The Prescribed Nature of the Opening Supplication and Du'as in Voluntary Prayers

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Question:
The questioner asks another question, saying: In voluntary prayer, and likewise in the witr prayer, do we recite the opening supplication (du'a al-istiftah), and likewise the seeking of refuge from the four things that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded:

O Allah! I seek refuge with Thee from the torment of the Hell, from the torment of the grave, from the trial of life and death and from the evil of the trial of Masih al-Dajjal

اللهم إني أعوذ بك من عذاب جهنم، وعذاب القبر، ومن فتنة المحيا والممات، ومن شر فتنة المسيح الدجال

Sahih Muslim 588a

Or is that specific to obligatory prayers and not voluntary ones? And likewise, the supplication after finishing the seeking of refuge from the four things, is it obligatory in voluntary prayer? May Allah guide you, and may He reward you with good.

Answer:
The opening supplication is prescribed in all of them, in voluntary and obligatory prayers, such as the Dhuha prayer, the tarawih prayer, and the tahajjud prayer. A person begins with the opening supplication at the start of the prayer, after the first takbir. And so is the supplication at the end of the prayer, seeking refuge from the four things, and supplicating with other things. All of this is true, and all of it is prescribed in obligatory and voluntary prayers.
And when he (peace and blessings be upon him) taught them the tashahhud, he said:

Then he may choose any supplication which pleases him most and recite it.

ثم ليتخير من الدعاء أعجبه إليه فيدعو

Bulugh al-Maram 2:203

And in the other wording, he said:

Then he may choose any supplication which pleases him.

ثم ليختر من المسألة ما شاء

Sahih Muslim 402b

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So it is prescribed for the Muslim man, and likewise for the Muslim woman, that both of them supplicate at the end of the prayer, whether voluntary or obligatory. After he sends blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he says:

O Allah! I seek refuge with Thee from the torment of the Hell, from the torment of the grave, from the trial of life and death and from the evil of the trial of Masih al-Dajjal

اللهم إني أعوذ بك من عذاب جهنم، ومن عذاب القبر، ومن فتنة المحيا والممات، ومن فتنة المسيح الدجال

Sahih Muslim 588a

and he supplicates with whatever he wishes:

O Allah, help me in remembering You, in giving You thanks, and worshipping You well.

اللهم أعني على ذكرك، وشكرك، وحسن عبادتك

Sunan Abi Dawud 1522Sahih (Al-Albani)

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And so is the supplication that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught Abu Bakr. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), and it is his saying:

Allahumma inni zalamtu nafsi zulman kathiran wala yaghfirudhdhunuba illa anta, Faghfirli maghfiratan min indika war-hamni, innaka antalGhafur-Rahim.

اللهم إني ظلمت نفسي ظلمًا كثيرًا، ولا يغفر الذنوب إلا أنت، فاغفر لي مغفرة من عندك، وارحمني إنك أنت الغفور الرحيم

Sahih al-Bukhari 6326

A great supplication that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught al-Siddiq. He said: O Messenger of Allah! Teach me a supplication that I can supplicate with in my prayer and in my home. He said:

Allahumma inni zalumtu nafsi zulman kathiran, Wala yaghfiru dh-dhunuba illa anta, fa ghfir li maghfiratan min `indika, wa r-hamni, innaka anta l-ghafuru r-rahim (O Allah! I have done great injustice to myself and none except You forgives sins, so bestow on me a forgiveness from You, and Have Mercy on me, You are the Forgiver, the Merciful).

قل: اللهم إني ظلمت نفسي ظلمًا كثيرًا، ولا يغفر الذنوب إلا أنت، فاغفر لي مغفرة من عندك، وارحمني إنك أنت الغفور الرحيم

Sahih al-Bukhari 834

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And he said to Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him):

O Mu'adh, I will give you some advice - Never leave the recitation of this supplication after every prayer: 'O Allah, help me to remember You, thank You, and worship You perfectly.'

يا معاذ! لا تدعن دبر كل صلاة أن تقول: اللهم أعني على ذكرك، وشكرك، وحسن عبادتك

Bulugh al-Maram 2:219

And he (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say at the end of the prayer:

Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-bukhli, wa a'udhu bika minal-jubni, wa a'udhu bika an uradda ila ardhalil-'umuri, wa a'udhu bika min fitnatid-dunya, wa a'udhu bika min 'adhabil-qabr (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from miserliness, and I seek refuge in You from cowardice, and I seek refuge in You from reaching the age of senility, and I seek refuge in You from the trials of this world, and I seek refuge in You from the torment of the grave)

اللهم إني أعوذ بك من البخل، وأعوذ بك من الجبن، وأعوذ بك أن أرد إلى أرذل العمر، وأعوذ بك من فتنة الدنيا، ومن عذاب القبر

Sunan an-Nasa'i 5445Sahih (Darussalam)

And he also used to say:

"O Allah, forgive me my former and latter sins, what I have kept secret and what I have done openly, and what I have done extravagance; and what You know better than I do. You are the Advancer, the Delayer, there is no god but You."

اللهم اغفر لي ما قدمت، وما أخرت، وما أسررت، وما أعلنت، وما أسرفت، وما أنت أعلم به مني، أنت المقدم، وأنت المؤخر لا إله إلا أنت

Sunan Abi Dawud 1509Sahih (Al-Albani)

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These are supplications at the end of the prayer, and one supplicates with whatever he wishes besides them, such as: O Allah, forgive me and my parents. O Allah, save me from the Fire. O Allah, rectify my heart and my deeds. O Allah, provide me with lawful sustenance. O Allah, rectify all my affairs. And the like of that. Yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.

Source binbaz.org.sa

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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