Du`aa al-Istiftaah - Part 2

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

You can read part 1 from here:
http://ilm4all.blogspot.com/2016/06/duaa-al-istiftaah-part-1.html

The first Du`aa al-Istiftaah and its meaning:

Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم used to keep silent between the Takbeer and the recitation of Qur’an (Surah al-Faatihah) and that interval of silence used to be a short one. I said to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم: May my parents be sacrificed for you! What do you say in the pause between Takbeer and recitation? The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“I say:

اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَايَ، كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ المَشْرِقِ وَالمَغْرِبِ، اللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِي مِنَ الخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ، اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْ خَطَايَايَ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالبَرَدِ

‘Allaahumma, baa`id bainee wa baina khataayaaya kamaa baa`adta bain-al-mashriqi wa l-maghrib. Allaahumma, naqqinee min al-khataayaa kamaa yunaqqa th-thawb-ul-abyadhu mina d-danas. Allaahumma, ighsil khataayaaya bi l-maa’i wa th-thalji wa l-barad’

(O Allaah! Set me apart from my sins (faults) as the East and West are set apart from each other and clean me from sins as a white garment is cleaned of dirt (after thorough washing). O Allaah! Wash off my sins with water, snow and hail.)”

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (744)]

In Saheeh Muslim, the wordings are:

اللهُمَّ نَقِّنِي مِنْ خَطَايَايَ

‘Allaahumma, naqqinee min khataayaaya’

And

اللهُمَّ اغْسِلْنِي مِنْ خَطَايَايَ بِالثَّلْجِ وَالْمَاءِ وَالْبَرَدِ

‘Allaahumma, ighsilnee min khataayaaya bi-th-thalji wal-maa’i wal-barad’

[Saheeh Muslim (1245)]

Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

The statement of Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: “Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم used to keep silent between the Takbeer and the recitation of Qur’an (Surah al-Faatihah) and that interval of silence used to be a short one.” This is in regards to the prayers where it is recited audibly (Fajr, Maghrib and `Ishaa’). And there was no issue – big or small – in which the Sahaabah needed clarification except that they asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم about it.

He (Abu Hurairah) said to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم: May my parents be sacrificed for you! What do you say in the pause between Takbeer and recitation?…till the end of the Hadeeth.

The importance: This is the most authentic Hadeeth under this chapter heading, and still you find that a majority of the Muslims today either do not know about this opening (supplication) or they do not begin their prayers with it.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to supplicate with this even though Allaah تعالى had forgiven his past and future sins; and still the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to say: “O Allaah! Set me apart from my sins (faults) as the East and West are set apart from each other…, meaning: so that I do not come near it nor revolve around it.

You should ask Allaah تعالى that He protects you from falling into sins and distances it away from you so that you do not come face to face with it or commit that sin. This Du`aa is (specially) about the things before they happen; because when a thing is far away from you, you will not commit it (or the chances of you committing it is less).

And if I do commit the sin, then O Allaah! “Clean me from sins as a white garment is cleaned of dirt (after washing)”, meaning: remove it from me and make me clean and pure from it.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم put forth a similitude regarding the removal of sins: “Clean me from sins as a white garment is cleaned of dirt (after washing).” The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم chose the similitude of a white thobe (garment) because the dirt is more visible on a white garment. Even the smallest of spots is more apparent and visible on a white garment, but if the garment is black or red (or any other dark color), the dirt is not that visible unless it has really become dirty.

Sometimes, even after removing the dirt the stains are still visible. So he صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “O Allaah! Wash off my sins…”, so that not even the stain marks remain. Example: if your garment gets some dirt on it and you scratched it off, yet the stain is still visible even after it has been removed it. We say, this is removal of the dirt, then after it comes washing. This is why if some dirt gets on the garment, it is first removed (physically) and thereafter it is washed.

Some may say: No doubt that water is good for cleaning, but when it is hot, it does better cleaning and is stronger in removing the dirt. This is because the hot water cleans better than cold water. When we want to wash tha garments with soap, we heat up the water. Then why did the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم say: “…with water, snow and hail”?

We say: The scholars have said: This is because he صلى الله عليه وسلم is beseeching Allaah to cleanse him from the sins, saying: “Clean me from sins”, and sins are not something physical. Moreover, the retribution for sins and wrongdoing is with Fire, and the Fire is hot. So it is but obvious that a thing is removed with its opposite, and the opposite of hot Fire is snow and hail. So it is fitting that the thing which removes this sins is with something cold, till the effects of the punishment are removed in its entirety and this is why he صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “…with water, snow and hail”, and this is the Hikmah behind it.

So this Du`aa al-Istiftaah is a Jawaami` (جامع: words which are concise but comprehensive in meaning) for seeking protection from sin before one falls into it; and for seeking forgiveness after one has fallen into it; and the removal of its effects in its entirety by washing it with water, snow and hail.

[Sifat al-Salaah of Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen (1/75-77)]

To go to the third part, kindly follow the link:
http://ilm4all.blogspot.com/2016/07/duaa-al-istiftaah-part-3.html