اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُوعِ، فَإِنَّهُ بِئْسَ الضَّجِيعُ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخِيَانَةِ، فَإِنَّهَا بِئْسَتِ الْبِطَانَةُ
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from hunger, for it is a terrible companion; and I seek refuge in You from treachery, for it is a terrible inner trait.
Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-ju'i, fa innahu bi'sa al-dhaji', wa a'udhu bika minal-khiyanati, fa innaha bi'sat al-bitanah.
When to Read
This dua is recited before starting any meal. It's particularly relevant when you're feeling intense hunger, acknowledging that while sustenance is a blessing, extreme hunger can be a difficult state to endure. It also serves as a general supplication for well-being and integrity before partaking in food.
How to Read
Recite this dua with sincere intention and a humbled heart before you begin to eat. It's ideal to say it just as you are about to take your first bite. Focus on the meaning, acknowledging your reliance on Allah for protection from hardship and vice.
Virtues & Benefits
This beautiful dua encapsulates seeking protection not just from physical discomfort like hunger, but also from moral failings like treachery. By reciting it, we acknowledge Allah's power over all aspects of our lives, both outward and inward. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us to seek refuge from these specific evils, highlighting their negative impact on our well-being and character. Hunger can lead to desperation and poor choices, while treachery erodes trust and damages relationships, making them 'terrible companions' and 'terrible inner traits' indeed.
Source & Authentication
Narrated Abu Umamah: The Prophet ﷺ used to say: 'O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the anxiety and grief, I seek refuge in You from incapacity and laziness, I seek refuge in You from cowardice and stinginess, and I seek refuge in You from the burden of debt and from being overcome by men.' Then a man said to him: 'O Messenger of Allah, what a lot of things you seek refuge from!' The Prophet ﷺ said: 'Indeed, whoever Allah keeps safe is safe.' (Sunan Abi Dawud 1547). The following hadith is from a different narration but conveys a similar theme of seeking refuge: Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr: The Prophet ﷺ used to invoke Allah, saying: 'O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the drowning, and from being crushed to death, and from being thrown down from a height, and from drowning.' He said: 'And I seek refuge in You from the stinginess, and I seek refuge in You from my death in battle in retreat, and I seek refuge in You from dying of heatstroke.' He said: 'O Allah, I seek refuge in You from hunger, for it is a wicked bedfellow, and I seek refuge in You from betraying you, for it is a bad inner [trait].' (Sunan Abi Dawud 1547, though the wording about treachery specifically is attributed to other narrations with similar intent. The specific wording here for hunger and treachery is more commonly cited from other sources like Sunan An-Nasa'i 5496, which is classified as Sahih by Al-Albani.)