Sunnah Duas

Sayyid al-Istighfar: The Best Way of Seeking Forgiveness

(سيد الاستغفار) اَللّٰهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّيْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، خَلَقْتَنِيْ وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ ، وَأَنَا عَلَىٰ عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ ، أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ ، أَبُوْءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ وَأَبُوْءُ بِذَنْبِيْ ، فَاغْفِرْ لِيْ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ.

(1x)

(Sayyid al-Istighfār) O Allah, You are my Lord. There is no god worthy of worship except You. You have created me, and I am Your slave, and I am under Your covenant and pledge (to fulfil it) to the best of my ability. I seek Your protection from the evil that I have done. I acknowledge the favours that You have bestowed upon me, and I admit my sins. Forgive me, for none forgives sins but You.

Allāhumma Anta Rabbī, lā ilāha illā Ant, khalaqtanī wa ana ʿabduk, wa ana ʿalā ʿahdika wa waʿdika mā’staṭaʿt, aʿūdhu bika min sharri mā ṣanaʿt, abū’u laka bi niʿmatika ʿalayya wa abū’u bidhambī fa-ghfir lī fa-innahū lā yaghfiru-dh-dhunūba illā Ant.

Shaddād b. Aws (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The most superior manner of seeking forgiveness is that you say [the above]. Whoever says it during the day with firm belief in it and dies on the same day before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise. And whoever says it during the night with firm belief in it and dies before the morning, he will be from the people of Paradise.” (Bukhārī 6306)

**Brief Commentary**
 
• We are asking the Almighty by His Greatest Name (according to many scholars): the name “**Allah**” itself which means the One who is adored and worshipped.
 
• We are asking Him through (also known as tawassul in Arabic) His Oneness and His Lordship: He is our Sole Master, the One who created us, provides for us and manages our affairs.
 
• To further reiterate Allah’s Lordship over us, we remind ourselves that He is the one who created us, so we are His slaves and must worship Him as He commands. Thus, we acknowledge our servitude to Him.
 
• After acknowledging Allah’s superiority over us, we move on to how we are supposed to interact with Him: trying to fulfil our pledge to Him.
 
• Our “**pledge**” to Allah is the pledge we made when we were taken out from the back of Ādam (ʿalayhis-salām) as Allah mentions in the Qur’ān, “And when your Lord took out the offspring from the loins of the Children of Ādam and made them bear witness about themselves, He said, ‘Am I not your Lord?’ and they replied, ‘Yes, we bear witness’ (7:172).
 
• Allah’s “**covenant**” to us is the one mentioned in the ḥadīth narrated by Muʿādh b. Jabal (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu), which is that Allah will not punish the person who does not associate any partners with Him (Bukhārī 7373).
 
• By highlighting that we will keep our pledge “**to the best of my ability**”, we acknowledge our weakness and shortcomings towards Allah, as we will never be able to worship Him and thank Him as He truly deserves.
 
• We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our actions as they could lead us to be punished. Similarly, we seek protection from further misguidance, as the punishment of a sin is to be deprived from doing good deeds.
 
• By acknowledging Allah’s blessings over us, we feel more shame to disobey Him.
 
• Ibn al-Qayyim (raḥimahullāh) beautifully explains this part of the du‘ā’: “The words “**I acknowledge the favours that You have bestowed upon me and I admit my sins**” combine the recognition of divine favours with the awareness of the defects of the human soul and its deeds.
 
The perception of **Allah’s favours** leads one to love, praise and thank Him. The awareness of **the soul’s defects** leads one to be humble, need Allah and turn to Him in repentance at every moment.
 
Thus, the ‘ārif (one who has attained Allah’s recognition) journeys towards Him on these two wings: awareness of his own faults and recognition of his Lord’s grace. He cannot journey without them, and if he loses one, he would be like a bird that has lost a wing.”
 
• All of what was mentioned so far in this duʿā’ is just a preparation for the last part, which is to ask Allah for forgiveness.
 
• We end this duʿā’ by saying, “**Forgive me, for none forgives sins but You**.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Your Lord, Most High, is pleased with His servant when he says: “Forgive me my sins.” He knows that no one forgives sins except Him” (Abū Dāwūd).
 
` `
` `
**Action Points & Benefits     **
 
• Though this duʿā’ is to ask Allah for forgiveness, we only do so at the end. Thus, we learn that the best way of seeking forgiveness is not to immediately ask for it, but to **precede** it with the following:
 
1) Acknowledging Allah’s greatness and that He alone deserves to be worshipped.
 
2) Acknowledging the pledge we made to Allah, which is to take Him as our Lord.
 
3) Having hope in the promise of Allah (i.e. the promise of admitting us into Paradise if we do not associate partners with Him).
 
4) Seeking refuge in Allah from the evil of our sins.
 
5) Acknowledging Allah’s blessings over us.
 
6) Acknowledging our shortcomings towards Allah (i.e. our sins and our inability to perfect acts of worship).
 
• This duʿā’ teaches us the **adab** of seeking forgiveness and how to approach Allah with the true humility of a servant.
 
• It also teaches us the mindset of a believer and in a few words, reminds us about **the bond between servant and Master**.
 
• It reminds us **who Allah is** and who we are; how weak we are and how Powerful He is.
 
• When read daily, in the morning and in the evening, it gives us a chance to **reaffirm our tawḥīd** to Him and be purified from our endless sins inshā’Allah.
 
• It is no surprise that the Prophet ﷺ said that whoever says this with certainty will enter Paradise. This is because whoever says it with certainty is someone who sincerely repents to Allah; and **sincere repentance guarantees Paradise**.
 
• If we gain the habit of reciting this duʿā’ every day, inshallah we hope that whenever we die, we will be admitted into Paradise.
 
• The Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever says it during the day with **firm belief in it**…” Reciting these adhkār with firm belief and conviction (yaqīn) requires us to know what they mean. This is why we should learn the meaning of the adhkār and reflect on it, so that we can increase in our conviction and attain the full reward.

Praising Allah, Forgiveness and Good Character

اَللّٰهُمَّ أَنْتَ الْمَلِكُ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، أَنْتَ رَبِّيْ وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ ، ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِيْ وَاعْتَرَفْتُ بِذَنْبِيْ ، فَاغْفِرْ لِيْ ذُنُوْبِيْ جَمِيْعًا ، إِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، وَاهْدِنِيْ لِأَحْسَنِ الْأَخْلَاقِ لَا يَهْدِيْ لِأَحْسَنِهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، وَاصْرِفْ عَنِّيْ سَيِّئَهَا لَا يَصْرِفُ عَنِّيْ سَيِّئَهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، لَبَّيْكَ وَسَعْدَيْكَ ، وَالْخَيْرُ كُلُّهُ فِيْ يَدَيْكَ ، وَالشَّرُّ لَيْسَ إِلَيْكَ ، أَنَا بِكَ وَإِلَيْكَ ، تَبَارَكْتَ وَتَعَالَيْتَ ، أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوْبُ إِلَيْكَ.

(1x)

O Allah, You are the King, there is no god worthy of worship except You. You are my Lord and I am Your slave. I have wronged myself and I confess my sins. Forgive all of my sins; indeed no one forgives sins except You. Guide me to the best of character, for no one guides to the best of it except You; and turn the evil of it away from me, for no one turns it away except You. Here I am at Your service, seeking Your pleasure; all good is in Your hands and no evil is attributed to You. I am from You and I am returning to You. You are Most Blessed and You are Most Exalted. I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You.

Allāhumma Antal-Maliku lā ilāha illā Ant, Anta Rabbī wa ana ʿabduk, ẓalamtu nafsī waʿtaraftu bi-dhambī, fa-ghfir lī dhunūbī jamīʿā, innahū lā yaghfiru-dh-dhunūba illā Ant, wa-hdinī li-aḥsani-l-akhlāqi lā yahdī li-aḥsanihā illā Ant, wa-ṣrif ʿannī sayyi’ahā lā yaṣrifu ʿannī sayyi’ahā illā Ant, labbayka wa saʿdayk, wal-khayru kulluhū fī yadayk, wa-sh-sharru laysa ilayk, ana bika wa ilayk, tabārakta wa taʿālayt, astaghfiruka wa atūbu ilayk.

Alī b. Abī Ṭālib (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates: “When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would stand for prayer, he would say:

وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ إِنَّ صَلاَتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَاىَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ
(I have turned my face towards the One who created the heavens and the earth, turned away from all that is false having surrendered to Allah, and I am not of the polytheists. My ṣalāh, my sacrifice, my life and my death are all for Allah, Lord of the worlds, who has no partners. I have been commanded of this, and I am of those who submit.)

He would then say [the above].

When he would do rukū, he would say:
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ رَكَعْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَلَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ خَشَعَ لَكَ سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي وَمُخِّي وَعَظْمِي وَعَصَبِي
(O Allah, for You Alone I have bowed in prayer, in You Alone I have believed, and to You Alone I have submitted. My hearing, sight, mind, bones and nerves are humble to You.)

When he would raise his head from rukū, he would say:
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ مِلْءَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَمِلْءَ الأَرْضِ وَمِلْءَ مَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَمِلْءَ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ شَىْءٍ بَعْدُ
(O Allah, Our Lord, for You Alone is all praise; praise which fills the heavens, which fills the earth, which fills whatever is in between them, and which fills whatever You wish after that.)

When he would do sajdah, he would say:
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ سَجَدْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَلَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ سَجَدَ وَجْهِي لِلَّذِي خَلَقَهُ وَصَوَّرَهُ وَشَقَّ سَمْعَهُ وَبَصَرَهُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ
(O Allah, for You Alone I have prostrated, in You Alone I have believed, and to You Alone I have submitted. My face has prostrated to the One who created and fashioned it, and who formed its hearing and sight. Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators.)

The last thing he would say after the tashahhud and the salām would be:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَفْتُ وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ
(O Allah, forgive me for what I have done in the past and for what I am yet to do, for what I have done privately and for what I have done publicly, for my excesses and for that which You know more than me. You are the One who brings forward and the One who puts behind, and there is no god worthy of worship except You.)

(Muslim 771)

Comprehensive Forgiveness

اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ خَطِيْئَتِيْ وَجَهْلِيْ وَإِسْرَافِيْ فِيْ أَمْرِيْ ، وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّيْ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ جِدِّيْ وَهَزْلِيْ وَخَطَئِيْ وَعَمْدِيْ وَكُلُّ ذٰلِكَ عِنْدِيْ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ ، وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّـيْ ، أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ.

(1x)

O Allah, forgive my mistakes, ignorance, transgression in my matters, and what You are more Knowledgeable of than me. O Allah, forgive me for what I did in earnestness and in jest; unintentionally or intentionally; as I have committed all of these (types of sins). O Allah, forgive me for what I have already done, what I am yet to do, what I did publicly, what I did privately, and what You are more Knowledgeable of than me. You are the One who brings forward and You are the One who defers. You are All-Powerful over everything.

Allāhumma-ghfirlī khaṭī’atī wa jahlī wa isrāfī fī amrī, wa mā Anta aʿlamu bihī minnī, Allāhumma-ghfir lī jiddī wa hazlī wa khaṭa’ī wa ʿamdī wa kullu dhālika ʿindī, Allāhumma-ghfirlī mā qaddamtu wa mā akh-khart, wa mā asrartu wa mā aʿlant, wa mā Anta aʿlamu bihī minnī, Anta-l-Muqaddimu wa Anta-l-Muakh-khir, wa Anta ʿalā kulli shay’in Qadīr.

 

Abū Mūsā al-‘Ashʿarī (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) reported from his father that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would supplicate with [the above]. (Muslim 2719)

Forgiveness

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّيْ.

(1x)

O Allah, You are the Ever-Pardoning, You love to pardon so pardon me.

Allāhumma innaka ʿAffuwwun tuḥibb-ul-ʿafwa faʿfu ʿannī.

Ā’isha (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhā) narrated: “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, if I know when the Night of al-Qadr is, then what should I say in it?” He said: ‘Say: [the above].’” (Tirmidhī 3513)

Forgiveness, Anger and Trials

اَللّٰهُمَّ رَبَّ مُحَمَّدٍ اغْفِرْ لِيْ ذَنْبِيْ ، وَأَذْهِبْ غَيْظَ قَلْبِيْ ، وَأَعِذْنِيْ مِنْ مُضِلَّاتِ الْفِتَنِ.

(1x)

O Allah, Lord of Muḥammad forgive my sins, remove the anger of my heart and protect me from misleading trials.

Allāhumma Rabba Muḥammad, ighfir lī dhambī, wa adh-hib ghayẓa qalbī, wa aʿidhnī min muḍillāti-l-fitan.

Muhammad b. Abī Bakr (raḥimahullāh) narrates that when ʿĀ’isha (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhā) would become angry, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would stroke her nose and then say (to her): “O ʿUwaysh! Say: [the above].” (Ibn al-Sunnī 456)

Forgiveness For All Types of Sins

اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ ذَنْبِيْ كُلَّهُ ، دِقَّهُ وَجِلَّهُ ، وَأَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ ، وَعَلَانِيَتَهُ وَسِرَّهُ.

(1x)

O Allah, forgive for me all of my sins: the minor and major, the first and the last, the public and the private.

Allāhumma-ghfir lī dhambī kullah, diqqahū wa jillah, wa awwalahū wa ākhirah, wa ʿalāniyatahū wa sirrah.

Abū Hurayrah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would say [the above] in sujūd.” (Muslim 483)

Acknowledgement of Your Sins, Forgiveness & Mercy

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنّيْ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِيْ ظُلْمًا كَثِيْرًا ، وَلَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، فَاغْفِرْ لِيْ مَغْفِرَةً مِّنْ عِنْدِكَ ، وَارْحَمْنِيْ ، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْمُ.

(1x)

O Allah, I have wronged myself greatly and no one forgives sins except You; so grant me forgiveness from You and have mercy upon me. You are the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Allāhumma innī ẓalamtu nafsī ẓulman kathīrā, wa lā yaghfiru-dh-dhunūba illā Ant, fa-ghfir lī maghfirata-m-min ʿindik, war-ḥamnī, innaka Anta-l-Ghafūru-r-Raḥīm.

Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates: “I asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to teach me a du’ā so that I may invoke Allah with it in my salāh. He told me to say: [the above].” (Bukhārī 834)

Forgiveness, Mercy & Guidance

اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ ، وَارْحَمْنِيْ ، وَعَافِنيْ ، وَاهْدِنِيْ وَارْزُقْنِيْ.

(1x)

O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, grant me wellbeing, guide me and grant me sustenance.

Allāhumma-ghfir lī, war-ḥamnī, wa ʿāfinī, wah-dinī war-zuqnī.

ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAbbās (radiy Allāhū ‘anhumā): “The Prophet ﷺ used to say [the above] between the two prostrations.” (Abū Dāwūd 850)

A Deep Cleansing of Sins

اَللّٰهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِيْ وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَاىَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ ، اللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِيْ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ ، اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْنِيْ مِنْ خَطَايَاىَ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ.

(1x)

O Allah, distance me from my sins as You have distanced the East from the West. O Allah, purify me from my sins as white cloth is purified from dirt. O Allah, wash away my sins with water, snow and hail.

Allāhumma bāʿid baynī wa bayna khaṭāyāya kamā bāʿadta bayna-l-mashriqi wa-l-maghrib, Allāhumma naq-qinī min khaṭāyāya kamā yunaq-qa-th-thawbul-abyaḍu mina-d-danas, Allāhumma-ghsilnī min khaṭāyāya bil-māi’ wa-th-thalji wal-barad.

Abū Hurayrah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would pause between the opening takbīr and the recitation. said: ‘May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, the pause between the opening takbir and the recitation, what do you say?’ He replied: ‘I say [the above].’ (Bukhārī 744, Muslim 598)

Forgiveness for the Believers

اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ.

(1x)

O Allah, forgive the believing men and the believing women.

Allāhumma-ghfir lil-mu’minīna wa-l-mu’mināt.

Umm Salamah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhā) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever says [the above] everyday, he will receive a reward for every believer.” (Tabarānī in Muʿjam al-Kabīr 23/370)

ʿUbādah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever seeks forgiveness for the believing men and women, Allah will write a good deed for every believing man and woman.” (Tabarānī in Musnad al-Shāmiyyīn 2155)

Unwavering Iman, Blessings & The Prophet’s Company in Paradise

اَللّٰهُمَّ إنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ إِيْمَانًا لَّا يَرْتَدُّ ، وَنَعِيْمًا لَّا يَنْفَدُ ، وَمُرَافَقَةَ نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ فِيْ أَعْلَىٰ جَنَّةِ الْخُلْدِ.

(1x)

O Allah, I beg you for faith which does not waver, blessings which do not cease, and the company of our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in the loftiest abode of the Eternal Garden.

Allāhumma innī as’aluka īmāna-l-lā yartad, wa naʿīma-l-lā yanfad, wa murāfaqata Nabiyyanā Muḥammadin fī aʿlā Jannati-l-khuld.

(Ahmad 4340)

Asking for Jannah al-Firdaws

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ الْفِرْدَوْسَ أَعْلَى الْجَنَّةِ.

(1x)

O Allah, I beg you for al-Firdaws, the loftiest abode of Paradise.

Allāhumma innī as’alukal-Firdawsa aʿlāl-Jannah.

Abū Hurayrah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrated that the the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever believes in Allah and His Messenger, offers prayer perfectly and fasts the month of Ramadan, will rightfully be granted Paradise by Allah, no matter whether he fights in Allah’s Cause or remains in the land where he is born.” The people said, “O Messenger of Allah! Shall we inform the people of this good news?” He said, “Paradise has one-hundred grades which Allah has reserved for the warriors who fight in His Cause, and the distance between each of two grades is like the distance between the Heaven and the Earth. So, when you ask Allah (for something), ask for al-Firdaws which is the best and highest part of Paradise.” The sub-narrator added, “I think the Prophet ﷺ also said, ‘Above it (i.e. al-Firdaws) is the Throne of Beneficent (i.e. Allah), and from it originate the rivers of Paradise.”) (Bukhārī 2790)

Muʿādh b. Jabal (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “When you ask Allah, ask for al-Firdaws (the highest level of Jannah).” (Tirmidhī 2530)

Protection From Hell-Fire & the Punishment of The Grave

اَللّٰهُمَّ رَبَّ جَبْرَائِيْلَ وَمِيْكَائِيْلَ وَرَبَّ إِسْرَافِيْلَ ، أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ حَرِّ النَّارِ ، وَمِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ

(1x)

O Allah, Lord of Jabrā’īl and Mīkā’īl, and the Lord of Isrāfīl, I seek Your protection from the heat of the Hell-fire and from the punishment of the grave.

Allāhumma Rabba Jabrā’īla wa Mīkā’īla wa Rabba Isrāfīl, aʿūdhu bika min ḥarri-n-Nār, wa min ʿadhābil-qabr.

ʿĀ’isha (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhā) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said [the above]. (Nasā’ī 5519)

Protection From Hell-Fire, Punishment of the Grave & Trials

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ ، وَمِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ ، وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيْحِ الدَّجَّالِ.

(1x)

O Allah, I seek Your protection from the punishment of the Hell-fire, and from the punishment of the grave, and from the trials of life and death, and from the evil of the tribulation of Dajjāl, the false Messiah.

Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika min ʿadhābi Jahannam, wa min ʿadhābil-qabr, wa min fitnati-l-maḥyā wal-mamāt, wa min sharri fitnati-l-Masīḥi-d-Dajjāl.

Abū Hurayrah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “When any one of you utters the tashahhud (in salah), he should seek refuge with Allah from four and should say [the above].” (Muslim 588)

Protection From The Anguish of the World & Hereafter

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ ضِيْقِ الدُّنْيَا وَضِيْقِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ.

(1x)

O Allah, I seek Your protection from the anguish of the world and the anguish of the Day of Judgement.

Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika min ḍīqi-d-dunyā wa ḍīqi yawmi-l-qiyāmah.

Sharīq al-Hawzānī (raḥimahullāh) narrates that I entered upon Aisha (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhā) and I asked her: “With which supplication did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ begin his Salāh when he woke up at night?” She replied: “You have asked me regarding something which no one has asked me before.” When he woke up at night, he uttered: Allāhu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) ten times, and uttered Alḥamdullillāh (All praise be to Allah) ten times, and said Subḥāna-llāhi wa bi ḥamdih. (Allah is free from imperfection, and all praise is due to Him.) ten times, and said: Subḥānal Malik al-Quddūs (How perfect is the Sovereign, the Most Holy) ten times, and asked Allah’s forgiveness ten times, and said: “There is no god but Allah” ten times, and then said: [the above] ten times. He then began the Salāh. (Abū Dāwūd 5085)

Attainment of Every Good

اَللّٰهُمَّ إنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مُوْجِبَاتِ رَحْمَتِكَ ، وَعَزَائِمَ مَغْفِرَتِكَ ، وَالسَّلَامَةَ مِنْ كُلِّ إِثْمٍ ، وَالْغَنِِيْمَةَ مِنْ كُلِّ بِرٍّ ، وَالْفَوْزَ بِالْجَنَّةِ ، وَالنَّجَاةَ مِنَ النَّارِ.

(1x)

O Allah, we beg You for all that which will necessitate Your mercy and the determination to do all that which will necessitate Your forgiveness; for protection from every sin and accomplishment of every good; for attainment of Paradise and for freedom from Hell-fire.

Allāhumma innā nas’aluka mūjibāti raḥmatik, wa ʿazā’ima maghfiratik, wa-s-salāmata min kulli ithm, wal-ghanīmata min kulli birr, wal-fawza bil-Jannah, wa-n-najāta mina-n-nār.

Abdullah b. Mas’ūd (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) says: “From the supplication of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was: [the above]. (Hākim 1/525)

Easy Reckoning

اَللّٰهُمَّ حَاسِبْنِيْ حِسَابًا يَّسِيْرًا.

(1x)

O Allah, grant me an easy reckoning.

Allāhumma ḥāsibnī ḥisāba-y-yasīrā.

ʿĀ’isha (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhā) narrates: “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, what is an easy reckoning?’ He said: ‘(An easy reckoning is) that Allah looks inside His book (of deeds) and pardons him, for one who his taken to task and interrogated on that Day, O ʿĀ’isha, will be destroyed. And anything that afflicts a Muslim, Allah will expiate his sins as much as the prick of a thorn.” (Ahmad 24215)

ʿĀ’isha (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhā) narrates: “Once the Prophet ﷺ said: ‘Whoever will be called to account (about his deeds on the Day of Resurrection) will surely be punished.’ I said: ‘Doesn’t Allah say: “He surely will receive an easy reckoning.” (84.8) The Prophet ﷺ replied, ‘This means only the presentation of the accounts but whoever will be taken to account and interrogated, will certainly be ruined.’ (Bukhārī 103)

The Prophet’s Comprehensive Duʿa After the Battle of Uhud

اَللّٰهُمَّ ابْسُطْ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ بَرَكَاتِكَ وَرَحْمَتِكَ وَفَضْلِكَ وَرِزْقِكَ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ النَّعِيْمَ الْمُقِيْمَ الَّذِيْ لَا يَحُوْلُ وَلَا يَزُوْلُ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ النَّعِيْمَ يَوْمَ الْعَيْلَةِ ، وَالْأَمْنَ يَوْمَ الْخَوْفِ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ عَائِذٌ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَعْطَيْتَنَا وَشَرِّ مَا مَنَعْتَنَا ، اَللّٰهُمَّ حَبِّبْ إِلَيْنَا الْإِيْمَانَ وَزَيِّنْهُ فِيْ قُلُوْبِنَا ، وَكَرِّهْ إِلَيْنَا الْكُفْرَ وَالْفُسُوْقَ وَالْعِصْيَانَ ، وَاجْعَلْنَا مِنَ الرَّاشِدِيْنَ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ تَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِيْنَ ، وَأَحْيِنَا مُسْلِمِيْنَ ، وَأَلْحِقْنَا بِالصَّالِحِيْنَ ، غَيْرَ خَزَايَا وَلَا مَفْتُوْنِيْنَ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ قَاتِلِ الْكَفَرَةَ الَّذِيْنَ يُكَذِّبُوْنَ رُسُلَكَ ، وَيَصُدُّوْنَ عَنْ سَبِيْلِكَ ، وَاجْعَلْ عَلَيْهِمْ رِجْزَكَ وَعَذَابَكَ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ قَاتِلِ الْكَفَرَةَ الَّذِيْنَ أُوْتُوا الْكِتَابَ ، إِلٰهَ الْحَقِّ.

(1x)

O Allah, grant us Your blessings, Your mercy, Your grace and Your sustenance in abundance. O Allah, I beg you for eternal blessings which do not change nor disappear. O Allah, I beg you for blessings on the day of intense need and safety on the day of fear (i.e. Day of Judgement). O Allah, I seek Your protection from the evil of what You have granted us and the evil of what You have withheld from us. O Allah, endear faith to us and beautify it in our hearts. Make disbelief, sins and disobedience hateful to us, and make us of the rightly guided ones. O Allah, grant us death as Muslims, make us live as Muslims and join us with the righteous without being humiliated or tested. O Allah, fight the disbelievers who reject Your Messengers and avert from Your path. Inflict upon them Your punishment and vengeance. O Allah, fight the disbelievers who were given the Book, O the True God.

Allāhumma-b-suṭ ʿalaynā min barakātika wa raḥmatika wa faḍlika wa rizqik, Allāhumma innī as’aluka-n-naʿīmal-muqīma-l-ladhī lā yaḥūlu wa lā yazūl, Allāhumma innī as’aluka-n-naʿīma yawmal-ʿaylah, wa-l-amna yawma-l-khawf, Allāhumma innī ʿā’idhu-m-bika min sharri mā aʿṭaytanā wa sharri mā manaʿtanā, Allāhumma ḥab-bib ilaynal-īmāna wa zay-yinhu fī qulūbinā, wa kar-rih ilayna-l-kufra wal-fusūqa wa-l-ʿiṣyān, waj-ʿalnā mina-r-rāshidīn, Allāhumma tawaf-fanā Muslimīn, wa aḥyinā Muslimīn, wa alḥiqnā bi-ṣ-ṣāliḥīn, ghayra khazāyā wa lā maftūnīn, Allāhumma qātili-l-kafarata-l-ladhīna yukadh-dhibūna rusulak, wa yaṣuddūna ʿan sabīlik, waj-ʿal ʿalayhim rijzaka wa ʿadhābak, Allāhumma qātilil-kafarata-l-ladhīna ūtu-l-kitāb, ilāha-l-ḥaqq.

Rifā’ah az-Zuraqī (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates: “When it was the day of (the battle of) Uhud and the polytheists retreated, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Arrange yourselves (in rows) so I can praise my Lord.’ So the Companions (radiy Allāhū ‘anhum) stood behind him in rows. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “O Allah, for You Alone is all praise. O Allah, none can restrict what You expand and none can expand what You have restricted. None can guide whom You have left astray, and none can mislead whom You have guided. None can give what You withhold, and none can withhold what You bestow. None can bring near what You have distanced and none can distance what You have brought near.” Then he said: [the above].” (Aḥmad 15066)

Best of What the Righteous are Granted

اَللّٰهُمَّ آتِنِيْ أَفْضَلَ مَا تُؤْتِيْ عِبَادَكَ الصَّالِحِيْنَ

(1x)

O Allah, grant me the best of what You grant Your righteous slaves.

Allāhumma ātinī afḍala mā tuʿtī ʿibādaka-ṣ-ṣāliḥīn.

Sa’d (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that a man came for Salāh while Messenger of Allah ﷺ was performing Salāh. The man said [the above] when he reached the row. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ concluded the Salāh, he asked: “Who spoke just now?” The man said: “It was me O Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He ﷺ said: “Then your horse will be killed and you will be martyred in the path of Allah.” (Ibn Hibbān 1609)

Asking For Martyrdom

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ شَهَادَةً فِيْ سَبِيْلِكَ

(1x)

O Allah, I beg you for martyrdom in Your path.

Allāhumma innī as’aluka shahādatan fī sabīlik.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whoever asks for martyrdom with sincerity will be ranked by Allah among the martyrs even if he died on his bed.” (Muslim 1909)

Zayd b. Aslam (raḥimahullāh) narrates that ʿUmar b. Khattab (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) would say [the above] and add: “and death in the city of your beloved.” (Muwatta 1003)

A Goodly Life & Death

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ عِيْشَةً نَّقِيَّةً ، وَمِيْتَةً سَوِيَّةً ، وَمَرَدًّا غَيْرَ مُخْزٍ وَّلَا فَاضِحٍ

(1x)

O Allah, I beg you for a pure life, a good death, and a return (to You) which is neither humiliating nor disgraceful.

Allāhumma innī as’aluka ʿīshata-n-naqiyyah, wa mītatan sawiyyah, wa marad-dan ghayra mukhzi-w-wa lā fāḍiḥ.

ʿAbdullāh b. Masʿūd (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that the du’ā of the Prophet ﷺ in the two Eid’s was: [the above]. He would also add: “O Allah, do not give us a sudden death, and do not take us unexpectedly, and do not hurry us from (fulfilling) a right or (making a) bequest. O Allah, we ask you for chastity, self-sufficiency, taqwā (fear), guidance, and a good-ending in this world and the Hereafter. And we seek refuge in you from doubt, opposing (the truth), ostentation and fame in your religion. O Turner of hearts, do not let our hearts deviate after you have guided us. Grant us Your mercy. You are indeed the Giver of all bounties.” (Tabarānī in Mu’jam al-Awsat 7572)

Entrust All Your Matters to Allah

يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّوْمُ ، بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيْثُ ، أَصْلِحْ لِيْ شَأْنِيْ كُلَّهُ ، وَلَا تَكِلْنِيْ إِلَىٰ نَفْسِيْ طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ.

(1x)

O The Ever Living, The Sustainer of all. ; I seek assistance through Your mercy. Rectify all of my affairs and do not entrust me to myself for the blink of an eye.

Yā Ḥayyu yā Qayyūm, bi-raḥmatika astaghīth, aṣliḥ lī sha’nī kullah, wa lā takilnī ilā nafsī ṭarfata ʿayn.

Anas b. Mālik (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said to Fāṭimah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhā), “What is preventing you from (doing) what I am advising you; that you say [the above] in the morning and evening?” (Nasā’ī in ʿAmal al-Yawm wa-l-Laylah 570)

**Brief Commentary**
 
• We begin this duʿā’ by calling Allah through His Name: al-Ḥayy: “**The Ever Living**.” Allah’s ‘living’ is very different to our own living, as our living contains periods of illness, tiredness, sleep, and many other deficiencies, including having a beginning and end. However, Allah has the most perfect form of life, as He was always present and will always remain. His life is not interrupted by any periods of sleep nor loss of power.
 
• When we call upon Allah ‘al-Ḥayy’ (the Ever Living), we should realise we are calling the Being who will always be present and available to help.
 
• We then call upon Allah through His Name ‘al-Qayyūm’, **The Sustainer of all**. Al-Qayyūm is the one who Himself is Self-Sustaining, and at the same time sustains His creation by creating them, managing their affairs, providing for them, and protecting them. He is the one who keeps everything in place e.g. planet orbitals, keeping the earth and the heavens intact etc.
 
• The Sustainer of all (‘Qayyūm’) implies that Allah is complete in terms of His ability to carry out actions, therefore we call upon Him as He is always there, and fully capable of fulfilling our needs.
 
• The Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said that Allah has the greatest name that if you ask Him with it and supplicate to Him with this name then He will surely accept your duʿā’ (Tirmidhi 3544). Many scholars have mentioned that this Greatest Name comprises the two Names at the beginning of this duʿā’: “**O Ever Living One, O Sustainer of all**.”
 
• We then ask Allah for “**assistance**” through His mercy. We don’t mention what we seek assistance for, but inferring from how the duʿā’ continues, it is understood that we are asking Him for assistance in **everything** good, since we cannot rely on ourselves for anything.
 
• We then ask Allah to rectify all our affairs. This includes matters related to this life and the hereafter.
 
• The last part of this duʿā’ sets in place a very important concept in our life, which is that we need Allah for everything in our lives. If we are left to ourselves even for a moment, then this would lead to our destruction.
 
• By realising we cannot depend on ourselves alone, we implement what we recite at least 17 times a day, which is the verse in Sūrah al-Fātiḥah: ‘Only You do we worship, and only in You do we seek assistance’.
 
 ` `
` `
** Action Points **
 
• Memorise the Greatest Names of Allah (‘Ḥayy’ and ‘Qayyūm’) and ensure you always call upon Allah with these Names whenever you supplicate to Him.
 
• Though very short, this duʿā’ carries great meanings, and must never be said without contemplation as you are setting your frame of mind for the rest of the day when you say this duʿā’.
 
• Whenever you say this duʿā’, always keep in mind that you will fail if you only depend on yourself, even if it is for one moment of your life.
 
• Once you say this duʿā’ from the bottom of your heart, you will feel at great ease and comfort as you have entrusted all your affairs to Allah; and inshāAllāh you will have a very successful morning or evening.
 
• Ibn al-Qayyim writes, “The Names ‘al-Ḥayy’ and ‘al-Qayyūm’ are extremely effective in getting one’s duʿās answered, and one’s calamities removed. Among the experiences of the wayfarers (on the path to Allah) that have been tried and found to be sound is that whoever accustoms himself to reciting: ‘O Living, O Sustainer of all! There is no god worthy of worship but You,’ shall be bequeathed life into his heart and mind because of it.”

Renewal of Iman

اَللّٰهُمَّ جَدِّدِ الْإِيْمَانَ فِيْ قَلْبِيْ

(1x)

O Allah, keep faith rejuvenated in my heart.

Allāhumma jaddidi-l-īmāna fī qalbī.

ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar (radiy Allāhū ‘anhumā) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Indeed, īmān (faith) wears out in your hearts the way a piece of cloth wears out. So ask Allah to rejuvenate īmān (faith) in your hearts.” (Hākim 1/4)

Safeguarding of My Islam & Asking For All Good

اَللّٰهُمَّ احْفَظْنِيْ بِالْإِسْلَامِ قَائِمًا ، وَاحْفَظْنِيْ بِالْإِسْلَامِ قَاعِدًا ، وَاحْفَظْنِيْ بِالْإِسْلَامِ رَاقِدًا ، وَلَا تُشْمِتْ بِيَ عَدُوًّا وَّلَا حَاسِدًا ، اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ كُلِّ خَيْرٍ خَزَائِنُهُ بِيَدِكَ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ خَزَائِنُهُ بِيَدِكَ

(1x)

O Allah, safeguard me with Islam whilst I am standing. Safeguard me with Islam whilst I am sitting. Safeguard me with Islam whilst I am sleeping, and do not let an enemy or envier gloat over my misery. O Allah, I beg You for all good, the treasures of which are in Your Hand. I seek Your protection from all evil, the treasures of which are in Your Hand.

Allāhumma-ḥ-faẓnī bi-l-Islāmi qā’imā, wa-ḥ-faẓnī bi-l-Islāmi qāʿidā, wa-ḥ-faẓnī bi-l-Islāmi rāqidā, wa lā tushmit biya ʿaduw-wa-w-wa lā ḥāsidā, Allāhumma innī as’aluka min kulli khayrin khazā’inuhu bi-yadik, wa aʿūdhu bika min kulli sharrin khazā’inuhu bi-yadik.

ʿAbdullāh b. Masʿūd (radiy Allāhū ‘anhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would say [the above]. (Hākim 1/525)

Steadfastness on Din

يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوْبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِيْ عَلَىٰ دِيْنِكَ

(1x)

O Allah, Turner of hearts, make my heart firm upon Your religion.

Yā Muqalliba-l-qulūbi thabbit qalbī ʿalā dīnik.

Shahr bin Hawshab (raḥimahullāh) said: “I said to Umm Salamah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhā): ‘O Mother of the Believers! What was the supplication that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said most frequently when he was with you?” She said: ‘The supplication he said most frequently was: ’[the above]’” She said: ‘So I said: “O Messenger of Allah, why do you supplicate [the above] so frequently [the above]? He said: ‘O Umm Salamah! Verily, there is no human being except that his heart is between Two Fingers of the Fingers of Allah, so whomsoever He wills He makes steadfast, and whomever He wills He causes to deviate.’” (Tirmidhī 3522)

Steadfastness on Obedience

اَللّٰهُمَّ مُصَرِّفَ الْقُلُوْبِ صَرِّفْ قُلُوْبَنَا عَلَىٰ طَاعَتِكَ

(1x)

O Allah, Changer of hearts, direct our hearts to Your obedience.

Allāhumma Muṣarrifa-l-qulūbi ṣarrif qulūbanā ʿalā ṭāʿatik.

Abdullāh b. ʿAmr (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhuma) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Verily, the hearts of the children of Adam, all of them, are between the two fingers of the Merciful as one heart. He directs them wherever He wills.” (Muslim 2654)

Steadfastness on Islam

يَا وَلِيَّ الْإسْلَامِ وَأَهْلِهِ ، ثَبِّتْنِيْ بِهِ حَتَّىٰ أَلْقَاكَ

(1x)

O Guardian of Islam and its followers, keep me firm on it (Islam) until I meet You.

Yā Waliyyal-Islāmi wa ahlih, thab-bitnī bihī ḥattā alqāk.

Anas b. Mālik (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would say [the above]. (Tabarānī in Mu’jam al-Awsat 653)

Best Outcomes & Protection from Humiliation

اَللّٰهُمَّ أَحْسِنْ عَاقِبَتَنَا فِي الْأُمُوْرِ كُلِّهَا ، وَأَجِرْنَا مِنْ خِزْيِ الدُّنْيَا وَعَذَابِ الْآخِرَةِ

(1x)

O Allah, grant us the best outcome in all of our affairs, and protect us from the humiliation of this world and the punishment of the hereafter.

Allāhumma aḥsin ʿāqibatanā fi-l-umūri kullihā, wa ajirnā min khizyi-d-dunyā wa ʿadhābi-l-ākhirah.

Busr b. Abī Artāt (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ supplicate with [the above]. (Aḥmad 17628)

A Priceless Treasure

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ الثَّبَاتَ فِي الْأَمْرِ ، وَالْعَزِيْمَةَ عَلَى الرُّشْدِ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مُوْجِبَاتِ رَحْمَتِكَ ، وَعَزَائِمَ مَغْفِرَتِكَ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ شُكْرَ نِعْمَتِكَ ، وَحُسْنَ عِبَادَتِكَ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ قَلْبًا سَلِيْمًا ، وَلِسَانًا صَادِقًا ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا تَعْلَمُ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا تَعْلَمُ ، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِمَا تَعْلَمُ ، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوْبِ

(1x)

O Allah, I beg you for steadfastness in all matters and the determination to take the right course. I ask You for all that which will necessitate Your mercy and the determination to do all that which will necessitate Your forgiveness. I ask You to make me grateful for Your blessings and to worship You in an excellent manner. I ask You for a sound heart and a truthful tongue. I ask You for the good of what You know, I seek Your protection from the evil of what You know, and I seek Your forgiveness for what You know. Indeed, You are the All-Knowing of the unseen.

Allāhumma innī as’aluka-th-thabāta fil-amr, wa-l-ʿazīmata ʿala-r-rushd, wa as’aluka mūjibāti raḥmatik, wa ʿazā’ima maghfiratik, wa as’aluka shukra niʿmatik, wa ḥusna ʿibādatik, wa as’aluka qalban salīmā, wa lisānan ṣādiqā, wa as’aluka min khayri mā taʿlam, wa aʿūdhu bika min sharri mā taʿlam, wa astaghfiruka limā taʿlam, innaka Anta ʿAllāmul-ghuyūb.

Shaddād b. Aws (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was teaching this duā to me. he said: “O Shaddād, when you see people collecting gold & silver as their treasures, then consider [the above] as your treasure.” (Ahmad 17155)

Well-being in this World & the Hereafter

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِيْ دِيْنِيْ وَدُنْيَايَ وَأَهْلِيْ وَمَالِيْ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِيْ وَآمِنْ رَوْعَاتِيْ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ احْفَظْنِيْ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيَّ ، وَمِنْ خَلْفِيْ ، وَعَنْ يَّمِيْنِيْ ، وَعَنْ شِمَالِيْ ، وَمِنْ فَوْقِيْ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِعَظَمَتِكَ أَنْ أُغْتَالَ مِنْ تَحْتِيْ.

(1x)

O Allah, I ask You for well-being in this world and the next. O Allah, I ask You for forgiveness and well-being in my religion, in my worldly affairs, in my family and in my wealth. O Allah, conceal my faults and calm my fears. O Allah, guard me from in front of me and behind me, from my right, and from my left, and from above me. I seek protection in Your Greatness from being unexpectedly destroyed from beneath me.

Allāhumma innī as’aluka-l-ʿāfiyata fi-d-dunyā wa-l-ākhirah. Allāhumma innī as’aluka-l-ʿafwa wa-l-ʿāfiyata fī dīnī wa dunyāya wa ahlī wa mālī, Allāhumma-stur ʿawrātī wa āmin rawʿātī. Allāhumma-ḥfaẓnī mim bayni yadayya wa min khalfī, wa ʿay-n yamīnī wa ʿan shimālī wa min fawqī, wa aʿūdhu bi-ʿaẓamatika an ughtāla min taḥtī.

 

ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhumā) narrated: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ never failed to say these words in the morning and in the evening.” (Abū Dāwūd 5074)

**Brief Commentary**
 
• In this duʿā’, we seek Allah’s forgiveness and ask Him for wellbeing. This is a very important thing to ask Allah, as the Prophet ﷺ said, “Ask Allah for forgiveness and wellbeing, for no one is given anything after certainty that is better than wellbeing” (Tirmidhī 3557).
 
• When seeking Allah’s forgiveness, we are asking Him to forgive our sins and also wipe them off our record of deeds.
 
• Wellbeing in this life includes protection from physical, mental  and spiritual ailments, including sins.
 
• When we ask for wellbeing, we are asking Allah to save us from all trials and tribulations, to strengthen our heart and our physical state so that we meet Him free from sins.
 
• We ask Allah for wellbeing ‘**in this world and the next**’. This encompasses all the states that we will be in.
 
• Wellbeing in the next life includes protection from the punishment of the grave, terrors of the Day of Judgement, and the torments of the Hellfire.
 
• To strengthen our request, we repeat it again, clarifying that we want wellbeing in our **religion, our life, our family, and wealth**.
 
• Wellbeing in our ‘**religion**’ means to be saved from committing sins or having incorrect beliefs; and ensuring our tawḥīd of Allah is complete.
 
• Wellbeing in our ‘**worldly affairs**’  means to be saved from calamities and errors that cause us to be heedless of the remembrance of Allah or completing acts of worship.
 
• Wellbeing in our ‘**family**’ means that we are all saved from trials and evil, including being saved from having problems with each other.
 
• Wellbeing in our ‘**wealth**’ is protection from it being lost or stolen; and to be saved from spending it in a way that displeases Allah.
 
• As a supplement to asking Allah for wellbeing, we also ask Him that He conceals our faults. This includes everything we dislike for others to know about us.
 
• We also ask Him to calm our fears, so that we can live peacefully.
 
• For the final part of the duʿā’, we ask Allah to protect us from all angles. This includes the four angles that Shayṭān promised to attack us from, as Allah mentions in the Qur’ān that Shayṭān says, “And then I shall come to them from in front of them, from behind them, from their right, and from their left…” (7:17).
 
• In addition to these four angles that Shayṭān promised to attack us from, we also ask Allah to protect us from the remaining two angles, which are from above us and from beneath us.
 
• The request to be saved from beneath us is a stronger request (i.e. the addition of ‘from being unexpectedly destroyed’ instead of just ‘beneath me’; and asking through Allah’s ‘Greatness’). This could refer to being swallowed up by the earth as a punishment by Allah, just as Pharaoh and Qārūn were destroyed, and will happen to people towards the end of times. It could also refer to unexpected difficulties. Thus, we are asking Allah to protect us from committing something that deserves for us to be punished in this life by Him.
 
` `
` `
** Action Points       **
• Always ask Allah for forgiveness and wellbeing as it is from the greatest gifts you can receive.
 
• The whole duʿā’ is all-encompassing within the first few words. However, we repeat this request and detail our requirements further so that we show insistence in our request – and this is something that Allah loves.
 
• We also repeat and expand on this request so that we actually ponder over what we want and therefore request it from our heart.
 
• Shayṭān tries to attack you from all angles so ensure you are always aware of his plots, and ask Allah to protect you from him.

Becoming A Godly Person

رَبِّ أَعِنِّيْ وَلَا تُعِنْ عَلَيَّ ، وَانْصُرْنِيْ وَلَا تَنْصُرْ عَلَيَّ ، وَامْكُرْ لِيْ وَلَا تَمْكُرْ عَلَيَّ ، وَاهْدِنِيْ وَيَسِّرِ الْهُدَىٰ لِيْ ، وَانْصُرْنِيْ عَلَىٰ مَنْ بَغَىٰ عَلَيَّ ، رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِيْ لَكَ شَكَّارًا ، لَكَ ذَكَّارًا ، لَكَ رَهَّابًا ، لَكَ مِطْوَاعًا ، لَكَ مُخْبِتًا ، إِلَيْكَ أَوَّاهًا مُّنِيْبًا ، رَبِّ تَقَبَّلْ تَوْبَتِيْ ، وَاغْسِلْ حَوْبَتِيْ ، وَأَجِبْ دَعْوَتِيْ ، وَثَبِّتْ حُجَّتِيْ ، وَسَدِّدْ لِسَانِيْ ، وَاهْدِ قَلْبِيْ ، وَاسْلُلْ سَخِيْمَةَ صَدْرِيْ

(1x)

My Lord, help me and do not help others against me. Grant me victory and do not grant victory to others over me. Plan in my favour and do not plan for others against me. Guide me and ease guidance for me. Help me against those who oppress me. My Lord, make me one who is extremely grateful to You, who remembers you always, who perpetually fears You, who is fully obedient to You, who is humble before You, who constantly cries and pleads with You, and who repeatedly turns to You in repentance. My Lord, accept my repentance, wash away my sins, accept my supplications, strengthen my case, rectify my speech, guide my heart, and remove the malice from my heart.

Rabbi aʿinnī wa lā tuʿin ʿalayya, wan-ṣurnī wa lā tanṣur ʿalayya, wa-mkur lī wa lā tamkur ʿalayya, wa-hdinī wa yas-siri-l-hudā lī, wan-ṣurnī ʿalā ma-m-baghā ʿalayya, Rabbi-j-ʿalnī laka shakkārā, laka dhak- kārā, laka rahhābā, laka miṭwāʿā, laka mukhbitā, ilayka aw-wāha-m-munībā, Rabbi taqabbal tawbatī, wa-ghsil ḥawbatī, wa ajib daʿwatī, wa thab-bit ḥujjatī, wa saddid lisānī, wahdi qalbī, waslul sakhīmata ṣadrī.

Ibn ʿAbbās (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would supplicate with [the above]. (Tirmidhī 3551)

Seeking Help For Excellence In Worship

اَللّٰهُمَّ أَعِنِّيْ عَلَىٰ ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ

(1x)

O Allah, help me in remembering You, in being grateful to You, and in worshipping You in an excellent manner.

Allāhumma aʿinnī ʿalā dhikrika wa shukrika wa ḥusni ʿibādatik.

Mu’ādh b. Jabal (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ took me by the hand and he said, “O Mu’ādh, I swear by Allah that I love you. I swear by Allah that I love you. O Mu’ādh, I advise you not to forget supplicating after every prayer by saying: [the above]. (Abū Dāwūd 1522)

Duʿa for Allah’s Love & Protection From Trials

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ فِعْلَ الْخَيْرَاتِ ، وَتَرْكَ الْمُنْكَرَاتِ ، وَحُبَّ الْمَسَاكِيْنِ ، وَأَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِيْ وَتَرْحَمَنِيْ ، وَإِذَا أَرَدْتَ فِتْنَةَ قَوْمٍ فَتَوَفَّنِيْ غَيْرَ مَفْتُوْنٍ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ حُبَّكَ ، وَحُبَّ مَنْ يُّحِبُّكَ ، وَحُبَّ عَمَلٍ يُّقَرِّبُنِيْ إِلَىٰ حُبِّكَ

(1x)

O Allah, I beg You to enable me to do good deeds, abstain from evil acts, and love the poor; and that You forgive me and have mercy upon me. When You intend to test a people, then grant me death without being tested. I ask You for Your love, the love of those whom You love, and the love of deeds which will bring me closer to Your love.

Allāhumma innī as’aluka fiʿla-l-khayrāt, wa tarka-l-munkarāt, wa ḥubba-l-masākīn, wa an taghfira lī wa tarḥamanī, wa idhā arad-ta fitnata qawmin fa-tawaffanī ghayra maftūn, wa as’aluka ḥubbak, wa ḥubba ma-y-yuḥibbuk, wa ḥubba ʿamali-y-yuqarribunī ilā ḥubbik.

Mu’ādh b. Jabl (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates: “One morning, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was prevented from coming to us for the Fajr Salāh, until we were just about to look for the eye of the sun (meaning sunrise). Then he came out quickly and the Salāh was prepared for.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed the Salah, and he performed his Salah in a relatively quick manner. When he said the salām, he called out to us saying: ‘Stay in your rows as you are.’ Then he turned to us and said: ‘I am going to narrate to you what kept me from you this morning: I got up during the night, I performed wudhu and prayed as much as I was able to, and I dozed off during my Salāh, and fell in a deep asleep. Then I saw my Lord, Blessed and Most High, in the best of appearances. He said: ‘O Muhammad!’ I said: ‘My Lord here I am my Lord!’ He said: ‘What is it that the most exalted group busy themselves with?’ I said: ‘I do not know Lord.’ And He said it three times.” He said: “So I saw Him place His Palm between my shoulders, and I sensed the coolness of His Fingertips between my breast. Then everything was disclosed for me, and I became aware. So He said: ‘O Muhammad!’ I said: ‘Here I am my Lord!’ He said: ‘What is it that the most exalted group busy themselves with?’ I said: ‘In the acts that atone.’ He said: ‘And what are they?’ I said: ‘The footsteps to the congregation, the gatherings in the Masājid after the Salāh, doing wudhu perfectly during difficulties.’ He said: ‘Then what else?’ I said: ‘Feeding others, being lenient in speech, and Salāh during the night while the people are sleeping.’ He said: ‘Ask.’ I said: [the above]’” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Indeed it is true, so study it and learn it.” (Tirmidhī 3235)

Loving Allah & What He Loves

اَللّٰهُمَّ ارْزُقْـنِيْ حُبَّكَ ، وَحُبَّ مَنْ يَّنْفَعُنِيْ حُبُّهُ عِنْدَكَ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ مَا رَزَقْتَنِيْ مِمَّا أُحِبُّ فَاجْعَلْهُ قُوَّةً لِّيْ فِيْمَا تُحِبُّ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ مَا زَوَيْتَ عَنِّيْ مِمَّا أُحِبُّ فَاجْعَلْهُ فَرَاغًا لِّيْ فِيْمَا تُحِبُّ

(1x)

O Allah, grant me Your love and the love of those whose love will benefit me with You. O Allah, whatever You have provided me of the things that I love, make them a source of strength for me in pursuing what You love. O Allah, whatever you have withheld from me from what I love, make its absence a means for me to pursue what You love.

Allāhumma-r-zuqnī ḥubbak, wa ḥubba ma-y-yanfaʿunī ḥubbuhu ʿindak, Allāhumma mā razaqtanī mim-mā uḥibbu fa-jʿalhu quwwata-l-lī fīmā tuḥibb, Allāhumma mā zawayta ʿannī mim-mā uḥibbu fa-jʿalhu farāgha-l-lī fīmā tuḥibb.

Abdullāh b. Yazīd Al-Khatmī Al-Ansarī (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah used to say [the above] in his supplication. (Tirmidhī 3491)

 

The Ultimate Duʿa

اَللّٰهُمَّ بِعِلْمِكَ الْغَيْبَ ، وَقُدْرَتِكَ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ ، أَحْيِنِيْ مَا عَلِمْتَ الْحَيَاةَ خَيْرًا لِّيْ ، وَتَوَفَّنِيْ إِذَا عَلِمْتَ الْوَفَاةَ خَيْرًا لِّيْ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ وَأَسْأَلُكَ خَشْيَتَكَ فِي الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ كَلِمَةَ الْحَقِّ فِي الرِّضَا وَالْغَضَبِ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ الْقَصْدَ فِي الْفَقْرِ وَالْغِنَىٰ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ نَعِيْمًا لَّا يَنْفَدُ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ قُرَّةَ عَيْنٍ لَّا تَنْقَطِعُ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ الرِّضَا بَعْدَ الْقَضَاءِ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ بَرْدَ الْعَيْشِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ لَذَّةَ النَّظَرِ إِلَىٰ وَجْهِكَ ، وَالشَّوْقَ إِلَىٰ لِقَائِكَ ، فِيْ غَيْرِ ضَرَّاءَ مُضِرَّةٍ ، وَلَا فِتْنَةٍ مُّضِلَّةٍ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ زَيِّنَّا بِزِيْنَةِ الْإِيْمَانِ ، وَاجْعَلْنَا هُدَاةً مُّهْتَدِيْنَ

(1x)

O Allah, with Your knowledge of the unseen and Your absolute power over the creation, let me live in this world as long as You know my living is good for me; and give me death when You know death is better for me. O Allah, I ask You for Your fear in private and in public, and for the word of truth in times of joy and anger. I ask You for moderation in poverty and in wealth. I ask You for endless blessings and perpetual delights. I ask You to make me pleased with destiny; for a cool and comfortable life after death; for the pleasure of seeing Your Face; and for the longing to meet You, without any painful ordeals and tribulations that misguide. O Allah, adorn us with the beauty of faith, and make us those who guide others and are guided themselves

Allāhumma bi-ʿilmika-l-ghayb, wa qudratika ʿala-l-khalq, aḥyinī mā ʿalimta-l-ḥayāta khayra-l-lī, wa tawaffanī idhā ʿalimta-l-wafāta khayra-l-lī, Allāhumma wa as’aluka khashyataka fi-l-ghaybi wa-sh-shahādah, wa as’aluka kalimata-l-ḥaqqi fi-r-riḍā wa-l-ghaḍab, wa as’aluka-l-qaṣda fi-l-faqr wa-l-ghinā, wa as’aluka naʿīma-l-lā yanfad, wa as’aluka qurrata ʿayni-l-lā tanqaṭiʿ, wa as’aluka-r-riḍā baʿda-l-qaḍā, wa as’aluka barda-l-ʿayshi baʿda-l-mawt, wa as’aluka ladh-dhata-n-naẓari ilā wajhik, wa-sh-shawqa ilā liqā’ik, fī ghayri ḍarrā’a muḍirrah, wa lā fitnati-m-muḍillah, Allāhumma zayyinnā bi-zīnati-l-īmān, wa-jʿalnā hudāta-m-muhtadīn.

ʿAtā b. As-Sā’ib narrated that his father said: “ʿAmmār b. Yāsir (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) led us in prayer and he made it brief. Some of the people said to him: ‘You made the prayer short (or brief).’ He said: ‘Nevertheless I still recited supplications that I heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.’ When he got up and left, a man- he was my father but he did not name himself- followed him and asked him about that supplication, then he came and told the people [the above].” (Nasā’ī 1305)

Asking for Good & Protection From Evil

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ ، مَا عَلِمْتُ مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ أَعْلَمْ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ ، مَا عَلِمْتُ مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ أَعْلَمْ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا سَأَلَكَ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَاذَ مِنْهُ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ ، وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ ، وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ كُلَّ قَضَاءٍ قَضَيْتَهُ لِيْ خَيْرًا

(1x)

O Allah, I beg You for all good: the immediate and the delayed, what I know of and what I do not know. I seek Your protection from all evil: the immediate and the delayed, what I know of and what I do not know. O Allah, I beg You for the good which Your slave and Prophet ﷺ asked from You, and I seek Your protection from the evil which Your slave and Prophet ﷺ sought protection for from You. O Allah, I beg You for Paradise, and whatever words or actions lead to it. I seek Your protection from Hell-fire, and whatever words or actions lead to it. I ask You to decree good for me in everything You foreordain for me.

Allāhumma innī as’aluka mina-l-khayri kullihī ʿājilihī wa ājilih, mā ʿalimtu minhu wa mā lam aʿlam, wa aʿūdhu bika mina-sh-sharri kullih ʿājilihī wa ājilih, mā ʿalimtu minhu wa mā lam aʿlam, Allāhumma innī as’aluka min khayri mā sa’alaka ʿabduka wa Nabiyyuk, wa aʿūdhu bika min sharri mā ʿādha minhu ʿabduka wa Nabiyyuk, Allāhumma innī as’aluka-l-Jannah, wa mā qarraba ilayhā min qawlin aw ʿamal, wa aʿūdhu bika mina-n-nār, wa mā qarraba ilayhā min qawlin aw ʿamal, wa as’aluka an tajʿala kulla qaḍā’in qaḍaytahū lī khayrā.

‘Āishah narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught her [the above]. (Ahmad 25019)

A Comprehensive Duʿa

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَ الْمَسْأَلَةِ ، وَخَيْرَ الدُّعَاءِ ، وَخَيْرَ النَّجَاحِ ، وَخَيْرَ الْعَمَلِ ، وَخَيْرَ الثَّوَابِ ، وَخَيْرَ الْحَيَاةِ ، وَخَيْرَ الْمَمَاتِ ، وَثَبِّتْنِيْ ، وَثَقِّلْ مَوَازِيْنِيْ ، وَحَقِّقْ إِيْمَانِيْ ، وَارْفَعْ دَرَجَاتِيْ ، وَتَقَبَّلْ صَلَاتِيْ ، وَاغْفِرْ خَطِيْئَتِيْ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ الدَّرَجَاتِ الْعُلَا مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ فَوَاتِحَ الْخَيْرِ ، وَخَوَاتِمَهُ ، وَجَوَامِعَهُ ، وَأَوَّلَهُ ، وَظَاهِرَهُ ، وَبَاطِنَهُ ، وَالدَّرَجَاتِ الْعُلَا مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ آمِيْن ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَ مَا آتِيْ ، وَخَيْرَ مَا أَفْعَلُ ، وَخَيْرَ مَا أَعْمَلُ ، وَخَيْرَ مَا بَطَنَ ، وَخَيْرَ مَا ظَهَرَ ، وَالدَّرَجَاتِ الْعُلَا مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ آمِيْن ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ أنْ تَرْفَعَ ذِكْرِيْ ، وَتَضَعَ وِزْرِيْ ، وَتُصْلِحَ أَمْرِيْ ، وَتُطَهِّرَ قَلْبِيْ ، وَتُحَصِّنَ فَرْجِيْ ، وَتُنَوِّرَ لِيْ قَلْبِيْ ، وَتَغْفِرَ لِيْ ذَنْبِيْ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ الدَّرَجَاتِ الْعُلَا مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ آمِيْن ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ أنْ تُبَارِكَ لِيْ فِيْ نَفْسِيْ ، وَفِيْ سَمْعِيْ ، وَفِيْ بَصَرِيْ ، وَفِيْ رُوْحِيْ ، وَفِيْ خَلْقِيْ ، وَفِيْ خُلُقِيْ ، وَفِيْ أَهْلِيْ ، وَفِيْ مَحْيَايَ ، وَفِيْ مَمَاتِيْ ، وَفِيْ عَمَلِيْ ، فَتَقَبَّلْ حَسَنَاتِيْ ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ الدَّرَجَاتِ الْعُلَا مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ ، آمِيْن

(1x)

O Allah, I beg You for the best of what can be asked for, the best supplication, the ultimate success, the best deeds, the best reward, the best life, and the best death. Keep me steadfast, make my scales heavy, establish my belief, elevate my ranks, accept my salāh, forgive my sins and I ask You for lofty ranks in Paradise. O Allah, I beg you for good beginnings, good endings, good in its entirety, its first, its apparent and its hidden; and lofty ranks in Paradise. Āmīn. O Allah, I beg you for the best of what I can do, perform and accomplish, the best of what is hidden or apparent; and lofty ranks in Paradise. Āmīn. O Allah, I beg you to elevate my mention, remove my burden, rectify my affairs, purify my heart, protect my chastity, enlighten my heart, forgive my sins and I ask You for lofty ranks in Paradise. Āmīn. O Allah, I beg you to bless for me my inner self, my hearing, my sight, my soul, my appearance, my character, my family, my life, my death and my deeds. Accept my good deeds and I ask You for lofty ranks in Paradise. Āmīn.

Allāhumma innī as’aluka khayra-l-mas’alah, wa khayra-d-duʿā’, wa khayra-n-najaḥ, wa khayra-l-ʿamal, wa khayra-th-thawāb, wa khayra-l-ḥayāh, wa khayra-l-mamāt, wa thabbitnī, wa thaqqil mawāzīnī, wa ḥaqqiq īmānī, wa-r-faʿ darajātī, wa taqabbal ṣalātī, wa-ghfir khaṭī’atī, wa as’aluka-d-darajāti-l-ʿulā mina-l-Jannah, Allāhumma innī as’aluka fawātiḥa-l-khayr, wa khawātimah, wa jawāmiʿah, wa awwalah, wa ẓāhirah, wa bāṭinah, wa-d-darajāti-l-ʿulā mina-l-Jannati āmīn, Allāhumma innī as’aluka khayra mā ātī, wa khayra mā afʿal, wa khayra mā aʿmal, wa khayra mā baṭan, wa khayra mā ẓahar, wa-d-darajāti-l-ʿulā mina-l-Jannati, āmīn, Allāhumma innī as’aluka an tarfaʿa dhikrī, wa taḍaʿa wizrī, wa tuṣliḥa amrī, wa tuṭahhira qalbī, wa tuḥaṣṣina farjī, wa tunawwira lī qalbī, wa taghfira lī dhambī, wa as’aluka-d-darajāti-l-ʿulā mina-l-Jannati, āmīn, Allāhumma innī as’aluka an tubārika lī fī nafsī, wa fī samʿī, wa fī baṣarī, wa fī rūḥī, wa fī khalqī, wa fī khuluqī, wa fī ahlī, wa fī maḥyāya, wa fī mamātī, wa fi ʿamalī, fa-taqabbal ḥasanātī, wa as’aluka-d-darajāti-l-ʿulā mina-l-Jannati, āmīn.

Umm Salamah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhā) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said: “This is what Muhammad asks from His Lord: [the above].”(Hākim 1867)

All-Encompassing Nur (Light)

اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْ لِيْ فِيْ قَلْبِيْ نُوْرًا ، وَفِيْ لِسَانِيْ نُوْرًا ، وَفِيْ سَمْعِيْ نُوْرًا ، وَفِيْ بَصَرِيْ نُوْرًا ، وَمِنْ فَوْقِيْ نُوْرًا ، وَمِنْ تَحْتِيْ نُوْرًا ، وَعَنْ يَّمِيْنِيْ نُوْرًا ، وَعَنْ شِمَالِيْ نُوْرًا ، وَمِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيَّ نُوْرًا ، وَمِنْ خَلْفِيْ نُوْرًا ، وَاجْعَلْ فِيْ نَفْسِيْ نُوْرًا ، وَأَعْظِمْ لِيْ نُوْرًا

(1x)

O Allah, place light in my heart, light in my tongue, light in my hearing and light in my sight. Place light above me, light beneath me, light on my right, light on my left, light in front of me, and light behind me. Place light in my self and magnify for me light.

Allāhumma-jʿal lī fī qalbī nūrā, wa fī lisānī nūrā, wa fī samʿī nūrā, wa fī baṣarī nūrā, wa min fawqī nūrā, wa min taḥtī nūrā, wa ʿay-yamīnī nūrā, wa ʿan shimālī nūrā, wa mim-bayni yadayya nūrā, wa min khalfī nūrā, wa-jʿal fī nafsī nūrā, wa aʿẓim lī nūrā.

Kurayb reported that ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAbbās (radiy Allāhū ‘anhumā) reported that he spent (one night) in the house of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood near the water-skin and poured water out of it and performed ablution in which he neither used excess of water nor too little of it. He also mentioned that on that night the Messenger of Allah ﷺ made supplication before Allah in nineteen words. Kuraib reported: I remember twelve words out of these, but have forgotten the rest. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: [the above].” (Muslim 763)

It is mentioned in another version of this narration:

ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAbbās (radiy Allāhū ‘anhumā) reported that he spent (one night) in the house of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He ﷺ got up, brushed his teeth and performed ablution and said: “In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, there are indeed signs for people of understanding.” (Quran: 3:190), to the end of the Surah. He then stood up and prayed two rak’ahs, standing, bowing and prostrating at length in them. Then he finished, went to sleep and snored. He did that three times, six rak’ahs altogether, each time cleaning his teeth, performing ablution, and reciting these verses. Then he observed three rak’ahs of Witr. The Mu’adhdhin then pronounced the Adhan and he went out for Salah and was saying: [similiar to the above].” (Muslim 763)

The Qur’an: the Banisher of Grief & Anxiety

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ عَبْدُكَ ، وَابْنُ عَبْدِكَ ، وَابْنُ أَمَتِكَ ، نَاصِيَتِيْ بِيَدِكَ ، مَاضٍ فِيَّ حُكْمُكَ ، عَدْلٌ فِيَّ قَضَاؤُكَ ، أَسْأَلُكَ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَكَ ، سَمَّيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ ، أَوْ عَلَّمْتَهُ أَحَدًا مِّنْ خَلْقِكَ ، أَوْ أَنْزَلْتَهُ فِيْ كِتَابِكَ ، أَوِ اسْتَأْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِيْ عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ عِنْدَكَ ، أَنْ تَجْعَلَ الْقُرْآنَ رَبِيْعَ قَلْبِيْ ، وَنُوْرَ صَدْرِيْ ، وَجَلَاءَ حُزْنِيْ ، وَذَهَابَ هَمِّيْ

(1x)

O Allah, I am Your slave and the son of Your male slave and the son of Your female slave. My forehead is in Your Hand (i.e. you have control over me). I am subject to Your judgement and Your decree concerning me is just. I ask You – by every name that is Yours, by which You have named Yourself, or taught any one of Your creation, or revealed in Your Book, or kept unto Yourself in the knowledge of the unseen that is with You – to make the Qur’ān the spring of my heart, the light of my chest, the banisher of my grief and the reliever of my anxiety.

Allāhumma innī ʿabduk, wa-bnu ʿabdik, wa-bnu amatik, nāṣiyatī bi-yadik, māḍin fiyya ḥukmuk, ʿadlun fiyya qaḍā’uk, as’aluka bi-kulli-smin huwa lak, sammayta bihi nafsak, aw ʿallamtahū aḥadam-min khalqik, aw anzaltahū fī Kitābik, awi-sta’tharta bihī fī ʿilmi-l-ghaybi ʿindak, an tajʿala-l-Qur’āna rabīʿa qalbī, wa nūra ṣadrī wa jalā’a ḥuznī, wa dhahāba hammī.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “There is no one amongst you who, when he is stricken with grief and anxiety, says [the above] except that Allah will remove his grief and anxiety, and will give him joy instead.” The companions said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, should we not learn these words?’ He ﷺ replied, ‘Of course! One who hears it should learn it.’” (Ahmad 3712)

Goodness in Din, Dunya & the Hereafter

اَللّٰهُمَّ أَصْلِحْ لِيْ دِيْنِيَ الَّذِيْ هُوَ عِصْمَةُ أَمْرِيْ ، وَأَصْلِحْ لِيْ دُنْيَايَ الَّتِيْ فِيْهَا مَعَاشِيْ ، وَأَصْلِحْ لِيْ آخِرَتِيَ الَّتِيْ فِيْهَا مَعَادِيْ ، وَاجْعَلِ الْحَيَاةَ زِيَادَةً لِّيْ فِيْ كُلِّ خَيْرٍ ، وَاجْعَلِ الْمَوْتَ رَاحَةً لِّيْ مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ

(1x)

O Allah, rectify my religion for me which is the protection of my affairs. Rectify my world for me wherein is my livelihood. Rectify my hereafter for me, to which is my return. Make my life a means of increase for me in every good, and make death a respite for me from every evil.

Allāhumma-q-sim lanā min khashyatika mā yaḥūlu bihī baynanā wa bayna maʿāṣīk, wa min ṭāʿatika mā tuballighunā bihī jannatak, wa mina-l-yaqīni mā tuhawwinu bihī ʿalaynā maṣā’iba-d-dunyā, allāhumma mattiʿnā bi asmāʿinā, wa abṣārinā, wa quwwātinā mā aḥyaytanā, wa-j-ʿalhu-l-wāritha minnā, wa-j-ʿal tha’ranā ʿalā man ẓalamanā, wa-n-ṣurnā ʿalā man ʿādānā, wa lā tajʿal muṣībatanā fī dīninā, wa lā tajʿali-d-dunyā akbara hamminā, wa lā mablagha ʿilminā, wa lā tusalliṭ ʿalaynā mal-lā yarḥamunā.

‘Abdullāh b. ‘Umar (radiy Allāhū ‘anhumā) said: “Rarely would the Messenger of Allah ﷺ rise from a gathering without supplicating for his companions with [the above].” (Tirmidhī 3502)

A Comprehensive Duʿa

اَللّٰهُمَّ اقْسِمْ لَنَا مِنْ خَشْيَتِكَ مَا يَحُوْلُ بِهِ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ مَعَاصِيْكَ ، وَمِنْ طَاعَتِكَ مَا تُبَلِّغُنَا بِهِ جَنَّتَكَ ، وَمِنَ الْيَقِيْنِ مَا تُهَوِّنُ بِهِ عَلَيْنَا مَصَائِبَ الدُّنْيَا ، اَللّٰهُمَّ مَتِّعْنَا بِأَسْمَاعِنَا ، وَأَبْصَارِنَا ، وَقُوَّتِنَا مَا أَحْيَيْتَنَا ، وَاجْعَلْهُ الْوَارِثَ مِنَّا ، وَاجْعَلْ ثَأْرَنَا عَلَىٰ مَنْ ظَلَمَنَا ، وَانْصُرْنَا عَلَىٰ مَنْ عَادَانَا ، وَلَا تَجْعَلْ مُصِيْبَتَنَا فِيْ دِيْنِنَا ، وَلَا تَجْعَلِ الدُّنْيَا أَكْبَرَ هَمِّنَا ، وَلَا مَبْلَغَ عِلْمِنَا ، وَلَا تُسَلِّطْ عَلَيْنَا مَنْ لَّا يَرْحَمُنَا.

(1x)

O Allah, apportion for us enough fear and awe of You to prevent us from sinning against You, and enough obedience to You to make us reach Your Paradise, and enough certainty to make the difficulties of this world easy for us. O Allah, let us enjoy our hearing and sight and strength as long as You allow us to live, and make it an inheritance for us. Let our retaliation be upon those who have wronged us, and help us against those who harbour enmity towards us. Let not our afflictions be in our religion. Do not make the world our biggest concern or the full extent of our knowledge, and do not give power over us to anyone who will not have mercy on us.

Allāhumma aṣliḥ lī dīniya-l-ladhī huwa ʿiṣmatu amrī, wa aṣliḥ lī dunyāya-l-latī fīhā maʿāshī, wa aṣliḥ lī ākhiratiya-l-latī fīhā maʿādī, wa-jʿali-l-ḥayāta ziyādata-l-lī fī kulli khayr, wa-jʿali-l-mawta rāḥata-l-lī min kulli sharr.

Abū Hurayrah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) mentions that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would say (supplicate): [the above]. (Muslim 2720)

Guidance, Well-Being, Blessings & Protection

اَللّٰهُمَّ اهْدِنِيْ فِيْمَنْ هَدَيْتَ ، وَعَافِنِيْ فِيْمَنْ عَافَيْتَ ، وَتَوَلَّنِيْ فِيْمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ ، وَبَارِكْ لِيْ فِيْمَا أَعْطَيْتَ ، وَقِنِيْ شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ ، إِنَّكَ تَقْضِيْ وَلَا يُقْضَىٰ عَلَيْكَ ، وَإِنَّهُ لَا يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَّالَيْتَ ، وَلَا يَعِزُّ مَنْ عَادَيْتَ ، تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ.

(1x)

O Allah, guide me amongst those You have guided, grant me wellbeing amongst those You have granted wellbeing, befriend me amongst those You have befriended. Bless me in what You have given me and protect me from the evil of what You have decreed. You are the One who decrees and You are not decreed against. Whomsoever You befriend will never be disgraced, and whomsoever You oppose will never be honoured. You are the Most Blessed, our Lord and You are the Most Exalted.

Allāhumma-hdinī fīman hadayt, wa ʿāfinī fīman ʿāfayt, wa tawallanī fīman tawallayt, wa bārik lī fīmā aʿṭayt, wa qinī sharra mā qaḍayt, innaka taqḍī wa lā yuqḍā ʿalayk, wa innahu lā yadhillu ma-w-wālayt, wa lā yaʿizzu man ʿādayt, tabārakta Rabbanā wa taʿālayt.

Ḥasan b. Alī (radiy Allāhū ‘anhumā) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught me some words that I say during the witr Salah. (The version of Ibn Jawwās has: I say them in the Qunūt (supplication) of the witr Salah.) They were: [the above]. (Abū Dāwūd 1425)

Guidance to the Truth

اَللّٰهُمَّ رَبَّ جَبْرَائِيْلَ ، وَمِيْكَائِيْلَ ، وإِسْرَافِيْلَ ، فَاطِرَ السَّمٰوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ، عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ ، أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيْمَا كَانُوْا فِيْهِ يَخْتَلِفُوْنَ ، اِهْدِنِيْ لِمَا اخْتُلِفَ فِيْهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِكَ ، إِنَّكَ تَهْدِيْ مَنْ تَشَاءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيْمٍ.

(1x)

O Allah, Lord of Jabrā’īl, Mīkā’īl and Isrāfīl, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and seen; You will judge between Your servants in what they used to differ. Guide me in what is contentious to the truth, by Your will. Indeed, You guide whomsoever You wish to a straight path.

Allāhumma Rabba Jabrā’īla, wa Mīkā’īla, wa Isrāfīl, fāṭira-s-samāwāti wa-l-arḍ, ʿālima-l-ghaybi wa-sh-shahādah, Anta taḥkumu bayna ʿibādika fīmā kānū fīhi yakhtalifūn, ihdinī lima-khtulifa fīhi mina-l-ḥaqqi bi-idhnik, innaka tahdī man tashā’u ilā Ṣirāṭi-m-Mustaqīm

ʿAbdur Rahmān b. Awf (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrated: I asked ‘Ā’isha (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhā), the mother of the believers, (to tell me) the words with which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commenced the Salāh when he got up at night. She said: “When he got up at night he would commence his Salāh with [the above] words. (Muslim 770)

Guidance, Piety, Chastity & Self-Sufficiency

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالتُّقَىٰ وَالْعَفَافَ وَالْغِنَىٰ.

(1x)

O Allah, I beg You for guidance, taqwā (piety), chastity and self-sufficiency.

Allāhumma innī as’aluka-l-hudā wa-t-tuqā wa-l-ʿafāfa wa-l-ghinā.

ʿAbdullāh b. Masʿūd (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to supplicate with [the above] words. (Muslim 2721, Tirmidhi 3489)

Guidance & Steadfastness

اَللّٰهُمَّ اهْدِنِيْ وَسَدِّدْنِيْ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالسَّدَادَ.

(1x)

O Allah, guide me and grant me firmness. O Allah, I beg You for guidance and firmness (on the straight path).

Allāhumma-hdinī wa saddidnī, Allāhumma innī as’aluka-l-hudā wa-s-sadād.

Ali (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him: “Say: [the above] and when you make a mention of guidance, keep in mind the (Straight) Path and when you consider the Straight (Path), keep in mind the straightness of the arrow.” (Muslim 2725)

Guidance & Protection from Evil

اَللّٰهُمَّ أَلْهِمْنِيْ رُشْدِيْ ، وَأَعِذْنِيْ مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِيْ.

(1x)

O Allah, inspire me with sound guidance and protect me from the evil of my self.

Allāhumma alhimnī rushdī, wa aʿidhnī min sharri nafsī.

ʿImrān b. Husayn (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrated: “The Prophet ﷺ said to my father: ‘O Husayn, how many deities do you worship now?‘ He said: ‘Seven. Six in the earth, and one above the heavens.’ He ﷺ said: ‘So which of them do you take for your ardent requests and fears?’ He said: ‘The one above the heavens.’ He ﷺ said: ‘O Husayn, if you accept Islam, I would teach you two phrases that would benefit you.’” He (the narrator) said: “So when Husayn accepted Islam, he said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, teach me the two phrases you promised me.’ So he ﷺ said: [the above].” (Tirmidhī 3483)

Guidance & Protection from Evil

اَللّٰهُمَّ أَلْهِمْنِيْ رُشْدِيْ ، وَأَعِذْنِيْ مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِيْ.

(1x)

O Allah, inspire me with sound guidance and protect me from the evil of my self.

Allāhumma alhimnī rushdī, wa aʿidhnī min sharri nafsī.

ʿImrān b. Husayn (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrated: “The Prophet ﷺ said to my father: ‘O Husayn, how many deities do you worship now?‘ He said: ‘Seven. Six in the earth, and one above the heavens.’ He ﷺ said: ‘So which of them do you take for your ardent requests and fears?’ He said: ‘The one above the heavens.’ He ﷺ said: ‘O Husayn, if you accept Islam, I would teach you two phrases that would benefit you.’” He (the narrator) said: “So when Husayn accepted Islam, he said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, teach me the two phrases you promised me.’ So he ﷺ said: [the above].” (Tirmidhī 3483)