Can you offer nafil salaat to ask for something from Allah?

[AnonymousPoster]

For example perform 2 rakat nafil salaat and at the beginning make intention to Allah that you are praying this salaat to ask for forgiveness, or to ask for something you want, or for help in something etc.

[Ansariyah]

Thats salat'al istakhara?...after 2 rakkats u can make ur dua.

[AnonymousPoster]

Hmm..no..Salaa'tul Istakhara is when you need help in making a decision and then wait for a feeling/something to guide you and help you.

This is literally praying a salaat to ask for something, and saying what it is at the beginning when you make your intention that "Ya Allah i am praying this 2 rakaat nafil to ask for your forgiveness about this-and-this" or "I am praying this 2 rakaat nafil to ask that you help me pass my exams" etc.

Is this allowed?

[- IqRa -]

You can pray Salaatul Hajat inshaAllaah;

Salat al Hajah
- صلاة الحاجة -
the prayer for fulfilment of a need

Salat al-Hajah is a prayer offered for the accomplishment of a particular purpose or need. It consists of a fresh ablution done carefully, followed by a calm prayer of two rak'ahs, then a sincere supplication that states what one wishes to be accomplished and requesting Allah Ta'ala's help in its accomplishment.

Abu Darda (radiAllahu anha) relates that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "Whoever performs ablutions well and offers two voluntary rakahs and completes them to perfection will be granted by God whatever he prays for, either immediately or in God’s good time."
[Ahmad - Sahih]

Abullah ibn Abi Al-Awfa Al-Aslami (radiAllahu anhuhim) relates that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) 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 (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). Then recite the following dua:
[at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i and ibn Majah]
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

لا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ الْحَلِيمُ الْكَرِيمُ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ أَسْأَلُكَ مُوجِبَاتِ رَحْمَتِكَ وَعَزَائِمَ مَغْفِرَتِكَ وَالْغَنِيمَةَ مِنْ كُلِّ بِرٍّ وَالسَّلامَةَ مِنْ كُلِّ إِثْمٍ لا تَدَعْ لِي ذَنْبًا إِلا غَفَرْتَهُ وَلا هَمًّا إِلا فَرَّجْتَهُ وَلا حَاجَةً هِيَ لَكَ رِضًا إِلا قَضَيْتَهَا يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ

La ilaha ilAllahul Halimul Karim. SubhanAllahi Rabbil 'rshil adheem. Alhamdulilahi Rabbil 'alameen. As'aluka mujibaati rahmatik. Wa aza'ima magh-firatik. Wal ghanimata min kulli birr. Was salamata min kuuli ithm. La tada' li dhamban illa ghafartah. Wa la hamman illa far-rajtah. Wa la hajatan hiya laka ridan illa qadaytaha. Ya arhamar rahimin.

"There 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!"

Source

[AnonymousPoster]

Oh thankyou, that's great. Although what does it mean at the bottom that this hadith is weak? Is this salaat still considered authentic and effective?

And whay if you pray it straight after a fardh prayer, do you still have to make fresh wudhu? I imagine it would be best to...

[- IqRa -]

With regards to asking forgiveness, you can perform Salaatul Tawbah inshaAllaah;

Fiqh-Us-Sunnah, Vol 2, #34.

Abu Bakr (r) reports: “I heard the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam saying:
‘Allah forgives the man who commits a sin (then feels ashamed), purifies himself, offers a prayer and seeks His forgiveness.’ Then he recited the ‘ayyah: ‘And those who, when they do an evil thing or wrong themselves, remember Allah and implore forgiveness for their sins – and who can forgive sins except Allah? – and will not knowingly repeat (the wrong) they did. The reward of such will be forgiveness from their Lord, and gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever- a bountiful reward for workers.”‘
[al-'lmran: 135-136].
This is related by Abu Dawud, an-Nasa’i, Ibn Majah, al-Baihaqi, and at-Tirmidhi who calls it hasan.

At-Tabarani records in al-Mu’jam al-Kabir, with a hasan chain, from Abu ad-Darda’ that the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said:
“Whoever makes wudu’ and perfects the wudu’ and then stands and prays two rak’at or four rak’at, obligatory or non-obligatory, and perfects therein his ruku’ and sujjud and then asks for Allah’s forgiveness, he will be forgiven.“


Source

[- IqRa -]

Oh thankyou, that's great. Although what does it mean at the bottom that this hadith is weak? Is this salaat still considered authentic and effective?

Some scholars don't find this hadith reliable, however some do. Then again, the bottom line I think is that there is no harm in praying 2 rakahs for the sake of your Lord and asking what you want. Who else will you ask apart from Him?

And whay if you pray it straight after a fardh prayer, do you still have to make fresh wudhu? I imagine it would be best to...

I'm not sure about this, but if you alread have fresh wudhu then I don't see the need to make it again. Allahu Aalim.

[- IqRa -]

You can also check this link inshaAllaah;

The Different Types of Voluntary Prayers

[AnonymousPoster]

Oh thankyou that's really helpfull.

[Sari]

I've read there is no basis at all for salaat e hajat. So is it allowed or not?

[Tanya Khan]

I've read there is no basis at all for salaat e hajat. So is it allowed or not?

What do you mean by that?

[Sari]

exactly that. That there's no such thing in sunnah or hadith.

[- IqRa -]

Excuse me?

Abu Darda (radiAllahu anha) relates that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, "Whoever performs ablutions well and offers two voluntary rakahs and completes them to perfection will be granted by God whatever he prays for, either immediately or in God’s good time."
[Ahmad - Sahih]

Abullah ibn Abi Al-Awfa Al-Aslami (radiAllahu anhuhim) relates that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) 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 (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). Then recite the following dua:
[at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i and ibn Majah]
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

[AnonymousPoster]

I can't memorise that dua by heart, can i have the dua on the screen of my ipod and then read it from that after the salaat? And when do you ask Allah for what you want specifically, after this dua is recited? And do you read this specific dua in the state of normal dua making - after praying durood sharif and with hands raised?

[- IqRa -]

You don't need to memorise it by heart, you can read it off a piece of paper, ipod, whatever.

Abdullah ibn Abi Al-Awfa Al-Aslami (radiAllahu anhuhim) relates that the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) 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 (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). Then recite the following dua:
[at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i and ibn Majah]

Then after that make the dua u want to make.

And Allaah Knows Best.