By: Dr. Mubarak Ali
5. Recite Ayat Al-kursee[1] (Verse of the Throne)
Transliteration:
Allahu laa ilaah ilaahu, wal hai-yul qai-yum, laa ta' khuzuhu sinatum wa laa naum, lahu ma fis-samawati, wa ma fil ardman zal-lazi yash fa 'u 'indahu ilaa bi iznihi, ya' lamu maa baina aydihim, wa maa khalfahum, wa laa yuhituna bi shai-in-min 'ilmihi il-laa bi ma shaa a', wa si'a kursi-yuhus-samawati, wal ard, wa laa ya u' duhu hifzuhuma, wa huwal 'ali-yul 'azim.
(Abu Umamah in An-Nasa'I and At-Tabarani)
Translation:
Allah – there is no god by He, the Ever-living, the Self-subsisting by whom all subsist. Slumber overtake Him not nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him but by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them. And they encompass nothing of His knowledge except what He pleases. His knowledge extends over the heavens and the earth, and the preservation of them both tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Great.
6. Say the following Three Zikr[2]
- Recite the Tasbih 33 Times
Transliteration:
Subhaan Allah
Translation:
Glory be to Allah.
- Recite the Tahmeed 33 Times
Transliteration:
Alhamdu lil-lah
Translation:
Praise be to Allah.
3) Recite the Takbir 34[3]Times
Transliteration:
Allahu akbar
Translation:
Allah is the greatest.
(Source: The Muslim Handbook by Dr. Mubarak Ali)
(To be continued)
[1] The virtues of reciting Ayat Al-Kursee are best expressed by the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) as follows: Whoever recites The Verse of The Throne [Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:255] at the end of every prayer, nothing will prevent him from entering Paradise except that (he must) die (first) {Abu Hurairah in Ahmad, Al-Bukhari, Muslim, and Abu Dawud}.
Whoever recited The Verse of The Throne at the end (after) of every obligatory prayers will be in Allah's protection until ther next prayer ('Ali in At-Tabarani).
[2] There are boundless virtues for reciting these three forms of zikr (tasbih – glorifying Allah, tahmeed – praising Allah, and takbir – exalting the greatness of Allah). The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: Shall I teach you something by which you may overtake those who surpass you, by which you will surpass those who will come after you, and none will then be better than you except if he does what you do? They said: 'Certainly, O Messenger of Allah." He told them: "Glorify Allah thirty-three times, praise Him thirty-three times, and extol His greatness thirty-four times.' (Abu Hurairah in Al-Bukhari)
[3] If one chooses, it is also proper to say the takbir 33 timess only and on the 34th time say: Laa ilaaha ilal-laahu wahdadu laa sharikalahu la hul mulku wa lahul hamdu wahu wa alaa kulli sahi-in qadir (Abu Hurairah in Al-Bukhari, Abu Dawud, and Ahmad). This will complete 100 times of zikr.