اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْهُدَى وَالتُّقَى وَالْعَفَافَ وَالْغِنَى وَفِقْهَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَحِفْظَ الْمَلَكِ الْمُوَكَّلِ بِسِرِّي وَفَرَضَ عَمَلِي وَأَنْ تُعَلِّمَنِي مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا أَنْسَانِي وَتَجْعَلَهُ لِي نُورًا وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَتُعِينَنِي عَلَى قِيَامِ اللَّيْلِ وَتُبَارِكَ لِي فِيهِ وَفِي الْعَمَلِ الصَّالِحِ وَاجْعَلْهُ حُجَّةً لِي وَلاَ تَجْعَلْهُ حُجَّةً عَلَىَّ وَتُفْهِمَنِي فِيهِ حَتَّى لاَ أَسْأَلَ أَحَدًا شَيْئًا وَأَعْطِنِي مَعَ ذَلِكَ كُلَّ خَيْرٍ وَاخْتِمْ لِي بِخَيْرٍ وَاجْعَلْ لِي بِذَلِكَ فِيمَا عِنْدَكَ خَيْرًا وَأَعْذِبْنِي مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ وَإِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
O Allah, I ask You for guidance, piety, chastity, contentment, the understanding of the Prophet ﷺ, the protection of the angel assigned to my secrets and the fulfillment of my deeds. Grant me the ability to learn from the Qur'an what makes me forget (worldly concerns), and make it a light, guidance, and mercy for me. Help me to establish the night prayer and bless me in it and in righteous deeds. Make it a proof for me, and do not make it a proof against me. Grant me understanding in it so that I do not have to ask anyone for anything. And grant me with all of that, all good, and conclude my affairs with goodness. Make for me in what You possess, goodness through this, and save me from all evil, for indeed, You have power over all things.
Allahumma inni as'aluka al-huda wat-tuqa wal-'afafa wal-ghina wa fiqhan-nabiyyi ﷺ wa hifdhal-malakil-muwakkali bisirri wa fardha 'amali wa an tu'allimani minal-Qur'ani ma ansani wataj'aluhu li nuran wa hudan wa rahmatan wa tu'inani 'ala qiyamal-layli wa tubarikali fihi wal-'amalil-salih waj'alhu hujjatan li wa la taj'alhu hujjatan 'alayya wa tufahimuni fihi hatta la as'ala ahadan shay'an wa a'tini ma'a dhalika kulla khairin wahtim li bi khairin waj'al li bidhalika fima 'indaka khairan wa a'dhibni min kulli sharrin wa innaka 'ala kulli shay'in qadir.
When to Read
This comprehensive dua is particularly suited for the stillness of the night, especially during Tahajjud (night prayer). Reciting it after or during your night worship can help you seek Allah's assistance in cultivating deeper empathy and compassion.
How to Read
Recite this dua with sincere intention and humility. Imagine yourself before Allah, asking for these noble qualities. It's best recited after completing your Rak'ahs of Tahajjud, or even during the Sujood (prostration) within your night prayers, asking for these qualities directly. Focus on each phrase, contemplating its meaning and the vastness of Allah's mercy.
Virtues & Benefits
This dua is a treasure trove of requests. While it explicitly asks for help in establishing night prayer and learning the Qur'an, its core intention is to transform the heart. By asking for guidance, piety, chastity, and contentment, the supplicant aims to purify their soul. The request for understanding the Qur'an and making it a light signifies seeking inner illumination, which naturally leads to a better understanding of others. Cultivating empathy and compassion is a direct outcome of such inner purification and seeking Allah's help, as a heart filled with Allah's light is less prone to selfishness and more attuned to the suffering and needs of fellow beings. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself exemplified the highest levels of empathy and compassion, and seeking these qualities through sincere dua is a direct emulation of his noble character.
Source & Authentication
It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbas that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ woke up to pray at night, he would say: اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ لَكَ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَأَنْتَ الْحَقُّ، وَوَعْدُكَ الْحَقُّ، وَلِقَاؤُكَ الْحَقُّ، وَقَوْلُكَ الْحَقُّ، وَالْجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّارُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّبِيُّونَ حَقٌّ، وَمُحَمَّدٌ ﷺ حَقٌّ، وَالسَّاعَةُ حَقٌّ. اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ، وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ، وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْتُ، وَبِكَ خَاصَمْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ حَاكَمْتُ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ، أَنْتَ إِلَهِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، وَمِنْ دُونِكَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، وَأَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تُعِيذَنِي مِنْ عَذَابِ النَّارِ، وَعَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، وَنَفْعِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ. اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ فِي قَلْبِي نُورًا، وَفِي بَصَرِي نُورًا، وَفِي سَمْعِي نُورًا، وَعَنْ يَمِينِي نُورًا، وَعَنْ يَسَارِي نُورًا، وَمِنْ أَمَامِي نُورًا، وَمِنْ خَلْفِي نُورًا، وَمِنْ فَوْقِي نُورًا، وَمِنْ تَحْتِي نُورًا، وَاجْعَلْ لِي نُورًا. وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْهُدَى وَالتُّقَى وَالْعَفَافَ وَالْغِنَى. وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ جِبْرَائِيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ وَإِسْرَافِيلَ، فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ، عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ، أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ، اهْدِنِي لِمَا اخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِكَ، إِنَّكَ تَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ. (The full hadith is longer and contains multiple supplications. The specific text related to this dua is found within the variations.)