His words, “My Lord, I seek refuge in You from punishment in the Fire and punishment in the grave,” mean: O Allah, I seek Your protection from suffering the punishment of the Fire and the punishment of the grave. He singled these two out from among all the other punishments of the Day of Resurrection because of their severity and gravity. The grave is the first stage of the Hereafter, and whoever is delivered from it will be safe in what follows. The pain of the Fire is immense and its punishment severe. May Allah protect and preserve us and you.

It is recommended for a Muslim to say this in the morning as well, except that he should say: “We have entered the morning, and all dominion belongs to Allah. All praise belongs to Allah. There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, with no partner. His is the dominion, His is all praise, and He has power over all things. My Lord, I ask You for the good of this day and the good that follows it, and I seek refuge in You from the evil of this day and the evil that follows it. My Lord, I seek refuge in You from laziness and the infirmities of old age. My Lord, I seek refuge in You from punishment in the Fire and punishment in the grave.”

Among the remembrances for the two ends of the day is the report narrated by Ibn al-Sunnī from Abū al-Dardāʾ—may Allah be pleased with him—from the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him: “Whoever says seven times every day, in the morning and the evening, ‘Allah is sufficient for me. There is no deity worthy of worship except Him. In Him I place my trust, and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne,’ Allah, Mighty and Majestic, will suffice him regarding whatever concerns him of the affairs of this world and the Hereafter.”1.

This blessed remembrance has a profound effect and immense benefit in everything that concerns a Muslim in the affairs of this world and the Hereafter. “Allah is sufficient for me” means: He is enough for me.

Among the great prescribed remembrances of the morning and evening is for a Muslim to say, upon entering the morning and the evening, “Glory be to Allah, and praise be to Him,” one hundred times. This is based on the hadith authentically reported in Sahīh Muslim from Abū Hurayra—may Allah be pleased with him—who said that the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—said: “Whoever says upon entering the morning