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I would like to know what it is you recite before you start your prayer (before you read suratul fatiha).

Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

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As-salaam alaikum wa rahmathulahi wa barakathahu

I would like to know what it is you recite before you start your prayer (before you read suratul fatiha).

jazakallah

sister in islam 

 

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Answer:

 

What to recite before fatihah in prayer

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

It is the preferred Sunnah of the Prophet (saws) to make a supplication immediately after the ‘takbeer’ or start of prayer and before the recitation of Surah al-Fatihah. Some amongst the supplications made by the Messenger of Allah (saws) and recorded in the authentic and established Sunnah are related below:

 

Fiqh-us-Sunnah Fiqh 1.132a

Ref: Sunnah acts of prayer, The Opening Supplication

It is preferred for the person to begin his prayer with one of the supplications that the Prophet (saws) used to begin his prayers. This occurs after the opening ‘takbir’ and before the recitation of Surah ‘al-Fatihah’. Some of the supplications that have been related are:

1. Reported Abu Hurairah, "When the Prophet (saws) made the opening ‘takbir’ (for prayer), he (saws) would be quiet for a little while before his recitation. I asked him, 'O Messenger of Allah (saws), may my father and mother be sacrificed for you, why are you quiet between the (opening) ‘takbir’ and your recitation? What do you say (at that time)?' He (saws) said, 'I say, O Allah, make the distance between me and my sins as far as you have made the distance between the East and the West. O Allah, cleanse me of my sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. O Allah, purify me from my sins by snow, rain and hail." (Related by al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah.)

2. Reported Ali ibn Abi Taalib (r.a.) that when the Prophet (saws) stood for prayer, he (saws) would make the ‘takbir’ and then say, "I have turned my face to the One Who Created the heavens and the earth as a sincere submissive (person), and I am not one of the polytheists. My prayers, my sacrifice, my life and my death are all for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. He has no partner. That is what I have been ordered and I am of those who submit. O Allah, you are the King and there is no Lord besides You. You are my Lord and I am Your slave. I have wronged my soul and You are aware of my sins, so forgive all of my sins. No one forgives sins save You. Guide me to the best character. No one can guide to the best of that save You. Turn me away from its evil, and no one can turn me from its evil save You. At your beck and call, all the good is in Your Hands and evil is not to You. And I am for You and to You are the blessings and the exaltedness. I seek your forgiveness and return unto You." (Related by Ahmad, Muslim, at-Tirmidhi, and Abu Dawud.)

3. Abdurahman ibn 'Auf asked Aishah how the Prophet (saws) began his prayer when he would pray during the night. She said, "When he would get up during the night, he would begin his prayer with, 'O Allah, Lord of Jibrael, Mikhail and Israfil, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the Unseen and the Seen. You will Judge between Your slaves concerning matters wherein they differ. Guide me to the Truth in those matters wherein they differ by Your permission, for You guide whom You will to the straight path." (Related by Muslim, Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi, anNasa'i and Ibn Majah.)

4. Nafa' ibn Jubair ibn Mutam narrated from his father who said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say in his voluntary prayer, 'Allahu Akbar kabeera' three times, 'al-Hamdu lillah katheera' three times, 'Subhanallahi bukratan wa asila' three times, and then 'O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the Shaytaan the accursed, and from his pricking, spittle and puffing.' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah (saws), what are his pricking, spittle and puffing?' He (saws) said, 'His pricking is the insanity by which he takes the children of Adam. His spittle is arrogance, and his puffing is (evil) poetry." (Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Ibn Hibban.)

5. Ibn Abbas narrated that when the Prophet (saws) got up for the night prayer, he would say, "O Allah, to You is the praise. You are the support of the heavens and the earth and whatever is therein. To You is the praise. You are the Light of the heavens and the earth and whatever is therein. To You is the praise. You are the Truth. Your promise is True. The meeting with You is True. Your speech is True. Paradise is True. Hell-fire is True. Your Prophets are True. Muhammad is True. The Hour is True. O Allah, to You have I submitted, and in You have I believed. In You I put my trust, and to You do I come. For You do I dispute, and to You is the Judgment. Forgive me my earlier and later sins, and what has been private and public. You are the Predecessor and the Successor. There is no god except You. There is no Lord other than You. There is no Power or Might except in Allah." (Related by al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah and Malik.)

 

It is considered a Sunnah and thus optional to make a supplication after one declares the ‘takbeer’ to signal the start of prayer and before one recites the Surah al-Fatihah in their first rakah of prayer; if one may recite any one of the supplications made by the Messenger of Allah (saws) it would be preferred and best; but if one wishes to make any other glorification or supplication unto their Lord, there is absolutely no harm.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan

 


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