Monday, September 7, 2026

Method of Isal-e-Sawab and Fatiḥah: Traditional Method, Ala Ḥaḍrat’s Fātiḥah and Dua

The Method of Iīṣāl-e-Šawāb

The intention of heart is sufficient for the donation of Šawāb. For instance, if you give a rupee as charity or recite Durūd once or tell someone a Sunnaĥ or carry out call towards righteousness or deliver a Sunnaĥ-inspiring speech or perform any other good deed, you should make intention in your heart like this: 'May the Šawāb of the Sunnaĥ that I have just told reach the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم!' Šawāb will reach him.

Further, Šawāb will also reach to all of such people for whom intention was made. In addition to the presence of intention in heart, utterance of verbal intention is a Sunnaĥ of the blessed companions عَلَيْہِمُ الرِّضْوَان as mentioned in the Ḥadīš which describes that Sayyidunā Sa'd رَضِیَ اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَنْه had a well dug and then said, 'This is for Sa'd's mother.'

The Traditional Method of Iīṣāl-e-Šawāb

The Muslims' traditional method of donating Šawāb especially for serving meal is very nice. The method is as follows:

Put in front all such meals or a little portion from each item along with a glass of water whose Šawāb is to be donated. Then, reciting اَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰہِ مِنَ الشَّیْطٰنِ الرَّجِیْم, recite Sūrat-ul-Kāfirūn once:

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْم

قُلْ یٰۤاَیُّہَا الْکٰفِرُوْنَ ۙ لَاۤ اَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُوْنَ ۙ
وَلَاۤ اَنْتُمْ عٰبِدُوْنَ مَاۤ اَعْبُدُ ۙ وَلَاۤ اَنَاۡ عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدْتُّمْ ۙ
وَلَاۤ اَنْتُمْ عٰبِدُوْنَ مَاۤ اَعْبُدُ ۙ لَکُمْ دِیْنُکُمْ وَلِیَ دِیْنِ ۙ

Recite Sūraĥ-tul-Ikhlāṣ 3 times:

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْم

قُلْ ہُوَ اللّٰہُ اَحَدٌ ۚ اَللّٰہُ الصَّمَدُ ۚ لَمْ یَلِدْ وَلَمْ یُوْلَدْ ۙ
وَلَمْ یَکُنْ لَّہٗ کُفُوًا اَحَدٌ ۚ

Recite Sūraĥ-tul-Falaq once:

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْم

قُلْ اَعُوْذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ ۙ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ ۙ وَمِنْ شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ اِذَا وَقَبَ ۙ
وَمِنْ شَرِّ النَّفّٰثٰتِ فِی الْعُقَدِ ۙ وَمِنْ شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ اِذَا حَسَدَ ۙ

Recite Sūrat-un-Nās once:

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْم

قُلْ اَعُوْذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ ۙ مَلِکِ النَّاسِ ۙ اِلٰہِ النَّاسِ ۙ مِنْ شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ ۙ
الْخَنَّاسِ ۙ الَّذِیْ یُوَسْوِسُ فِیْ صُدُوْرِ النَّاسِ ۙ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ ۙ

Recite Sūrat-ul-Fātiḥaĥ once:

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْم

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِیْنَ ۙ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ ۙ مٰلِکِ یَوْمِ الدِّیْنِ ۙ اِیَّاکَ نَعْبُدُ
وَاِیَّاکَ نَسْتَعِیْنُ ۙ اِہْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِیْمَ ۙ صِرَاطَ الَّذِیْنَ اَنْعَمْتَ
عَلَیْہِمْ ۙ غَیْرِ الْمَغْضُوْبِ عَلَیْہِمْ وَلَا الضَّآلِّیْنَ ۙ

Recite the following once:

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْم

الٓمّٓ ۙ ذٰلِکَ الْکِتٰبُ لَا رَیْبَ ۚ فِیْہِ ۚ ہُدًی لِّلْمُتَّقِیْنَ ۙ الَّذِیْنَ یُؤْمِنُوْنَ
بِالْغَیْبِ وَیُقِیْمُوْنَ الصَّلٰوةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنٰہُمْ یُنْفِقُوْنَ ۙ وَالَّذِیْنَ یُؤْمِنُوْنَ بِمَاۤ اُنْزِلَ
اِلَیْکَ وَمَاۤ اُنْزِلَ مِنْ قَبْلِکَ ۚ وَبِالْاٰخِرَةِ ہُمْ یُوْقِنُوْنَ ۙ اُولٰٓئِکَ عَلٰی ہُدًی مِّنْ
رَّبِّہِمْ وَاُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الْمُفْلِحُوْنَ ۙ

Then, recite the following five verses:

وَاِلٰہُکُمْ اِلٰہٌ وَّاحِدٌ ۚ لَاۤ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا ہُوَ الرَّحْمٰنُ الرَّحِیْمُ ۙ

(Para 1, Al-Baqarah, Ayah 163)

اِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللّٰہِ قَرِیْبٌ مِّنَ الْمُحْسِنِیْنَ ۙ

(Para 8, Al-A'raf, Ayah 56)

وَمَاۤ اَرْسَلْنٰکَ اِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعٰلَمِیْنَ ۙ

(Para 17, Al-Anbiya, Ayah 107)

مَا کَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ اَبَاۤ اَحَدٍ مِّنْ رِّجَالِکُمْ وَلٰکِنْ رَّسُوْلَ اللّٰہِ
وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِیّٖنَ ۚ وَکَانَ اللّٰہُ بِکُلِّ شَیْءٍ عَلِیْمًا ۙ

(Para 22, Al-Ahzab, Ayah 40)

اِنَّ اللّٰہَ وَمَلٰٓئِکَتَہٗ یُصَلُّوْنَ عَلَی النَّبِیِّ ۙ
یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا صَلُّوْا عَلَیْہِ وَسَلِّمُوْا تَسْلِیْمًا ۙ

(Para 22, Al-Ahzab, Ayah 56)

Now recite Durūd

صَلَّى اللّٰہُ عَلَی النَّبِیِّ الْاُمِّیِّ وَاٰلِہٖ صَلَّى اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم
صَلٰوةً وَّسَلَامًا عَلَیْکَ یَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰہ

سُبْحٰنَ رَبِّکَ رَبِّ الْعِزَّةِ عَمَّا یَصِفُوْنَ ۙ
وَسَلٰمٌ عَلَی الْمُرْسَلِیْنَ ۙ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِیْنَ ۙ

Now, raising hands, the reciter of 'Fātiḥaĥ' should loudly say "Al Fātiḥaĥ." All the attendees should recite Sūraĥ Fātiḥaĥ in low voice. Then the reciter should make the following announcement: 'Dear Islamic brothers! Donate me the Šawāb of whatever you have recited." All the attendees should say, 'We have donated it to you.' Now, the reciter may make Iīṣāl-e-Šawāb. Before mentioning the wording for donating Šawāb, I would mention the Sūraĥ etc. that Imām-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat A'lā Ḥaḍrat Maulānā Shāĥ Aḥmad Razā Khān عَلَيْہِ رَحْمَةُ الرَحْمَان used to recite before Fātiḥaĥ:

Method of Fātiḥaĥ of A'lā Ḥaḍrat رَحْمَةُ اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْہ

Once:

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْم

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِیْنَ ۙ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ ۙ مٰلِکِ یَوْمِ الدِّیْنِ ۙ اِیَّاکَ نَعْبُدُ
وَاِیَّاکَ نَسْتَعِیْنُ ۙ اِہْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِیْمَ ۙ صِرَاطَ الَّذِیْنَ اَنْعَمْتَ
عَلَیْہِمْ ۙ غَیْرِ الْمَغْضُوْبِ عَلَیْہِمْ وَلَا الضَّآلِّیْنَ ۙ

Once:

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْم

اَللّٰہُ لَاۤ اِلٰہَ اِلَّا ہُوَ الْحَیُّ الْقَیُّوْمُ ۚ لَا تَاۡخُذُہٗ سِنَةٌ وَّلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَہٗ مَا فِی السَّمٰوٰتِ وَمَا فِی
الْاَرْضِ ۚ مَنْ ذَاالَّذِیْ یَشْفَعُ عِنْدَہٗۤ اِلَّا بِاِذْنِہٖ ۚ یَعْلَمُ مَا بَیْنَ اَیْدِیْہِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَہُمْ ۚ
وَلَا یُحِیْطُوْنَ بِشَیْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِہٖۤ اِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ کُرْسِیُّہُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالْاَرْضَ ۚ
وَلَا یَؤُدُہٗ حِفْظُہُمَا ۚ وَہُوَ الْعَلِیُّ الْعَظِیْمُ ۙ

3 Times:

بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْم

قُلْ ہُوَ اللّٰہُ اَحَدٌ ۚ اَللّٰہُ الصَّمَدُ ۚ لَمْ یَلِدْ وَلَمْ یُوْلَدْ ۙ
وَلَمْ یَکُنْ لَّہٗ کُفُوًا اَحَدٌ ۚ

Method of Supplication for Donating Šawāb

Yā Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Bless us with the Šawāb of whatever has been recited (if food etc. is present, then also say) and the Šawāb of the food that has been prepared and whatever other deeds we have performed to date, not according to our faulty worships but according to Your immense mercy; and send its Šawāb on behalf of us to the court of Your Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, صَلَّى اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Through Your beloved its Šawāb to all other Prophets عَلَيْہِمُ السَّلَام, all the blessed Companions رَضِیَ اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُم, and all the noble Saints رَحِمَہُمُ اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی. Through Your beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم send its Šawāb to every Muslim human and Jinn born from the age of Sayyidunā Adam عَلَيْہِ السَّلَام to date as well as all those who will be born till the Day of Judgement. During this, mention the names of the saints to whom Šawāb has to be especially donated. Likewise, donate Šawāb to your parents, relatives and Murshid (spiritual guide). (The deceased whose names are mentioned during the supplication get pleased by it.) Then, finish the supplication as usual. (If a little amount of food items and water was placed in front, mix them into other food and water).

Be Ware!

Whenever Niyāz or any other type of ceremony is held at your home and the time of congregational Ṣalāĥ approaches during the ceremony, take all the guests to the Masjid for Ṣalāh with Jamā'at making individual effort provided there is no Shar'ī prohibition. Ceremonies should be scheduled at such a time that the time of Ṣalāh does not fall within the scheduled program so that the participants would not miss Jamā'at due to laziness. There will probably be no difficulty in offering Ṣalāh with Jamā'at if lunch is served immediately after Żuhar Ṣalāh or dinner is served after Isha-Ṣalāh. Even then, if the time of Ṣalāh approaches, the host, the cook, the guest and those involved in serving the food should all offer Ṣalāh with Jamā'at. Missing the Jamā'at of Ṣalāh just for Niyāz of saints is a grave blunder.

Method of Visiting the Shrines

One should pay visit in the court of the saints from the direction of their feet as, in case of coming from their back side, they would have to bother to look back turning their head. Hence, one should present himself at the shrines of the saints from the direction of the feet of the saint facing the face of the saint and making his back face the Qiblaĥ.

Thereafter, he should stand at a distance of at least two yards and say Salām in the following words.

اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَیْکَ یَاوَلِیَّ اللّٰہِ وَرَحْمَةُ اللّٰہِ وَبَرَکَاتُہٗ

Then, recite Sūraĥ Fātiḥaĥ once and Sūraĥ Ikhlāṣ 11 times (with Durūd once before and after it). Now, raise hands and make Iīṣāl-e-Šawāb as per the foregoing method. Mention the name of the saint as well while making Iīṣāl-e-Šawāb. Then, make supplication. It is stated in the book 'Aḥsan-ul-Wi'ā' that prayers (supplication) are answered in the proximity of the Beloved of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.

Ilāĥī عَزَّوَجَلَّ wāṣṭaĥ kul Auliyā kā
Mayrā ĥar aik pūrā mudda'ā ĥo

Yā Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! May each and every desire of mine be fulfilled
For the sake of all of Your Beloveds!

صَلُّوا عَلَى الْحَبِيْب صَلَّى اللّٰہ تَعَالٰی عَلٰی مُحَمَّد

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