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The Dala'il Al Khayrat has been observed as a litany throughout the Muslim world for over five hundred years. Millions of Muslims in the East and the West have eagerly recited it either in solitude or communally in mosques, even in the haramayn of Makkah and Madinah. As has been stated by prominent scholars of our time, the Dala'il Al Khayrat was the most copied book in Islamic history, after the Qur'an. In these posts we will examine certain aspects of the Dala'il in more detail.
In this first post, we'll look in detail at a series of duas at the end of Part 1, verses 43 - 50.
O Allah, make me among those who hold fast to the religion of Your Prophet, Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. And exalt his respect, magnify his word, preserve his covenant and sanctity. Give his party and calling victory. Increase his followers and those who pledge him allegiance. And grant that we may die in his company, and do not let us stray from his Path and Sunnah.O Allah, I ask You for adherence to his sunnah, and I seek refuge with You from deviating from what he brought.
O Allah, I ask You for the good which Sayyidina Muhammad, Your Prophet and Messenger ﷺ asked You. And I take refuge with You from the evil of what Sayyidina Muhammad, Your Prophet and Messenger ﷺ took refuge.
Some of the companions were worried that they would not remember all the duas that the Prophet ﷺ was making, so he ﷺ said “Should I not teach you such a dua that will include all of those duas?" and then taught them the above dua, beginning with "O Allah, I ask You for the good..."
O Allah, preserve me from the evil of trials, and protect me from all afflictions, and put right what appears to me and what is hidden, and purify my heart from rancour and envy, and do not allow anyone to oppress me.
O Allah, I ask You for the good that You know and to let me pass by the evil that You know. And I ask You to guarantee my provision, for Zuhd (detachment) in sufficiency, a clear way out of every uncertainty, success with proper action in every argument, justice in anger and pleasure, submission to what the Decree brings, moderation in poverty and wealth, humility in speech and action, and sincerity in serious matters and jesting.
Sincerity in serious matters and jesting: The Prophet ﷺ would joke, but would always speak the truth. For example, a man came to the Prophet ﷺ asking for a camel to ride on. He ﷺ said said that the man will be given a baby camel. The man said asked what he was to do with a baby camel (given it can't be used for to riding). The Prophet ﷺ then explained that every camel is a baby of a camel.
O Allah, I have wrong actions in what is between me and You, and wrong actions in what is between me and Your creation. O Allah, forgive what You have of them and remove from me what Your creation has of them. And enrich me with Your bounty, for Your forgiveness is All-Encompassing.
There are sins between us and Allah: these are when we do not fulfil obligatory deeds that Allah has commanded. The sins between us and His creation are the wrongs we commit to fellow human beings, for example, taking their wealth or attacking their honour.
O Allah, illuminate my heart with knowledge, make my body obedient to You, purify my inner self from temptations, occupy my thoughts with reflection, preserve me from the evil of the whisperings of the Shaytan, and protect me, O All-Merciful, from him until he has no power over me!
This dua (verses 43 - 50) is often used as a closing dua after daily recitation of the Dala'il. If possible, add it to your daily routine after reciting your daily hizb.
Sources: Sharh Dala'il Al Khayrat (Al-Sharnubi), Al-Shama'il.