Foundations for the New Muslim and Newly Striving Muslim

COMPILER’S INTRODUCTION A ll praise is due to Allaah alone, we praise Him, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Him from the evils of our souls and the evils of our actions. Whoever Allaah guides, no one can lead him astray and whoever is caused to go astray, there is no one that can guide him. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allaah alone with no partners. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His worshipper and Messenger, peace and salutations be upon him, his household, his Companions, and all those who follow his guidance until the day of Judgment. T o proceed: Seeking the good of religiouS and worldly affairS The Messenger of Allaah, who was sent as a mercy to all mankind, cultivated and nurtured the best of generations upon both entering Islaam and committing themselves to fully living the guidance of Islaam. He showed that the revealed guidance of Islaam is what enables true success both now as well as in the Hereafter. It is narrated in Saheeh Muslim that Abu Maalik Ashaja’ee narrated on the authority of his father that whenever a person embraced Islaam, the Messenger of Allaah, may the praise and salutations of Allaah be upon him, instructed him to say the following supplication:[1] {O Allaah, forgive me, have mercy upon me, direct me to the path of righteousness and provide me with sustenance.} اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْلِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَاهْدِنِي وَارْزُقْنِي Likewise, for that Muslim who has recommitted himself to following the guidance of Islaam, he should know that the Messenger of Allaah, may the praise and salutations of Allaah be upon him, also mentioned a similar supplication. When asked by a Muslim who wanted to truly understand and implement properly supplicating to and asking from Allaah of what would benefit him, he was informed of the following supplication. It is narrated in Sunan Ibn Maajah that Abu Maalik Sa’d bin Tariq, narrated from his father that a man had come to the Messenger of Allaah, and he heard him say,[2] “O Messenger of Allaah, what should I say when I ask of Allaah?” He said: {Say: O Allaah, forgive me, have mercy on me, keep me safe and sound and grant me provision) وَارْزُقْنِي وَعَافِنِي وَارْحَمْنِي اغْفِرْلِي اللَّهُمَّ and he held up his four fingers apart from the thumb and said: These combine your religious and worldly affairs.} [1] Saheeh Muslim:2697 [2] Sunan Ibn Maajah: 3845- this narration was authenticated by Sheikh al-Albaanee in his verification of Sunan Ibn Maajah, as well as within Silsilat al-Hadeeth as-Saheehah no. 1318. It is narrated by al-Haakim in his work al-Mustadrak: vol. 1 no. 529, Imaam Ahmad in his Musnad in narrations 16122, 16126 & others, Ibn Abee Shaybah in his work al-Mussanaf: narration 29 &798, Saheeh Ibn Khuzaaymah in narrations 726 & 821, and other reliable sources including al-Adaab al-Mufrad of Imaam al-Bukhaaree: 651 (where it is also authenticated by Sheikh al- Albaanee, may Allaah have mercy upon him) with the wording which means, “People both men and women used to visit the Prophet, may the praise and salutations of Allaah be upon him and ask ‘ Messenger of Allaah, what should we say when we supplicate?...’