Supplications to Be Recited for Steadfastness in Iman (faith)
Iman (iman—faith), which in the dictionary means to believe in something, to affirm it, is, as a religious term, to accept without doubt, with the qalb (qalb—the heart), the definite truths that the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) conveyed to us from Allah. The locus of iman is the qalb, and it is obligatory (fard) for every Muslim to preserve this iman until their last breath.
Verses about Iman in the Qur’an
The Exalted Allah has sent the following verses, commanding us to protect our iman:
- Surah al-Nisāʾ, verse 136: O you who believe! Believe in Allah and His Messenger and the Book which He has sent down to His Messenger and the Scripture which He sent down before. And whosoever disbelieves in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Last Day, has surely gone far astray. This verse emphasizes the importance of preserving iman.
- Surah Āl ʿImrān, verse 102: O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and do not die except as Muslims. This verse reminds us that we must live as Muslims until our last breath.
Ways to Protect Iman
In order to protect our iman, we must obey Allah and our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), avoid shirk (shirk—associating partners with God), kufr (kufr—disbelief), hypocrisy, and forbidden acts, and at the same time, seek help from Allah.
Supplications to Be Recited for Iman
The Exalted Allah recommends that intelligent people make the following supplication: Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us, and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower. (Āl ʿImrān, 3/8)
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also frequently recited the following supplications for iman and steadfastness:
- “Yā muqalliba’l-qulūb! Thabbit qalbī ʿalā dīnik” (O Turner of the hearts! Make my heart steadfast upon Your religion!) (Tirmidhī, Qadar, 7)
- “Allāhumma’ṣrif qulūbanā ilā ṭāʿatika” (O Allah! Direct our hearts to obedience to You.) (Ibn Ḥibbān, Adʿiya, No: 902)
Hadith about the State of the Qalb (heart)
When the Companion (ṣaḥāba) Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) expressed his concern about iman to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the Prophet said: Yes! The hearts are between the fingers of Allah. He turns them as He wills. (Tirmidhī, Qadar, 7)
Supplication for Refuge from Kufr (disbelief)
The believers must seek refuge in Allah from falling into kufr: Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika mina’l-kufri wa’l-faqr (O Allah! I seek refuge in You from disbelief and poverty.) (Nasāʾī, al-Sunan al-Kubrā, Istiʿādha, 28; No:7920; Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal, V, 36)