DUAS OF THE PROPHETS (From The Quran)

‘Duas’ Of The Prophets

From The Holy Quran

(By: M. Javed Naseem)

   

اَللَّهُمَّ اِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ ، تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي

“O Allah! You are the One Who forgives greatly,

and loves to forgive, so forgive me.”

Allah, the Almighty, is the Supreme Creator and we are His best Creation. He is our Patron (Rabb) and we are His subjects. He provides us with food and shelter and only He can relieve us from all kinds of sufferings. When in need or distress, we have no one to turn to except Allah. Allah is well aware of that and He appreciates it when we humbly, sincerely, honestly and with all humility ask Him for blessings, grace, bounties and provision. And He grants us whatever He thinks is better for us.

When we read the Quran, we realize that even the Messengers or Prophets of God begged Allah through supplications for His mercy and blessings to get out of troubles. We can ask Allah for His help and mercy in any way and manner (and in any language) we think is suitable. He knows and understands everything, even the secrets hidden in our hearts. And He grants us what He wills.

Allah is the Most Merciful, the Compassionate and the Benevolent. He revealed the Quran to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) to guide him (and us) and teach him (and us) how to live on the earth. The Quran is the Word of God and it also teaches us how to ask God for His mercy and blessings. Therefore, it is only logical and reasonable that we ask Allah for help and mercy by using the phrases (verses) He taught us in the Quran.

I have selected a few supplications (Dua) from the Holy Quran that I consider are the most effective, popular and yield quick results. Even the Prophets and Messengers of Allah have used them to get mercy and blessings from the Lord Almighty.

During the Holy rites of Hajj/Umrah, Allah suggested that we pray (Dua) in the following words and Allah would grant us what we have earned (Paradise) with our righteous deeds. Allah will bless us with His Mercy and bounties not only in this world but also in the Hereafter.

(رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ

 حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ)

"Our Lord! Give us good in this word and

good in the Hereafter, and protect us from

the torment of the Hellfire!"

(al-Quran 2:201)

During the famous encounter between David and Goliath, the believers, who were very few in number against the army of Goliath, had put their trust in Allah, and steadfastly persevered. While facing the strong army of Goliath, Prophet David and his followers prayed to Allah with the following words (Dua). So, Allah granted them victory and David slew Goliath:

(رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا

 وَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ)

"Our Lord! Bestow endurance on us and

make our steps firm. Help us (with victory)

against the Unbelievers"

(al-Quran 2:250)

Here’s a well-known supplication (Dua) of all prophets and their followers. It is the last Verse of Surah al-Baqara. This is the best supplication (Dua) in the Holy Quran and it works well in every situation, under all circumstances. This has been suggested by Allah to the believers. Allah said that prophets and their followers have supplicated with this Dua:

(رَبَّنَا لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا

إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تُحَمِّلْنَا

مَا لاَ طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا

أَنتَ مَوْلاَنَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ)

"Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget or fall

into error; our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that

which You did lay on those before us. Our Lord!

Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength

to bear. Blot out our sins, and grant us forgiveness.

Have mercy on us. You are our Protector; Help us

against those who stand against Faith."

(al-Quran 2:286)

Allah says that those who are blessed with the knowledge of Truth by the mercy of God (men of understanding), they pray (Dua) to the Almighty by saying:

رَبَّنَا لاَ تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا

مِنْ  لَّدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ ٱلْوَهَّابُ

"Our Lord!" (they say), "Let not our hearts deviate

now after You have guided us, but grant us mercy

from Your own Presence; for You are the Grantor

of bounties without measure”.

(al-Quran 3:8)

Allah said that He considers those righteous believers as his faithful servants (and will grant them Paradise) who are patient, steadfast, truthful and obedient; and who say:

رَبَّنَآ إِنَّنَآ آمَنَّا فَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ

"Our Lord! We have indeed believed;

forgive us then, our sins, and save us

from the agony of the Fire."

(al-Quran 3:16)

Prophet Zachariah (Zakaria) was very impressed by the incredible way Allah took care of the needs of Mary (Maryam, the mother of Prophet Jesus). So, Zachariah also sought Allah’s favor with this prayer (Dua) and Allah answered his prayers by giving him the glad tiding of a son (Yahya) even at his old age:

رَبِّ هَبْ لِى مِنْ  لَّدُنْكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ ٱلدُّعَآءِ

"O my Lord! Grant unto me from You a

progeny that is pure, for You are He that

hears prayer!”

(al-Quran 3:38)

Prophet Zakaria was very old and his wife was unable to bear children. So, he cried before Allah and asked for an heir (son). He prayed with the following Dua and Allah gave him the glad tiding of a son named Yahya, at that old age:

رَبِّ لاَ تَذَرْنِى فَرْداً وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلْوَارِثِينَ
"O my Lord! Leave me not without offspring,

though You are the best of inheritors."

(al-Quran 21:89)

When Prophet Jesus asked his Disciples: Who’ll help me in the cause of Allah? The Disciples answered: We are Allah’s helpers. We believe in Allah as we are Muslims. Then they prayed (Dua) to God with these words:  

رَبَّنَآ آمَنَّا بِمَآ أَنزَلْتَ وَٱتَّبَعْنَا ٱلرَّسُولَ فَٱكْتُبْنَا مَعَ ٱلشَّاهِدِينَ
"Our Lord! We believe in what You have revealed,

and we follow the Messenger; then write us

down among those who bear witness."

(al-Quran 3:53)

Many Prophets of Allah and their faithful followers fought in the way of Allah. They were injured, even brutally killed, but they never lost their Faith (Iman) in Allah. They were patient, steadfast and they always prayed (Dua) with these words:

ربَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِىۤ أَمْرِنَا

وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وٱنْصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَافِرِينَ

"Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and anything

We may have done that transgressed our duty.

Establish our feet firmly, and help us against

those that resist Faith."

(al-Quran 3:147)

The righteous people who glorify Allah for all His creation in the heavens and the earth, they don’t get tired of praying and praising Allah. They submit to Allah and pray (Dua) for their salvation:

رَبَّنَآ مَا خَلَقْتَ هٰذَا بَاطِلاً سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ مَنْ تُدْخِلِ ٱلنَّارَ فَقَدْ أَخْزَيْتَهُ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنْصَارٍ

رَّبَّنَآ إِنَّنَآ سَمِعْنَا مُنَادِياً يُنَادِى لِلإِيمَانِ أَنْ آمِنُواْ بِرَبِّكُمْ

فَآمَنَّا رَبَّنَا فَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا سَيِّئَاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ ٱلأَبْرَارِ

رَبَّنَا وَآتِنَا مَا وَعَدتَّنَا عَلَىٰ رُسُلِكَ وَلاَ تُخْزِنَا

يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّكَ لاَ تُخْلِفُ ٱلْمِيعَادَ

“Our Lord! Not in vain have You created (all)

this! Glory to You! Give us salvation from the

penalty of the Fire. Our Lord! Any whom You

do admit to the Fire, truly You cover with shame,

and never will wrong-doers find any helpers! 
Our Lord! Lo! We have heard a caller calling unto

Faith: "Believe you in your Lord!" So we believed,

our Lord! Therefore, forgive us our sins, and remit

from us our evil deeds, and make us die the death

of the righteous. Our Lord! Grant us what You have

promised to us through your messengers, and save

us from shame on the Day of Judgment. For You

never break your promise.”

(al-Quran 3:191-194)

Adam & Eve disobeyed Allah and, being under the influence of the Satan (Devil), ate the fruit from the forbidden tree. As a result, they were expelled from Paradise. They repented immediately and sought forgiveness from Allah with this prayer (Dua):

رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَآ أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا

وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَاسِرِينَ
"Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls.

If You don’t forgive us and bestow upon us

your Mercy, we shall certainly be lost."

(al-Quran 7:23)

On the Day of Judgment when those hoping to enter Paradise (because of their good deeds) would look at those being dragged to the Hellfire, they would pray (Dua) to Allah and say:

رَبَّنَا لاَ تَجْعَلْنَا مَعَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّالِمِينَ

"Our Lord! send us not to the

company of the wrong-doers."

(al-Quran 7:47)

During his time, Pharoah was the biggest tyrant on earth. When Moses started delivering the message of God to the people of Egypt, most of them rejected it. Only a handful of youngsters from his own people accepted the message but they were terrified by Pharoah and his officials. Allah inspired Moses who told his few followers to supplicate (Dua) like this:

عَلَىٰ ٱللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْنَا رَبَّنَا لاَ تَجْعَلْنَا فِتْنَةً لِّلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّالِمِينَ

وَنَجِّنَا بِرَحْمَتِكَ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَافِرِينَ 
"In Allah do we put out trust. Our Lord! Make us

not a trial for those who practice oppression; and

deliver us by Your Mercy from the Unbelievers".

(al-Quran 10:85-86)

In the court of the Pharoah, during the encounter between Prophet Moses and the magicians of Pharoah, the magicians lost. When they saw the miracle of Moses, they were immediately convinced that he was a Prophet of God, not a magician. So, they surrendered and accepted God of Moses as the True God. Pharoah got furious and wanted to punish them by cutting their hands and feet. At that time they prayed to Allah for mercy with these words:

رَبَّنَآ أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْراً وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِينَ
”Our Lord! Bestow upon us patience and

steadfastness, and take our souls unto you

as Muslims!”

(al-Quran 7:126)

The following supplication was revealed especially for Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.). When people of Makkah rejected the message of Tawheed and started humiliating the Prophet by laughing at him and insulting him, Allah encouraged and consoled the Prophet so that he did not get frustrated. He commanded the Prophet (s.a.w.) to pray (Dua) with the following words:

فَقُلْ حَسْبِىَ ٱللَّهُ لاۤ إِلَـٰهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ

وَهُوَ رَبُّ ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ
“Say: Allah is sufficient for me. There is no

god but He. On Him is my trust – He the Lord

of the Throne (of Glory) Supreme!"

(al-Quran 9:129)

And this is the invocation (Dua) of Prophet Noah. When he boarded the Ark (ship) and begged Allah to save his unbelieving son to accompany him on the ship, Allah sternly warned Noah against such ignorance. Noah went to repent immediately and supplicated his Lord with this Dua:

رَبِّ إِنِّيۤ أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِى بِهِ عِلْمٌ

وَإِلاَّ تَغْفِرْ لِى وَتَرْحَمْنِيۤ أَكُن مِّنَ ٱلْخَاسِرِينَ 
"O my Lord! I do seek refuge with You, lest

I ask You for that of which I have no knowledge.

And unless You forgive me and have Mercy

on me, I should indeed be lost!"

(al-Quran 11:47)

The following supplication is a very famous Dua of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), who was the father of all three major semitic religions of the world (Judaism, Christianity & Islam). When he completed the construction of the ‘House of God’ – Kaabah, (at Makkah) in the company of his eldest son Ishmael, he raised his hands and prayed to Allah with this Dua:

رَبِّ ٱجْعَلْنِى مُقِيمَ ٱلصَّلاَةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَتِى رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَآءِ

رَبَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَلِوَالِدَىَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ ٱلْحِسَابُ

“O my Lord! Make me one who establishes regular

prayer, and also (raise such) among my offspring,

O our Lord! And accept my prayer. O our Lord!

Cover (us) with Your forgiveness - me, my parents,

and (all) believers, on the Day that the reckoning

will be established!”

(al-Quran 14:40-41)

Allah, the Almighty, commanded Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) to establish regular prayers (Salaat) from morning till night; offer Tahajjud prayer late night; recite the Quran at dawn; remember Allah with the following Dua so that Allah grant him a place of ‘Praise & Glory’ (‘Maqaam-an Mahmooda’):

وَقُل رَّبِّ أَدْخِلْنِى مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ وَأَخْرِجْنِى مُخْرَجَ

صِدْقٍ وَٱجْعَل لِّى مِن لَّدُنْكَ سُلْطَاناً نَّصِيراً
Say: "O my Lord! Let my entry be by the Gate of

Truth and Honour, and likewise my exit by the Gate

of Truth and Honour; and grant me from Your

Presence an authority to aid (me)."

(al-Quran 17:80)

When Prophet Jesus started spreading the true message of God, condemning the practices of the corrupt Jews, the people in power and the rich elite started persecuting his followers. The true believers ran for their lives and hid wherever it was safe for them. A group of them fled the city and took refuge in a cave and they were called “People of the Cave” (‘Ass-haab al-Kahf’). They prayed to Allah with this Dua:

رَبَّنَآ آتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَداً
"Our Lord! Bestow on us Mercy from You, and

dispose of our affair for us in the right way!"

(al-Quran 18:10)

When God commanded Prophet Moses to go to Pharaoh and deliver the message of Tawheed, Moses did not feel comfortable as he lacked self-confidence. When God gave him the signs of miracle, Moses prayed to God with this Dua:

قَالَ رَبِّ ٱشْرَحْ لِى صَدْرِي وَيَسِّرْ لِيۤ أَمْرِي

وَٱحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي يَفْقَهُواْ قَوْلِي
(Moses) said: "O my Lord! Expand my breast;

"Ease my task for me; and remove the impediment

from my speech, so they may understand what I say.”

(al-Quran 20:25-28)

The process of the revelation of the Quran took many years and Allah told Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) to be patient with it. The Prophet (s.a.w.) was commanded to praise Allah and seek increase of knowledge from Him with this Dua:

وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْماً

Say: "O my Lord! Advance me in knowledge."

(al-Quran 20:114)

And this is one of the most famous supplications of the prophets! When Prophet Yunus (Jonah) got frustrated and angry with his people who rejected him as well as the message he was trying to deliver, he took off. He wanted to go to some other land. During the voyage, he was cast into the ocean by the boat-people and a whale swallowed him. In the dark belly of the whale, Prophet Yunus cried, repented and sought Allah’s mercy with this Dua:

لاَّ إِلَـٰهَ إِلاَّ أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّالِمِينَ
"There is no God but You! Glory be to you!

I am indeed of the wrong-doers"

(al-Quran 21:87)

In Surah al-Mouminoon, Allah talks to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) and tells him that, if He willed, He could show him the punishment He promised to the Unbelievers, in his lifetime. In that case he (the Prophet) should seek Allah’s mercy with this Dua:

وَقُلْ رَّبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ ٱلشَّياطِينِ

وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَن يَحْضُرُونِ
“And say: ‘O my Lord! I seek refuge with

You from the suggestions of the Evil Ones”.

"And I seek refuge with You, O my Lord!

Lest they should come near me."

(al-Quran 23:97-98)

                  

On the Day of Judgment, Allah would look at those who used to ridicule and insult the faithful Believers in the Earth. They would be burning in the Hellfire and would beg Allah to get them out of the Fire. They would repent and promise to be faithful servants of God. Allah would tell them: “Begone therein (Hell) and speak not to Me!” On the other hand, the faithful Believers who used to invoke Allah in this world with the following prayer (Dua) would be rewarded with Paradise for their patience and loyalty:

إِنَّهُ كَانَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِى يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَآ آمَنَّا

فَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلرَّاحِمِينَ 
"Our Lord! We believe, therefore, do You forgive

us, and have mercy upon us; for You are the Best

of those who show mercy!"

(al-Quran 23:109)

Here is the last verse of Surah al-Mouminoon, in the Holy Quran. In the earlier verse Allah says, if anybody calls upon anyone or anything else except Allah, his reckoning will be with God on the Day of Judgment. Allah declares that the Unbelievers (or those who invoke others than Allah) will be the losers on that Day. After this warning, Allah commands the Believers to invoke Him with this prayer (Dua):

وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱغْفِرْ وَٱرْحَمْ وَأنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلرَّاحِمِينَ

‘So say: “O my Lord! Grant me forgiveness

and mercy for You are the Best of those

Who show mercy!"

(al-Quran 23:118)

When people of Noah continued insulting him, refusing to listen to him and rejecting the Divine message, Noah got frustrated. He lost hope in those people and prayed to God to punish them. He was so angry that he wanted to wipe out the entire population of the evil-doers. Therefore, he invoked Allah with this Dua:

وَقَالَ نُوحٌ رَّبِّ لاَ تَذَرْ عَلَى ٱلأَرْضِ مِنَ ٱلْكَافِرِينَ دَيَّاراً

إِنَّكَ إِن تَذَرْهُمْ يُضِلُّواْ عِبَادَكَ وَلاَ يَلِدُوۤاْ إِلاَّ فَاجِراً كَفَّاراً
“And Noah, said: ‘O my Lord! Leave not of the

Unbelievers, a single one on earth! For, if You do leave

(any of) them, they will but mislead Your devotees, and

they will breed none but wicked ungrateful ones.

(al-Quran 71:26-27)

رَّبِّ ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَلِوَالِدَىَّ وَلِمَن دَخَلَ بَيْتِىَ مُؤْمِناً

وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَلاَ تَزِدِ ٱلظَّالِمِينَ إِلاَّ تَبَاراً
O my Lord! Forgive me, my parents, all who

enter my house in Faith, and (all) believing men

and believing women; and to the wrong-doers

grant You no increase but in perdition!"

(al-Quran 71:28)

The story of Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) is the most intriguing and  interesting from amongst all the stories Allah has narrated in the Holy Quran. At the end, When Yusuf was reunited with his parents and brothers, he raised his hands and supplicated Allah with these words (Dua):

رَبِّ قَدْ آتَيْتَنِى مِنَ ٱلْمُلْكِ وَعَلَّمْتَنِى مِن تَأْوِيلِ

ٱلأَحَادِيثِ فَاطِرَ ٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ وَٱلأَرْضِ أَنتَ وَلِيِّى

فِى ٱلدُّنُيَا وَٱلآخِرَةِ تَوَفَّنِى مُسْلِماً وَأَلْحِقْنِى بِٱلصَّالِحِينَ

"O my Lord! You have indeed bestowed on me some

power, and taught me something of the interpretation

of dreams and events. O You Creator of the heavens and

the earth! You are my Protector in this world and in the

Hereafter. Take my soul (at death) as a Muslim (submitting

to Your will), and unite me with the righteous."

(al-Quran 12:101)

Prophet Solomon was a gifted king who was given the knowledge of the languages of the birds, animals and the beasts. God also gave him control over the Jinn who would perform different jobs for him and obey him. Solomon thanked Allah and prayed to him with this Dua:

رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِيۤ أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِيۤ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَىَّ

وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَىَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحاً تَرْضَاهُ

وَأَدْخِلْنِى بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِى عِبَادِكَ ٱلصَّالِحِينَ

"O my Lord! So order me that I may be grateful for

your favors, which You have bestowed on me and

on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness

that will please You. And admit me, by your Grace.

to the ranks of your righteous servants."

(al-Quran 27:19)

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