I asked 'A'isha, the mother of the believers, (to tell me) the words with which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commenced the prayer when he got up at night. She said: When he got up at night he would commence his prayer with these words: O Allah, Lord of Gabriel, and Michael, and Israfil, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, Who knowest the unseen and the seen; Thou decidest amongst Thy servants concerning their differences. Guide me with Thy permission in the divergent views (which the people) hold about Truth, for it is Thou Who guidest whom Thou wilt to the Straight Path.  

سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِأَىِّ شَىْءٍ كَانَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَفْتَتِحُ صَلاَتَهُ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ قَالَتْ كَانَ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ افْتَتَحَ صَلاَتَهُ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ جِبْرَائِيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ وَإِسْرَافِيلَ فَاطِرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ اهْدِنِي لِمَا اخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِكَ إِنَّكَ تَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ  

"I asked 'Aishah: 'With what did the Prophet ﷺ start his prayer?' She said: 'When he got up to pray at night he would start his prayer with the words: Allahumma Rabba Jibril wa Maika'il wa Israfil; Fatirus-samawati wal-ard, 'alim al-ghaybi wash-shahadah, anta tahkumu bayna 'ibadika fima kanu fihi yakhtalifun, Allahumma ihdini limakktulifa fihi min al-haqq innaka tahdi man tasha'ila siratin mustaqim (O Allah, Lord of Jibril, Mika'il and Israfil, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, You judge between Your slaves concerning wherein they differ. O Allah, guide me to the disputed matters of truth for You are the One Who guides to the Straight Path)."  

سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ بِأَىِّ شَىْءٍ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَفْتَتِحُ صَلاَتَهُ قَالَتْ كَانَ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ افْتَتَحَ صَلاَتَهُ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ جِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ وَإِسْرَافِيلَ فَاطِرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي لِمَا اخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ إِنَّكَ تَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ  

I asked ‘A’ishah: By what words the Prophet ﷺ used to begin his prayer when he stood up at night (to offer tahajjud prayer). She said: When he stood up at night, he began his prayer by saying: O Allah, Lord of Jibra’il, Lord of Mik’ail, and Lord of Israfil, Creator of the Heavens and the Earth, the Knower of what is seen and of what is unseen; Thou decides between Thy servants in which they used to differ. Guide me to the truth where there is a difference of opinion by Thy permission. Thou guidest anyone Thou wishes to the right path.  

حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَوْفٍ سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ بِأَىِّ شَىْءٍ كَانَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَفْتَتِحُ صَلاَتَهُ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ قَالَتْ كَانَ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ يَفْتَتِحُ صَلاَتَهُ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ جِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ وَإِسْرَافِيلَ فَاطِرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ اهْدِنِي لِمَا اخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِكَ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ تَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ  

“I asked Aishah [may Allah be pleased with her]: ‘With what did the Prophet used to open his Salat when he stood up in the night?’ She said: ‘When he stood up in the night, he would open his Salat by saying: “O Allah, Lord of Jibra’il, Mika’il, and Israfil; Originator of the heavens and the earth, [and] Knower of the hidden and the seen; You judge between Your slaves concerning that which they used to differ, guide me through that which there has been difference concerning the truth, verily, You are upon a straight path (Allāhumma rabba Jibrīla wa Mīkā'ila wa Isrāfīl, fāṭira-samāwāti wal-arḍi [wa] ʿālimal-ghaibi wash-shahādati anta taḥkumu baina ʿibādika fīmā kānū fīhi yakhtalifūn, ihdini limakhtulifa fīhi minal-ḥaqqi bi'idhnika innaka tahdī man tashā'u ilā ṣirātin mustaqīm).”  

سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ ؓ بِأَىِّ شَيْءٍ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَفْتَتِحُ صَلاَتَهُ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ قَالَتْ كَانَ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ افْتَتَحَ صَلاَتَهُ فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ جِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ وَإِسْرَافِيلَ فَاطِرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَعَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ اهْدِنِي لِمَا اخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِكَ إِنَّكَ تَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ  

“I asked ʿAishah: ‘With what did the Prophet ﷺ start his voluntary prayers?’ She said: ‘He would say: “Allahumma Rabba Jibra’il wa Mika’il wa Israfil, Fatiras-samawati wal-ard, ʿalimal-ghaybi wash- shahadah, Anta tahkumu baina ʿibadika fima kanu fihi yakhtalifun, ihdini lima-khtulifa fihi minal-haqqi bi idhnika, innaka latahdi ila siratin mustaqim (O Allah, Lord of Jibra’il, Mika’il and Israfil, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, You judge between Your slaves concerning that wherein they differ. Guide me to the disputed matters of truth by Your Leave, for You are the One Who guides to the straight Path).” (One of the narrators) ʿAbdur-Rahman bin ʿUmar said: “Bear in mind the word Jibra’il with a Hamzah - this is how it was narrated from the Prophet ﷺ.”  

سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ بِمَا كَانَ يَسْتَفْتِحُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ صَلاَتَهُ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ قَالَتْ كَانَ يَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ جِبْرَئِيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ وَإِسْرَافِيلَ فَاطِرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ اهْدِنِي لِمَا اخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِكَ إِنَّكَ لَتَهْدِي إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ قَالَ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عُمَرَ احْفَظُوهُ جِبْرَئِيلُ مَهْمُوزَةً فَإِنَّهُ كَذَا عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ  

I asked 'A'isha, the mother of the believers, (to tell me) the words with which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commenced the prayer when he got up at night. She said: When he got up at night he would commence his prayer with these words: O Allah, Lord of Gabriel, and Michael, and Israfil, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, Who knowest the unseen and the seen; Thou decidest amongst Thy servants concerning their differences. Guide me with Thy permission in the divergent views (which the people) hold about Truth, for it is Thou Who guidest whom Thou wilt to the Straight Path. (Using translation from Muslim 770)  

سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ أُمَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِأَيِّ شَيْءٍ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَفْتَتِحُ صَلَاتَهُ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ؟ قَالَتْ كَانَ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ افْتَتَحَ صَلَاتَهُ «اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ جِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ وَإِسْرَافِيلَ فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ اهْدِنِي لَمَا اخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ فَإِنَّكَ تَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ»  

"I asked 'Aishah: 'With what did the Prophet ﷺ start his prayer?' She said: 'When he got up to pray at night he would start his prayer with the words: Allahumma Rabba Jibril wa Maika'il wa Israfil; Fatirus-samawati wal-ard, 'alim al-ghaybi wash-shahadah, anta tahkumu bayna 'ibadika fima kanu fihi yakhtalifun, Allahumma ihdini limakktulifa fihi min al-haqq innaka tahdi man tasha'ila siratin mustaqim (O Allah, Lord of Jibril, Mika'il and Israfil, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, You judge between Your slaves concerning wherein they differ. O Allah, guide me to the disputed matters of truth for You are the One Who guides to the Straight Path)." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 1625)  

سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ بِأَيِّ شَيْءٍ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَفْتَتِحُ الصَّلَاةَ؟ قَالَتْ كَانَ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ يُفْتَتَحُ صَلَاتَهُ «اللهُمَّ رَبَّ جِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ وَإِسْرَافِيلَ فَاطِرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ اللهُمَّ اهْدِنِي لِمَا اخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ إِنَّكَ تَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ»  

I asked ‘A’ishah: By what words the Prophet ﷺ used to begin his prayer when he stood up at night (to offer tahajjud prayer). She said: When he stood up at night, he began his prayer by saying: O Allah, Lord of Jibra’il, Lord of Mik’ail, and Lord of Israfil, Creator of the Heavens and the Earth, the Knower of what is seen and of what is unseen; Thou decides between Thy servants in which they used to differ. Guide me to the truth where there is a difference of opinion by Thy permission. Thou guidest anyone Thou wishes to the right path. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 767)   

عَائِشَةَ ؓ بِأِيِّ شَيْءٍ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَفْتَتِحُ الصَّلَاةَ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ؟ قَالَتْ كَانَ إِذَا قَامَ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ يَفْتَتِحُ صَلَاتَهُ اللهُمَّ رَبَّ جِبْرِيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ وَإِسْرَافِيلَ فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ اهْدِنِي لِمَا اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِكَ إِنَّكَ تَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ