Answer
Short Answer: There are no specific du’aa’s that Prophet Muhammad told us to say to request help from Allah in our studies. You can ask Allah to help you succeed in learning the material in your own words, from your heart, in your own language. There are some du’aa’s, however, that modern scholars recommend saying before and after studying.
Wa Alaikum Assalam Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh Sara,
Thank you for contacting Ask About Islam with your question.
You can always say something from your heart, in your own language, asking Allah Almighty the owner and originator of knowledge to help you in your studies and increase your concentration.
Yes, you can read the du’aa’s recommended by our Prophet (peace be upon him-PBUH) for the morning and the evening, after fajr prayer and after asr prayer; this usually does not take more than ten minutes.
But du’aa’ does not have to be a set phrase that the Prophet (PBUH) said.
You are free to put your supplication in your own words, and speak to Allah from your heart, and as always, with sincerity.
Now, there is no specific du’aa’ concerning studying that we find in the tradition of our beloved Prophet (PBUH). However, the following are recommended du’aa’s by contemporary scholars:
Du’aa’ before studying:
Allahumma infa’nii bimaa ‘allamtanii wa’allimnii maa yanfa’uunii. Allahumma inii as’aluka fahmal-nabiyyen wa hifzal mursaleen al-muqarrabeen. Allahumma ijal leesanee ‘aiman bi dhikrika wa qalbi bi khashyatika. Innaka ‘ala ma-tasha’u qadeer wa anta hasbeeya wa na’mal wakeel.
(Oh Allah! Make useful for me what you have taught me and teach me knowledge that will be useful to me. Oh Allah! I ask you for the understanding of the prophets and the memory of the messengers, and those nearest to you. Oh Allah! Make my tongue full of your remembrance and my heart with consciousness of you. Oh Allah! You do whatever you wish, and you are my availed and protector and best of aid.)
Du’aa’ after studying:
Allahumma inni astawdeeoka ma qara’tu wama hafaz-tu. Farudduhu ‘allaya inda hajati elayhi. Innaka ‘ala ma-tasha’-u qadeer wa anta hasbeeya wa na’mal wakeel.
(Oh Allah! I entrust you with what I have read and studied. Oh Allah! Bring it back to me when I am in need of it. Oh Allah! You do whatever you wish, you are my availed and protector and the best of aid.)
Du’aa’ while studying something difficult:
Allahumma la sahla illama ja-‘altahu sahla anta taj ‘alu al hazana eza ma shi’ta sahal.
(Oh Allah! Nothing is easy except what you have made easy. If you wish, you can make the difficult easy.)
Du’aa’ for concentration:
Salla-l-laahu alaa Muhammad wa aal-e Muhammad. Allahumma inni as’aluka yaa mudhakkira-l khayr wa faa’ilahu wa-l-aamira bihi dhakir-ni maa ansaani-hi-shaitan.
(Blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad and his progeny. O Allah, I ask you, the one who mentions goodness and actualizes it and commands it, remind me of that which shaitan makes me forget.)
Remember that the key to acquiring knowledge is to obey Allah Almighty.
When Satan makes us forget His remembrance, we lose that privilege.
I hope this helps answer your question.
Walaikum Asalam and please keep in touch.
(From AboutIslam’s archives)
Read more…