اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا، وَرِزْقًا طَيِّبًا، وَعَمَلاً مُتَقَبَّلاً
O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, goodly provision, and deeds accepted [by You].
Allahumma inni as'aluka 'ilman nafi'an, wa rizqan tayyiban, wa 'amalan mutaqabbalan
When to Read
Recite this dua when you find yourself in a state of confusion due to contradictory opinions or advice. It's particularly useful when you feel overwhelmed by information and are struggling to discern the right path or make a sound decision.
How to Read
Recite this dua with sincerity and focus. It's best recited after the obligatory prayers, or at any time you feel the need for clarity and divine guidance. Imagine Allah (SWT) opening your heart and mind to the truth, helping you filter out noise and focus on what is truly beneficial. Raise your hands in supplication if possible, and face the Qiblah.
Virtues & Benefits
This powerful dua, taught by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) when she was troubled, directly asks Allah for three vital elements for navigating life's complexities: 1. **Beneficial Knowledge ('Ilman nafi'an):** This isn't just about academic learning, but knowledge that guides you towards what is right, protects you from harm, and brings you closer to Allah. When faced with conflicting advice, seeking Allah’s help for beneficial knowledge allows you to discern truth from falsehood. 2. **Goodly Provision (Rizqan tayyiban):** This encompasses lawful sustenance, health, and well-being. When stressed, our provision can feel threatened, but asking for tayyib rizq brings peace knowing Allah is the ultimate provider. 3. **Accepted Deeds ('Amalan mutaqabbalan):** This is the most crucial part. When overwhelmed, we might perform actions out of desperation or confusion. This part of the dua asks that whatever actions we take, they are accepted by Allah, meaning they are done with the right intention, according to His commands, and free from ostentation or error. This brings immense peace, as it assures us that our efforts are recognized and valued by our Creator.
Source & Authentication
Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: She said to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): 'O Messenger of Allah, why is it that the men of the Muslims go out with the Jihad, and the women do not go out for Jihad, and do not have the same reward as them?' He said: 'Go out, O woman, and when you are upon your return and you arrive in a inhabited place or a mosque, then raise your voice in glorification of Allah as much as you can, and supplicate to Allah for forgiveness for the men of the Muslims and for yourselves. For he who supplicates for forgiveness for the men of the Muslims, male and female, he has supplicated for fifty thousand legions of angels, and Allah (Mighty and Majestic is He) creates from every word you utter an angel that glorifies Him until the Day of Resurrection. And he who supplicates for the women of the Muslims, male and female, he has supplicated for seventy-seven thousand legions of angels, and Allah creates from every word you utter an angel that glorifies Him until the Day of Resurrection. And the supplication of a woman for her husband is like a pilgrimage, and her obedience to him is like seventy years of worship, and her smile in his face is better than the world and all that is in it. And her giving him a drink is better than freeing a slave, and her freeing a slave is better than spending all the treasures of the world and all that is in it. And her going to the market with her husband is better than visiting the Ka'bah.' Then Umm Salamah said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I have a difficult choice, for I do not know which of the two is better, and I have no knowledge of the unseen.' He (ﷺ) said: 'What is the difficult choice?' She said: 'The men go out for Jihad, and they have the same reward as you mentioned, and the women do not go out for Jihad, and do not have the same reward.' Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'O Umm Salamah, indeed the women of the Emigrants have gone out with their husbands for Jihad, and they have done good deeds, and they have had the same reward. So let me teach you a supplication which you and the women among the Muslims should supplicate with, and it will be equal to the reward of those who go out for Jihad.' She said: 'What is it?' He said: 'Say: O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, and goodly provision, and accepted deeds.' So when the women of the Emigrants came to Umm Salamah, she taught them this supplication, and they supplicated with it, and they had the same reward as those who went out for Jihad. So they attained the reward of Jihad.