A:
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to say certain forms of Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah) and Du'a' (supplication) through which he supplicated to Allah every night and day in private. His Sahabah (Companions) heard them and learned them from him, and they used to supplicate to Allah through them every night and day, each one in private, following the example of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). As far as we know, it was not authentically reported that he (peace be upon him) or his Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) used to say these Adhkar (Remembrances of Allah) and Du'a's collectively, where all of them read simultaneously, or one of them read and the others listened. A Muslim should follow the example of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and his Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) in their Dhikr, Du'a' and all what he (peace be upon him) has ordained. (Part No. 2; Page No. 519) All goodness lies in following him, and all evil lies in contradicting him and taking this as a regular habit and a Bid`ah (innovation in religion). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
If a person innovates things in our affairs for which there is no valid reason, these are to be rejected.
Agreed upon its authenticity. He (peace be upon him) also said,
Avoid novelties, for every novelty is a Bid`ah, and every Bid`ah leads to misguidance.
The authentically reported Adhkar and Du'a's of the morning and the evening include what was narrated by
Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), that he said,
“The Prophet (peace be upon him) never missed saying these supplications in the morning and in the evening: O Allah! I ask You for safety in my religion, my worldly affairs, my family and my property. O Allah! Conceal my faults and keep me safe from the things I fear. O Allah! Protect me from before me and from behind me, from my right and from my left, and from above me. I seek refuge in Your Grandeur from being taken by surprise from below me (i.e., being swallowed up by the earth).”
Related by
Al-Nasa'y and
Ibn Majah, and ranked as Sahih (authentic) by
Al-Hakim.
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) also narrated that
the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to say in the morning: "O Allah, by Your leave we have reached the morning and by Your leave we have reached the evening; by Your leave we live and by Your leave we shall die; and unto You is our resurrection." He used to say the same in the evening except for "...And unto You is our destiny."
(Part No. 2; Page No. 520)
Related by the four Compilers of Hadith (Abu Dawud, Al-Nasa'y, Al-Tirmidhy, and Ibn Majah).
May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.