Understanding The Prophet's Life
From Issue: 1053 [Read full issue]
Glorifying God
Al-Bara said: 'When the Prophet wanted to sleep, he placed his hand under his right cheek and said: "My Lord, protect me against Your punishment on the day You bring Your servants back to life".' [Allahumma qini adhabak yawm tabathu Ibadak.] [Nasai, Ibn Majah, Tirmidhi]
This hadith mentions an action and a supplication by the Prophet (peace be upon him) at the time when he went to bed, which is a natural thing we do every day. Since he did not indicate that putting his hand under his right cheek was obligatory or recommended or would achieve a desirable result, it is not a Sunnah. However, if one does it with the intention of emulating the Prophet, believing that whatever the Prophet did was good, one receives a reward for intention, but the act itself does not count as a Sunnah. The supplication, on the other hand, is a Sunnah because it is an appeal to God, and in whatever concerns man's relations with God we should follow the Prophet's lead. It would be obligatory only if the Prophet said so. Since he did not, it remains a Sunnah, although it is not strictly emphasised.
What we should be even more keen to do is outlined in the following hadith where the Prophet makes his recommendation clear, encouraging his followers to observe certain things at certain times.
Abdullah ibn Amr reports that the Prophet said: 'Two practices, if maintained by a Muslim, will ensure his admission into heaven. Although easy, they are maintained only by a few'. People asked: 'What are these, Messenger of God?' The Prophet replied: 'After each prayer, a person should say Allahu akbar ten times; al-hamdu lillah ten times; subhan Allah ten times. That makes up one hundred and fifty phrases he says with his tongue, but they are counted as one thousand five hundred in the balance [of good deeds]'. I saw the Prophet counting them on his fingers. [The Prophet then added]: 'And when one goes to bed, one says the same three phrases to make up a total of one hundred times, which will be counted as one thousand in the balance. Who of you commits two thousand five hundred bad deeds in one day and one night?' People asked: 'Messenger of God! How is it that a person might not maintain them?' He said: 'Satan comes to him during his prayer reminding him of this and that, and so he will not remember to say them'. [Bukhari]
The Prophet's encouragement to say these phrases is very clear. First of all, he tells us that they will get us into heaven if we practise them regularly. Then he explains how, adding them up and multiplying their reward ten times on the basis of the rule that God rewards every good action at least ten times its worth. He then compares this abundant reward with possible bad deeds one may commit. It is highly unlikely that anyone should commit 2,500 bad deeds a day. Hence the reward he gets for such glorification of God is certain to wipe out any punishment he might incur for his bad deeds. Indeed, he will be left with a balance of reward, which accumulates and ensures his admission to heaven. The Prophet then points out what happens with most people to make them negligent of such an easy reward-earning practice. Distraction and thinking about worldly matters get the better of us so that when we finish our prayers we immediately rush to attend to our business, while a minute spent in glorifying and praising God is much better for us.
What do these phrases mean? Allahu akbar means 'God is supreme'. It is an acknowledgement of His supremacy over all beings anywhere in the universe. Al-hamdu lillah is a form of thanksgiving which means 'praise be to God', while subhan Allah means 'limitless is God in His Glory'. Together they represent the form of glorifying God prescribed in Islam. They are the glorifications used by the angels and other creatures of God.
Compiled From:
"Al-Adab al-Mufrad with Full Commentary: A Perfect Code of Manners and Morality" - Adil Salahi