Chapter on the Recommended Prayers

Sa’ad from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Ibn Abi Umayr from Dharih ibn Muhammad al-Muharibi who said: I asked Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, about the ‘Prayer of Ja’far’, may I count it from my supererogatory prayers (nafilah)? Imam عليه السلام said: “Whenever you wish, by night or by day.”

From him, from Abdullah ibn Ja’far from Ali ibn al-Rayyan who said: I wrote to the last (Imam al-Hadi عليه السلام), peace be upon him, asking Imam عليه السلام: “About a man who performs two rak‘ahs of the ‘Prayer of Ja’far’, then is hurried by a need or interrupted by an incident from completing the final two rak‘ahs. Is it permissible for him to complete it after he finishes his need, even if he stood up from his place, or is it not counted unless he begins the prayer anew and performs all four rak‘ahs in one sitting?” So Imam عليه السلام wrote: “Yes, if something unavoidable interrupts him from that, then let him interrupt it, then return and build upon what remains of it, Allah سبحانه وتعالى willing.”

Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Mahbub from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Zurarah from Isa ibn Abdullah from his father from his grandfather from Imam Ali عليه السلام, peace be upon him, who said: Imam Ali عليه السلام said: “Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Majestic, has said: ‘Indeed, My servant seeks guidance from Me عز وجل (performs istikhara), so I choose what is best for him, yet he becomes angry.’” (Hadith Qudsi)

Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa'id from Fadalah from Isma'il ibn Abi Ziyad from Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, who said: The Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى bless him and his family, said: “No servant appoints over his family a guardianship, better than two rak‘ahs that he performs when he intends to travel. And he suplicates: ‘O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, I entrust to You عز وجل my self, my family, my wealth, my religion, my worldly life, my Hereafter, my trust, and the ends of my deeds’, except that Allah سبحانه وتعالى grants him what he asks.”

Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Mahbub from Ahmad ibn al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Faddal from his father from al-Hasan ibn al-Jahm from Abu Ali from al-Yasa‘ al-Qummi who said: I said to Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him: “I desire something and I seek guidance from Allah سبحانه وتعالى (perform istikhara) about it, but no clarity comes to mind regarding it, should I do it or leave it?” Imam عليه السلام said: “Observe when you stand for prayer, for Satan is furthest from the human being when he stands for prayer. So observe what settles in your heart, and act upon it. And open the Mushaf and look at the first thing you see in it act upon it, if Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, wills.”

Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Muthanna al-Hannat from Abu Basir who said: I heard Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, say: “Whoever prays four rak‘ahs with two hundred recitations of ‘Qul huwa Allahu Ahad’ (Surah Ikhlas); fifty times in each rak‘ah, will not finish the prayer while there remains between him and Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Majestic, a single sin except that it is forgiven for him.”

Muhammad ibn Yahya, by his chain of transmission, raised it to Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, said: Imam al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: “Whoever prays two rak‘ahs with ‘Qul huwa Allahu Ahad’ (Surah Ikhlas) recited sixty times in each rak‘ah, will finish the prayer and there will remain no sin between him and Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Majestic.”

Muhammad ibn Ya'qub from Ali ibn Muhammad from some of our companions from Abu al-Hasan al-Ridha عليه السلام, peace be upon him, who said: Imam al-Ridha عليه السلام said: “Whoever prays Maghrib and after it prays four rak‘ahs and does not speak until he completes ten rak‘ahs, reciting in each rak‘ah ‘al-Hamd’ (Surah al-Fatihah) and ‘Qul huwa Allahu Ahad’ (Surah Ikhlas), it will be equal to the freeing of ten slaves.”

Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ibn Faddal, who said: Al-Hasan ibn al-Jahm asked Abu al-Hasan al-Ridha عليه السلام, peace be upon him, on behalf of Ibn Asbat, and said to Imam عليه السلام: “What do you see for him (Ibn Asbat)?”, while Ibn Asbat was present and we were all intending to travel by sea or land to Egypt, and he informed Imam عليه السلام about the land route. So Imam عليه السلام said: “Go to the mosque at a time other than the time of an obligatory prayer, and pray two rak‘ahs, and seek guidance from Allah سبحانه وتعالى (perform istikhara) one hundred times, then see what settles in your heart, and act upon it.” And al-Hasan said to Imam عليه السلام: “The land route is more beloved to me.” Imam عليه السلام said: “And to me as well.”

Muhammad ibn Isma'il by al-Fadl ibn Shadhan by Safwan from Ibn Muskan by Muhammad ibn Ali al-Halabi: A man complained to Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, of poverty and hardship in trade after having previously been in ease, that whenever he set out for something, his livelihood became constrained. So Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, instructed him to go to the standing place of the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى bless him and his family, between His صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم grave and the pulpit, and to perform two rak‘ahs and to say one hundred times: “O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, I ask You عز وجل by Your strength, by Your power, by Your might, and by that which Your knowledge encompasses, to ease for me the most abundant in provision, the most encompassing in bounty, and the best in outcome of trades.” The man said: “So I did what Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, commanded me to do, and thereafter I never set out in any direction except that Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Majestic, provided for me.”

Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn Abi Dawud from Ibn Abi Hamzah from Abu Ja’far عليه السلام, who said: A man came to Imam al-Ridha عليه السلام, peace be upon him, and said to him: “O’ son of the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, I have dependents and I am in debt, and my condition has become severe, so teach me a supplication which, if I supplicate to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Majestic, with it, He عز وجل will provide for me.” Imam عليه السلام said: “O servant of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, perform ablution and perfect your ablution, then pray two rak‘ahs, completing the bowing and prostration in them. Then say; ‘O’ Majid, O’ Generous, O’ One, O’ Generous, I turn to You عز وجل by (Prophet) Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, Your Prophet, the Prophet of mercy. O’ Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, O’ Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, I turn through you to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, your Lord عز وجل and the Lord عز وجل of all things, that He عز وجل may send blessings upon (Prophet) Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and upon the family of his household, and I ask You عز وجل for a breath of Your mercy, an easy opening, and a vast provision by which I may gather my scattered state, settle my debt, and seek help through it for my dependents’.”

From him, from Ibn Abi Najran from Sabbah al-Hadhdha’ from Abu al-Tayyar who said: I said to Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him: “There was something in my possession but it was lost and I fell into great distress because of it.” Imam عليه السلام said to me: “Do you have a shop in the market?” I said: “Yes, but I have left it.” Imam عليه السلام said: “When you return to Kufa, sit in your shop and sweep it. And when you intend to go out to your marketplace, then pray two or four rak‘ahs, then say at the end of your prayer: ‘I turn with no power or strength from myself, but with Your power, O’ Lord عز وجل, and Your strength. I disassociate from any power and strength except through You عز وجل. So You عز وجل are my strength, and from You عز وجل is my power. O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, provide me from Your vast bounty a plentiful, good provision while I remain in ease and well-being, for none possesses it besides You عز وجل.” He (Abu al-Tayyar) said: “So I did that, and I would go out to my shop until I feared that the tax collector would seize me, for the rent of my shop, while I had nothing. Then a merchant came with goods and said to me: ‘Will you rent me half of your house?’ So I rented him half of my house for the (amount equal to) rent of the whole house. Then he (the merchant) showed me his merchandise, and someone offered him a price for it but he did not sell it. So I (Abu al-Tayyar) said to him (the merchant): “Would you like something better? Sell me a bundle of your goods, and I will sell it and take the profit and return to you its price.” He (the merchant) said: “How can I trust you with that?” I (Abu al-Tayyar) said: “You have my oath to Allah سبحانه وتعالى for that.” So he (the merchant) said: “Take a bundle of it.” So I took it, marked it, and a severe cold came, and I sold the goods that same day. I gave him his price and took the profit. I continued to take a bundle, sell it, take the profit, and return to him the capital until I was able to ride animals, purchase slaves, and build houses.

Muhammad ibn Ya'qub from Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Abdillah from Ibrahim ibn Ishaq from Abdullah ibn Ahmad from al-Hasan ibn Uruwah, the nephew of Shu'ayb al-Aqarqufi, from his uncle Shu'ayb who said: Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, said: “Whoever feels hunger, let him perform ablution, and let him pray two rak‘ahs, completing their bowing and prostration, and say: ‘O’ Lord عز وجل, I am hungry, so feed me’, for indeed he will be fed immediately.”

Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ibn Mahbub from al-Hasan ibn Salih who said: I heard Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, say: “Whoever performs ablution and perfects the ablution, and then prays two rak‘ahs, completing their bowing and prostration, then sits and praises Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Majestic, and sends blessings upon the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى bless him and his family, and then asks Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Majestic, for his need; Then indeed he has sought goodness in its proper place. And whoever seeks goodness in its proper place will not be disappointed.”

From him, from Muhammad ibn Isma'il, from Abdullah ibn Uthman, from Abu Isma'il al-Sarraj, from Abdullah ibn Waddah and Ali ibn Abi Hamzah, from Isma'il ibn al-Arqat and his mother Umm Salamah, the sister of Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, who said: I (Isma'il ibn al-Arqat) fell severely ill during the Month of Ramadan, to the point that I was near death, and the Banu Hashim gathered at night for the funeral, believing that I was dead. My mother (Umm Salamah) became distressed over me, so Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, my maternal uncle, said to her: “Go up to the roof of the house, face the sky, and pray two rak‘ahs. When you finish the prayer with the salam, then say; ‘O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, You عز وجل granted him to me when he was nothing. O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, I now ask You عز وجل to grant him to me anew so lend him to me.’” He (Isma'il ibn al-Arqat) said: “So she did that, and I regained consciousness and sat up, and they brought suhur for themselves harisah, and they ate it for suhur, and I ate with them.”

And with this chain of transmission, from Abu Ismail al-Sarraj, from Ibn Muskan, from Shurahbil al-Kindi, from Abu Ja’far عليه السلام, peace be upon him, who said: Imam al-Baqir عليه السلام said: “If you desire a matter for which you ask your Lord عز وجل, then perform ablution and perfect the ablution, then pray two units of prayer, And magnify Allah سبحانه وتعالى, Mighty and Majestic, And send blessings upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى bless him and his family, And say after the taslim (salutation at the end of prayer): “O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, I ask You عز وجل by the fact that You عز وجل are a noble King, And that You عز وجل have power over all things, And that You عز وجل, over whatever You عز وجل will of a matter, it ‘becomes’. O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, I turn to You عز وجل by Your Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, the Prophet of mercy, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى bless him and his family. O’ Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, O’ Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, indeed I turn through you to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, your Lord عز وجل and my Lord عز وجل, that He عز وجل may fulfill through you my request. O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, by Your Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, fulfill for me my request, by Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم.” Then you ask for your need.

Al-Husayn ibn Sa’id from Fadalah from Mu‘awiyah ibn Wahb from Zurarah from Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him: Imam al-Sadiq said regarding a matter, which a seeker asks from his Lord عز وجل. Imam عليه السلام said: “Give charity during your day to sixty needy persons, to each needy person, a sa’ (a unit of measure). This is according to the sa’ of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, may Allah سبحانه وتعالى bless him and his family. Then when the night comes, perform ghusl (ritual bathing) in the last third (of the night), and wear the lowest (humblest) of what those whom you support, wear of clothing, except that upon those clothes, you must have a waist-wrapper (izar). Then pray two units of prayer, and when you place your forehead in the final prostration (sajdah) for sujud, glorify Allah سبحانه وتعالى (hallilta), exalt Him عز وجل (‘azzamta-hu), sanctify Him عز وجل (qaddasta-hu), and praise Him عز وجل (majjadta-hu), and you mention your sins, and you confess what you know of them by name. Then you raise your head. Then when you place your head for the second prostration, seek guidance from Allah سبحانه وتعالى one hundred times; ‘O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, I seek guidance from You عز وجل’ Then you supplicate to Allah سبحانه وتعالى with whatever you wish, then you ask Him عز وجل. And whenever you prostrate, let your knees rest on the ground, then raise the izar until you uncover them (the knees), and place the izar behind you between your buttocks and the inner part of your thighs.”

Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ from Aban from Hariz from Abu Abdillah عليه السلام, peace be upon him, who said: Imam al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: “Establish a place of prayer in your house, and if you fear something, then wear two thick garments from the thickest of your clothes, and pray in them. Then kneel on your knees and cry out to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, Mighty and Majestic, and ask Him عز وجل for Paradise, and seek refuge with Allah سبحانه وتعالى from the evil of what you fear. And beware lest Allah سبحانه وتعالى hears from you a single word of transgression (baghy), even if your soul and your clan please you.”

Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from a man from Muhammad ibn Muslim from Abu Ja’far عليه السلام, peace be upon him, who said: Imam al-Baqir عليه السلام said: “Whoever desires that conception (pregnancy) be granted to him, let him pray two units of prayer after Jumu‘ah (Friday prayer), prolonging the bowing (ruku‘) and the prostration (sujud) in them. Then let him say: ‘O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, I ask You عز وجل by what Zakariyya عليه السلام asked You عز وجل when he said: ‘My Lord, do not leave me alone, and You are the best of inheritors’. (Surah Al Anbiya 21:89) O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, grant me ‘good offspring; indeed, You are the Hearer of supplication’. (Surah Aal Imran 3:38) O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, by Your name I have made her lawful, and by Your trust I have taken her (as a wife), so if You decree in her womb a child, then make him a boy, and do not make for Satan any share or partnership in him’.”