Muslim and others also report from Ibn ‘Abbās that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to teach them this supplication just as he would teach them a surah of the Quran, saying:

“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the punishment of Hell; I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the grave; I seek refuge in You from the trials of life and death; and I seek refuge in You from the trial of the False Messiah.”

The Sunan collections also relate that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked a man: “What do you say during the prayer?”

He replied: “I recite the tashahhud, then say: ‘O Allah, I ask You for Paradise and seek refuge in You from the Fire.’ By Allah, I cannot manage your murmured supplications, nor those of Mu‘ādh.”

He, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, replied: “Our murmured supplications revolve around those two.”

This was reported by Abū Dāwūd and by Abū Hātim in his Sahīh. The apparent meaning is that their murmured supplications, too, came after the tashahhud within the prayer, corresponding to what the man described.

Shaddād ibn Aws reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to say during his prayer:

“O Allah, I ask You for steadfastness in religion and firm resolve to follow right guidance. I ask You to enable me to thank You for Your blessings and worship You well. I ask You for a sound heart and a truthful tongue. I ask You for the good that You know, seek refuge in You from the evil that You know, and ask Your forgiveness for what You know.”

This was reported by al-Nasā’ī.

In the two Sahīh collections, ‘Ā’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to supplicate during the prayer:

“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the grave; I seek refuge in You from the trial of the False Messiah; and I seek refuge in You from the trials of life and death. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from debt and sin.”

Someone then said to him: “How often you seek refuge