Question
Kindly inform me regarding the du’a Imam Ahmad ibn Hambal (rahimahullah) would recite while in sajdah:
Allahumma kama sunta wajhi ‘anis sujudi li ghayrika fasun wajhi ‘anil mas-alati bi ghayrika
Answer
Imam Abu Nu’aym (rahimahullah) has recorded this narration:
Imam ‘Abdullah ibn Imam Ahmad ibn Hambal (rahimahumallah) relates: “I would often hear my father recite the following du’a in sajdah:
اللَّهُمَّ كَمَا صُنْتَ وَجْهِي عَنِ السُّجُودِ لِغَيْرِكَ فَصُنْ وَجْهِي عَنِ الْمَسْأَلَةِ لِغَيْرِكَ
Allahumma kama sunta wajhi ‘anis sujudi li ghayrika fasun wajhi ‘anil mas-alati li ghayrika
(Translation: O Allah! As you have protected me from prostrating to anyone besides You, protect me from asking of anyone else besides you)
So I asked him, ‘I often hear you repeating these words in sajdah, do you have some tradition/precedent for this? He replied, ‘Yes, I would hear Waki’ ibnul Jarrah repeating this often in sajdah, so I enquired from him just as you enquired from me. He also replied in the affirmative and said that he would hear Sufyan Thawri repeating this du’a in sajdah. Waki’ questioned Sufyan, who said, I would hear Mansur ibnul Mu’tamir (rahimahumullah) repeating this du’a often.
(Hilyatul Awliya, vol. 9 pg. 233)
Imam Ibnul Jawzi (rahimahullah) has also recorded this incident. His version suggests that Imam Ahmad would recite this du’a after Salah.
(Manaqibul Imam Ahmad of Ibnul Jawzi, pg. 392)
The narration is suitable to quote, despite slight a weakness in the chain.
(Refer: Mizanul I’tidal, vol. 3 pg. 323, number: 6240 and Siyaru A’alamin Nubala, vol. 16 pg. 64-65)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar