Protection of Iman

For Firmness of the Heart

يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوْبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِيْ عَلَىٰ دِيْنِكَ

Yā Muqalliba-l-qulūbi thabbit qalbī ʿalā dīnik.

O Changer of the hearts, make my heart firm upon Your religion.

Anas (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would often say [the above]. So I asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, we believe in you and what you have come with, but do you fear for us?’ He replied: ‘Yes. Indeed the hearts are in between the two Fingers of Allah’s Fingers. He changes them as He wills.”’ (Tirmidhī 3522)

When One Experiences Doubt in Faith #1

آمَنْتُ بِاللهِ وَرُسُلِهِ

Āmantu bi-llāhi wa rusulih.

I believe in Allah and His Messengers.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Shaytān comes to one of you and says: ‘Who created you?’ He replies: ‘Allah.’ Then Shaytān says: ‘Who created Allah?’ If that happens to any one of you, let him say [the above]. Indeed it will go away from him.” (Ahmad 25671)

When One Experiences Doubt in Faith #2

هُوَ الْأَوَّلُ وَالْآخِرُ وَالظَّاهِرُ وَالْبَاطِنُ ، وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيْمٌ

Huwa-l-Awwalu wa-l-Ākhiru wa-ẓ-Ẓāhiru wa-l-bāṭin, wa Huwa bi-kulli shay’in ‘Alīm.

He is the First and the Last, the Most High and the Most Near. And He is All-Knowing about everything.

Abu Zumayy reported: “I asked Ibn Abbas (radiy Allāhū ‘anhumā): ‘What is this that I am experiencing?’ He answered: ‘What is it?’ I said: ‘By Allah, I cannot talk about it.’ He asked me: ‘Is it something to do with doubt?’ [When answered it was], he smiled and said: ‘No-one was safe from it until Allah revealed:

“If you are in doubt concerning what We revealed unto you [O Prophet], ask those who read the Scripture from before your time. The truth has indeed come to you from your Lord, so be not one of those in doubt.” (10:94)

Ibn Abbas (radiy Allāhū ‘anhumā) told me: ‘If you find any [doubt] within yourself, say: [the above].” (Abū Dāwūd 5110)

When One Fears Shirk & Riya’

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ أَنْ أُشْرِكَ بِكَ وَأَنَا أَعْلَمُ ، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِمَا لَا أَعْلَمُ

Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika an ushrika bika wa-ana aʿlam, wa astaghfiruka limā lā aʿlam.

O Allah, I seek Your protection from knowingly committing shirk and seek Your forgiveness for unknowingly (committing it).

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “O people, beware of this shirk, for it is more subtle than the footsteps of an ant.” The one whom Allah willed should speak asked him: “How can we beware of it when it is more subtle than the footsteps of an ant, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied: “Say [the above].” (Ahmad 3731)

Protection From Dajjal, Trials & Tribulations

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ ، وَمِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ ، وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيْحِ الدَّجَّالِ

Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika min ʿadhābi jahannam, wa min ʿadhābi-l-qabr, wa min fitnati-l-maḥyā wa-l-mamāt, wa min sharri fitnati-l-masīḥi-d-dajjāl.

O Allah, I seek Your protection from the punishment of the Hell-fire, and from the punishment of the grave, and from the trials of life and death, and from the evil of the tribulation of Dajjāl, the false Messiah.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “After the tashahhud (in Salāh), one should seek Allah’s protection from four things by saying [the above].” (Muslim 588)

First 10 Verses of Surah al-Kahf: Protection from Dajjal

ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَىٰ عَبْدِهِ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَلَمْ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عِوَجَاۜ ، قَيِّمًۭا لِّيُنذِرَ بَأْسًۭا شَدِيدًۭا مِّن لَّدُنْهُ وَيُبَشِّرَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ أَجْرًا حَسَنًۭا ، مَّـٰكِثِينَ فِيهِ أَبَدًۭا ، وَيُنذِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوا۟ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدًۭا ، مَّا لَهُم بِهِۦ مِنْ عِلْمٍۢ وَلَا لِـَٔابَآئِهِمْ ۚ كَبُرَتْ كَلِمَةًۭ تَخْرُجُ مِنْ أَفْوَٰهِهِمْ ۚ إِن يَقُولُونَ إِلَّا كَذِبًۭا ، فَلَعَلَّكَ بَـٰخِعٌۭ نَّفْسَكَ عَلَىٰٓ ءَاثَـٰرِهِمْ إِن لَّمْ يُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِهَـٰذَا ٱلْحَدِيثِ أَسَفًا ، إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا مَا عَلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ زِينَةًۭ لَّهَا لِنَبْلُوَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًۭا ، وَإِنَّا لَجَـٰعِلُونَ مَا عَلَيْهَا صَعِيدًۭا جُرُزًا ، أَمْ حَسِبْتَ أَنَّ أَصْحَـٰبَ ٱلْكَهْفِ وَٱلرَّقِيمِ كَانُوا۟ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِنَا عَجَبًا ، إِذْ أَوَى ٱلْفِتْيَةُ إِلَى ٱلْكَهْفِ فَقَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةًۭ وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًۭا.

All praise is for Allah Who has revealed the Book to His servant, allowing no crookedness in it, [making it] perfectly upright, to warn [the disbelievers] of a severe torment from Him; to give good news to the believers—who do good—that they will have a fine reward, in which they will remain forever; and to warn those who claim, “Allah has offspring.” They have no knowledge of this, nor did their forefathers. What a terrible claim that comes out of their mouths! They say nothing but lies. Now, perhaps you [O Prophet] will grieve yourself to death over their denial, if they [continue to] disbelieve in this message. We have indeed made whatever is on earth as an adornment for it, in order to test which of them is best in deeds. And We will certainly reduce whatever is on it to barren ground. Have you [O Prophet] thought that the people of the cave and the plaque1 were [the only] wonders of Our signs? [Remember] when those youths took refuge in the cave, and said, “Our Lord! Grant us mercy from Yourself and guide us rightly through our ordeal.”

Abū Dardā’ (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) reported the Prophet ﷺ saying: “Whoever preserves the first ten verses of the Sūrah al-Kahf, he will be protected from the Dajjāl.” (Muslim 809)