Du'a — Supplications for Every Moment

Du'a is worship. It is the act of turning to Allah, with your needs, your fears, your hopes, and your gratitude, and speaking to Him directly. No appointment. No intermediary. No barrier. The King of all creation invites you to call on Him at any moment, in any language, in any state.

"And your Lord says: Call upon Me; I will respond to you."

— Quran 40:60

The Prophet ﷺ said:

"Du'a is worship."

— Sunan at-Tirmidhi

And he said that nothing is more honorable to Allah than du'a. To ask Allah is to acknowledge your need of Him and His power over all things, which is the essence of worship itself.

How du'a works

A few things worth knowing before the supplications:

You can make du'a in any language. Allah understands every tongue and every unspoken thought. The Arabic supplications below are beloved because they are the words of the Quran and the Prophet ﷺ, and there is barakah in his exact words. But your own words, in your own language, from your own heart, are also heard.

Allah always responds, though not always as we expect. The Prophet ﷺ taught that when a believer makes du'a, Allah either gives what was asked, or holds it back and gives something better, or removes some harm, or stores an even greater reward for the Day of Judgment. No sincere du'a is ever wasted.

Certain times and states are especially blessed for du'a: the last third of the night, between the adhan and iqamah, during prostration in prayer, on Friday, while fasting, when traveling, and when rain falls. In these moments, ask.

Etiquette of du'a: begin by praising Allah, send blessings on the Prophet ﷺ, face the qiblah if you can, raise your hands, ask with certainty that Allah will respond, and persist, do not be hasty or give up. Ask for the good of this life and the next.

What follows is a collection of authentic supplications, organized by moment. Learn a few. Keep them close.

The greatest du'a of the Prophet ﷺ

This was the supplication the Prophet ﷺ made most often. It contains everything: good in this life, good in the next, and safety from the Fire.

Rabbanā ātinā fī ad-dunyā ḥasanatan wa fī al-ākhirati ḥasanatan wa qinā ʿadhāb an-nār.

"Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire."

— Quran 2:201

For forgiveness

The master of seeking forgiveness (Sayyid al-Istighfār). The Prophet ﷺ said whoever says this with certainty during the day and dies that day, or says it at night and dies that night, will be among the people of Paradise.

Allāhumma anta Rabbī, lā ilāha illā anta, khalaqtanī wa anā ʿabduka, wa anā ʿalā ʿahdika wa waʿdika mā istaṭaʿtu. Aʿūdhu bika min sharri mā ṣanaʿtu. Abūʾu laka bi-niʿmatika ʿalayya, wa abūʾu bi-dhanbī, faghfir lī, fa-innahu lā yaghfiru adh-dhunūba illā anta.

"O Allah, You are my Lord. There is no god but You. You created me and I am Your servant, and I hold to Your covenant and promise as much as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil I have done. I acknowledge Your favor upon me, and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for none forgives sins except You."

— Sahih al-Bukhari

A simple, constant seeking of forgiveness:

Astaghfirullāha wa atūbu ilayh.

"I seek the forgiveness of Allah and turn to Him in repentance."

The Prophet ﷺ, though sinless, sought forgiveness more than seventy times a day. — Sahih al-Bukhari

For anxiety, grief, and distress

When the heart is heavy, the Prophet ﷺ taught this du'a for anxiety and sorrow:

...as'aluka an tajʿala al-Qurʾāna rabīʿa qalbī, wa nūra ṣadrī, wa jalāʾa ḥuznī, wa dhahāba hammī.

"...I ask You to make the Quran the spring of my heart, the light of my chest, the banisher of my sorrow, and the reliever of my distress."

— Musnad Ahmad

A short, powerful du'a in hardship:

Ḥasbunā Allāhu wa niʿma al-wakīl.

"Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs."

— Quran 3:173

The du'a of Yunus (Jonah) ﷺ, from within the belly of the whale. The Prophet ﷺ said no Muslim ever supplicates with these words for anything without Allah answering:

Lā ilāha illā anta subḥānaka innī kuntu min aẓ-ẓālimīn.

"There is no god but You. Glory be to You. Indeed, I was among the wrongdoers."

— Quran 21:87

For reliance and difficulty

When facing something hard, or relying on Allah for an outcome:

Ḥasbiya Allāhu lā ilāha illā huwa, ʿalayhi tawakkaltu, wa huwa Rabbu al-ʿArsh al-ʿAẓīm.

"Allah is sufficient for me. There is no god but Him. In Him I have placed my trust, and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne."

— Quran 9:129

Seeking ease when something is difficult:

Allāhumma lā sahla illā mā jaʿaltahu sahlan, wa anta tajʿalu al-ḥazna idhā shiʾta sahlan.

"O Allah, there is no ease except in what You make easy, and You make the difficult, if You will, easy."

— Ibn Hibban

For guidance and knowledge

Rabbi zidnī ʿilman.

"My Lord, increase me in knowledge."

— Quran 20:114

For steadfastness of the heart (a frequent du'a of the Prophet ﷺ):

Yā muqalliba al-qulūb, thabbit qalbī ʿalā dīnik.

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

— Sunan at-Tirmidhi

For this world and the next

For righteous family (the du'a of the servants of the Most Merciful):

Rabbanā hab lanā min azwājinā wa dhurriyyātinā qurrata aʿyunin wa ajʿalnā lil-muttaqīna imāmā.

"Our Lord, grant us from among our spouses and offspring comfort to our eyes, and make us leaders for the righteous."

— Quran 25:74

For one's parents:

Rabbi arḥamhumā kamā rabbayānī ṣaghīrā.

"My Lord, have mercy upon them as they raised me when I was small."

— Quran 17:24

For acceptance of one's deeds:

Rabbanā taqabbal minnā innaka anta as-samīʿu al-ʿalīm.

"Our Lord, accept this from us. Indeed, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing."

— Quran 2:127

Short daily remembrances (dhikr)

These are brief, immense in reward, and easy to keep on the tongue throughout the day.

Subḥānallāhi wa bi-ḥamdih, subḥānallāhi al-ʿaẓīm.

"Glory be to Allah and praise Him; glory be to Allah the Magnificent."

The Prophet ﷺ said these are two phrases light on the tongue, heavy on the scale, and beloved to the Most Merciful. — Sahih al-Bukhari

Lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāh.

"There is no might nor power except with Allah."

The Prophet ﷺ called this a treasure from the treasures of Paradise. — Sahih al-Bukhari

Lā ilāha illā Allāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-ḥamd, wa huwa ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr.

"There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is capable of all things."

Said 100 times a day, its reward is immense. — Sahih al-Bukhari

For protection

Recited morning and evening, and a means of protection:

Bismillāhi alladhī lā yaḍurru maʿa ismihi shayʾun fī al-arḍi wa lā fī as-samāʾ, wa huwa as-samīʿu al-ʿalīm.

"In the name of Allah, with whose name nothing on earth or in the heavens can cause harm, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing."

Said three times morning and evening. — Sunan Abi Dawud

The Prophet ﷺ also taught that reciting the last three surahs of the Quran (Al-Ikhlāṣ, Al-Falaq, and An-Nās) three times each, morning and evening, suffices a person against all things. — Sunan Abi Dawud

A closing word

Do not let these supplications stay on the page. Choose one or two that speak to what you are carrying right now, and begin to say them. Say them until they become part of you. And beyond these memorized words, speak to Allah plainly, in your own language, about everything, for He is nearer to you than you imagine, and He is listening.

"And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the call of the caller when he calls upon Me."

— Quran 2:186

Further study: There is no substitute for returning directly to the Quran and the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ. Many of the supplications above are found in the Quran itself and in the hadith collections of Bukhari, Muslim, and the Sunan. For a comprehensive, authenticated collection of the Prophet's ﷺ daily supplications, the classical compilation "Al-Adhkār" by Imam an-Nawawi, and the well-known "Ḥiṣn al-Muslim" (Fortress of the Muslim), gather the authentic du'as for every occasion. We will be publishing dedicated collections for specific situations, in shā' Allāh.