The Hardening of the Heart

Hardening of the heart is a bad condition that every believer must avoid. When the heart of a believer hardens then it neither learns any lesson from Allah's Signs nor does it accept anyone's good advice and religious preaching. One reason for heart hardening is idle and nonsense talking. If one indulges in  talk rather than the remembrance of Allah, his heart becomes hardened, which is a sign of being far from Allah's Mercy. One should therefore occupy himself with the remembrance of Allah and refrain from talking too much.

Ibn 'Umar (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Do not indulge in excessive talk except when remembering Allah. Excessive talking without the Remembrance of Allah hardens the heart; and those who are the farthest from Allah are those whose hearts are hard."

Saying Jazak-Allah khairan

Usamah bin Zaid (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "He who is favored by another and says to his benefactor: 'Jazak-Allah khairan (may Allah reward you well)' indeed praised (the benefactor) satisfactorily."

Commentary

If you are unable to return someone's kindness with kindness, you should say, "Jazak-Allahu khairan (may Allah reward you well)." This means: "I am unable to reciprocate your kindness. May Allah grant you the best reward for it." This is the best kind of repayment to another fellows favor because there is no match for the reward that he/she will get from Allah. For this reason our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) said that it was the best of the praise for a benefactor.

Dua’s to Recite in the Morning and Evening

v  Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "He who recites in the morning and in the evening the statement: 'Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi (Allah is free from imperfection and I begin with praising Him)' one hundred times, will not be surpassed on the Day of Resurrection by anyone with better deeds than one who utters the same words or utters more of these words." [Muslim]

v  Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: A man came to the Prophet (PBUH) and said, "What a trouble I suffered from a scorpion which stung me last night!" He (PBUH) said, "Had you said in the evening: 'A'udhu bikalimatillahit-tammati min sharri ma khalaqa (I seek the protection of Allah's Perfect Words from the evil of whatever He has created),' it would not have harmed you." [Muslim]

v  Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) used to say in the morning: "Allahumma bika asbahna, wa bika amsaina, wa bika nahya, wa bika namutu, wa ilaikan-nushur (O Allah! With Your Power we have come to the morning, with Your Power we come to the evening, with Your Power we live, and we die, and to You will we return)." In the evening he would say: "Allahumma bika amsaina, wa bika nahya, wa bika namutu, wa ilaikan-nushur (O Allah! With Your Power, we have come to the evening, by You do we live, by You do we die, and to You is the return)." [At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud]

v  Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: Abu Bakr asked, "O Messenger of Allah! Teach me some words so that I may recite them in the morning and in the evening." The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Recite these words: 'Allahumma fatiras-samawati wal-ardi, 'alimal-ghaibi wash-shahadati, Rabba kulli shai'in wa malikahu. Ash-hadu an la ilaha illa Anta, a'udhu bika min sharri nafsi, wa sharrish-Shaitani wa shirkihi (O Allah! Creator of the heavens and the earth! Knower of the hidden and the exposed! Rubb of everything and everyone. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but You. I seek Your Protection from the evil of my own self from the evil of Satan and from the evil of Shirk to which he calls)."' The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) added: "Recite these words in the morning and the evening and when you go to bed." [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi]

v  Abdullah bin Khubaib (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to me, "Recite Surat Al-Ikhlas and Al-Mu'awwidhatain (Surat Al-Falaq and Surat An-Nas) three times at dawn and dusk. It will suffice you in all respects." [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi]

v  Uthman bin 'Affan (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "He who recites three times every morning and evening: 'Bismillahil-ladhi la yadurru ma'as-mihi shai'un fil-ardi wa la fis-sama'i, wa Huwas-Sami'ul-'Alim (In the Name of Allah with Whose Name there is protection against every kind of harm in the earth or in the heaven, and He is the All-Hearing and All-Knowing),' nothing will harm him." [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi]

Supplications by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Anas (RA) reported: The supplication most often recited by the Prophet (PBUH) was: "Allahumma atina fid-dunya hasanatan, wa fil-akhirati hasanatan, wa qina 'adhab-annar (O our Rubb! give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the punishment of the Fire)."' 

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Abdullah bin Mas'ud (RA) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) used to supplicate: "Allahumma inni as'alukal-huda, wat-tuqa, wal-'afafa, wal-ghina (O Allah! I beseech You for guidance, piety, chastity and contentment)." 

[Muslim]

Tariq bin Ashyam (RA) reported: Whenever a man entered the fold of Islam, the Prophet (PBUH) would show him how to perform Salat and then direct him to supplicate: "Allahumm-aghfir li, warhamni, wa-hdini, wa 'afini, warzuqni (O Allah! Forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me, guard me against harm and provide me with sustenance and salvation)." 

[Muslim]

'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'As (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) supplicated: "Allahumma musarrifal-qulubi, sarrif qulubana 'ala ta'atika (O Allah! Controller of the hearts, direct our hearts to Your obedience)." 

[Muslim]

Abu Bakr As-Siddiq (RA) reported: I requested the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) to teach me a supplication which I could recite in my Salat (prayer). Thereupon he said, "Recite: 'Allahumma inni zalamtu nafsi zulman kathiran, wa la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa Anta, faghfir li maghfiratan min 'indika, warhamni, innaka Antal-Ghafur-ur-Rahim (O Allah! I have considerably wronged myself. There is none to forgive the sins but You. So grant me pardon and have mercy on me. You are the Most Forgiving, the Most Compassionate)."' 
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The Intrinsic Worth of Tasbih of Syeda Fatima Zehra (AS)

Tasbih is a form of dhikr that involves the repetitive utterances of short sentences praising Allah. The Tasbih of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (AS) is an ardently recommended act of worship in the Islam.  It is short yet very prevailing act of worship from the aspect of performance, effect, reward and merit. Holy Prophet imparted this act of worship to his daughter Hazrat Fatima (AS) and as Imam Muhammed Baqir (AS) said that after every mandatory prayer, there is no better invocation than the Tasbih-e-Fatima. If there was any other, more effective, way of Praising Allah, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) would most certainly have instructed his daughter about that.

Reciting ‘Allahu Akbar' - 34 times, 'Alhamdulillah' - 33 times and 'Subhanallah' - 33 times is called as Tasbeeh of Sayeda Fatima(AS)

Likewise the value of this tasbih can be observed from the following two ahadith.

Abu Hurairah (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, "He who recites after every prayer: Subhan-Allah (Allah is free from imperfection) thirty-three times; Al-hamdu lillah (praise be to Allah) thirty-three times; Allahu Akbar (Allah is Greatest) thirty-three times; and completes the hundred with: La ilaha illallahu, wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu, wa Huwa 'ala kulli shai'in Qadir (there is no true god except Allah. He is One and He has no partner with Him. His is the sovereignty and His is the praise, and He is Omnipotent), will have all his sins pardoned even if they may be as large as the foam on the surface of the sea."

Ka'b bin 'Ujrah (RA) reported: The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, "There are some words, the reciters of which will never be disappointed. These are: Tasbih [saying 'Subhan-Allah' (Allah is free from imperfection)], thirty-three times, Tahmid[saying 'Al-hamdu lillah' (praise be to Allah)] thirty-three times and Takbir [saying 'Allahu Akbar' (Allah is Greatest)] thirty-four times; and these should be recited after the conclusion of every prescribed prayer."