Dua After Maghrib Prayer

Explanation
This is a very short dua of forgiveness recited after the Maghrib prayer.
Dua Text
اَللَّهُمَّ اعْفُ عَنَّا بِعَفْوِكَ وَاحْلُمْ عَلَيْنَا بِفَضْلِكَ
Transliteration
Allahumma’fu ‘anna bi-‘afwika wahlum ‘alayna bi-fadlika.
Meaning
O Allah! Pardon us with Your pardon, and by Your grace treat us with forbearance.
What Is Asked in This Dua
This very short dua carries two basic requests. In the first, the servant asks Allah to pardon him with His pardon. He relies not on his own deeds but on Allah’s attribute of pardoning; by saying “pardon us with Your pardon,” he acknowledges that forgiveness is only possible through Allah’s grace. It is a request for purification in the evening for the faults committed, knowingly or unknowingly, throughout the day.
In the second, the servant asks Allah, by His grace, to treat him with forbearance (hilm). Hilm means gentleness and not hastening to punish. The servant asks not for what he deserves but for the gentle treatment that comes from Allah’s generosity. Making the dua with “us” shows the intention of including one’s family and all believers in this pardon as well.
When and How to Recite
This dua is recited after the Maghrib prayer. It is suitable for asking forgiveness at the time when the day comes to an end and one takes account of the daytime. No specific number of recitations is mentioned in the source; since it is short, it is easy to memorize and recite every evening.
It is preferable to be in a state of wudu and to reflect on its meaning. Reciting it with the intention of repentance, remembering the mistakes made during the day, deepens its meaning. Those who find the Arabic difficult can also make the dua with its meaning in their own language.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the dua after Maghrib prayer recited?
It is recited after the Maghrib prayer has been prayed; it is a short dua of repentance for seeking forgiveness at the end of the day.
What does the dua after Maghrib prayer mean?
It asks Allah to pardon us with His pardon and to treat us gently by His grace; it expresses that the servant seeks refuge not in his own deeds but in Allah’s grace.
Can the dua after Maghrib be recited without wudu?
Wudu is not a condition for dua and dhikr, though being in wudu is virtuous. Since it is recited right after the prayer, one is usually in a state of wudu.
Source
Majmu'at al-Ahzab, vol. 1, p. 609.
The text on this page was prepared by Dua Kitaplığı based on the work cited above. The Arabic text has been transcribed from the original with its vowel marks, and the transliteration in Latin letters and the English meaning are given separately. No virtue or number that does not appear in the source is added to this page. How do we prepare our content?
Published: 10 September 2026 · Last updated: 9 October 2026
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