Something Else: The Supplication: “O Allah, I Ask You For Steadfastness In The Matter”

A man from Banu Hanzalah said:

“I accompanied Shaddad bin Aws (may Allah be pleased with him) on a journey, so he said: ‘Should I not teach you what the Messenger of Allah used to teach us? That you say: “O Allah, I ask You for steadfastness in the affair and I ask You for determination upon guidance, and I ask You to make me grateful for Your favor, and excellence in worshipping You, and I ask You for a truthful tongue and a sound heart, and I seek refuge in You from the evil of what You know, and I ask You for the good of what You know, and I seek Your forgiveness for that which You know. Verily, You are the Knower of all that is hidden (Allahumma Inna As’alukath-Thabata Fil-amri Wa As’aluka Shukra Ni’matika, Wa Husna Ibadika, Wa As’aluka Lisanan Sadiqan Wa Qalban Saliman, Wa A’udhu Bika Min Sharri Ma Ta’lamu, Wa As’aluka Min Khairi Ma Ta’lamu, Wastaghfiruka Mimma Ta’lamu Innaka Anta Allamul-ghuyub).’” He said: ‘The Messenger of Allah said: “There is no Muslim who lays down to sleep while reciting a Surat from Allah’s Book, except that Allah entrusts an angel, so that nothing approaches him to harm him until he awakens, whenever he awakens.”

حَدَّثَنَا مَحْمُودُ بْنُ غَيْلاَنَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أَحْمَدَ الزُّبَيْرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الْجُرَيْرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي الْعَلاَءِ بْنِ الشِّخِّيرِ، عَنْ رَجُلٍ، مِنْ بَنِي حَنْظَلَةَ قَالَ صَحِبْتُ شَدَّادَ بْنَ أَوْسٍ رضى الله عنه فِي سَفَرٍ فَقَالَ أَلاَ أُعَلِّمُكَ مَا كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُعَلِّمُنَا أَنْ نَقُولَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الثَّبَاتَ فِي الأَمْرِ وَأَسْأَلُكَ عَزِيمَةَ الرُّشْدِ وَأَسْأَلُكَ شُكْرَ نِعْمَتِكَ وَحُسْنَ عِبَادَتِكَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ لِسَانًا صَادِقًا وَقَلْبًا سَلِيمًا وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا تَعْلَمُ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا تَعْلَمُ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُكَ مِمَّا تَعْلَمُ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ عَلاَّمُ الْغُيُوبِ . قَالَ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ " مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَأْخُذُ مَضْجَعَهُ يَقْرَأُ سُورَةً مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ إِلاَّ وَكَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ مَلَكًا فَلاَ يَقْرَبُهُ شَيْءٌ يُؤْذِيهِ حَتَّى يَهُبَّ مَتَى هَبَّ " .

قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ إِنَّمَا نَعْرِفُهُ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ وَالْجُرَيْرِيُّ هُوَ سَعِيدُ بْنُ إِيَاسٍ أَبُو مَسْعُودٍ الْجُرَيْرِيُّ وَأَبُو الْعَلاَءِ اسْمُهُ يَزِيدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الشِّخِّيرِ .