5 hadiths on supplication
and answered prayers
Asking with trust, continuing when waiting is hard and finding prophetic words to turn towards Allah.
You have been supplicating for a long time without seeing the change you hoped for. Or you are looking for words to ask Allah for His help and forgiveness.
These five authentic hadiths on supplication—du‘a—reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim explain how to ask and what impatience means. They also give supplications in Arabic and English, including the one for good in this life and the hereafter.
Article contents
Continuing to supplicate without setting a deadline for the answer
The context of the narration
Abu Hurayrah reports a teaching of the Prophet ﷺ about answered supplication. He mentions the request’s content, then haste. Asked what this haste means, he describes someone who eventually abandons supplication because they have seen no answer.“The servant continues to be answered as long as they do not ask for a sin or the severing of family ties, and as long as they are not impatient.”
Read the Arabic text
لاَ يَزَالُ يُسْتَجَابُ لِلْعَبْدِ مَا لَمْ يَدْعُ بِإِثْمٍ أَوْ قَطِيعَةِ رَحِمٍ مَا لَمْ يَسْتَعْجِلْ
Understanding this hadith
The haste described here consists of saying “I have supplicated, but I have not been answered”, then becoming weary and giving up. The hadith concerns this abandonment, not simply finding waiting painful.
It also specifies that the request must concern neither a sin nor severing family ties. It gives no deadline for an answer and does not allow promising that a request will be fulfilled in the expected form.
If you stopped supplicating out of discouragement, you can begin again with the words you know.
If waiting weighs on you, the guide on patience explains Allah’s help for someone who strives to be patient.
Asking Allah for forgiveness without adding “if You wish”
The context of the narration
Anas ibn Malik reports this recommendation of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about how to address a request to Allah:“When one of you supplicates, let him ask with resolve and not say, “O Allah, if You wish, give me.” For no one can compel Him.”
Read the Arabic text
إِذَا دَعَا أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَعْزِمِ الْمَسْأَلَةَ، وَلاَ يَقُولَنَّ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ شِئْتَ فَأَعْطِنِي، فَإِنَّهُ لاَ مُسْتَكْرِهَ لَهُ
Understanding this hadith
The Prophet ﷺ asks us to state a request with resolve and gives the reason: no one can compel Allah. He teaches asking “O Allah, forgive me” without adding “if You wish”.
This advice concerns how to supplicate. It does not forbid every use of “if Allah wills” in conversation, for example when discussing a plan.
Asking with resolve does not mean deciding when or how you will be answered. You can frankly ask Allah for forgiveness or help without claiming to know the response in advance.
To learn a complete request for forgiveness, see the supplication of sayyid al-istighfar.
Asking for good in this life and the hereafter
The context of the narration
Anas ibn Malik reports that this was the supplication the Prophet ﷺ said most often. Here are the words he reports:اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً، وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً، وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
“O Allah, our Lord, grant us good in this world and good in the hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”
Understanding this hadith
The supplication combines three requests: good in this life, good in the hereafter and protection from the punishment of the Fire. The needs of this life therefore have their place alongside those of the hereafter.
Anas presents it as the supplication the Prophet ﷺ said most often. To learn it, you can remember its three requests separately, then bring them together with the help of the Arabic text.
Also read: the istikhara supplication when considering a decision.
Prostration, a time to increase supplication
The context of the narration
Abu Hurayrah transmits a saying of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about prostration. Muslim reports it in the Book of Prayer, in the chapter on words spoken during bowing and prostration:“The servant is closest to their Lord while prostrating, so increase supplication.”
Read the Arabic text
أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الْعَبْدُ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَهُوَ سَاجِدٌ فَأَكْثِرُوا الدُّعَاءَ
Understanding this hadith
The Prophet ﷺ connects the servant’s closeness to their Lord during prostration with the recommendation to increase supplication in it. It is therefore a moment in prayer to address requests to Him.
This passage encourages supplication; it does not specify the rules about formulas or languages used during prayer. If that is what you seek to learn, ask a competent person to explain those rules.
The words of the Prophet ﷺ in distress
The context of the narration
Ibn ‘Abbas reports the words the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said in distress:“There is no deity except Allah, the Magnificent, the Forbearing. There is no deity except Allah, Lord of the mighty Throne. There is no deity except Allah, Lord of the heavens, Lord of the earth and Lord of the noble Throne.”
Read the Arabic text
لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ رَبُّ السَّمَوَاتِ، وَرَبُّ الأَرْضِ، وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ
Understanding this hadith
These words do not ask for a particular kind of help: they proclaim Allah’s oneness and praise Him. Yet the Prophet ﷺ said them in distress.
“Forbearing” translates al-Halim: the One who does not hasten to punish. The other words recall Allah’s greatness and sovereignty over the heavens, the earth and the Throne.
You can recite these words and seek the help you need. If anxiety persists, that does not mean you supplicated incorrectly.
In practice
- You no longer know what to ask forReread the supplication combining good in this life and the hereafter. Take time to understand its three requests before trying to memorise it.Find the supplication in Arabic and English
- Waiting discourages youReread what the Prophet calls haste: becoming weary of asking, then abandoning supplication.Reread the hadith on perseverance
- You want to phrase a request betterThe Prophet teaches asking Allah for forgiveness without adding “if You wish”.Reread this advice
- You are going through a moment of distressRead the words the Prophet ﷺ said in distress and the explanation of their meaning.Read the words spoken in distress
Sources
- Sahih Muslim · 2735cWhen the answer seems delayed
- Sahih al-Bukhari · 6338Asking with resolve
- Sahih al-Bukhari · 6389Good in this life and the hereafter
- Sahih Muslim · 482Supplicating in prostration
- Sahih al-Bukhari · 6346Words in distress