Authenticity of the Prayer for Protection from Accidents: Insights and Clarifications

Is the Prayer for Protection from Accidents Authentic? Understanding Its Status

Question: A prayer for protection from accidents

Hazrat Taliq narrates that a man came to Hazrat Abu Darda (RA) and informed him that his house had caught fire. He replied, “It hasn’t.” A second person came with the same news, and he again replied, “It hasn’t.” A third person then came and gave the same information, but Hazrat Abu Darda (RA) again said, “It hasn’t.” Finally, another person came and said, “O Abu Darda, the flames rose high, but when they reached your house, the fire extinguished.” Hazrat Abu Darda (RA) responded, “I knew that Allah would not allow such a thing to happen (that my house would burn) because I had heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that whoever recites these words in the morning will not face any calamity until the evening.” (I had recited these words in the morning, so I was confident that my house would not burn.) These words are: ‘O Allah, You are my Lord, there is no deity but You. I rely on You, and You are the Lord of the Glorious Throne. Whatever Allah wills, happens; and what He does not will, does not happen. There is no power nor strength except with Allah, the Exalted, the Almighty. I know that Allah is capable of everything, and indeed Allah has encompassed everything in knowledge. O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the evil of my soul and from the evil of every creature You control. Indeed, my Lord is on the Straight Path.’

Is this authentic?

Answer: This hadith is not proven. Ibn al-Jawzi, in his research on this hadith, stated: “It is not established,” meaning it is not authentic. (Al-‘Ilal Al-Mutanahiya: 2/836). Sheikh Al-Albani has also classified it as very weak. (Al-Silsilah Al-Da’eefah: 6420).

 Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi حفظه الله

⟨Jeddah Dawah Center, Hayy Al-Salamah, Saudi Arabia⟩