Dua for Supplication at the start of the prayer


The dua for supplication at the start of the prayer (salah) is an emphatic and comforting way of asking Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) for His blessings and pacifying one's heart in hopes of a great reward from Allah. In hadith, 6 different duas have been recited at the start of prayer by the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) on different occasions, and any one of them can be recited by a believer.

Hisnul Muslim, a well-known dua book, has compiled various authentic supplications said by the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) at the start of the prayer. In the dua, the believer asks  Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) to wipe clean his sins and send them apart from his body like the east and west (Sahih al-Bukhari 744). The same has been reported by Abu Hurairah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) in (Sahih Muslim 598 a-b), (Sunan an-Nasa'i 895), and (Sunan Ibn Majah 805).

In another dua for supplication at the start of the prayer, the reciter praises the glory and omnipotence of  Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 806). Abu Sa'eed  (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) reported the same in (Sunan an-Nasa'i 900). In another extensive dua, the reciter praises the unparalleled attributes of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) in addition to asking Him for guidance towards the right path (Sunan an-Nasa'i 1625), (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3420). 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Auf  (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) reported the same dua in (Sahih Muslim 770).

Hisnul Muslim (ES)

Prayer (ES) Duas (ES)

1
اللَّهُـمَّ باَعِـدْ بَيْـنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَـاياَيَ كَماَ باَعَدْتَ بَيْنَ المَشْرِقِ وَالمَغْرِبْ، اللَّهُـمَّ نَقِّنِـي مِنْ خَطَاياَيَ كَمـَا يُـنَقَّى الثَّـوْبُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسْ، اللَّهُـمَّ اغْسِلْنِـي مِنْ خَطَايـَايَ بِالثَّلـجِ وَالمـَاءِ وَالْبَرَدِ

Allaahumma baa'id baynee wa bayna khataayaaya kamaa baa'adta baynal-mashriqi walmaghribi, Allaahumma naqqinee min khataayaaya kamaa yunaqqath-thawbul-'abyadhu minad-danasi, Allaahum-maghsilnee min khataayaaya, bith-thalji walmaa'i walbarad.

[Hisnul (ES) 27] [Al-Bukhari 1/181, Muslim 1/419.]

2
سُبْـحَانَكَ اللَّهُـمَّ وَبِحَمْـدِكَ، وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُـكَ، وَتَعـَالَى جَـدُّكَ وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ

Subhaanaka Allaahumma wa bihamdika, wa tabaarakasmuka, wa ta'aalaa jadduka, wa laa 'ilaaha ghayruka.

[Hisnul (ES) 28] [Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, An-Nasa'i, At-Tirmizi, Al-Albani, Sahih At-Tirmizi 1/77, Sahih Ibn Majah 1/135.]

3
وَجَّهْـتُ وَجْهِـيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ السَّمـَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ حَنِـيفاً وَمـَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِيَن، إِنَّ صَلاَتِـي، وَنُسُكِي، وَمَحْـياَيَ، وَمَمَاتِـي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، لَا شَرِيـكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِـمِينَ. اللَّهُـمَّ أَنْتَ الْمَلِكُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ، أَنْتَ رَبِّـي وَأَنَا عَبْـدُكَ ، ظَلَمْـتُ نَفْسِـي وَاعْـتَرَفْتُ بِذَنْبِـي فَاغْفِرْ لِي ذُنُوبِي جَمِيعاً إِنَّـهُ لَا يَغْـفِرُ الذُّنُوبََ إِلَاَّ أَنْتَ. وَاهْدِنِي لأَحْسَنِ الأَخْلَاقِ لاَ يَهْدِي لأَحْسَـنِهَا إِلاَّ أَنْـتَ، وَاصْـرِفْ عَـنِّي سَيِّئَهَا، لا يَصْرِفُ عَـنِّي سَيِّئَهَـا إِلاَّ أَنْـتَ، لَبَّـيْكَ وَسَعْـدَيْكَ، وَالْخَـيْرُ كُلُّهُ بِيَدَيْكَ، وَالشَّرُّ لَيْـسَ إِلَـيْكَ، أَنَا بِكَ وَإِلَيْـكَ، تَبـَارَكْتَ وَتَعَالَيتَ أَسْتَغْـفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ

Wajjahtu wajhiya lillathee fataras-samawati wal-arda haneefan wama ana minal-mushrikeen, inna salatee wanusukee wamahyaya wamamatee lillahi rabbil-AAalameen, la shareeka lahu wabithalika omirtu wa-ana minal-muslimeen. Allahumma antal-maliku la ilaha illa ant. anta rabbee wa-ana AAabduk, thalamtu nafsee waAAtaraftu bithanbee faghfir lee thunoobee jameeAAan innahu la yaghfiruth-thunooba illa ant.wahdinee li-ahsanil-akhlaqi la yahdee li-ahsaniha illa ant, wasrif AAannee sayyi-aha la yasrifu AAannee sayyi-aha illa ant, labbayka wasaAAdayk,walkhayru kulluhu biyadayk, washsharru laysa ilayk, ana bika wa-ilayk, tabarakta wataAAalayt, astaghfiruka wa-atoobu ilayk.

[Hisnul (ES) 29] [Muslim 1/534]

4
اللَّهُـمَّ رَبَّ جِبْرَائِيلَ، وَمِيكَائِيلَ، وَإِسْرَافِيلَ، فَاطِـرَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ، عَالِـِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ، أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ. اِهْدِنِي لِمَا اخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِكَ، إِنَّكَ تَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ

Allahumma rabba jibra-eel, wameeka-eel, wa-israfeel fatiras-samawati walard, AAalimal-ghaybi washshahadah, anta tahkumu bayna AAibadika feema kanoo feehi yakhtalifoon. ihdinee limakh-tulifa feehi minal-haqqi bi-ithnik, innaka tahdee man tasha-o ila siratin mustaqeem.

[Hisnul (ES) 30] [Muslim 1/534]

5
(1)اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ كَبِيرَا، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ كَبِيرَا، اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ كَبِيرَا، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ كَثِيرَا، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ كَثِيرَا، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ كَثِيرَا، وَسُبْحاَنَ اللَّهِ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا (2)أَعُـوذُ بِاللّهِ مِنَ الشَّـيْطَانِ: مِنْ نَفْخِهِ، وَنَفْـثِهِ، وَهَمـْزِهِ

Allaahu 'Akbar Kabeera, Allaahu 'Akbar Kabeera, Allaahu 'Akbar Kabeera, walhamdu lillaahi katheera, walhamdu lillaahi katheera, walhamdu lillaahi katheera, wa Subhaanallaahi bukratan wa'aseela.(1)'A 'oothu billaahi minash-Shaytaan: min nafkhihi, wa nafthihi, wa hamzihi.(2)

[Hisnul (ES) 31] [Abu Dawud 1/203, Ibn Majah 1/265, Ahmad 4/85. Muslim 1/420.]

6
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ رَبُّ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ لَكَ مُلْكُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ مَلِكُ السَّـمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ الْحَقُّ، وَوَعْـدُكَ الْحَقُّ، وَقَوْلُكَ الْحَقُّ، وَلِقَاؤُكَ الْحَقُّ، وَالْجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّارُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّبِيُّونَ حَقُّ، وَمُحَمَّدٌ حَقٌّ، وَالسَّاعَةُ حَقٌّ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ، وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ، وَبِكَ آمَنْـتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْتُ، وَبِكَ خَاصَمْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ حَاكَمْتُ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ، وَما أَخَّرْتُ، وَما أَسْـرَرْتُ، وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ أَنْتَ الْمُقَـدِّمُ، وَأَنْتَ الْمُـؤَخِّرُ، لَا إِاَـهَ إِلَاّ أَنْتَ أَنْتَ إِلَهِي لَا إِاَـهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ

Allahumma lakal-hamdu 'Anta noon samaawaati wal'ardhi wa man feehinna, wa lakal-hamdu 'Anta qayyimus-samaawaati wal'ardhi wa man feehinna, wa lakal-hamdu 'Anta Rabbus-samaawaati wal'ardhi wa man feehinna wa lakal-hamdu laka mulkus-samaawaati wal'ardhi wa man feehinna wa lakal-hamdu 'Anta Malikus-samaawaati wal'ardhi wa lakal-hamdu 'Antal-haqq, wa wa'dukal-haqq, wa qawlukal-haqq wa liqaa'ukal-haqq, waljannatu haqq, wannaaru haqq, wannabiyy oona haqq, wa Muhammadun haqq, wassaa'atu haqq Allaahumma laka 'aslamtu, wa 'alayka tawakkaltu, wa bika 'aamantu, wa 'ilayka 'anabtu, wa bika khaasamtu, wa 'ilayka haakamtu. Faghfir lee maa qaddamtu, wa maa 'akhkhartu, wa maa 'asrartu, wa maa 'a'lantu 'Antal-Muqaddimu, wa 'Antal-Mu'akhkhiru laa 'ilaaha 'illaa 'Anta 'Anta 'ilaahee laa 'ilaaha 'illaa 'Anta.

[Hisnul (ES) 32] [Al-Bukhari, cf. Al-Asqalani, Fathul-Bari 3/3 , 11/ 116, 13/371, 423, 465. See also Muslim for a shorter account, 1/532.]

The Etiquettes of Reciting Dua for Supplication at the Start of the Prayer


The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) would usually fall silent before reciting the dua, thereby directing all his concentration toward what he was saying and what that meant for him. These duas should be recited with the utmost attention and a stern belief that what one is reciting is completely true. One should also recite the duas with total hope that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) will grant them whatever, if it is good for them, is asked of Him.      


Dua for Supplication at the Start of the Prayer Benefits


By far, the greatest benefit of dua for supplication at the start of the prayer is emphasizing and acknowledging the sovereignty and greatness of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). The dua helps beseech Allah to forgive our sins and wipe us clean like a white cloth that's been washed. The duas are also a means of reminding ourselves of the weakness of man and his total dependence on Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). The dua for supplication at the start of the prayer is an excellent method of asking Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) for His guidance and help.

FAQs: (ES)

According to Sunnah and Hadith, there are more than 6 duas for supplication at the start of the prayer. All of them are listed above.
No, you can recite any of the duas as per your preference. It is best to recite as many different duas as possible to gain the blessings of Allah through different beautiful duas.
The dua for supplication at the start of the prayer carries many great benefits, such as forgiveness of sins, increase of good deeds, and attainment of guidance.