The most beautiful Supplications of Rasolollah ﷺ - II
اللهم اقْسِمْ لَنَا مِنْ خَشْيَتِكَ
We are continuing the beautiful dua of the Prophet. Today while, sitting I remembered an old friend of mine, May Allah forgive him and grant him the pleasure of seeing his face. He used to regularly say this supplication during Ramadan. His memory makes me reflect on how a dua can become so much more than words - it becomes a bridge between hearts, between this world and the next.
اللهم اقْسِمْ لَنَا مِنْ خَشْيَتِكَ مَا تَحُولُ بِهِ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ مَعَاصِيتِكَ، وَمِنْ طَاعَتِكَ مَا تُبَلِّغُنَا بِهِ جَنَّتَكَ، وَمِنَ اليَقِينِ مَا تُهَوِّنُ بِهِ عَلَيْنَا مَصَائِبَ الدُّنْيَا، اللهم مَتِّعْنَا بِأسْمَاعِنَا وَأَبْصَارِنَا وَقُوَّاتِنَا أَبَدًا مَا أَحْيَيْتَنَا، وَجْعَلْهُ الوَارِثَ مِنَّا، وَاجْعَلْ ثَأْرَنَا عَلَىٰ مَنْ ظَلَمَنَا، وَانصُرْنَا عَلَىٰ مَنْ عَادَانَا، وَلَا تَجْعَلْ مُصِيبَتَنَا فِي دِينِنَا، وَلَا تَجْعَلِ الدُّنْيَا أَكْبَرَ هَمِّنَا وَلَا مَبْلَغَ عِلْمِنَا، وَلَا تُصَلِّطْ عَلَيْنَا مَنْ لَا يَرْحَمُنَا
O Allah, grant us from Your fear that which will act as a barrier between us and committing Your disobedience. And grant us from Your obedience that which will bring us to Your Paradise. And grant us from certainty that which will make the calamities of this world easy for us to bear. O Allah, grant us the enjoyment of our hearing, our sight, and our strength as long as You keep us alive, and make them the inheritors (of our deeds). And make our revenge against those who have wronged us. And give us victory over those who have opposed us. And do not make our trials in our religion, and do not make the world our greatest concern, nor the limit of our knowledge. And do not allow those who have no mercy upon us to have power over us.
Let me break down this dua that carries so many profound requests within it
Part 1: The Essential Requests:
This dua begins with three fundamental requests that lay the foundation for our entire existence. It's fascinating how it starts not by asking for worldly things, but by seeking three spiritual qualities: fear of Allah that protects us from sin, obedience that leads to Paradise, and certainty that makes life's trials bearable. These three requests, when granted, solve both our worldly and spiritual challenges.
Second Part - Preservation of Blessings:
Then the dua moves to something beautiful - asking Allah to let us enjoy our faculties while we live. Notice how it doesn't just ask for these blessings to continue, but for us to find enjoyment in them. How many of us truly appreciate our ability to see, hear, and move until we're at risk of losing them? And then that profound addition - 'make these our inheritors' - asking that these blessings stay with us until our final moments.
Third Part - Protection and Priority:
Here comes a part that might seem surprising in such a spiritual dua - asking for victory over those who wrong us. But notice how it's placed after establishing fear of Allah and requesting preservation of our faculties. It's as if teaching us that seeking justice should come from a place of spiritual strength, not emotional reactivity.
Final Part - The Critical Protections:
The dua concludes with what I find to be its most powerful requests - protections from three major trials that can destroy both our worldly life and hereafter. The sequence is telling: first protecting our deen, then our hearts from being consumed by dunya, and finally our well-being from those who lack mercy. It's as if these final requests secure everything asked for in the earlier parts.
From the Prophet ﷺ to His Companions: The Historical Context and Transmission of this Beautiful Dua
Ibn Umar رضي الله عنهما narrates:
قَلَّمَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُومُ مِنْ مَجْلِسٍ حَتَّى يَدْعُوَ بِهَؤُلَاءِ الدَّعَوَاتِ لِأَصْحَابِهِ -
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would rarely rise from a gathering without making this dua for his companions."
There's something deeply moving about this narration - imagine being in those blessed gatherings, where after sharing knowledge and wisdom, the Prophet ﷺ would raise his blessed hands and make this comprehensive dua for his companions. It wasn't just a dua he taught them to recite; it was a gift he would offer them, a protection he sought for them.
Imam At-Tirmidhi included this in his chapter on "The Comprehensive Supplications of the Prophet ﷺ" (جَامِعُ الدَّعَوَاتِ), indicating its special status among the Prophet's ﷺ duas.
What's particularly noteworthy is that this was one of the duas the Prophet ﷺ would make specifically for his companions (لِأَصْحَابِهِ). The scholars point out that when the Prophet ﷺ made dua for his companions, it was often at the end of a gathering where knowledge had been shared or important matters discussed. It was as if he ﷺ was asking Allah to preserve what had been gained in that sitting and protect them from anything that might diminish its benefit.
Ibn Al-Qayyim notes in his analysis that this dua follows a beautiful progression:
It starts with asking for internal qualities (khashya, ta'a, yaqin).
Moves to external faculties (hearing, sight, strength).
Concludes with protection from various trials.
The scholars also note that this dua was particularly beloved during Ramadan because it encompasses both worldly and spiritual protection, which is especially needed during this month of heightened spiritual awareness.
The way the salaf (early generations) understood and implemented this dua offers us fascinating insights into its depth.
Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما would particularly emphasize the sequence of the three opening requests: خَشْيَتِكَ (Your fear), طَاعَتِكَ (Your obedience), and اليَقِينِ (certainty). He explained that fear of Allah leads to obedience, and consistent obedience builds certainty in the heart. This certainty then makes worldly trials easier to bear.
Imam Hassan Al-Basri would often say that the part وَلَا تَجْعَلِ الدُّنْيَا أَكْبَرَ هَمِّنَا (don't make this world our greatest concern) was particularly relevant for his time - and perhaps even more so for ours. He would explain how this section of the dua was a shield against the dunya entering the heart.
An interesting historical note comes from the time of Umar bin Abdul Aziz. When he became khalifa, he would make this dua after every prayer, particularly emphasizing وَلَا تُسَلِّطْ عَلَيْنَا مَنْ لَا يَرْحَمُنَا (don't give power over us to those who would not show us mercy). The scholars note that this part of the dua was especially meaningful coming from a ruler, as it showed his recognition that all authority ultimately comes from Allah.
The early generations also had a beautiful practice regarding مَتِّعْنَا بِأسْمَاعِنَا وَأَبْصَارِنَا (let us enjoy our hearing and sight). They would make this dua specifically after gaining beneficial knowledge, asking Allah to preserve their faculties so they could continue to learn and teach.
There's a touching narration about Ibn Umar himself, who would make this dua while holding his ears and eyes, saying these were Allah's amānah (trust) that needed to be preserved for His worship.
From those blessed gatherings to us today, this dua carries its profound wisdom. The Prophet ﷺ would make it after teaching his companions, when hearts were soft with knowledge - knowing this was when they were most receptive to Allah's gifts: the fear that guards against sin, the obedience that leads to Paradise, and the certainty that makes life's trials bearable.
Perhaps we too can revive this practice. After reading Quran, learning something new about our deen, or sharing beneficial knowledge - when our hearts are tender and present - these are the moments to raise our hands and say:
اللهم اقْسِمْ لَنَا مِنْ خَشْيَتِكَ...
When you make this dua, remember my friend Abdul Basit too - it's been a decade since illness took him from this world. Through this dua, may we continue the chain of goodness he was part of, and may Allah make it a source of light in his grave. Jazak-Allah Khair for your time.
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