Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
ahmad:9979ʿAbd al-Raḥman > Sufyān > Abū al-Zinād > al-Aʿraj > Abū Hurayrah

Messenger of Allah (saas) said: "No one among you should say: "O Allah, forgive me if You will.' Let him be definite in his asking, and no one can compel Allah." (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 3854)   

أحمد:٩٩٧٩حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الْأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ لَا يَقُولَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ اللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ فَإِنَّ اللهَ ﷻ لَا مُسْتَكْرِهَ لَهُ وَلَكِنْ لِيَعْزِمْ فِي الْمَسْأَلَةِ  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Abū Dāwūd, Tirmidhī, Ibn Mājah, Mālik, Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān, Nasāʾī's Kubrá, Suyūṭī
bukhari:6338Musaddad > Ismāʿīl > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz > Anas

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "When anyone of you appeal to Allah for something, he should ask with determination and should not say, 'O Allah, if You wish, give me.', for nobody can force Allah to do something against His Will.  

البخاري:٦٣٣٨حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ عَنْ أَنَسٍ ؓ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا دَعَا أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَعْزِمِ الْمَسْأَلَةَ وَلاَ يَقُولَنَّ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ شِئْتَ فَأَعْطِنِي فَإِنَّهُ لاَ مُسْتَكْرِهَ لَهُ  

bukhari:6339ʿAbdullāh b. Maslamah > Mālik > Abū al-Zinād > al-Aʿraj > Abū Hurayrah

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "None of you should say: 'O Allah, forgive me if You wish; O Allah, be merciful to me if You wish,' but he should always appeal to Allah with determination, for nobody can force Allah to do something against His Will."  

البخاري:٦٣٣٩حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ عَنْ مَالِكٍ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لاَ يَقُولَنَّ أَحَدُكُمُ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْنِي إِنْ شِئْتَ لِيَعْزِمِ الْمَسْأَلَةَ فَإِنَّهُ لاَ مُكْرِهَ لَهُ  

bukhari:7464Musaddad > ʿAbd al-Wārith > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz > Anas

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Whenever anyone of you invoke Allah for something, he should be firm in his asking, and he should not say: 'If You wish, give me...' for none can compel Allah to do something against His Will."  

البخاري:٧٤٦٤حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا دَعَوْتُمُ اللَّهَ فَاعْزِمُوا فِي الدُّعَاءِ وَلاَ يَقُولَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ إِنْ شِئْتَ فَأَعْطِنِي فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ مُسْتَكْرِهَ لَهُ  

muslim:2678Abū Bakr b. Abū Shaybah And Zuhayr b. Ḥarb > Ibn ʿUlayyah > Abū Bakr > Ismāʿīl Ibn ʿUlayyah > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Ṣuhayb > Anas

When one of you makes supplication, he should supplicate with a will and should not say: O Allah, confer upon me if Thou likest, for there is none to coerce Allah.  

مسلم:٢٦٧٨حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ جَمِيعًا عَنِ ابْنِ عُلَيَّةَ قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ صُهَيْبٍ عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذَا دَعَا أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَعْزِمْ فِي الدُّعَاءِ وَلاَ يَقُلِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ شِئْتَ فَأَعْطِنِي فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ مُسْتَكْرِهَ لَهُ  

muslim:2679aYaḥyá b. Ayyūb And Qutaybah And Ibn Ḥujr > Ismāʿīl Yaʿnūn Ibn Jaʿfar > al-ʿAlāʾ from his father > Abū Hurayrah

When one of you makes a supplication (to his Lord) one should not say: O Allah, grant me pardon, if Thou so likest, but one should beg one's (Lord) with a will and full devotion, for there is nothing so great in the eye of Allah which He cannot grant.  

مسلم:٢٦٧٩aحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ وَقُتَيْبَةُ وَابْنُ حُجْرٍ قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ يَعْنُونَ ابْنَ جَعْفَرٍ عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِذَا دَعَا أَحَدُكُمْ فَلاَ يَقُلِ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ وَلَكِنْ لِيَعْزِمِ الْمَسْأَلَةَ وَلْيُعَظِّمِ الرَّغْبَةَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَتَعَاظَمُهُ شَىْءٌ أَعْطَاهُ  

muslim:2679bIsḥāq b. Mūsá al-Anṣārī > Anas b. ʿIyāḍ > al-Ḥārith / Ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Dhubāb > ʿAṭāʾ b. Mīnāʾ > Abū Hurayrah

None of you should say to Allah (like this): O Allah, grant me mercy, if thou so likest. The supplication (of his) should (be permeated with) conviction (that it would be accepted by the Lord), for Allah is the Doer of (everything) He likes to do, and there is none to force Him (to do or not to do this or that).  

مسلم:٢٦٧٩bحَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مُوسَى الأَنْصَارِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسُ بْنُ عِيَاضٍ حَدَّثَنَا الْحَارِثُ وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي ذُبَابٍ عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ مِينَاءَ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ لاَ يَقُولَنَّ أَحَدُكُمُ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْنِي إِنْ شِئْتَ لِيَعْزِمْ فِي الدُّعَاءِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ صَانِعٌ مَا شَاءَ لاَ مُكْرِهَ لَهُ  

abudawud:1483al-Qaʿnabī > Mālik > Abū al-Zinād > al-Aʿraj > Abū Hurayrah

"One of you should not say (in his supplication): O Allah, forgive me if You please, show mercy to me if You please.' Rather, be firm in your asking, for no one can force Him."  

أبو داود:١٤٨٣حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ عَنْ مَالِكٍ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لاَ يَقُولَنَّ أَحَدُكُمُ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْنِي إِنْ شِئْتَ لِيَعْزِمِ الْمَسْأَلَةَ فَإِنَّهُ لاَ مُكْرِهَ لَهُ  

tirmidhi:3497al-Anṣārī > Maʿn > Mālik > Abū al-Zinād > al-Aʿraj > Abū Hurayrah

“None of you should say: ‘O Allah forgive me if You wish. O Allah have mercy on me if You wish.’ Let him be firm in asking, for there is none that can compel Him to do things.”  

الترمذي:٣٤٩٧حَدَّثَنَا الأَنْصَارِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا مَعْنٌ حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكٌ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لاَ يَقُولُ أَحَدُكُمُ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْنِي إِنْ شِئْتَ لِيَعْزِمِ الْمَسْأَلَةَ فَإِنَّهُ لاَ مُكْرِهَ لَهُ قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ  

ibnmajah:3854Abū Bakr > ʿAbdullāh b. Idrīs > Ibn ʿAjlān > Abū al-Zinād > al-Aʿraj > Abū Hurayrah

Messenger of Allah (saas) said: "No one among you should say: "O Allah, forgive me if You will.' Let him be definite in his asking, and no one can compel Allah."  

ابن ماجة:٣٨٥٤حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَجْلاَنَ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لاَ يَقُولَنَّ أَحَدُكُمُ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ وَلْيَعْزِمْ فِي الْمَسْأَلَةِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ مُكْرِهَ لَهُ  

malik:15-30Mālik > Abū al-Zinād > al-Aʿraj > Abū Hurayrah

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'z Zinad from al-Araj from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ''When you are making dua do not say; 'O Allah, forgive me if You wish. O Allah, forgive me if you wish.' You should be firm in your asking, for there is no compelling Him."  

مالك:١٥-٣٠وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ لاَ يَقُلْ أَحَدُكُمْ إِذَا دَعَا اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْنِي إِنْ شِئْتَ لِيَعْزِمِ الْمَسْأَلَةَ فَإِنَّهُ لاَ مُكْرِهَ لَهُ  

ahmad:9968Wakīʿ > Sufyān > Abū al-Zinād > al-Aʿraj > Abū Hurayrah

"One of you should not say (in his supplication): O Allah, forgive me if You please, show mercy to me if You please.' Rather, be firm in your asking, for no one can force Him." (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1483)  

أحمد:٩٩٦٨حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الْأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لَا يَقُولَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ اللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ اللهُمَّ ارْحَمْنِي إِنْ شِئْتَ وَلَكِنْ لِيَعْزِمِ الْمَسْأَلَةَ فَإِنَّهُ لَا مُكْرِهَ لَهُ  

ahmad:7314Sufyān > Abū al-Zinād > al-Aʿraj > Abū Hurayrah Yablugh Bih

Messenger of Allah (saas) said: "No one among you should say: "O Allah, forgive me if You will.' Let him be definite in his asking, and no one can compel Allah." (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 3854)   

أحمد:٧٣١٤حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الْأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ يَبْلُغُ بِهِ

النَّبِيَّ ﷺ إِذَا دَعَا أَحَدُكُمْ فَلَا يَقُلْ اللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ وَلَكِنْ لِيَعْزِمْ بِالْمَسْأَلَةِ فَإِنَّهُ لَا مُكْرِهَ لَهُ  

ahmad:11980Ismāʿīl > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz > Anas

When one of you makes supplication, he should supplicate with a will and should not say: O Allah, confer upon me if Thou likest, for there is none to coerce Allah. (Using translation from Muslim 2678)  

أحمد:١١٩٨٠حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِذَا دَعَا أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَعْزِمْ فِي الدُّعَاءِ وَلَا يَقُلْ اللهُمَّ إِنْ شِئْتَ فَأَعْطِنِي فَإِنَّ اللهَ لَا مُسْتَكْرِهَ لَهُ  

ahmad:8237

The Prophet ﷺ said, "None of you should say: 'O Allah! Forgive me if You wish,' or 'Bestow Your Mercy on me if You wish,' or 'Provide me with means of subsistence if You wish,' but he should be firm in his request, for Allah does what He will and nobody can force Him (to do anything). (Using translation from Bukhārī 7477)  

أحمد:٨٢٣٧

وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لَا يَقُلْ أَحَدُكُمْ اللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ وَارْحَمْنِي إِنْ شِئْتَ وَارْزُقْنِي لِيَعْزِمْ مَسْأَلَتَهَ إِنَّهُ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاءُ لَا مُكْرِهَ لَهُ  

ahmad:10867ʿAlī > And Rqāʾ > Abū al-Zinād > al-Aʿraj > Abū Hurayrah

"One of you should not say (in his supplication): O Allah, forgive me if You please, show mercy to me if You please.' Rather, be firm in your asking, for no one can force Him." (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1483)  

أحمد:١٠٨٦٧حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيٌّ أَخْبَرَنَا وَرْقَاءُ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الْأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لَا يَقُولَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ اللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ اللهُمَّ ارْحَمْنِي إِنْ شِئْتَ لِيَعْزِمِ الْمَسْأَلَةَ فَإِنَّهُ لَا مُكْرِهَ لَهُ  

ahmad:10310Isḥāq > Mālik And > ʿAbd al-Raḥman Mālik > Abū al-Zinād > al-Aʿraj > Abū Hurayrah

[Machine] Malik informed us, and I recited to Abdul Rahman from Malik, from Abu Zinad, from Al-A'raj, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "None of you should say, 'O Allah, forgive me if You will, O Allah, have mercy on me if You will.' Let him be resolute in the matter." They both said, "All of us agreed that there is no compulsion in this regard."  

أحمد:١٠٣١٠حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ قَالَ

أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ وَقَرَأْتُ عَلَى عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ مَالِكٌ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الْأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ لَا يَقُولَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْاللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ اللهُمَّ ارْحَمْنِي إِنْ شِئْتَ لِيَعْزِمِ الْمَسْأَلَةَ قَالَا جَمِيعًا لَا مُكْرِهَ لَهُ  

ذِكْرُ الزَّجْرِ عَنْ أَنْ يَقُولَ الْمَرْءُ فِي دُعَائِهِ: رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ

ibnhibban:977Ibrāhīm b. Isḥāq al-Anmāṭī > Yaʿqūb b. Ibrāhīm > Ibn Mahdī > Sufyān > Abū al-Zinād > al-Aʿraj > Abū Hurayrah

[Machine] From the Prophet ﷺ , he said, "None of you should say: 'O Allah, forgive me if You will, for there is no compulsion for Him (Allah), but he should say: 'O Allah, forgive me if You will, and then make a firm determination for the matter.'"  

ابن حبّان:٩٧٧أَخْبَرَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ الْأَنْمَاطِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ مَهْدِيٍّ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الْأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ «لَا يَقُلْ أَحَدُكُمُ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ فَإِنَّهُ لَا مُسْتَكْرِهَ لَهُ وَلَكِنْ لِيَعْزِمِ الْمَسْأَلَةَ»  

nasai-kubra:10343Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh b. Yazīd > Sufyān > Abū al-Zinād > al-Aʿraj > Abū Hurayrah

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "A person should not say, 'O Allah, forgive me if You will, O Allah, have mercy on me if You will.' Instead, he should be determined in making supplications."  

الكبرى للنسائي:١٠٣٤٣أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الْأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لَا يَقُلِ الرَّجُلُ اللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ اللهُمَّ ارْحَمْنِي إِنْ شِئْتَ وَلَكِنْ لِيَعْزِمِ الْمَسْأَلَةَ  

nasai-kubra:10344Muḥammad b. Bashhār > ʿAbd al-Raḥman > Sufyān > Abū al-Zinād > al-Aʿraj > Abū Hurayrah

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "None of you should say: 'O Allah, forgive me if You wish; O Allah, be merciful to me if You wish,' but he should always appeal to Allah with determination, for nobody can force Allah to do something against His Will." (Using translation from Bukhārī 6339)   

الكبرى للنسائي:١٠٣٤٤أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنِ الْأَعْرَجِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ لَا يَقُلْ أَحَدُكُمُ اللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ وَلَكِنْ لِيَعْزِمِ الْمَسْأَلَةَ فَإِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى لَا مُسْتَكْرِهَ لَهُ  

nasai-kubra:10345Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm > Ismāʿīl > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Ṣuhayb > Anas

Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "When anyone of you appeal to Allah for something, he should ask with determination and should not say, 'O Allah, if You wish, give me.', for nobody can force Allah to do something against His Will. (Using translation from Bukhārī 6338)   

الكبرى للنسائي:١٠٣٤٥أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ صُهَيْبٍ عَنْ أَنَسٍ

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ إِذَا دَعَا أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَعْزِمِ الْمَسْأَلَةَ وَلَا يَقُلْ أَعْطِنِي إِنْ شِئْتَ فَإِنَّ اللهَ لَا مُسْتَكْرِهَ لَهُ