Beginning with Praise and Eulogy in the Supplication of Qunut

Question:
It is observed that people do not begin with praising Allah, seeking His help, and eulogizing Him; rather, they start with the reported supplication, "O Allah, guide us among those You have guided," and so on. When the imam begins with praise and eulogy, some people find it strange. What do you see in this matter? May Allah reward you.

Answer:
And may Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, whoever has been guided by him.
As for what follows, it has not reached me from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or from any of the Companions that they used to begin the supplication of qunut with praising Allah. The prayer reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is that which came in the hadith of al-Hasan ibn 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), where the Prophet taught him to say in the qunut, "O Allah, guide me among those You have guided," and so on. It was not mentioned in it that he taught him to praise Allah and send prayers upon the Prophet, and then say, "O Allah, guide me." However, as a general principle, it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he began supplication with praise in the prayer of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), such as the hadith of the supplication "and We thank Him," and the hadith of Fadalah ibn 'Ubayd, where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saw a man, or heard a man supplicating in his prayer without praising , and then he said "and eulogize Him, then send prayers upon the Prophet, then supplicate as he wishes."
This hadith and what came in its meaning indicates the legitimacy of beginning with praise and eulogy of Allah, and sending prayers and blessings, before the supplication. However, it is objected to this that acts of worship are based on specific texts, and that nothing is legislated in them except what Allah has legislated.
Therefore, the statement that it is legislated for the one supplicating in his qunut to begin with praise (peace and blessings be upon him) requires clear, specific evidence. This is because there are supplications taught by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in which praise and sending prayers upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) were not mentioned, such as the supplication in prostration. Although sending prayers upon the Prophet is a legislated matter and is also a form of supplication, it has not reached us that it came in any of the hadiths that he said, "In prostration, one should praise Allah and send prayers upon the Prophet." Even though he (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "The closest a servant is to his Lord is when he is in prostration, so increase your supplication," and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said "which hadith is answered for you," and it was not mentioned in these two hadiths that we send prayers upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in this position. Likewise, in the supplication between the two prostrations, he used to supplicate between the two prostrations , and it was reported from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he supplicated by saying, "O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me, heal me, provide for me, and keep me safe." It was not mentioned in the narration that he praised Allah and sent prayers upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in this supplication. It appears from this that the recommendation of praise, for example, at the beginning of the supplication, and sending prayers upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), is the general principle in the supplication a person makes. However, the transmitted supplications that were reported from him (peace and blessings be upon him) in which praise and eulogy were not reported before them, the most apparent view is that they are to be recited as they were transmitted, and not to be begun with praise and eulogy (peace and blessings be upon him); because that was not mentioned in the text. If a person were to begin with praising Allah and sending prayers upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), we do not know of any harm in this, acting in accordance with the general principle. However, I do not know that anyone transmitted this from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or from the Companions in the supplication of qunut. The best and closest view to me is that one should begin with the supplication, "O Allah, guide us among those You have guided," as it was transmitted. We have seen our shaykhs (may Allah have mercy on them) begin the supplication of qunut with this supplication, "O Allah, guide us among those You have guided," in Ramadan. And I have not known, up to this day, of anyone from the people of knowledge or from the Companions—who are the greatest after the prophets—that I know of who began the qunut with praise and sending prayers and blessings. And whoever finds something indicating that, then the one who knows is a proof against the one who does not know. And Allah is the One who is feared. Yes.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you,