Good Deeds in Latter Life

عن عائشة رضي الله عنها قالت: ما صلّى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بعد أن نَزَلت عليه: (إذا جاء نصرُ الله والفتح..) إلا يقول فيها: «سُبْحَانَكَ اللهم ربَّنا وبحمدك، اللَّهُمَّ اغفر لي». وفي لفظ: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يكثر أن يقولَ في ركوعه وسجوده: «سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ ربنا وبحمدك، اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لي»

A’ishah RA reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not offer a prayer after the revelation of {When there comes the victory of Allah and the conquest} [Surat An-Nasr] except that he would say therein: “Glory and praise be to You, our Lord. O Allah, forgive me!” [Bukhari and Muslim]

A narration of Bukhari and Muslim from A’ishah RA has: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would abundantly say in his ruku and sajdah: ‘Glory be to You, O Allah, our Sustainer and praise be to You. O Allah! Forgive me,’ thereby practising upon the order of the Qur’an.”

A narration of Muslim has: “Before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed away, he used to abundantly say: ‘Glory be to You, O Allah and praise be to You. I seek forgiveness from You and I turn in repentance to You.’”

A’ishah RA narrates: “I asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah! What are these words which you have now started saying?’ He replied: ‘I have been given a sign regarding my Ummah, which if I see, I should say these words. The sign that is referred to is, ‘When the help of Allah and victory comes…’”

Another narration of Muslim has: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to abundantly say: ‘Glory and praise be to Allah. I seek forgiveness from Allah and I turn in repentance to Him.’” A’ishah RA said: “I asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I notice you saying these words abundantly: ‘Glory and praise be to Allah. I seek forgiveness from Allah and I turn in repentance to Him’?’ He replied: ‘My Sustainer informed me that I will see a particular sign in my Ummah and when I see it, I should abundantly say the words: ‘Glory and praise be to Allah. I seek forgiveness from Allah and I turn in repentance to Him.’ I have seen that sign: ‘When the help of Allah and victory comes,’ and that victory refers to the conquest of Makkah, ‘and you see the people entering the religion of Allah in groups, then glorify the praises of your Sustainer and seek forgiveness from Him. Surely, He accepts repentance.’”

After the revelation of Surah al-Naṣr, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ realised that his demise was near. He therefore began to praise Allah, glorify Him and recite abundant istighfar in ruku and sajdah, in obedience to the command of Allah.

It is our belief that all the Messengers of Allah ﷺ are sinless. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ therefore sought forgiveness due to his humility and not because he committed sins. He regarded his worship and conduct, as a slave of Allah, to be deficient in fulfilling the rights of Allah. In addition, he engaged in abundant taubah in order to teach the Ummah to do the same.

EASY GOOD DEED – Dua after Wudhu

We have already discussed the rewards and merits a person will acquire for making Wudhu and we also spoke about the merits of the person who will thereafter stand up and perform two rakaats Tahiyyatul Wudhu. But there is one more aspect of Wudhu that can earn us great rewards with very little effort.

As we are all aware our beloved Prophet ﷺ has taught us duas which are to be read at all the various situations throughout the day.

Now, there is an amazing reward which a person will get if he reads the prescribed duas after making Wudhu.

عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ، – رضى الله عنه – قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ‏ “‏ مَنْ تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ الْوُضُوءَ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ فُتِّحَتْ لَهُ ثَمَانِيَةُ أَبْوَابِ الْجَنَّةِ يَدْخُلُ مِنْ أَيِّهَا شَاءَ

It was narrated that ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab RA said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Whoever performs Wudu’ and does it well, then says: “Ashhadu an la ilaha ill-Allah was ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluh (I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is his slave and Messenger),” eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him, and he may enter through whichever one he wishes.'” [Nasai]

In the narration of Muslim, it appears in the following words.

عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ، قَالَ كَانَتْ عَلَيْنَا رِعَايَةُ الإِبِلِ فَجَاءَتْ نَوْبَتِي فَرَوَّحْتُهَا بِعَشِيٍّ فَأَدْرَكْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَائِمًا يُحَدِّثُ النَّاسَ فَأَدْرَكْتُ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ ‏”‏ مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَتَوَضَّأُ فَيُحْسِنُ وُضُوءَهُ ثُمَّ يَقُومُ فَيُصَلِّي رَكْعَتَيْنِ مُقْبِلٌ عَلَيْهِمَا بِقَلْبِهِ وَوَجْهِهِ إِلاَّ وَجَبَتْ لَهُ الْجَنَّةُ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ مَا أَجْوَدَ هَذِهِ ‏.‏ فَإِذَا قَائِلٌ بَيْنَ يَدَىَّ يَقُولُ الَّتِي قَبْلَهَا أَجْوَدُ ‏.‏ فَنَظَرْتُ فَإِذَا عُمَرُ قَالَ إِنِّي قَدْ رَأَيْتُكَ جِئْتَ آنِفًا قَالَ ‏”‏ مَا مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ يَتَوَضَّأُ فَيُبْلِغُ – أَوْ فَيُسْبِغُ – الْوُضُوءَ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ إِلاَّ فُتِحَتْ لَهُ أَبْوَابُ الْجَنَّةِ الثَّمَانِيَةُ يَدْخُلُ مِنْ أَيِّهَا شَاءَ

‘Uqba b. ‘Amir RA reported: We were entrusted with the task of tending the camels. On my turn when I came back in the evening after grazing them in the pastures, I found Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) stand and address the people. I heard these words of his: If any Muslim performs ablution well, then stands and prays two rak’aats setting about them with his heart as well as his face, Paradise would be guaranteed to him. I said: What a fine thing is this! And a man who was before me said: The first was better than even this. When I cast a glance, I saw that it was ‘Umar RA who said: I see that you have just come and observed: If anyone amongst you performs the ablution, and then completes the ablution well and then says: I testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the servant of Allah and His Messenger, the eight gates of Paradise would be opened for him and he may enter by whichever of them he wishes. [Muslim]

The tradition according to Abu Dawud also adds that one should look up towards the sky when saying these words,

فَقَالَ عُمَرُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ الْوُضُوءَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ نَظَرَهُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَقَالَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ فُتِحَتْ لَهُ ثَمَانِيَةُ أَبْوَابِ الْجَنَّةِ يَدْخُلُ مِنْ أَيِّهَا شَاءَ‏

‘Umar said. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: `Whoever does wudoo’ and does it well, then lifts his gaze towards heaven and says …. [Abu Dawud]

According to Tirmidhi one should also add,

عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ مَنْ تَوَضَّأَ فَأَحْسَنَ الْوُضُوءَ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِنَ التَّوَّابِينَ وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنَ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ فُتِحَتْ لَهُ ثَمَانِيَةُ أَبْوَابِ الْجَنَّةِ يَدْخُلُ مِنْ أَيِّهَا شَاءَ

to the above words.