Dua for Guidance (Hidayah)

August 27, 2026

Explanation

This is a short dua recited to ask for guidance. It turns the meaning of Surah al-Ikhlas into the language of supplication.

Dua Text

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِأَنِّي أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ أَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ الْأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِي لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

Transliteration

Allahumma inni as’aluka bi-anni ashhadu annaka antallahu la ilaha illa antal-Ahadus-Samadulladhi lam yalid wa lam yulad wa lam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad.

Meaning

O Allah! I ask of You, for I bear witness that You are Allah; there is no god but You. You are the One (al-Ahad) and the Self-Sufficient (as-Samad); You did not beget, You were not begotten, and nothing has ever been equal to You.

What Is Asked in This Dua

In this dua for guidance, the servant grounds their request to Allah in a testimony: “I ask of You, for I bear witness that You are Allah; there is no god but You.” In other words, the servant first acknowledges that Allah is the only god, and then makes this acknowledgement the basis of their request. Guidance can only be asked of the sole Owner of the path; the dua is built on this awareness.

In the rest of the dua, Allah is mentioned by the names al-Ahad and as-Samad: the One, who needs nothing while everything needs Him. By stating that He did not beget, was not begotten and that nothing is equal to Him, the meaning of Surah al-Ikhlas is put into the words of a dua. In this way the servant expresses tawhid in its purest form and asks to be led to the right path for the sake of this tawhid.

When and How to Recite

According to the source, this dua is counted among the duas recited by the prophets, and it is especially recommended to keep reciting it when going to bed. It is recited on getting into bed, with the intention of closing the day with a heart full of tawhid; apart from that, it can also be recited at any time when you are seeking guidance and the right path. No specific number of recitations is mentioned in the source.

Being in a state of wudu is preferable; since it is a short dua, it is easy to recite while reflecting on its meaning and affirming the testimony in your heart. Someone who finds the Arabic difficult can also ask for guidance using its meaning in their own language.

Virtue

It is counted among the duas recited by the prophets. It is especially recommended to keep reciting it when going to bed.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the dua for guidance recited?

According to the source, it is especially recommended to keep reciting it when going to bed; it can also be recited at other times when you are seeking guidance.

How many times is the dua for guidance recited? Is there a set number?

No specific number is mentioned in the source. What matters is keeping up this dua, especially when going to bed.

What is the source of the dua for guidance?

The source reference cites the Witr chapter of Abu Dawud and Majmu’at al-Ahzab; in the book it is counted among the duas recited by the prophets.

Source

Abu Dawud, Witr 23. Majmu'at al-Ahzab, vol. 1, p. 570.

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: 27 August 2026 · Last updated: 9 October 2026