Knowledge & Guidance — أدعية العلم

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Dua 1

Increase me in knowledge

Daily — before studying, learning, or seeking understanding

رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا

Rabbi zidnī ʿilmā.

My Lord, increase me in knowledge.

Quran 20:114.

The ONLY thing in the Quran where Allah commands the Prophet ﷺ to ask for “more of.”

Dua 2

Beneficial knowledge and accepted deeds

After Fajr prayer

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا، وَرِزْقًا طَيِّبًا، وَعَمَلًا مُتَقَبَّلًا

Allāhumma innī asʾaluka ʿilman nāfiʿā, wa rizqan ṭayyibā, wa ʿamalan mutaqabbalā.

O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, good provision, and accepted deeds.

Sunan Ibn Mājah 925.

Dua 3

Benefit me and teach me more

After studying, or when seeking to apply knowledge

اللَّهُمَّ انْفَعْنِي بِمَا عَلَّمْتَنِي، وَعَلِّمْنِي مَا يَنْفَعُنِي، وَزِدْنِي عِلْمًا

Allāhumma nfaʿnī bimā ʿallamtanī, wa ʿallimnī mā yanfaʿunī, wa zidnī ʿilmā.

O Allah, benefit me with what You have taught me, teach me that which will benefit me, and increase me in knowledge.

Tirmidhī 3599.

Dua 4

Guide me and keep me straight

Daily, when making decisions

اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي وَسَدِّدْنِي

Allāhumma hdinī wa saddidnī.

O Allah, guide me and keep me on the straight path.

Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2725.

Think of guidance as a journey, and steadfastness as the straightness of an arrow.

Dua 5

Steadfastness after guidance

After finding the right path, to stay on it

رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِنْ لَّدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ

Rabbanā lā tuzigh qulūbanā baʿda idh hadaytanā wa hab lanā min ladunka raḥmah, innaka anta l-Wahhāb.

Our Lord, do not let our hearts deviate after You have guided us, and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower.

Quran 3:8.

Dua 6

Ṣalāt al-Istikhārah

Before any significant decision — marriage, job, travel, purchase

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ، وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ، فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ، وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ. اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَٰذَا الْأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ، وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَٰذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ

Allāhumma innī astakhīruka bi-ʿilmik, wa astaqdiruka bi-qudratik, wa asʾaluka min faḍlika l-ʿaẓīm, fa-innaka taqdiru wa lā aqdir, wa taʿlamu wa lā aʿlam, wa anta ʿallāmu l-ghuyūb. Allāhumma in kunta taʿlamu anna hādha l-amra khayrun lī fī dīnī wa maʿāshī wa ʿāqibati amrī faqdurhu lī wa yassirhu lī thumma bārik lī fīh, wa in kunta taʿlamu anna hādha l-amra sharrun lī fī dīnī wa maʿāshī wa ʿāqibati amrī faṣrifhu ʿannī waṣrifnī ʿanhu waqdur liya l-khayra ḥaythu kāna thumma arḍinī bih.

O Allah, I seek Your guidance by virtue of Your knowledge, and I seek ability by virtue of Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. For You are able and I am not. You know and I do not, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and the outcome of my affairs — then decree it for me, make it easy for me, and bless me in it. And if You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion, my livelihood, and the outcome of my affairs — then turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and decree for me what is good wherever it may be, and make me content with it.

Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1162.

Pray two voluntary rakʿahs, then recite this dua. Mention your specific need in your heart. Then trust Allah's decree.

Dua 7

Refuge from useless knowledge

Regular — a reality check on our pursuit of learning

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ لَا يَنْفَعُ، وَمِنْ قَلْبٍ لَا يَخْشَعُ، وَمِنْ نَفْسٍ لَا تَشْبَعُ، وَمِنْ دَعْوَةٍ لَا يُسْتَجَابُ لَهَا

Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika min ʿilmin lā yanfaʿ, wa min qalbin lā yakhshaʿ, wa min nafsin lā tashbaʿ, wa min daʿwatin lā yustajābu lahā.

O Allah, I seek refuge in You from knowledge that does not benefit, from a heart that does not humble itself, from a soul that is never satisfied, and from a supplication that is not answered.

Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2722.

Dua 8

Show me truth and falsehood clearly

When confused between right and wrong, or facing deception

اللَّهُمَّ أَرِنِي الْحَقَّ حَقًّا وَارْزُقْنِي اتِّبَاعَهُ، وَأَرِنِي الْبَاطِلَ بَاطِلًا وَارْزُقْنِي اجْتِنَابَهُ

Allāhumma arinī l-ḥaqqa ḥaqqan warzuqni ttibāʿah, wa arinī l-bāṭila bāṭilan warzuqni jtinābah.

O Allah, show me the truth as truth and grant me the ability to follow it, and show me falsehood as falsehood and grant me the ability to avoid it.

Widely attributed — commonly recited by scholars.

Dua 9

Turner of hearts ×3

Daily — the Prophet ﷺ made this dua frequently

اللَّهُمَّ يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَىٰ دِينِكَ

Allāhumma yā Muqalliba l-qulūbi thabbit qalbī ʿalā dīnik.

O Allah, O Turner of hearts, make my heart firm upon Your religion.

Tirmidhī 2140 — narrated by Anas ibn Mālik.

Anas said: The Prophet ﷺ used to say this frequently. When asked why, he said: "The heart is between two Fingers of the Most Merciful. He turns it however He wills."