اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أُشْرِكَ بِكَ وَأَنَا أَعْلَمُ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِمَا لَا أَعْلَمُ
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from associating partners with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness for that which I do not know.
Allahumma inni a'udhu bika an ushrika bika wa ana a'lamu, wa astaghfiruka lima la a'lamu.
When to Read
This powerful supplication is particularly relevant during night worship, Tahajjud, when you are alone with your Lord. It's a time of deep sincerity, making it ideal to seek protection from any subtle forms of hypocrisy or showing off (riyaa'). Recite it before starting your prayers, during prostration (sujood), or at the end of your prayers before the final taslim. It can also be recited anytime you feel the need to reaffirm your sincerity and protect your heart from the allure of human praise, given the subtle nature of hidden shirk as described in the accompanying hadith.
How to Read
Approach this dua with humility and a deep understanding of its meaning. Reflect on the subtle ways *riyaa'* (showing off) can creep into our good deeds, even during private worship. Make this dua with a sincere intention to purify your worship for Allah alone, consciously seeking His refuge from any form of associating partners with Him, whether knowingly or unknowingly. Let your heart be present, seeking true sincerity.
Virtues & Benefits
Reciting this dua is a profound way to guard yourself against all forms of shirk, both the obvious and the hidden. This includes the insidious whispers of *riyaa'* (showing off), which is a form of minor hypocrisy (nifaq asghar). When we perform acts of worship like Tahajjud, it's easy for the ego to seek validation, even subtly. This dua helps cultivate **sincerity (ikhlas)** in your worship, ensuring your efforts are purely for Allah's pleasure. It increases your awareness of the purity of your intentions and strengthens your reliance on Allah alone. Furthermore, it seeks forgiveness for any unintentional shirk, a beautiful testament to Allah's mercy and our human fallibility.
Source & Authentication
Reported from Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ delivered a sermon to us one day and said: 'O people, beware of this shirk, for it is more hidden than the creeping of an ant.' So a man said, 'How can we beware of it, O Messenger of Allah, when it is more hidden than the creeping of an ant?' He said: 'Say: O Allah, I seek refuge in You from associating partners with You knowingly, and I seek Your forgiveness for that which I do not know.'