How to pray for children
Du’a is the mightiest instrument at our disposal, a direct entreaty to Allah to employ His omnipotence on our behalf. Du’a need not even be spoken aloud, for Allah is attuned to the silent yearnings of our hearts. He promises to answer the call of the supplicant (Qur’an 2:186) and assures us of His nearness. We draw closest to Allah in our sujood, and He descends to the lowest heaven during the depths of the night when we are in tahajjud. But du’a can be made anywhere, at any time. The best du’a is the most sincere one, arising from the deepest recesses of our hearts, where we acknowledge our own powerlessness and beseech the Most Powerful.
A comprehensive du’a for children
رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَٰجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّـٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍۢ وَٱجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا
Rabbana hab lana min azwajina wa dhurriyatina qurrata aʿyunin wa-jʿalna lil-muttaqina imama
Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous. (Qur’an 25:74)
This du’a is for those who seek the blessing of children, that they may become the coolness and comfort of our eyes—qurrata a’yun. This phrase signifies something that captivates and delights, bringing a profound sense of peace and contentment. This phrase was used by Asiya (ra) فِرْعَوْنَ قُرَّتُ عَيْنٍۢ لِّى وَلَكَ “This baby is a source of joy for me and you” (Qur’an 28:9) to describe Musa (as) and convince Firaun to adopt him. Allah uses a similar phrase, when referring to returning Musa (as) as a baby to be breastfed by his mother:
فَرَجَعْنَـٰكَ إِلَىٰٓ أُمِّكَ كَىْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَۚ
So We reunited you with your mother so that her heart would be put at ease, and she would not grieve. (Qur’an 20:40)
Allah includes “make us an example for the righteous” because we should aspire for our children to be leaders of the ummah in their worship and service. When we witness our children engaging in acts of devotion and excelling in righteous behavior, it brings a unique joy and coolness to our eyes. This is the most heartfelt prayer for righteous offspring, whether they are children we currently have or hope to have. To make du’a for our children’s success is to wish for the best in their hereafter (akhira), and the conclusion of this supplication encompasses that very desire.
A du’a for conceiving a child
In the Qur’an we find a profound narrative involving Maryam (as) and Zakariyyah (as). Maryam, blessed with provisions that defied all earthly explanations, revealed to Zakariyyah (as) that it was Allah who provided for her. Witnessing this divine sustenance, Zakariyyah (as) was inspired to make this du’a for offspring, despite his advanced age:
رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِنْ لَدُنْكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِRabbi hab li min ladunka dhurriyyatan tayyibatan innaka samee’u du’a
My Lord, grant me from Yourself a good offspring. Indeed, You are the Hearer of supplication. (Qur’an 3:38)
Zakariyyah (as) and his wife were well beyond the years of childbearing. Acknowledging the improbability by biological standards, he nonetheless entrusted the ‘how’ and ‘when’ entirely to Allah. His supplication was answered, and his son Yahya (as) was born.
Allah reminds us of this later in the Qur’an:
And [remember] when Zakariyya cried out to his Lord, “My Lord! Do not leave me childless, though You are the Best of Successors.” So We answered his prayer, granted him Yahya (as), and made his wife fertile. Indeed, they used to race in doing good, and call upon Us with hope and fear, totally humbling themselves before Us. (Qur’an 21:89)
رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْنِى فَرْدًۭا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلْوَٰرِثِينَ
Rabbi laa tadharnee fardaan wa-anta khayru al-waaritheen
My Lord! Do not leave me childless, though You are the Best of Successors.
Allah made Zakariyya’s wife fertile, demonstrating that His power transcends all natural laws. If Allah can make a human from an insignificant drop (Qur’an 16:4), and all that Allah needs to say is Be and it is (Qur’an 2:117), then surely such prayers are answered, and miracles come to those who ask.
Many of our prophets struggled with conceiving a child. The wali of Allah, friend of Allah, Ibrahim (as) was married for many years before having his children.
Du’a of Ibrahim (as) for offspring
رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
Rabbi hab li min as-saaliheen
My Lord, grant me [a child] from among the righteous. (Qur’an 37:100)
Allah answered Ibrahim (as)’s du’a so beautifully, a progeny who would carry forward the message of monotheism. From his lineage came our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the best human of all. And, we too are his spiritual descendents, and in our righteousness, we are a testament to the power of his du’a.
Du’a to protect our children
There are many things that can harm our children. Natural calamities like a sudden fall, human malevolence in the form of abuse or neglect, and even supernatural harms. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Reciting Surah al-Ikhlaas and the Muʿawwidhatayn (Surah al-Falaq and Surah al-Naas) three times in the morning and three times in the evening will suffice you in all respects.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi #3575)
Surah al-Ikhlaas reaffirms the oneness of Allah, a foundation of unwavering faith. Surah al-Falaq beseeches protection from external evils beyond our control—darkness, malevolent beings, and harmful humans. And Surah al-Naas seeks refuge from internal threats, such as the insidious whispers of Shaytan.
Reciting these surahs over our children and with them, along with Surah al-Fatiha and Ayatul Kursi, will, insha’Allah, create a divine shield around them. It is incumbent upon us to instill in our children the habit of morning and nightly remembrances. Such practices are not merely protective rituals; they are a legacy of faith and resilience that our children will carry into adulthood, fortifying themselves against the perils of the world.
Du’a for protecting our home from evil and Shaytaan
The Prophet ﷺ said, “Do not turn your houses into graveyards. Verily, Satan flees from the house in which Surah al-Baqarah is recited.” (Sahih Muslim #780)
He emphasized, “Whoever recites the last two verses of Surah al-Baqarah in the night, it is enough for him.” (Sahih al-Bukhari #5051)
آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّـهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِ ۚ وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ
لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّـهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ ۖ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ
Amana ar-rasoolu bimaa unzila ilayhi min rabbihi wa-al-mu’minoon kullun aamana bi-llahi wa-mala’ikatihi wa-kutubihi wa-rusulihi laa nufarriqu bayna ahadin min rusulihi wa-qaloo sami’naa wa-ata’naa ghufraanaka rabbanaa wa-ilayka al-maseer. Laa yukallif Allahu nafsan illaa wus’ahaa lahaa maa kasabat wa-‘alayhaa maa iktasabat rabbanaa laa tu’aakhidnaa in nasinaa aw akhta’naa rabbanaa wa-laa tahmil ‘alaynaa isran kamaa hamaltahu ‘alaa alladheena min qablinaa rabbanaa wa-laa tuhammilnaa maa laa ṭaaqata lanaa bihi wa’fu ‘annaa wa-aghfir lanaa wa-arḥamnaa anta mawlanaa fa-ansurnaa ‘alaa al-qawmi al-kaafireen
The Messenger [firmly] believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, and so do the believers. They [all] believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, and His messengers. [They proclaim,] “We make no distinction between any of His messengers.” And they say, “We hear and obey. We seek Your forgiveness, our Lord! And to You [alone] is the final return.” Allah does not require of any soul more than what it can afford. All good will be for its own benefit, and all evil will be to its own loss. [The believers pray,] “Our Lord! Do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake. Our Lord! Do not place a burden on us like the one you placed on those before us. Our Lord! Do not burden us with what we cannot bear. Pardon us, forgive us, and have mercy on us. You are our [only] Guardian. So grant us victory over the disbelieving people.” (Qur’an 2:285-286)
Our homes are our sanctuaries, and we should strive to protect and nurture them as places of worship and salvation. Protecting our homes inherently safeguards our children. Imagine a home where the Qur’an is often recited by parents, filling the rooms with its divine words instead of TV noise. Picture Qur’ans that are regularly touched, opened, and read from, rather than collecting dust. Envision angels visiting and inviting other angels to join circles of knowledge in our homes, creating an atmosphere of familiar Qur’an recitation and practice.
Du’a for a sick child
The entire Qur’an is a remedy, shifaa, “We sent down the Qur’an as a healing and mercy for the believers” (Qur’an 17:82). As parents and caregivers, we may read from any part of the Qur’an with the earnest hope and intention that Allah will cure our child. Reciting the Qur’an over a person is an integral part of ruqya, a practice for healing from envy, the evil eye, black magic, and physical ailments.
The Prophet ﷺ even allowed a sahabi to recite Surah Al-Fatiha over a non-Muslim chief, which cured him of a physical ailment (Sahih al-Bukhari #5007). Of course, while we should trust in the healing power of Allah’s words, we must also recognize the importance of medicinal cures. When considering du’as for children with physical or intellectual disabilities, we must remember that their condition is divinely determined, and this qadar is a wisdom from Allah. Allah has chosen them for this unique trial and, likewise, selected us to exercise patience and unwavering support. To seek strength and solace, let us recite together with our children, this du’a:
اللَّهُمَّ عَافِنِي فِي بَدَنِي، اللَّهُمَّ عَافِنِي فِي سَمْعِي، اللَّهُمَّ عَافِنِي فِي بَصَرِي، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْكُفْرِ وَالْفَقْرِ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ
Allaahumma ‘aafinee fee badanee, Allaahumma ‘aafinee fee sam‘ee, Allaahumma ‘aafinee fee basaree, laa ilaaha illaa anta. Allaahumma innee a‘oodhu bika mina al-kufr wa-al-faqr, Allaahumma innee a‘oodhu bika min ‘adhaabi al-qabr, laa ilaaha illaa anta.
O Allah, make me healthy in my body. O Allah, make me healthy in my hearing. O Allah, make me healthy in my sight. There is no god but You. O Allah, I seek refuge with You from disbelief and poverty. O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the punishment of the grave. There is no god but You. (Sunan Abi Dawud 5090)
By teaching children how to worship and fostering a love for Allah, we not only nurture their spirits but also enrich our own souls.
Du’a for children to pray
The first du’a mentioned in this piece is comprehensive and inclusive of a du’a for righteous children who pray. In addition, Allah taught in the Qur’an:
رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِنَا أُمَّةً مُسْلِمَةً لَكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَا ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُRabbanaa wa-aj‘alnaa muslimayn laka wa-min dhurriyyatinaa ummatan muslimatan laka wa-arinaa manaasikanaa wa-tub ‘alaynaa innaka anta at-tawwaab ar-raheem.
Our Lord! Make us both [fully] submit to You and from our descendants a nation that will submit to you. Show us our rituals, and accept our repentance. You are truly the Acceptor of Repentance, Most Merciful. (Qur’an 2:128)
The best time to instill the habit of prayer is when children are very young. Let them play around you as you perform salah, and take them to the mosque often, even if they do not yet know how to pray.
Action must accompany du’a. For our children to enjoy praying, they must see their parents cherish it. If we pray hastily, in messy attire, distractedly, they will mimic that disregard. However, if we approach our prayers with reverence and beauty, they will naturally emulate that love and dedication.
We must embody the practices we wish for our children to adopt. We are their first role models and they observe all our virtues and flaws. It is essential to read and love the Qur’an around them, perform our sunnah rakats, and enjoy family qiyaam nights together.
Du’a for child’s intelligence
Imparting to our children the significance and potency of du’a will inspire them to seek divine aid themselves. Even the Prophet ﷺ was instructed by Allah to make du’a for his own intelligence and memory:
رَّبِّ زِدْنِى عِلْمًۭا
Rabbi zidnee ‘ilmaa.
My Lord! Increase me in knowledge. (Qur’an 20:114)
We can sit with our children and recite this du’a until it becomes their own. Teach them to invoke it particularly before delving into any study, whether it be Islamic or academic. Rather than wishing them “Good luck on the exam,” remind them of this du’a and encourage them to recite it before beginning their test. This practice will become ingrained as they mature, and there is no better du’a for studying and learning than one drawn from the Qur’an itself.
Du’a for children who have passed away
According to the majority of scholars, if a child passes away before reaching puberty, they are granted jannah, as they are pure and sinless. For such children, there is no specific du’a taught because they have not accumulated any sin. Instead, we say:
اللهُـمِّ اجْعَلْـهُ لَنا فَرَطـاً وَسَلَـفاً وَأَجْـراً
Allaahumma aj‘alhu lanaa faratan wa-salafan wa-ajran.
O Allah, make him for us a precursor, a forerunner, and a cause of reward. (Hisn al-Muslim 161)
The best du’a for the deceased and other du’as can be found in the series For Those Left Behind:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْهُ وَعَافِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنْهُ وَأَكْرِمْ نُزُلَهُ وَوَسِّعْ مُدْخَلَهُ وَاغْسِلْهُ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ وَنَقِّهِ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا نَقَّيْتَ الثَّوْبَ الأَبْيَضَ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ وَأَبْدِلْهُ دَارًا خَيْرًا مِنْ دَارِهِ وَأَهْلاً خَيْرًا مِنْ أَهْلِهِ وَزَوْجًا خَيْرًا مِنْ زَوْجِهِ وَأَدْخِلْهُ الْجَنَّةَ وَأَعِذْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ أَوْ مِنْ عَذَابِ النَّارِ
Allaahumma aghfir lahu wa-arḥamhu wa-‘aafihi wa-‘fu ‘anhu wa-akrim nuzulahu wa-wassi‘ mudkhalahu wa-aghhsilhu bil-maa’i wa-ath-thalji wa-al-barad wa-naqqihi mina al-khaṭaayaa kamaa naqqayta ath-thawba al-abyada mina ad-danas wa-abdilhu daaran khayran min daarihi wa-‘ahlan khayran min ahlihi wa-zawjan khayran min zawjihi wa-adkhilhu al-jannata wa-a‘idhhu min ‘adhaabi al-qabr aw min ‘adhaabi an-naar.
O Allah! forgive him, have mercy upon him, give him peace and absolve him. Receive him with honor and make his grave spacious; wash him with water, snow, and hail. Cleanse him from faults as Thou wouldst cleanse a white garment from impurity. Requite him with an abode more excellent than his abode, with a family better than his family, and with a mate better than his mate. Admit him to the Garden, and protect him from the torment of the grave and the torment of the Fire. (Sahih Muslim #963)
Teaching du’as to our children
The power of du’a is unparalleled, serving as a direct line to Allah’s boundless mercy and wisdom. By cultivating the habit of making du’a, we not only seek Allah’s aid but also affirm our dependence on Him, strengthening our worship, and reinforcing the principle of tawheed.
In our du’as we find not just solace, but strength, and in teaching our children to make du’a, we pass on to them the greatest inheritance of all: a connection to their Creator that will sustain them in this life and guide them to the next.
This piece was adapted from:
The Coolness of My Eyes | Taraweeh Reflections | Dr. Omar Suleiman [a]
How to Raise Muslim Children | Webinar https://www.youtube.com/live/vEvtGDvfjJw
Upheld by Allah Ep. 3: The Power of Du’a: Maryam bint Imran (as)
The Surahs That Save You | Judgment Day: Deeds that Light the Way Episode 17[b]
The Qur’an and Depression | Taraweeh Reflections https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/the-quran-and-depression-taraweeh-reflections
Hadith #35 – The Rights of Those with Disabilities | 40 Hadiths on Social Justice[c]
Ep. 3: The Best Du’as for Them | For Those Left Behind – https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/ep-3-the-best-duas-for-them-for-those-left-behind
Prophetic Prayers for Relief and Protection – https://yaqeeninstitute.org/read/paper/duas-for-relief-and-protection
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