اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ سَمْعِي، وَمِنْ شَرِّ بَصَرِي، وَمِنْ شَرِّ لِسَانِي، وَمِنْ شَرِّ قَلْبِي، وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَنِيِّي
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the evil of my hearing, and from the evil of my sight, and from the evil of my tongue, and from the evil of my heart, and from the evil of my sexual organ.
Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min sharri sam'i, wa min sharri basari, wa min sharri lisani, wa min sharri qalbi, wa min sharri maniyyi
When to Read
This comprehensive dua is best recited during the stillness of Tahajjud, the night prayer. As you stand before Allah, seeking His closeness and forgiveness, turn to Him specifically to protect your faculties – your hearing, sight, tongue, heart, and private parts – from becoming instruments of sin. This is particularly poignant when one feels a temptation to engage in or listen to gossip, as the quiet of the night offers a perfect space for this sincere supplication.
How to Read
Recite this dua with sincere intention and heartfelt conviction. Raise your hands as is customary for supplication (dua) during prayer or before sleeping after prayer. Reflect on each part of the dua: the potential for your ears to hear harmful words, your eyes to see inappropriate things, your tongue to utter backbiting or falsehoods, your heart to harbor ill will, and your desires to lead you astray. Ask Allah to guard these faculties for His sake.
Virtues & Benefits
Seeking refuge in Allah from the evils of our own faculties is a profound act of worship. Backbiting and gossip are severe sins in Islam, damaging relationships and earning the displeasure of Allah. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us to seek protection from these ills, recognizing that our limbs can easily become tools of sin if not actively guarded by Allah's grace. By making this dua during Tahajjud, you are proactively seeking divine assistance to maintain purity of heart and conduct, aligning your night worship with the preservation of your honor and the honor of others.
Source & Authentication
The Hadith in full, as narrated in Sunan Abi Dawud, is part of a longer supplication the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would often make. The specific wording can vary slightly in different narrations, but the essence remains the same. This particular version highlights the comprehensive nature of seeking refuge in Allah from internal and external evils related to our senses and desires.