A basic explanation for some of the phrases to be said while performing prayers
based on content from the leaflet “Ma‘aanee Aqwaal as-Salaah” prepared by the Makkah-based “Mashroo‘ Ta‘theem Qadr as-Salaah” (the Project for Imparting the Tremendous Status of Prayer)
اللهُ أَكْبَرُ.
Allaah is the greatest.[1]
Comments:
[1] Allaah is greater than everything in His self, His names, and His attributes.
سُبْحَانَكَ اللهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، وتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ، وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ، وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ.
O Allaah, I proclaim Your perfection[1] and I praise You[2], it is by Your name that all blessings are attained[3], Your magnificence is exalted[4], and none has the right to be worshipped except You[5].
Comments:
[1] In other words: I declare You free of any imperfection, and of everything that does not befit Your majesty and magnificence.
[2] Praise here entails affirming every form of perfection and completion for Allaah, and doing so with full love and reverence for Him.
[3] This could also be expressed as: Your names are perfect, magnificent, and flawless.
[4] Such that no magnificence that any created being may have could ever come near to rivaling Yours.
[5] In other words: There is none deserving of any form of worship besides You.
أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ.
I seek refuge with Allaah[1] against shaytaan[2], the outcast[3].
Comments:
[1] In other words: I seek Allaah’s protection and I resort to Him alone for defence.
[2] The Arabic term “shaytaan” refers to anyone who is far from Allaah’s mercy. It includes the first shaytaan – that being the jinn known as Iblees, who refused to prostrate to Aadam when instructed to do so – and it also includes all other humans and jinns who rebelliously disobey Allaah and are, thus, far from Allaah’s mercy.
[3] The Arabic word “rajeem” can be understood in two ways: one is that it means “marjoom”, and another is that it means “raajim”. Any shaytaan is “marjoom” (i.e. an outcast in the sense that he is expelled from Allaah’s mercy), and this is the meaning brought out in the translation above. Another meaning is that any individual described as a shaytaan is “raajim” (i.e. one who bombards others with disobedience to Allaah).
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ . الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ . الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ . مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ . إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ . اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ . صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ . غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ . وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ
In the name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of mercy.[1] All praise[2] is due to Allaah, the Lord[3] of all creation[4], the Most Merciful[5], the Bestower of mercy[6], the only owner and sovereign of the Day of Recompense[7]. You alone we worship[8], and You alone we ask for assistance[9]. We implore You to guide us to and along the straight path[10], and grant us steadfastness in adhering to that path[11]: the path of those upon whom You bestowed Your favour[12]; not the path of those who incur wrath[13], nor the path of those who are astray[14].
Comments:
[1] In other words: It is in the name of Allaah – who is the Most Merciful and the Bestower of mercy – that I begin my reading of the Qur’aan while seeking His assistance.
[2] As preceded, praise entails affirming every form of perfection and completion for Allaah, and doing so with full love and reverence for Him. Allaah is the only One who deserves that from us.
[3] “The Lord” here refers to the One who creates, owns, and controls everything in existence.
[4] “All creation” encompasses every single created thing, and each one of them is indicative of its Creator: Allaah, the Most Exalted.
[5] This is one explanation for Allaah’s name “ar-Rahmaan.” Another is that He possesses general mercy that encompasses all of creation.
[6] This is one explanation for Allaah’s name “ar-Raheem.” Another is that He possesses special mercy that He only grants to His obedient servants who have sound beliefs and perform righteous deeds.
[7] In other words: Allaah alone is the One who will judge and be in full control on the Day of Resurrection.
[8] In other words: It is to You alone that we direct all forms of worship.
[9] In other words: It is from You alone that we seek assistance in worshipping You and in all other matters as well.
[10] The one that leads an individual directly to all that pleases You, without any crookedness or deviation. This supplication includes asking for guidance to recognize the correct path as well as guidance to accept and follow that path.
[11] Throughout our lives, all the way until we meet You.
[12] By guiding them to obey You through knowing the truth and complying with it. That is the path of an-nabiyyeen (Allaah’s Prophets), as-siddeeqeen (those who continuously testified to the truthfulness of Allaah’s Prophets), ash-shuhadaa’ (those martyred in Allaah’s path), and as-saaliheen (all of those who are righteous, meaning that they fulfill Allaah’s rights as well as the rights of His servants, and they do that by remaining sincerely devoted to Allaah inwardly and complying with His Messenger’s guidance outwardly).
[13] Due to knowing the truth from Allaah but not complying with it.
[14] Due to lacking knowledge of the truth and then acting without sound guidance from Allaah.
آمِينَ.
O Allaah, I beseech You to respond.
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ.
My Lord, the Most Magnificent[1], is perfect in every way.
Comments:
[1] There is none more magnificent than Him.
سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ.
Allaah has heard and responded to those who have praised Him.[1]
Comments:
[1] In other words: Since Allaah has done that for people of the past, we beseech Him to do the same for us in the present. Another way the phrase’s meaning could be expressed is: May Allaah hear and respond to the supplication of those who have praised Him.
رَبَّنَا، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ.
Our Lord, we beseech You to accept our obedience[1], and You alone deserve all praise[2].
Comments:
[1] Since You are the Lord of all creation, who has complete control of all things and to whom all matters ultimately return.
[2] For guiding us to all that makes You pleased with us.
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى.
My Lord, the Most High[1], is perfect in every way.
Comments:
[1] There is none higher than Him. Allaah Himself is the Most High since He is above all of creation, and His attributes are the Most High since they are exalted above the attributes of all else.
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي، رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي.
My Lord, I beseech You to forgive me[1]. My Lord, I beseech You to forgive me[2].
Comments:
[1] For all sins, major and lesser. The term “forgiveness” includes the concealment and pardoning of sins. Thus, the meaning conveyed by “I beseech You to forgive me” is: I beseech You to conceal my sins and pardon me for them, so that I would be protected against being punished and exposed due to them.
[2] The repetition here shows that the phrase is to be repeated. It does not mean that the phrase is to be said only twice.
التَّحِيَّاتُ لِلَّهِ وَالصَّلَوَاتُ وَالطَّيِّبَاتُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ، السَّلَامُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ.
All glorification[1], prayers[2], and wholesome words and deeds[3] belong to Allaah alone. Prophet of Allaah, may Allaah bestow protection[4], mercy[5], and many blessings[6] upon you. May Allaah bestow protection upon us, as well as upon all of Allaah’s righteous worshipping servants[7]. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah[8], and I bear witness that Muhammad is Allaah’s worshipping servant[9] and Messenger[10].
Comments:
[1] “Glorification” here can be understood as referring to all phrases that express reverence for Allaah. The One who deserves all forms of glorification is Allaah alone, without any partner.
[2] This refers to obligatory prayers, non-obligatory prayers, and supplications as well. All of them are to be devoted to Allaah alone, without any partner.
[3] “Wholesome words and deeds” belonging to Allaah can be understood from two perspectives. Firstly, in terms of Allaah, it means that all of His statements, actions, and attributes are completely wholesome and perfect since He Himself is perfect in every way. Secondly, in terms of Allaah’s servants, it means that they are to sincerely devote all of their wholesome words and deeds – both inward and outward – to Allaah alone, without any partner.
[4] This could also be expressed as: “May the name of Allaah, as-Salaam, be upon you”, and the meaning of that expression similarly implies being granted Allaah’s protection.
[5] Being granted Allaah’s protection and mercy results in being safeguarded against all that is detrimental, as well as attaining all that is advantageous. These are the meanings implied when we make this supplication for the Prophet (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection).
[6] Blessings refer to a continuous plethora of good things. Supplicating Allaah to bestow this upon His Prophet (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection) includes blessing the Prophet with many followers, and with having those followers perform many righteous deeds.
[7] They attain righteousness by sincerely devoting themselves and their deeds to Allaah inwardly, and complying with the guidance of Allaah’s Messenger outwardly (may Allaah grant him commendation and protection).
[8] No form of worship is to be directed to anyone except Him alone, without any partner.
[9] Thus, he is not to be worshipped since he is a human who sincerely devotes all of his worship to Allaah alone.
[10] Thus, he is not to be belied since he was sent by Allaah as a Messenger to convey to all of humanity the guidance of Allaah with which they are supposed to comply.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَآلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ، وَبَارِكْ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَآلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ.
O Allaah, bestow commendation[1] upon Muhammad and upon the family[2] of Muhammad, just as You bestowed commendation upon Ibraaheem and the family of Ibraaheem[3]. Indeed, You are Most Praiseworthy[4], Most Glorious[5]. And bestow blessings[6] upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, just as You bestowed blessings upon Ibraaheem and the family of Ibraaheem.[7] Indeed, You are Most Praiseworthy, Most Glorious.
Comments:
[1] In other words: We implore You to mention him with commendation to the inhabitants of the heavens.
[2] Referring to those who follow the religion that he brought from Allaah.
[3] In other words: Just as You previously granted Your favour to the Prophet Ibraaheem and his followers in that way, we implore You to similarly grant Your favour in that way to the Prophet Muhammad and his followers.
[4] This is one way “Hameed” can be understood. Another way is: the One who commends His obedient worshipping servants who comply with His directives.
[5] Such that You possess complete magnificence and dominion over all things.
[6] In other words: Send much goodness from Yourself down upon those mentioned
[7] In other words: Just as You previously granted Your favour to the Prophet Ibraaheem and his followers in that way, we implore You to similarly grant Your favour in that way to the Prophet Muhammad and his followers.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ، وَمِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ.
O Allaah, I earnestly seek refuge with You against the punishment of the hellfire[1], against the punishment of the grave[2], against the trials[3] of life[4] and death[5], and against the trials of al-Maseeh ad-Dajjaal[6].
Comments:
[1] In other words: I beseech You for protection against the punishment that the hellfire inflicts upon those in it.
[2] In other words: I beseech You for protection against the punishment that takes place after passing away and before being resurrected. That duration is called “barzakh” in Arabic, which refers to a barrier that prevents one from returning to the world he left behind after passing away.
[3] That affect me in matters of my religion.
[4] In other words: I beseech You for protection against being tried throughout the duration of my life in this world by way of incorrect ideas or disobedient inclinations.
[5] In other words: I beseech You for protection against being tried by way of adversities that will happen when my death is imminent and my time to leave this world is at hand, as well as being tried just after my death by not having the correct answers when two angels will come while I am in my grave and ask me about my Lord, my religion, and my Prophet.
[6] In other words: I beseech You for protection against the trials that will come with the appearance of al-Maseeh ad-Dajjaal, which will be the greatest of trials that will ever take place in this world, from as far back as the time Aadam was created all the way until the Day of Resurrection.
السَّلامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ.
May Allaah bestow His protection and mercy upon you[1].
Comments:
[1] This supplication implies invoking Allaah to protect against all that is detrimental, and grant all that is advantageous. If one is praying with a congregation, it is made for the members of the congregation around him. If praying by oneself, it is made for the angels to one’s right and left.