Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said that at the battle of the Trench they asked God’s messenger whether there was anything they could repeat, for their hearts were in their mouths.* He replied that there was; they should say, “O God, cover our danger points(1) and give security from fears.” He said that God then sent a wind in the faces of His enemies and God routed them by the wind. *Literally, ‘For the hearts had reached the windpipes.’ 1. The word is 'aurat used in a similar prayer on p. 510. There it was translated 'faults'. Another meaning refers to places on a frontier, etc., which give openings to an enemy, and so are places where caution is necessary. This seems more suitable in the present context. Cf. Mirqat, iii, 134. Ahmad transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “Seek refuge in God from severe calamity, being overtaken by misery, (1) evil destiny, and the triumphant mockery of enemies.” 1. darak ash-shaqa. It might be translated “the depth of misery.” Cf. Qur’an, iv, 145 where the accepted reading is dark, although the word has also been read darak. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas said that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to say, “O God, I seek refuge in Thee from care, grief, incapacity, slackness, cowardliness, niggardliness, the burden of debt, and being overpowered by men.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘A’isha said that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to say, “O God, I seek refuge in Thee from slackness, decrepitude, debt and sin. O God, I seek refuge in Thee from the punishment in hell, the trial hell, the trial in the grave, (2) the punishment in the grave, the evil of the trial of riches, the evil of the trial of poverty, (3) and the evil of the testing of the antichrist. (4) O God, wash away my sins with snow and hail water, purify my heart as a white garment is purified from filth, and put my sins as far away from me as Thou hast put the East from the West.” 2. Being unable to answer the two angels. 3. Riches may lead to oppression and poverty to envy. 4. al-Masih ad-dajjal. The false Christ who is to appear in the last days. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Abbas said that God’s messenger used to say, “O God, to Thee I have submitted, in Thee I believe, on Thee I rely, to Thee I turn in repentance, and by Thee I contend. O God, I seek refuge in Thy might, than whom there is no god, lest Thou leadest me into error. Thou art the Living One who dost not die, while jinn and men die.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Mu'adh reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, “Seek refuge in God from covetousness which leads to disgrace.” Ahmad and Baihaqi, in ad-Da'awat al-kabir, transmitted it.

‘Amr b. Shu'aib, on his father’s authority, said that his grandfather reported God’s messenger as saying that when anyone was alarmed while asleep he should say, “I seek refuge in God's perfect words from His anger, His punishment, the evil of His servants, the evil suggestions of the devils and their presence,” for they will not injure him. 'Abdallah b. ‘Amr used to teach them to those of his children who had reached puberty and those who had not. He wrote them down on some material (1) and hung the writing on the child’s neck. 1. The word is sakh which usually means a document. Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it, this being Tirmidhi's wording.

Al-Qa'qa' reported Ka‘b al-Ahbar as saying, “Were it not for some words which I say, the Jews would treat me as an ass.” (2) He was asked what they were and replied, “I seek refuge in God’s mighty Person than which nothing is mightier, in God’s perfect words which no one, whether pious or profligate, can go beyond and in God’s beautiful names, those which I know and those which I do not know, from the evil of what He has created, produced and brought into being.” 2. This might be translated “turn me into an ass.” If that is the correct translation it would suggest the use of magic. Malik transmitted it.

Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari told on the Prophet’s authority that he used to use this supplication: “O God, forgive me my sin, my ignorance, my extravagance in my affairs, and what Thou knowest better than I do. O God, forgive me my serious and my frivolous sins, my unintentional and my intentional sins, for I am guilty of all that. O God, forgive me my former and my latter sins, what I have kept secret and what I have done openly, and what Thou knowest better than I do. Thou art the Advancer, Thou art the Delayer, and Thou art omnipotent.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas said that the Prophet's most frequent supplication was, "O God, bring us blessing in this world, blessing in the next, and guard us from the punishment of hell." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Umar b. al-Khattab said: When the inspiration was sent down to the Prophet, a low sound was heard near his face like the humming of bees. One day when inspiration was sent down to him and we had waited for a time, it left him, then facing the qibla and raising his hands, he said, “O God, give us more and do not give us less; honour us and do not humiliate us; give us and do not withhold from us; choose us and do not prefer others to us; please us and be pleased with us.” He then said, “I have had sent down to me ten verses which will provide entrance to paradise for those who recite them.” He then recited, “The believers have been successful” and continued till he had completed ten verses, 1 1. Qur'an, xxiii, 1-10. Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

‘Ata’ b. as-Sa’ib told that his father said: ‘Ammar b. Yasir led us in a prayer and did so in brief form. One of the people camplained that he had shortened the prayer and conducted it briefly, but he replied that that would cause him no harm, for he had used in it various supplica­ tions he had heard from God’s messenger." When he got up to depart one of the people followed him (‘Ata’ explaining that this was his father although he made a vague reference to himself) 3 and asked him about the supplication, whereupon he came and informed the people of it as follows: “O God, by Thy knowledge of the unseen and Thy power to create, grant me life as long as Thou knowest life to be best for me, and take me when Thou knowest death to be best for me; O God, I ask Thee for fear of Thee both within my secret heart and openly; I ask Thee for the word of truth in pleasure and anger; I ask Thee for moderation both in poverty and riches; I ask Thee for felicity which does not pass away; I ask Thee for comfort which is not cut off; I ask Thee for satisfaction with what is decreed; I ask Thee for a pleasant life 1 after death; I ask Thee for the pleasure of looking at Thy face, and longing to meet Thee in a state in which distress does not cause harm or testing lead astray. O God, beautify us with the adornment of faith, and make us guides who are rightly guided.” Nasa’i transmitted it. 3. The vague reference consists in his saying "one of the people." 1. Literally "coolness of life." The word bard (coolness) develops the meaning of pleasantness.