Duas & adhkar
أدعية الصلاة
The Prophet ﷺ used a variety of words at each point of the prayer. Any one of the authentic forms is enough; learning several keeps the prayer fresh. Schools of law differ on which are said aloud, which are said in obligatory or voluntary prayers, and which are emphasised, so follow the practice you have been taught.
أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Ash-hadu an la ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh
I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger.
The Prophet ﷺ said that the eight gates of Paradise are opened for whoever completes wudu well and then says this.
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ
Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, wa tabarakas-muka, wa ta'ala jadduka, wa la ilaha ghayruk
Glory be to You, O Allah, and all praise. Blessed is Your name, exalted is Your majesty, and there is no god but You.
Said after the opening takbir. It is the opening most widely used in Hanafi practice; other schools and Shi'a practice favour other authentic openings.
اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَايَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ، اللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِي مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ، اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْ خَطَايَايَ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ
Allahumma ba'id bayni wa bayna khatayaya kama ba'adta baynal-mashriqi wal-maghrib. Allahumma naqqini minal-khataya kama yunaqqath-thawbul-abyadu minad-danas. Allahummaghsil khatayaya bil-ma'i wath-thalji wal-barad.
O Allah, put as much distance between me and my sins as You have put between the east and the west. O Allah, cleanse me of sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. O Allah, wash away my sins with water, snow and hail.
Abu Hurairah asked the Prophet ﷺ what he said in the pause between the takbir and the recitation, and he taught this.
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ كَبِيرًا وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ كَثِيرًا وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا
Allahu akbaru kabira, wal-hamdu lillahi kathira, wa subhanallahi bukratan wa asila
Allah is the Greatest, greatly. Much praise belongs to Allah. Glory be to Allah, morning and evening.
A man opened his prayer with these words and the Prophet ﷺ said the gates of heaven were opened for them (Sahih Muslim). Sunan Abi Dawud reports a form with each phrase said three times, followed by seeking refuge from Satan's whisperings.
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ
Subhana rabbiyal-'azim
Glory be to my Lord, the Magnificent.
Sunan Ibn Majah reports the Prophet ﷺ saying it three times in ruku. The duas below may be added after it.
سُبُّوحٌ قُدُّوسٌ رَبُّ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالرُّوحِ
Subbuhun quddusun, rabbul-mala'ikati war-ruh
Perfect in glory, perfect in holiness, Lord of the angels and of the Spirit.
Said in both ruku and sujood.
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا وَبِحَمْدِكَ، اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي
Subhanaka Allahumma rabbana wa bihamdik, Allahummaghfir li
Glory be to You, O Allah, our Lord, and praise be to You. O Allah, forgive me.
'A'ishah said the Prophet ﷺ said this often in ruku and sujood, acting on the command in Surah an-Nasr to glorify and seek forgiveness.
سُبْحَانَكَ وَبِحَمْدِكَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
Subhanaka wa bihamdika, la ilaha illa ant
Glory and praise be to You; there is no god but You.
'A'ishah found the Prophet ﷺ saying this one night in ruku or sujood.
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ رَكَعْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَلَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ خَشَعَ لَكَ سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي وَمُخِّي وَعَظْمِي وَعَصَبِي
Allahumma laka raka'tu, wa bika amantu, wa laka aslamt. Khasha'a laka sam'i wa basari wa mukhkhi wa 'azmi wa 'asabi
O Allah, to You I have bowed, in You I believe, and to You I have submitted. My hearing, my sight, my mind, my bones and my sinews are humbled before You.
Reported by 'Ali ibn Abi Talib as part of the Prophet's night prayer.
سُبْحَانَ ذِي الْجَبَرُوتِ وَالْمَلَكُوتِ وَالْكِبْرِيَاءِ وَالْعَظَمَةِ
Subhana dhil-jabaruti wal-malakuti wal-kibriya'i wal-'azamah
Glory be to the Possessor of all might, all dominion, all grandeur and all greatness.
'Awf ibn Malik heard the Prophet ﷺ say this in ruku and again in sujood.
سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ
Sami'allahu liman hamidah
Allah hears the one who praises Him.
Said while rising from ruku.
رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ، حَمْدًا كَثِيرًا طَيِّبًا مُبَارَكًا فِيهِ
Rabbana wa lakal-hamd, hamdan kathiran tayyiban mubarakan fih
Our Lord, all praise is Yours: abundant praise, pure and full of blessing.
A companion said this behind the Prophet ﷺ, who said afterwards that he saw more than thirty angels hurrying to be the first to write it down.
سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الأَعْلَى
Subhana rabbiyal-a'la
Glory be to my Lord, the Most High.
Sunan Ibn Majah reports the Prophet ﷺ saying it three times in sujood. Sujood is the closest a servant comes to his Lord, so it is a time to make much dua.
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ سَجَدْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَلَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ سَجَدَ وَجْهِي لِلَّذِي خَلَقَهُ وَصَوَّرَهُ وَشَقَّ سَمْعَهُ وَبَصَرَهُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ
Allahumma laka sajadtu, wa bika amantu, wa laka aslamt. Sajada wajhi lilladhi khalaqahu wa sawwarahu wa shaqqa sam'ahu wa basarah. Tabarakallahu ahsanul-khaliqin
O Allah, to You I have prostrated, in You I believe, and to You I have submitted. My face has bowed down to the One who created it, shaped it, and opened its hearing and sight. Blessed is Allah, the best of creators.
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذَنْبِي كُلَّهُ دِقَّهُ وَجِلَّهُ وَأَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ وَعَلَانِيَتَهُ وَسِرَّهُ
Allahummaghfir li dhanbi kullahu, diqqahu wa jillahu, wa awwalahu wa akhirahu, wa 'alaniyatahu wa sirrah
O Allah, forgive me all my sins: the small and the great, the first and the last, the open and the hidden.
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ
Allahummaghfir li ma asrartu wa ma a'lant
O Allah, forgive me what I have done in secret and what I have done openly.
'A'ishah found the Prophet ﷺ in sujood at night saying this.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْهُدَى وَالتُّقَى وَالْعَفَافَ وَالْغِنَى
Allahumma inni as'alukal-huda wat-tuqa wal-'afafa wal-ghina
O Allah, I ask You for guidance, mindfulness of You, purity, and freedom from need.
A general dua of the Prophet ﷺ, not tied to a particular place. Many say it in sujood, where personal duas are encouraged. Schools differ on making duas in your own words in the obligatory prayer; duas from the Quran and Sunnah are agreed upon.
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَاجْبُرْنِي وَاهْدِنِي وَارْزُقْنِي
Allahummaghfir li, warhamni, wajburni, wahdini, warzuqni
O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, mend what is broken in me, guide me, and provide for me.
This is at-Tirmidhi's wording. Sunan Abi Dawud has “wa 'afini” (grant me wellbeing) in place of “wajburni”, and Sunan Ibn Majah adds “warfa'ni” (raise me up).
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي، رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي
Rabbighfir li, rabbighfir li
My Lord, forgive me. My Lord, forgive me.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ وَمِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ
Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min 'adhabi jahannam, wa min 'adhabil-qabr, wa min fitnatil-mahya wal-mamat, wa min sharri fitnatil-masihid-dajjal
O Allah, I seek Your protection from the punishment of Hell, from the punishment of the grave, from the trials of life and death, and from the evil of the trial of the False Messiah.
The Prophet ﷺ told his companions to seek refuge from these four after the final tashahhud.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَفِتْنَةِ الْمَمَاتِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْمَأْثَمِ وَالْمَغْرَمِ
Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min 'adhabil-qabr, wa a'udhu bika min fitnatil-masihid-dajjal, wa a'udhu bika min fitnatil-mahya wa fitnatil-mamat. Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-ma'thami wal-maghram
O Allah, I seek Your protection from the punishment of the grave, from the trial of the False Messiah, and from the trials of life and of death. O Allah, I seek Your protection from sin and from debt.
Asked why he so often sought refuge from debt, the Prophet ﷺ said that a person in debt tends to lie when he speaks and break his word when he promises.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي ظُلْمًا كَثِيرًا، وَلَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَغْفِرَةً مِنْ عِنْدِكَ، وَارْحَمْنِي، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
Allahumma inni zalamtu nafsi zulman kathira, wa la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa ant, faghfir li maghfiratan min 'indik, warhamni, innaka antal-ghafurur-rahim
O Allah, I have wronged myself greatly, and none forgives sins but You. So grant me forgiveness from Yourself and have mercy on me. You are the Forgiving, the Merciful.
Abu Bakr asked for a dua to say in his prayer, and the Prophet ﷺ taught him this. Some narrations read “kabira” (grave) for “kathira” (much).
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ وَمَا أَسْرَفْتُ وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
Allahummaghfir li ma qaddamtu wa ma akhkhart, wa ma asrartu wa ma a'lant, wa ma asraftu, wa ma anta a'lamu bihi minni. Antal-muqaddimu wa antal-mu'akhkhir, la ilaha illa ant
O Allah, forgive me what I have done before and what I have left for later, what I did in secret and what I did openly, where I went too far, and what You know of me better than I do. You bring forward and You hold back; there is no god but You.
'Ali ibn Abi Talib reported that this was among the last things the Prophet ﷺ said between the tashahhud and the salam.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ يَا اللَّهُ بِأَنَّكَ الْوَاحِدُ الأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِي لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ أَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي ذُنُوبِي إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
Allahumma inni as'aluka ya Allahu bi annakal-wahidul-ahadus-samad, alladhi lam yalid wa lam yulad, wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad, an taghfira li dhunubi, innaka antal-ghafurur-rahim
O Allah, I ask You, O Allah, because You are the One, the Unique, the Self-Sufficient, who neither begets nor was begotten, and to whom none is equal: forgive me my sins. You are the Forgiving, the Merciful.
A man said this at the end of his prayer, and the Prophet ﷺ said three times that he had been forgiven.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ
Allahumma inni as'alukal-jannata wa a'udhu bika minan-nar
O Allah, I ask You for Paradise and I seek Your protection from the Fire.
A companion told the Prophet ﷺ that this was all he said after the tashahhud, as he could not match the long duas of others. The Prophet ﷺ replied that their duas, too, revolve around these two things.
