Question

1. Can you confirm the reference and reliability of this du’a?

2. I found two variations of the du’a. Which one is valid?

بِاسْمِكَ رَبِّي وَضَعْتُ جَنْبِي، وَبِكَ أَرْفَعُهُ، فَإِنْ أَمْسَكْتَ نَفْسِي فَارْحَمْهَا / [ فَاغْفِرْ لَهَا]، وَإِنْ أَرْسَلْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا، بِمَا تَحْفَظُ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِينَ

Answer

This du’a has been authentically recorded as a du’a to be recited before sleeping.

Both these versions have been recorded in Sahih Bukhari.

The words: فَارْحَمْهَا appear in Hadith: 6320.

The words: فَاغْفِرْ لَهَا appear in place of فَارْحَمْهَا  in Hadith: 7393.

In fact, one narration outside Sahih Bukhari mentions both words together.

(Fathul Bari, Hadith: 7393)

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,

Answered by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar