How Does One Perform The Prayer Of Need (Salat al-Hajah)?
Answered by Faraz Rabbani
Question: How does one perform the prayer of need (salat al-hajah)?
Answer: In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful, and all blessings and peace upon our master Muhammad, his Folk, Companions and those who follow their noble way,
Abullah ibn Abi Awfa (Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Whoever has a need with Allah, or with any human being, then let them perform ritual ablutions well and then pray two rakats. After that, let them praise Allah and send blessings on the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). After this, let them say,
[Related by Tirmidhi and Ibn Maja. The hadith has some weakness, but it is slight: such hadiths are acted upon for virtuous deeds (fada’il al-a`mal) by general agreement of Sunni scholarship]الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِين
أَسْأَلُكَ مُوجِبَاتِ رَحْمَتِكَ وَعَزَائِمَ مَغْفِرَتِكَ وَالْغَنِيمَةَ مِنْ كُلِّ بِرٍّ وَالسَّلامَةَ مِنْ كُلّ إِثْمٍ
لا تَدَعْ لِي ذَنْبًا إِلا غَفَرْتَهُ وَلا هَمًّا إِلا فَرَّجْتَهُ وَلا حَاجَةً هِيَ لَكَ رِضًا إِلا قَضَيْتَهَا يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَThere there no god but Allah the Clement and Wise.
There is no god but Allah the High and Mighty.
Glory be to Allah, Lord of the Tremendous Throne. All praise is to Allah, Lord of the worlds. I ask you (O Allah) everything that leads to your mercy, and your tremendous forgiveness, enrichment in all good, and freedom from all sin.
Do not leave a sin of mine (O Allah), except that you forgive it,nor any concern except that you create for it an opening,nor any need in which there is your good pleasure except that you fulfill it, O Most Merciful!”
The prayer of need is very simple: It is essentially to raise one’s need to Allah Most High, by performing ritual ablution (wudu), praying 2 rakats (or four), and then making whole-hearted dua to Allah. If one uses the abovementioned Prophetic supplication, or other similar supplications transmitted from the Beloved Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), it is best. [Ibrahim al-Halabi, Sharh Munyat al-Musalli; al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya; Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]
The inward manners of supplication is exhibiting our neediness and absolute slavehood to Allah, consigning one’s matters to Allah, and knowing that the only one who gives or benefits is Allah Most High. With this, one should be certain that Allah Most High answers our duas, but in the way He knows is best for us.
When circumstances do not permit us to pray 2 rakats, one should still turn to Allah in supplication, raising one’s needs to Him, for He answers our supplications and loves being asked.
And Allah alone gives success.
Wassalam,
Faraz Rabbani
جاء في الفتاوى الهندية: [1/112]( وَمِنْهَا ) صَلاةُ الْحَاجَةِ وَهِيَ رَكْعَتَانِ .قال خاتمة المحققين سيدي محمد أمين بنُعابدين (رحمه الله تعالى) في رد المحتار:
مطلب في صلاة الحاجة . ( قوله وأربع صلاة الحاجة إلخ ) قال الشيخ إسماعيل:ومن المندوبات صلاة الحاجة ,ذكرها في التجنيس والملتقط وخزانة الفتاوىوكثيرمن الفتاوى والحاوي وشرح المنية . أما في الحاوي فذكر أنها ثنتا عشرة ركعة,وبين كيفيتها بما فيه كلام . وأما في التجنيس وغيره , فذكر أنها أربع ركعاتبعدالعشاء وأن في الحديث المرفوع يقرأ في الاولى الفاتحة مرة وآية الكرسي ثلاثا ,وفيكل من الثلاثة الباقية يقرأ الفاتحة والاخلاص والمعوذتين مرة مرة كن له مثلهنمنليلة القدر . قال مشايخنا : صلينا هذه الصلاة فقضيت حوائجنا مذكور فيالملتقط والتجنيس وكثير من الفتاوى , كذا في خزانة الفتاوى . وأما في شرح المنيةفذكر أنها ركعتان , والاحاديث فيها مذكورة في الترغيب والترهيب كما في البحر. وأخرج الترمذي عن عبد الله بن أبي أوفى قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليهوسلم { من كانت له إلى الله حاجة أو إلى أحد من بني آدم فليتوضأ وليحسنالوضوء ثم ليصل ركعتين , ثم ليثن على الله تعالى , وليصل على النبي صلى الله عليهوسلم ثم ليقل لا إله إلا الله الحليم الكريم , سبحان الله رب العرش العظيم , الحمدلله رب العالمين . أسألك موجبات رحمتك , وعزائم مغفرتك , والغنيمة من كلبر , والسلامة من كل إثم , لا تدع لي ذنبا إلا غفرته , ولا هما إلا فرجته , ولاحاجة هي لك رضا إلا قضيتها يا أرحم الراحمين } ” . ا هـ . أقول : وقد عقدفي آخر الحلية فصلا مستقلا لصلاة الحاجة , وذكر ما فيها من الكيفيات والرواياتوالادعية وأطال وأطاب كما هو عادته – رحمه الله تعالى – فليراجعه من أراده .
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