When are duas most likely to be accepted?

The last third of the night, between the adhan and iqamah, during sujud, on Friday at the hour of Asr, on the Day of Arafah, in Laylatul Qadr, during rain, while fasting, and when traveling. The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught these as special times of acceptance.

Can I make dua in my own language?

Yes, outside of formal salah you can make dua in any language. Allah hears and understands every language. However, learning the Arabic duas from the Sunnah brings additional reward and connects you to the words the Prophet himself used.

Best Daily Duas: 20 Essential Supplications from Sunnah

Q: What is the most powerful dua?

There is no single 'most powerful' dua. However, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said the dua of Yunus (Prophet Jonah) is exceptional: 'La ilaha illa anta, subhanaka, inni kuntu min adh-dhalimin' (There is no god but You, Glory is to You, indeed I was among the wrongdoers). He said no Muslim ever made this dua about anything without Allah answering it.

Q: What's the dua before sleep?

Recite Ayat al-Kursi, the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah, and Surah Al-Mulk. Then say: 'Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya' (In Your name O Allah, I die and I live). The Prophet (peace be upon him) gave many sleep adhkar; these are the most authentic.

Dua is worship. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Dua is the essence of worship." (Tirmidhi) Every breath, every hardship, every blessing is an invitation to turn to Allah. These 20 duas from the Sunnah cover every moment of your day, from waking to sleeping. Memorise them and your entire day becomes a conversation with Allah.

"And your Lord says: Call upon Me, I will respond to you."

Ghafir 40:60

Etiquette of Dua

Begin with praise of Allah and salutations on the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Face the qibla, raise your hands, sit in a state of humility.
Be sincere. Believe Allah will answer.
Persist. Don't say "I asked but wasn't answered". Allah accepts in His way and time.
Eat halal. Forbidden food blocks duas (Muslim).
Choose the best times: last third of the night, in sujud, between adhan and iqamah, on Friday at Asr, on Arafah.
End with: "Wa salla Allahu 'ala nabiyyina Muhammad" and "Alhamdulillahi rabbi-l-'alameen".

Morning & Waking

01 · WHEN WAKING UP

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ

Alhamdu lillahi-lladhi ahyana ba'da ma amatana wa ilayhi-n-nushur

All praise is to Allah who gave us life after taking it, and to Him is the return.

Source: Bukhari, Muslim

02 · MORNING ADHKAR (RECITE ONCE)

أَصْبَحْنَا وَأَصْبَحَ الْمُلْكُ لِلَّهِ، وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ

Asbahna wa asbaha-l-mulku lillah, wa-l-hamdu lillah, la ilaha illa-llahu wahdahu la sharika lah

We have entered the morning and so has the dominion, which belongs to Allah. All praise belongs to Allah. None has the right to be worshipped except Allah alone, with no partner.

Source: Muslim

Wudu & Prayer

03 · BEFORE WUDU

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ

Bismillah

In the name of Allah.

Source: Abu Dawud (Hasan)

04 · AFTER WUDU

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

Ash-hadu an la ilaha illa-llahu wahdahu la sharika lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh

I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah alone, with no partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Source: Muslim. Whoever says this, the 8 gates of Paradise are opened for them.

Food & Drink

05 · BEFORE EATING

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ

Bismillah

In the name of Allah. (If you forget at the start: "Bismillahi awwalahu wa akhirahu")

Source: Bukhari, Muslim

06 · AFTER EATING

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنِي هَٰذَا وَرَزَقَنِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَلَا قُوَّةٍ

Alhamdu lillahi-lladhi at'amani hadha wa razaqanihi min ghayri hawlin minni wa la quwwah

All praise is to Allah Who fed me this and provided it for me without any might or power from myself.

Source: Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi (Hasan). Past sins forgiven for whoever says it.

Entering & Leaving Home

07 · LEAVING HOME

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ، وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ

Bismillah, tawakkaltu 'ala-llah, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah

In the name of Allah, I place my trust in Allah, and there is no might nor power except with Allah.

Source: Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi (Sahih). An angel tells you: you are guided, sufficed, and protected.

08 · ENTERING HOME

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَلَجْنَا، وَبِسْمِ اللَّهِ خَرَجْنَا، وَعَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّنَا تَوَكَّلْنَا

Bismillahi walajna, wa bismillahi kharajna, wa 'ala-llahi rabbina tawakkalna

In the name of Allah we enter, in the name of Allah we leave, and upon Allah our Lord we rely. (Then greet your family with salam.)

Source: Abu Dawud (Hasan)

Travel

09 · WHEN MOUNTING A VEHICLE

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ، وَإِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا لَمُنْقَلِبُونَ

Subhana-lladhi sakhkhara lana hadha wa ma kunna lahu muqrinin, wa inna ila rabbina la-munqalibun

Glory be to Him Who has subjected this to us, and we could never have it. And to our Lord we shall return.

Source: Quran 43:13, also a Sunnah dua (Muslim)

Throughout the Day

10 · ASKING FOR FORGIVENESS (ANYTIME)

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ

Astaghfiru-llaha wa atubu ilayh

I seek Allah's forgiveness and turn to Him in repentance. (The Prophet said this 100 times daily.)

Source: Bukhari, Muslim

11 · WHEN IN ANXIETY OR DISTRESS

لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ، لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَرَبُّ الْأَرْضِ وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ

La ilaha illa-llahu-l-'adheemu-l-haleem, la ilaha illa-llahu rabbu-l-'arshi-l-'adheem, la ilaha illa-llahu rabbu-s-samawati wa rabbu-l-ardi wa rabbu-l-'arshi-l-kareem

None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, the Most Magnificent, the Most Forbearing. None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, Lord of the Mighty Throne. None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, Lord of the heavens, Lord of the earth, and Lord of the Noble Throne.

Source: Bukhari. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said these words at times of distress.

12 · DUA OF YUNUS (THE FISH PRAYER)

لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

La ilaha illa anta, subhanaka, inni kuntu mina-dh-dhalimin

There is no god but You, Glory be to You. Indeed, I was among the wrongdoers.

Source: Tirmidhi (Sahih). "No Muslim ever says this dua about anything without Allah answering it."

13 · FOR THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

Rabbana atina fi-d-dunya hasanatan wa fi-l-akhirati hasanatan wa qina 'adhaba-n-nar

Our Lord, give us in this world good and in the Hereafter good, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.

Source: Quran 2:201. The Prophet's most frequent dua (Bukhari, Muslim).

14 · FOR PROTECTION (RECITE 3X MORNING & EVENING)

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ، وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

Bismillahi-lladhi la yadurru ma'a-smihi shay'un fi-l-ardi wa la fi-s-sama'i wa huwa-s-samee'u-l-'aleem

In the name of Allah, with Whose name nothing on earth or in the heavens can cause harm. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

Source: Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi (Sahih). Protection from every sudden affliction.

15 · ASKING FOR GUIDANCE

اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ

Allahumma a'inni 'ala dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni 'ibadatik

O Allah, help me to remember You, to thank You, and to worship You in the best manner.

Source: Abu Dawud (Sahih). The Prophet told Mu'adh to say this after every salah.

Before Sleep

The Prophet (peace be upon him) gave a complete sequence of duas to recite before sleep. Together they protect you all night.

16 · RECITE AYAT AL-KURSI

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ...

Recite Ayat al-Kursi (Quran 2:255). The Prophet said: "Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi before sleeping, Allah appoints a guardian over them, and Shaytan cannot come near them until morning."

Source: Bukhari

17 · LAST TWO VERSES OF AL-BAQARAH

آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ...

Recite the last 2 verses of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:285-286). The Prophet said: "Whoever recites the last two verses of Al-Baqarah at night, they will suffice them."

Source: Bukhari, Muslim

18 · THE 3 QULS

قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ۞ قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ ۞ قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ

Recite Surah Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, and An-Nas (each 3 times). Blow into your hands and wipe your body, starting from the head and face.

Source: Bukhari. The Prophet's nightly habit.

19 · THE FINAL DUA OF SLEEP

بِاسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا

Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya

In Your name O Allah, I die and I live.

Source: Bukhari. The very last thing the Prophet said before sleeping.

Friday: The Special Dua Hour

20 · DUA HEAVILY RECOMMENDED ON FRIDAY

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala ali Muhammad

O Allah, send prayers upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad. (Send abundant salawat on Friday.)

Source: Abu Dawud (Sahih). The Prophet said: "Send abundant salawat on me on the day of Jumu'ah, for your salawat are presented to me."

How to Memorise These

Start with 3 duas this week: waking, before sleep, and "Rabbana atina fi-d-dunya hasanah".
Add 3 more each week. In 7 weeks you have all 20.
Pair each dua with its trigger. Before you eat, remind yourself to say Bismillah. Build the habit through association.
Use DeenPal. The app shows you the right dua at the right moment, with audio so you can hear the correct pronunciation.

Learn Duas with DeenPal

DeenPal's daily dua feature surfaces the right supplication at the right moment, in Arabic + transliteration + meaning + audio. Plus Rafiq AI can explain the background of any dua and tell you the best ones for your specific situation.

Build a Habit of Dua

DeenPal pings you with the right dua at the right time, every day. Learn the Sunnah duas your way.

Download DeenPal Free