Duaa (Supplication) Guide for the Sick and the Afflicted

i.

Recitation of Suurah al-Faatihah

Aboo Saeed al-Khudree narrated: While we were on a journey we dismounted at a
place whereupon a servant girl came to us and said, The chief of this tribe has been
stung by a scorpion and our people are away; is there anyone among you who can recite
ruqyah (incantations)? A man from among us whom we did not expect to know
incantation got up and went with her. He recited ruqyah over him and he was healed.
He [the chief] gave him thirty sheep and some milk. When he came back to us we
asked him, Did you have previous experience at reciting incantations? He replied,
No, I only recited over him Umm al-Kitaab (Suurah al-Faatihah). (al-Bukhaaree and
Muslim)
Khaarijah ibn as-Salt reported that his uncle went to the Prophet (SAW) and embraced
Islam. On his way back, he came upon a tribe which had among them a madman bound
in iron chains. The madmans family said, We have been informed that your
companion [the Prophet Muhammad] has come with good [things]. So, do you have
anything to treat this illness with? He recited over him Faatihah al-Kitaab for three
consecutive days in the morning and evening. Each time he recited it, he would gather
his saliva and then blow over the madman. The madman was then cured, and his family
gave him a hundred sheep. (Aboo Daawood and an-Nasaaee)

ii.

Recitation of the Last Two Verses of Suurah al-Baqarah

Aboo Masood reported that Allaahs Messenger (SAW) said, Whoever recites the two
verses at the end of Suurah al-Baqarah at night, they will suffice him. (al-Bukhaaree
and Muslim)

iii.

Recitation of Suurah al-Ikhlaas, Suurah al-Falaq and Suurah an-Naas

These are the last three chapters of the Quraan known as al-Muawwidhaat. These are
chapters 112, 113 and 114 of the Quraan respectively. The last two are called alMuawwidhataan.
Ibn Aabis al-Juhanee reported that the Prophet (SAW) said to him, O Ibn Aabis!
Shall I inform you of the best thing that those who seek protection use for protection?
He replied, Of course, O Messenger of Allaah! The Prophet (SAW) said, Qul
aoodhu birabbil-falaq and Qul aoodhu birabbin-naas. These two Suurahs [are the
best protection]. (an-Nasaaee and Ahmad)
Aaishah reported: Whenever Allaahs Messenger (SAW) went to bed, he would recite,
Qul huwallaahu ahad, and Qul aoodhu birabbil-Falaq, and Qul aoodhu
birabbin-naas, and then blow on his palms and pass them over his face and those parts
of his body that his hands could reach. He would do that thrice. Whenever he falls ill he
would order me to do like that for him. (al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)

Another narration says, He would bring the palms of both hands together and blow
over them and recite. He would then rub with them whatever he could reach of his
body, starting with his head, face and the front part of the body. He would do this three
times. (al-Bukhaaree)
Comprehensive Supplications for the Sick
a) Aaishah reported that whenever Allaahs Messenger (SAW) visited a sick person or a
sick person was brought to him, he would supplicate for him and say, Allaahumma
rabban-naas, adh-hibil-basa, washfi antash-shaafee, laa shifaaa illa shifaa-uk,
shifaa-an laa yughaadiru saqamaa (O Allaah! Lord of the people, remove the
affliction (disease), and grant cure. You are the Healer. There is no cure except Your
curea cure that leaves behind no sickness). (al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)
Aaishah also reported that whenever the Prophet (SAW) visited any member of his
family who was ill, he would pass his right hand over the person or over the site of
ailment and recite the above prayer. (al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)
b) Aaishah reported that the Prophet (SAW) used to recite for the sick, Imsihil-basa
rabban-naas, biyadikash-shifaa, laa yakshiful-karba illa anta (Rub away the
affliction [disease], O Lord of the people! In Your Hand is the cure. None can remove
the distress except You). (Muslim)
c) Ibn Abbaas reported Allaahs Messenger (SAW) as saying, No Muslim will visit a
sick Muslim and say seven times, As-alullaahal-Azeem, rabbal-Arshil-Azeem an
yashifiyak (I ask Allaah, the Supreme, the Lord of the Magnificent Throne to cure
you), without his being cured except his time of death has come. (Aboo Daawood, atTirmidhee, an-Nasaaee, Ibn Hibbaan and al-Haakim)
d) Aaishah reported that whenever any person complained of an illness or had a wound or
injury, the Prophet (SAW) would wet his index finger with his saliva and thrust it into
the ground, then lift it and rub the site of ailment with it while saying, Bismillaah
turbatu ardinaa, bireeqati badinaa, yushfaa saqeemunaa, bi-idhni rabbinaa (With
the Name of Allaah, and the soil of our land, and with the saliva of one of us, our sick
will be cured with the permission of our Lord). (al-Bukhaaree, Muslim and Aboo
Daawood)
e) Uthmaan ibn Abee al-Aas reported that he complained to Allaahs Messenger (SAW)
of a pain he had in his body. [Another narration from at-Tirmidhee and Aboo Daawood
quotes Uthmaan as saying, The Messenger of Allaah came to me while I was
suffering from an illness that almost killed me.] Thereupon, Allaahs Messenger
(SAW) said, Place your hand over the aching part of your body and say, three times:
Bismillaah (In the name of Allaah), then say seven times: Aoodhu bi izzatillaahi
wa qudratihi min sharri maa ajidu wa uhaadhir (I seek refuge in Allaahs Might and
Power from what I feel and which I fear). In the version collected by Maalik,

Uthmaan said, I did so and Allaah removed my ache and cured me and I continued to
advise my family and others to do so. (Muslim, Aboo Daawood, at-Tirmidhee, anNasaaee and Maalik)
f) Aboo Hurayrah and Aboo Saeed al-Khudree reported that the Prophet (SAW) said,
When a servant [of Allaah] says, Laa ilaaha illal-laah, wallaahu Akbar (There is no
god except Allaah, and Allaah is the Greatest), Allaah responds, My servant has
spoken the truth: There is no god except Me, and I am the Greatest. And when the
servant says, Laa ilaaha illal-laah wahdahu laa shareeka lah (There is no god
except Allaah, alone. He has no Partner), Allaah responds, My servant has spoken
the truth: There is no god except Me, alone. I have no partner. And when the servant
says, Laa ilaaha illal-laah, lahul mulku wa lahul-hamd (There is no god except
Allaah, to Him belongs all sovereignty and praise), Allaah says, My servant has
spoken the truth: There is no god except Me, and to Me belongs all sovereignty and
praise. When the servant says, Laa ilaaha illal-laah, wa laa hawla wa laa quwwata
illa billaah (There is no god but Allaah, and there is no power or might except from
Allaah), Allaah says, My servant has spoken the truth: There is no god except Me, and
there is no power or might except from Me. Then the Prophet (SAW) added,
Whoever is granted these statements at death, or while sick and then dies, the Fire will
never touch him. (at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah, an-Nasaaee, Ibn Hibbaan and alHaakim)
Prayers at Times of Anxiety, Agony, Distress and Sorrow
a) Abdullaah ibn Masood reported Allaahs Messenger as saying, No servant will be
afflicted by care [worry] and sorrow and then says: Allaahumma innee abduka ibnu
abdika ibnu amatik, naa-siyatee biyadik, maa-din feyya hukmuka, adlun feyya
qadaa-uk, as-aluka bikulli ismin huwa lak, sammayta bihi nafsak, au anzaltahu
fee kitaabik, au allamtahu ahadan min khalqik, au ista-tharta bihi fee ilmilghaybi indaka an tajalal-quraana noora sadree, wa rabee-a qalbee, wa jilaa-a
huznee wa dha-haaba hammee (O Allaah! I am Your servant, son of Your servant, son
of Your maidservant. My forelock is in Your Hand. Your Judgement concerning me is
precise; Your Decree over me is just. I ask You by every name You possess which You
have called Yourself, or which You have revealed in Your Book, or which You have
taught any of Your creation or which You prefer to keep hidden within Yourself, that
You should make the Quraan the light of my breast, and the spring of my heart, and
the remover of my anxiety, and the dispeller of my sorrow). [None will say it] except
that Allaah will remove his anxiety and sorrow, and provide for him joy and happiness
in its place. (Ahmad, al-Bazzaar, Aboo Yalaa, Ibn Hibbaan and al-Haakim. Ibn
Sunnee and at-Tabaraanee also related it from Aboo Muusaa al-Asharee)
b) Ibn Abbaas reported that the Messenger of Allaah (SAW) used to supplicate at times of
distress, Laa ilaaha illal-laahulAzeemul-Haleem, Laa ilaaha illal-laahu
Rabbul-arshil-azeem, Laa ilaaha illal-laahu Rabbus-samaawaati wa Rabbul-ardi
Rabbul-arshil-kareem (There is no deity but Allaah, the Supreme, the Forbearing.
There is no deity but Allaah, the Lord of the Magnificent Throne. There is no deity but

Allaah, the Lord of the heavens and earth, the Lord of the Glorious Throne). (alBukhaaree and Muslim)
c) Anas ibn Maalik reported that whenever an affair caused distress [or anxiety] to the
Prophet (SAW), he would supplicate, Yaa Hayyu Yaa Qayyoom, birahmatika-stagheeth (O the Living One, O the Eternal One, by virtue of Your mercy I do seek Your
help). (at-Tirmidhee and al-Haakim)
d) From Abee Bakrah who reported the Messenger of Allaah (SAW) as saying, This is
the supplication of the distressed: Allaahumma rahmataka arjoo falaa takilnee ilaa
nafsee tarfata aynin was-lihlee shanee kullahu, laa ilaaha illaa anta (O Allaah!
Your mercy I hope for; so do not leave me to myself for even the twinkling of an eye,
and make my entire affairs good for me. There is no deity but You). (Aboo Daawood
and Ibn Hibbaan)
e) Asmaa bint Umays reported that Allaahs Messenger (SAW) said to me, Shall I teach
you a sentence which you should recite when in distress [or in agony]? [Say]:
Allaahu, Allaahu Rabbee Laa ushriku bihi shay-aa (Allaah, Allaah is my Lord. I
shall not associate anything with Him). (Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaaee, Ibn Maajah
and at-Tabaraanee) In one version of at-Tabaraanee, the Prophet (SAW) said that he
should say it thrice. In another version of at-Tabaraanee, the Prophet (SAW) said,
Whoever is afflicted with sorrow [worry] (hamm), or distress (ghamm), or illness
(suqm), or hardship (shiddah) and says: Allaahu Rabbee, laa shareeka lah (Allaah is
my Lord. No partner has He), that affliction will be removed from him.
f) Sad ibn Abee Waqqaas reported that Allaahs Messenger (SAW) said, The
supplication of Dhun-Noon when he called unto his Lord in the belly of the fish: Laa
ilaaha illaa anta subhaanaka innee kuntu minaz-zaalimeen (There is no deity but
You. Glory be to You. I have indeed been among the wrongdoers). No Muslim will
supplicate concerning any matter with it except that Allaah will answer him. (atTirmidhee, an-Nasaaee and al-Haakim)
Prayers at the Point of Death or Terminal Illness
Aaishah reported that in his final illness, Allaahs Messenger (SAW) had a vessel of
water placed before him; he dipped his hand into the water, wiped his face with it, and
said, Laa ilaaha illal-laah, inna lil-mawt sakaraat (There is no deity except Allaah.
Verily, death has its agonies. He then raised his hands [towards the sky] and kept
repeating: Fir-rafeeqil-alaa (In the most exalted company), until his soul was taken
and his hand dropped down. (al-Bukhaaree and Ahmad)
Aaishah reported that Allaahs Messenger (SAW) said at the time of death [in his final
illness]: Allaahum-maghfirlee warhamnee walhiqnee bir-rafeeqil-alaa (O Allaah!
Forgive me and show mercy upon me and unite me with the most exalted company),
until his soul was taken and his hand dropped down. (al-Bukhaaree, Muslim, Maalik and
at-Tirmidhee)

Prayers and Actions During Nightmares and Fright During Sleep

Aboo Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (SAW) said, If anyone of you sees a dream
which he does not like, he should get up and offer (voluntary) prayer (salaah) and he
should not relate it to the people. (Muslim)
In another narration, Jaabir reported that the Prophet (SAW) said, He should spit
[without ejecting saliva] on his left side thrice and seek refuge with Allaah from the
devil thrice, and he should change the side on which he had been lying before.
(Muslim, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaaee and Ibn Maajah)
Amr ibn Shuayb reported on his fathers authority, that his grandfather reported that
Allaahs Messenger (SAW) said, If anyone of you experiences fright during sleep [due
to nightmares], he should say: Aoodhu bikalimaatillaahit-taam-maat min
ghadabihi wa iqaabihi wa sharri ibaadihi wa min hamazaatish-shayaateen wa
an-yahduroon (I seek refuge in Allaahs Complete Words from His anger, His
punishment, the evil of His servants, and from the evil suggestions [incitements] of the
devils and their presence), for it will not harm him. (Aboo Daawood, at-Tirmidhee,
an-Nasaaee and al-Haakim)

Muslim Community, General Hosp., Lagos.