Etiquette of making dua

1. Purify yourself: Start by ensuring you are in a state of cleanliness. Performing Wudu (ablution) if
possible, as it prepares the mind and body for a spiritual connection.
2. Choose the Right Time and Place: Certain times are considered more auspicious for making dua,
such as during the last third of the night, while fasting, between the Adhan (call to prayer) and
Iqama (start of prayer), on Fridays, and while it is raining. Additionally, facing the Qibla (direction
of the Kaaba in Mecca) is recommended.
3. Start with Praise and Salutations of the Holy Prophet ‫ﷺ‬: Begin your dua by praising Allah (SWT)
and sending blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
4. Show up with Sincerity and Humility: Approach your dua with a sincere heart, humility, and the
firm belief that Allah is capable of all things. Acknowledge your need for Allah's help and express
your utter helplessness and dependence on Him.
5. Raise Your Hands: Raising your hands is a sunnah (practice of the Prophet) while making dua. It
symbolizes your earnestness and supplication to Allah.
6. Be Specific and Articulate: Clearly express what you seek, and be direct in your requests. Allah
knows your needs, but articulating them helps affirm your intentions and desires.
7. Invoke Allah’s Names: Use the most beautiful names (Asmaul Husna) of Allah related to your
supplication. For example, if seeking forgiveness, you might say, “Ya Ghaffar (O All-Forgiving)...”
8. Repeat Your Dua: Repetition shows persistence and earnestness. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
recommended repeating a dua three times.
9. Pray for Others: Making dua for others before yourself is a noble act and encourages the angels to
make similar duas for you.
10. Express Gratitude: End your dua by thanking Allah for His blessings and mercy. Show gratitude for
what you have, as well as for what you are asking for.
11. Believe in the Response: Have full faith that Allah will respond to your dua in the best way possible,
even if the answer is not what you expect. Sometimes, the response to a dua is delayed, comes in a
different form, or Allah provides something better than what was asked for.
12. Act Towards Your Dua: Take proactive steps towards achieving what you are making dua for. Trust
in Allah, but also put in the necessary effort as part of your reliance on Him

Remember, the acceptance of dua also depends on one's livelihood being halal (permissible), avoiding actions
that are haram (forbidden), and maintaining patience. Allah's wisdom is beyond our understanding.

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Prophetic Duas
Prophet Adam’s ‫ ﷺ‬Dua for Mercy:
ِ ‫َربَّنَا ظَلَ ْمنَا َأنفُ َسنَا وَِإن لَّ ْم تَ ْغفِرْ لَنَا َوتَرْ َح ْمنَا لَنَ ُكون ََّن ِمنَ ْالخ‬
َ‫َاس ِرين‬
Rabbanaa zalamnaa anfusanaa wa-in lam taghfir lanaa wa tarhamnaa lanakoonanna minal khaasireen
“Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely
be among the losers.” - Quran 7:23

Prophet Nuh’s ‫ ﷺ‬Dua for Help:

ِ ‫َربِّ ِإنِّي َم ْغلُوبٌ فَانت‬
ْ‫َصر‬
Rabbi inni maghlubun fan-tassir
“My Lord, indeed I am overpowered, so help.” - Quran 54:10

Prophet Nuh’s ‫ ﷺ‬Dua for Forgiveness of Parents and All Believers:

‫ت َواَل ت َِز ِد الظَّالِ ِمينَ ِإاَّل تَبَارًا‬
ِ ‫ي َولِ َمن َد َخ َل بَ ْيتِ َي ُمْؤ ِمنًا َولِ ْل ُمْؤ ِمنِينَ َو ْال ُمْؤ ِمنَا‬
َّ ‫َربِّ ا ْغفِرْ لِي َولِ َوالِ َد‬
Rabbighfir lee wa liwaa lidaiya wa liman dakhala baitiya mu'minanw wa lil mu'mineena wal mu'minaati wa laa
tazidiz zaalimeena illaa tabaaraa
“My Lord, forgive me and my parents and whoever enters my house a believer and the believing men and
believing women. And do not increase the wrongdoers except in destruction.” - Quran 71:28

Prophet Nuh’s ‫ ﷺ‬Dua for Support:

ِ ‫َربِّ انصُرْ نِي بِ َما َك َّذب‬
‫ُون‬
Rabbin surnee bimaa kazzaboon
“My Lord, support me because they have denied me.” - Quran 23:26

Prophet Nuh’s ‫ ﷺ‬Dua for Travelling:

ِ ‫نز ْلنِي ُمن َزاًل ُّمبَا َر ًكا َوَأنتَ َخ ْي ُر ْال ُم‬
َ‫نزلِين‬ ِ ‫َربِّ َأ‬
Rabbi anzilnee munzalam mubaarakanw wa Anta khairul munzileen
“My Lord, let me land at a blessed landing place, and You are the best to accommodate [us].” - Quran 23:29

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Prophet Nuh’s ‫ ﷺ‬Dua for Seeking Refuge in Allah and His Mercy:
ِ ‫ْس لِي بِ ِه ِع ْل ٌم وَِإاَّل تَ ْغفِرْ لِي َوتَرْ َح ْمنِي َأ ُك ْم ِمنَ ْالخ‬
َ‫َاس ِرين‬ َ َ‫ك َأ ْن َأ ْسَأل‬
َ ‫ك َما لَي‬ َ ِ‫َربِّ ِإنِّي َأعُو ُذ ب‬
Rabbi inneee a'oozu bika an as'alaka maa laisa lee bihee 'ilmunw wa illaa taghfir lee wa tarhamneee akum minal
khaasireen
“My Lord, I seek refuge in You from asking that of which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me
and have mercy upon me, I will be among the losers.” - Quran 11:47

Prophet Yunus’s ‫ ﷺ‬Dua for Forgiveness:

َ‫نت ِمنَ الظَّالِ ِمين‬ َ َ‫اَّل ِإ ٰلَهَ ِإاَّل َأنتَ ُس ْب َحان‬
ُ ‫ك ِإنِّي ُك‬
Laaa ilaaha illaaa Anta Subhaanaka innee kuntu minaz zaalimeen
“There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.” - Quran 21:87

Prophet Zakariya’s ‫ ﷺ‬Dua for Offspring:

َ ‫َربِّ هَبْ لِي ِمن لَّدُن‬
َ َّ‫ك ُذرِّ يَّةً طَيِّبَةً ِإن‬
‫ك َس ِمي ُع ال ُّدعَا ِء‬
Rabbi hab lee mil ladunka zurriyyatan taiyibatan innaka samee'ud du'aaa
“My Lord, grant me from Yourself a good offspring. Indeed, You are the Hearer of supplication.” - Quran 3:38

ِ ‫َربِّ اَل تَ َذرْ نِي فَرْ دًا َوَأنتَ َخ ْي ُر ْال َو‬

َ‫ارثِين‬
Rabbi laa tazarnee fardanw wa Anta khairul waariseen
“My Lord, do not leave me alone [with no heir], and you are the best of inheritors.” - Quran 21:89

Prophet Muhammad’s ‫ ﷺ‬Dua for Sufficiency:

‫َح ْسبُنَا هَّللا ُ َونِ ْع َم ْال َو ِكي ُل‬
Hasbunal laahu wa ni'mal wakeel
“Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.” - Quran 3:173

Prophet Muhammad’s ‫ ﷺ‬Dua for Reliance Upon Allah:

‫ش ْال َع ِظ ِيم‬ ُ ‫َح ْسبِ َي هَّللا ُ اَل ِإ ٰلَهَ ِإاَّل هُ َو َعلَ ْي ِه تَ َو َّك ْل‬
ِ ْ‫ت َوهُ َو َربُّ ْال َعر‬
Hasbiyal laahu laaa ilaaha illaa Huwa 'alaihi tawakkkaltu wa Huwa Rabbul 'Arshil 'Azeem
“Sufficient for me is Allah; there is no deity except Him. On Him I have relied, and He is the Lord of the
Great Throne.” - Quran 9:129

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Prophet Muhammad’s ‫ ﷺ‬Dua for Knowledge:
‫َربِّ ِز ْدنِي ِع ْل ًما‬
Rabbi zidnee 'ilmaa
“My Lord, increase me in knowledge.” - Quran 20:114

Prophet Muhammad’s ‫ ﷺ‬Dua for Seeking Refuge in Allah from Shaitan:

‫ُون‬ ُ ْ‫ك َربِّ َأن يَح‬
ِ ‫ضر‬ َ ِ‫ين َوَأعُو ُذ ب‬ ِ َ‫ت ال َّشي‬
ِ ‫اط‬ َ ِ‫َربِّ َأعُو ُذ ب‬
ِ ‫ك ِم ْن هَ َمزَا‬
Rabbi a'oozu bika min hamazaatish Shayaateen Wa a'oozu bika Rabbi ai-yahduroon
“My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the incitements of the devils, and I seek refuge in You, my Lord, lest they
be present with me.” - Quran 23:97-98

Prophet Muhammad’s ‫ ﷺ‬Dua for Forgiveness and Mercy:

ِ ‫َربِّ ا ْغفِرْ َوارْ َح ْم َوَأنتَ َخ ْي ُر الر‬
َ‫َّاح ِمين‬
Rabbigh fir warham wa Anta khairur raahimeen
“My Lord, forgive and have mercy, and You are the best of the merciful.” - Quran 23:118

Prophet Muhammad’s ‫ ﷺ‬Dua for Victory and Success:

ِ َّ‫ك س ُْلطَانًا ن‬
‫صيرًا‬ َ ‫ق َواجْ َعل لِّي ِمن لَّدُن‬ ِ ‫ق َوَأ ْخ ِرجْ نِي ُم ْخ َر َج‬
ٍ ‫ص ْد‬ ِ ‫َربِّ َأ ْد ِخ ْلنِي ُم ْد َخ َل‬
ٍ ‫ص ْد‬
Rabbi adkhilnee mudkhala sidqinw wa akhrijnee mukhraja sidqinw waj'al lee milladunka sultaanan naseeraa
“My Lord, cause me to enter a sound entrance and to exit a sound exit, and grant me from Yourself a
supporting authority.” - Quran 17:80

Prophet Muhammad’s ‫ ﷺ‬Dua for Allah’s Love and Righteous Deeds:

‫ ومن الماء البارد‬،‫ وأهلي‬،‫ اللهم اجعل حبك أحب إلى من نفسي‬،‫ والعمل الذي يبلغني حبك‬،‫ وحب من يحبك‬،‫اللهم إني أسألك حبك‬
Allahumma inni as'aluka hubbaka, wa hubba man yuhibbuka, wal-'amalalladhi yuballighuni hubbaka.
Allahumm-aj'al hubbaka ahabba ilayya min nafsi, wa ahli, wa minal-ma'il-barid
"O Allah! I ask You for Your Love, the love of those who love You, and deeds which will cause me to attain
Your Love. O Allah! Make Your Love dearer to me than myself, my family, and cold water." - Riyadh as
Saliheen 1490

Prophet Muhammad’s ‫ ﷺ‬Dua for Good in This World and the Hereafter:
‫اللهم أتنا في الدنيا حسنة وفي اآلخرة حسنة وقنا عذاب النار‬
Allahumma atina fi dunya hasanatan wa fil akhirati hasanatan wa qina 'adhaba annar
"O Allah, grant us the good in this world and the good in the Hereafter and save us from the torment of
Hell-Fire." – Sahih Muslim 2690

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 MY DUA LIST
Instructions: Update this page frequently to reflect on which duas God has granted you and how your priorities
change over the years. Use it as an aid to connect with God after prayer and make sure you aren’t forgetting any
duas. Be thorough and include everything you want from God! Use in combination with dua etiquette

For him to be pleased with, pardon, and forgive you

GOD ‫ﷻ‬

To seek His closeness and invoke His mercy

The Holy Prophet ‫ﷺ‬, his family and righteous companions

Family
RELATIONSHIPS

Friends
 Body (Physical health & wellness, hair, skin, nails, height, beauty, etc.)

Spiritual heart (e..g., to stop sins, pray 5 times, memorize Quran, etc.)

Protection from evil and harm (e.g., poverty, illness, evil eye, etc.)

Personal development goals (e.g, character, knowledge, patience, anger, etc.)

MY OWN SELF

Career and financial rizq

Death, grave, and heaven (e.g., a light and wide grave, death of a martyr, admittance to heaven, etc.)

Everything else
 Your local community

The Ummah (all Muslims)

THE LIVING

Global issues (e.g., climate change, natural disasters, wars, etc.)

For non-muslims to die as Muslims

For your ancestors

THE DEPARTED & ANCTICIPATED

For your progeny

For the Prophets and believers of the past

For those who have no one else to pray for them