اللَّهُمَّ عَلِّمْنِي الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَضِلَّ أَوْ أُضَلَّ، أَوْ أَزِلَّ أَوْ أُزَلَّ، أَوْ أَظْلِمَ أَوْ أُظْلَمَ، أَوْ أَجْهَلَ أَوْ يُجْهَلَ عَلَيَّ
O Allah, teach me the Book and wisdom, and I seek refuge in You from straying or being led astray, from slipping or causing others to slip, from wronging others or being wronged, from acting foolishly or having others act foolishly towards me.
Allahumma 'allimni al-kitaba wal-hikmata, wa a'udhu bika an adilla aw udalla, aw azilla aw uzalla, aw azlima aw uzlama, aw ajhala aw yujhala 'alayya
When to Read
This dua is profoundly beneficial to recite when embarking on the journey of seeking knowledge, whether it's starting a new subject, attending a lecture, or simply opening a book. Recite it before you begin your study session, or at any point you feel a need for clarity and protection from intellectual missteps.
How to Read
Recite this dua with sincere intention and a humble heart. Raise your hands in supplication as you would during other duas. Focus on the meaning of each phrase, understanding that you are asking Allah (SWT) not just for knowledge, but for the *correct* application and understanding of it, and protection from the pitfalls that can accompany its pursuit.
Virtues & Benefits
This comprehensive dua seeks Allah's (SWT) direct teaching of the Quran ('the Book') and the Sunnah ('wisdom'). More importantly, it asks for protection against the many dangers of seeking knowledge without proper guidance or intent. These dangers include: straying from the truth (adillah) or causing others to stray (udalla), making intellectual or practical errors (azilla) or causing others to err (uzalla), oppressing others through knowledge or being oppressed (azlima aw uzlama), and ignorance or having ignorance imposed upon you (ajhala aw yujhala 'alayya). It encapsulates the essence of seeking knowledge with humility and seeking Allah's (SWT) safeguarding grace.
Source & Authentication
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to supplicate with this dua: 'O Allah, teach me the Book and wisdom, and I seek refuge in You from straying or being led astray, from slipping or causing others to slip, from wronging others or being wronged, from acting foolishly or having others act foolishly towards me.' (Sunan Abi Dawud 1507, graded Hasan by some scholars due to corroborating narrations, and its widely accepted application in practice).