Adding ‘Al-'Aliyy Al-'Atheem’ to the Hawqalah

15-2-2016 | IslamWeb

Question:

Respected scholars, assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu. I want to know about some adhkar (remembrance of Allaah) whether they are authentic:
1-Allahumma salli 'ala sayyidina Muhammad, an-nabiyy al-umiyy, wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wa sallim. Is there any virtue in this?
2- I received the following dua and was told that it is for protection from earthquake, the dua is "O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from my house falling on me, I seek refuge in Thee from falling into an abyss, I seek refuge in Thee from drowning burning and decrepitude. I seek refuge in Thee from the devil harming me at the time of my death, I seek refuge in Thee from dying in Thy path while retreating, and I seek refuge in Thee from dying of the sting of a poisonous creature." (Abu Daawood 1552)
3- In many books, we find 'La hawla wala quwwata illa billahil aliyyil azeem' what do you say regarding 'aliyyil 'azeem'?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

As for the formula of invoking blessing on the Prophet, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, mentioned in the question, there are prophetic ahaadeeth with a similar wording without the addition of the word “sayyidina”. It has been narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, said:

“When you perform prayer, say (in Tashahhud, before concluding the prayer): Allaahumma salli ʻala Muhammadin an-nabbiyy al-ummiyy wa ʻala aali Muhammadin kama sallayta ʻala Ibraaheem wa aali Ibraaheem, wa baarik ʻala Muhammadin an-nabbiyy al-ummiyy kama barakta ʻala Ibraaheem wa ʻala aali Ibraaheem, innaka Hameedun Majeed (O Allaah, honor to Muhammad, the illiterate Prophet, and the household of Muhammad, as You honored Ibraaheem (Abraham) and the household of Ibraaheem, and bless Muhammad, the illiterate Prophet, as You blessed Ibraaheem and the household of Ibraaheem; You are indeed Worthy of praise, Full of glory.)” [Ahmad and Abu Daawood]

We do not know of a special virtue for this formula over the other reported formulas of invoking blessing upon the Prophet, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam. For further information, please refer to fataawa 121666 and ">198325.

As for the du‘aa’ (supplication) mentioned in the question, it has been cited by Abu Daawood, Ahmad, An-Nasaa‘i, and others. Al-Albaani declared it saheeh (sound), and other scholars classified its chain of narration as dha'eef (weak). We have no knowledge indicating that this supplication shields the Muslim from earthquakes in particular; however, it is a supplication to Allaah and seeking refuge with Him from the mentioned harms and evils. There is no doubt that Allaah answers the supplications of whoever calls out to Him and shields him from the evils stated in the supplication or wards off similar evils. It has been authentically reported that Allaah answers the supplication of His slave; Abu Saʻeed Al-Khudri narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, said, “Any Muslim who makes a supplication in which there is no sin or severance of the tie of kinship, Allaah gives him one of these three things: 1) to give him what he wants immediately, 2) to preserve it for him in the afterlife, and 3) to ward off from him an evil that is equal to it.” On hearing this the Companions said, “Then we will supplicate much!” The Prophet, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, said, “Allaah gives much more.” [Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad; Ahmad in Al-Musnad and Al-Haakim in Al-Mustadrak]

As for adding the words “Al-ʻAliyy Al-ʻAtheem (which mean The Most-High The Great)” to the Hawqalah (La hawla wala quwwata illa billaah), there are authentic ahaadeeth that reported this addition. For instance, ʻUbaadah ibn As-Saamit narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, said, “Whoever wakes up during the night and says upon waking, ‘La ilaaha illa Allaah wahdahu la shareeka lahu, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu, wa huwa ʻala kulli shay’in Qadeer; subhaan-Allaah walhamdu lillah, wa la ilaaha illa Allaah, wa-Allaahu Akbar, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billaahil-ʻAliyyi Al-ʻAtheem.’ (None has the right to be worshipped but Allaah alone, with no partner or associate. His is the dominion and all praise is to Him, and He is able to do all things. Glory and praise be to Allaah; none has the right to be worshiped but Allaah. Allaah is the Most Great, and there is no power and no strength except with Allaah, the Most High, the Great.) and then asks Allaah for forgiveness, he will be forgiven.”  Al-Waleed remarked, “Or he, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, said, ‘Then, if he supplicated, it will be answered for him; then if he stood up and performed ablution and prayer, his prayer would be accepted.’” [Sunan Ibn Maajah, with a saheeh (sound) chain of narration]

In another hadith, Saʻd ibn Abi Waqqaas reported that a bedouin came to the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, and said to him, “Teach me words that I should (often) utter.” He, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, said, “Say: La ilaaha illa Allaah wahdahu la shareeka lah, Allaahu Akbaru kabeera, wal-hamdulillaahi katheera, wa subhaan Allaah Rabbi-il-'Aalameen, wa la hawla wala quwwata illa billaah al-ʻAliyy al-ʻAtheem al-ʻAzeez al-Hakeem.” (None is worthy of worship but Allaah, the One, having no partner with Him. Allaah is greatest, I have magnified the greatest, and much praise is due to Allaah. Allaah, the Lord of the worlds is free from imperfection, there is no Might and Power but that of Allaah, The Most High, The Great, The Mighty, The All-Wise.) He (that bedouin) said, “These all are for my Lord. But what about me?” Thereupon he, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, said, “You should say: O Allaah, grant me pardon, have mercy upon me, direct me to righteousness, and provide me sustenance.” [Ibn Hibbaan]  

The version cited by Imaam Muslim reads, “La hawla wala quwwata illa billaah Al-ʻAzeez Al-Hakeem.”

Hence, it is prescribed to add “Al-ʻAliyy Al-ʻAtheem” or “Al-ʻAzeez Al-Hakeem” to the Hawqalah “La hawla wala quwwata illa billaah.”

Allaah knows best.