The supplication, “O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me, grant me well-being, and provide for me,” consists of five phrases that the Prophet ﷺ would teach a new convert to Islam.

“O Allah, forgive me” refers to the forgiveness of sins. When a disbeliever embraces Islam, Allah wipes out all his previous sins, as the Almighty says: “Say to those who disbelieve: if they desist, they will be forgiven for what has already passed” (Q 8:38). Yet even after entering Islam, a servant must go on seeking forgiveness, for no human being is free from sin. The hadith states: “All the children of Adam constantly err, and the best of those who err are those who repent.”

“Have mercy on me” means: envelop me in Your mercy. The prayer therefore joins two requests. Forgiveness is deliverance from sins, misdeeds, and punishments, while mercy is the attainment of desirable blessings. A person’s wellbeing is complete only when he is spared what he dreads and granted what he longs for.

“Guide me”—as explained earlier—embraces two kinds of guidance: the guidance of knowledge and clarification, and the guidance of success and right conduct.

“Grant me well-being, and provide for me.” “Grant me well-being” means protection from every illness. Illness is of two kinds: an illness of the heart, as Allah says, “In their hearts is a disease, so Allah increased their disease” (Q 2:10); and a physical illness that affects the body and its limbs. When you ask Allah for well-being, you are seeking safety from both.

The sickness of the heart is more serious than bodily sickness, for bodily sickness—if one shows patience and looks for reward from Allah—elevates one’s rank and wipes away sins, and in the end it can only lead to death, and death is the inevitable destiny of every living being.