For this reason, whoever combines adherence to the Prophetic remembrances and transmitted supplications with an understanding of their meanings and implications, while keeping the heart fully attentive when remembering Allah and supplicating with them, will have attained a complete share of goodness and an abundant portion of sound guidance.
For this reason also, the scholars devoted themselves to compiling the transmitted supplications so that they would be readily available to people and spare them any need for newly invented litanies and innovated supplications. Imām Abū al-Qāsim al-Tabarānī, may Allah have mercy on him, said in the introduction to his book Supplication: “This is a book I have written in which I have collected the supplications of Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. I was prompted to do so because I saw many people adhering to supplications composed in rhymed prose and to supplications assigned to particular days, which were composed by copyists and are not transmitted from Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, any of his Companions, or any of those who faithfully followed them. This is despite what has been narrated from Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, regarding his dislike of rhymed prose in supplication and of transgressing its proper bounds. I therefore compiled this book with the transmitted chains of narration leading back to Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace…”1 Thus continues his statement, may Allah have mercy on him.
Among the valuable works on this subject are al-Adhkār (The Remembrances) by al-Nawawī, al-Kalim al-Tayyib (Goodly Words) by Ibn Taymiyya, and al-Wābil al-Sayyib (The Abundant Downpour) by Ibn al-Qayyim. A Muslim should therefore benefit from such valuable books, which are founded upon what has been transmitted from Allah’s Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and abandon everything else invented by copyists and composed by those given to affectation. May Allah grant us all adherence to the Sunnah and the following of the footsteps of the best of the nation, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him.