What is the Preferred Method to Recite the Qunut Supplication?

Answered by Ustadh Salman Younas

Question: I have a question regarding the Hanafi qunut supplication. I have seen two of them. In the Turkish Hanafi mosques they read this:

1: Allâhümme innâ nesteînüke ve nestağfirüke ve nestehdik. Ve nü’minü bike ve netûbü ileyk. Ve netevekkelü aleyke ve nüsni aleykel-hayra küllehü neşkürüke ve lâ nekfürüke ve nahleu ve netrükü men yefcürük.Allâhümme iyyâke na’büdü ve leke nüsalli ve nescüdü ve ileyke nes’a ve nahfidü nercû rahmeteke ve nahşâ azâbeke inne azâbeke bilküffâri mülhık.

This one I found on some site with generally the same wording but slight differences:

2: Allah humma inna nast’eenuka wa nastaghfiruka wa nu’minu bika wa natawak-kalu ‘alayka wa nuthne ‘alayk-al khayr. Wa nashkuruka wa laaa nakfuruka wa nakhla’u wa natruku man-y yafjuruka. Allah humma iyyaka na’budu wa laka nusal-lee wa nasjudu wa ilayka nas’a wa nahfidu wa narju rahmataka wa nakhsha ‘azabaka inna ‘azabaka bil kuf-fari mulhiq.

As you can see there is a slight difference, please inform me why and how is this possible. I have read at some places that it is permissible to add words to the qunut, but I’m really confused about these two. Also, please can you translate the first qunut i gave to English.

Answer: assalamu `alaykum

The above difference is based on the fact that the works of the Hanafi scholars narrated the preferred form of the Qunut in different ways, some having additional wording and order in contrast to others.

This is perhaps based on the varying forms related from many of the Companions (Allah be well-pleased with them) and the early generations of Muslim scholars.

The supplication cited as being the preferred way of the Turkish Hanafis is found in works like the Majma` al-Anhur and, to a great extent, the Halabi Kabir. Both of these are important works in the Hanafi school.

As for the second supplication cited, this is closer to what has been related as being the more well-known supplication with Imam Abu Hanifa, as mentioned by Ibn Nujaym in the Bahr al-Ra’iq.

Thus, both these forms have basis in our school despite the differences that exist between them. These differences are inconsequential for not only were different forms of this supplication narrated from the Companions (Allah be well-pleased with them) but the Qunut as a supplication allows the addition of such words without their being any dislikedness or sin.

Translation of the Qunut

The first supplication mentioned in the question can be translated as follows: : “Oh Allah, we seek assistance from You, ask forgiveness from You and guidance, believe in You, turn to You in repentance, place our trust in You, and praise You for all the good things. We are grateful to You and we part and break off with all those who disobey You. Oh Allah, You alone do we worship and pray and prostrate exclusively to and we hasten eagerly towards You. We hope for Your mercy and fear Your punishment, for Your punishment is surely to be meted out to the disbelievers.”

I would personally recommend getting Shaykh Faraz Khan’s recently published work “Ascent to Felicity” for the Arabic and English of numerous supplications recited during prayer.

Salman

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani