What is Dua? The Importance and Virtue of Supplication
Dua (supplication), is the servant’s recognition of their Lord, confessing their own helplessness, weakness, and powerlessness in the face of His greatness, infinite and boundless power, and beseeching Him for help with deep love and reverence.
“Your Lord has said: ‘Call upon Me and I will respond to you…’” (verse [āya] 60 of Sūrat al-Mu’min)
“And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me and believe in Me that they may be rightly guided.” (verse [āya] 186 of Sūrat al-Baqara)
The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“Dua (supplication) is worship.” (Abū Dāwūd, Witr 23; Tirmidhī, Tafsīr al-Qur’ān 3, 41, Daʿawāt 1.)
Supplications Made by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
The supplications frequently made by the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) throughout his life have been a source of inspiration for us. Here are 40 supplications from the tongue of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and their meanings:
Supplications from the Tongue of the Prophet – Dua 1
Dua 1: Morning and Evening Supplication
The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) would say in his supplication:
Arabic:
Recitation: “Allāhumma bika aṣbaḥnā wa bika amsaynā wa bika naḥyā wa bika namūtu wa ilayka al-maṣīr.”
Meaning: “O Allah! By Your leave and help we have reached the morning and by Your leave and help we have reached the evening; by Your leave and help we live and by Your leave and help we die. And to You is the final return.” (Tirmidhī, Daʿawāt 13)
Supplications from the Tongue of the Prophet – Dua 2
Dua 2: Supplication for Refuge
The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) would say in his supplication:
Arabic:
Recitation: “Allāhumma aʿūdhu bi-riḍāka min sakhaṭika wa bi-muʿāfātika min ʿuqūbatika wa aʿūdhu bika minka lā uḥṣī thanāʾan ʿalayka anta kamā athnayta ʿalā nafsika.”
Meaning: “O Allah! I seek refuge in Your pleasure from Your wrath; in Your forgiveness from Your punishment. I seek refuge in You from You. I cannot enumerate praise of You; You are as You have praised Yourself.” (Muslim, Ṣalāt 222)
Supplications from the Tongue of the Prophet – Dua 3
Dua 3: Supplication for Well-being and Health
The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) would say in his supplication:
Arabic:
Recitation: “Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika min zawāli niʿmatika wa taḥawwuli ʿāfiyatika wa fuja’ati niqmatika wa jamīʿi saḫaṭika.”
Meaning: “O Allah! I seek refuge in You from the disappearance of Your blessing, the change of the well-being You have granted, the suddenness of Your punishment, and from all things that incur Your wrath.” (Muslim, Dhikr 96)
Supplications from the Tongue of the Prophet – Dua 4
Dua 4: Supplication for Refuge from Grief and Incapacity
The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) would say in his supplication:
Arabic:
Recitation: “Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika min al-hammi wa’l-ḥazan. Wa aʿūdhu bika min al-ʿajzi wa’l-kasal. Wa aʿūdhu bika min al-jubni wa’l-bukhl. Wa aʿūdhu bika min ghalabat al-dayni wa qahr al-rijāl.”
Meaning: “O Allah! I seek refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from the burden of debt and from being overpowered by men.” (Abū Dāwūd, Ṣalāt 367)
Supplications from the Tongue of the Prophet – Dua 5
Dua 5: Supplication for Refuge from Poverty and Humiliation
The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) would say in his supplication:
Arabic:
Recitation: “Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika min al-faqri wa’l-qillati wa’z-zillati wa aʿūdhu bika min an azlima aw uzlama.”
Meaning: “O Allah! I seek refuge in You from poverty, scarcity, and humiliation; and I seek refuge in You from oppressing others or being oppressed.” (Bukhārī, Daʿawāt 40)
(This list is only a selection of the supplications made by the Prophet Muhammad. For more, you may consult the relevant hadith collections.)