A prayer or a du‘a is not the crutch of the weak or the incapable. It is the finest strategy for all kinds of success—whether material or spiritual.
Most of the time men have worded their prayers in their own languages. However, the finest of the prayers are the ones worded by Allah(SWT) Himself and mentioned in the Qur’ân.



Supplication for acceptance of efforts





Rabbanaa ta-qabbal minnaa 'innaka 'Antas-Samii-'ul-'Aliim
Our Rabb! accept from us. You indeed, You are the all-Hearing, the all-Knowing. (2:127)

History and Significance

While Prophet Ibrahim, along with his son Ismail, was raising the foundation of the House of Ka'aba, they both offered this supplication to Allah (swt) to accept their effort of construction. A perfect supplication, that we should offer whenever we are initiating any project or effort.

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Supplication for Acceptance of Prayers





Rabbij-'alnii muqii-mas-Salaati wa min zurriyyatii, Rabbanaa wa taqabbal Du-'aaa
My Rabb! make me steadfast in Salat and from my offspring; our Rabb! and accept my prayer. (14:40)

History and Significance

In his old age, Prophet Ibrahim (pbh) was gifted with two sons - Isma'il and Is-haq. As a parent, he supplicated to Allah (swt) to make him steadfast in his salat. He also asked to make his offspring steadfast in their salat. Although we may be offering our salat sincerely, it remains with Allah (swt) to accept our salat. Thus , this supplication begs that Allah (swt) may not reject our salat. If Allah (swt) wills, He will reward us for our attempt in making a salat.

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Supplication for protection against evil-ones





Rabbi'a-uuzubika min hamazaatish -shayaatiini
Wa 'a-uuzu bika Rabbi 'any-yahzuruun
My Rabb! I take refuge with You -- from the prompting of the Evil-ones;
And I take refuge with You, O Rabb! lest they come up to me. (23:97-98)

History and Significance

In Surah Al-Mu'minun, Allah (swt) has instructed Prophet Muhammad(PBUH) to recite this supplication in the face of oppression by the leaders of Quraish.

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Supplication against oppressors





Rabbanaa 'akhrijnaa min haazihil qaryatiz-zalimi 'ahluhaa; waj-'al-lanaa mil la-dunka waliy-yanw waj-'al lanaa milla dunka naseeraa
Our Rabb! take us out of this habitat whose people are oppressors, and make for us a protecting-friend from Your presence and make for us a helper from Your presence. (4:75)

History and Significance

Believing slaves, both males, females and children, who were persecuted in Makkah, made this supplication to Allah to protect them from the oppressors

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Supplication for good of both worlds




Rabbanaaa 'aatinaa fiddunyaa hasanatanw wa fil 'aakhirati hasanatanw-wa qinaa 'azaaban-naar.
Our Rabb! give us good in this world, and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the chastisement of the Fire. (2:201)

History and Significance

This supplication which is made by Muslims are compared to another supplication mentioned in the previous verse (2:200). That supplication is "Our Rabb! give us in this world". That supplicantion, made by worldly individuals, is insufficient and provides no share in the Hereafter. Based on these two supplications, Allah (swt) is recommending us to ask for good in both the worlds, here and the hereafter

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Supplication for knowledge




Rabbi zidnee 'ilmaa
My Rabb! increase me in knowledge. (20:114)

History and Significance

This supplication is taught to Muhammad (PBUH) by Allah Himself in Surah Ta Ha. The verse relates to an instruction not to hasten with Qur-an before it is completely revealed. While revealation of Qur-an was incomplete, our Rasul (PBUH) was instructed to make this supplication. In our situation, when our knowledge is limited about Qur-an, we should always make this supplication to understand Qur-an more. If Allah grants us knowledge, whether in the field of theology, science or technology, then we should be able to understand Qur-an even better.

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Supplication against natural calamity





Rabbi law shi'-ta 'ahlak-ta hum-minqablu wa 'iyyaay. 'Atuh-liku-naa bimaa fa-'alas-sufahaa-'uminnaa. 'In hiya 'illaa fitna-tuk. Tuzillu bihaa man-tashaa-'u wa tahdil man-tashaa. 'Anta waliyyunaa fagfir lanaa warhamnaa wa 'anta khayrul-gaafiriin.
My Rabb! if You had so wished, You could have destroyed them before this, and me. Will You destroy us on account of what the foolish among us have done? This is nothing but Your trial. You leave in straying thereby whom You please and You guide whom You please. You are our Protector, therefore forgive us and have Mercy on us, for You are the Best of forgivers. (7:155)

History and Significance

During the absence of Prophet Musa (pbh), Israilites took a calf as an object of worship. When Musa returned to his people, he was angry and sad at this development. Then Musa selected 70 men of unsound faith for Allah's tryst. These people of dubious faith were overtaken by an earthquake. At that time, Musa (pbh) made this supplication to rescue the people who were not at fault

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Supplication for offspring

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Rabbi hab lii mil-ladunka zurriyyatan tayyibah 'innaka samii-'ud-du'aa'
My Rabb! give me from Yourself a pure offspring. You are indeed Hearer of prayer. (3:37)

History and Significance

Prophet Zakariya made this supplication as mentioned in Surah Al-e-Imran. Zakariya was guardian of Maryam. When Maryam grew up in purity and devoutness, Zakariya longed for such a child for himself - a child who would be as pure, virtuous and honorable as Maryam. In the following verse, 3:38, malaks brought the glad tidings of Yahya, "a noble and a chaste man, and a nabi from among the righteous". Note the emphasis at the end of the supplication that Allah is "indeed Hearer of prayer". Do we need any other kind of reassurance?

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Supplication for orators and writers






Rabbisrah lii sadrii, Wa yassir lii 'amrii, Wahlul 'uqdatam-mil-li-saanii' Yafqahuu qawlii
My Rabb! expand for me my breast, and make my affair easy for me, and release the knot from my tongue, they may understand my speech. (20:25-28)

History and Significance

Prophet Musa (pbh) made this supplication while proceeding to the court of Fir'awn for the arguments. In this supplication, there is request to increase knowledge base - an important requirement for arguments. The second request is to remove physical limitations or limitation of resources. This limitation could be a writer's block that we often face. Also, the third request is to make a lucid, easy to understand arguments. As we know, Musa (pbh) was succesful in the Fir'awn's court and the wise men in the court had accepted the truth.

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Supplication for parents




Rabba-nagfir lee wa li-waali-dayya wa lil mu'mi-niina yawma yaquu-mul hisaab
Our Rabb! protect me and my parents and the Believers -- on the day when the reckoning is set up. (14:41)

History and Significance

This supplication, which is a part of a series of supplication made by Prophet Ibrahim (pbh), as mentioned in Surah Ibrahim. This is an extraordinary supplication where Ibrahim (pbh) is not only asking for him and his parents, but for all the believers. This should be an example for us to include other believers in our supplications so that Allah grants His mercy to all Muslims. This supplication is not only for the supplicator and his (her) parents but also for the whole believer community. When we all make this supplication, we are in fact seeking protection for each other on the day of Reckoning.

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Supplication for keeping in the right path





Rabbi hab lii hukmanwa 'alhiqnee bis-saaliheen
My Rabb! grant me wisdom, and join me with the righteous. (26:83)

History and Significance

Prophet Ibrahim(pbh) had made this supplication as mentioned in Surah As-Shu'ara (the Poets). Ibrahim (pbh) was making a dawah to his sire Azar and his people. The people were disbelievers. Ibrahim (pbh) while explaing to the people about the truth and benefits of obeying Allah, made this supplication.
This supplication stresses that our knowledge should guide us to be righteous. We are to be righetous, not blindly, but based on sound knowledge and wisdom. By making this supplication we are eliminating the blind following of ancestral ways. Wisdom will enrich us to understand the divine message better and in turn we could be righteous people.

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Supplication for shelter




Rabbi 'innii limaaa 'anzalta 'ilayya min khairin-faqeer
My Rabb!I am indeed needy of whatever good You may send to me. (28:24)

History and Significance

Prophet Musa (pbh) was traveling to the desert of Madyan and he found some men were watering their animals and two women were standing helpless. Musa (pbh) helped these women with water, and then returned to a shade of a tree. At this time, he made this supplication with a reference to the shade of the tree as whatever good thing. Allah responded to this supplication. As a result, one of these women came to him and with an invitation from her old father. The old man was kind to Musa, offered him shelter and gave one of the two daughters in marriage to Musa.

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Supplication for victory of Islam





Rabbanaa laa tu-'aa-khiznaa 'in-nasiinaa 'aw 'akhta'-naa. Rabbana wa laa tahmil 'alaynaa 'is-ran-kamaa hamal-tahuu 'alal-lazina min-qablinaa. Rabbana wa laa tuhammil-naa maa laa taaqata lanaa bih. Wa'-fu 'annaa wag-fir lanaa, war-ham-na. 'Anta mawlaa naa fan-surnaa 'alal-qawmil kaafireen.
Our Rabb! do not take us to task if we forget, or we make a mistake; our Rabb! and do not lay upon us a burden as you had lain on those before us; our Rabb! and do not impose upon us that for which no strength have we. Therefore pardon us; and grant us protection; and be kind to us. You are our Patron; therefore help us over the Unbelieving people. (2:286)

History and Significance

This is the concluding verse of Surah Al-Baqarah. This supplication is very important since one hadith narrates that "whoever prays as taught in the last two verses of the Baqarah, they are sufficient for him" (Bu. 64:12). Although this supplication is meant for victory of Islam, it also stresses the need to be humble and need to protect us from evil.


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Excerpts from the Book "Supplications from the Holy Qur'aan " by Mansur Ahmad