Duas connect our everyday moments to Allah, from waking up to travelling to asking for His mercy. Here are well-loved supplications from the Qur’an and the Sunnah, each with Arabic, an easy transliteration and a simple meaning. Pick a theme or search for what you need.
On waking up
اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ
Alhamdu lillahil-ladhi ahyana ba’da ma amatana wa ilayhin-nushur.
All praise is for Allah who gave us life after causing us to die, and to Him is the return.
Before sleeping
بِاسْمِكَ اللّٰهُمَّ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا
Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya.
In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live.
Before eating
بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ
Bismillah.
In the name of Allah. If you forget at the start, say: Bismillahi awwalahu wa akhirah.
After eating
اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنِي هٰذَا وَرَزَقَنِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَلَا قُوَّةٍ
Alhamdu lillahil-ladhi at’amani hadha wa razaqanihi min ghayri hawlin minni wa la quwwah.
All praise is for Allah who fed me this and provided it for me, without any power or strength from me.
Leaving the house
بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ، تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللّٰهِ، وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ
Bismillah, tawakkaltu ’alallah, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah.
In the name of Allah, I place my trust in Allah; there is no power and no strength except with Allah.
Entering the masjid
اَللّٰهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ
Allahummaf-tah li abwaba rahmatik.
O Allah, open for me the doors of Your mercy.
Leaving the masjid
اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ
Allahumma inni as’aluka min fadlik.
O Allah, I ask You for Your bounty.
When travelling
سُبْحَٰنَ ٱلَّذِى سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُۥ مُقْرِنِينَ وَإِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا لَمُنقَلِبُونَ
Subhanal-ladhi sakhkhara lana hadha wa ma kunna lahu muqrinin, wa inna ila Rabbina lamunqalibun.
Glory to Him who made this vehicle serve us, for we could never have done it ourselves, and to our Lord we will surely return.
For prayer and for our children
رَبِّ ٱجْعَلْنِى مُقِيمَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِى ۚ رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَآءِ
Rabbij-’alni muqimas-salati wa min dhurriyyati, Rabbana wa taqabbal du’a.
My Lord, make me keep up the prayer, and my children too. Our Lord, accept my prayer.
For our parents
رَّبِّ ٱرْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِى صَغِيرًۭا
Rabbir-hamhuma kama rabbayani saghira.
My Lord, have mercy on them, as they raised me when I was small.
For a happy family
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَٰجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍۢ وَٱجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا
Rabbana hab lana min azwajina wa dhurriyyatina qurrata a’yunin waj’alna lil-muttaqina imama.
Our Lord, grant us joy in our spouses and children, and make us leaders for those who are mindful of You.
Seeking knowledge
رَّبِّ زِدْنِى عِلْمًۭا
Rabbi zidni ’ilma.
My Lord, increase me in knowledge.
Before speaking or teaching
رَبِّ ٱشْرَحْ لِى صَدْرِى وَيَسِّرْ لِىٓ أَمْرِى وَٱحْلُلْ عُقْدَةًۭ مِّن لِّسَانِى يَفْقَهُوا۟ قَوْلِى
Rabbish-rah li sadri, wa yassir li amri, wahlul ’uqdatam-mil-lisani, yafqahu qawli.
My Lord, open up my heart, make my task easy for me, and remove the knot from my tongue so that they understand my speech.
Asking forgiveness
قَالَا رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَآ أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ
Rabbana zalamna anfusana wa il-lam taghfir lana wa tarhamna lanakunanna minal-khasirin.
Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves. If You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we will surely be among the losers.
Forgiveness and mercy
وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱغْفِرْ وَٱرْحَمْ وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ
Rabbigh-fir warham wa anta khayrur-rahimin.
My Lord, forgive and have mercy, for You are the best of those who show mercy.
Repentance
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَتُبْ عَلَيَّ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
Rabbigh-fir li wa tub ’alayya innaka antat-Tawwabur-Rahim.
My Lord, forgive me and accept my repentance, for You are the Accepter of repentance, the Merciful.
Good in both worlds
وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةًۭ وَفِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ حَسَنَةًۭ وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ
Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil-akhirati hasanatan wa qina ’adhaban-nar.
Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the next, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.
Steadiness of heart
رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْوَهَّابُ
Rabbana la tuzigh qulubana ba’da idh hadaytana wa hab lana min ladunka rahmah, innaka antal-Wahhab.
Our Lord, do not let our hearts turn away after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from Yourself. You are the Giver.
In distress (the dua of Yunus)
لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبْحَٰنَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minaz-zalimin.
There is no god but You. Glory be to You! I have been among the wrongdoers.
Worry and sadness
اللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ، وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ
Allahumma inni a’udhu bika minal-hammi wal-hazan, wal-’ajzi wal-kasal, wal-bukhli wal-jubn, wa dala’id-dayni wa ghalabatir-rijal.
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, from weakness and laziness, from miserliness and cowardice, and from the burden of debt and being overpowered by others.
Qur’anic Arabic text: Tanzil Project. Transliterations and meanings are our own simple renderings.
Please learn the correct pronunciation from a qualified teacher.