by Aishah Iqbal

A year has passed since last Ramadan. It was a year filled with happiness, excitement, sorrow, grief, anxiety – an array of emotions created by the diverse set of events that happen in our lives.

We warmly welcome each Ramadan as it is a time to escape from the preoccupation of dunya to focus on ourselves and our iman. Whilst we all work on our worship and faith throughout the year, Ramadan is a month that offers the opportunity to reap mountains of reward, work on our character as well as develop a deep connection with Allah سبحانه و تعالى.

One of the most generous blessings of the month of Ramadan is the opportunity of having our dua (supplications) accepted.

In this article, we’ll go through some of the most important duas you can make daily during different parts of your day in Ramadan, In sha Allah.

Remember the power of dua

It was narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“There are three whose supplication is not rejected: The fasting person when he breaks his fast, the just leader, and the supplication of the oppressed person; Allah raises it up above the clouds and opens the gates of heaven to it. And the Lord says: ‘By My might, I shall surely aid you, even if it should be after a while.’”
[Jami` at-Tirmidhi]

A believer wants nothing more than his/her dua, be it for aspects of the dunya or betterment in the akhirah, to be accepted. Dua is the weapon of the believer; there is nothing else that can directly and regularly shield, protect and arm us against the trials and tribulations of this life like dua.

Remember the Prophet’s ﷺ words:

“Dua (supplication) is worship”

[Abu Dawud]

And in another narration, he ﷺ said:

“The supplication is the essence of worship.”

[Jami` at-Tirmidhi]

With the blessed days of Ramadan approaching, it is important that we formulate an action plan to capture these invaluable moments and make as much dua as we can. Allah سبحانه و تعالى is the All-Knowing and He سبحانه و تعالى understands our duas that are made in absolutely any language.

However, by the mercy of Allah سبحانه و تعالى, we are blessed to have been given the exact words we need to use within our duas.

Duas do not need to be elaborate in length. Aisha رضي الله عنه‎  reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ preferred duas that were few in words and comprehensive in meaning [Abu Dawud].

This is a vital reminder for those who will be working or studying this Ramadan: it is not the length of your dua that matters, but rather the meaning and intentions behind it that are of importance.

General tips

1. Before Ramadan begins, make a list of duas for everything you desire. This can be as long or short as you like. It is useful to place these duas under a few headings to make it easier for you to remember them.
2. Have a list of goals you want to achieve, even if they are small. Be sure to include your goals in your dua list so Allah سبحانه و تعالى can help you be productive in achieving them.
3. Memorize the dua for daily activities and some of the duas mentioned below. Do not worry if you can’t; just write them down on a paper or in the notepad on your phone so you have them at hand whenever you have a few spare minutes.
4. Make some dua cards to stick around the house to help your family reap the benefits of making dua. These can include the dua for going to the bathroom, climbing the stairs, leaving the house, etc.

Etiquette of making dua

If we want to maximize the impact and sincerity of our dua, here are a few simple guidelines we can follow:

1. Have faith that Allah سبحانه و تعالى will respond
2. Start your dua by praising Allah سبحانه و تعالى and calling upon Him with His Most Beautiful Names
3. Follow this by sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ
4. End your dua with salawat on the Prophet ﷺ
5. Do not raise your voice too high
6. Face the qiblah whenever possible

Morning dua tips

Morning adkhar

There is a set of duas that should be made in the morning, the majority being found in the Fortress of the Muslim. Either purchase a copy of the pocket-sized book or download it as a dua app on your phone. Spend some time after fajr reciting these essential duas asking Allah سبحانه و تعالى to make your day a productive one, protecting you against the whispers of shaytan and the distractions of dunya.

Here are a few duas from the morning adhkar (taken from the Fortress of the Muslim) that can give a tremendous boost to your daily productivity:

‘We have reached the morning and at this very time all sovereignty belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds. O Allah, I ask you for the good of this day, its triumphs and its guidance, and I take refuge in You from the evil of this day and the evil that follows it.’

‘O Allah, grant my body health, O Allah, grant my hearing health, O Allah, grant my sight health. None has the right to be worshipped except You.’

‘O Allah, I ask You for pardon and well-being in this life and the next. O Allah, I ask You for pardon and well-being in my religious and worldly affairs, and my family and my wealth. O Allah, veil my weaknesses and set at ease my dismay. O Allah, preserve me from the front and from behind and on my right and on my left and from above, and I take refuge with You lest I be swallowed up by the earth.’

‘O Allah, Knower of the unseen and the seen, Creator of the heavens and the Earth, Lord and Sovereign of all things, I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except You. I take refuge in You from the evil of my soul and from the evil and shirk of the devil, and from committing wrong against my soul or bringing such upon another Muslim.’

Easy dhikr and dua while commuting

The Prophet ﷺ is reported to have said:

“Let not your tongue cease to be moist with the remembrance of Allah.”

[Jami` at-Tirmidhi].

Whilst on your commute or school run, you can easily make attentive dhikr and short dua. Your commute will add up to a significant amount of hours over the month, so be sure to make this time worthwhile.

Praise Allah سبحانه و تعالى

‘Subhannallahi wa bihamdihi.’ ‘Glory is to Allah and praise is to him’ – recite 100 times in the morning and evening.

[Jami` at-Tirmidhi]

Ask Allah سبحانه و تعالى for a home in jannah

‘Rab-bibni Li Indaka Baytan Fil Jannah.’ “My Lord! Build for me a home near you in Paradise.”

[Qur’an: Chapter 66, Verse 11]

Afternoon Dua Tips

After wudu, in sujood and after obligatory salah are three times when dua are accepted. With food out of the question, you now have plenty of time to spend on these actions during your lunch break. If your day is super busy, utilize the moments around your obligatory prayers to connect with Allah سبحانه و تعالى and make dua for everything on your list.

Blessing of dua after wudu

It was narrated that ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab said:

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Whoever performs Wudu’ and does it well, then says: “Ashhadu an la ilaha ill-Allah was ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluh (I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is his slave and Messenger),” eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him, and he may enter through whichever one he wishes.’”

[Sunan an-Nasa’i]

Blessing of dua during sujood

Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه‎  reported:

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “A slave becomes nearest to his Rabb when he is in prostration. So increase supplications while prostrating.”

[Muslim].

Blessing of dua after obligatory salah

Abu Umamah narrated:

“It was said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, which supplication is most likely to be listened to?’ He said: ‘(During) the last part of the night, and at the end of the obligatory prayers.’”

[Jami` at-Tirmidhi]

Easy dhikr while at work/school/doing chores

These are the activities that will take up most of our day. We often resent actions that seem to have nothing to do with our ibadah in Ramadan. Make use of this time by remembering Allah. In your breaks, be sure to bring out your dua list again. Also, this is a great time to make dua for your school, work and family goals as you are already engrossed in those activities.

Praise Allah سبحانه و تعالى

‘La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah.’ ‘There is no power and no strength except with Allah.’

[Sunan Ibn Majah]

Dua for knowledge

‘Allahummanfa’ni bima ‘allamtani, wa ‘allimni ma yanfa’uni, wa zidni ‘ilman. Wa’l-hamdu Lillahi ‘ala kulli hal.’ (O Allah, benefit me by that which You have taught me, and teach me that which will benefit me, and increase my knowledge. Praise is to Allah in all circumstances)

[Sunan Ibn Majah]

Dua for good character

‘Allahumma ‘inni ‘as-alukas sihhata wal’iffata wal’amaanta wa husnal khuluqhi warridhaa bil Qadar.’

‘Oh Allah, I ask You for health, restraint, trustworthiness, good character and contentment with the decree.’

[Al-Adab Al-Mufrad]

Evening Dua Tips

Evening adkhar

Like in the morning, there is a set of duas to make in the evening. Ensure you have some time to sit after praying Maghrib to supplicate.

‘Allaahumma bika ‘amsaynaa wa bika ‘asbahnaa, wa bika nahyaa, wa bika namootu wa ‘ilaykal maseer.’

(Oh Allah, you bring us the end of the day as you bring us the beginning. You bring us life and you bring us death and to you is our fate.)

[Fortress of the Muslim]

Dua upon breaking the fast

This is one of the most important times to make dua, so seize this opportunity. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ  said:

“There are three whose supplication is not rejected: The fasting person when he breaks his fast, the just leader, and the supplication of the oppressed person; Allah raises it up above the clouds and opens the gates of heaven to it. And the Lord says: ‘By My might, I shall surely aid you, even if it should be after a while.’”

[Jami` at-Tirmidhi]

Another dua to consider is the dua the Prophet ﷺ made upon breaking his fast. He ﷺ said when he broke his fast:

“Thirst has gone, the arteries are moist, and the reward is sure, if Allah wills.”

Dua for parents

‘Rabbana ighfir lee waliwalidayya walilmumineena yawma yaqoomu alhisab.’

“Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers the Day the account is established.”

[Qur’an: Chapter 14, Verse 41]

Dua for your family

‘Rabbana hab lana min azwajina wathurriyyatina qurrata a’yunin waj’alna lilmuttaqeena imama.’ “Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous.”

[Qur’an: Chapter 25, Verse 74]

Make dua as a family

Ramadan is a beautiful opportunity to develop family relationships. Especially those with children who go to university or work, dinner times together as a family can be a rarity. Eat and make dua together for the things you want to achieve as a family. Teach some dua to your family members and reflect upon your day’s achievements together.

Night Dua Tips

Extra prayers

There are many optional prayers a believer can add into their life. In Ramadan, many pray taraweeh. This is an additional time to bring our dua list and focus on your relationship with Allah سبحانه و تعالى.

Making a long dua after witr is also recommended. This is one of the duas the Prophet ﷺ would make during witr:

“O Allah, guide me among those Thou hast guided, grant me security among those Thou hast granted security, take me into Thy charge among those Thou hast taken into Thy charge, bless me in what Thou hast given, guard me from the evil of what Thou hast decreed, for Thou dost decree, and nothing is decreed for Thee. He whom Thou befriendest is not humbled. Blessed and Exalted art Thou, our Lord.”

[Abu Dawud]

Bedtime

Make sure you get enough sleep before you start the next blessed day. However, before going to bed, be sure to reflect upon the reason this month is upon us and ask Allah سبحانه و تعالى to continue to help you grow as a Muslim.

There are several duas to make before sleeping which one can find in the Fortress of the Muslim:

‘In Your name my Lord, I lie down and I in Your name I rise, so if You should take my soul then have mercy upon it, and if You should return my soul then protect it in the manner You do so with Your righteous servants.’
‘All praise is for Allaah, Who fed us and gave us drink, and Who is sufficient for us and has sheltered us, for how many have none to suffice them or shelter them.’

‘O Allaah, I submit my soul unto You, and I entrust my affair unto You, and I turn my face towards You, and I totally rely on You, in hope and fear of You. Verily there is no refuge nor safe haven from You except with You. I believe in Your Book which You have revealed and in Your Prophet whom You have sent.’

It is also worth noting that the Prophet ﷺ, when retiring to his bed every night, would hold his palms together, spit in them, recite the last three chapters of the Qur’an and then wipe over his entire body as much as possible with his hands, beginning with his head and face and then all parts of the body; he would do this three times. [Fortress of the Muslim]

Last third of the night

Remember the power and might of this portion of the night. Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه‎  narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

Our Lord (glorified and exalted be He) descends each night to the earth’s sky when there remains the final third of the night, and He says: Who is saying a prayer to Me that I may answer it? Who is asking something of Me that I may give it to him? Who is asking forgiveness of Me that I may forgive him? It was related by al-Bukhari (also by Muslim, Malik, at-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud). In a version by Muslim the Hadith ends with the words: And thus He continues till [the light of] dawn shines.

[40 Hadith Qudsi]

When your alarm clock goes off for suhoor, recite the dua for waking up:

“All praise is for Allah who gave us life after having taken it from us and unto Him is the Resurrection.”

[Fortress of the Muslim]

Then, make wudu and pray two rakahs (or more units) of tahajjud. Leave yourself some time to sit and ask Allah سبحانه و تعالى for forgiveness and guidance.

Dua for forgiveness

“Our Lord, indeed we have heard a caller calling to faith, [saying], ‘Believe in your Lord,’ and we have believed. Our Lord, so forgive us our sins and remove from us our misdeeds and cause us to die with the righteous.”

[Qur’an: Chapter 3, Verse 193]

Dua for guidance

“Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance.”

[Qur’an: Chapter 18, Verse 10]

Additional recommended dua times

There are some additional times when duas are accepted that we should be aware of. Try to supplicate, even if it is for a couple of minutes, within these times as well as those mentioned above.

During the last hour on Friday

Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah that the Prophet ﷺ said:

“Friday is divided into twelve hours. Amongst them there is an hour in which a Muslim does not ask Allah for anything but He gives it to him. So seek it in the last hour after the afternoon prayer.”

[Sunan Abi Dawud]

On the night of Laylatul Qadr

The blessed night of laylatul qadr could be truly transforming of one’s destiny throughout the year.

Aisha رضي الله عنه‎  reported:

“I asked: “O Messenger of Allah! If I realize Laylat-ul-Qadr (Night of Decree), what should I supplicate in it?” He ﷺ replied, “You should supplicate: Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun, tuhibbul-‘afwa, fa’fu ‘anni (O Allah, You are Most Forgiving, and You love forgiveness; so forgive me).”

[At-Tirmidhi].

Whilst traveling

Abu Harairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

“Three supplications are accepted, there is no doubt in them (about them being accepted): The supplication of the oppressed, the supplication of the traveler, and the supplication of his father against his son.”

[Jami` at-Tirmidhi]

If you’ll be travelling during Ramadan, be sure to utilize your travelling time to make all the duas you’ve shortlisted and anything else you think of at that moment. Think of our ummah in different parts of the world and ask Allah سبحانه و تعالى to alleviate their suffering, grant them aid and sustenance and bless them with peace and security. Also, depending on when you’re travelling, see if there are any recommended duas to make during that time and make those as well.

I hope the above breakdown of recommended and suggested duas for different times of your Ramadan day is beneficial to you and will help you in utilizing your time in Ramadan to make as much dua as possible, in sha Allah.