God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, always prayed to God before any action. The books of Tradition (hadith) record no case in which he did not pray. As mentioned earlier, prayer is a mystery of servanthood to God, and the Messenger is the foremost in servanthood. This is made clear with every repetition of the declaration of faith: “I bear witness there is no deity but God; I also bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.” Note that he is called servant before Messenger. Whatever he intended to do, he referred it to God through prayer.

God created us and our actions. Although we should take

 the necessary precautions and follow precedents to accomplish things in this world, where cause and effect have a special place, we should never forget that everything ultimately depends upon God for its existence. Therefore, we must combine action and prayer. This is also required by our belief in God’s Unity.

The Messenger’s knowledge of God can never be equaled. As a result, he was the foremost in love of, and paradoxically, in fear of Him. He was perfectly conscious that everything depends upon God for its existence and subsistence. Whatever God wills, happens: When He wills a thing, His command is to say to it “Be,” and it is (36:82). Things exist and the universe operates according to the laws established by God and the fulfillment of prerequisites. Fully aware of this, the Messenger did what he had to do and then, combining action with prayer, left the result to God with absolute confidence.

His supplications have been transmitted to us. When we read them, we see that they have deep meaning and accord exactly with the surrounding circumstances. They reflect profound belief, deep sincerity, absolute submission, and complete confidence. Some examples are given below:

In the Morning and Evening

• He used to recite Surat al-Ikhlas, Surat al-Falaq, and Surat al-Nas three times every morning and night before going to bed.
• We have reached evening and the whole creation, which is God’s property, also has reached evening. All praise is due to God. There is no deity but God, the One Who has no partner with Him. His is the Sovereignty, and all Praise is due to Him. He has power over all things. O God, I ask You for the good of this night, and seek refuge in You from the evil of this night and the evil that follows it. O God, I seek refuge in You from sloth and from the evil of vanity. O God, I seek refuge in You from the torment of HellFire and from the torment of the grave.
  
• God, with Your help we have reached evening, and with Your help we will reach morning. With Your help we live and by Your command we die. To You is our return.
  
• God, You are my Lord. There is no deity but You. You have created me, and I am Your servant. I try my best to keep my covenant with You and to live in the hope of Your promise. I seek refuge in You from the evil I have done. I acknowledge Your favors upon me and acknowledge my sins. So forgive me, for none forgives sins but You.
  
• God, Creator of the heavens and Earth, Who knows the unseen and the seen, Lord and Possessor of everything. I testify that there is no deity but You. I seek refuge in You from the evil within myself, from the evil of Satan, and from his inciting one to attribute partners to God.
  
• In the Name of God, by Whose Name nothing in Earth or in the heaven can do any harm, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.
  
• I am pleased with God as Lord, with Islam as religion, and with Muhammad as Prophet.
  
• God, I have reached morning and call You to bear witness, and the bearers of Your Throne, Your angels, and all Your creatures to bear witness, that You are God, other than Whom there is no deity, and that Muhammad is Your servant and Messenger.
  
• God, whatever favor has come to me has come from You alone, Who has no partner. To You all praise is due and all thanksgiving.
  
• God, I ask You for security in this world and in the Hereafter. O God, I ask You for forgiveness and security in my religion and my worldly affairs, in my family and my property. O God, cover my faults and keep me safe from the things I fear. O God, guard me from the front and the behind, from the right and the left, and from above. I seek in Your greatness the protection from unexpected harm from beneath.
  
• God, grant me sound health. O God, grant me sound hearing. O God, grant me sound eyesight. There is no deity but You.
  
• God, I have risen with Your help, blessings, security, and protection, so complete Your blessings upon me, Your security for me, and your protection in this world and in the Hereafter.
  
• God suffices me. There is no deity but He. In Him is my trust, and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne. (seven times)
  
• God, You are my Lord. There is no deity but You. I put my trust in You. You are the Lord of the Mighty Throne. Whatever God wills happens, and whatever He does not will does not happen. There is neither power nor strength save with You, the Exalted, the Mighty. I know that God has power over all things, and God comprehends all things in knowledge. O God, I seek refuge with You from the evil of myself and from the evil of all creatures under Your control. Surely the straight way is my Sustainer’s way.
  

At Bed Time

• God, by Your Name I live and die. Praise be to God, Who gave us life after death. To Him is the return. O God, save me from Your punishment on the day when You will raise Your creatures.
  
• God, Lord of the heavens, Earth, and the Mighty Throne, our Lord and the Lord of everything, Who causes the seed to grow and the datestone to split and sprout, Who sent down the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur’an. I seek refuge in You from the evil of all evilmongers under Your Control. You are the First and there is nothing before You, and You are the Last and there is nothing after You. You are the Outward and there is nothing beyond You, and You are the Inward and there is nothing more inward than You. Relieve us of our debt and poverty.
  
• Every night when he went to bed, the Messenger would hold out his hands together imploringly and blow over them after reciting Surat al-Ikhlas, Surat al-Falaq, and Surat al-Nas. Then he would rub his hands three times over whichever parts of his body he was able to rub, starting with his head, face, and front of his body.
  
• In Your name, O Lord, I lay myself down to sleep, and by Your permission I raise myself up. So if You take away my soul during sleep, forgive it. If You keep it alive after sleep, protect it just as You protect Your pious servants.
  
• (in bed:) Allahu akbar (God is the Greatest) 34 times, Subhana’llah (Glory be to God) 33 times, al-hamdu li’llah (All praise be to God) 33 times.
  
• God, hoping for Your Mercy and fearing Your wrath, I submit myself to You, refer my affairs to You, and take refuge in You. There is no refuge or source of safety from Your wrath except You. I believe in the Book You sent down, and the Prophet whom you raised.

Upon Waking Up

• Thanks be to God, Who returned my soul, made my body sound, and permitted me to remember Him.
  
• There is no deity but You. Glory be to You. O God, I seek Your forgiveness for my sins and ask for Your mercy. O God, increase me in knowledge and let not my heart swerve after You have guided me on the right path. Grant me mercy from You, for You are the Grantor of bounties without measure.
  
• There is no deity but God. He is One and has no partner. To Him belongs all praise and all authority, and He has power over all things. Praise be to God, glory be to God, there is no deity but God. God is the Greatest. There is neither power nor strength save with God.
  

Upon Wearing Clothes

• All thanks and praise be to God, Who has clothed me and given me sustenance, whereas I have no power, nor strength.
  
• All praise and thanks be to God, Who has clothed me to cover my nakedness and made it a means of adornment for me.
  

Upon Seeing Another Muslim Wearing Some New Clothes

• May you live so long that you will wear out many garments.
  
• May you live so long that you wear out this garment, and may God replace it with a better one.
  

Upon Leaving One’s House

• In the Name of God. I put my trust in God. There is neither power nor strength save with God.
  
• In the name of God. I believe in God and seek His protection. There is neither power nor strength save with God.
  
• God, I seek Your refuge against going astray or leading others astray, slipping or causing others to slip, doing wrong or being wronged by others, and behaving arrogantly or being treated arrogantly by others.
  

Upon Entering One’s House

• One enters one’s house saying: “In the Name of God, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate,” “Peace be upon you,” and then: “O God. I seek of You the best of entrance and the best of departure. In the Name of God we enter and in the Name of God we go out, and we put our trust in God, our Lord.”
  

When the Wind Blows

• God, I ask You for its good, and the good that is in it, and the good with which it is sent. I seek Your refuge against its evil, and the evil with which it is sent.
  

Upon Hearing Thunder

• God, do not destroy us with Your wrath or let us perish with Your punishment. Give us good health before it comes to pass.
  

During Sorrow, Grief, and Difficulties

• There is no deity but God, the Mighty, the Forbearing. There is no deity but God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. There is no deity but God, the Lord of the heavens and Earth, and the Lord of the Throne of Honor.
  
• The Ever-Living, O the Eternal, I seek Your help by Your Grace.
  
• God, I hope for Your Mercy, so do not entrust me to myself even for a twinkle of eye. Set right all my affairs. There is no deity but You.
  
• There is no deity but You. All glory be to You. I have indeed been one of the wrongdoers.
  
• God, I am Your servant, son of Your servant, son of your maidservant. My rein is in Your hand. Your command concerning me prevails, and Your decision concerning me is just. I call upon You by every one of the All-Beautiful Names by which You have described Yourself, or which You have revealed in Your Book, or have taught anyone of Your creatures, or which You have chosen to keep in the knowledge of the unseen with You, to make the Qur’an the delight of my heart, the light of my breast, and the remover of my griefs, sorrows, and afflictions.
  

Upon Encountering the Enemy, and When One is Afraid of the Ruler

• Master of the Day of Judgment. I worship You alone and seek only Your help.
  
• There is no deity but God, the Forbearing, the Gracious. Glory be to God, my Lord. Glory be to God, the Lord of the seven heavens and of the Mighty Throne. There is no deity but You. Strong is your protection, and great is Your praise.
  
• God suffices us for everything, and an excellent Guardian is He.
  

When in Debt

• God, make Your lawful bounties sufficient for me so as to save me from what is unlawful. From Your grace, grant me sufficient abundance to free me from the need of all except You.
  
• God, I seek refuge in You from all worry and grief. I seek refuge in You from incapacity and slackness. I seek refuge in You from cowardice and miserliness. I seek refuge in You from being overcome by debt and being subjected to people.
  

Comprehensive Prayers That Can Be Said at Any Time

• God, put between me and errors a distance as great as that which you have put between East and West.
• O God, cleanse me of my errors, just as a white garment is cleansed of dirt.
  
• God, I ask You for all good, including what is at hand and what is deferred, what I already know and what I do not know. I take refuge in You from every evil, including what is at hand and what is deferred, what I already know and what I do not know.
  
• God, nothing hinders what You grant, nor is anything granted that You hinder. A wealthy person cannot do us good, as wealth belongs to You.
  
• God, I have not told anything, taken an oath, made a vow, or done anything that You did not previously will. Whatever You willed is, and whatever You did not will is not. There is neither power nor strength saveith You. You are indeed All-Powerful over everything.
  
• God, I ask You for contentment after misfortune, a peaceful life after death, the pleasure of observing Your Face, and a desire to meet You. I take refuge in You from wronging others and from being wronged, from showing animosity and being subject to animosity, and from erring or committing unforgivable sins. If You leave me to myself, you leave me in weakness, need, sinfulness, and error. I depend only upon Your Mercy, so forgive all my sins, for only You can do so. Accept my repentance, for You are the Oft-Relenting, All-Compassionate.
  
• God, You deserve most to be mentioned, and none but You deserve to be worshipped. You are more helpful than anyone whose help may be sought, more affectionate than any ruler, more generous than anyone who may be asked for something, and more generous than anyone who gives. You are the Sovereign without partners, the Unique One without like. Everything is perishable except You.
  
• You are obeyed only by Your permission, and disobeyed only within Your knowledge. When somebody obeys You, You reward them; when someone disobeys You, You forgive them. You witness everything, being nearer to it than any other witness; and protect everything, being nearer to it than any other protector. You ordained the acts of all people and determined their time of death. You know what is in every mind, and all secrets are manifest to You.
  
• The lawful is what You have made lawful; the forbidden is what You have forbidden. Religion is what You have laid down; the command is what You have decreed. The creation is Your creation; the servants are Your servants. You are God, the All-Clement, All-Compassionate. I ask You, for the sake of the light of Your Face, by which the Heavens and Earth were illuminated, for the sake of every right belonging to You and for the sake of those who ask of You, to forgive me just in this morning and just in this evening, and to protect me, by Your Power, from Hellfire.
  
• God, I seek refuge in You from all knowledge that gives no benefit, from a heart that does not fear You, from an unsatisfied soul, and from a prayer that cannot be answered.
  
• God, I ask You for steadfastness in my affairs, resolution in guidance, gratitude for Your bounties and acceptable service to You, and a truthful tongue and a sound heart. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what You know. I ask You for the good of what You know, and Your forgiveness for what You already know. Surely You are the Knower of the Unseen.
  
• God, I ask You to enable me to do good, refrain from vice, and love the poor. Forgive me and have mercy upon me. When You will people’s deviation, dissension, and disorder in public life, make me die before taking part in that disorder. I ask You for Your love and for the love of those whom You love, and for the love of the acts that will bring me closer to Your love.
  
• God, I ask You for the good in the beginning and in the end, in its most comprehensive form with its beginning and result, its manifest and secret kinds, and for the highest rank in Paradise.
  
• God, help me remember and mention You, thank You, and worship You most properly.
  
• God, I ask You for guidance, fear of You, chastity, and independence of others.
  
• God, bring all of our affairs to a good conclusion. Protect us from disgrace and ignominy in the world, and from being tormented in the Hereafter.
  
• God, we ask You for all of the good for which Your Prophet Muhammad asked You, and seek refuge in You from every evil from which Your Prophet Muhammad sought refuge in You.
  

Invoking God’s Blessings and Peace upon God’s Messenger, His Family, and Companions

God says: “God and His angels send blessings to the Prophet. O you who believe, send blessings to him, and salute him with all respect. (33:56)” God’s sending blessings to the Prophet, peace be upon him, means that He praises him in front of the angels and has mercy upon him, and the blessings of angels mean their supplications invoking blessings upon the Prophet.

The Messenger himself said: “If anyone invokes blessings upon me once, God will bestow blessings upon him 10 times over” (Nasa’i, “Sahw,” 55); and “Whoever desires to be given (his or her reward) in full measure, should send salutations to us – the members of my family – and should say: ‘O God, shower blessings upon Muhammad the Prophet, his wives, the mothers of the believers, his descendants, and the members of his family, as you showered blessings upon the family of Ibrahim. You are the Praiseworthy and Glorious.” (Bukhari, “Da'awat,” 33)

Invoking God’s Blessings and Peace upon the Messenger Whenever His Name Is Mentioned

Some Muslim scholars hold that it is obligatory upon a Muslim to invoke God’s blessings and peace upon the Messenger whenever his name is mentioned. They base their argument upon the hadith: “May the nose of the person in whose presence I am mentioned be covered with dirt if he (she) does not invoke blessings upon me. Let the nose of that person be smeared with dust who finds Ramadan but lets it come to an end without securing pardon for himself (or herself). May the nose of the person be smeared with dust whose aged parents, either one or both of them are still living, and who fails (i.e., by serving them) to enter Paradise.”

Other scholars opine that this hadith means that urging and therefore invoking God’s blessings and peace upon the Messenger, peace be upon him, only once during a gathering is obligatory. After that it is no longer necessary, although it is preferred and better to do so. In addition, it is preferred to invoke God’s peace upon other Prophets and angels separately.