5 supplications
Duas and Etiquette of Qur’an Recitation
Reciting the Qur’an has an opening, a manner and moments of prostration. The isti‘adhah protects the reciter from distraction, specific verses call for a prostration with its own du‘a, and the Prophet ﷺ would pause at verses of mercy and punishment to ask and seek refuge.
Seeking refuge before reciting
أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ السَّمِيعِ الْعَلِيمِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ، مِنْ هَمْزِهِ وَنَفْخِهِ وَنَفْثِهِ
A‘udhu billahis-sami‘il-‘alimi minash-shaytanir-rajim, min hamzihi wa nafkhihi wa nafthih.
I seek refuge in Allah, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, from the accursed Satan, from his madness, his pride and his poetry.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud; Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi
In the prostration of recitation
سَجَدَ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي خَلَقَهُ، وَشَقَّ سَمْعَهُ وَبَصَرَهُ، بِحَوْلِهِ وَقُوَّتِهِ
Sajada wajhiya lil-ladhi khalaqah, wa shaqqa sam‘ahu wa basarah, bi-hawlihi wa quwwatih.
My face has prostrated to the One who created it and brought forth its hearing and its sight by His might and power.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud; Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi; Sunan al-Nasa’i
Increase me in knowledge
رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا
Rabbi zidni ‘ilma.
My Lord, increase me in knowledge.
Source: Qur’an 20:114
The last two verses of Surat al-Baqarah
آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ … رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ ۖ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا ۚ أَنْتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ
Amanar-rasulu bima unzila ilayhi min rabbihi wal-mu’minun … rabbana wa la tuhammilna ma la taqata lana bih, wa‘fu ‘anna waghfir lana warhamna, anta mawlana fansurna ‘alal-qawmil-kafirin.
The Messenger believes in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and so do the believers… Our Lord, do not burden us with what we cannot bear; pardon us, forgive us and have mercy on us. You are our Protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people. Whoever recites them at night, they will suffice him.
Source: Qur’an 2:285-286; Sahih al-Bukhari; Sahih Muslim
Ayat al-Kursi
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ
Allahu la ilaha illa huwal-hayyul-qayyum, la ta’khudhuhu sinatun wa la nawm, lahu ma fis-samawati wa ma fil-ard, man dhal-ladhi yashfa‘u ‘indahu illa bi-idhnih, ya‘lamu ma bayna aydihim wa ma khalfahum, wa la yuhituna bi-shay’im-min ‘ilmihi illa bima sha’, wasi‘a kursiyyuhus-samawati wal-ard, wa la ya’uduhu hifdhuhuma, wa huwal-‘aliyyul-‘adhim.
Allah — there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth… His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and preserving them does not tire Him. He is the Most High, the Most Great. Whoever recites it in the morning is protected until the evening, and whoever recites it in the evening is protected until the morning.
Source: Qur’an 2:255; al-Mustadrak of al-Hakim
Isti‘adhah and basmalah
Allah says: “When you recite the Qur’an, seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan” (16:98). The common form is “A‘udhu billahi minash-shaytanir-rajim”; the longer form with “as-Sami‘ al-‘Alim… min hamzihi wa nafkhihi wa nafthih” is reported from the Prophet ﷺ in the night prayer (Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi). The basmalah is recited at the beginning of every surah except at-Tawbah.
The prostration of recitation
The Qur’an contains fifteen places of prostration according to many scholars. When the Prophet ﷺ recited one, he prostrated and those with him prostrated (al-Bukhari). In it he said: “Sajada wajhiya lil-ladhi khalaqah, wa shaqqa sam‘ahu wa basarahu bi-hawlihi wa quwwatih” (Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi), and the usual “Subhana rabbiyal-a‘la” is also sufficient.
Most scholars consider it a confirmed Sunnah, not an obligation, since ‘Umar recited a verse of prostration on the minbar without prostrating the following Friday (al-Bukhari).
Etiquette of the reciter
Recite slowly with tartil (73:4), beautify the voice: “He is not of us who does not beautify his voice with the Qur’an” (al-Bukhari). Pause at verses of mercy to ask, at verses of punishment to seek refuge and at verses of glorification to glorify, as the Prophet ﷺ did in his night prayer (Muslim). Face the qiblah when possible, be in a state of purity and stop when tired or distracted.
Practical tips
- Start every recitation with the isti‘adhah.
- Learn the places of prostration in your mushaf.
- Recite slowly and reflect on the meaning.
- Set a fixed daily portion, even small.
- Listen to a skilled reciter to improve tajwid.
Duas and Etiquette of Qur’an Recitation: questions and answers
Do I need wudu to read the Qur’an?
Reciting from memory without wudu is allowed; touching the mushaf requires wudu according to most scholars.
Is the prostration of recitation obligatory?
According to most scholars it is a strongly recommended Sunnah, not an obligation (al-Bukhari).
What do I say in the prostration of recitation?
“Sajada wajhiya lil-ladhi khalaqah…” (Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi) or “Subhana rabbiyal-a‘la”.