Praising Allaah – II

When wearing a new garment:
Whenever the Prophetused wear a new garment, hewould say:"Allaahumma
lakal-hamdu Anta kasawtaneeh, as'aluka min khayrihi wa khayri maa
suni'a lah, wa a'oothu bika min sharrihi wa sharri maa suni'alah )O
Allaah, for You is all praise, You have clothed me with it )i.e. the
garment(, I ask You for the good of it and the good for which it was
made, and I seek refuge with You from the evil of it and the evil for
which it was made.("This is said because each garment could be worn
for something good or something evil. For example, one could wearit to
show off, and a woman could wear a garment to expose her beauty, both
of which cases are evil. On the other hand, one could wear it to adorn
himself before going to the mosque as a Muslim is commanded to do, in
such case one's garment is a source of goodness for him.
After eating or drinking:
The Prophetused different wordings and phrases to praise Allaah after
eating or drinking, asin the following narrations: Mu`aath ibn
Anasreported that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"He who has taken food
andsays at the end: `Alhamdu lillaahi al-lathi at`amani haathaa, wa
razaqaneehi min ghayri hawlin minni wa laa quwwah )All praise is due
to Allaah Who has given me food to eat and provided it without any
endeavor on my partor any power(, all his past sins will be
forgiven."]At-Tirmithi[. Abu Umaamahreported:"Whenever the
Prophetfinished a meal, hewould say:"Al-hamdulillaah hamdan katheeran
taiyyiban mubaarakan feehi, ghayra makffiyyin wa laa muwadda`in, wa
laa mustaghnan`anhu, rabbuna. )All praise is due to Allaah, praise
which is abundant, pure, and full of blessings, which is indispensable
and to which one cannot be indifferent(."]Al-Bukhaari[
Upon going to bed:
Whenever the Prophetwould go to bed, he used to remember the bounties
of Allaah upon him)which is something that most people are heedless of
nowadays( and then praise Allaah. Anasreported: "Whenever the
Prophetwent to his bed, he would say:"Al-hamdulillaah al-lathi
at`amanaa wa saqaanaa, wa kafaanaa wa aawaanaa, fakam mimman laa
kaafiya lahu wa laa mu'wiya )Praise is due to Allaah Who has fed us,
provided us drink, satisfied us and gave us protection. Many are those
who have no one to provide for them, or give them shelter(."]Muslim[.
Upon returning from Hajj or 'Umrah:
During his journeys henever forgot to praise Allaah. Ibn
`Umarreported: "During the return journey of the Prophetfrom Hajj or
`Umrah whenever heascended a height or hill, he would recite thrice:
"Allaahu Akbar )Allaah is The Greatest(" Then hewould say:"Laa ilaaha
illallaahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu, lahul-mulku, wa lahul-hamdu, wa
Huwa `alaa kulli shay'in Qadeer. Aayiboona taa'iboona `aabidoona li
rabbinaahaamidoon. Sadaq-Allaahu wa`dahu, wa nasara `abdahu, wa
hazamal-ahzaaba wahdahu )Nonehas the right to be worshipped except
Allaah, Who has no partner, to Whom the sovereignty belongs, to Whom
allpraise is due, and Who is Able to do all things. We are those who
return )in safety(, feel penitence, worship Allaah, prostrate before
our Lord and praise Him. Allaah has fulfilled His Promise, helped His
slave )i.e., Muhammad( and He Alone vanquished the
Clans(."]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[.
During the Talbiyah for Hajj:
It is the Sunnah that one utters Talbiyah whilst in the state of
Ihraam for Hajj, saying: "Labbaykallaahumma labbayk, labbayka laa
shareeka laka labbayk, innal-hamda wanni'mata laka wal-mulk, laa
shareeka lak. )Here I am O Allaah,)in response to Your call(, here I
am. Here I am, You have no partner, here I am. Verily all praise,
grace and sovereignty belong to You. You have no partner.("
During the imploration for rain:
One of the great prayers to perform is when imploring for rain.
'Aai'shahreported: "Thepeople complained to the Messenger of Allaahof
the lack of rain, so hegave an order for a pulpit. It was then setup
for him in the place of prayer. Hefixed a day for the people on which
they should come out. When the rim of the sun appeared, the Messenger
of Allaahsat down on the pulpit, and having pronounced the greatness
of Allaah and expressed His praise, hesaid:"You have complained of
drought in your homes, and of the delay in receiving rain at the
beginning of its season. Allaah has ordered you to supplicate Him and
promised that He will answer your prayer."Then hesaid:"Praise be to
Allaah, the Lord of the Universe, the Compassionate, the Merciful, the
Master of the Day of Judgment. There is none worthy of worship but
Allaah Who does what He wishes. O Allaah! You are Allaah, there is no
deity but You, the Rich, while we are the poor. Senddown the rain upon
us and make what You send down a strength and satisfaction for a
time."He, then raised his hands, and kept raising them till the
whiteness under his armpits was visible. Hethen turned his back to the
people and inverted or turned round his cloak while keeping his hands
aloft. He then faced the people, descended and prayed two Rak'ahs.
Allaah then produced a cloud, and the storm of thunder and lightning
came on. Then the rain fell by Allaah's permission, and before
hereached his mosque, streams were flowing. When hesaw the speed with
which the people were seeking shelter, helaughed till his back teeth
were visible. Then hesaid:"I testify that Allaah is Omnipotent and
that I am Allaah's servant and apostle."]Abu Daawood[.
Encouraging the Praise of Allaah and thanking Him during all times:
Do not be heedless of the praise of Allaah and mention Him frequently,
and remember that one should praise Allaah and thank Him during all
situations. Abu Hurayrahnarrated that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"A
man )from amongst the people before you( said: `Indeed! I will give in
charity.' So he took his charity out and placed it in a thief's hand.
In the morning the people were talking )about this incident( and
saying: `Charity wasgiven to a thief last night.' The man said: `O
Allaah! Praise be to You. I have given charity to a thief. Indeed, I
will give in charity!` So he took his charity out and he placed it in
a prostitute's hand. In the morningthe people were talking )about this
incident( and saying: `Charity was given to a prostitute last night.'
On hearing this, the man said: `Praise be to You, O Allaah! I gave
charity to a prostitute. Indeed, I will give in charity!` So he took
his charity out and placed it in a rich man's hand. In the morning the
people were talking )about this incident( and saying: `Charity was
given to a rich man last night.' The man said: `O Allaah! Praise be to
You)for helping me( give charity to a thief, a prostitute and a rich
man.` Then he had a dream in which he was told that his charity to the
thief might result in his refraining from his theft, his charity to
the prostitute might help her abstain from her immorality, and his
charity to therich man might help him pay heed and spend from what
Allaahhad bestowed upon him."]Al-Bukhaari[
When this man from the children ofIsraelaccepted the decree of Allaah
and was content with it and praised Allaah in all situations and
thanked Him, Allaah rewarded him abundantly for these three charities
he spent out. This is because we should deal with people according to
what appears from their conditions and leave their intentions to
Allaah for judgment.
Furthermore, Allaah rewards the one who is content with great rewards.
Abu Moosaa Al-Ash`arireported that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"When a
man's child dies, Allaah, the Exalted, asks His angels: `Have you
taken out the life of the child of My slave?` and they reply in the
affirmative. He )Exalted be He( then asks: `Have you taken the fruit
of his heart?` and they reply in the affirmative. Thereupon He asks:
`What did my slave say?` They say: `He praised You and said: Innaa
Lillaahi Wa Innaa Ilayhi Raaji'oon )We belong to Allaah and to Him we
shall return(.` Allaah says: `Build a house for my slave inParadiseand
name it Baytul-Hamd )the House of Praise(.`"]At-Tirmithi[.