Introduction to the Morning & Evening Supplications

In our quest of trying to emulate the best of creation, the prophet Muhammad (Salla’Allahu ‘alayhi wasallam), we see that he highly encouraged, and he himself practiced the constant remembrance of Allah. It is an action that Allah commanded in the Qur’an when He said

{فاذكروني أذكركم واشكروا لي ولا تكفرون}

(So remember Me; I will remember you. Be thankful to Me and never ungrateful) [1].

There are many narrations that entice us to increase in the remembrance of Allah, and it is enough of an encouragement that the prophet (Salla’Allahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said, “The similitude of the one that remembers Allah, and the one that doesn’t is like that of the living and the dead” [2]. Therefore, we need to increase in the remembrance of Allah so that we can be like the living who actually benefit and increase in good, instead of being like the dead who are stagnant, rather are in a state of decomposition.

Due to the importance of certain forms of remembrance of Allah, we see that the prophet (Salla’Allahu ‘alayhi wasallam) used to constantly repeat some supplications every morning and every evening. These supplications are often referred to as the morning and evening supplications, or the daily adhkar. One of the pious people said about these daily adhkar, “The morning and evening supplications are like a shield, the thicker it is, the more its owner is protected. Rather, it’s strength can reach a level where it will bounce the arrows back at those who fire them at you”.

The optimum time of reciting these supplications is at dawn before sunrise, and at dusk before sunset, as Allah says in the Qur’an

{وسبح بحمد ربك قبل طلوع الشمس وقبل الغروب}

(And celebrate the praise of your Lord before the rising and setting of the Sun) [3].

Allah also says

{يا أيها الذين آمنوا اذكروا الله ذكرا كثيرا وسبحوه بكرة وأصيلا}

(Believers, remember Allah a great deal, and glorify Him morning and evening) [4].

Due to these verses, a person should try to recite the morning supplications after Fajr, and the evening supplications after Asr. This also makes perfect sense in that you complete the morning supplications just before morning starts (sunrise), and the evening supplications just before evening starts (sunset) so that you are fully protected at all times.

The morning and evening supplications carry great meanings and provide a formidable source of protection. In addition to the fact they allow us to feel the presence of Allah with us every day, they also provide us with peace and tranquillity, remind us of the importance of certain actions, teach us about Allah, and put us in a frame of mind that allows us to continue our day in a way that pleases Allah. These are great benefits that we will discuss in due course by the will of Allah.

It is of no surprise that great scholars have discussed these morning and evening supplications, such as Ibnul Qayyim in his magnificent book, الوابل الصيب  (Translated and published in English under the title, “Invocation of God”), however, a contemporary book that seems to have been granted acceptance by Allah due to the numerous languages it has been translated to, and the wide-availability of it, is the “Fortress of the Muslim”, which you can download by clicking here (alternative version).

For a person to truly benefit from these morning and evening supplications, they need to understand them and contemplate over them and live by their meanings. As we read earlier, they are like a strong shield, and the strength of this shield is dependent on your conviction in them. It is incumbent upon the one reciting them to do so with contemplation so that their heart opens up to them and he/she tastes the sweetness of iman, instead of just repeating them every morning and evening as if they are a daily chore that does not require the presence of the heart.

By the will of Allah, I will begin a series of briefly explaining the morning and evening supplications so that we can appreciate some of their meanings and that we contemplate over them and live by them. I will use the morning and evening supplications within “Fortress of the Muslim” as a basis due to the reasons quoted earlier. I plan to provide brief bullet pointed commentary, with a few action points at the end, in a similar format to the 40 hadith commentary. However, I would appreciate any advice or recommendations you have for this series and the way the commentary is provided.

To conclude, below are some benefits of constantly reciting the morning and evening supplications:

• Provide you with peace and tranquillity
• Allow you to get closer to Allah
• Give you strength to carry out your daily activities
• Provide you with success and good health from Allah as you begin your day and end it by relying on Allah in all your affairs
• Protect you from the evil of jinn and mankind
• Wipe away your sins
• Elevate your rank with Allah
• Guarantee Jannah for you

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1. Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqarah [2:152]
2. Hadith reported in Bukhari
3. Qur’an, Surah Qaf [50:39]
4. Qur’an, Surah Al-Ahzab [33:41-42]