2/191. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 985 — Powerful Dua for Forgiveness
What Should Be Said After The Tashah-hud
Hadith About Dua for Forgiveness After Prayer
Sunan Abi Dawud : 985
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 985
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو أَبُو مَعْمَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحُسَيْنُ الْمُعَلِّمُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بُرَيْدَةَ، عَنْ حَنْظَلَةَ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ، أَنَّ مِحْجَنَ بْنَ الأَدْرَعِ، حَدَّثَهُ قَالَ دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْمَسْجِدَ فَإِذَا هُوَ بِرَجُلٍ قَدْ قَضَى صَلاَتَهُ وَهُوَ يَتَشَهَّدُ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ يَا اللَّهُ الأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِي لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ أَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي ذُنُوبِي إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ . قَالَ فَقَالَ " قَدْ غُفِرَ لَهُ قَدْ غُفِرَ لَهُ " . ثَلاَثًا .
Mihjan ibn al-Adra' Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered the mosque and saw a man who had finished his prayer, and was reciting the tashahhud saying: O Allah, I ask you, O Allah, the One, the eternally besought of all, He begetteth not, nor was He begotten, and there is none comparable unto Him, that you may forgive me my sins, you are Most Forgiving, Merciful. He (the Prophet) said: He was forgiven (repeating three times.)
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 985In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 596English translation : Book 3, Hadith 980
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 985
This hadith shows a man making dua after finishing his prayer while reciting the tashahhud. He asked Allah by mentioning that Allah is One, the eternally besought, who neither begets nor is begotten, and none is comparable to Him. Then he asked Allah to forgive his sins, saying that Allah is Most Forgiving and Merciful. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم heard this and said three times that the man was forgiven. The core topic is forgiveness dua. The hadith about asking Allah for forgiveness teaches that a servant may turn to Allah by praising Him with words of pure tawhid, then ask for forgiveness. The explanation should stay close to the text: the reported result in this case was that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said the man was forgiven.
What we learn from this hadith
- Begin dua by praising Allah with words of His oneness.
- Ask Allah directly for forgiveness of sins.
- Remember Allah’s mercy and forgiveness when making dua.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم approved this man’s supplication and repeated that he was forgiven.
