“O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me, grant me well-being, and provide for me.”

Narrated by Abu Malik al-Ashja‘i from his father, Tariq ibn Ashyam, and recorded by Muslim: when a man became Muslim, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would teach him the prayer, then tell him to supplicate with these words — at any time, in his prayer and at the times when prayers are answered. In another narration in the same place, a man asked how he should word his request, and he taught him four of them — forgive me, have mercy on me, grant me well-being, provide for me — folding his fingers, all but the thumb, as he said them, and added: “These gather for you your worldly life and your Hereafter.” The commentators read them in turn: forgiveness of sins, mercy, guidance to the straight path and firmness on it, safety from trials that harm, and provision of every good one needs. A similar set, narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas, is recorded by Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah as what the Prophet said between the two prostrations.