Drawing Feeling from the Words of the Opening Supplication

Occasion: Transcription of a Fajr khatira delivered on 17 June 2025 Source: A transcription of a video khatira by Dr. Ahmed Abouseif — [Watch the original video on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4160WBNwTWA)

In this khatira I pause at topics from the book *The Art of Remembrance and Supplication and the Reality of "Glory Be to Allah"*, and I am keen to complete this book even though we are only picking out some of its topics, for what it says is very important, because it helps toward greater attachment to Allah, Blessed and Exalted.

Three Matters We Work On

I opened the book with words in which I say: drawing feeling from words, the continuity of repetition, and understanding the meanings of words. We have three matters on which we need to work, in a very simple way: how do I make the words speak, that is, how can the speech in my hands be a text that addresses me myself at the same time? Then how and why? Then how do I understand the meanings of the prophetic words that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to repeat?

Among the words for opening the prayer: اللهُ أكبرُ كبيرًا، والحمدُ للهِ كثيرًا، وسبحانَ اللهِ بكرةً وأصيلًا، وجّهتُ وجهيَ للذي فطرَ السماواتِ والأرضَ حنيفًا مسلمًا وما أنا من المشركين، إنّ صلاتي ونُسُكي ومحياي ومماتي للهِ ربِّ العالمين، لا شريكَ له، وبذلك أُمرتُ وأنا أولُ المسلمين (Allah is the Greatest, greatly; much praise be to Allah; glory be to Allah morning and evening. I have turned my face to the One who originated the heavens and the earth, inclining to the truth, in submission, and I am not of those who associate partners with Allah. Indeed my prayer, my rites, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds; He has no partner, and with this I have been commanded, and I am the first of those who submit)^[1].

"Praise Be to Allah Abundantly"

The basic principle of this world is what the Lord of the worlds, Glorified is He, told us: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الْإِنسَانُ إِنَّكَ كَادِحٌ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَدْحًا فَمُلَاقِيهِ﴾^[2] (O human being, you are striving toward your Lord with great exertion, and you will meet Him). Then I say: "Praise be to Allah abundantly." Why do I say "abundantly"? Because I bind myself to the conviction that this is the best that could be for me, and that I am in the finest condition that human states can be imagined to have.

Yesterday we were speaking about divine decree and destiny, and whether a human being is compelled or free to choose. We discussed with some brothers that in our lives there are things with which we were created and in which we have no choice: my colour, my tallness or shortness, my father and my mother, and sometimes the illness with which a person is afflicted without any intent, deliberateness or shortcoming on his part. In such cases Allah inspires the servant with complete contentment with this creation. So when I say "Praise be to Allah abundantly," I am only declaring this contentment.

"And Glory Be to Allah, Morning and Evening"

Morning and evening are the pillars of the day: at its beginning and at its end, and what lies between them is included in the glorification and praise that the servant mentions. And when we say "Glory be to Allah," it is as though there is in the soul a kind of inner conviction that Allah, Glorified is He, has not merely given me the best condition, but has given me more than I deserve.

And when I say "Glory be to Allah," it is as though I am looking at the Lord of Might as One who has not given me alone, but has given me and has given everyone. The measure of anger I have, He, Glorified is He, has completed with the measure of patience in my companion in the home, my wife; and the measure of generosity I have, the Lord of the worlds has completed with what others have. And this glorification of the Lord of the worlds goes beyond me to encompass the gifts of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, to everyone He has created.

"I Have Turned My Face to the One Who Originated the Heavens and the Earth"

Then the Prophet ﷺ says: «وجّهتُ وجهيَ للذي فطرَ السماواتِ والأرض» (I have turned my face to the One who originated the heavens and the earth). And when we remember that He originated the heavens and the earth, that is, created them, He created them with the problems and the solutions in them, and with the components in them from which I cannot depart in any way; for He is the One who created them.

"Indeed My Prayer, My Rites of Sacrifice, My Living and My Dying Are for Allah"

Then he ﷺ says: «إنّ صلاتي ونُسُكي ومحياي ومماتي للهِ ربِّ العالمين، لا شريكَ له، وبذلك أُمرتُ وأنا أولُ المسلمين» (Indeed my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds. He has no partner. With this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims). In that is an indication that I am not the one who chose the good that is in my hands; rather the Lord of the worlds, Glorified is He, commanded me to it, so I do it out of commitment and in fulfilment of the duty that is upon me.

I ask Allah, Glorified is He, to teach us the meaning of the words that are before us, to grant us the understanding of that, and to make it our provision in His presence. May Allah keep your day safe, bless you, and reward you with good.

--- ^[1]: Editor's documentation: The speaker cited the opening of the prayer gathered together in a single context without attribution, and its wordings are found in separate narrations: the words «الله أكبر كبيرًا والحمد لله كثيرًا وسبحان الله بكرة وأصيلًا» are in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (601) from the hadith of Ibn ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with them both, where a man said them in the prayer and the Prophet ﷺ said he marvelled at them and that the gates of heaven were opened for them; they are also narrated as the Prophet's own opening ﷺ from the hadith of Jubayr ibn Muṭʿim, may Allah be pleased with him, in Abū Dāwūd (764), which al-Albānī graded weak. The words «وجّهت وجهي للذي فطر السماوات والأرض…» are in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (771) from the hadith of ʿAlī, may Allah be pleased with him; one of its two narrations there has «وأنا من المسلمين» ("and I am of those who submit") and the other «وأنا أول المسلمين» ("and I am the first of those who submit"). ^[2]: Al-Inshiqāq: 6. Editor's documentation: The speaker cited the verse in a fragmentary context in the transcript, and the text of the sentence that preceded it did not appear.