Ibn ‘Abbas said that the Prophet used to teach them this prayer just as he used to teach them a sura of the Qur’an, telling them te say, “O God, I seek refuge in Thee from the punishment in jahannam, I seek refuge in Thee from the punishment in the grave, I seek refuge in Thee from the trial of the antichrist, and I seek refuge in Thee from the trial of life and death.”
Abu Bakr as-Siddiq said that he asked God’s Messenger to teach him a supplication to use in his prayer, and he told him to say, “O God, I have greatly wronged myself, and Thou alone canst forgive sins, so grant me forgiveness from Thee and show mercy to me. Thou art the forgiving and the merciful One.”
‘A’isha said that God’s Messenger used to make supplication during the prayer saying, “O God, I seek refuge in Thee from the punishment in the grave, I seek refuge in Thee from the trial of the antichrist, I seek refuge in Thee from the trial of life and the trial of death. O God, I seek refuge in Thee from sin and debt.” Someone said to him, “How often you seek refuge from debt!” He replied, “When a man is in debt he talks and tells lies, makes promises and breaks them.”
