10 supplications
More Duas of the Prophets and the Righteous
Beyond the well-known duas of Ibrahim, Yunus and Ayyub, the Qur’an preserves many shorter words of the prophets and of righteous men and women. Each is tied to a story: a journey, a temptation, a victory or a birth, and each teaches how to speak to Allah in that situation.
Musa’s repentance at the mountain
سُبْحَانَكَ تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Subhanaka tubtu ilayka wa ana awwalul-mu’minin.
Glory be to You! I repent to You, and I am the first of the believers.
Source: Qur’an 7:143
Musa sets off towards Madyan
عَسَىٰ رَبِّي أَن يَهْدِيَنِي سَوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ
‘Asa rabbi an yahdiyani sawa’as-sabil.
Perhaps my Lord will guide me to the right way.
Source: Qur’an 28:22
Musa asks for forgiveness and good
أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا ۖ وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْغَافِرِينَ وَاكْتُبْ لَنَا فِي هَٰذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدْنَا إِلَيْكَ
Anta waliyyuna faghfir lana warhamna wa anta khayrul-ghafirin, waktub lana fi hadhihid-dunya hasanatan wa fil-akhirati inna hudna ilayk.
You are our Protector, so forgive us and have mercy on us; You are the best of forgivers. And write for us good in this world and in the Hereafter; indeed, we have turned back to You.
Source: Qur’an 7:155-156
The words of ‘Isa on the Day of Judgement
إِن تُعَذِّبْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ عِبَادُكَ ۖ وَإِن تَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ فَإِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
In tu‘adhdhibhum fa-innahum ‘ibaduk, wa in taghfir lahum fa-innaka antal-‘azizul-hakim.
If You punish them, they are Your servants; and if You forgive them, You are the Almighty, the Wise. The Prophet ﷺ spent a whole night repeating this verse in prayer (an-Nasa’i).
Source: Qur’an 5:118; Sunan al-Nasa’i
Nuh boards the Ark
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ مَجْرَاهَا وَمُرْسَاهَا ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Bismillahi majraha wa mursaha, inna rabbi la-ghafurur-rahim.
In the name of Allah is its course and its anchorage. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.
Source: Qur’an 11:41
Dhul-Qarnayn credits his Lord
هَٰذَا رَحْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّي
Hadha rahmatum-mir-rabbi.
This is a mercy from my Lord. Said after building the great barrier, attributing his success to Allah.
Source: Qur’an 18:98
Sulayman sees the throne before him
هَٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّي لِيَبْلُوَنِي أَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ ۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ
Hadha min fadli rabbi li-yabluwani a-ashkuru am akfur, wa man shakara fa-innama yashkuru li-nafsih.
This is from the favour of my Lord, to test me whether I will be grateful or ungrateful. Whoever is grateful is grateful for his own benefit.
Source: Qur’an 27:40
When you forget, remember Allah
عَسَىٰ أَن يَهْدِيَنِ رَبِّي لِأَقْرَبَ مِنْ هَٰذَا رَشَدًا
‘Asa an yahdiyani rabbi li-aqraba min hadha rashada.
Perhaps my Lord will guide me to what is nearer than this to right conduct.
Source: Qur’an 18:24
Protection for a newborn girl
وَإِنِّي سَمَّيْتُهَا مَرْيَمَ وَإِنِّي أُعِيذُهَا بِكَ وَذُرِّيَّتَهَا مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
Wa inni sammaytuha maryama wa inni u‘idhuha bika wa dhurriyyataha minash-shaytanir-rajim.
I have named her Maryam, and I seek refuge for her and her descendants in You from Satan, the accursed.
Source: Qur’an 3:36
The du‘a of Asiya, Pharaoh’s wife
رَبِّ ابْنِ لِي عِندَكَ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَنَجِّنِي مِن فِرْعَوْنَ وَعَمَلِهِ وَنَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ
Rabbibni li ‘indaka baytan fil-jannati wa najjini min fir‘awna wa ‘amalihi wa najjini minal-qawmidh-dhalimin.
My Lord, build for me near You a house in Paradise, save me from Pharaoh and his deeds, and save me from the wrongdoing people.
Source: Qur’an 66:11
Lessons from each du‘a
Asiya, living in the palace of the greatest tyrant, asked for a house near Allah in Paradise (66:11), and the Prophet ﷺ counted her among the perfect women (al-Bukhari). The mother of Maryam sought protection for her daughter and descendants, and the Prophet ﷺ said that every newborn is touched by Satan except Maryam and her son (al-Bukhari).
Sulayman, seeing a throne brought in the blink of an eye, saw a test of gratitude in it (27:40), and Dhul-Qarnayn, after a great achievement, said “This is a mercy from my Lord” (18:98). Success attributed to Allah stays a blessing.
More Duas of the Prophets and the Righteous: questions and answers
What did the Prophet ﷺ repeat all night in prayer?
The verse of ‘Isa: “If You punish them, they are Your servants…” (5:118), weeping for his community (an-Nasa’i, Ibn Majah).
What du‘a is said when boarding a ship or vehicle?
“Bismillahi majraha wa mursaha” (11:41), together with the travel du‘a taught by the Prophet ﷺ.