68 — The Importance of Careful Attention to Prophetic Wording in Remembrance and Supplication

We previously noted that the transmitted supplications are safeguarded in both form and meaning, and are free of error and fault in their wording and import. This is because they are revelation from Allah, sent down by Him. Allah chose them for His Prophet Muhammad—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—and taught them to him. He learned them and put them into practice fully and perfectly, conveyed them to his Ummah with utmost clarity, and his noble Companions received them from him in the finest manner. They acted upon them, strove to apply them, and filled their time with them. They then conveyed them to those who came after them, intact and complete, letter for letter and word for word. Through this, they attained the greatest fortune and fullest share in the Prophet’s words—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him: “May Allah make radiant the one who hears my words, understands and memorizes them, and then conveys them to someone who has not heard them.”1 Let us pause here to reflect upon how diligently the Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—preserved and learned the Prophetic supplications, and how diligently the Prophet—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—guided and corrected them in this regard.

Among the evidence for this are several hadiths concerning remembrance and supplication which state that the Prophet—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—would teach them these supplications just as he taught them a surah of the Quran.

One of these is the report narrated by Muslim in his Sahīh from Ibn ʿAbbās—may Allah be pleased with him and his father: “The Messenger of Allah—may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him—used to teach them this supplication just as he would teach them a surah of