Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #43

The 5 Things The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم Taught Every Muslim:

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen (6/19-21) of Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله]

1469. Abu Maalik reported on the authority of his father (Taariq bin Ushaim رضي الله عنه) that when a person embraced Islaam, Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم used to teach him how to observe prayer and then commanded him to supplicate in these words:

اللهم اغفر لي وارحمني واهدني وعافني وارزقني

“O Allaah! Pardon me, have mercy upon me, guide me, grant me wellbeing and provide me sustenance.” [Saheeh Muslim (6515)]

In another narration Imaam Muslim reported:

Abu Maalik reported on the authority of his father (Taariq bin Ushaim رضي الله عنه) that he heard Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم as saying to the person who had come to him and asked him as to how he should beg his Lord. He صلى الله عليه وسلم said (to the man):

اللهم اغفر لي وارحمني وعافني وارزقني

“Say: ‘O Allaah! Pardon me, have mercy upon me, grant me wellbeing, and provide me sustenance.’” Then he صلى الله عليه وسلم collected his fingers together except his thumb and said: “It is in these words (that there is a supplication) which sums up for you (the good) of this world and that of the Hereafter.” [Saheeh Muslim (6516)]

Shaikh al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله commented:

The author Imaam al-Nawawee رحمه الله recorded in his book “Riyaadh al-Saaliheen” on the authority of Taariq bin Ushaim رضي الله عنه that whenever a person would embrace Islaam, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم would teach him how to perform the Salaah (prayer). This is because the Salaah is the most important pillar of Islaam after the Shahaadatain (the two testimonies of Faith). The pillars of Islaam are five: Bearing witness that Laa ilaaha illaallaah, Muhammad Rasool-Allaah, establishing the prayer, paying the Zakaah, fasting in the month of Ramadhaan, and pilgrimage to the Sacred House of Allaah. And the most important pillar after the Shahaadatain is the Salaah.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to teach the person, when he embraced Islaam, how to perform the Salaah, and used to command him to recite this Du`aa (supplication):

اللهم اغفر لي وارحمني واهدني وعافني وارزقني

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to teach five words to the person when he embraced Islaam: “O Allaah! Pardon me”; meaning: pardon me my sins. The Kaafir when he embraces Islaam, Allaah forgives his sins, as Allaah تعالى said:

{قل للذين كفروا إن ينتهوا يغفر لهم ما قد سلف}

{Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief) their past will be forgiven.} [Surah al-Anfaal (8):38]

Even though (Allaah تعالى mentioned that), asking for forgiveness should be continued even after embracing Islaam, and which should be practiced by every Muslim, because no person is free from sin, as has been mentioned in the Hadeeth:

كل ابن آدم خطاء وخير الخطائين التوابون

“Every son of Aadam commits sins, and the best of those who commit sin are those who repent.” [al-Tirmidhee (2499), Ibn Maajah (4251) on the authority of Anas bin Maalik رضي الله عنه, and graded as “Hasan” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

“have mercy upon me”; means: bestow upon me Your mercy, which also consists of asking for forgiveness. When seeking forgiveness, a person is asking for being rescued from sins, bad deeds and the punishment, and it (also) consists of asking for mercy. (Seeking) mercy is for obtaining that which is requested, because a person's request is not fulfilled till he is rescued from the sufferings and he achieves what he had requested.

“and guide me”, we have already explained the meaning of al-Hidaayah that it is guidance towards knowledge and its understanding and guidance towards acting upon it and guidance towards righteousness.

“and grant me wellbeing and provide me sustenance.”; “grant me good health” i.e. from every sickness. The sickness is of two types, sickness of the heart, as Allaah تعالى said:

{في قلوبهم مرض فزادهم الله مرضا}

{In their hearts is a disease (of doubt and hypocrisy) and Allaah has increased their disease.} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 10]

And the other is the sickness of the body (i.e. the physical ailment). So when a person asks for good health, then it means protection from both types of sickness. The sickness of the heart is a greater (danger) than the sickness of the body. This is because when the body gets sick and person is patient about it and seeks reward for it from Allaah, then this is a cause for the elevation of his status and forgiveness of his sins; and in the end there is death, as death will come to every living creature and there is no escape from it. But as for the sickness of the heart, and Allaah’s refuge is sought, in it is the corruption of this world and hereafter (i.e. the person will end up losing both).

When the heart gets corrupt due to doubts or shirk or hypocrisy or aversion to what Allaah تعالى has revealed or hatred towards the Awliyaa Allaah or any other aspect of the religion, then the person has lost his dunyaa and his aakhirah. And that is why, when you ask Allaah for wellbeing, you should ask for the wellbeing from the sickness of the heart and of the body; especially from the sickness of the heart which is caused due to doubts or shirk or desires.

Similarly in the other Hadeeth which Imaam al-Nawawee رحمه الله mentioned that the man asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم on how to make the Du`aa, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم instructed him to supplicate with these words:

اللهم اغفر لي وارحمني وعافني وارزقني

Therefore, people should be keen upon supplicating to Allaah with this Du`aa, which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught his Ummah and to those who had recently embraced Islaam.

“and provide me sustenance”; means: the provision by which the body is sustained from the food, the drink, the clothes and housing and other than that. As well as the provision by which the heart is sustained and that is: beneficial knowledge and righteous deeds. So asking for provision includes both (for the body and the heart). Provision is of two types, the first by which the body is sustained and the other by which the heart is sustained (and the religion is established). So when the person says “arzuqnee”, then he is asking Allaah for both.

And Allaah is the one who grants success.