Salute the King & Expel the Intruder

Now you have officially entered Salah when you proclaimed “Allahu Akbar”. You lower your gaze to the place of your Sujood [prostration] and you now place your hands right over left and close to your heart/lower chest. Why? Imagine that you have walked into a royal palace and you enter upon a group of people standing in the distance. Some in the group fix their gaze boldly at you with their arms comfortably at their sides. The other group stands with their gaze to the ground and their hands clasped in front of them.

Just from the way they stand; you will easily be able to distinguish the royalty from the palace servants, wouldn’t you? It is not befitting of us, as servants, but to stand in a position of humility when we face Our Lord. It is humbling when we remember who we really are before Him.

But let us remember that the humility due to Allah is a dignifying humility because, in essence, it liberates us from the undue humility to fellow man. As the Prophet said, “The one who humbles himself before Allah is elevated [by Allah] in honor!”

It is only proper now, to salute The King:

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلاَ إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ
“How perfect You are O Allah, praise be to You. Blessed is Your name and lofty is Your position and non has the right to be worshiped except You.”

1.

There are several salutes to choose from which the Prophet has taught us. Each one adds a unique aspect to our prayer. Varying our salute with each prayer aids in better focus and concentration during these sacred moments.

Expelling the intruder:

As you stand in Allah’s hands, during such sacred moments, during such a grand encounter, no one is more envious of you now than Satan. So his mission is to steal every sweet moment you might have with The One you love, to steal every reward! So that you will finish your prayer, but only 1/3rd or 1/9th or 1/10th has been accepted, or 1/5th since the sobering reality of the matter is: Only the parts of Salah you are mindful of are accepted by Allah. [One will come on the Day of Judgment with over 90 years of Salah under his belt, but to his devastating surprise, only 6 years will have been recorded to his name, or 5, or 4.]

It is because of Satan that we begin to drift. Do you not notice that every worldly thought, matter, issue, predicament suddenly makes its way to your thoughts in Salah? Items you have lost for days or months are suddenly remembered and maybe even found! Even the designs on the prayer rug start to tell all sorts of entertaining stories! What do you do? You try to fight him and refocus. But he comes back. You fight him again. He comes back like a fly that will not leave you alone.

What is the solution for we are so weak!? We seek the help of our Beloved from the evils of His creatures. With His Name is barakah! [blessing] With His Name is total protection from all harm. Thus, before we proceed in our prayer any further, we formally express with confidence:

أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
“I seek Allah’s protection from Satan the accursed”.2
Feel its power as you say it!

Extra Supplications

1.

Wajjahtu wajhiya li-l-ladhî fatara s-samâwâti wa-l-arda, hanîfan wa mâ anâ mina-l-mushrikîna. Inna salâti wa nusukî, wa mahyâya wa mamâtî li-l-lâhi rabbi-l-âlamîna, lâ sharîka lahu. Wa bi-dhâlika umirtu wa anâ mina-l-muslimîna. Allâhumma anta-l-maliku lâ ilâha illâ anta. Anta rabbî wa anâ abduka, zalamtu nafsî wa taraftu bi-dhanbî. Fa-ghfir lî dhunûbî jamîan, innahu lâ yaghfiru dh-dhunûba illâ anta. Wa hdinî li-ahsani-l-akhlâqi, lâ yahdî li-ahsanihâ illâ anta. Wa srif annî sayyi’ahâ, lâ yasrifu annî sayy’ahâ illâ anta. Labbayka wa sadayka, wa-l-khayru kulluhu bi-yadayka, wa sh-sharru laysa ilayka, anâ bika wa ilayka, tabârakta wa taâlayta, astaghfiruka wa atûbu ilayka.

”I have turned my face sincerely towards He who has brought forth the heavens and the Earth and I am not of those who associate (others with Allah). Indeed my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death are for Allah, Lord of the worlds, no partner has He, with this I am commanded and I am of the Muslims. O Allah, You are the Sovereign, none has the right to be worshipped except You. You are my Lord and I am Your servant, I have wronged my own soul and have acknowledged my sin, so forgive me all my sins for no one forgives sins except You. Guide me to the best of characters for none can guide to it other than You, and deliver me from the worst of characters for none can deliver me from it other than You. Here I am, in answer to Your call, happy to serve you. All good is within Your hands and evil does not stem from You. I exist by your will and will return to you. Blessed and High are You, I seek Your forgiveness and repent unto You.”

وَجَّهـتُ وَجْهِـيَ لِلَّذي فَطَرَ السَّمـواتِ وَالأَرْضَ حَنـيفَاً وَمـا أَنا مِنَ المشْرِكين ، إِنَّ صَلاتـي ، وَنُسُكي ، وَمَحْـيايَ ، وَمَماتـي للهِ رَبِّ العالَمين ، لا شَريـكَ لَهُ وَبِذلكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنا مِنَ المسْلِـمين . اللّهُـمَّ أَنْتَ المَلِكُ لا إِلهَ إِلاّ أَنْت ،أَنْتَ رَبِّـي وَأَنـا عَبْـدُك ، ظَلَمْـتُ نَفْسـي وَاعْـتَرَفْتُ بِذَنْبـي فَاغْفِرْ لي ذُنوبي جَميعاً إِنَّـه لا يَغْـفِرُ الذُّنـوبَ إلاّ أَنْت .وَاهْدِنـي لأَحْسَنِ الأَخْلاقِ لا يَهْـدي لأَحْسَـنِها إِلاّ أَنْـت ، وَاصْـرِف عَـنّْي سَيِّئَهـا ، لا يَصْرِفُ عَـنّْي سَيِّئَهـا إِلاّ أَنْـت ، لَبَّـيْكَ وَسَعْـدَيْك ، وَالخَـيْرُ كُلُّـهُ بِيَـدَيْـك ، وَالشَّرُّ لَيْـسَ إِلَـيْك ، أَنا بِكَ وَإِلَيْـك ، تَبـارَكْتَ وَتَعـالَيتَ أَسْتَغْـفِرُكَ وَأَتوبُ إِلَـيك.

2.

Allâhumma, rabba Jibrâ’îla, wa Mîkâ’îla, wa Isrâfîla ! Fâtira s-samâwâti wa-l-ardi, âlima l-ghaybi wa sh-shahâdati, anta tahkumu bayna ibâdika fîmâ kânû fîhi yakhtalifûna. Ihdinî li-mâ khtulifa fîhi mina-l-haqqi bi-idhnika. Innaka tahdî man tashâ’u ilâ sirâtîn mustaqîm.

“O Allah, Lord of Jibra-eel, Meeka-eel and Israfeel (great angles), Creator of the heavens and the Earth, Knower of the seen and the unseen. You are the arbitrator between Your servants in that which they have disputed. Guide me to the truth by Your leave, in that which they have differed, for verily You guide whom You will to a straight path.”

اللّهُـمَّ رَبَّ جِـبْرائيل ، وَميكـائيل ، وَإِسْـرافيل، فاطِـرَ السَّمواتِ وَالأَرْض ، عالـِمَ الغَيْـبِ وَالشَّهـادَةِ أَنْـتَ تَحْـكمُ بَيْـنَ عِبـادِكَ فيـما كانوا فيهِ يَخْتَلِفـون. اهدِنـي لِمـا اخْتُـلِفَ فيـهِ مِنَ الْحَـقِّ بِإِذْنِك ، إِنَّـكَ تَهْـدي مَنْ تَشـاءُ إِلى صِراطٍ مُسْتَقـيم

3.

Allâhu akbaru kabîran. Allâhu akbaru kabîran. Allâhu akbaru kabîran. Wa-l-hamdu li-l-âhi kathîran. Wa-l-hamdu li-l-âhi kathîran. Wa-l-hamdu li-l-âhi kathîran. Wa subhâna l-lâhi bukratan wa asîlan.

Aûdhu bi-l-lâhi mina sh-shaytâni min nafkhihi, wa naftihi, wa hamzihi.

“Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, Allah is Most Great, much praise is for Allah, much praise is for Allah, much praise is for Allah, and I declare the perfection of Allah in the early morning and in the late afternoon [three times]. I take refuge with Allah from the devil, from his pride, his poetry and his madness.”

اللهُ أَكْبَـرُ كَبـيرا ، اللهُ أَكْبَـرُ كَبـيرا ، اللهُ أَكْبَـرُ كَبـيرا ، وَالْحَـمْدُ للهِ كَثـيرا ، وَالْحَـمْدُ للهِ كَثـيرا ، وَالْحَـمْدُ للهِ كَثـيرا ، وَسُبْـحانَ اللهِ بكْـرَةً وَأَصيـلا . ( ثَلاثاً ) أَعـوذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّـيْطانِ مِنْ نَفْخِـهِ وَنَفْـثِهِ وَهَمْـزِه

4.

Allâhumma laka-l-hamdu anta nûru s-samâwâti wa-l-ardi wa man fîhinn. Wa laka-l-hamdu. Anta qayyimu s-samâwâti wa-l-ardi wa man fîhinn, [Wa laka-l-hamdu. Anta rabbu s-samâwâti wa-l-ardi wa man fîhinna.] [Wa laka-l-hamdu. Laka mulku s-samâwâti wa-l-ardi wa man fîhinn.] [Wa laka-l-hamdu. Anta maliku s-samâwâti wa-l-ardi.] [Wa laka-l-hamdu.] [Anta-l-haqqu, wa waduka-l-haqqu, wa qawluka-l-haqqu, wa liqâ’uka-l-haqqu, wa-l-jannatu haqqun, wa n-nâru haqqun, wa n-nabiyyûna haqqun, wa Muhammadun haqqun, wa s-sâatu haqqun.] [Allâhumma laka aslamtu, wa alayka tawwakaltu, wa bika âmantu, wa ilayka anabtu, wa bika khâsamtu, wa ilayka hâkamtu.
Fa-ghfir lî mâ qaddamatu, wa mâ akhkhartu, wa mâ asrartu, wa mâ alantu.]
[Anta-l-muqaddimu wa anta-l-mu’akhkhiru. Lâ ilâha illâ anta.] [Anta ilâhî lâ ilâha illâ anta.]

“O Allah, to You belongs all praise, You are the Light of the heavens and the Earth and all that is within them. To You belongs all praise, You are the Sustainer of the heavens and the Earth and all that is within them. To You belongs all praise. You are Lord of the heavens and the Earth and all that is within them. To You belongs all praise and the kingdom of the heavens and the Earth and all that is within them. To You belongs all praise, You are the King of the heavens and the Earth and to You belongs all praise. You are The Truth, Your promise is true, your Word is true, and the Day in which we will encounter You is true, the Garden of Paradise is true and the Fire is true, and the Prophets are true, Muhammad r is true and the Final Hour is true. O Allah, unto You I have submitted, and upon You I have relied, and in You I have believed, and to You I have turned in repentance, and over You I have disputed, and to You I have turned for judgment. So forgive me for what has come to pass of my sins and what will come to pass, and what I have hidden and what I have made public. You are Al-Muqaddim and Al-Mu-akhkhir. None has the right to be worshipped except You, You are my Deity, none has the right to be worshipped except You.”

اللّهُـمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ نـورُ السَّمـواتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فيـهِن ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ قَـيِّمُ السَّـمواتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فيـهِن ، [وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ رَبُّ السَّـمواتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فيـهِن] [وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ لَكَ مُلْـكُ السَّـمواتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فيـهِن] [وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ مَلِـكُ السَّـمواتِ وَالأَرْضِ ] [وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ] [أَنْتَ الْحَـقّ وَوَعْـدُكَ الْحَـق ، وَقَوْلُـكَ الْحَـق ، وَلِقـاؤُكَ الْحَـق ، وَالْجَـنَّةُحَـق ، وَالنّـارُ حَـق ، وَالنَّبِـيّونَ حَـق ، وَمـحَمَّدٌ حَـق ، وَالسّـاعَةُحَـق] [اللّهُـمَّ لَكَ أَسْلَمت ، وَعَلَـيْكَ تَوَكَّلْـت ، وَبِكَ آمَنْـت ، وَإِلَـيْكَ أَنَبْـت ، وَبِـكَ خاصَمْت ، وَإِلَـيْكَ حاكَمْـت . فاغْفِـرْ لي مـا قَدَّمْتُ ، وَما أَخَّـرْت ، وَما أَسْـرَرْت ، وَما أَعْلَـنْت ] [أَنْتَ المُقَـدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ المُـؤَخِّر ، لا إِاـهَ إِلاّ أَنْـت] [أَنْـتَ إِلـهي لا إِاـهَ إِلاّ أَنْـت