سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا وَبِحَمْدِكَ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ ، أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ
"Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You! I bear witness that there is no god but You. I seek Your forgiveness and I turn to You in repentance."
Subhanakallahumma wa bihamdika, ash-hadu an la ilaha illa Anta, astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk.
When to Read
This dua is recited immediately after waking up in the morning, before washing the hands. The act of washing hands three times upon waking is a significant sunnah practice, stemming from the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ teachings to cleanse oneself of any impurities encountered during sleep. It's a way to start the day with purity, both physically and spiritually.
How to Read
Upon waking, before even getting out of bed or touching water, recite this comprehensive dua. It acknowledges Allah's perfection, affirms Tawhid (Oneness of Allah), and seeks His forgiveness. Following the recitation, you would then proceed to wash your hands three times, as taught by the Prophet ﷺ.
Virtues & Benefits
This practice purifies the hands, which are our primary tools for interacting with the world, symbolizing a clean start to the day. Reciting this specific dua upon waking embodies gratitude, recognition of Allah's might, and humility through seeking His forgiveness, setting a positive spiritual tone for all activities throughout the day. It's a beautiful way to connect with our Creator right at the beginning of our consciousness each morning.
Source & Authentication
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: When one of you wakes from sleep and performs ablution, and washes his hands, three times, and washes his face, he should say: Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You! I bear witness that there is no god but You. I seek Your forgiveness and I turn to You in repentance. And if he dies on that day, he dies upon the *fitrah* (natural disposition), and if he lives till the evening, he has attained the *reward* (of this prayer). [Sunan Abu Dawud 771, Sunan An-Nasa'i 994, Musnad Ahmad 1080. Graded Hasan by scholars like Al-Albani.]