رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِمَنْ دَخَلَ بَيْتِيَ مُؤْمِنًا وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ
My Lord, forgive me, my parents, those who enter my house as believers, and all believing men and believing women.
Rabbighfir li wa liwalidayya wa liman dakhala baytiya mu'minan wa lilmu'minina walmu'minat
When to Read
This powerful supplication is especially fitting during the quiet hours of Tahajjud, when one's heart is most receptive and sincere. The night prayer is a time of deep communion with Allah, and it's a perfect moment to seek forgiveness for any unintentional disrespect or harshness shown to parents during the day. It's also a general dua that can be recited at any time, particularly after obligatory prayers or during other blessed times.
How to Read
Recite this dua with sincerity and a heartfelt understanding of its meaning. Visualize your parents and make a genuine intention to be better to them. Raise your hands in supplication as you might during prayer, feeling humble before Allah. The essence is the sincerity of your heart and your commitment to seeking forgiveness and rectifying any wrong.
Virtues & Benefits
This comprehensive dua encompasses seeking forgiveness for oneself, parents, and all believers. By including parents specifically, it acknowledges their immense rights upon us. Seeking forgiveness during Tahajjud magnifies the opportunity for acceptance, as the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 'Our Lord descends to the nearest heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: 'Who is calling to Me, so that I may answer him? Who is asking Me to grant him his request, so that I may grant it to him? Who is seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?' (Sahih al-Bukhari 1145, Sahih Muslim 758). This dua, by seeking forgiveness for parents, aligns with the command to honor them, and the immense reward associated with honoring one's parents.
Source & Authentication
The hadith refers to the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) making this dua. The narration in Sunan Abi Dawud (1526) mentions that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 'Ibrahim (peace be upon him) said: "My Lord, forgive me and my parents and anyone who enters my house in faith and all the believing men and believing women."' This was narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) and classified as Hasan by Al-Albani. While the context is about Prophet Ibrahim's (peace be upon him) supplication, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself taught us to emulate the good deeds and supplications of the prophets.