اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْهُدَى وَالتُّقَى وَالْعَفَافَ وَالْغِنَى
O Allah, I ask You for guidance, piety, chastity, and self-sufficiency.
Allahumma inni as'alukal-huda wat-tuqa wal-'afafa wal-ghina.
When to Read
This profound du'a is particularly powerful when recited during the Tahajjud prayer, in the depths of the night. The last third of the night is a blessed time when Allah's mercy descends, and du'as are most likely to be accepted. For someone struggling with an addiction, this is a moment to pour out your heart to Allah, confessing your weakness and seeking His divine strength and intervention. Make this du'a with sincere conviction after completing your Tahajjud rak'ahs, especially in your sujood (prostration) or before your taslim (final salutation).
How to Read
To make this du'a effectively, begin by performing Wudu and praying Tahajjud, even if it's just two rak'ahs. After your prayer, sit facing the Qibla, raise your hands, and praise Allah as He deserves to be praised. Send salutations upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Then, with deep sincerity and humility, recite this du'a, contemplating each word and its meaning. Repeat it multiple times if you feel the need, allowing the words to resonate in your heart. You can also add your own specific supplications, describing your struggle with addiction and asking Allah to replace your cravings with contentment, your weakness with strength, and your destructive habits with beneficial ones. Have firm conviction that Allah can and will help you.
Virtues & Benefits
Reciting this du'a, especially during Tahajjud, offers immense spiritual and practical benefits for overcoming addictions: 1. **Guidance (Al-Huda):** You are asking Allah to illuminate your path, to show you the right decisions, and to steer you away from the triggers and environments that lead to relapse. This is divine clarity in a moment of confusion. 2. **Piety (At-Tuqa):** This is consciousness of Allah – fear of His punishment and hope for His reward. Cultivating *taqwa* strengthens your willpower against temptations and gives you the inner resolve to resist harmful urges, knowing that Allah is watching and is pleased with your struggle. 3. **Chastity (Al-'Afaf):** *'Afaf* encompasses purity, modesty, and restraint from what is unlawful or harmful. For someone battling addiction, this is a direct plea for self-control, for Allah to purify your desires and free you from the compulsion of a destructive habit. It’s a request for inner cleanliness. 4. **Self-Sufficiency (Al-Ghina):** This doesn't mean wealth, but spiritual richness and contentment. It's about being independent of worldly cravings and finding true satisfaction in Allah alone. When you are truly 'rich' in Allah, the emptiness that addiction tries to fill becomes irrelevant. You find wholeness and peace, removing the underlying void that addiction exploits. Beyond these specific meanings, making du'a during Tahajjud is a sign of deep reliance on Allah, acknowledging that true strength comes only from Him. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Our Lord descends every night to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains, saying: 'Who will call upon Me that I may answer him? Who will ask of Me that I may give him? Who will seek My forgiveness that I may forgive him?'" (Sahih al-Bukhari 6321). This provides immense hope that your heartfelt plea will be heard and answered.
Source & Authentication
Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to supplicate with the words: "O Allah, I ask You for guidance, piety, chastity, and self-sufficiency." > **Arabic:** كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَدْعُو بِهَذَا الدُّعَاءِ " اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْهُدَى وَالتُّقَى وَالْعَفَافَ وَالْغِنَى " > > **Translation:** The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to supplicate with this du'a: "O Allah, I ask You for guidance, piety, chastity, and self-sufficiency." > > **Transliteration:** *Kana Rasulullahi ﷺ yad'u bihadhad-du'a: 'Allahumma inni as'alukal-huda wat-tuqa wal-'afafa wal-ghina.'* > > — Sahih Muslim 2721