While we should all be striving to improve ourselves every day, the onset of the new year, especially with Ramadan on the horizon, offers a great opportunity to refresh our goals and intentions and prepare ourselves for a spiritually transformative year. With dedication towards gradual progress, we can establish a good routine and focus on our goals, maximising the benefits and rewards of this blessed month. Seeking the aid of Allah ﷻ should be at the heart of all our endeavours as we recognise that nothing is possible without His will and help. 

The following du’as, invoking the perfect names of Allah ﷻ will help you achieve and exceed your expectations for the coming years in sha Allah.

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1. Du’as for Health and Wellness 

Our health is one of the greatest blessings from Allah ﷻ, and it is our responsibility to preserve it and use it to benefit us in our journey of growing closer to our Lord. 

Ibn Abbas reported,

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Take advantage of five before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your illness, your riches before your poverty, your free time before your work, and your life before your death.”(Shu’ab al-Imān lil-Bayhaqī 10250)

The Prophet ﷺ recommended that we recite the following du’a in our morning and evening adhkar, seeking good health and protection from Allah ﷻ. 

اَللّٰهُمَّ عَافِنِيْ فِيْ بَدَنِيْ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ عَافِنِيْ فِيْ سَمْعِيْ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ عَافِنِيْ فِيْ بَصَرِيْ ، لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْكُفْرِ وَالْفَقْرِ، وأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ

Allāhumma ʿāfinī fī badanī, Allāhumma ʿāfinī fī samʿī, Allāhumma ʿāfinī fī baṣarī, lā ilāha illā Ant, Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika mina-l-kufri wa-l-faqr, wa aʿūdhu bika min ʿadhābi-l-qabr, lā ilāha illā Ant.

“O Allah, grant me well-being in my body. O Allah, grant me well-being in my hearing. O Allah, grant me well-being in my sight. There is no god worthy of worship except You. O Allah, I seek Your protection from disbelief and poverty and I seek Your protection from the punishment of the grave. There is no god worthy of worship except You.” (Abū Dāwūd 5090, Aḥmad 20430)

You can also call upon Ash-Shafi (The Healer). 

Whatever pain or ailments you may experience, remember Allah ﷻ is Ash-Shafi the Healer and Curer, ask Him to cure you and grant you better health. Allah is also Al-Hafidh, The Protector. Ask Him by this name to protect you from any illnesses and decline in your health. 

When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would visit a sick person, he would say, 

Allahumma rabbannaasi adhibil ba’sa ishfihi wa antas shafi laa shifaa’a illa shifaauka shifaa’an laa yughadiru saqaman.

“Take away the pain, O Lord of all people, and give healing for You are the Healer. There is no healing but Your healing, a healing that leaves no trace of illness.”(Sahih al-Bukhari 5743)

2. Du’as for Financial Well Being 

Whether you’re navigating the job market, embarking on a new career or looking for professional stability, du’a is your secret weapon to achieving your career and financial aspirations. 

وَ مَا مِن دَابَّةٍ فىِ الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا عَلىَ اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَ يَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَ مُسْتَوْدَعَهَا كلُ‏ٌّ فىِ كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ 

“There is no moving creature on earth whose provision is not guaranteed by Allah. And He knows where it lives and where it is laid to rest. All is ˹written˺ in a perfect Record.” (Surah Hud 11:6)

We can also take a profound lesson from the story of Maryam (AS), one of the greatest women to walk the earth. She devoted her days and nights to the secluded worship of Allah ﷻ and was blessed with miraculous sustenance that was not even in season. When Prophet Zakariya عليه السلام questioned her about the source of said food, she responded, “It is from Allah. Indeed, Allah provides for whom He wills without account.” (Surah Ali Imran 3:37)

There is no such thing as an unrealistic du’a when asking Allah, the Lord of the Universe. Allah’s power is limitless, and He can make things happen by simply willing them to “Be. And It is.” Recognize that your rizq lies in the Hands of Allah ﷻ, He provides you with every form of sustenance ever needed, so ask Him with unwavering conviction and He will provide for you in the best way possible.

You can call upon Him with the names Al-Razzaq (The Provider) and Al-Fattah (The Opener), acknowledging that all sustenance is only from Him.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا وَرِزْقًا طَيِّبًا وَعَمَلاً مُتَقَبَّلاً

Allāhumma innī as’aluka ʿilma-n-nāfiʿā, wa rizqan ṭayyibā, wa ʿamala-m-mutaqabbalā 

“O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, wholesome sustenance, and deeds which are accepted.”

When looking for new opportunities in your career, place your complete trust in Al Fattah. He is the One who will open doors for you and help you achieve your goals with ease.

3. Du’as for the Ummah

As Muslims, it is imperative that we pursue excellence in all aspects of our lives. This includes actively benefiting the community and fostering stronger relationships with our family, friends and neighbours. The Muslim ummah is like one body, and any pain or need within one part is sensed by the entire ummah. 

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِيْنَ سَبَقُوْنَا بِالْإِيْمَانِ ، وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِيْ قُلُوْبِنَا غِلًّا لِّلَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ رَءُوْفٌ رَّحِيْمٌ

Rabbana-ghfir lanā wa li-ikhwānina-l-ladhīna sabaqūnā bil-īmān, wa lā tajʿal fī qulūbinā ghilla-l-lil-ladhīna āmanū Rabbanā innaka Ra’ūfu-r-Raḥīm.

“Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith. Do not put in our hearts any hatred toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are the Most Compassionate, the Ever-Merciful.” (Al-Hashr 59:10)

This profound du’a in the Qur’an emphasises the importance of cultivating goodness between Muslims. We are encouraged to pray for the forgiveness of our brothers and sisters who have passed away as well as for strengthening our current relationships with one another. Nurturing compassion and love for each other in our hearts is integral to our faith, and this du’as is a beautiful and comprehensive way to enhance our relationships. 

Additionally, it is important to remember that Allah is Al-Jaami, The Unifier, and we can invoke His name during times of hardship and disunity within our ummah. 

“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together [jamee`an] and do not become divided. And remember the favour of Allah upon you – when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favour, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.” (Surah Ali-’Imran 3:103)

In the verse above, Allah tells the Muslims to support one another and to hold firmly to His rope “all together” (jamee`an). Just like He brought the hearts of the companions together, Allah can bring our hearts together too if we truly work at being sincere.

May Al-Jaami unite our hearts upon guidance. Ameen.

4. Du’as for Self Improvement 

In our personal journeys, we often grapple with bad habits, procrastination and a lack of qualities we desire. Much of this struggle stems from our nafs, our lower self, the internal voice convincing us to put off our self-improvement until an elusive tomorrow that never comes. 

Allah ﷻ is closer to us than our jugular veins, far more aware of us than our own selves. Call upon Al-‘Aleem, The All-Knowing seeking His help in overcoming the deceptive whispers of Shaytan and inclinations of the nafs that hinder us from achieving our goals. We can also invoke Al-Musawwir, The Fashioner, to guide and shape us into the best version of ourselves – one that He loves and is pleased with. 

This du’a, found in the sunnah morning and evening adhkar, comprehensively asks Allah ﷻ for protection from various types of evil, including our own nafs. 

اَللّٰهُمَّ فَاطِرَ السَّمٰوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ، عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ ،  رَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَّمَلِيْكَهُ ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَّا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ ، أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِيْ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ الشَّيْطَانِ وَشِرْكِهِ ، وَأَنْ أَقْتَرِفَ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِيْ سُوْءًا أَوْ أَجُرَّهُ إِلَىٰ مُسْلِمٍ.

Allāhumma fāṭir-as-samāwāti wa-l-arḍi,ʿālima-l-ghaybi wa-sh-shahādah, rabba kulli shay’iw-wa malīkah, ash-hadu al-lā ilāha illā Anta, aʿūdhu bika min sharri nafsī wa min sharri-sh-shayṭāni wa shirkihī wa an aqtarifa ʿalā nafsī sū’an aw ajurrahū ilā muslim.

“O Allah, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Lord and Sovereign of everything; I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship but You. I seek Your protection from the evil of my own self, from the evil of Shayṭān and from the evil of polytheism to which he calls, and from inflicting evil on myself, or bringing it upon a Muslim.”

5. Spirituality 

Our worship of Allah ﷻ is the ultimate purpose of our creation (Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51:56), making our religious responsibilities the top priority when setting goals. However, we are bound to make mistakes and experience difficulties as we strive to achieve our purpose. The beauty of our religion lies in the provision of a du’as for these moments. 

By reciting this du’a after each salah, we ask Allah ﷻ to aid us in perfecting our worship, gratitude and remembrance of Him. Whether the goal is to pray consistently or to recite more Qur’an, this du’a can help us achieve these goals in the best way possible. 

اَللّٰهُمَّ أَعِنِّيْ عَلَىٰ ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ

Allāhumma aʿinnī ʿalā dhikrika wa shukrika wa ḥusni ʿibādatik.

“O Allah, help me in remembering You, in being grateful to You, and in worshipping You in an excellent manner.”

This du’a was mentioned in this beautiful hadith,

Muʿādh b. Jabal (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ took him by the hand and he said, “O Muʿādh, I swear by Allah that I love you. I swear by Allah that I love you. O Muʿādh, I advise you: Never miss out on saying [the above] after every ṣalāh. (Abū Dāwūd 1522)

The most frequent du’a made by the Prophet ﷺ asks for steadfastness on the religion, and we should all follow his ﷺ blessed example and frequently make this du’a too.

يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوْبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِيْ عَلَىٰ دِيْنِكَ

Yā Muqalliba-l-qulūbi thabbit qalbī ʿalā dīnik

“O Allah, Turner of hearts, make my heart firm upon Your religion.”

Alongside these du’as, hasten to call upon Ar-Rahman, The Most Merciful and Al Hadi, The Guider, to guide you to the straight path and grant you immense reward in this life and the next. 

Self improvement is a beautiful and insightful journey and is only possible through the help and mercy of Allah ﷻ. I hope these du’as are beneficial in your goal setting and quest for betterment in shaa Allah!