9 supplications
Opening Duas of the Prayer and the Night Prayer
Between the opening takbir and al-Fatihah, the Prophet ﷺ said various supplications of praise and repentance. Scholars recommend alternating them, using the shorter ones in congregation and the longer ones, such as the du‘a of light, in the night prayer.
The opening supplication
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ، وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ، وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ
Subhanaka Allahumma wa bi-hamdik, wa tabarakasmuk, wa ta‘ala jadduk, wa la ilaha ghayruk.
Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise; blessed is Your name, exalted is Your majesty, and there is no god besides You. Said after the opening takbir, before al-Fatihah.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud; Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi
Opening: distance me from my sins
اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَايَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ، اللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِي مِنْ خَطَايَايَ كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ، اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْنِي مِنْ خَطَايَايَ بِالثَّلْجِ وَالْمَاءِ وَالْبَرَدِ
Allahumma ba‘id bayni wa bayna khatayaya kama ba‘adta baynal-mashriqi wal-maghrib. Allahumma naqqini min khatayaya kama yunaqqath-thawbul-abyadu minad-danas. Allahummaghsilni min khatayaya bith-thalji wal-ma’i wal-barad.
O Allah, distance me from my sins as You have distanced the East from the West. O Allah, cleanse me of my sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. O Allah, wash me of my sins with snow, water and hail. Said silently between the takbir and the Fatihah.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari; Sahih Muslim
Opening: I turn my face
وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ، إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ
Wajjahtu wajhiya lilladhi fataras-samawati wal-arda hanifan wa ma ana minal-mushrikin. Inna salati wa nusuki wa mahyaya wa mamati lillahi rabbil-‘alamin, la sharika lah, wa bi-dhalika umirtu wa ana minal-muslimin.
I have turned my face to the One who created the heavens and the earth, inclining to truth, and I am not of the polytheists. My prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds; He has no partner; this I have been commanded and I am of the Muslims.
Source: Sahih Muslim
Opening: You are the King
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الْمَلِكُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، أَنْتَ رَبِّي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي، وَاعْتَرَفْتُ بِذَنْبِي، فَاغْفِرْ لِي ذُنُوبِي جَمِيعًا، إِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
Allahumma antal-maliku la ilaha illa ant, anta rabbi wa ana ‘abduk, dhalamtu nafsi, wa‘taraftu bi-dhanbi, faghfir li dhunubi jami‘a, innahu la yaghfirudh-dhunuba illa ant.
O Allah, You are the King; there is no god but You. You are my Lord and I am Your servant. I have wronged myself and confess my sin, so forgive me all my sins; none forgives sins but You.
Source: Sahih Muslim
Opening: all good is in Your hands
لَبَّيْكَ وَسَعْدَيْكَ، وَالْخَيْرُ كُلُّهُ فِي يَدَيْكَ، وَالشَّرُّ لَيْسَ إِلَيْكَ، أَنَا بِكَ وَإِلَيْكَ، تَبَارَكْتَ وَتَعَالَيْتَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ
Labbayka wa sa‘dayk, wal-khayru kulluhu fi yadayk, wash-sharru laysa ilayk, ana bika wa ilayk, tabarakta wa ta‘alayt, astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk.
Here I am at Your service and Your pleasure; all good is in Your hands and evil is not attributed to You. I exist by You and return to You. Blessed and exalted are You; I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You.
Source: Sahih Muslim
Opening: Allah is greatly great
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ كَبِيرًا، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ كَثِيرًا، وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا
Allahu akbaru kabira, wal-hamdu lillahi kathira, wa subhanallahi bukratan wa asila.
Allah is the greatest, greatly; much praise is for Allah; glory be to Allah morning and evening. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The gates of heaven were opened for it.”
Source: Sahih Muslim
The opening of tahajjud
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ الْحَقُّ، وَوَعْدُكَ الْحَقُّ، وَلِقَاؤُكَ حَقٌّ، وَقَوْلُكَ حَقٌّ، وَالْجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّارُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّبِيُّونَ حَقٌّ، وَمُحَمَّدٌ ﷺ حَقٌّ، وَالسَّاعَةُ حَقٌّ، اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ، وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ، وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْتُ، وَبِكَ خَاصَمْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ حَاكَمْتُ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ، أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
Allahumma lakal-hamdu anta qayyimus-samawati wal-ardi wa man fihinn, wa lakal-hamdu anta nurus-samawati wal-ardi wa man fihinn, wa lakal-hamdu antal-haqq, wa wa‘dukal-haqq, wa liqa’uka haqq, wa qawluka haqq, wal-jannatu haqq, wan-naru haqq, wan-nabiyyuna haqq, wa muhammadun ﷺ haqq, was-sa‘atu haqq. Allahumma laka aslamtu, wa bika amantu, wa ‘alayka tawakkaltu, wa ilayka anabtu, wa bika khasamtu, wa ilayka hakamtu, faghfir li ma qaddamtu wa ma akhkhartu, wa ma asrartu wa ma a‘lantu, antal-muqaddimu wa antal-mu’akhkhir, la ilaha illa ant.
O Allah, praise is Yours; You sustain the heavens and earth and all in them; praise is Yours; You are the light of the heavens and earth and all in them. Praise is Yours; You are the Truth, Your promise is true, the meeting with You is true, Your word is true, Paradise is true, the Fire is true, the prophets are true, Muhammad ﷺ is true and the Hour is true. O Allah, to You I submit, in You I believe, on You I rely, to You I turn, for You I argue and to You I take my judgement; so forgive me what I have done before and after, in secret and in public. You bring forward and put back; there is no god but You.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari; Sahih Muslim
The night prayer’s request for guidance
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ جِبْرَائِيلَ، وَمِيكَائِيلَ، وَإِسْرَافِيلَ، فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ، عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ، أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ، اهْدِنِي لِمَا اخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِكَ، إِنَّكَ تَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ
Allahumma rabba jibra’ila wa mika’ila wa israfil, fatiras-samawati wal-ard, ‘alimal-ghaybi wash-shahadah, anta tahkumu bayna ‘ibadika fima kanu fihi yakhtalifun, ihdini limakhtulifa fihi minal-haqqi bi-idhnik, innaka tahdi man tasha’u ila siratim-mustaqim.
O Allah, Lord of Jibril, Mika’il and Israfil, Originator of the heavens and earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, You judge between Your servants in what they differ. Guide me, by Your leave, to the truth in what has been differed over; You guide whom You will to a straight path.
Source: Sahih Muslim
Night prayer: ten of each
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ (عَشْرًا)، الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ (عَشْرًا)، سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ (عَشْرًا)، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ (عَشْرًا)، أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ (عَشْرًا)، اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي، وَاهْدِنِي، وَارْزُقْنِي، وَعَافِنِي (عَشْرًا)، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ ضِيقِ الْمَقَامِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ (عَشْرًا)
Allahu akbar (×10), alhamdu lillah (×10), subhanallah (×10), la ilaha illallah (×10), astaghfirullah (×10), Allahummaghfir li wahdini warzuqni wa ‘afini (×10), Allahumma inni a‘udhu bika min dayqil-maqami yawmal-qiyamah (×10).
Allah is the greatest, praise be to Allah, glory be to Allah, there is no god but Allah, I seek Allah’s forgiveness, O Allah forgive me, guide me, provide for me and keep me well, and I seek refuge in You from the narrowness of the standing on the Day of Resurrection: each ten times.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud; Sunan al-Nasa’i
Choosing an opening
The best known opening is “Subhanakallahumma wa bihamdik”. Abu Hurayrah asked the Prophet ﷺ what he said silently after the takbir and he taught him “Allahumma ba‘id bayni wa bayna khatayaya” (al-Bukhari, Muslim). In the night prayer he used longer openings full of praise and surrender.
A Companion said “Allahu akbaru kabira…” on entering the prayer and the Prophet ﷺ said the gates of heaven were opened for it (Muslim), showing that a heartfelt opening is valued.
Opening Duas of the Prayer and the Night Prayer: questions and answers
Is the opening du‘a obligatory?
No, it is a Sunnah according to most scholars; the prayer is valid without it.
Do I say it in every rak‘ah?
Only in the first rak‘ah, before seeking refuge and reciting al-Fatihah.