O ‘Abbās, O uncle of the Messenger of Allah, ask Allah for safety in this life and the Hereafter
Sahih/Authentic by virtue of corroborating evidenceعَنِ العَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ رَضيَ اللهُ عنهُ قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، عَلِّمْنِي شَيْئًا أَسْأَلُهُ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ. قَالَ: «سَلِ اللَّهَ العَافِيَةَ»، فَمَكَثْتُ أَيَّامًا ثُمَّ جِئْتُ فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، عَلِّمْنِي شَيْئًا أَسْأَلُهُ اللَّهَ. فَقَالَ لِي: «يَا عَبَّاسُ، يَا عَمَّ رَسُولِ اللهِ، سَلِ اللَّهَ العَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ».
Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I said: "O Messenger of Allah, teach me something that I may ask Allah Almighty for." He said: "Ask Allah for safety." After some days, I went to him and said: "O Messenger of Allah, teach me something that I may ask Allah for." He said to me: "O ‘Abbās, O uncle of the Messenger of Allah, ask Allah for safety in this life and the Hereafter."
Explanation
Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib, the Prophet’s uncle (may Allah be pleased with him), asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to teach him a supplication to ask Allah for. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught him to ask Allah for well-being and safety from calamities and shortcomings in religion and in this world and the Hereafter. Al-‘Abbās said: A few days later, I returned to him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) again and asked him to teach me a supplication to ask Allah for. Thereupon, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him, in a friendly manner: O ‘Abbās, O uncle of the Messenger of Allah, ask Allah for safety to ward off all harm and bring all good and benefit in this world and the Hereafter.
Benefits
- The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeating the same answer to Al-‘Abbās when he asked him for the second time indicates that safety is the best thing a servant can ask of his Lord.
- The Hadīth points out the significance of safety and that it combines all goodness in this world and the Hereafter.
- It demonstrates the Companions' keenness to obtain more knowledge and goodness.
Source · Narrated by At-Tirmidhi and Ahmad
From the Hadith Encyclopedia (hadeethenc.com).