In the Prophet’s supplication we note that he normally starts by praising God and glorifying Him. This is indeed a feature of the Prophet’s guidance, which sets the relationship between man and God on the right footing. When we praise God, we acknowledge the great favors He has bestowed on us. We remember that without His favors and blessings, we could not have survived on Earth. We state that we owe everything to Him.
The Prophet provides a unique example in the way he praised God and glorified Him. In fact, we do not find in the heritage of any other Prophet, or messenger of God, or any advocate of any faith, anything that approaches the way Muhammad glorified God and praised Him. His was an acknowledgment of God’s favor and sovereignty of the universe that sets an example to be followed by all believers. Let us look now at one example of how the Prophet praised God, acknowledging His sovereignty over this life, the life to come and the whole universe:
Abdullah ibn Abbas reports that when the Prophet stood up for voluntary worship in the middle of the night, he used to say: All praise is due to You, my Lord. You are the light of the heavens and the Earth and all those living in them. To You praise is due, for You are the sole master of the heavens and the Earth. Praise belongs to You, for You are the Lord of the heavens and the Earth and all those living in them. You are the truth, and Your promise is true. That we shall Meet You is true. Heaven is true, and hell is true, and the Hour of judgment is true. My Lord, to You I surrender myself, and in You I believe and place my trust. To You I turn, and for Your sake I go into dispute, and to You I refer all quarrels for judgment. Therefore, forgive me what I did in the past and what I may do in future; what I have done in public or private. You are my Lord. There is no deity other than You. (Related by Al-Bukhari).
The first thing we note in this supplication by the Prophet is that it starts with praising God for His favors. This is repeated several times in the Hadith, confirming the expression of gratitude for what one is given. The first praise is followed by the statement that God is the light of the heavens and the Earth and all creatures in them. This means that He provides all the light for the whole universe, and with Him every thing is seen clearly. Indeed, without God’s light, the whole universe would be plunged into total darkness.
The praise and thanks are then repeated twice, the first is coupled with a statement that God is the master of the universe and the second that He is its Lord. These three statements in quick succession, separated by a repetition of thanksgiving praise, establish the sort of relationship a Muslim has with God. It is a relationship that symbolizes the Islamic concept of God, whose authority over the universe cannot be challenged, as He is the Lord, master and light of the whole universe and all creatures in it.
This is followed by a submission defining the truth of the basic concepts of the relationship between God and man. Thus, God is the truth, and His promise is definitely true. It acknowledges that all mankind will come to meet God, when they will know their destinies. They go to either heaven or hell, both of which are acknowledged to be true. Moreover, the Last Hour, i.e. the resurrection, is stated to be true.
With God’s greatness and position clearly stated, and man’s responsibility, accountability and destiny confirmed, it only follows that the appropriate role of man in this life should be outlined. This is stated in this supplication most succinctly, with short expressive phrases, denoting total submission to God and complete belief and total trust in Him. Not only so, but a Muslim should always turn to God, acknowledging any slip he may make and seeking God’s forgiveness. Moreover, his relations with other people are defined by their attitude to God. Thus, a Muslim aligns himself on God’s side, and he is in dispute with other people only on the basis of their attitude to God. He refers any dispute to God for judgment. He is ready to give others whatever belongs to them according to God’s law.
With all this clearly stated, the Prophet makes his request, which should be the one all believers make at all times. What he wants is God’s forgiveness, total and complete: “Therefore, forgive me what I did in the past and what I may do in future; what I have done in public or private.” The first point to be made here is that the request of forgiveness is made on the basis of the submission to God being already acknowledged. Moreover, the forgiveness requested should include past and future sins. This is an admission that, as human beings, we may be weak before temptation and may commit sins in the future. Therefore, our request for forgiveness should include both what has already been committed and what may be committed later. Furthermore, we make mistakes and manage to keep them hidden from others. We may also make mistakes that people see clearly. The request of forgiveness attaches to both types, so that one may come on the Day of Judgment with a slate already wiped clean. That is the best position from which to appeal for God’s mercy and admission to heaven, already acknowledged as true.
The Prophet’s supplication is wound up with a short recap: “You are my Lord. There is no deity other than You.” This is the sum up of Islamic belief: God’s oneness and man’s submission to His will. While this comes out clearly in all supplication by Prophet Muhammad, it is most clearly and succinctly expressed in the supplication we have been discussing today. It testifies to the fact that we have stated on several occasions that never in the history of mankind was there anyone who glorified God, thanked and praised Him more sincerely and effectively than the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, (peace be upon him). He sets the example for all Muslims to follow.