His words, “O Allah, I seek Your choice by Your knowledge,” mean: O Allah, I ask You to choose for me the best and most rightly guided course by Your knowledge, which encompasses all things: what has been, what will be, and what has not been—were it to be, how it would be.

His words, “I seek ability from You by Your power,” mean: I ask You to enable me to accomplish it through Your power over all things.

His words, “I ask You of Your immense bounty,” mean: O Allah, I ask You to honor me through Your bounty and graciously bestow Your gifts upon me, for You alone are the Bestower of bounty and blessings, without partner.

His words, “For You have power, while I have none; You know, while I do not; and You are the Knower of all that is unseen,” affirm faith in Allah’s power over all things and His knowledge of all things. Nothing on earth or in heaven escapes His knowledge. They also acknowledge the servant’s weakness, inability, and utter need of his Lord and Master.

His words, “O Allah, if You know that this matter”—the person should specify the matter itself, whether it is marriage, a sale, travel, or something else.

His words, “If You know,” reflect the servant’s lack of knowledge concerning the outcome of his affair. As for the Lord—glory be to Him—His knowledge encompasses all things.

His words, “is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and the outcome of my affair”—religion is mentioned first because it is most important. If one’s religion remains sound, goodness has been attained; but if it is impaired, no goodness remains thereafter.

His words, “Or he said: in the immediate and later consequences of my affair”—this is uncertainty on the narrator’s part, and both wordings convey the preceding meaning.

His words, “Then decree it for me and make it easy for me,” mean: make it destined and easy for me.