5 supplications
Duas for Others: Brothers, Friends and Benefactors
Praying for others is among the most rewarded acts: “The du‘a of a Muslim for his brother in his absence is answered; an angel beside him says: Amin, and for you the same” (Muslim). These duas turn everyday relations into worship.
Reply to “I love you for the sake of Allah”
أَحَبَّكَ الَّذِي أَحْبَبْتَنِي لَهُ
Ahabbakal-ladhi ahbabtani lah.
May He for whose sake you love me love you.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud
When repaying a loan
بَارَكَ اللَّهُ لَكَ فِي أَهْلِكَ وَمَالِكَ، إِنَّمَا جَزَاءُ السَّلَفِ الْحَمْدُ وَالْأَدَاءُ
Barakallahu laka fi ahlika wa malik, innama jaza’us-salafil-hamdu wal-ada’.
May Allah bless you in your family and your wealth; the reward for a loan is thanks and repayment.
Source: Sunan al-Nasa’i; Sunan Ibn Majah
For someone’s wealth and children
اللَّهُمَّ أَكْثِرْ مَالَهُ وَوَلَدَهُ، وَبَارِكْ لَهُ فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَهُ
Allahumma akthir malahu wa waladah, wa barik lahu fima a‘taytah.
O Allah, increase his wealth and children and bless him in what You have given him. The Prophet’s ﷺ du‘a for his servant Anas.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari
Thanking someone
جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا
Jazakallahu khayra.
May Allah reward you with good. “Whoever says it to the one who did him a favour has praised him perfectly.”
Source: Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi
For parents and all believers
رَّبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِمَن دَخَلَ بَيْتِيَ مُؤْمِنًا وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ
Rabbighfir li wa li-walidayya wa liman dakhala baytiya mu’minan wa lil-mu’minina wal-mu’minat.
My Lord, forgive me and my parents, and whoever enters my house as a believer, and the believing men and believing women.
Source: Qur’an 71:28
Praying for others in their absence
The Prophet ﷺ said: “There is no Muslim who prays for his brother in his absence but the angel says: and for you the same” (Muslim). Some of the early Muslims, wanting a du‘a for themselves, would make it for their brother so that the angel would say “and for you the same”.
When someone says “I love you for the sake of Allah”, the Prophet ﷺ told the man to inform his brother, and the reply is “Ahabbakal-ladhi ahbabtani lah” (Abu Dawud). Such love brings shade on the Day when there is no shade but His (al-Bukhari, Muslim).
Thanking benefactors
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever does not thank people does not thank Allah” (Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi). When ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Rabi‘ah lent him money, he repaid it saying: “May Allah bless you in your family and wealth; the reward of a loan is praise and repayment” (an-Nasa’i). And he prayed for his servant Anas for abundant wealth and children with blessing; Anas lived to see a great number of descendants (al-Bukhari, Muslim).
Further guidance
Praying for others takes many forms: for the sick to be healed, the traveller to be protected, the couple to be blessed, the deceased to be forgiven, the benefactor to be rewarded and oppressed Muslims to be helped. Abu ad-Darda’ is reported to have prayed in prostration for seventy of his brothers by name. Keeping a regular share of your du‘a for others is loyalty, purifies the heart of envy and brings back the same good to you.
Practical tips
- Pray for three people by name every day without telling them.
- Tell your brother you love him for the sake of Allah.
- Thank benefactors with “Jazakallahu khayran”.
- Repay loans on time with a du‘a for the lender.
- Include all believers in your du‘a, as Nuh did.
Duas for Others: Brothers, Friends and Benefactors: questions and answers
What do I reply to “I love you for the sake of Allah”?
“Ahabbakal-ladhi ahbabtani lah”: may He for whose sake you love me love you (Abu Dawud).
Is praying for others rewarded?
Yes, the angel says “and for you the same”, so the one who prays receives what he asked for his brother (Muslim).