Ibn Mas'ud reported God’s messenger as saying that if anyone is afflicted by much care he should say, “O God, I am Thy servant, the son of Thy servant, the son of Thy handmaid, and at Thy disposal; my forelock is in Thy hand; Thy judgment is effective regarding me; just concerning me is Thy decree; I ask Thee by every name Thou hast by which Thou hast called Thyself, or sent down in Thy Book, or taught any of Thy creatures, or kept to Thyself in the hidden place of the unseen, to make the Qur’an the Spring of my heart and the means of clearing away my care and grief.” He declared that no one had ever said it without God removing his grief and giving him joy instead of it.
Anas told that when anything caused God’s messenger anxiety he would say, “O Living One, O Eternal One, in Thy mercy I seek help.”
Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition which is not committed to memory.*
*Laisa bi-mahfuz is used here. A tradition called mahfuz is one which is considered superior when compared with a shadhdh tradition (cf. p. xii).
Qatada told of hearing that when God’s messenger saw the new moon he said, “A new moon of good and right guidance; a new moon of good and right guidance; a new moon of good and right guidance. I believe in Him who created you” (three times). He would then say, “Praise be to God who has made such and such a month to pass and has brought such and such a month.”
