(1) No matter how much wisdom you have, beseech Allah to guide you on the right path, whatever the field of enquiry or activity you are taking after. Seek Allah’s help to keep you very close to the ways and means of the righteous and the pious servants of Allah (the Holy Prophet and his Ahl ul Bayt), the surest road to success, in this and the next world, and to keep you away from the dishonest methods and hypocritical attitude of the astray devils (the followers of the accursed shaytan), although they may appear profitable for a little while, but finally bring ruin and destruction in the end.

IHDINAS’S’IRAAT’AL MUSTAQEEM S’RAAT’AL LAD’EENA AN-A’MTA A’LAYHIM GHAYRIL MAGHZ’’OOBI A’LAYHIM WA LAZ’’ Z’’AALLEEN
Keep us (O Lord) on the right path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed Your bounties, not (the path) of those, inflicted with Your wrath, nor (of those) gone astray. (AL FAATIH’AH: 6 and 7)

(2) Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Isma-il while building up the house of Allah, the holy ka’bah, prayed to Allah for the successful completion of their project.

Putting in the best efforts does not make your labour fruitful, because there are many unknown and uncontrollable forces working in the universe that can bring disappointment if Allah, who not only knows but has total control over all things and events, does not help you. So always invoke Allah by reciting this verse in the traditions of His prophets, whenever you take up a job, which has not been prohibited.

Also recite this verse at the end of any good deed-after praying and wajib or sunnah salat, or when you have read whole or part of the holy Quran, in a single sitting, or after attending a majlis (a religious gathering for mentioning the merits of the Holy prophet and his Ahl ul Bayt).

Recitation of this verse is also recommended for seeking fulfillment of any legitimate desire.

(3) This verse tells us not to turn to anyone but Allah to ask for fulfillment of all our wants and needs, and also makes it clear that there is no other way to get satisfaction of our desires except to invoke Allah, who answers whenever called by a supplicant. It brings you near Allah and keeps you on the right path. Allah answers to the cry for help because the love of Allah for His servants is much greater than the love of a mother for her children. This dua’a may be recited before and other dua’a as it helps to get nearness of Allah and to have complete faith in Him alone; and because Allah says He will answer whenever He is called. This verse makes the recitation of dua’as necessary and obligatory for all Muslims. (Please see Imam’s saying at the beginning).

To multiply livelihood and to obtain fulfillment of legitimate desires recite this verse 700 times after performing wudu and before praying any wajib salat. It can be reduced to 70 times or 7 times according to your convenience.
 

(4) According to this verse, short and temporary life in this world is as important as the eternal life in hereafter.

Although good in the permanent life of hereafter is the aim of all Muslims, but good in this world is also necessary because man has been asked by his creator Lord to take part in all activities of this world without breaking the rules and regulations, made by Him. So beseech Him for the good in both the worlds.

This verse is generally recited as qunoot in all prayers.

It can be recited at the time of walking around (tawaf) the holy ka’-bah.

(5) This verse teaches us to pray for grant of patience and perseverance in the face of trials and tribulations of this world so that we remain faithful to the true religion of Allah, even if deprived of the comforts of life, as these two aspects of our character makes us fight our enemies and the enemies of Allah.

If we read the life account of Holy prophet, Imam Ali and their infallible descendants, we find that their lives were the true exposition of this verse. Recite this dua’a in the times of trial, and to undo and put an end to the intrigues of your enemies.

(6) The right path (what to do and what not to do) has been clearly shown to man by Allah. These commandments are very easy to follow, not beyond our capacity, as the Holy prophet once said: :”I have brought for you a very easy religion.”

Now man is responsible for what he does. If we make mistakes, by breaking laws of Allah, we must admit our mistakes and humbly and sincerely seek forgiveness of our merciful Lord, who not only forgives faults but helps us to overcome our enemies and the enemies of Allah; and in this way, keeps away from us hardships and sorrows that they (enemies) might bring if Allah does not stop them, in answer to our supplications.

Through this prayer we pray for the triumph of truth over falsehood and the suppression of satanic tendencies by godliness, and ask Allah not to inflict on us situations under which we may not be able to avoid wrongdoing. After acknowledging our limitations we undertake to work at our maximum capacity, hoping that through His mercy HE will wipe clean all traces of errors and mistakes.

(7) It is better to be careful and recite this dua’a in advance so that we may not change our 

heart and mind (follow another religion) after accepting the true religion of Allah, Islam, the only right path.

This prayer is a precaution to avoid possible perversion of the mind and the heart after accepting divine guidance. The purpose of our lives in this temporary and transient world is to make preparation for the eternal life of the hereafter.

To strengthen you faith recite this dua’a in every wajib as well as Sunnah salat.

(8) Sovereignty belongs to Allah. He is the sole and ultimate authority in the domains of creation and legislation. Every thing is created by Him, so total submission to His will is Islam, which has been described in these verses in the form of a prayer. The Holy Prophet and his Ahl ul Bayt have rightly advised the believers to recite this prayer ay all occasions, so that the conviction in the omnipotence of the almighty Lord permeates their hearts and minds to guide them in all their mental and physical activities. A complete resignation to Allah’s will is possible only when man believes that it is Allah who alone can do and undo things, conceivable and inconceivable, easy and difficult. Then the grace of the Lord abounds, because in His hand is all good. There should be no complaint, nor grudge, nor frustration. With total resignation to His will, man must pray and invoke His mercy to obtain fulfillment of his or her legitimate wants and needs.

He (Allah) and He alone, and no one else, bestows upon whomsoever He chooses, the power to exercise authority, in this world, or in the hereafter. To some he gives power in this world though many of them do not follow his commandments. We must not get confused. It is not our lookout because knowledge of things, persons and events is hopelessly very little. He knows why He has done so. Abdullah Ibni Abbas said that this verse may contain the great name of Allah, ismi azam. If this dua’a is recited with realization of its meaning, the realization of His absolute sovereignty and His exclusive right and option, Allah will fulfill the legitimate desires of the reciter of this dua’a.

Not to be proud and arrogant after achieving success, in this world, recite this dua’a regularly.

According to the Holy prophet whoso recited these verses daily after the Fajr salat, gets sufficient means of livelihood. Also the reciter gets enough funds to repay loans. To discard nervousness in big public gatherings, or if there is fear of a person or a group of persons recite this dua’a.

(9) When Zakariyya saw Maryam receiving her sustenance direct from Allah, he was so much

convinced of His extraordinary benevolence and its miraculous nature that he beseeched Him to give him a tayyab (virtuous, blessed and good) son, he could not normally have since his wife was barren.

Recitation of this dua’a 7 times after every wajib salat will make your children pious and obedient.

(10) The holy Quran says that all the prophets of Allah who had fought in the way of Allah, never giving in to the enemies of Allah, used to recite this dua’a.

By reason of their steadfastness and their asking for protection and seeking refuge with Allah, Allah granted them victory against infidels, glorified their mission and enhanced their reputation.

As human beings we may commit mistakes and not follow the instructions given by Allah, so we must seek His forgiveness with firm determination that we will not commit such sins any more. We must also recite this dua’a to remain firm in our faith no matter what the temptations are, so that we may defeat our enemies and the enemies of Allah.

This dua’a can also be recited to remove hardships and difficulties put in your way by our enemies so as to induce us to give up the right way of doing things as Allah has asked us to do.

(11) The holy Quran says that those who remember Allah and try to understand the nature of His creation recite this dua’a, because in the creation of heavens and the earth and in the difference of night and day are signs of His omnipotence for the men of understanding.

Recite this dua’a in the qunoot of tahajjud (night prayer).

(12) This is the continuation of dua’a 11. The wise men hear the message of Allah, and, as they have already understood the meaning of the nature of divine creation, readily accept the true faith, the belief in the one and only Allah, seeking His forgiveness for the sins they have committed in the days of ignorance; and not forgetting that Allah (alone0 can keep them on the right path till the last day of their lives in this world, invoke Him to make them die as true believers.

Make a habit of reciting this dua’a because there is nothing worth keeping with yourself except the true faith to the last breath of your life, in order to obtain permanent bliss in the next world. This world is a place of test and trial for you. Even after a whole life time of true faith if a person for a single insignificant moment, does not believe in the one and only almighty Allah in the last breath of his life, he is forever condemned to the fire of hell.