Places of Duaa in Salaah

by Asma bint Shameem 

The whole of Salaah itself is Duaa. 

There are many places in the Salaah where we can make Duaa. 

For example:

1️⃣ At the start:

When we start the Salaah, the first thing we do after the opening takbeer is duaa. 

That’s why it’s called “Duaa al-Istiftaah” or “the opening duaa”. 

🍃 One of those duaas:

Abu Hurayrah radhi Allaahu anhu asked the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam:

“O Messenger of Allaah. What do you say when you are silent between the takbeer and recitation?” He said: “I say: 

‎ اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَايَ ، كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ المَشْرِقِ وَالمَغْرِبِ ، اللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِي مِنَ الخَطَايَا ، كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ ، اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْ مِن خَطَايَايَ بِالْمَاءِ ، وَالثَّلْجِ ، وَالبَرَدِ 

Allaahumma baa’id bayni wa bayna khataayaaya kama baa’adta bayna al-mashriqi wa’l-maghrib. Allaahumma naqqini min khataayaaya kama yunaqqa al-thawb al-abyad min al-danas. Allaahumma ighsilni min khataayaaya bi’l-thalji wa’l-maa’i wa’l-barad    

O Allaah, put a great distance between me and my sins, as great as the distance You have made between the East and the West. O Allaah, cleanse me of sin as a white garment is cleansed from filth. O Allaah, wash away my sins with snow and water and hail).” 

(al-Bukhaari, Muslim)

2️⃣ In rukoo:

🍃 It’s proven that the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam made duaa in rukoo and said:

‎سبحانك اللهمّ ربنا وبحمدك اللهمّ اغفر لي 

“Subhaanak Allaahumma Rabbanaa wa bi hamdika Allaahumma ighfir li 

“Glory and praise be to You, O Allaah our Lord. O Allaah, forgive me.” 

(al-Bukhaari, Muslim)

3️⃣ When we rise from rukoo, we say the duaa of witr:

🍃 Al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali radhi Allaahu anhumaa said: 

“The Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam taught me words to say in Witr: 

‎اللهمّ اهدني فيمن هديت وعافني فيمن عافيت وتولني فيمن توليت وقني شرما قضيت فإنك تقضي ولا يقضى عليك وإنه لا يذل من واليت ولا يعز من عاديت تباركت ربنا وتعاليت 

“Allaahumma ihdini feeman hadayta wa ‘aafini feeman ‘aafayta wa tawallani feeman tawallayta wa baarik li feema a’tayta, wa qini sharra ma qadayta , fa innaka taqdi wa la yuda ‘alayk, wa innahu laa yadhillu man waalayta wa laa ya’izzu man ‘aadayta, tabaarakta Rabbana wa ta’aalayt 

“O Allaah, guide me among those whom You have guided, pardon me among those whom You have pardoned, turn to me in friendship among those on whom You have turned in friendship, and bless me in what You have bestowed, and save me from the evil of what You have decreed. For verily You decree and none can influence You; and he is not humiliated whom You have befriended, nor is he honored who is Your enemy. Blessed are You, O Lord, and Exalted).” 

(al-Tirmidhi - saheeh by al-Albaani)

It’s allowed to ADD to the duaa of Qunoot in witr and say any duaa after it. 

4️⃣ In sujood:

We are encouraged to make a LOT of duaa in sujood and this is the BEST place to make duaa. 

🍃 The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“The closest that any one of you may be to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so say a lot of du’aa’ at that time.” (Muslim)

We can make ANY duaa in the sujood that’s from the Qur’aan or Sunnah or even our own duaa in our own language. 

5️⃣ In between the two sujood:

🍃 The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam would make duaa in between the two sujood: 

‎اللهمّ اغفر لي وارحمني واجبرني واهدني وارزقني 

“Allaahumma ighfir li warhamni wajburni wahdini warzuqni

“O Allaah, forgive me, have mercy on me, enrich me, guide me and grant me provision.”  

(al-Tirmidhi- Ibn Maajah, saheeh by al-Albaani)

🍃And Hudhayfah Radhi Allaahu anhu said that the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam used to say between the two prostrations: “Rabb ighfir li, Rabb ighfir li  (Lord forgive me, Lord forgive me).” 

It is permissible to combine the adhkaar when sitting in between prostrations.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz said:

“Then he should rise from prostration, saying “Allaahu akbar (Allaah is most great),” and sit muftarishan, which means sitting on the left foot and holding the right foot upright, placing his right hand on his right thigh or on his knee, extending his fingers over his knee, and placing his left hand on his left thigh or his left knee, extending his fingers over it. This is the Sunnah.

And he should say: “Rabb ighfir li, Rabb ighfir li, Rabb ighfir li (Lord forgive me, Lord forgive me, Lord forgive me), as the Messenger Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam used to do.

And it is mustahabb to say in addition to that:

Allaahumma ighfir li warhamni wahdini wajburni warzuqni wa ‘afini (O Allaah, forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me, console me, grant me provision and grant me well-being), because that is proven from the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam.

And if he says more than that, there is nothing wrong with it, such as if he says, “Allahumma ighfir li wa li walidayya (O Allaah, forgive me and my parents)” or “Allaahumma adkhilni al-Jannah wa anjini min an-naar

(O Allaah, admit me to Paradise and save me from Hell)”

or “Allaahumma aslih qalbi wa ‘amali (O Allaah, make my heart and my actions righteous) and so on.

But he should ask a great deal for forgiveness between the two prostrations, as was narrated from the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam.”

(Fatawa ash-Shaykh Ibn Baz, 11/36)

6️⃣ In tashahhud after sending peace and blessings on the Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam but before Tasleem.

🍃 Ibn Mas’ood radhi Allaahu anhu said:

“The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam 

taught them the tashahhud then he said at the end: 

“Let him ask for whatever good things he wishes.” (al-Bukhaari, 5876; Muslim, 402)

There are many duaas that are narrated in the authentic ahaadeeth that can be said in tashahhud before tasleem. 

🍃 One such duaa is:

The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:

“When any one of you has finished the last tashahhud, let him seek refuge with Allaah from four things and say: 

‎اللهمّ إني أعوذ بك من عذاب جهنم ومن عذاب القبر ومن فتنة المحيا والممات ومن شر فتنة المسيح الدجال

Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika min ‘adhaabi jahannam wa min ‘adhaab il-qabri wa min fitnat il-mahyaa wa’l-mamaat wa min sharri fitnat il-maseeh il-dajjaal 

“O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from the torment of Hell and from the torment of the grave and from the trials of life and death and from the evil of the trial of the Dajjaal.” (Muslim)

We can also make duaa in this position in our own language as well. 

And this is one of the places where duaa is more likely to be accepted. 

🔺NOTE:

In certain places in the Salaah such as at the beginning right after the opening takbeer, or on rising from the rukoo, it’s better to stick to the Duaas narrated in the authentic ahaadeeth rather than adding your own duaas. 

And Allaah knows best.