Ramadan is the most blessed month of the Islamic calendar as the gates of heaven are open and the gates of hell are closed. All Muslims globally use this holy month to fast, pray, and reflect.
The most effective worshipping phenomenon of this month is making dua – heartfelt supplication to Allah. The correct supplications are also that which can make your Ramadan a very religious period. This article presents you with a full list of dua for ramadan which are all based on the developed Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
What is Dua?
Dua is a word in Arabic that translates to supplication -the one who addresses Allah with astuteness and admirableness. It is among the closeness of worship in the Islam faith that does not need an intermediary between a follower and God.
According to the hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had explained dua to be the same thing as worship. Dua could be said at any time and in any language yet, there are certain duas of the Sunnah which have tremendous spiritual power especially during Ramadan.
In the Quran Allah informs us that he is close and he listens to whoever calls upon him (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:186). It is important that every Muslim makes dua with all his heart and the presence of a heart during this holy month.
List of Dua in English during Ramadan.
The list of dua that follows is a specialized list of dua for Ramadan that has been collected based on authentic Sunnah. These prayers include the main events of the month including sighting the moon, breaking the fast as well as seeking Laylat al-Qadr. All of them have their origins in Hadith literature and were used or suggested by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) or his companions.
1. Dua on Seeing the Ramadan Moon.
O Allah, may this moon shine upon us in the security and faith, in the safety in Islam. My Lord and your Lord is Allah.”
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhi (3451) by Talhah ibn Ubaydullah. This dua shows that it is necessary to embrace Ramadan with thankfulness as well as the realization that Allah has blessed them.
2. Dua When Breaking the Fast ( Iftar).
“Thirst has gone, the veins are moistened, and the reward is assured, if Allah wills.”
Source Sunan Abu Dawood (2357), cited in Ibn Umar. It is perhaps the most popular iftar dua in the Sunnah and it is advisable to recite it right at the moment when you have finished having your fast meal.
3. Dua Before meals (Suhoor also: Iftar)
“In the name of Allah. O Allah, blessed be it unto us and otherwise better than it.
Hadith: Sahih Muslim and others major collections. This mealtime dua is used in special beauty in the holy meals of Ramadan.
4. Prayer on the night of power (Laylat al-Qadr).
“In the name of Allah. O Allah, bless it for us and provide us with better than it.”
Mutnasab: Sunan al-Tirmidhi (3513), collected by Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). She requested the Prophet to tell her what she should read on Laylat al-Qadr and he instructed her in this beautiful supplication. This is arguably the most vital dua of the whole month of Ramadan.
5. Last Ten Nights of Ramadan Dua.
With the final ten days the Prophet (peace be upon him) would worship more and supplicate extensively. He would call his whole family to these nights and he used not to sleep until Fajr as it is narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari. As much as possible the dua of Laylat al-Qadr above must be repeated during this period, together with any heartfelt personal supplication.
6. Dua When Completing the Fast
“O Allah, I fasted for Your sake and I break my fast with Your provision. Accept it from me.”
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood. Scholars recommend this dua as a perfect closing dua at the end of every day of fast because it allows an individual a chance to express gratitude and a desire to be accepted.
7. Forgiveness Daily Dua for Ramadan.
“O Allah, You are Al-Ghafoor (the Most Forgiving), You love to forgive, so forgive me.”
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhi. This may be carried out and repeated throughout the month in a form of honest repentance as Ramadan is the best period of requesting Allah to forgive.
8. Dua of An Intention to Fast (Niyyah to Suhoor)
“I intend to keep the fast for today in the month of Ramadan.”
This is what is intended in the heart, but most of Muslims prefer to put it into verbal language. One has to make a pure niyyah before the Fajr; otherwise the fast will not be regarded valid, based on accounts in Sunan al-Nasa’i and other books.
9. Dua for Entering Ramadan
“O Allah, grant us the blessing of Ramadan, accept our fasting, our qiyam, our recitation of the Quran, and our good deeds.”
It is a broad dua and commonly used by religious scholars and fully consistent with the spirit of preparations of the blessed month in the Sunnah about welcoming and praising the month.
10. Dua for Exiting Ramadan
“O Allah, do not let this be the last Ramadan I witness. Accept my deeds and forgive my shortcomings.”
It is an emotional dua that the Muslims feel at the end of the month and the mood of many stories with the call to proceed and seek the mercy of Allah and His acceptance until the last individuals and the last concrete points of the day.
Also read about: what is the purpose of Ramadan for Muslims
Arabic list of Dua during Ramadan.
To those who would like to recite the supplications in the original form in Arabic, the list of dua for Ramadan in Arabic is presented below. The special importance of reciting duas in Arabic is due to the fact that it is the exact words that prophet (peace be upon him) himself said or endorsed. It is a noble and satisfying ambition of a believer going through Ramadan to memorize at least some of them.
- Dua for Sighting the Moon:
اللَّهُمَّ أَهِلَّهُ عَلَيْنَا بِالْيُمْنِ وَالإِيمَانِ وَالسَّلامَةِ وَالإِسْلامِ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكَ اللَّهُ
Transliteration: Allahumma ahillahu alayna bil-yumni wal-iman was-salamati wal-Islam. Rabbi wa rabbuka Allah.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhi (3451)
- Dua at Iftar:
ذَهَبَ الظَّمَأُ وَابْتَلَّتِ الْعُرُوقُ وَثَبَتَ الأَجْرُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ
Transliteration: Dhahaba al-zama’u wabtallatil urooqu wa thabata al-ajru in sha Allah.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood (2357)
- Dua for Laylat al-Qadr:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي
Transliteration: Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbu al-‘afwa fa’fu ‘anni.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhi (3513)
- Dua for Seeking Forgiveness:
أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الَّذِي لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ
Transliteration: Astaghfirullaha alladhi la ilaha illa huwa al-Hayyu al-Qayyum wa atubu ilayh.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood (1517). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said that whoever says this will be forgiven, even if he had fled from battle.
- Dua When Completing Iftar:
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ صُمْتُ وَعَلَى رِزْقِكَ أَفْطَرْتُ
Transliteration: Allahumma laka sumtu wa ‘ala rizqika aftartu.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood
- General Dua for the Nights of Ramadan:
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Transliteration: Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil-akhirati hasanatan wa qina ‘adhab an-nar.
Also read about: when are the last 10 days of Ramadan
Dua for Fasting Not in Ramadan
Voluntary fasting during the non-Ramadan period is greatly promoted in Islam. Among others, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) fasted during the Mondays and Thursdays, the White Days (the 13 th, 14 th and 15 th of every Islamic month), on the Day of Arafah (9 th of Dhul Hijjah), and the Day of Ashura (10 th of Muharram). The duas of voluntary fasting are similar in the spirit when compared to Ramadan duas except that the niyyah is slightly different in nature.
The following are the important requests concerning voluntary fasting of Sunnah:
Dua of intention to voluntary fast: This is my Dua of intention of voluntary fasting in the name of Allah on tomorrrow, as a voluntary fast. The voluntary fasting intention is permissible to be prepared the day before midday unlike Ramadan fasting, as hadith in Sahih Muslim quotes Aisha saying so. Niyyah is done in the heart in the precedence or during morning time.
Dua at dinner, when one is asked to eat when fasting: “I am fasting. (Inni sa’im.) Source: Sahih al-Bukhari (1904). The Prophet also recommended in the scenario that when you are fasting and another person either perks you or asks you to eat, just politely state that you are fasting. This enlightens them and strengthens your personal determination.
Dua on breaking a voluntary fast at the house of the host: “May the persons who are fasting with us partake of your food, and may the righteous eat what you give, and may the angels be a blessing to thee. Source: Sunan Abu Dawood (3854). This is the beautiful prayer uttered by the guest to the generous host when the guest is having a meal with someone.
Dua during the day of Arafah (strongly recommended among the non-pilgrims): “”La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-hamd, wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadir.” Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhi (3585). The Prophet (peace be upon him) claimed that the best dua is the one of the Day of Arafah, and the best thing that he and the past Prophets ever said is the one just mentioned. This dua and this day of fasting is among the best voluntary activities in the Sunnah.
General dua in any optional fast: Any dua with sincerity in the course of fasting has added value because according to the Prophet (peace be upon him), dua of the person who is fasting is not disapproved. Source: Sunan Ibn Majah (1752). This is in terms of Ramadan and any voluntary fast that is taken as well and creates every moment of hunger an option to supplication.
Also read about: best surah to read in Ramadan
Conclusion
Dua is the key of a believer and Ramadan is the best chance of returning to Allah with pure heart and wide open mind. It does not matter whether you are repeating the list of dua in Arabic or reading the English translations of them to know the meaning, the concept is that you must find the sincerity in every word.
The duas documented in this article all have their foundation in the true Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) – they are not additions but treasured customs that have been nurtured through the generations of the devoting Muslim people.
Whether you are traveling within this blessed month or not, make dua one of the main and regular elements of your daily rhythm. Whenever Ramadan comes repeat the moon-sighting dua, whenever evening comes repeat the iftar dua, and repeat the Laylat al-Qadr dua with utter intensity and frequent repetition on the last ten days. And not because of these only: but speak to Allah without restraint and freely, in whatever language thou pleasest, at whatever hour thou pleasest. He hears all the callings, however mute, however mended.
May allah receive our fasting, our prayers, our recitation and the Quran and all our good deeds. May He have forgiven our sins and may He give us Laylat al-Qadr and make this Ramadan a real turning point in our lives. Ameen.
FAQ
What are the duas for Ramadan?
The most important Ramadan dua of the Sunnah is the moon-sighting dua (Tirmidhi 3451), the iftar dua -Dhahaba al-zama’u… (Abu Dawood 2357) and the dua of Laylat al-Qadr Allahumma innaka afuwwun… (Tirmidhi 3513). It is also considered that general dua is strongly sought during the month, and most particularly on the final ten days because the dua is likely to be accepted half because of the fasting condition (Ibn Majah 1752).
How to make a Ramadan dua list?
From the greater collections of Hadith you have to learn the duas of the faithful, so that afterwards you make them suitably the duas of each day suhoor, iftar, qiyam and the ten last days. Include personal duas on your own needs, make the list short and use it regularly, and store it in a place that is easy to access such as the phone or a notebook.
What is the dua of Ramadan wishing?
Popular and acceptable greetings are “Ramadan Mubarak” and Ramadan Kareem. The most Sunnah based one is to give earnest dua to the person. The sunnah of the moon sighting dua of Sunan al-Tirmidhi is the nearest sound prophetic proclamation of embracing the month.