Part 15: The Ninth Supplication- The Divine Protection

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Read the previous Part 14: The Eight Supplication

Listen to the Ninth Supplication:

اللَّهُمَّ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ فَاطِرَ السَّماوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ،

وَأَنْ أَقْتَرِفَ عَلَى نَفْسِي سُوءاً، أَوْ أَجُرَّهُ إِلَى مُسْلِمٍ

O Allah, Knower of the unseen and the evident , Maker of the heavens and the earth , Lord of everything and its Possessor , I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but You . I seek refuge in You from the evil of my soul and from the evil of Satan and his helpers . (I seek refuge in You) from bringing evil upon my soul and from harming any Muslim. (Recited once in the morning, once in the evening and when you go to bed)

The Hadith of this Supplication: Narrated Abu Huraira (RA) that Abu Bakr (RA) said: Oh Messenger of Allah, teach me few words I should recite in the morning and the evening. He said: “Say.. (dua).. Say it in the morning, in the evening and when yu go to bed.” (Tirmidhi/Dawud)

Wisdom and Beauty: Key Parts of this Du’a:

This du’a is implified through tawassul with the Beautiful Names of Allah and the statement of tawheed. The Names are:

• Al Aalim
• Al Faatir
• Ar Rabb
• Al Maleek

“I seek refuge in You from the evil of my soul (my nafs)”

What is the definition of Nafs?

The combination of the ruh (spirit) and body gives birth to a new entity called ‘Nafs’.

Nafs is usually translated as soul or human soul.

This union (human soul) is ready to accept direction towards good or evil.

By nature, humans are capable of following the path of righteousness or the path of evil.

If the servant develops his noble qualities, and allows his potential for good to blosson, then he will be following the right path.

Allah says, which means: “By the Soul, and the proportion and order given to it; And its enlightenment as to its wrong and its right;―  Truly he succeeds that purifies it, And he fails that corrupts it! (91:7-10)

These verses with other texts demonstrate that there is a potential for evil within the human souls. This potential must be overcome or repressed.

The Du’a of Khutbat al Haajah: “And we seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our souls…”

3 Types of Soul Mentioned in the Qur’an:

1. Soul Prone to Evil

   Allah says in the Qur’an:

   “Nor do I absolve my own self (of blame): the (human soul) certainly prone to evil, unless my Lord do bestow His Mercy: but surely my Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (12:53)

   This kind of soul beautifies the sin to us and causes one to sin, this kind of soul will come in and justify the sin and if we try to control this soul moves to second level. This is the worst type of soul.

2. Self – Reproaching Soul

   Allah says in the Qur’an:

   “And I do call to witness the self-reproaching spirit;(Eschew Evil).” (75:2)

   If the servant experiences feeling of remorse and anxiety. If he recognises the wrong that he has done and blames imself, then his nafs is called Self Reproaching Soul.
   This soul will negate what we do. E.g. If we miss our fajr prayer one day, the soul will say no problem, we can pray tomorrow.

3. Righteous Soul

   Allah says in the Qur’an:

   “(To the righteous soul will be said: ) “O (thou) soul, in (complete) rest and satisfaction!” (89:27)

   When the true faith becomes strong in a person’s heart, the inlication to evil within his soul becomes very weak. They are dominated by the inclinations to piety. After that, the servant would reach a higher level that is dominated by goodness and the soul feels a high level of tranquility and rest. This is the satisfied soul. This soul will do the right actions at the right time.  E.g. A person who is reciting Qur’an and then the Azan is called, he stops reciting and goes to pray.

Read the next Part 15 (a): The Ninth Supplication