Ya Hayyu Ya Kayyum Prayer: Meaning, Virtues, and Recitation

What is the Virtue of Remembering “Ya Hayyu Ya Kayyum”?

Narrated by Hz. Ali (may Allah be pleased with him):

When the Battle of Badr began, I fought for a while. Then, to see what the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa salam was doing, I quickly went near him. I saw that the Messenger of Allah was prostrating and constantly repeating:

يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ، يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ

“Yâ Hayyu yâ Kayyûm, Yâ Hayyu yâ Kayyûm: O Ever-Living, Sustaining Allah, O Ever-Living, Sustaining Allah!” He was not saying anything else.

I left from there, fought a little more, and returned. Again, he was prostrating and supplicating to Allah in the same way. I returned to the battle again. When I came back after a while, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa salam was making supplication in the same manner. Finally, Allah opened doors of help and conquest for him.

“Ya Hayyu ya Kayyum! Bi rahmetike esteğîsu.”

“O Ever-Living, Sustaining One! I ask for Your help by right of Your mercy.”

Footnotes:

[1] Heysemi, X, 147; Ibn-i Saad, II, 26; I, 223; Bayhaqi, Delail, III, 49; Ibn-i Kathir, Bidaya, III, 275-276.

[2] Tirmidhi, Daawat, 91