Superiority of Tahmeed or Praising Allah
Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (as) was asked what act was the best in the consideration of Allah? He replied, ‘Praising Him!’
Imam ‘Ali bin Husayn (as) said: One who uttered ‘Al hamdu lillah,’ he thanked Allah for all His Bounties.
Imam Ar-Ridha’ (as) said that the Prophet of Islam (S) has observed that Allah gives His Bounties to a person who remembers and praises Allah. One who experiences delays in getting his sustenance, he should do Asthagfar (seek Allah’s forgiveness). If a person is engrossed with difficulties, he should say,
áÇó Íóæúáó æóáÇó ÞõæøóÉó ÅáÇø ÈöÇááåö 
.
La haula wa la quwwata illa billah.
Whenever the Prophet of Allah (S) was pleased with anything, he used to say,
ÇáÍóãúÏõ ááåö ÇáøÐöí ÈöäöÚúãóÊöåö ÊóÊöãøõ ÇáøÇáöÍóÇÊö .
Alhamdu lillahil lazi benematehi tatam as saalehaat
and whenever there was a sad event he said
ÇóáÍóãúÏõ ááåö Úóáóì ßõáøö ÍóÇáò .
Al hamdu lillahi ala kulle haal.
Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (as) has narrated from the Prophet of Allah (S) that he used to praise Allah every day. He used to recite, as much as his physical condition permitted, the following words,
ÇáÍóãúÏõ ááåö ÑóÈøö ÇáÚóÇáóãöíäó ßóËöíÑÇð Úóáóì ßõáøö ÍóÇáò .
Al hamdu lillahi rab il aalameen katheeran ala kulle haal.
Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq has said that one who says,
ÇáÍóãúÏõ ááåö ßóãÇ åõæó Ãåúáõåõ .
Alhamdu lillahi kama huwa ahlehi,
the chroniclers of deeds will tell to Allah that they were tiring recording good deeds in his Nama al-Aamaal. Allah will say, “Write whatever my creature is saying. Leave his record of deeds for Me to update!”
The Superiority Of Astaghfar-Seeking Allah’s Forgiveness
Amir’ul-Mu’mineen (as) has said that the smell of sins is warded off by the fragrance of repentence. Seeking Allah’s forgiveness (Astaghfar) becomes the cause of enhancement of one’s sustenance.
Imam Zain-ul-’Abidin (as) has said that a person who has the habit of saying
ÃÓúÊóÛúÝöÑõ Çááåó ÑóÈøí æóÃÊõæÈõ Åáóíúåö .
Astaghfar Allah Rabbi wa atoobe alaih
will never be proud and conceited.
Whichever group the Prophet of Allah (S) visited, he used to spend more time in saying the Astaghfar.
It is narrated that the Prophet of Allah used to say the Astaghfar a hundred times every night, although he was a Masoom (innocent) and not susceptible to commit any sins.Therefore, saying Astaghfar in itself is a abig invocation, whether one has committed any sin or not. Astaghfar is liked by the Creator and His Prophet (S).
It is narrated from Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (as) that when a person commits a sin, he gets a respite of seven hours to repent and seek Allah’s forgiveness by saying the Astaghfar three times. If he does this, then the sin will not be entered in his Nama al-Aamaal. The Astaghfar is
ÃÓúÊóÛúÝöÑõ Çááåó ÇáøÐöí áÇ Åáóåó ÅáÇø åõæó ÇáÍóíøõ ÇáÞóíøõæãõ æóÃÊõæÈõ Åáóíúåö .
Astaghfarullah allazi la ilaha illa huwal hai al qayyumo wa atoobu ilaihi.
Then the Imam (as) said, “Whoever repeats Astaghfar Allah a hundred times in a day, Allah will forgive seven hundred sins of his.Remember, there is no virtue in a person who can commit seven hundred sins in a day!”
It is narrated from Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (as) when a Mu’min commits forty sins in a day and night, and in repentence recites the following invocation:
ÃÓúÊóÛúÝöÑõ Çááåó ÇáøÐöí áÇ Åáóåó ÅáÇø åõæó ÇáÍóíøõ ÇáÞóíøõæãõ ÈóÏöíÚõ ÇáÓøóãóÇæÇÊö æóÇáÃÑúÖö Ðõæ ÇáÌóáÇáö æóÇáÅßúÑóÇãö æóÃÓúÃóáõåõ Ãäú íõóáøöíó Úóáóì ãõÍóãøóÏò æóÂáö ãõÍóãøóÏò æóÃäú íóÊõæÈó Úóáóíøó .
Astaghfarullah allazi la ilaha illa huwal haiulqayyumo badeeus samawate walarz zul jalale wal ikrame waasaalahu an yusalli ala muhammadin wa aale muhammadin wa atoobo alayya,
then Allah will pardon his sins.
Miscellaneous Invocations
Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (as) has said that he was surprised why a person who is scared of an enemy doesn’t recite the following:
ÍóÓúÈõäÇ Çááåõ æóäöÚúãó Çáæóßöíáõ .
Hasbanallaha wa naimal wakeel
Because Allah has said that those who utter these words have acquired a great Bounty.
The Imam (as) was surprised that why people don’t recite the following words that Prophet Yunus (as) recited while he was in the belly of the fish:
áóÇ Åöáóåó ÅöáøóÇ ÃóäúÊó ÓõÈúÍóÇäóßó Åöäøöí ßõäÊõ ãöäú ÇáÙøóÇáöãöíäó .
La ilaha anta subhanaka inni kunto min azzaalemeen
Because Allah says that He heard the prayer of Yunus and gave him relief from his trouble.
The Imam (as) wondered that when a person’s enemies are deceitful against him, he doesn’trecite these words
ÃõÝóæøöÖõ ÃóãúÑöí Åöáóì Çááøóåö Åöäøó Çááøóåó ÈóöíÑñ ÈöÇáúÚöÈóÇÏö .
Ufawwazo amri ilallahi innallaha baseerum bilibaad
Because Allah says, thereafter, that when the Mu’mins of the Tribe of Pharo recited these words, He protected them from the deceit of their enemies.
The Imam (as) wondered that when a person aspires for wealth and property, why doesn’t he recite the following words
ãóÇ ÔóÇÁó Çááåõ áÇ Íóæúáó æóáÇ ÞõæøóÉó ÅáÇø ÈÇááåö .
Maasha Allaha lahaula wala quwwata illa billahi
Because thereafter, Allah has promised to answer the Mu’min’s prayers.
One person complained to the Prophet (S) about fears and the burden of debts. The Prophet (S) advised him to recite the following words
ÊóæóßøóáúÊõ Úóáóì ÇáÍóíøö ÇáøÐöí áÇ íóãõæÊõ¡ æóÇáúÍóãúÏõ áöáøóåö ÇáøóÐöí áóãú íóÊøóÎöÐú æóáóÏðÇ æóáóãú íóßõäú áóåõ ÔóÑöíßñ Ýöí Çáúãõáúßö æóáóãú íóßõäú áóåõ æóáöíøñ ãöäú ÇáÐøõáøö æóßóÈøöÑúåõ ÊóßúÈöíÑðÇ .
Tawakkalto alalhai al lazi la yamooto wal hamdu lillahil lazi lam yattakhizo sahebatan wa la waladan wa lam yakunlahu shareekun filmulke wa lam yakunlahu waliun min azzulle wakabirrehu takbeera
The prophet of Islam (S) narrated that prophet Adam (as) complained to Allah about fears and uneasiness. Jibrael (as) came and said that if he recited the following words, his fears would vanish
áÇ Íóæúáó æóáÇ ÞõæøóÉó ÅáÇø ÈÇááåö .
La haula wa la quwwata illa billahi
Also the Prophet of Allah (S) said that Allah will shower His Bounties on a person who recited the words
ÇáúÍóãúÏõ áöáøóåö ÑóÈøö ÇáúÚóÇáóãöíäó .
Al hamdu lillahi rabbil aalameen
The person who is engulfed in sorrow and difficulties should recite
áÇ Íóæúáó æóáÇ ÞõæøóÉó ÅáÇø ÈÇááåö ÇáúÚóáöíøö ÇáÚóÙöíãö .
La haula wala quwwata illa billahil alil azeem
The Prophet (S) also said that one Night of Meraj Allah has sent the following words through a Revelation
áÇ Íóæúáó æóáÇ ÞõæøóÉó ÅáÇø ÈÇááåö æóáÇ ãóáúÌóÃó ãöäúßó ÅáÇø Åáóíúßó .
La haula wala quwwata illa billahi wala maljaam minka illa ilaika
Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (as) has said that when a person recites the following words, while offering supplications, his prayers will definitely be answered:
ãóÇ ÔóÇÁó Çááåõ áÇ Íóæúáó æóáÇ ÞõæøóÉó ÅáÇø ÈÇááåö .
Maasha allaho lahaula wala quwwata illa billahi
The Imam (as) also said when a person recites the following words seven times
íóÇ ÃÑúÍóãó ÇáÑøóÇÍöãöíäó .
Ya arham ar rahemeen
The angels say, ‘your voice has been heard by the Arham ar Rahemeen and whatever you have wished for will be granted by Him!’
And when a person repeats ten times the words
íóÇ Çóááåõ .
Ya Allaho
Then Allah says, ‘Ask for whatever is required by you!’
Imam Ar-Ridha’ (as) said: When a person is afflicted with difficulties he should continuously recite
íóÇ ÑóÄõÝõ íóÇ ÑóÍöíãõ .
Ya Raoofo ya Raheemo
It is narrated from Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (as) when one recites the verses of “Qul hu walla,” “Inna anzalna” and “Ayat al Kursi”
Facing the Kaaba, Allah will definitely answer his wishes because these contain the Ism al-Azam (the ineffable words).
Imam Ar-Ridha’ (as) has said the following are Ineffable Words
íóÇ Íóíøõ íóÇ Þóíøõæãõ .
Ya haiyo ya Qayyum
It is narrated from Imam ‘Ali bin al Husayn (as) that the following supplication is based on Ism al-Azam and reciting it will get the prayers answered:
íóÇ Çóááåõ íóÇ Çóááåõ íóÇ Çóááåõ æóÍúÏóßó áÇó ÔóÑöíßó áóßó ÃäúÊó ÇáãóäøóÇäõ ÈóÏöíÚõ ÇáÓøóãóÇæóÇÊö æóÇáÃóÑúÖö Ðõæ ÇáÌóáÇóáö æóÇáÅßúÑóÇãö æóÐõæ ÇáÃóÓúãóÇÁö ÇáÚöÙóÇãö æóÐõæ ÇáÚöÒøö ÇáøóÐöí áÇó íõÑÇãõ¡ ﴿æóÅöáóåõßõãú Åöáóåñ æóÇÍöÏñ áóÇ Åöáóåó ÅöáøóÇ åõæó ÇáÑøóÍúãóÇäõ ÇáÑøóÍöíãõ.﴾ æóóáøì Çááåõ Úóáóì ãõÍóãøóÏò æóÂáöåö ÃÌúãóÚöíäó .
Ya allaho ya Allaho ya Allaho wahdaka wahdaka la shareeka laka antal mannan badius samawaate wal arza zul jalale wal ikraame wazussamail izaame wazul izzallazi la yuramo wa ilahukum ilahun wahedun la ilaha illa huwar Rahman urraheeme wa salallaho ala muhammadin wa aalehi ajmaeen
It is narrated from Sakeen bin Ammar that one night he was asleep in the city of Mecca. He saw a person in the dream asking him to awaken and see that a person was reciting Invocations to Allah. He awoke from the sleep, but fell asleep again. He saw the same dream a second time. He awoke and fell asleep again. When he saw the dream again, he heard a loud voice saying that Imam Musa bin Ja’far (as) reciting the Ism al-Azam. He took a bath, wore fresh clothes and went near the Hajr al-Aswad. He found a revered person prostrating toward the Kaaba. He went and stood near him. When he heard intently, the following words were audible to him:
íóÇ äõæÑõ íóÇ ÞõÏøõæÓõ
Yanooro ya quddooso (three times)
íóÇ Íóíøõ íóÇ Þóíøõæãõ
Ya haiyo ya Qayyumo (three times)
íóÇ Íóíøõ áÇó íóãõæÊõ
Ya haiyo la yamooto (three times)
íóÇ Íóíøõ Íöíäó áÇó Íóíøõ
Ya haiyo heena la haiyo (three times)
íóÇ Íóíøõ áÇó Åáóåó ÅáÇø ÃäúÊó
Ya haiyo la ilaha illa anta (three times)
ÃÓúÃóáõßó ÈöÃóäú áÇó Åáóåó ÅáÇø ÃäúÊó
Asaloka be-an la ilaha illa anta (three times)
Sikeen says that the Imam (as) repeated the words so many times that he could memorise them.
Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (as) says that one who recites the following words will certainly get his prayers answered:
íóÇ ÃÓúãóÚó ÇáÓøóÇãöÚöíäó¡ æóíóÇ ÃÈúóÑó ÇáäøÇÙöÑöíäó¡ æóíóÇ ÃÓúÑóÚó ÇáÍóÇÓöÈöíäó¡ æóíóÇ ÃÑúÍóãó ÇáÑøóÇÍöãöíäó¡ æóíóÇ ÃÍúßóãó ÇáÍóÇßöãöíäó .
Ya asma as saame eena wa ya absaran naazereena wa ya asraul haasebeena ya arham ar raahemeena wa ya ahkamul haakemeena