6 supplications
Comprehensive Duas (Jawami‘ al-Du‘a)
‘A’ishah said that the Prophet ﷺ loved comprehensive supplications and left aside others (Abu Dawud). These few sentences cover religion, worldly life, the Hereafter, knowledge, the heart and blessings, which makes them ideal for daily use.
For all good
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ أَعْلَمْ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْتُ مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ أَعْلَمْ
Allahumma inni as’aluka minal-khayri kullihi ‘ajilihi wa ajilih, ma ‘alimtu minhu wa ma lam a‘lam, wa a‘udhu bika minash-sharri kullihi ‘ajilihi wa ajilih, ma ‘alimtu minhu wa ma lam a‘lam.
O Allah, I ask You for all good, immediate and delayed, what I know of it and what I do not know, and I seek refuge in You from all evil, immediate and delayed, what I know of it and what I do not know.
Source: Sunan Ibn Majah
For religion, this world and the next
اللَّهُمَّ أَصْلِحْ لِي دِينِي الَّذِي هُوَ عِصْمَةُ أَمْرِي، وَأَصْلِحْ لِي دُنْيَايَ الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَاشِي، وَأَصْلِحْ لِي آخِرَتِي الَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَادِي، وَاجْعَلِ الْحَيَاةَ زِيَادَةً لِي فِي كُلِّ خَيْرٍ، وَاجْعَلِ الْمَوْتَ رَاحَةً لِي مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ
Allahumma aslih li dinil-ladhi huwa ‘ismatu amri, wa aslih li dunyayal-lati fiha ma‘ashi, wa aslih li akhiratil-lati fiha ma‘adi, waj‘alil-hayata ziyadatan li fi kulli khayr, waj‘alil-mawta rahatan li min kulli sharr.
O Allah, set right my religion, which is the safeguard of my affairs; set right my world, in which is my living; set right my Hereafter, to which is my return; make life an increase for me in every good, and make death a rest for me from every evil.
Source: Sahih Muslim
Against the loss of blessings
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ زَوَالِ نِعْمَتِكَ، وَتَحَوُّلِ عَافِيَتِكَ، وَفُجَاءَةِ نِقْمَتِكَ، وَجَمِيعِ سَخَطِكَ
Allahumma inni a‘udhu bika min zawali ni‘matik, wa tahawwuli ‘afiyatik, wa fuja’ati niqmatik, wa jami‘i sakhatik.
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the loss of Your blessing, the change of Your protection, the suddenness of Your punishment and all that displeases You.
Source: Sahih Muslim
Refuge from four things
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ لَا يَنْفَعُ، وَمِنْ قَلْبٍ لَا يَخْشَعُ، وَمِنْ نَفْسٍ لَا تَشْبَعُ، وَمِنْ دَعْوَةٍ لَا يُسْتَجَابُ لَهَا
Allahumma inni a‘udhu bika min ‘ilmin la yanfa‘, wa min qalbin la yakhsha‘, wa min nafsin la tashba‘, wa min da‘watin la yustajabu laha.
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from knowledge that does not benefit, from a heart that is not humble, from a soul that is never satisfied and from a supplication that is not answered.
Source: Sahih Muslim
Good in this world and the next
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
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 Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire. The supplication the Prophet ﷺ made most often; also said between the Yemeni corner and the Black Stone.
Source: Qur’an 2:201; Sahih al-Bukhari; Sahih Muslim
Pardon and well-being
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي دِينِي وَدُنْيَايَ وَأَهْلِي وَمَالِي، اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِي، وَآمِنْ رَوْعَاتِي، اللَّهُمَّ احْفَظْنِي مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيَّ، وَمِنْ خَلْفِي، وَعَنْ يَمِينِي، وَعَنْ شِمَالِي، وَمِنْ فَوْقِي، وَأَعُوذُ بِعَظَمَتِكَ أَنْ أُغْتَالَ مِنْ تَحْتِي
Allahumma inni as’alukal-‘afwa wal-‘afiyata fid-dunya wal-akhirah. Allahumma inni as’alukal-‘afwa wal-‘afiyata fi dini wa dunyaya wa ahli wa mali. Allahummastur ‘awrati, wa amin raw‘ati. Allahummahfadhni min bayni yadayya, wa min khalfi, wa ‘an yamini, wa ‘an shimali, wa min fawqi, wa a‘udhu bi-‘adhamatika an ughtala min tahti.
O Allah, I ask You for pardon and well-being in this world and the Hereafter. O Allah, I ask You for pardon and well-being in my religion, my worldly affairs, my family and my wealth. O Allah, cover my faults and calm my fears. O Allah, protect me from in front of me and behind me, from my right and my left, and from above me; and I seek refuge in Your greatness from being taken unawares from beneath me. The Prophet ﷺ never left these words in the morning and evening.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud; Sunan Ibn Majah
Why comprehensive duas?
The Prophet ﷺ was given “jawami‘ al-kalim”, words that gather many meanings in few letters. His du‘a for all good “what I know of it and what I do not know” covers needs the servant cannot even imagine, and his refuge from all evil does the same. When ‘A’ishah asked what to say if she found Laylat al-Qadr, he gave her a single sentence asking for pardon.
The du‘a “Allahumma aslih li dini…” asks for the three worlds of a person: religion, this life and the Hereafter, and makes both life and death a good for the believer. It is a complete life plan in one du‘a.
Refuge from four things
The Prophet ﷺ sought refuge from knowledge that does not benefit, a heart that is not humble, a soul never satisfied and a du‘a not answered (Muslim). These four sum up the spiritual diseases: knowledge without action, hardness of heart, greed and distance from Allah.
Practical tips
- Memorise one comprehensive du‘a each week.
- Say them in prostration and before the salam.
- Use them when you do not know what to ask for.
- Add your specific needs after them.
- Teach them to your family; they suit every age.
Comprehensive Duas (Jawami‘ al-Du‘a): questions and answers
Which du‘a covers everything?
“Allahumma inni as’aluka minal-khayri kullih…” (Ibn Majah) and “Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanah…” (2:201), the du‘a the Prophet ﷺ made most often according to Anas (al-Bukhari).
Is it better to ask for specific things or general ones?
Both are permitted; the Prophet ﷺ preferred comprehensive duas, while specific needs may be added after them.