سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، لَا إلَهَ إلَّا أَنْتَ أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إلَيْكَ
Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You. There is no god but You. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance.
Subhanakallāhumma wa bihamdik, lā ilāha illā anta astaghfiruka wa atūbu ilayk
When to Read
This dua is specifically recommended by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to be recited after fulfilling or failing to fulfill an oath, particularly when the oath was made without a clear intention of binding oneself or when it is difficult to uphold. It serves as a way to expiate the oath and seek Allah's forgiveness for any unintended breach.
How to Read
Recite this beautiful supplication after you have either performed what you swore to do, or found yourself unable to fulfill it, and you wish to expiate your oath. It is an act of seeking Allah's grace and mercy for any inadvertent transgression. Say it with sincerity, reflecting on your intention and your reliance on Allah for acceptance.
Virtues & Benefits
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught this dua as a means of expiation for oaths. When someone swears an oath and then finds a better course of action, they should do what is better and then make this expiation. This protects us from the consequence of breaking an oath while also allowing us to act in the best interest as determined later. It cleanses the act, turning a potential sin into an opportunity for seeking forgiveness and praise for Allah's perfection.
Source & Authentication
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 'Whoever swears an oath and then sees that something else is better than his oath, should leave it and do that better thing. And his oath would be expiated by doing so.' He then mentioned a similar wording of the above dua in his supplication: 'Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You. There is no god but You. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance.' (Sunan Abi Dawud 3234 - Hasan). This teaching emphasizes that if we make an oath, and later realize there's a better, more righteous path, we should take it. This dua then becomes the means by which Allah accepts our choice and forgives any perceived breaking of the oath.