How to use this guide:
Each dua entry includes: Arabic text · Transliteration · English meaning · Hadith source
Categories in this collection: Waking up · Bathroom · Leaving home · Eating · After meals · Masjid · Sleep · Rain · Travel · Parents · Visiting the ill · Entering a new place · Extra protective duas
All hadith references are from the six major collections (Kutub al-Sittah) or authenticated by major scholars.
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Du'a is worship." (Sunan Abu Dawud 1479, Al-Tirmidhi 3247) Not a supplement to worship, not a preliminary to worship, but worship itself. Every time a Muslim pauses to say a dua before or after an action, they transform a mundane act into an act of ibadah. Eating breakfast becomes an act of gratitude. Walking out the front door becomes an act of tawakkul. Turning off the light at night becomes an act of remembrance.
This is why the Prophet ﷺ taught specific supplications for so many of the ordinary moments of daily life. The goal was not ritual busyness; it was the continuous orientation of the heart toward Allah throughout everything the Muslim does. The collection that follows brings together the most authentic and widely used of these daily duas.
Waking up
The first moments after waking set the tone of the day. The Prophet ﷺ taught a dua to be said upon waking, marking the return of consciousness as a gift from Allah.
Dua upon waking (1)
Arabic: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ
Transliteration: Alhamdulillah il-ladhi ahyana ba'da ma amatana wa ilayhi an-nushur
Meaning: All praise is due to Allah who gave us life after having caused us to die, and to Him is the resurrection.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 6312, Sahih Muslim 2711
Dua upon waking (2): the dua of 'Umar
Arabic: أَصْبَحْنَا وَأَصْبَحَ الْمُلْكُ لِلَّهِ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ
Transliteration: Asbahna wa asbahal-mulku lillah, walhamdulillah
Meaning: We have reached the morning, and the dominion belongs to Allah. All praise is due to Allah.
Source: Sahih Muslim 2723
After these duas, the Sunnah is to rub the face gently with both hands to remove the effects of sleep, as recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari 183, and then use the miswak before performing wudu for Fajr prayer.
Bathroom
Entering the bathroom requires seeking refuge from what the Prophet ﷺ described as the dwelling places of shayatin (evil spirits). This dua is said before stepping across the threshold, not inside.
Dua entering the bathroom
Arabic: اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخُبُثِ وَالْخَبَائِثِ
Transliteration: Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-khubuthi wal-khaba'ith
Meaning: O Allah, I seek refuge in You from male and female evil (jinn).
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 142, Sahih Muslim 375
Dua leaving the bathroom
Arabic: غُفْرَانَكَ
Transliteration: Ghufranaka
Meaning: (I seek) Your forgiveness.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawud 30, Al-Tirmidhi 7, Ibn Majah 300 (authenticated)
The Prophet ﷺ would say this upon leaving the bathroom. The scholars explain that one exits a state of dhikr when entering the bathroom, and upon leaving, immediately returns to it by seeking forgiveness for that temporary absence.
Leaving home
This brief dua, said when stepping out of the home, is one of the most powerful daily protective supplications. It combines the Basmalah (invoking Allah's name), declaration of tawakkul (reliance on Allah), and seeking divine guidance.
Dua upon leaving the home
Arabic: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ، وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
Transliteration: Bismillah, tawakkaltu 'alallah, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah
Meaning: In the name of Allah, I place my trust in Allah, and there is no might nor power except with Allah.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawud 5095, Al-Tirmidhi 3426 (hasan sahih)
The Prophet ﷺ said that when a person says this upon leaving their home, it is said to them: "You are guided, protected, and taken care of," and the shaytan turns away from them.
Dua upon entering the home
Arabic: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَلَجْنَا، وَبِسْمِ اللَّهِ خَرَجْنَا، وَعَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّنَا تَوَكَّلْنَا
Transliteration: Bismillahi walajna, wa bismillahi kharajna, wa 'ala Allahi rabbina tawakkalna
Meaning: In the name of Allah we enter, in the name of Allah we leave, and in our Lord we place our trust.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawud 5096
After this dua, it is sunnah to greet one's family with salam, which the Prophet ﷺ also described as bringing blessing into the home.
Before and after eating
The Prophet ﷺ gave specific instructions for every meal. The dua before eating prevents the shaytan from sharing in the food; the dua after eating is an expression of gratitude that the Prophet taught as completing the act of eating.
Dua before eating
Arabic: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ
Transliteration: Bismillah
Meaning: In the name of Allah.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 5376, Sahih Muslim 2022
This is said at the very start of eating. If one forgets and remembers mid-meal, one says the dua below.
Dua if you forgot to say Bismillah before eating
Arabic: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ أَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ
Transliteration: Bismillahi awwalahu wa akhirahu
Meaning: In the name of Allah at its beginning and its end.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawud 3767 (authenticated by Al-Albani)
Dua after eating
Arabic: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنَا وَسَقَانَا وَجَعَلَنَا مُسْلِمِينَ
Transliteration: Alhamdulillah il-ladhi at'amana wa saqana wa ja'alana muslimin
Meaning: All praise is due to Allah who fed us and gave us drink, and made us Muslims.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawud 3850, Al-Tirmidhi 3457 (authenticated)
Additional dua after eating (from Ibn Abbas)
Arabic: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ حَمْداً كَثِيراً طَيِّباً مُبَارَكاً فِيهِ غَيْرَ مَكْفِيٍّ وَلَا مُوَدَّعٍ وَلَا مُسْتَغْنًى عَنْهُ رَبَّنَا
Transliteration: Alhamdulillahi hamdan kathiran tayyiban mubarakan fihi, ghayra makfiyyin wa la muwadda'in wa la mustaghnan 'anhu rabbana
Meaning: All praise is due to Allah, abundant, good, and blessed praise, that is not sufficient, not bid farewell to, and not dispensed with, O our Lord.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 5458
Entering and leaving the masjid
The masjid is the house of Allah, and entering it with the appropriate dua establishes the visit as an act of worship from the first step. The Prophet ﷺ taught specific duas for both directions.
Dua upon entering the masjid
Arabic: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ، اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ
Transliteration: Bismillah, was-salatu was-salamu 'ala rasulillah, Allahumma iftah li abwaba rahmatik
Meaning: In the name of Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. O Allah, open for me the doors of Your mercy.
Source: Sahih Muslim 713, Sunan Ibn Majah 771
Upon entering the masjid, the right foot is stepped in first. A two-rakat tahiyyat al-masjid (greeting prayer) is sunnah before sitting.
Dua upon leaving the masjid
Arabic: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ
Transliteration: Bismillah, was-salatu was-salamu 'ala rasulillah, Allahumma inni as'aluka min fadlik
Meaning: In the name of Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. O Allah, I ask You from Your bounty.
Source: Sahih Muslim 713
Upon leaving the masjid, the left foot is stepped out first.
Before sleep
Sleep is described in the Quran as a "minor death" (39:42), and the Prophet ﷺ taught two complementary duas for this transition: one at the moment of lying down, and one as the final words before sleep.
Dua before sleep (1): the paired dua with waking
Arabic: بِاسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا
Transliteration: Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya
Meaning: In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 6312
This dua mirrors the dua upon waking, framing sleep and waking as two moments in Allah's hands.
Dua before sleep (2): the dua of Al-Bara' ibn 'Azib
Arabic: اللَّهُمَّ أَسْلَمْتُ نَفْسِي إِلَيْكَ، وَوَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِي إِلَيْكَ، وَفَوَّضْتُ أَمْرِي إِلَيْكَ، وَأَلْجَأْتُ ظَهْرِي إِلَيْكَ، رَغْبَةً وَرَهْبَةً إِلَيْكَ، لَا مَلْجَأَ وَلَا مَنْجَا مِنْكَ إِلَّا إِلَيْكَ، آمَنْتُ بِكِتَابِكَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلْتَ، وَبِنَبِيِّكَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلْتَ
Transliteration: Allahumma aslamtu nafsi ilayk, wa wajjahtu wajhi ilayk, wa fawwadtu amri ilayk, wa alja'tu zahri ilayk, raghbatan wa rahbatan ilayk, la malja'a wa la manja minka illa ilayk. Amantu bi-kitabika alladhi anzalt, wa bi-nabiyyika alladhi arsalt
Meaning: O Allah, I submit myself to You, turn my face to You, entrust my affairs to You, and press my back against You, out of desire for You and out of fear of You. There is no refuge and no escape from You except to You. I believe in Your Book which You have revealed and in Your Prophet whom You have sent.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 247, 6311
The Prophet ﷺ specifically instructed Al-Bara' ibn 'Azib to say this as the last words before sleeping, and told him: "If you die that night, you will die upon the fitrah."
Tasbih al-Fatima before sleep
Text: Subhanallah 33 times, Alhamdulillah 33 times, Allahu Akbar 34 times (total 100)
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 3705, Sahih Muslim 2727
When Fatimah (RA) asked her father the Prophet ﷺ for a servant to help with household work, he taught her this dhikr instead, saying it is better for her than a servant. The Prophet ﷺ said these words before sleep give strength and repel fatigue.
During rain
Rain is a mercy from Allah and a moment for dua. The Prophet ﷺ specifically taught a supplication to be said when rain begins to fall.
Dua when it rains
Arabic: اللَّهُمَّ صَيِّباً نَافِعاً
Transliteration: Allahumma sayyiban nafi'an
Meaning: O Allah, (make it) a beneficial rain.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 1032
Dua after rain has fallen
Arabic: مُطِرْنَا بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَرَحْمَتِهِ
Transliteration: Mutirna bi-fadlillahi wa rahmatih
Meaning: We have been given rain by the grace and mercy of Allah.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 846, Sahih Muslim 71
This dua is important because it attributes the blessing of rain directly to Allah, rather than to natural causes in isolation. The Prophet ﷺ said that those who said the opposite ("we were rained upon by such-and-such a star") had disbelieved in Allah and believed in stars.
Travel
The Prophet ﷺ taught a comprehensive travel dua that covers the entire journey with three takbeers and a specific supplication. He also taught duas for setting out, for stopping, and for returning home.
Dua when beginning travel (mounting a vehicle or departing)
Arabic: اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ، وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ
Transliteration: Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. Subhana alladhi sakhkhara lana hadha wa ma kunna lahu muqrinin, wa inna ila rabbina lamunqalibun
Meaning: Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. Glory be to Him who has subjected this to us, and we were not able to do it on our own. And indeed, to our Lord we will return.
Source: Sahih Muslim 1342, Sunan Abu Dawud 2602
Extended travel dua (said after the three takbeers)
Arabic: اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ فِي سَفَرِنَا هَذَا الْبِرَّ وَالتَّقْوَى، وَمِنَ الْعَمَلِ مَا تَرْضَى، اللَّهُمَّ هَوِّنْ عَلَيْنَا سَفَرَنَا هَذَا وَاطْوِ عَنَّا بُعْدَهُ
Transliteration: Allahumma inna nas'aluka fi safarina hadhal-birra wat-taqwa, wa minal-'amali ma tarda. Allahumma hawwin 'alayna safarana hadha watwi 'anna bu'dah
Meaning: O Allah, we ask You in this journey of ours for righteousness, piety, and deeds that please You. O Allah, make this journey easy for us and fold up its distance for us.
Source: Sahih Muslim 1342
Dua upon returning from travel
Arabic: آيِبُونَ تَائِبُونَ عَابِدُونَ لِرَبِّنَا حَامِدُونَ
Transliteration: Ayibuna ta'ibuna 'abiduna li-rabbina hamidun
Meaning: Returning, repenting, worshipping, and praising our Lord.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 3084, Sahih Muslim 1345
For parents
The Quran contains a specific dua for parents that is one of the most beloved and widely recited of all Quranic supplications. Its context in Surah Al-Isra follows the commandment to treat parents with kindness.
Dua for parents (Quran 17:24)
Arabic: رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا
Transliteration: Rabbir-hamhuma kama rabbayani saghira
Meaning: My Lord, have mercy upon them both as they raised me when I was small.
Source: Quran 17:24
This dua applies to living and deceased parents. The scholars hold that the dua of a child for their deceased parent is among the sadaqah jariyah (ongoing charity) that continues to reach the parent after death, based on Sahih Muslim 1631.
Additional dua for parents and believers (Quran 14:41)
Arabic: رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ
Transliteration: Rabbana-ghfir li wa liwalidayya wa lil-mu'minina yawma yaqumul-hisab
Meaning: Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers on the Day when the reckoning will be established.
Source: Quran 14:41, the dua of Prophet Ibrahim (AS)
For the ill
When visiting someone who is ill, or making dua for someone who is sick, the Prophet ﷺ taught specific supplications that ask for complete recovery and purification.
Dua when visiting the ill (1)
Arabic: لَا بَأْسَ طَهُورٌ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ
Transliteration: La ba's, tahurun in sha'allah
Meaning: No harm, it will be a purification, if Allah wills.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 3616, 5656
Ibn Abbas (RA) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said this to a Bedouin man who was ill. It is said directly to the person who is sick.
Dua for the ill: the ruqyah supplication
Arabic: اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ النَّاسِ، أَذْهِبِ الْبَأْسَ، اشْفِهِ وَأَنْتَ الشَّافِي، لَا شِفَاءَ إِلَّا شِفَاؤُكَ، شِفَاءً لَا يُغَادِرُ سَقَماً
Transliteration: Allahumma rabb al-nas, adhhib al-ba's, ishfihi wa anta al-shafi, la shifa'a illa shifa'uk, shifa'an la yughadiru saqama
Meaning: O Allah, Lord of mankind, remove the harm. Heal him and You are the Healer. There is no healing except Your healing, a healing that leaves no illness behind.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 5749, Sahih Muslim 2191
This dua is said by someone visiting a sick person. The Prophet ﷺ would place his right hand on the sick person while saying a similar version (Muslim 2191).
Dua for one's own illness
Arabic: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ (ثَلَاثاً) أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَجِدُ وَأُحَاذِرُ
Transliteration: Bismillah (three times). A'udhu billahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa uhadhir
Meaning: In the name of Allah (three times). I seek refuge in Allah and His power from the evil of what I feel and fear.
Source: Sahih Muslim 2202
This is said while placing the hand on the part of the body that hurts, and repeating Bismillah three times before the main supplication.
Entering a new or unfamiliar place
When entering an unfamiliar place, a new hotel room, a forest, an area one has not visited before, the Prophet ﷺ taught a brief but comprehensive supplication for protection.
Dua when entering a new or unfamiliar place
Arabic: أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
Transliteration: A'udhu bi kalimatillah il-tammati min sharri ma khalaq
Meaning: I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He has created.
Source: Sahih Muslim 2708, Sunan Abu Dawud 3895
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever stops at a halt and says this, nothing will harm him until he leaves from that stopping place."
Extra protective adhkar
Beyond the situational duas above, the Prophet ﷺ taught a set of morning and evening adhkar that provide comprehensive protection throughout the day and night. These are among the most regularly emphasized practices in the Sunnah.
Morning protection dua (said three times)
Arabic: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
Transliteration: Bismillah il-ladhi la yadurru ma'a ismihi shay'un fil-ardi wa la fis-sama'i wa huwa al-Sami' al-Alim
Meaning: In the name of Allah, with whose name nothing is harmed on earth or in the sky, and He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawud 5088, Al-Tirmidhi 3388 (authenticated)
The Prophet ﷺ said whoever says this three times in the morning and three times in the evening will not be harmed by any sudden affliction.
Ayat al-Kursi after every obligatory prayer
Arabic: اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ... (Quran 2:255)
Transliteration: Allahu la ilaha illa huwal-hayyul-qayyum... (see full Quran 2:255)
Meaning: Allah, there is no god but He, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence...
Source: Al-Nasai 9928, authenticated by Al-Albani
The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi after every obligatory prayer, nothing will prevent them from entering Paradise except death.
The three Quls before sleep (Surah Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, An-Nas)
Practice: Recite each surah three times, then blow gently into the palms, and wipe over the face and body as far as the hands can reach. Repeat three times total.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 5017, Sunan Abu Dawud 5056
Aisha (RA) reported that the Prophet ﷺ did this every night before sleeping. She said that when he was ill, she would do it on his behalf.
FAQ
What is the difference between a dua and a dhikr?
Dua is a direct supplication addressing Allah with a specific request. Dhikr is the remembrance of Allah through phrases of praise and glorification such as Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, and Allahu Akbar, which do not necessarily make a specific request. In practice, many prophetic supplications combine both: they begin with praise of Allah and then make a request, or take the form of seeking refuge, which is both remembrance and supplication.
Do I have to say the duas in Arabic?
The scholarly majority holds that duas can be made in any language, and Allah hears all tongues. However, the prophetic duas have specific Arabic wordings that the Prophet ﷺ himself used and taught. Memorizing and using the Arabic wording follows the prophetic example exactly and carries its own merit. A practical approach is to use transliterations while learning the Arabic progressively over time.
What should I do if I forget to say the dua before eating?
If you forget and remember mid-meal, say: "Bismillahi awwalahu wa akhirahu" (In the name of Allah at its beginning and its end). This is the specific prophetic remedy for this situation, reported in Sunan Abu Dawud 3767. You do not need to restart the meal or consider it spiritually compromised.
Is it required to know the Arabic to get the benefit of the dua?
No. Allah accepts sincere dua in all languages and knows every heart. Learning the Arabic is strongly encouraged because it follows the exact prophetic wording and the meanings are often richer in the original, but starting with the transliteration or your own language while you learn is entirely valid.
Are there duas that protect against harm during the day?
Yes. The most powerful protective adhkar include: Ayat al-Kursi recited after every obligatory prayer (Al-Nasai 9928), the three Quls (Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, An-Nas) morning and evening three times each (Abu Dawud 5082), and "Bismillah il-ladhi la yadurru ma'a ismihi shay'un" said three times in the morning and evening (Abu Dawud 5088). The Prophet ﷺ specifically described these as comprehensive protection from harm throughout the day and night.
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