the disbelievers is only in vain.} [Sūrat Ghāfir: 50]
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say: "O Allah, I seek refuge in You from hunger, for it is an evil bed-fellow, and I seek refuge in You from treachery, for it is an evil hidden trait."
Narrated by Ibn Majah - An-Nasaa’i - Narrated by Abu Daoud
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sought refuge with Allah from hunger, which is indeed an evil companion because it prevents one's heart and body from feeling comfortable. He also sought refuge from betraying the trust of people and the trust of Allah, for, indeed, it is an evil trait that is hidden in a person's heart.
‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that a slave who had made a contract with his master to pay for his freedom, came to him and said: "I am unable to fulfill my obligation (of paying for my freedom to my master), so help me." ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "Shall I not teach you some words which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) taught me, (it will surely prove so useful) that if you have a debt as large as a mountain, Allah will surely pay it on your behalf? Say: O Allah, Grant me enough of what You make lawful so that I may cast aside what You make unlawful, and bestow upon me Your favor so that I may dispense with all but You)."
Narrated by At-Termedhy - Narrated by Ahmad
This Hadīth narrates a story about a slave who made a contract with his master to pay him for his emancipation in installments, but he had no money to pay his master. He went to ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) so that he might help him pay off his debt. ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) guided him to this divine remedy, which is a supplication that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught him to say. Whoever says it sincerely, Allah will pay off his debt on his behalf, even if it is as huge as a mountain. He told him to say: "O Allah, Grant me enough of what You make lawful so that I may cast aside what You make unlawful, and bestow upon me Your favor so that I may dispense with all but You.”
Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say: "O Allah, I seek refuge with You from incapacity, laziness, cowardice, senility, and miserliness. And I seek refuge with You from the torment of the grave. And I seek refuge with You from the trials of life and death." Another narration adds: "... and from the burden of heavy debt and the tyranny of men."
Narrated by Bukhari - Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim
This Hadīth is one of the comprehensively precise statements of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as he sought refuge with Allah from a number of evils and obstacles that interrupt the servant's advance along the path to Allah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sought refuge from "incapacity and laziness" which are both hindrances to movement. Failing to perform an act may be caused by the person's lack of resolve or willingness to do the act; in other words, laziness. A lazy person is someone with the least resolve and desire to do something. However, in some cases the reason for not doing an act is that the person lacks the ability to do it, and this is what is meant by incapacity. "Cowardice and miserliness": these two characteristics prevent a person from performing his duties as well as doing righteous deeds. Cowardice weakens the heart, thus, the person does not enjoin what is good nor forbid what is evil because of the weakness of his heart and his attachment to people, apart from the Lord of the people. A coward person acts only according to people's desires and orders. He devotes his servitude to people rather than to Allah, the Almighty. Miserliness encourages people to withhold their wealth and refrain from spending it. So, a miserly person does not fulfill the right of Allah by paying the obligatory Zakah, nor does he give the people their rights that they have over him regarding his wealth. A miserly person is disliked by the people and by Allah. "Senility" means that a person reaches the most decrepit age, at which he starts to lose many of his senses and his body becomes weak. Therefore, he is unable to worship Allah the way he used to, and cannot bring benefit to his family. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sought refuge from the punishment of the grave, which is true, and because it is true, he legislated for us seeking refuge from the punishment of the grave in every prayer (before Taslīm). Finally, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sought refuge from the trials of life and death to include both worlds; the worldly life as well as the Hereafter. The trials of this life are its calamities and afflictions. The trials of the Hereafter include worrying about having a bad end of life and an evil destination, as well as the trial of being questioned by the two angels in the grave, and others. In another narration, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "... and from the burden of heavy debt and the tyranny of men": both of them are forms of defeat and subjugation. Heavy debt is a stressful situation to the indebted person wherein he finds himself helpless. It is thus a from of defeat for the man, but for a rightful reason. "The tyranny of men" means their oppression and overpowering, which is also a form of defeat but without a rightful reason.
‘Abdullāh ibn Sarjis (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) traveled, he would seek refuge [in Allah] from the hardships of the journey, from having a change of heart, adverse conditions replacing good ones, the prayer of an oppressed person, and from seeing a misfortune occurring to his family and wealth.
Narrated by Muslim
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to seek refuge in Allah from the hardships of travel or that he would return from a journey sad due to a calamity that had befallen his family or wealth. He would likewise seek refuge in Allah from adverse conditions and would pray that Allah would save him from the supplications of the oppressed.
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Whenever the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mounted his camel while setting out on a journey, he would say Takbīr three times and then say: "Glory be to the One who subdued this (ride) for us and we were not ourselves powerful enough to use it as a ride, and to our Lord we shall, indeed, return. O Allah, we ask You during this journey of ours for righteousness, piety, and such deeds that are pleasing to You. O Allah, make easy for us this journey of ours and make the distance short for us. O Allah, You are the Companion during the journey and the Guardian of the family and the property in our absence. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the hardships of traveling, unhappiness connected with ghastly scenes, and the evil turns in property and family." On returning, he would recite this supplication, while adding these words: "We are those who return; those who repent; those who worship; and those who praise our Lord." In another narration: “Whenever the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) returned from Hajj or ‘Umrah and ascended a height or hill, he would say Takbīr three times and say: there is no god but Allah, who has no partner; to Him belongs the sovereignty and due to Him is all praise; and He is omnipotent over all things. We are those who return; those who repent; those who worship; those who prostrate; and those who praise our Lord. Allah has fulfilled His promise, granted His slave victory, and vanquished the confederates alone." In a different wording: “Whenever he returned from battles, Hajj or ‘Umrah.”
Narrated by Muslim
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) informs us in this Hadīth that whenever the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prepared to travel and mounted his ride, he would proclaim the greatness of Allah and say this supplication, which involves a number of sublime meanings, one of which is declaring Allah, the Almighty, far exalted above any need or deficiency. It also expresses a person's appreciation for the favors of Allah. Moreover, the Hadīth asserts one's complete lack of might and power, and his admission that he will return to Allah, the Almighty. Then, it comprises invocation to Allah to bestow His favors and grace and to endow the supplicant with piety and guide him to those deeds that please Him and that He accepts. Also in the Hadīth, the supplicant relies on Allah, the Almighty, and leaves all affairs to Him. Allah, the Almighty, is also implored to preserve the supplicant and his relatives and to ease the hardship of traveling and provide refuge from its evil and harm, like returning and seeing anything unpleasant in his family, property, or children. In the other narration, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that whenever the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) returned from a trip, he would say the above-mentioned supplication and make this addition: We are those who return; those who repent; those who worship; and those who praise our Lord – grateful to Him for our safe return. Whenever the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stood on a high place, he would proclaim the greatness of Allah – thus standing humble before His majesty and power – and say: “there is no god but Allah, Who has no partner”, acknowledging the uniqueness and Oneness of Allah in His divinity, lordship, and names and attributes, and that He supports His close servants and allies and makes them victorious.
