Anas ibn Malik · The Book of Seeking Refuge with Allah

"I came to the Messenger of Allah while he was riding, and I put my hand on his foot and said: 'Teach me Surah Hud, teach me Surah Yusuf. He said: 'You will never recite anything more precious before Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, than: 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak.'"

The Prophet said: "There have been revealed to me Verses the like of which has never been seen: 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak...' to the end of the Surah, and 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of mankind...' to the end of the Surah."

"The Messenger of Allah said to me: 'Recite, O Jabir!' I said: 'What should I recite, may my father and mother be ransomed for you, O Messenger of Allah?' He said: Recite: 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of the daybreak...,' and: 'Say: I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of mankind...' So I recited them, and he said: 'Recite them, for you will never recite anything like them.'"

The Prophet used to seek refuge (with Allah) from four things: From knowledge that is of no benefit, from a heart that does not feel humble, from a supplication that is not heard, and a soul that is never satisfied.

The Prophet used to seek refuge with Allah from cowardice, miserliness, the tribulation of the heart and the torment of the grave.

"I came to the Prophet and said: 'O Prophet of Allah, teach me words by means of which I may seek refuge with Allah.' He took me by the hand and said: 'Say: A'udhu bika min sharri sam'i, wa sharri basari, wa sharri lisani, wa sharri qalbi, wa sharri mani (I seek refuge with You from the evil of my hearing, the evil of my seeing, the evil of my tongue, the evil of my heart, and the evil of…

"The Messenger of Allah had supplications that he never neglected. He used to say: 'Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-hammi, wal-hazani, wal-'ajzi, wal-kasali, wal-bukhli, wal-jubni, wad-daini, wa ghalabatar-rijal (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from worry, grief, incapacity, laziness, miserliness, cowardice, debt, and being overpowered by (other) men.)"

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Seek refuge with Allah from poverty, want, humiliation and wronging others or being wronged.'"

"The Messenger of Allah used to say: 'Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min al-arba': min 'ilmin la yanfa'u, wa min qalbin la yakhsha'u, wa min nafsin la tashba'u, wa min du'a'in la yusma'u (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from four: From knowledge that is of no benefit, from a heart that is not humble, from a soul that is not satisfied and from a supplication that is not answered.)'"

"I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, teach me a supplication from which I may benefit.' He said: 'Say: Allahumma 'afini min sharri sam'i, wa basari, wa lisani, wa qalbi, wa sharri mani (O Allah, protect me from the evil of my hearing, my seeing, my tongue and my heart, and the evil of my sperm.)" - Meaning his sexual organ.

When the Prophet went out of his house, he said: "Bismillahi Rabbi! A'udhu bika min an azilla aw adilla aw azlima aw uzlama, aw ajhala aw yujhala 'alayya (In the name of Allah, my Lord, I seek refuge in You from falling into error or going astray, or wrongdoing (others) or being wronged, and from behaving or being treated in an ignorant manner.)"

"The Messenger of Allah used to seek refuge from the evil eye of the Jinn and the evil eye of humans. When Al-Mu'awwadhatan were revealed, he started to recite them and stopped reciting anything else."

The Messenger of Allah used to teach them this supplication as he would teach them a Surah of the Qur'an: "Say: 'Allahumma, inni na'uwdhu bika min 'adhabi jahannama, wa a'udhu bika min 'adhabil-qabri, wa a'udhu bika min fitnatil-masihid-dajjali, wa a'udhu bika min fitnatil-mahya wal-mamat (O Allah, we seek refuge with You from the torment of Hell, and I seek refuge with You from the torment of the grave, and I seek refuge with You from the tribulation of Al-Masihid-Dajjal, and…

The Messenger of Allah used to supplicate and say: "Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min al-harami, wat-taraddi, wal-hadmi, wal-ghammi, wal-hariqi, wal-gharaqi, wa a'udhu bika, an yatakhabbatanish-shaitanu 'indal-mawti, wa an uqtala fi sabilika mudbiran, wa a'udhu bika wa an amuta ladigha (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from old age, being thrown from a high place, being crushed by a falling wall, distress, burning and drowning. I seek refuge with You from being led astray by the Shaitan at the time…

"The Messenger of Allah used to say: 'Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-hadmi, wa a'udhu bika minat-taraddi, wa a'udhu bika minal-gharaqi, wal-hariqi, wa a'udhu bika an yatakhabbatanish-shaitanu 'indal-mawti, wa a'udhu bika an amuta fi sabilika mudbiran, wa a'udhu bika an amuta ladigha (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from being crushed by a falling wall, and I seek refuge with You from drowning or being burned, and I seek refuge with You from being led astray by the Shaitan at…

"I looked for the Messenger of Allah one night in my bed, and I did not find him. I struck my hand on the head of the bed, and my hand fell on the soles of his feet. He was prostrating and saying: 'A'udhu bi 'afwika min 'iqabika, wa a'udhu bi ridaka min sakhatika, wa a'udhu bika minka (I seek refuge in Your forgiveness from Your punishment, and I seek refuge in Your pleasure from Your wrath, and I seek…