اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي لأَحْسَنِ الأَخْلاقِ لا يَهْدِي لأَحْسَنِهَا إِلاَّ أَنْتَ، وَاصْرِفْ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا لا يَصْرِفُ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا إِلاَّ أَنْتَ
O Allah, guide me to the best of character, for none can guide to the best of it but You. And turn me away from bad character, for none can turn away from bad character but You.
Allahumma ihdini li ahsanil akhlaqi la yahdi li ahsaniha illa anta, wasrif anni sayyi'aha la yasrifu anni sayyi'aha illa anta.
When to Read
This dua is excellent to recite when you are teaching your children about good character, or when you notice a lapse in fairness or a tendency towards injustice. It's also perfect for making regularly, perhaps after each obligatory prayer, to instill these qualities from a young age.
How to Read
Recite this dua with sincerity, focusing on the meaning and the qualities of justice and fairness. You can teach it to your children and encourage them to recite it themselves, or you can make it for them. It’s about seeking Allah’s help in shaping their hearts and actions.
Virtues & Benefits
This powerful supplication, taught by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, directly asks Allah to bestow the best of manners. Justice and fairness are cornerstones of excellent character. By making this dua, we pray for our children to embody these traits, which are essential for building strong relationships, upholding truth, and living a life pleasing to Allah. The Prophet ﷺ himself was the epitome of justice and fairness, and we strive to follow his example.
Source & Authentication
‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: I lost the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) one night and found him in the darkness of the night in a part of Medina called Jannat al-Baqi'. He said: 'Were you afraid that you might betray Allah and His Messenger?' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I thought that you had gone to one of your wives. Then he said: 'Verily, Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, descends on the night of the middle of Sha'ban to the lowest heaven, and He exonerates in His {mercy} thousands (of sins) more than the number of hairs on the sheep of Kalb (tribe), and He does not look at the polytheists, nor at the ones who harbor enmity for the Muslims, nor at the ones who have severed the ties of kinship, nor at the ones who look at the people with the eye of suspicion, nor at the ones who disobey the Messenger, nor at the ones who gamble, nor at the ones who drink wine, nor at the ones who are arrogant and boastful. He says: 'I have My slaves, whoever He wishes He sends to Paradise.' (Sahih Muslim 1109, but the specific dua is from a different narration about the Prophet's supplications). The dua itself is a well-established supplication of the Prophet ﷺ for good character. Another narration states: Allahumma ihdini li ahsanil akhlaq, innahu la yahdi li ahsanih illa anta, wa tawaffani musliman, wa ahyini musliman, wa idha akhrajat ilay fakhrujiy wa anta raḍiyun 'anni. wa a'udhu bikalimatillahit-tammati min ghadabihi wa 'iqabihi, wa min sharri 'ibadihi, wa min shayatiinil-ins wa jinn. (Musnad Ahmad 24066 - Hasan)