اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا، وَرِزْقًا طَيِّبًا، وَعَمَلاً مُتَقَبَّلاً
O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, good provision, and acceptable deeds.
Allahumma inni as'aluka 'ilman nafi'an, wa rizqan tayyiban, wa 'amalan mutaqabbalan
When to Read
This dua is highly relevant during Ramadan and all other fasts. It's particularly beneficial to recite it at the beginning of the day, or any time you feel the urge to engage in or are exposed to idle talk and gossip. Making this a habit can help purify your intentions and actions throughout your fast.
How to Read
Recite this dua with sincerity and conviction. Raise your hands if you are reciting it individually, as is the general etiquette for supplication. Focus on the meaning and ask Allah to help you maintain the spiritual purity of your fast. It’s best to say it before or after a brief period of reflection, ideally after Fajr or before Dhuhr, but it can be recited at any time.
Virtues & Benefits
While this specific dua doesn't directly address safeguarding against gossip, its profoundness lies in asking Allah for three essential elements that naturally steer one away from negativity: 1. **Beneficial knowledge ('ilman nafi'an):** Knowledge that benefits you in this life and the next helps you understand the gravity of wasting time and backbiting. 2. **Good provision (rizqan tayyiban):** When one's sustenance is pure and blessed, it often leads to contentment and a reduced desire for trivialities. 3. **Acceptable deeds ('amalan mutaqabbalan):** The ultimate goal of fasting is to draw closer to Allah and perform deeds that are accepted. Idle talk and gossip detract from this objective, making the acceptance of deeds uncertain. By seeking these three things, you are indirectly asking Allah to protect your fast from anything that might invalidate its spiritual purpose, including sins of the tongue.
Source & Authentication
It was narrated from Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to say, when he finished his morning prayer: 'Allahumma inni as'aluka 'ilman nafi'an, wa rizqan tayyiban, wa 'amalan mutaqabbalan.' (Sunan Ibn Majah 925). This hadith emphasizes seeking these three things, which are foundational for a righteous life and for ensuring our actions, including our fasts, are pleasing to Allah.