Dua for Guidance in Prayer
سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِأَىِّ شَىْءٍ كَانَ نَبِىُّ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يَفْتَتِحُ صَلاَتَهُ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ قَالَتْ كَانَ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ افْتَتَحَ صَلاَتَهُ « اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ جِبْرَائِيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ وَإِسْرَافِيلَ فَاطِرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ اهْدِنِى لِمَا اخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِكَ إِنَّكَ تَهْدِى مَنْ تَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ
Aisha , the Mother of the Believers (Radi Allahu anha) was asked the how the Prophet (sallahu alayhi wa salim) began his night prayer. She said, “ He would stand and begin his prayer by saying, “ Oh Allah , Lord of Jibril, Mika’il, and Israfil, the creator of the Heavens and the Earth. The knower of the seen and unseen. You are the arbitrator between Your Slaves in the things they differ about. Guide me to the truth about the things they have differed by Your Will. Verily, You guide Whomever you wish to the straight path.
Collected by Muslim (1847)
Benefits for this topic:
· Although the Prophet (sallahu alayhi wa salim) said this during the night prayer it’s permissible to say it during any other prayer as well.
· Al-Allamah Ibn Abi Al-Izz Al-Hanafi commented on this hadeeth. He wrote, “The Prophet (sallahu alayhi was salim) is turning to Allah through His Lordship of those three Angels. He’s asking Allah to guide him to truth by His permission. The life of the heart is found from guidance. Allah has entrusted these three Angels with life:
1. Jibril is entrusted with revelation which results in life to the heart.
2. Mika’il is entrusted with rain that results in life to the body and animals.
3. Israfil is entrusted with blowing the trumpet and this results in the life of the entire world, and the returning of the souls to the bodies.
Hence calling on Allah through these great Angels entrusted with life has a major impact in getting the guidance a person is asking for.
[ explanation of Aqeedah At-Tahaweeyah page 210 Makatabah Al-Islameyah 1988 9th edition]