اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا، وَرِزْقًا طَيِّبًا، وَعَمَلًا مُتَقَبَّلًا
O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, goodly provision, and deeds that are accepted.
Allahumma inni as'aluka 'ilman nafi'an, wa rizqan tayyiban, wa 'amalan mutaqabbalan
When to Read
This dua is especially powerful when recited immediately after completing your obligatory prayers (Fardh). It's a moment when your heart is softened and you are in direct communion with Allah. Use it when you are contemplating a significant decision, feeling uncertain about the right path, or need divine strength to choose what is best.
How to Read
Recite this dua with sincerity and conviction after finishing your Salah, ideally before you engage in other activities. Raise your hands (as is customary when making dua), maintain your state of mindfulness after prayer, and focus on the meaning of the words. Understand that you are asking the All-Knowing for wisdom and the All-Able for strength in your decision-making.
Virtues & Benefits
While this specific dua is a general supplication for beneficial knowledge, good provision, and accepted deeds, its context after prayer makes it potent for seeking guidance in all matters, including difficult decisions. By asking for beneficial knowledge, you're essentially asking Allah to illuminate the right path. The request for accepted deeds implies seeking His approval in your actions, which includes the choices you make. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught this dua, highlighting its comprehensive nature for seeking good in this life and the hereafter. It reinforces the reliance on Allah after exhausting one's own efforts.
Source & Authentication
The hadith states that when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was asked which dua was heard most favorably, he replied: 'A dua made in the latter part of the night and after the prescribed prayers.' (Sunan At-Tirmidhi 3499). Another narration from Thawban states: The Prophet ﷺ, when he finished his prayer, would seek refuge in Allah by saying: 'Allahumma inni as'aluka 'ilman nafi'an, wa rizqan tayyiban, wa 'amalan mutaqabbalan' (O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, goodly provision, and deeds that are accepted). (Sunan Ibn Majah 925 - Hasan).