Ya Hayyu Ya Kayyum Prayer: Meaning, Virtues, and Significance in the Battle of Badr

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

Narrated by Hazrat 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 sallam was doing, I quickly went near him. I saw that our Prophet was prostrating and supplicating repeatedly:

يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ، يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ

«Yâ Hayyu yâ Kayyûm, Yâ Hayyu yâ Kayyûm: O Living, Eternal Lord, O Living, Eternal Lord!» 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. After some time, when I came again, our Prophet was supplicating in the same manner. Finally, Allah Ta’ala opened doors of help and victory for him.

“Ya Hayyu ya Kayyum! Bi rahmetike esteğîsu.”

“O Ever-Living, Sustaining Lord! I seek Your help by the right of Your mercy.”