الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى مَا أَنْعَمَ وَلَهُ الشُّكْرُ عَلَى مَا أَلْهَمَ
Praise be to Allah for what He has bestowed, and to Him is gratitude for what He has inspired.
Alhamdulillah 'ala ma an'ama wa lahush-shukru 'ala ma alhama.
When to Read
This dua is perfect to recite immediately after completing your Umrah rituals. As you begin the journey home, or even as you perform Tawaf al-Wada' (the farewell circumambulation), this is a moment to reflect. You've just completed a sacred journey, a profound act of worship. This is the prime time to pour out your heart in gratitude to Allah for enabling you to reach this point and experience such blessings. It’s a moment to acknowledge His grace in allowing you to fulfill this pillar of Islam.
How to Read
Recite this with a sincere and humble heart. Raise your hands slightly, if possible and appropriate, as you would during other duas. Feel the weight of Allah's favors upon you – the safety of your journey, the ease of performing the rites, the spiritual upliftment. Let the words flow from a place of genuine appreciation. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us many phrases of gratitude, and this one encapsulates the essence of acknowledging Allah's blessings, both external (what He gives) and internal (what He guides us to feel or understand).
Virtues & Benefits
The primary benefit is fulfilling the command to be grateful to Allah, which is a key aspect of our faith. Allah says in the Quran, 'And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]...’ (Surah Ibrahim 14:7). This hadith, although graded Hasan, points to the Prophet's ﷺ practice of acknowledging Allah's blessings with praise and gratitude. Completing Umrah is a monumental blessing, and expressing thanks ensures we receive more of His grace. It helps maintain the spiritual high of Umrah and prevents us from becoming heedless once back in our daily routines. It's a way to 'lock in' the blessings of the journey.
Source & Authentication
It was narrated from Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, when he had finished his command (i.e. completed his Hajj or Umrah), used to say: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى مَا أَنْعَمَ وَلَهُ الشُّكْرُ عَلَى مَا أَلْهَمَ (Alhamdulillah 'ala ma an'ama wa lahush-shukru 'ala ma alhama.) ‘Praise be to Allah for what He has bestowed, and to Him is gratitude for what He has inspired.’