Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) the comprehensive and concise supplication, which is made up of four supplications: First: A general supplication for everything good: (O Allah, I ask You for all that is good) as a whole, (the immediate) that is the nearest in time (and the deferred thereof) that belongs to a later time; (what I know) of what You taught me (and what I do not know) of what You have in Your Knowledge. This denotes entrusting one's affairs to Allah, the All-Knowing, the All-Aware, and the Most Subtle to choose for the Muslim what is best and most appropriate. (And I seek refuge), shelter, and protection (with You from all that is evil, the immediate and the deferred thereof, what I know and what I do not know). Second supplication: It is a protection for the Muslim against transgression in supplication. (O Allah, I ask You) and beg You (for the good that Your slave and Prophet asked You for) may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, (and I seek refuge) shelter, and protection (with You from the evil that Your slave and Prophet sought refuge from) may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him. This is a supplication and request addressed to Allah to grant the supplicator what Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked and requested for himself without enumerating the types he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated for. Third supplication: The request to be admitted to Paradise and to be kept far from Hellfire, which is every Muslim's request and ultimate goal: (O Allah, I ask You for Paradise) and its attainment (and for what brings one closer to it of words or deeds) that are righteous and that please You, (and I seek refuge with You from the Fire), as there is no protection against evil deeds except through Your kindness (and from what brings one closer to it of words or deeds) from the sins that incur Your wrath. Fourth supplication: Supplicating for contentment with Allah's decree. (And I ask You to make every decree that You have decreed for me good) and every decree that Allah has decreed for me, make it good for me, which is a supplication for being granted contentment with Allah's decree.