If you are reading this article then alhamdulillah, you have been blessed with another Ramadan! Ramadan is the perfect time to reset spiritually, renew our intentions and commit to developing new habits and continuing good deeds after the end of the month. As Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said,

“Whoever fasts during Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah’s rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven.” [Bukhari]

Ramadan is also a special time for reflection and a mercy from Allah where our chances of being granted forgiveness are increased even further. As Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, 

This is why it is crucial that we increase our duas during this month and that we know what to ask Allah for in a way that is most pleasing to Him. In this article, we will cover ten key duas that you should recite regularly during the month of Ramadan, according to the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

1. Dua for when you see the crescent moon signalling the beginning of Ramadan

اللَّهمَّ أَهلَّهُ علينَا بالأمنِ والإيمانِ والسَّلامةِ والإسلامِ ربِّي وربُّكَ اللَّهُ

Allahumma ahillahu alayna bil-amni wal-iman was-salaamati wal-islam rabbi wa rabbuka Allah.

Oh, Allah, make it a start full of peace and faith, safety and Islam, my Lord and your Lord is Allah. [Mishkat al-Masabih]

2. Dua for breaking your fast

ذَهَبَ الظَّمأُ، وابْتَلَّتِ العُرُوقُ، وَثَبَتَ الأَجْرُ إِنْ شاءَ اللَّهُ تَعالى

Dhahaba al-zama wa’btalat al-‘uruq wa thabata al-ajr

The thirst is gone, the veins are moistened, and the reward has been earned if Allah wills. [Abu Dawud]

3. Dua for breaking fast with a group of people

أفطر عندكم الصائمون ، وأكل طعامكم الأبرار ، وصلت عليكم الملائكة 

Aftara indakum as-saa’imoon, wa akala ta’aamakum al-abraar, wa sallat alaikum al-malaa’ikah.

May the fasting people break fast at your place, and may the pious eat from your food, and may the angels pray for you. [Abu Dawud]

4. What to say if you become frustrated or angry about something while fasting

إني صائمٌ ، إني صائمٌ 

Innee saa’im, innee saa’im

I’m fasting; I’m fasting.

5. Dua for Witr prayers after Isha

اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ 

إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ وَلاَ يَعِزُّ مَنْ عَادَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ

Allahumma ihdini feeman hadayt, wa ‘aafini feeman ‘aafayt, wa ta-wal-lani feeman ta-wal-layt, wa baa-rik li feema a’tayt, wa qini shar-ra ma qadayt , inna-ka taq-di wa la yuqda ‘alayk, wa inna-hu laa ya-dhil-lu man waalayt, wa laa ya’iz-zu man ‘aa-dayt, ta-baa-rakta Rabbana wa ta’aalayt.

O Allah, guide me among those whom You have guided. Grant me safety among those whom You have granted safety. Take me into Your charge among those whom You have taken into Your charge. Bless me in what You have given me. Protect me from the evil that You have decreed, for You decree and nothing is decreed for You. And there is no humiliation for whom You take as a ward. Blessed and exalted are You, our Lord. [Abi Dawud]

6. Dua for Laylatul Qadr (What to read during the last ten days of Ramadan)

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفْوٌ تٌحِبٌّ العَفْوَ فَأَعْفَوْ عَنِّي

Aisha (RA) said, “I asked the Messenger of Allah: ‘O Messenger of Allah, if I know what night is the night of Qadr, what should I say during it?’ He said: ‘Say: 

Allahumma innaka `afuwwun tuhibbul `afwa fa`fu `annee'”

O Allah, You are the Most Forgiving and You love to Forgive, so forgive me. [Tirmidhi]

7. Dhikr to repeat throughout the month

اللّٰهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي، لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِيْ وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَىَّ وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِيْ، فَاغْفِرْ لِيْ، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ إِلَّاأَنْتَ۔

 Allahumma anta Rabbi la ilaha illa anta, Anta Khalaqtani wa ana abduka, wa ana ‘ala ahdika wa wa’dika mastata’tu, A’udhu bika min Sharri ma sana’tu, abu’u Laka bini’matika ‘alaiya, wa Abu Laka bidhanbi faghfirli innahu la yaghfiru adhdhunuba illa anta

O, Allah! You are my Lord! None has the right to be worshipped but You. You created me, and I am Your slave, and I am faithful to my covenant and my promise as much as I can. I seek refuge with You from all the evil I have done. I acknowledge before You all the blessings You have bestowed upon me, and I confess to You all my sins. So I entreat You to forgive my sins, for nobody can forgive sins except You. [Book 16, Hadith 121]

8. Dua for Rizq (sustenance) 

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا , وَ رِزْقًا طَيَّبًا , وَ عَمَلاً مُتَقَبَّلاً

Allahumma inni as’aluka ‘Ilman naafi’an, wa rizqan tayyiban, wa ‘amalan mutaqabbalan

O, Allah! I ask You for knowledge that is of benefit, a good provision and deeds that will be accepted. [Ibn Majah]

9. Dua for good in this life and the next

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil ‘akhirati hasanatan waqina ‘azaaban-nar.

Our Lord! Grant us good in this world and good in the life to come and keep us safe from the punishment of Hellfire. [Bukhari]

10. Saying SubhanAllah

“Umm Sulaim came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), teach me some words that I may supplicate with during my prayer.’ He said: ‘Glorify Allah (by saying SubhanAllah) ten times, and praise Him (by saying Alhamdulilah) ten times, and magnify Him (by saying Allahu Akbar) ten times, then ask Him for what you need; He will say: ‘Yes, yes.’ (Sunan An-Nasa’i)

We have also compiled a handy checklist full of tips to keep in mind for making dua during Ramadan:

• Brush up on the etiquette of making dua. 
• Set a reminder on your phone to sit down for a few minutes twice a day and read your morning and evening adhkar. 
• Print out the dua for breaking the fast and frame it as a centrepiece for your dining table.
• Write down a dua list to keep yourself organized for Qiyam-ul-Layl, the night prayers.  
• Get into the habit of making dhikr as you go about your daily routine. Stick up duas in the most frequented spots in your home so that you have a reminder wherever you go!
• Spend an extra few minutes on your prayer mat after every obligatory prayer to read Qu’ran, make dhikr and make dua.
• Take advantage of the special times mentioned in hadith where one should make more dua such as:
• • The last hour on Friday
  • While travelling
  • When it rains
  • In the last third of the night 
  • After obligatory prayers
• Plan for the last ten days of Ramadan so that you have all your energy to stay up during the night, decide on a set number of pages you want to finish reading of the Qu’ran and update your dua list to focus on making dua for the things you want most.

Abdullah bin Mas’ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to say:

‏اللهم إني أسألك الهدى والتقى والعفاف والغنى

Allahumma inni as’alukal-huda wat- tuqa wal-‘afafa wal-ghina.

“O Allah! I ask You for guidance, piety, chastity and self- sufficiency.” (Muslim)

May all our fasts, prayers and duas be accepted this Ramadan. Ameen.