A Comprehensive Du’ā for 22 Keys to Success in Both Worlds

🔘 ‘Abdullah b. ‘Abbās (رضي الله عنهما) reported:

كَانَ ٱلنَّبِيُّ صَلَّى ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَدْعُو”

"The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to supplicate:

رَبِّ أَعِنِّي وَلَا تُعِنْ عَلَيَّ، وَٱنْصُرْنِي وَلَا تَنْصُرْ عَلَيَّ، وَٱمْكُرْ لِي وَلَا تَمْكُرْ عَلَيَّ، وَٱهْدِنِي وَيَسِّرِ ٱلْهُدَى لِي، وَٱنْصُرْنِي عَلَىٰ مَن بَغَىٰ عَلَيَّ،

'O Lord, assist me and do not assist against me; grant me victory and do not grant victory over me; plan for me and do not plan against me; guide me and make guidance easy for me; grant me victory over those who transgress against me.

ٱللَّهُمَّ ٱجْعَلْنِي لَكَ شَاكِرًا، لَكَ ذَاكِرًا، لَكَ رَاهِبًا، لَكَ مِطْواعًا، لَكَ مُخْبِتًا، إِلَيْكَ أَوَّاهًا مُّنِيبًا

O Allah, make me grateful to You, make me constantly remembering You, make me fearful of You, make me obedient to You, make me humble before You, make me often returning to You.

رَبِّ تَقَبَّلْ تَوْبَتِي، وَٱغْسِلْ حَوْبَتِي، وَأَجِبْ دَعْوَتِي، وَثَبِّتْ حُجَّتِي، وَٱهْدِ قَلْبِي، وَسَدِّدْ لِسَانِي، وَٱسْلُلْ سَخِيمَةَ صَدْرِي

O my Lord, accept my repentance, wash away my sins, respond to my supplication, establish my proof, guide my heart, make my tongue truthful, and remove the malice from my heart.'"

[Reported by Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah, and authenticated by al-Albani in Sahih Sunan Abi Dawood (1/414)].

🔘 EXPLANATION:

هَذَا ٱلدُّعَاءُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ ٱشْتَمَلَ عَلَىٰ ٱثْنَيْنِ وَعِشْرِينَ سُؤَالًا وَمَطْلَبًا، هِيَ مِنْ أَهَمِّ مَطَالِبِ ٱلْعَبْدِ وَأَسْبَابِ صَلَاحِهِ وَسَعَادَتِهِ فِيٱلدُّنْيَا وَفِي ٱلْآخِرَةِ

“This magnificent supplication contains twenty-two requests and objectives, which are among the most important for a servant and the reasons for his righteousness and happiness in this world and the Hereafter.

فَأَوَّلُ ذَٰلِكَ قَوْلُهُ (رَبِّ أَعِنِّي) وَهُوَ طَلَبُ ٱلْعَوْنِ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ أَيْ وَفِّقْنِي لِذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ وَفِي مُقَابَلَةِ ٱلْأَعْدَاءِ أَمْدِدْنِيبِمَعُونَتِكَ وَتَوْفِيقِكَ.

1️⃣ The first of these is his saying, "O Lord, assist me," which is a request for help from Allah, meaning, grant me success in remembering You, thanking You, and worshipping You well. Also, in confronting enemies, support me with Your aid and guidance.

ٱلثَّانِي قَوْلُهُ (وَلَا تُعِنْ عَلَيَّ) أَيْ لَا تَغْلِبْ عَلَيَّ مَن يَمْنَعُنِي مِنْ طَاعَتِكَ مِنَ ٱلنَّفْسِ ٱلْأَمَّارَةِ بِٱلسُّوءِ وَمِن شَيَاطِينِ ٱلْإِنْسِ وَٱلْجِنِّ

2️⃣ The second is his saying, "and do not assist against me," meaning, do not let those who prevent me from obeying You, like the soul that incites evil and the devils among humans and jinn, overcome me.

وَٱلثَّالِثُ قَوْلُهُ (وَٱنْصُرْنِي) وَهُوَ طَلَبُ ٱلنَّصْرِ أَيْ ٱغْلِبْنِي عَلَىٰ ٱلْكُفَّارِ أَعْدَائِي وَأَعْدَاءِ دِينِكَ، وَقِيلَ ٱنْصُرْنِي عَلَىٰ نَفْسِي ٱلْأَمَّارَةِبِٱلسُّوءِ فَإِنَّهَا أَعْدَىٰ أَعْدَائِي

3️⃣ The third is his saying, "and grant me victory," which is a request for victory, meaning, grant me victory over the disbelievers, my enemies, and the enemies of Your religion. It is also said, grant me victory over my soul that incites evil, as it is the most severe of my enemies.

وَٱلرَّابِعُ قَوْلُهُ (وَلَا تَنْصُرْ عَلَيَّ) بِمَعْنَىٰ لَا تُسَلِّطْ عَلَيَّ أَحَدًا مِنْ خَلْقِكَ

4️⃣ The fourth is his saying, "and do not grant victory over me," meaning, do not let any of Your creation have power over me.

وَٱلخَامِسُ قَوْلُهُ (وَٱمْكُرْ لِي) أَيْ أَلْحِقْ مَكْرَكَ بِأَعْدَائِي وَٱرْزُقْنِي ٱلْحِيلَةَ ٱلسَّلِيمَةَ وَٱلْفِكْرَ ٱلْقَوِيمَ لِلسَّلَامَةِ مِنْ شَرِّهِمْ وَدَفْعِكَيْدِهِمْ، بِحَيْثُ لَا يَشْعُرُ ٱلْعَدُوُّ بِمَا هَدَيْتَنِي إِلَيْهِ مِنْ سُبُلِ دَفْعِ كَيْدِهِمْ وَعُدْوَانِهِمْ

5️⃣ The fifth is his saying, "and plan for me," meaning, include Your planning against my enemies and grant me the sound strategy and right thinking to be safe from their evil and to counter their plots, such that the enemy does not realize what You have guided me to in ways to counter their plots and aggression.

ٱلسَّادِسُ قَوْلُهُ (وَلَا تَمْكُرْ عَلَيَّ) أَيْ وَلَا تَهْدِ عَدُوِّي إِلَىٰ طَرِيقِ دَفْعِهِ إِيَّايَ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ

6️⃣The sixth is his saying, "and do not plan against me," meaning, do not guide my enemy to a way to repel me from him.

ٱلسَّابِعُ قَوْلُهُ (وَٱهْدِنِي) أَيْ دُلَّنِي عَلَىٰ أَبْوَابِ ٱلْخَيْرَاتِ وَمُنَّ عَلَيَّ بِٱلْعِلْمِ ٱلنَّافِعِ وَبَصِّرْنِي بِعُيُوبِ نَفْسِي

7️⃣ The seventh is his saying, "and guide me," meaning, guide me to the doors of goodness, bestow upon me beneficial knowledge, and show me the defects of my soul.

وَٱلثَّامِنُ قَوْلُهُ (وَيَسِّرِ ٱلْهُدَى لِي) أَيْ وَسَهِّلْ لِي ٱتِّبَاعَ ٱلْهُدَايَةِ وَسُلُوكَ طَرِيقِهَا وَهَيِّئْ لِي أَسْبَابَ ٱلْخَيْرِ حَتَّىٰ لَا أَسْتَثْقِلَ ٱلطَّاعَةَ وَلَاأَشْتَغِلَ عَنِ ٱلْعِبَادَةِ

8️⃣ The eighth is his saying, "and make guidance easy for me," meaning, make it easy for me to follow guidance and to walk its path, and prepare for me the means of goodness so that I do not find obedience burdensome or become distracted from worship.

وَٱلتَّاسِعُ قَوْلُهُ (وَٱنْصُرْنِي عَلَىٰ مَن بَغَىٰ عَلَيَّ) أَيْ وَٱنْصُرْنِي عَلَىٰ مَن ظَلَمَنِي وَتَعَدَّىٰ عَلَيَّ

9️⃣ The ninth is his saying, "and grant me victory over those who transgress against me," meaning, grant me victory over those who wrong me and oppress me.

وَٱلْعَاشِرُ قَوْلُهُ (ٱللَّهُمَّ ٱجْعَلْنِي لَكَ شَاكِرًا) أَيْ أَلْهِمْنِي شُكْرَكَ عَلَىٰ نَعْمَائِكَ وَآلَائِكَ عَلَيَّ

1️⃣0️⃣ The tenth is his saying, "O Allah, make me grateful to You," meaning, inspire me to be thankful for Your blessings and favors upon me.

وَٱلْحَادِي عَشَرَ قَوْلُهُ (لَكَ ذَاكِرًا) أَيْ فِي ٱلْأَوْقَاتِ كُلِّهَا قَائِمًا وَقَاعِدًا وَعَلَىٰ جَنْبٍ.

1️⃣1️⃣ The eleventh is his saying, "make me constantly remembering You," meaning, in all times, standing, sitting, and lying on my side.

وَٱلثَّانِي عَشَرَ قَوْلُهُ (لَكَ رَاهِبًا) أَيْ خَائِفًا مِنْكَ فِي ٱلسَّرَّاءِ وَٱلضَّرَّاءِ

1️⃣2️⃣ The twelfth is his saying, "make me fearful of You," meaning, fearing You in both ease and hardship.

وَٱلثَّالِثَ عَشَرَ قَوْلُهُ (لَكَ مُطَوِّعًا) أَيْ كَثِيرَ ٱلطَّوْعِ وَهُوَ ٱلْاِنْقِيَادُ وَٱلِٱمْتِثَالُ وَٱلطَّاعَةُ

1️⃣3️⃣ The thirteenth is his saying, "make me obedient to You," meaning, greatly obedient, which means complying, submitting, and obeying.

وَٱلرَّابِعَ عَشَرَ قَوْلُهُ (لَكَ مُخْبِتًا) مِنَ ٱلْإِخْبَاتِ وَهُوَ ٱلْخُشُوعُ وَٱلتَّوَاضُعُ وَٱلْخُضُوعُ وَٱلْمَعْنَىٰ ٱجْعَلْنِي لَكَ خَاشِعًا مُتَوَاضِعًا خَاضِعًا

1️⃣4️⃣ The fourteenth is his saying, "make me humble before You," which is derived from humbleness and submission, meaning, make me humble, modest, and submissive to You.

وَٱلْخَامِسَ عَشَرَ قَوْلُهُ (إِلَيْكَ أَوَّاهًا مُّنِيبًا) ٱلأَوَّاهُ هُوَ كَثِيرُ ٱلدُّعَاءِ وَٱلتَّضَرُّعِ وَٱلْبُكَاءِ، وَٱلْمُنِيبُ هُوَ ٱلتَّائِبُ ٱلرَّاجِعُ إِلَىٰ ٱللَّهِ فِي أُمُورِهِ

1️⃣5️⃣ The fifteenth is his saying, "make me often returning to You," the word "awwah" means someone who frequently supplicates, beseeches, and cries, and "muneeb" means someone who repents and returns to Allah in his affairs.

وَٱلسَّادِسَ عَشَرَ قَوْلُهُ (رَبِّ تَقَبَّلْ تَوْبَتِي) أَيْ بِجَعْلِهَا صَحِيحَةً بِشَرَائِطِهَا وَٱسْتِجْمَاعِ آدَابِهَا

1️⃣6️⃣ The sixteenth is his saying, "O Lord, accept my repentance," meaning, by making it correct with its conditions and gathering its etiquettes.

وَٱلسَّابِعَ عَشَرَ قَوْلُهُ (وَٱغْسِلْ حَوْبَتِي) أَيْ وَٱمْحُ ذَنْبِي وَإِثْمِي

1️⃣7️⃣ The seventeenth is his saying, "and wash away my sins," meaning, erase my sin and guilt.

وَٱلثَّامِنَ عَشَرَ قَوْلُهُ (وَأَجِبْ دَعْوَتِي) أَيْ دُعَائِي

1️⃣8️⃣ The eighteenth is his saying, "and respond to my supplication," meaning, answer my prayer.

وَٱلتَّاسِعَ عَشَرَ قَوْلُهُ (وَثَبِّتْ حُجَّتِي) أَيْ عَلَىٰ أَعْدَائِكَ فِي ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْعُقْبَىٰ، وَثَبِّتْ قَوْلِي وَتَصْدِيقِي فِي ٱلدُّنْيَا وَعِنْدَ سُؤَالِ ٱلْمَلَكَيْنِ

1️⃣9️⃣ The nineteenth is his saying, "and establish my proof," meaning, against Your enemies in this world and the Hereafter, and establish my words and belief in this world and at the questioning by the two angels.

وَٱلْعِشْرُونَ قَوْلُهُ (وَٱهْدِ قَلْبِي) أَيْ إِلَىٰ مَعْرِفَةِ رَبِّي وَمَعْرِفَةِ ٱلْحَقِّ وَٱلْهُدَىٰ ٱلَّذِي أَمَرَ بِهِ وَبَعَثَ بِهِ رُسُلَهُ

2️⃣0️⃣ The twentieth is his saying, "and guide my heart," meaning, to the knowledge of my Lord and the knowledge of truth and guidance that He commanded and sent His messengers with.

وَٱلْحَادِي وَٱلْعِشْرُونَ قَوْلُهُ (وَسَدِّدْ لِسَانِي) أَيْ صَوِّبْ وَقَوِّمْ لِسَانِي حَتَّىٰ لَا يَنْطِقَ إِلَّا بِٱلصِّدْقِ وَٱلْقَوْلِ ٱلسَّدِيدِ

2️⃣1️⃣ The twenty-first is his saying, "and make my tongue truthful," meaning, make my tongue truthful and straight so that it does not speak except with truth and righteous words.

وَٱلثَّانِي وَٱلْعِشْرُونَ قَوْلُهُ (وَٱسْلُلْ سَخِيمَةَ صَدْرِي) أَيْ وَٱخْرِجْ سَخِيمَةَ صَدْرِي وَهِيَ غِشُّهُ وَغِلُّهُ وَحِقْدُهُ وَحَسَدُهُ وَنَحْوَهَا مِمَّايَنْشَأُ مِنَ ٱلصَّدْرِ وَيَسْكُنُ فِي ٱلْقَلْبِ مِنْ مَسَاوِيءِ ٱلْأَخْلَاقِ

2️⃣2️⃣ The twenty-second is his saying, "and remove the malice from my heart," meaning, remove the malice from my heart, which includes deceit, envy, hatred, and similar things that arise from the chest and reside in the heart from the evil traits.

وَبِهَذَا ٱلشَّرْحِ ٱلْمُوجَزِ لِمَا ٱشْتَمَلَ عَلَيْهِ هَذَا ٱلدُّعَاءِ مِنَ ٱلْمَسَائِلِ ٱلْعَظِيمَةِ وَٱلْمَطَالِبِ ٱلْجَلِيلَةِ يَتَبَيَّنُ عَظَمُ هَذَا ٱلدُّعَاءِ وَأَنَّهُ مِمَّايَنْبَغِي ٱلِٱهْتِمَامُ بِهِ وَمُلَازَمَةُ ٱلتَّضَرُّعِ بِهِ إِلَىٰ ٱللَّهِ

🔘 With this brief explanation of what this supplication contains of great matters and noble objectives, it becomes clear the greatness of this supplication and that it should be given attention and consistently supplicated with to Allah.

وَقَدْ ذَكَرَ ٱلْحَافِظُ ٱلْبَزَّارُ فِي تَرْجَمَةِ شَيْخِ ٱلْإِسْلَامِ ٱبْنِ تَيْمِيَّةَ أَنَّ هَذَا ٱلدُّعَاءَ كَانَ غَالِبَ دُعَائِهِ رَحِمَهُ ٱللَّهُ

It has been mentioned by al-Hafiz al-Bazzar in the biography of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah that this supplication was most frequently supplicated by him, may Allah have mercy on him.”

📚["Fiqh al-Ad'iyah wa al-Adhkar" by Shaykh Abdul Razzaq al-Badr (910-913)].