Intention for Seeking Knowledge
by Imam al-Haddad
and
Selected Duas for Studying
with Arabic text, transliteration, and English translation
Arranged by Mohsin Ali
Please email with corrections/additions/comments
mohsin863@gmail.com
Imam al-Haddad’s Intention for Seeking Knowledge
(in another script)
Imam al-Haddad’s Intention for Seeking Knowledge
1.
In the Name of Allah, the
All Merciful, the
Compassionate
Praise be to Allah,
Lord of the Worlds.
And peace and blessings be
upon Sayyidina Muhammad
and upon his family and his
companions.
(transliteration in Notes section
below)
Imam al-Haddad’s Intention for Seeking Knowledge
2.
I intend to study and teach,
to take and give a reminder,
to take and give benefit, to
take and give advantage, to
encourage holding fast to
the Book of God and the
way of His messenger, to
call to guidance and to direct
towards good, hoping for the
countenance of God and His
pleasure, His proximity and
His reward. Transcendent is
He.
Selected Duas for Studying
(next)
The following slide contains my preferred litany of duas for studying. It is simply my own arrangement;
it is not a “recommended” collection and it is not in a “recommended” order. The last slide contains a
much longer list of duas that you can pick and choose from to formulate your own litany.
َ‫نت ْال َعَلِي َُم ْال َحكِي ُم‬
ََ َ‫ك أ‬
ََ ‫لا َما َعَلامْ ََ َنا إِ ان‬
َ ِ‫لَ عِ ْل ََم لَ َنا إ‬
َ ‫ك‬
ََ ‫ُسب َْحا َن‬
‫ِيِ َما َين َفعنِي‬
َ ‫علِّمن‬
ََ ‫أللِّهُم ال ّن َفعنِي ِب َما َعلام ََنِي ََو‬
SubHaanaka laa ‘ilma lanaa illaa maa 'allamtanaa, innaka antal-'Alimul Hakeem
Glory be to you, we have no knowledge except what you have taught us.
Verily, it is You, the All-Knower, the All-Wise. [Al-Baqarah; 2:32]
Allahumma infa’nee bimaa 'allamtanee wa 'allimnee maa yanfa' unee
O Allah! Make useful for me what You have taught me and teach me
knowledge that will be useful to me
‫ك عِ ْلمًا َناَِفعًا‬
ََ ُ‫اَللا ُه اَم إِ ِّني أَسْ أَل‬, ‫ ََو ِر ْز ًقا َط ايبًا‬, ًَ‫ََو َع َمل‬
ً‫ل‬
َ ‫ُم ََ َق اب‬
Allahumma innee as'aluka ‘ilman naafi'an, wa rizqan Tayyiban, wa 'amalan
mutaqabbalan
O Allah! I ask You for knowledge that is of benefit, and a good provision, and
deeds that will be accepted.
ً ‫نيِ َفهْمَا‬
ْ َِّ‫َرب‬
َ ‫نيِ عِ ْلمَا ً ََو رْ ُز ْق‬
َ ‫زد‬
Rabbi zidnee 'ilman war zuqnee fahman
O Allah! Advance me in knowledge and true understanding
. ‫ين‬
ََ ِ‫ظ ْالمُرْ َسَل‬
ََ ‫ح ْف‬
ََ ‫ك َف ْه ََم الناَ َِبي‬
ََ ُ‫اللا ُه اَم إِ ِّني أَسْ أَل‬
ِ ‫ِّين ََو‬
ََ ‫ْال ُم َقرا ِب‬
‫ين‬
Allahumma innee as’aluka fahm an-nabiyyeena wa hifdh al-mursaleen almuqarrabeen.
Oh Allah! I ask You for the understanding of the prophets and the memory of
the messengers, and those nearest to You.
‫ص ْد ِري‬
َ ‫َربَِّ ا ْش َرحَْ لِي‬
‫َو َيسِّرَْ لِي أَمْ ِري‬
‫ل ُع ْقدَ ًَة مِّن لِّ َسانِي‬
َْ ُ‫َواحْ ل‬
‫َي ْف َقهُوا َق ْولِي‬
rabbi ishraH lee Sadree
wa yassir lee amree
waHlul ‘uqdatan min lisaanee
yafqahoo qawlee
Salwat
Wa sallallahu ‘alaa sayyidinaa Muhammadin wa ‘alaa aalihi wa saHbihi wa
sallam.
And peace and blessings be upon Sayyidina Muhammad and upon his family
and his companions.
My Lord! Expand my breast for me
And ease my task for me;
And make loose the knot from my tongue
That they understand my speech
Longer Compilation of Duas for Studying
Compiled by Alia Malik
•
Du'as before/during study
ْ ‫ت َت ْح َع َّل ُ ا ْل‬
َّ‫س ْه‬
ََّ ‫ن إ َذا شِ ْئ‬
ََّ ‫حز‬
ََّ ‫لا ََّو إ ْن‬
َّ ‫س ْه‬
َّ َّ َ ‫س ْه َّل‬
َ ‫ت‬
َ ‫إال َما َج َع ْل َت َُّه‬
َ ‫اللَّ ُه ََّّم ال‬
Allahumma la sahla illa ma ja'altu sahla, wa 'anta taj-alul hazna idha shi'ta sahla
O Allah! There is nothing easy except what You make easy, and You make the difficult easy if it be Your Will
[Ibn Hibban]
‫ِيِ َما َين َفعنِي‬
َّ ‫أللِّ ُهم ال ّن َفعنِي ِب َما َعلَّم َتنِي ََّو َعلِّمن‬
Allahumma infa'nii bimaa 'allamtanii wa'allimnii maa yanfa' unii
O Allah! Make useful for me what You taught me and teach me knowledge that will be useful to me.
‫اللهم اني اسالك العفو والعافية‬
Allahumma inni as'alukal 'afuwawal-afiya
O Allah! I seek your forgiveness and well being (meaning in examination, memory, and concentration etc)
‫ك ِع ْل اما َنافِ اعا‬
ََّ ُ ‫اَللَّ ُه ََّّم إِ ِّني أَ ْسأَل‬, ‫ ََّو ِر ْز اقا َط َّي ابا‬, ‫لا‬
َّ ‫لا ُم َت َق َّب‬
َّ ‫ََّو َع َم‬
Allahumma inni as'aluka 'Ilman naafi'an, wa rizqan tayyiban, wa 'amalan mutaqabbalan
O Allah! I ask You for knowledge that is of benefit, a good provision and deeds that will be accepted.
[Ibn Majah and others]
َّ‫ت ِم ْن َُّه ََّو َما لَ َّْم اَ ْع َل ْم‬
َُّ ‫جلِه َما َعلِ ْم‬
ََّ ‫ك م‬
ََّ ُ ‫اللَّ ُه ََّّم ِا ِّنى اَ ْس َئل‬
ِ ‫جله ََّو ا‬
ِ ‫ِن ا ْل َخ ْي َِّر ُكلِّه َعا‬
Allahumma inni as'aluka min al khairi kullihi 'ajilihi wa ajilihi, ma 'alimtu minhu wa ma lam a'alam
O Allah! I ask You for all the good which is in the present or in the future, which I know and which I do not know
[a comprehensive du'a taught to Aisha by the Prophet (saws)]
Du’as for Anxiety/Difficulty
َّ‫ال‬
َِّ ‫ضلَ َِّع الدِّ ْي‬
َِّ ‫ ََّو ا ْل ُب ْخ َِّل ََّو ا ْل ُج ْب‬، ‫س َِّل‬
َِّ ‫ِن ا ْل َه َِّّم ََّو ا ْل َح َز‬
ََّ ‫ك م‬
ََّ ِ‫اللَّ ُه ََّّم إ ِّني أ ُعو َُّذ ب‬
ِّ ‫ن ََّو َغلَ َب َِّة‬
َ ‫ ََّو‬، ‫ن‬
َ ‫ ََّو ا ْل َع ْج َِّز ََّو ا ْل َك‬، ‫ن‬
ِ ‫الر َج‬
Allahumma inni a'udhubika minal hammi wal hazan, wal 'ajzi wal kasal, wal bukhli wal jubn, wa dhala'iddayni wa ghalabatir rijaal
O Allah! I seek refuge in You from grief and sadness, from weakness and from laziness, from miserliness and
from cowardice, from being overcome by debt and from being overpowered by men (other people)
[Sahih al-Bukhari 7:158]
َّ ‫ي‬
ََّ ‫َح ْس ِب‬
ُ ‫للاُ َون ِْع ََّم ا ْل َوكِي َّل‬
HasbiyAllahu wa ni'mal wakeel
Allah is my availer and protector and the best of aids.
َّ‫ى َم ْغلُ ْوبَّ َفا ْن َتصِ ْر‬
َّْ ‫ب ِا ِّن‬
َِّّ ‫َر‬
Rabbi inni maghlubun fan-tass-ssir
O Allah! I am overpowered, so help me.
[surah al-Qamar, 54:10]
This was the du'a of sayyidna Nuh (alayhis salam) after 950 years of preaching to a stubborn people.
Du’as for Knowledge
َّ‫نت ا ْل َعلِي َُّم ا ْل َحكِي ُم‬
ََّ َ‫ك أ‬
ََّ ‫ك َّالَ عِ ْل ََّم لَ َنا إِ َّالَّ َما َعلَّ ْم َت َنا إِ َّن‬
ََّ ‫س ْب َحا َن‬
ُ
Subhanaka la 'ilma lana 'illa ma 'allamtana 'innaka 'antal-'Alimul Hakim
Glory be to you, we have no knowledge except what you have taught us. Verily, it is You, the All-Knower, the
All-Wise
[surah Baqarah; 2:32]
‫نيِ َف ْهمَّا ا‬
َّ ‫نيِ عِ ْلمَّا ا ََّو ْر ُز ْق‬
َّ ْ‫ب زد‬
َِّّ ‫َر‬
Rabbi zidni 'ilman war zuqni fahman
O Allah! Advance me in Knowledge and true understanding
َّ‫َيا َعلِي َُّم َعلِّ ْمن ِْى‬
Ya Alimu, alimni
O All-Knowing, grant me knowledge
‫ب ِزدْ نِى عِ ْل اما‬
َِّّ ‫َّر‬
Rabbi zidni ilma
O my Lord! Advance me in Knowledge
[surah Ta-Ha; 20:114]