Question

Is the following du’a authentic?

“I seek refuge in the Almighty Allah, by His Noble Self and by His primordial reign, from Shaytan the outcast. O Allah, open for me the doors of Your mercy.”

If this Hadith is authentic, can we use it to establish that the word Qadim can be used to describe Allah Ta’ala?

Has the word ‘Qadim’ been used in any other Hadith to describe Allah Ta’ala?

 

Answer

This is a combination of two separate du’as that are to be recited when entering the Masjid, both of which are reliable.

1. Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) reports that when Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) would enter the Masjid, he would recite:

A’udhu billahil azimi wa bi Wajhihil Karimi wa Sultanihil Qadimi minash Shaytanir Rajim

Translation: I seek refuge in the Almighty Allah, by His Noble Self and by His primordial reign, from Shaytan the outcast.

(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 467)

‘Allamah Nawawi (rahimahullah) has declared this Hadith to be sound (hasan)

(Al-Adhkar, Hadith: 86)

2. Imam Muslim (rahimahullah) has recorded a Hadith in his Sahih that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

“When any of you enters the Masjid, he should send salutations upon me and then recite:

Allahummaf tahli abwaba Rahmatik”

Translation: O Allah, open for me the doors of Your Mercy.

The quality: Qadim for Allah Ta’ala

a) The ‘Ulama of ‘Aqidah freely use this description of Allah Ta’ala. See ‘Aqidah Tahawiyyah. They derived this from the Quran; Surah Hadid, verse: 3.

b) “Allamah ibn ‘Allan (rahimahullah) has mentioned under the commentary of the first Hadith quoted above: ‘It is correct to describe Allah Ta’ala as Qadim (Eternal without a beginning)”

(Al-Futuhatur Rabbaniyyah, vol. 2, pg. 47)

c) In Addition to the above, the Quality “Qadim” also appears in some versions of the Hadith that mentions the famous Asma-ul Husna (99 Names of Allah).

(Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith: 3861 and Mustadrak Hakim, vol. 1, pg. 17)

See here for a detailed discussion on the authenticity of the Asma-ul Husna.

 

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best,

Answered by: Mawlana Muhammad Abasoomar

Checked by: Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar