Introduction of the prayer:
This beautiful prayer is from Sunan Ibn Majah: 925. It is a short and powerful supplication. It is a humble call upon Allah for the knowledge which is beneficial, for the livelihood which is good, pure and lawful, and in the end of the prayer for the deeds which are acceptable to Allah Kareem.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) used to recite this prayer after Fajar Salah.
It was narrated from Umm Salamah that when the Prophet (ﷺ) performed the Subh (morning prayer), while he said the Salam, he would say:
‘Allahumma inni as’aluka ‘ilman nafi’an, wa rizqan tayyiban, wa ‘amalan mutaqabbalan (O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, goodly provision and acceptable deeds).’ (Sunan Ibn Majah: 925)
Benefits and virtues of the prayer:
1- Beneficial knowledge:
It is important to know what is beneficial knowledge.The scholars and salaf of the past state that beneficial knowledge is knowledge that leads to actions. Ilm is not the goal, rather it is the means to the goal which is the pleasure of Allah and success in the hereafter.
A great Sufi and Islamic scholar Bishr Ibn Al-Harith says about the beneficial knowledge: “knowledge is good – for the one who acts upon it. But as for the one who doesn’t act on it – there is nothing more harmful (to him) than it.”
The recitation of this prayer will make easy the acquirement of beneficial knowledge and wisdom.
2- Pure and lawful livelihood:
Pure and lawful means of livelihood matter a lot in one’s life. Word ‘At-Tayyib’ appears many times in Qur’an and Hadith, it means, good, nice, kind, pure. Allah Kareem commanded the believers to eat from lawful and good means. Allah Kareem commands the believers in surah Al-Baqarah:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ كُلُوا۟ مِمَّا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ حَلَـٰلًۭا طَيِّبًۭا وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّۭ مُّبِينٌ ١٦٨
O humanity! Eat from what is lawful and good on the earth and do not follow Satan’s footsteps. He is truly your sworn enemy. (Surah Al-Baqarah: 168)
Ii is narrated by Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) said:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “O people! Allah is Pure and, therefore, accepts only that which is pure. Allah has commanded the believers as He has commanded His Messengers by saying: ‘O Messengers! Eat of the good things, and do good deeds.’ (23:51) And He said: ‘O you who believe (in the Oneness of Allah – Islamic Monotheism)! Eat of the lawful things that We have provided you…”‘ (2:172). Then he (ﷺ) made a mention of the person who travels for a long period of time, his hair are dishevelled and covered with dust. He lifts his hand towards the sky and thus makes the supplication: ‘My Rubb! My Rubb!’ But his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothes are unlawful and his nourishment is unlawful, how can, then his supplication be accepted?”
[Muslim].
The supplication for pure and good provisions, after fajar Salah will stimulate Allah’s mercy and gratitude. This prayer is short and easy to memorise. It must be recited in morning prayers.
3- Power to do acceptable deeds:
This prayers has deep meanings. The Prophet (pbuh) calls upon Allah Kareem to bestow His servant the power to do such deeds which are acceptable to Him Almighty. It means all righteous and good deeds are not accepted by Allah, so, it should be requested to The Lord to be blessed by acceptable deeds. This thing we notice in Qur’an in the prayers of Sayyidna Ibrahim and Sayyidna Isma’il (AS), when they were building Bait ul Allah, They called upon their Lord, saying:
رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّآ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ١٢٧
(“Our Lord! Accept ˹this˺ from us. You are indeed the All-Hearing, All-Knowing”) (Al-Baqarah: 127)
So, following the blessed practice of great prophets and the supplicated wording of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) this prayer must be recited by all the believers in Fajar prayers.
