اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِ أَبَوَيَّ لِفِطْرَتِكَ، وَاجْعَلْهُمَا مِنْ الرَّاشِدِينَ.
O Allah, guide my parents to Your Fitra (natural inclination to Islam) and make them among the rightly guided.
Allahumma ihdi abawayya li-fitratika, waj'alhumā minar-rāshidīn.
When to Read
This dua is particularly poignant when you observe your parents struggling with faith, or perhaps when they have drifted away from practicing Islam. It's a prayer you can make anytime, during your daily supplications, especially after prayers, or during the blessed times like the last third of the night. Whenever you feel the pull to pray for their guidance, this is the moment.
How to Read
Make this dua with sincerity and heartfelt conviction. Imagine your parents embracing the truth of Islam. Raise your hands in supplication as the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us is a way to invoke Allah. Ensure you are in a state of purity (wudu) if possible, and face the Qiblah. Most importantly, believe that Allah has the power to guide whomever He wills.
Virtues & Benefits
The greatest benefit is fulfilling a divine command: showing kindness and respect to parents, which includes praying for their well-being in this life and the next. By praying for their return to Fitra, you are essentially asking for them to embrace the deen as Allah intended. This aligns with the Quranic verse, 'And whoever honours the symbols of Allah - it is from the piety of hearts.' (Al-Hajj 22:32). Such a prayer can open doors to immense blessings, not only for your parents but for you as well, as good deeds done for parents are highly rewarded.
Source & Authentication
Ibn Majah narrated from 'Abdullah bin 'Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'The supplication of the father is like the supplication of a prophet.' Ibn Majah also narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Three supplications are answered without a doubt: the supplication of the oppressed, the supplication of the traveler, and the supplication of a father for his son.' While the specific dua itself (Allahumma ihdi abawayya li-fitratika, waj'alhumā minar-rāshidīn) is reported by Ibn Majah (286) as Hasan, the general principle of praying for parents and the profound impact of a father's supplication highlight the importance and power of this intention. This dua is a beautiful way to embody that parental care through prayer.