When you feel doubtful

01 · Surah al-Fatihah: The Greatest Duʿa

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ ، اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ ، الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ ، مٰلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ ، إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِيْنُ ، اِهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيْمَ ، صِرَاطَ الَّذِيْنَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوْبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّآلِّيْنَ.

Bismi-llāhi-r-Raḥmāni-r-Raḥīm. Alḥamdu-lillāhi Rabbi-l-ʿālamīn, ar-Raḥmāni-r-Raḥīm, Māliki yawmi-d-dīn, iyyāka naʿbudu wa iyyāka nastaʿīn, ihdina-ṣ-Ṣirāṭa-l-Mustaqīm, ṣirāṭa-lladhīna anʿamta ʿalayhim ghayri-l-maghḍūbi ʿālayhim wa la-ḍ-ḍāllīn.

In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very Merciful. All praises and thanks are for Allah, the Lord of all the worlds, The All-Merciful, The Very Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgement. You Alone we worship, You Alone we ask for help. Guide us on the Straight Path, the path of those whom You have favoured, not of those who incur (Your) anger nor of those who have gone astray. (1:1-7)

02 · Forgiveness, Anger and Trials

اَللّٰهُمَّ رَبَّ مُحَمَّدٍ اغْفِرْ لِيْ ذَنْبِيْ ، وَأَذْهِبْ غَيْظَ قَلْبِيْ ، وَأَعِذْنِيْ مِنْ مُضِلَّاتِ الْفِتَنِ.

Allāhumma Rabba Muḥammad, ighfir lī dhambī, wa adh-hib ghayẓa qalbī, wa aʿidhnī min muḍillāti-l-fitan.

O Allah, Lord of Muḥammad forgive my sins, remove the anger of my heart and protect me from misleading trials.

- Muhammad b. Abī Bakr (raḥimahullāh) narrates that when ʿĀ'isha (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhā) would become angry, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would stroke her nose and then say (to her): “O ʿUwaysh! Say: [the above].” (Ibn al-Sunnī 455)

03 · Unwavering Iman, Blessings & The Prophet’s Company in Paradise

اَللّٰهُمَّ إنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ إِيْمَانًا لَّا يَرْتَدُّ ، وَنَعِيْمًا لَّا يَنْفَدُ ، وَمُرَافَقَةَ نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ فِيْ أَعْلَىٰ جَنَّةِ الْخُلْدِ.

Allāhumma innī as’aluka īmāna-l-lā yartad, wa naʿīma-l-lā yanfad, wa murāfaqata Nabiyyanā Muḥammadin fī aʿlā Jannati-l-khuld.

O Allah, I beg you for faith which does not waver, blessings which do not cease, and the company of our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in the loftiest abode of the Eternal Garden.

- Abdullāh b. Mas’ūd (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates: ‘’The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ entered the Masjid - He was with Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhumā) . They saw Ibn Mas’ūd (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) performing Salah whilst reciting Surah Nisā. He continued reciting until he reached 100 verses. Ibn Mas’ūd (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) then began supplicating whilst he was standing in prayer. The Prophet ﷺ then said: ‘’Ask (of Allah), you will be granted, ask, you will be granted.’’ Then He ﷺ said: ‘’Whoever wishes to recite The Qurān, fresh, as it was revealed, then he should recite in the manner of Ibn Umm ‘Abd.’’ The following morning Abu Bakr (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) visited him to give him glad tidings and asked: ‘’What did you ask Allāh for last night?’’ He replied: ‘’I said: [the above].’’ (Ahmad 4340)

04 · The Prophet’s Comprehensive Duʿa After the Battle of Uhud

اَللّٰهُمَّ ابْسُطْ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ بَرَكَاتِكَ وَرَحْمَتِكَ وَفَضْلِكَ وَرِزْقِكَ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ النَّعِيْمَ الْمُقِيْمَ الَّذِيْ لَا يَحُوْلُ وَلَا يَزُوْلُ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ النَّعِيْمَ يَوْمَ الْعَيْلَةِ ، وَالْأَمْنَ يَوْمَ الْخَوْفِ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ عَائِذٌ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَعْطَيْتَنَا وَشَرِّ مَا مَنَعْتَنَا ، اَللّٰهُمَّ حَبِّبْ إِلَيْنَا الْإِيْمَانَ وَزَيِّنْهُ فِيْ قُلُوْبِنَا ، وَكَرِّهْ إِلَيْنَا الْكُفْرَ وَالْفُسُوْقَ وَالْعِصْيَانَ ، وَاجْعَلْنَا مِنَ الرَّاشِدِيْنَ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ تَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِيْنَ ، وَأَحْيِنَا مُسْلِمِيْنَ ، وَأَلْحِقْنَا بِالصَّالِحِيْنَ ، غَيْرَ خَزَايَا وَلَا مَفْتُوْنِيْنَ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ قَاتِلِ الْكَفَرَةَ الَّذِيْنَ يُكَذِّبُوْنَ رُسُلَكَ ، وَيَصُدُّوْنَ عَنْ سَبِيْلِكَ ، وَاجْعَلْ عَلَيْهِمْ رِجْزَكَ وَعَذَابَكَ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ قَاتِلِ الْكَفَرَةَ الَّذِيْنَ أُوْتُوا الْكِتَابَ ، إِلٰهَ الْحَقِّ.

Allāhumma-b-suṭ ʿalaynā min barakātika wa raḥmatika wa faḍlika wa rizqik, Allāhumma innī as’aluka-n-naʿīmal-muqīma-l-ladhī lā yaḥūlu wa lā yazūl, Allāhumma innī as’aluka-n-naʿīma yawmal-ʿaylah, wa-l-amna yawma-l-khawf, Allāhumma innī ʿā’idhu-m-bika min sharri mā aʿṭaytanā wa sharri mā manaʿtanā, Allāhumma ḥab-bib ilaynal-īmāna wa zay-yinhu fī qulūbinā, wa kar-rih ilayna-l-kufra wal-fusūqa wa-l-ʿiṣyān, waj-ʿalnā mina-r-rāshidīn, Allāhumma tawaf-fanā Muslimīn, wa aḥyinā Muslimīn, wa alḥiqnā bi-ṣ-ṣāliḥīn, ghayra khazāyā wa lā maftūnīn, Allāhumma qātili-l-kafarata-l-ladhīna yukadh-dhibūna rusulak, wa yaṣuddūna ʿan sabīlik, waj-ʿal ʿalayhim rijzaka wa ʿadhābak, Allāhumma qātilil-kafarata-l-ladhīna ūtu-l-kitāb, ilāha-l-ḥaqq.

O Allah, grant us Your blessings, Your mercy, Your grace and Your sustenance in abundance. O Allah, I beg you for eternal blessings which do not change nor disappear. O Allah, I beg you for blessings on the day of intense need and safety on the day of fear (i.e. Day of Judgement). O Allah, I seek Your protection from the evil of what You have granted us and the evil of what You have withheld from us. O Allah, endear faith to us and beautify it in our hearts. Make disbelief, sins and disobedience hateful to us, and make us of the rightly guided ones. O Allah, grant us death as Muslims, make us live as Muslims and join us with the righteous without being humiliated or tested. O Allah, fight the disbelievers who reject Your Messengers and avert from Your path. Inflict upon them Your punishment and vengeance. O Allah, fight the disbelievers who were given the Book, O the True God.

- Rifā’ah az-Zuraqī (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates: “When it was the day of (the battle of) Uhud and the polytheists retreated, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Arrange yourselves (in rows) so I can praise my Lord.’ So the Companions (radiy Allāhū ‘anhum) stood behind him in rows. Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “O Allah, for You Alone is all praise. O Allah, none can restrict what You expand and none can expand what You have restricted. None can guide whom You have left astray, and none can mislead whom You have guided. None can give what You withhold, and none can withhold what You bestow. None can bring near what You have distanced and none can distance what You have brought near.” Then he said: [the above].” (Aḥmad 15492)

05 · Entrust All Your Matters to Allah

يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّوْمُ ، بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيْثُ ، أَصْلِحْ لِيْ شَأْنِيْ كُلَّهُ ، وَلَا تَكِلْنِيْ إِلَىٰ نَفْسِيْ طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ.

Yā Ḥayyu yā Qayyūm, bi-raḥmatika astaghīth, aṣliḥ lī sha’nī kullah, wa lā takilnī ilā nafsī ṭarfata ʿayn.

O The Ever Living, The Sustainer of all. ; I seek assistance through Your mercy. Rectify all of my affairs and do not entrust me to myself for the blink of an eye.

- Anas b. Mālik (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said to Fāṭimah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhā), “What is preventing you from (doing) what I am advising you; that you say [the above] in the morning and evening?” (Nasā’ī in ʿAmal al-Yawm wa-l-Laylah 570)

06 · Renewal of Iman

اَللّٰهُمَّ جَدِّدِ الْإِيْمَانَ فِيْ قَلْبِيْ

Allāhumma jaddidi-l-īmāna fī qalbī.

O Allah, keep faith rejuvenated in my heart.

- ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAmr (radiy Allāhū ‘anhumā) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Indeed, īmān (faith) wears out in your hearts the way a piece of cloth wears out. So ask Allah to rejuvenate īmān (faith) in your hearts.” (Tabrāni, Al-Mu’jam Al-Kabir)

07 · Steadfastness on Din

يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوْبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِيْ عَلَىٰ دِيْنِكَ

Yā Muqalliba-l-qulūbi thabbit qalbī ʿalā dīnik.

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

- Shahr bin Hawshab (raḥimahullāh) said: “I said to Umm Salamah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhā): ‘O Mother of the Believers! What was the supplication that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said most frequently when he was with you?” She said: ‘The supplication he said most frequently was: ’[the above]’” She said: ‘So I said: “O Messenger of Allah, why do you supplicate [the above] so frequently [the above]? He said: ‘O Umm Salamah! Verily, there is no human being except that his heart is between Two Fingers of the Fingers of Allah, so whomsoever He wills He makes steadfast, and whomever He wills He causes to deviate.’” (Tirmidhī 3522)

08 · Steadfastness on Islam

يَا وَلِيَّ الْإسْلَامِ وَأَهْلِهِ ، ثَبِّتْنِيْ بِهِ حَتَّىٰ أَلْقَاكَ

Yā Waliyyal-Islāmi wa ahlih, thab-bitnī bihī ḥattā alqāk.

O Guardian of Islam and its followers, keep me firm on it (Islam) until I meet You.

- Anas b. Mālik (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would say [the above]. (Tabarānī in Mu’jam al-Awsat 661)

09 · Guidance & Steadfastness

اَللّٰهُمَّ اهْدِنِيْ وَسَدِّدْنِيْ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالسَّدَادَ.

Allāhumma-hdinī wa saddidnī, Allāhumma innī as'aluka-l-hudā wa-s-sadād.

O Allah, guide me and grant me firmness. O Allah, I beg You for guidance and firmness (on the straight path).

- Ali (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him: “Say: [the above] and when you make a mention of guidance, keep in mind the (Straight) Path and when you consider the Straight (Path), keep in mind the straightness of the arrow.” (Muslim 2725)

10 · Protection from Shirk & Riya

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ أَنْ أُشْرِكَ بِكَ وَأَنَا أَعْلَمُ ، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِمَا لَا أَعْلَمُ.

Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika an ushrika bika wa ana aʿlam, wa astaghfiruka limā lā aʿlam.

O Allah, I seek Your protection from knowingly associating partners with You and seek Your forgiveness for unknowingly (doing so).

11 · Protection from Evil Traits & Endings

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْبُخْلِ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ أَنْ أُرَدَّ إِلَىٰ أَرْذَلِ الْعُمُرِ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الدُّنْيَا ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ.

Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika mina-l-bukhl, wa aʿūdhu bika mina-l-jubn, wa aʿūdhu bika an uradda ilā ardhali-l-ʿumur, wa aʿūdhu bika min fitnati-d-dunyā, wa aʿūdhu bika min ʿadhābi-l-qabr.

O Allah, I seek Your protection from miserliness and I seek Your protection from cowardice. I seek Your protection from being returned to the worst part of life (old age), I seek Your protection from the trials of the world, and I seek Your protection from the punishment of the grave.

- Saʿd b. Abī Waqqās (radiy Allāhū ‘anhu) would instruct (to seek refuge) about five things [the above] and he would narrate it from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . (Bukhārī 6370)

12 · For Firmness of the Heart

يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوْبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِيْ عَلَىٰ دِيْنِكَ

Yā Muqalliba-l-qulūbi thabbit qalbī ʿalā dīnik.

O Changer of the hearts, make my heart firm upon Your religion.

- Anas (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would often say [the above]. So I asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, we believe in you and what you have come with, but do you fear for us?’ He replied: ‘Yes. Indeed the hearts are in between the two Fingers of Allah’s Fingers. He changes them as He wills.’” (Tirmidhī 2140)

13 · When One Experiences Doubt in Faith #1

آمَنْتُ بِاللهِ وَرُسُلِهِ

Āmantu bi-llāhi wa rusulih.

I believe in Allah and His Messengers.

14 · When One Experiences Doubt in Faith #2

هُوَ الْأَوَّلُ وَالْآخِرُ وَالظَّاهِرُ وَالْبَاطِنُ ، وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيْمٌ

Huwa-l-Awwalu wa-l-Ākhiru wa-ẓ-Ẓāhiru wa-l-Bāṭin, wa Huwa bi-kulli shay’in ‘Alīm.

He is the First and the Last, the Most High and the Most Near. And He is All-Knowing about everything.

- Abū Zumayl reported: “I asked Ibn ʿAbbās (raḍiy Allāhū ʿanhumā): ‘What is this that I am experiencing in my heart?’ He answered: ‘What is it?’ I said: ‘By Allah, I cannot talk about it.’ He asked me: ‘Is it something to do with doubt?’ [When answered it was], he smiled and said: ‘No-one was safe from it until Allah revealed: *If you are in doubt concerning what We revealed unto you [O Prophet], ask those who read the Scripture from before your time. The truth has indeed come to you from your Lord, so do not be of those in doubt (10:94).*’ So he (Ibn ʿAbbās) told me: ‘If you experience any [doubt] within yourself, say: [the above].’” (Abū Dāwūd 5110)

15 · When One Fears Shirk & Showing off

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ أَنْ أُشْرِكَ بِكَ وَأَنَا أَعْلَمُ ، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِمَا لَا أَعْلَمُ

Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika an ushrika bika wa-ana aʿlam, wa astaghfiruka limā lā aʿlam.

O Allah, I seek Your protection from knowingly committing shirk, and I seek Your forgiveness for unknowingly (committing it).