What is the ruling of making supplication (qunut) in the Morning Prayer?

 

The question of supplication in the Morning Prayer is a secondary legal issue that should not be a cause for division and animosity among Muslms. The clarification of this issue is that jurists differed in regards to it. The Shafi'is and the Malikis said it was preferred, while the Hanafis and the Hanbalis said there is no supplication in the Morning Prayer.

Al-Nawawi said, "Know that, according to us [i.e. the Shafi'is] supplication is legislated in the morning [prayer], and it is an affirmed sunna. This is based on the narration of Anas ibn Malik [who said], 'The Prophet supplicated in the morning prayer until he left this world.' They said [i.e. the Shafi'is]: if you were to neglect to perform it the prayer is not invalidated, but you should make the prostration of forgetfulness, regardless of whether you neglected to perform it intentionally or out of neglect. As for its place [in the prayer] it is after coming up from bowing in the second cycle of the Morning Prayer. If one were to supplicate before bowing it does not count, according to the most correct opinion, in which case you would have to do it again after bowing and then make the prostration of forgetfulness."

Different sayings and manners have been related by the companions of the Prophet and their followers concerning the ruling of the supplication in the Morning Prayer. There is the position of Ali ibn Ziyad who said that the supplication in the Morning Prayer is obligatory so that the prayer of someone who neglects it is invalid. It is permissible before and after bowing in the second cycle, but the better preferred position is before bowing after the recitation without saying 'Allah Akbar' before it. This is due to the ease that it entails on the one who joined the prayer late, the absence of a gap between it and the two integrals of the prayer, and because this was what 'Umar used to do in the presence of the companions.

Al-Qadi Abd al-Wahhab al-Baghdadi said, "It has been related that Abu Raja al-Atari said, 'The supplication used to be after bowing, but 'Umar made it before bowing so that the one joining the prayer late could catch it.’ And it has been related that the emigrants and helpers asked 'Uthman about it and he made it before bowing, because there is a benefit in this that is not present after, which is that the standing is prolonged so the one joining the prayer could catch it, and because in the supplication there is a prolonging of standing, and that which is before the bowing is more deserving of this, especially in the morning prayer."

The Shafi'i position on this supplication is preponderant due to the strength of their evidence, which is the following:

What is related by Abu Hurayrah that, “When the Prophet would raise his head from bowing in the second cycle of the Morning Prayer he would supplicate with this prayer, ‘O God, guide us among those whom You have guided…’” Al-Bayhaqi added, “So unto You is praise for what You have decreed.” And al-Tabari added, “None whom You have shown enmity gain glory.”

The hadith of Anas ibn Malik that has already been mentioned, "The Prophet supplicated in the morning prayer until he left this world." Anas was asked, "Did the Prophet supplicate in the morning prayer?" He said, "Yes." It was said to him, "Before bowing or after bowing?" He said, "After bowing."

Abu Hurayrah said, "By God, I am the closest of you to the Prophet in prayer." And Abu Hurayrah used to supplicate during the last cycle of the Morning Prayer after saying, "God hears those who praise" and he would pray for the believers, male and female, and curse the disbelievers.

‘Abd Allah ibn Abbas said, "The Prophet taught us a prayer to use during the supplication [qunut] of the morning prayer: O God, guide us among those whom You have guided, and pardon us with those whom You have pardoned, care for us among those whom You have cared for, bless us in that which You have given, and protect us from the evil of that which You have decreed. Verily, You decree and none decree upon You. None for whom you care are debased. You have blessed, O our Lord, and You have ascended.'"

And in the hadith, "When he raised his head from bowing in the morning prayer in the second cycle he would raise his hands and supplicate with this supplication, 'O God, guide us among those whom You have guided.'" And in one narration, "When he raised his head from bowing in the Morning Prayer in the last cycle, he would supplicate."

As for its phrasing, the best choice is to say that which was narrated according to al-Hasan ibn Ali who said, "The Messenger of God taught me words to say in the witr prayer, 'O God, guide me among those whom You have guided, and pardon me with those whom You have pardoned, care for me among those whom You have cared for, bless me in that which You have given, and protect me from the evil of that which You have decreed. Verily, You decree and none decree upon You. None for whom you care are debased. You have blessed, O our Lord, and You have ascended.'" The scholars have added, "None whom You have shown enmity gain glory," before, "You have blessed, O our Lord, and You have ascended," and after it [they added], "So Yours is the praise for that which You have decreed.

I seek forgiveness from You, and unto You do I repent." Al-Nawawi said in al-Rawdah, "Our companions [i.e. the Shafi'is] said, 'There is no harm in this addition,' and Abu Hamid, al-Bandaniji, and others said it is preferred." It is sunna to say at the end of this supplication, "O God, bless Muhammad and his family and give [them] peace." This is according to the correct and well-know opinion.

It is preferred that the phrase be, "O God, verily we turn to You for aid. We seek Your forgiveness, we believe in You, we rely on You, we humble ourselves to You, and we cast off and abandon those who disbelieve in You. O God, we worship only You. We pray to You and prostrate, and we hasten towards You. We hope for Your Mercy, and we fear Your torment, verily Your torment is serious and reaches the disbelievers."

According to the above, our opinion is that the position of the Shafi'is is preponderant, namely that the supplication in the Morning Prayer is a sunna and that it is sunna for someone who missed it to make the prostration of forgetfulness, but their prayer is not invalidated by neglecting it.

And God is Most High and Knows best.