Are there special du’a (supplications) to make in Ramadan?
The only du’a, or supplication, for Ramadan that the Prophet, on him be peace, specifically instructed for Ramadan was for Laylat Al-Qadr, the Night of Empowering Decree.
His wife, ‘Aishah, Allah be pleased with her, asked him:
“If I know a night to be Laylat Al-Qadr, what should I say on that night?”
He said: “Say: O Allah! You are all-pardoning. You love to pardon. So pardon me.”
(In transliterated Arabic: Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbu’l-‘afwa fa‘fu ‘anni.) (Tirmidhi).
Yet Allah dearly loves and encourages the fasting person to ask of Him with much du‘a, supplication, especially in Ramadan, and the Prophet, on him be peace, exhorted us to this, as well. Many statements of Revelation prove this:
In the midst of the Quran’s verses that prescribe the fasting of Ramadan on Muslims, Allah inserts this heartening ayah, or verse:
Now, if My servants ask you, [O Prophet,] about Me – then, indeed, I am near. I answer the call of the caller when he calls upon Me. Then let them all respond to Me and believe in Me, so that they may be rightly guided. (Sûrat Al-Baqarah, 2:186)
Many commentators on this verse say its placement in the Quran shows the critical importance of making much du’a in Ramadan.
The Prophet, on him be peace, said:
“The du’a of three are not rejected: The just ruler, the faster until he breaks fast, and the entreaty of the oppressed. It [the prayer of these] is borne upon the clouds, and the gates of Heaven open for it, and the Lord, transcendent and exalted is He, says: ‘By My Glory! I shall grant you help, even if it be after a time.” (Tahqîq Al-Musnad, Arna’ût)
Similarly, the Prophet, on him be peace, said:
“The du’a of three are not rejected: The prayer of father for his child, the prayer of the faster, and the prayer of the traveler.
Ramadan contains the best night of the year for prayer, Laylat Al-Qadr.
What du’a did the Prophet, on him be peace, make at the break of fast?
‘Umar ibn Al-Khaṭṭâb said the Prophet, on him be peace [after saying, in the name of Allah, bismillah], said this when breaking fast: “Gone is the thirst, moistened the veins, and established is the reward, God willing.”
(In transliterated Arabic: Dhahaba a’ẓẓama’u wa abtalat al-‘urûq wa thabata’l-ajr in shâ’Allah.) (Abû Dâwûd)
When is the best time to supplicate while fasting?
Many scholars say that the best time for the faster to entreat God is while fasting before fast breaking. Fasting humbles the body with weakness and brings the soul to humility in recognition of that dependence – two prime states in approaching our Creator with sincere prayer that He will answer.
Others note that at the end of the verse encouraging the du’a of the Ramadan faster cited previously (Sûrat Al-Baqarah, 2:186), two other essential requirements of divine acceptance of supplication are simultaneously in place:
The Ramadan faster is “responding” to His prayer-answering Lord as He has commanded. He or she is fasting Ramadan as ordered
The Ramadan faster is fasting for Allah alone, as no other can truly know of his or her actual fasting, and this is a testament to one’s belief in the One God, alone. In this regard the Prophet, on him be peace, relayed to us the celebrated Divine Pronouncement (hadîth qudsî):
“Every [good] deed of the child of Adam is rewarded ten-fold, and up to seven hundred [times its value]. Allah says, ‘Save fasting. It is for Me, and I shall reward it. For one forgoes one’s desire and one’s food for My sake …’” (Bukhârî).
This is because fasting comprises three main virtues: (1) It is part of ṣabr, which Allah has promised to “reward in full, without measure” (Sûrat Al-Zumar, 39:10), so Allah will not meter its good recompense in anyway on the Day of Judgment but heap it lavishly into one’s scales; (2) It is the longest form of worship, taking the entire day; and (3) it is concealed from all but Allah, thus signaling no display of piety or virtuousness.
Since neither Allah nor His Messenger, on him be peace, have prescribed special du’a for any of the days of Ramadan, besides the supplication for Laylat Al-Qadr cited at the outset, the best prayers and remembrances are those the Prophet, on him be peace, did and encouraged us to do every day: for morning and evening, after our daily Salât-Prayers, in the course of our other everyday actions.
In addition, the very best remembrance (dhikr) is that which this month of Ramadan marks the Revelation of, the recitation of the Quran, which Allah names Al-Dhikr, The Remembrance (Sûras Al-Furqân, 25:29; Yâ Sîn, 36:11; Fuṣṣilat 41:41; and Al-Dukhân, 44:13).
And the very best recitation of the Quran comes in our Ṣalât-Prayer, which the special Ṣalât of Tarâwîḥ in Ramadan the Prophet, on him be peace, instituted for this purpose.
One ought to complete the entire Quran in Ramadan at least once in Prayer, if possible, but also commit to its intensive recitation and reflection in this month. Great reward and benefit accompany rehearsing the Quran in Ramadan.
What is the proper way to make du’a?
Allah made calling on Him in prayer a condition of His pleasure with His creation and one’s refusal to do so grounds for eternal damnation. He said to all people:
Call upon Me. I shall answer you. Indeed, those who are disdainful of My worship shall enter Hell, utterly humiliated (Sûrat Ghâfir, 40:60).
Du’a is crucial, the Prophet, on him be peace, calling it “the marrow of worship,” “the armament of the believer,” and simply “worship itself” (Bukhârî, Tirmidhî).
He said: “Allah loves nothing more than a servant supplicating Him.” And also: “Allah’s severe displeasure falls on one who does not entreat Him” (Tirmidhî).
Here are seven appropriate manners in asking of Allah and receiving answer:
The top priority in proper du’a is the same as Islam: Belief in One God alone, followed by sincerity in calling on Him and no other.
Praise Allah duly before supplicating Him.
Call on Him by His Beautiful Names.
Plead with Him with a humility that combines both hope and fear.
Ask of Him recurrently – the prophetic practice being to repeat a prayer three times – as well as frequently and silently, that is, in secret.
Be certain of His answer.
Seal every prayer by sending blessings upon the Prophet, on him be peace.
Scholars add as a background to this ensuring the ḥalâl lawfulness of one’s food, drink, clothing and means of sustenance.
Can you recommend supplications for Ramadan?
When Ramadan first comes in, and its crescent is sighted:
“O Allah! Crescent it over us with security, and faith, and peace, and Islam.”
[And then to the crescent moon itself one says:] “My Lord and your Lord is Allah.”
When breaking fast at sunset:
Bismillâh, in the Name of Allah.
After breaking the fast:
“Gone is the thirst, moistened the veins, and established is the reward, God willing.”
(In transliterated Arabic: Dhahaba a’ẓẓama’u wa abtalat al-‘urûq wa thabata’l-ajr in shâ’Allah.
If you have broken fast as a guest, offer this prayer for your hosts:
“May the fasters break fast with you. And may the righteous eat of your food. And may the angels send prayers of blessings upon you.”
In Ramadan’s last ten nights seeking out Laylat Al-Qadr, the Night of Empowering Decree, the Prophet, on him be peace, said to petition Allah with this prayer:
“O Allah! Indeed, You are all-pardoning. You love to pardon. So pardon me.”
(In transliterated Arabic: Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbu’l-‘afwa fa‘fu ‘anni.)
Fasting can make one edgy. So if another annoys you while you’re fasting, say:
“O Allah! Indeed, I am fasting” Or some say merely: “Indeed, I am fasting. Indeed, I am fasting.”
(Allahumma innî ṣâ’im. (twice))
Here are great du‘âs to make daily:
“O Allah! Indeed, I seek refuge in you from worry and sadness, from frailty and sloth, from unbelief and poverty, from cowardice and miserliness, from overwhelming debt, and overpowering men.”
“O Allah! Suffice me with Your ḥalâl (lawful) against Your ḥarâm (forbidden) and enrich me with Your favored blessings apart from all others than You.”
“Our Lord! Give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter and save us from the torment of the Fire.” (Sûrat Al-Baqarah, 2:201)
“My Lord! Make me steadfast in observing the Ṣalât-Prayer – and also my children, our Lord. And do accept my supplication. Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents – and all the believers – on the Day the Reckoning arises.” (Sûrat Ibrâhîm, 14:40-41)
“O Allah! Indeed, I ask of you pardon and wellbeing in the world and the Hereafter. O Allah! Indeed, I ask of you pardon and wellbeing in my religious practice and my worldly affairs, and in my family and my wealth. O Allah! Shield my frailty and safeguard against my fears. O Allah! Protect me from before me and from behind me, from my right and from my left, and from above me. And I see refuge in Your Magnificence from being undermined from beneath me.”
“O Allah! Indeed, I ask of You beneficial knowledge, and wholesome provision, and accepted works.”
“O Allah! Help me in ever remembrancing You and thanking You, and excellence in Your worship.” Or. “O Allah! Aid me to always remember You and thank You and to the finest worship of You.”
“O Allah! I ask of You the Garden and I seek refuge in You from the Fire.”
“My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.” (Sûrat Ṭâ Hâ, 20:114)
“O Allah! Provide me wealth and children and bless me in them.” Or “and bless me in all that You give me.”
Finally, remember the beautiful supplication of our maturity, at 40 years of age to which Allah commands us (recall that Hijri years run shorter). The scholars say we are to make it not merely once at the coming of our full maturity, but frequently, even daily, thereafter.
“My Lord! Dispose me always to give thanks for Your grace, with which You have graced me and my parents, and that I do righteous deeds with which You are pleased. And make righteous for me my children. Indeed, I have repented to You. And, most surely, I am of those who are muslims, in willing submission to God alone.” (Sûrat Al-Aḥqâf, 46:15)
Allah grant His people the best of Ramadan and the treasures it holds.