147 / REMEMBRANCES AFTER THE SALUTATION

The discussion here concerns the remembrances that a Muslim recites upon completing his prayer after the salutation. Numerous hadiths have been related on this subject.

One of them is the report narrated by Muslim in his Sahīh from Thawbān, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: “When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, finished his prayer, he sought Allah’s forgiveness three times and said: ‘O Allah, You are Peace, and from You comes peace. Blessed are You, O Possessor of majesty and honor.’”

Al-Walīd, one of the narrators of the hadith, said: “I asked al-Awzā‘ī, ‘How does one seek forgiveness?’ He replied, ‘You say: “I seek Allah’s forgiveness. I seek Allah’s forgiveness. I seek Allah’s forgiveness.”’”1

His words, “O Allah, You are Peace”: Peace is one of Allah’s Most Beautiful Names, by which Allah commanded us to call upon Him when He said, “To Allah belong the Most Beautiful Names, so call upon Him by them.”2 Its meaning is that He is free from every defect, affliction, and deficiency. Glorified is He: He is free from everything incompatible with His perfect attributes, from resembling any of His creation, and from having any equal whatsoever.

His words, “and from You comes peace,” mean that deliverance from perils is hoped for and sought as a gift from You alone, and from no one besides You. This is indicated by the restrictive construction in the words “and from You comes peace”—that is, from You alone and no one else.

His words, “Blessed are You, O Possessor of majesty and honor”: “Blessed are You” means that You are exalted and supremely great. “O Possessor of majesty and honor” means: O You who possess majesty and honor. These are two magnificent attributes of the Lord, glorified is He, indicating the perfection of His greatness, grandeur, and glory, and the abundance of