for the worshippers.”1 There is also the supplication of those endowed with understanding, who remember Allah while standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and who reflect upon the creation of the heavens and the earth: “Our Lord, You have not created all this in vain. Glory be to You! Protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”2 And there is the supplication of the angels: “Our Lord, Your mercy and knowledge encompass all things. Forgive those who repent and follow Your way, and protect them from the punishment of Hellfire.”3

Examples of this are exceedingly numerous and would take too long to enumerate. A Muslim should therefore observe this sublime etiquette when making requests of Allah, glorified is He: he should praise, extol, and glorify Him, acknowledge His grace and blessings, and then ask Him for whatever good he wishes in this world and the Hereafter.

Before beginning his supplication, a Muslim should also invoke blessings upon Allah’s chosen one, His intimate friend, His servant and Messenger, our Prophet Muhammad—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him. This has been encouraged in numerous hadiths, including the hadith of Fadāla ibn Ubayd—may Allah be pleased with him—who said: “The Prophet—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him—heard a man supplicating during his prayer without invoking blessings upon the Prophet—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him. The Prophet—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him—said, ‘This man has been hasty.’ He then summoned him and said to him and to others: ‘When any one of you prays, let him begin by praising and extolling Allah. Then let him invoke blessings upon the Prophet—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him—and thereafter supplicate for whatever he wishes.’”4

This has three levels:

The first is to invoke blessings upon the Prophet—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him—before the supplication and after praising Allah Most High.