Dua Collection — Authentic Supplications from Quran & Sunnah
Searchable collection of authentic duas from the Quran and Sunnah with Arabic text, transliteration, translation, and source references. Organised by category.
Authentic Dua Collection
Showing 33 of 33 duas
What Is Dua?
Imagine having a direct phone line to the most powerful being in existence — no hold music, no call centre, no intermediary. That's dua. It's the most personal act of worship in Islam: you speak, and Allah listens. No priest needed. No appointment required. Any language, any time, any place.
The Arabic word dua (دعاء) literally means "to call upon" or "to invoke." The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) called it "the essence of worship" (Tirmidhi 3371) — not one form of worship among many, but the very core of what it means to be a servant of Allah. When you raise your hands and ask, you're acknowledging that you need Him and that He has the power to answer. That acknowledgement is worship.
There are two types. Prescribed duas come from the Quran and hadith — specific phrases the Prophet (peace be upon him) taught for specific occasions. These carry special virtue because you're following the Sunnah. Personal duas are your own words, in any language, from your heart. Both are valid. Both are heard. The collection above focuses on prescribed duas with authenticated sources, but your personal supplications are equally important.
The Etiquette of Making Dua
Dua is heard regardless of how you make it. But the Prophet (peace be upon him) taught specific etiquettes that strengthen your supplication — think of them as best practices, not prerequisites:
1. Begin with praise
Start by praising Allah (Alhamdulillah, SubhanAllah) and sending salawat on the Prophet (Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad). The Prophet said: 'When any one of you prays, let him begin with praise of Allah, then send blessings on the Prophet, then ask for whatever he wishes' (Tirmidhi 3477).
2. Face the Qibla
While not obligatory, the Prophet (peace be upon him) often faced the direction of the Kaaba when making dua. This is recommended but not required — dua made facing any direction is still valid.
3. Raise your hands
The Prophet (peace be upon him) raised his hands during dua, and said: 'Your Lord is shy and generous. He is shy when His servant raises his hands to Him, to send them back empty' (Abu Dawud 1488). Palms facing upward is the Sunnah.
4. Be in a state of wudu
Having ablution (wudu) is recommended though not mandatory. It shows respect and spiritual readiness. The Prophet sometimes made dua without wudu — but when he had the choice, he preferred it.
5. Use Allah's names
The Quran instructs: 'To Allah belong the most beautiful names, so invoke Him by them' (7:180). Match the name to your need: Ar-Razzaq when seeking provision, Al-Shafi when seeking healing, Al-Hadi when seeking guidance.
6. Be specific and certain
Don't say 'O Allah, forgive me if You want.' The Prophet said: 'Let none of you say "O Allah, forgive me if You will." Be determined in your request, for there is nothing so great that Allah cannot grant' (Bukhari 6339).
7. Don't rush or give up
The Prophet said: 'The dua of any one of you will be answered so long as he is not impatient and says "I made dua but it was not answered"' (Bukhari 6340). Keep asking. Allah's timing is perfect even when it doesn't match yours.
8. End with salawat
Close your dua the same way you opened it — by sending blessings on the Prophet (peace be upon him). Umar ibn al-Khattab said: 'Dua is held between heaven and earth and does not ascend until you send blessings upon your Prophet' (Tirmidhi 486).
Best Times for Dua
While dua is accepted at any time, specific moments carry extra weight according to the hadith. If you're going to make dua anyway, you might as well do it when the doors are widest open:
| Time | Evidence | Practical Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Last third of the night | Bukhari 1145 — Allah descends and asks: 'Who is calling upon Me so I may answer?' | Set an alarm 1 hour before Fajr. Even 5 minutes of dua counts. |
| Between adhaan and iqama | Abu Dawud 521, Tirmidhi 212 — 'Dua is not rejected between the adhaan and iqama' | Use the 5-10 minutes before congregational prayer starts. |
| While prostrating (sujud) | Muslim 482 — 'The closest a servant is to his Lord is during prostration, so increase your dua' | After the obligatory dhikr in sujud, add personal duas before rising. |
| Friday afternoon | Bukhari 935 — There's an hour on Friday when dua is not rejected | Most scholars say it's the last hour before Maghrib. Sit and make dua. |
| While fasting | Tirmidhi 3598 — 'Three prayers are not rejected: the fasting person until they break fast' | Make dua throughout your fast, especially just before iftar. |
| While travelling | Abu Dawud 1536, Tirmidhi 3598 — 'The traveller's dua is not rejected' | Don't waste long journeys — use travel time for concentrated dua. |
| During rain | Abu Dawud 2540, Hakim — 'Two things are not rejected: dua at the time of the call to prayer and dua during rain' | When you see rain, pause and make dua. It takes ten seconds. |
| Laylat al-Qadr | Quran 97:3 — 'The Night of Power is better than a thousand months' | The odd nights of the last ten of Ramadan. Make dua all night if you can. |
Why Some Duas Seem Unanswered
This is perhaps the single most common question Muslims ask about dua — and the one that causes the most spiritual anguish. "I've been making dua for months and nothing's changed." Here's what the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the scholars teach:
Allah grants your request
The most obvious outcome. You asked, He gave. Sometimes immediately, sometimes after a delay you couldn't have predicted was necessary.
Allah averts a harm
You asked for X but didn't get it. What you didn't know is that a harm was heading toward you, and your dua was the shield. You'll never know what disaster didn't happen — but it counted.
Allah stores the reward
On the Day of Judgement, you'll see duas that weren't answered in this world stored as rewards. The Prophet said people will wish all their duas had been saved for that day (Musnad Ahmad).
There are also factors that can weaken dua: consuming haram income, being impatient and giving up, asking for something sinful, and not putting in the effort alongside the dua. The farmer prays for rain — but he still has to plant the seeds. Dua and effort work together, not as alternatives.
Building a Daily Dua Routine
You don't need to memorise all 33 duas above to start a meaningful practice. Here's a realistic routine that covers the essential daily duas — start here and build gradually:
Upon waking
10 seconds
Alhamdulillahilladhi ahyana... (Dua #27)
Leaving the house
10 seconds
Bismillahi tawakkaltu 'alallah... (Dua #15)
Before eating
2 seconds
Bismillah (Dua #11)
After eating
15 seconds
Alhamdulillahilladhi at'amani... (Dua #12)
After Fajr prayer
30 seconds
Allahumma inni as'aluka 'ilman nafi'an... (Dua #28) + Allahumma a'inni 'ala dhikrika... (Dua #32)
Morning adhkar
2 minutes
Asbahna wa asbahal-mulku... (Dua #2) + Bismillahilladhi la yadurru... (Dua #5) × 3
Before sleeping
10 seconds
Bismikallaahumma amutu wa ahya (Dua #26)
Total time: under 4 minutes a day. That's less than it takes to scroll through your phone notifications. Once these become second nature — and they will, within a couple of weeks — you can add the evening adhkar, the travel dua, and the longer supplications.
Common Mistakes in Dua
Only making dua when in trouble
Dua in good times strengthens your connection. The Prophet said: 'Whoever would be pleased that Allah answers him at times of difficulty, let him increase his dua in times of ease' (Tirmidhi 3382).
Being vague — 'O Allah, give me good things'
Be specific. Ask for the exact job, the exact amount, the specific outcome. Allah already knows, but the specificity demonstrates your sincerity and thought.
Saying 'Insha'Allah' in dua
Don't say 'forgive me if You will.' The Prophet explicitly forbade this (Bukhari 6339). Ask with certainty and conviction — being tentative suggests doubt in Allah's ability.
Rushing through duas without understanding
A dua you understand but stumble through is better than one you rattle off perfectly without knowing the meaning. Slow down. Feel the words.
Thinking you need a special state to make dua
While wudu and facing Qibla are recommended, they're not required. Dua while driving, cooking, walking, or lying in bed is perfectly valid.
Giving up because it's 'not working'
The Prophet specifically warned against this impatience (Bukhari 6340). Every dua is answered — just not always in the way or time you expected.
Related Islamic Tools
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Qibla Direction Finder
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Ramadan Timetable
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Islamic Baby Names
Choose a name that is itself a dua — every good name carries meaning
Sources
- Sahih Bukhari — compiled by Imam al-Bukhari (d. 870 CE)
- Sahih Muslim — compiled by Imam Muslim (d. 875 CE)
- Sunan Abu Dawud — compiled by Imam Abu Dawud (d. 889 CE)
- Jami' at-Tirmidhi — compiled by Imam al-Tirmidhi (d. 892 CE)
- Sunan Ibn Majah — compiled by Imam Ibn Majah (d. 887 CE)
- Musnad Ahmad — compiled by Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 855 CE)
- Al-Nawawi, Kitab al-Adhkar — comprehensive collection of daily supplications
- Ibn al-Qayyim, Al-Wabil al-Sayyib — on the virtues and etiquette of dua
How to use this tool
Browse duas by category or search by keyword, transliteration, or meaning
Tap any dua to see the full Arabic text, transliteration, translation, and hadith source
Copy any dua with one click to save for memorisation or share with others
Common uses
- Daily morning and evening adhkar
- Finding the right dua for specific situations
- Memorising authentic supplications with proper sources
- Teaching children everyday duas
- Preparing for Ramadan and Laylat al-Qadr
- Quick reference during travel, meals, and prayer
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