Etiquettes of the Sunset (Maghrib) Prayers

Text and Translation

You should then hurry for performing the Sunset Prayer, because it is strongly discommended to postpone performing it at its earliest time. Actually, traditions have laid very much emphasis on warning against postponing performing the Sunset Prayer at its earliest time.

When you intend to perform this prayer, you may utter the azan and the eqamah statements observing the previously mentioned etiquettes. In the space of time between azan and eqamah, you may say the following supplicatory prayer:

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّىْ اَسْئَلُكَ بِاِقْبَالِ لَيْلِكَ وَ اِدْبَارِ نَهارِكَ وَ حُضُوْرِ صَلَوَاتِكَ وَ اَصْوَاتِ دُعاۤئِكَ وَ تَسْبِيْحِ مَلَاۤئِكَتِكَ اَنْ تُصَلِّىَ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَّ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَنْ تَتُوْبَ عَلَىَّ اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيْمُ.

ALLAAHUMMA INNEE AS-ALOKA BE-IQBAALE LAYLEKA WA IDBAARE NAHAAREKA WA HOZOORE SALAWAATEKA WA ASWAATE DO-A’A-EKA WA TASBEEHE MALAA-EKATEKA AN TOSALLEYA A’LAA MOHAMMADINW WA AALE MOHAMMADIN WA AN TATOOBA A’LAYYA INNAKA ANTAT TAWWAABUR RAHEEMO.

O Allah, I ask You by the coming of Your night and the departure of Your day, by the arrival of the time of Your prayers, the voices of those who supplicate to You, and the glorification of Your angels, that You bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and that You turn toward me [in forgiveness]; indeed, You are the Oft-Returning, the Most Merciful.

You may then perform the Sunset Obligatory Prayer, observing all of its etiquettes and meeting all of its conditions. Upon accomplishment, you may utter the Takbeer statement three times and say Tasbih al-Zahra. You may then say the following:

اِنَّ اللّٰهَ وَمَلَاۤئِكَتَهٗ يُصَلُّوْنَ عَلَى النَّبِىِّ يَاۤ اَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا صَلُّوْا عَلَيْهِ وَ سَلِّمُوْا تَسْلِيْمًا اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ ۨ النَّبِىِّ وَعَلٰى ذُرِّيَّتِهٖ وَعَلٰى اَهْلِ بَيْتِهٖ.

INNAL LAAHA WA MALAAA-EKATAHU YOSALLOONA A’LAN NABIYYE YAA AYYOHAL LAZEENA AAMANOO SALLOO A’LAYHE WA SALLEMOO TASLEEMAN ALLAAHUMMA SALLE A’LAA MOHAMMADENIN NABIYYE WA A’LAA ZURRIYYATEHI WA A’LAA AHLE BAYTEHI.

Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, invoke blessings upon him and greet him with a worthy salutation. O Allah, bless Muhammad the Prophet, and his progeny, and the People of his House.

You may also repeat the following litany seven times:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ وَ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِىِّ الْعَظِيْمِ.

BISMIL LAAHIR RAHMAANIR RAHEEM WA LAA HAWLA WA LAA QUWWATA ILLAA BILLAAHIL A’LIYYIL A’ZEEME.

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. There is no power nor might except by Allah, the High, the Great.

You may also repeat the following doxology (zikr) three times:

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِىْ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشاۤءُ وَ لَا يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشاۤءُ غَيْرُهٗ.

ALHAMDO LILLAAHIL LAZEE YAF-A’LO MAA YASHAAA-O WA LAA YAF-A’LO MAA YASHAAA-O GHAYROHU.

All praise is for Allah, who does what He wills, and none other than Him does what he wills.

You may also say the following imploration:

سُبْحَانَكَ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اَنْتَ اِغْفِرْ لِىْ ذُ نُوْبِىْ جَمِيْعًا فَاِنَّهٗ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ كُلَّهَا جَمِيْعًا اِلَّا اَنْتَ.

SUBHAANAKA LAA ELAAHA ILLAA ANTA IGHFIR LEE ZONOOOBEE JAMEE-A’N FA-INNAHU LAA YAGHFERUZ ZONOOBA KULLAHAA JAMEE-A’N ILLAA ANTA.

Glory be to You, there is no god but You. Forgive all my sins for me, for indeed, none forgives all sins entirely except You.

If you wish to say more post-prayer utterances, it is then favorable to delay saying them until you offer the supererogatory (mustahab / naafelah) sunset prayer, which consists of four units, each two separately (i.e. you say the Tasleem statement after the second and fourth units). It is discommended to say anything (other than supplications) in the space of time between the obligatory and supererogatory (mustahab / naafelah) sunset prayers. In the first unit of the supererogatory (mustahab / naafelah) prayer, you may recite Surah al-Faatehah and Surah al-Kaferun. In the second, you may recite Surah al-Faatehah and Surah al-Tawheed. In the third and fourth units, you may recite any Surah you wish although it is highly advisable to recite in the third unit Surah al-Faatehah and the following verses, which are the first six verses of Surah al-Hadeed (No. 57):

It is also high advisable to recite in the fourth unit of the supererogatory (mustahab / naafelah) sunset prayer Surah al-Faatehah and the following holy verses, which are the last four verses of Surah al-Hashr (No. 59):

Just like all other supererogatory (mustahab / naafelah) prayers, it is acceptably sufficient to recite Surah al-Faatehah alone in each unit. It is highly advisable to recite the Surahs with audible voice, just like other supererogatory (mustahab / naafelah) night prayers.

Rites Following The Supererogatory Sunset Prayer

Upon accomplishing the supererogatory (mustahab / naafelah) sunset prayer, you may say any of the general post-prayer utterances. You may then do the thanksgiving prostration as has been previously cited. The least thing to be said in the thanksgiving prostration is the following:

شُكْرًا شُكْرًا شُكْرًا

SHUKRAN SHUKRAN SHUKRAN.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Al-Kulayni has reported Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) as saying: When you finish the supererogatory (mustahab / naafelah) sunset prayer, you may pass your hand over your forehead and repeat the following supplicatory prayer three times:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الَّذِىْ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَ الشَّهَادَةِ الرَّحْمٰنُ الرَّحِيْمُ اَللّٰهُمَّ اَذْهِبْ‏ عَنِّىَ الْهَمَّ وَ الْحَزَنَ.

BISMIL LAAHIL LAZEE LAA ELAAHA ILLAA HOWA A’ALEMUL GHAYBE WASH SHAHAADATIR RAHMAANUR RAHEEMO ALLAAHUMMA AZHEB A’NNEYAL HAMMA WAL HAZANA.

In the name of Allah, besides Whom there is no god, Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. O Allah, take away from me anxiety and grief.

It is highly advisable to offer the Ghufaylah Prayer thereafter.