Duas: For Ramadan Season

As a student of Islam I pin up every new du`a I intend to learn on a wall around the house and go to the extent of organising prayers by category in files and notes. I encourage whoever's reading to do something similar. Here are a select few supplications for Ramadan that work best when printed out and read aloud to a group of loyal friends.

Image: Muslamb Press

And the du`as for fasting:

When beginning the fast - Suhoor

وَبِصَوْمِ غَدٍ نَّوَيْتَ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ

Wa bisawmi ghadinn-nawaiyta min shahri Ramadan

I intend to keep the fast for tomorrow in the month of Ramadan. (Abu Dawud)

When breaking the fast - Iftar

اللَّهُمَّ اِنِّى لَكَ صُمْتُ وَبِكَ امنْتُ [وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ] وَعَلَى رِزْقِكَ اَفْطَرْتُ

Allahumma inni laka sumtu wa bika amantu [wa 'alayka tawakkaltu] wa `ala rizq-ika aftartu

O Allah! I fasted for You and I believe in You [and I put my trust in You] and I break my fast with Your sustenance ["wa 'alayka tawakkaltu" is quoted in some books, but not all, hence it is in brackets]. (Abu Dawud)

Or...

ذَهَبَ الظَّمَأُ وَ ابْتَلَّتِ الْعُرُوقُ، وَ ثَبَتَ الأجْرُ إنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ

Zhahabazhama'u wab-tallatil `urooq(i), wa thabatal ajru, insha'Allah

The thrist is gone, the veins are moistened and the reward is confirmed, if Allah wills. (Abu Dawud)

Or...

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسأَلُكَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ الَّتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي

Allaahumma inni as’aluka biraHmatika al-lati wasi`at kulli shay’in an taghfira li

O Allah, I ask You by Your mercy which envelopes all things, that You forgive me.
(a du'a that Abdullah ibn Amar (ra) used to say when breaking his fast - as reported by Ibn abi Mulaykah (ra))

When someone offers you food when you are fasting and you decline:

"When you are invited to eat, then reply to the invitation. if you are fasting, then invoke Allah's blessings (on your host), and if you are not fasting then eat."
(Muslim; 2:1054)


Upon reaching month of Rajab and Sha'ban (before Ramadan)

When the Prophet sighted the moon of Rajab (two months before Ramadan) he used to pray to Allah in the following words:

اَللّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِى رَجَبَ وَ شَعْبَانَ وَ بَلِّغْنَا رَمَضَان

Allahumma barik lana fi Rajab wa Sha'ban wa ballighna Ramadan

O Allah! Make the months of Rajab and Sha'ban blessed for us, and let us reach the month of Ramadan (i.e. prolong our life up to Ramadan, so that we may benefit from its merits and blessings)
(Narrated by at-Tabarani and Ahmad)

When someone is rude to you and you really want to hit'em:

اِنَّيْ صَائِمٌ ، اِنِّيْ صَائمٌ

Inni sa'imu, inni sa'imu [or, inni sa'ima - female]

I am fasting, I am fasting.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Fath al-Bari of Al-Asqalani; Muslim)

Upon Sighting of the new Moon:

اللَّهُ اَكْبَرُ ، اَللَّهُمَّ اَهِلَّهُ عَلَيْنَا بِالآَمْنِ وَلاِيمَانِ ، وَالسَّلَامَةِ وَالاِسْلَامِ ، وَالتَّوْفِيقِ لِمَا تُحِبُّ رَبَّنَا وَتَرْضَى ، رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّكَ اللَّهُ

Allahu Akbar. Allahumma ahillahu `alayna bil-amni wal-imaani, was-salaamati, wal-Islami, wat-tawfeeqi limaa tuHibbu Rabbanaa wa tardha. Rabbunaa wa Rabbuk'Allahu

Allah is the Greatest. O Allah bring us the new moon with security and faith, with peace and in Islam, and in harmony with what our Lord Loves and what pleases Him. Our Lord and your Lord is Allah.
(At-Tirmidhi, ad-Darimi)

Upon seeing the first dates of the season

اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي ثَمَرِنَا ، وَ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي مَدِينَتِنَا وَ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي صَاعِنَا ، وَبَارِكْ لَنَا فِي مُدِّنَا

Allahumma barik lana fi thamarinaa, wa barik lanaa fi madeenatinaa, wa barik lanaa fi saa`ina, wa barik lanaa fi muddina

O Allah! Bless us in our dates, and bless us in our town, bless us in our saa' and in our Mudd'
(saa' and Mudd' are dry measures used for agricultural produce by the Arabs in the Prophet's time)
(At-Tirmidhi, ad-Darimi)

Oh, and should this be my last post from me to you: May you learn to use your time better than you did last year, may that overhanging feeling of guilt be replaced with a motivation to do more, to be better, to aspire higher, and may Allah accept, reward and bless you for every microscopic good action and complete fast you keep this year. Remember your unity in community, read the Qur'an after every salat, give to others and maintain self-discipline.

Ramadan Mubarak, happy fasting and a merry early Eidmas.

Zaufishan.