Twelve short daily duas for children, for eating, sleeping, waking, leaving home, the toilet, sneezing, the mosque and parents, in Arabic, transliteration and simple English, each with its source.
Before eatingبِسْمِ اللَّهِBismillah.In the name of Allah.Sahih al-Bukhari 5376If you forgot Bismillahبِسْمِ اللَّهِ أَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُBismillahi awwalahu wa akhirah.In the name of Allah, at its beginning and its end.Sunan Abi Dawud 3767After eatingالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنِي هَذَا الطَّعَامَ وَرَزَقَنِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَلَا قُوَّةٍAlhamdu lillahil-ladhi at‘amani hadhat-ta‘ama wa razaqanihi min ghairi hawlim-minni wa la quwwah.All praise is for Allah who fed me this food and provided it for me without any power or strength from me.Sunan Abi Dawud 4023; Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 3458 (Imam Tirmidhi: hasan gharib)Before sleepingبِاسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَاBismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya.In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live.Sahih al-Bukhari 6324Waking upالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُAlhamdu lillahil-ladhi ahyana ba‘da ma amatana wa ilaihin-nushur.All praise is for Allah, who gave us life after He caused us to die, and to Him is the return.Sahih al-Bukhari 6324Leaving homeبِسْمِ اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِBismillahi tawakkaltu ‘alallah, la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah.In the name of Allah, I trust in Allah; there is no might and no power except with Allah.Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 3426 (Imam Tirmidhi: hasan sahih gharib); Sunan Abi Dawud 5095Entering the toiletاللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخُبُثِ وَالْخَبَائِثِAllahumma inni a‘udhu bika minal-khubuthi wal-khaba’ith.O Allah, I seek refuge in You from all evil and evil beings.Sahih al-Bukhari 142Leaving the toiletغُفْرَانَكَGhufranak.I ask for Your forgiveness.Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 7 (Imam Tirmidhi: hasan gharib); Sunan Abi Dawud 30When you sneezeالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِAlhamdulillah. (Others reply: Yarhamukallah. You answer: Yahdikumullahu wa yuslihu balakum.)All praise is for Allah.Sahih al-Bukhari 6224Entering the mosqueاللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَAllahummaf-tah li abwaba rahmatik.O Allah, open for me the doors of Your mercy.Sahih Muslim 713Leaving the mosqueاللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَAllahumma inni as’aluka min fadlik.O Allah, I ask You of Your bounty.Sahih Muslim 713For your parentsرَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًاRabbir-hamhuma kama rabbayani saghira.O my Lord, have mercy on them both, as they brought me up when I was small.Quran 17:24. English meaning based on Kanz-ul-Iman (Imam Ahmad Raza Khan)
How our teachers help children learn duas
One dua a week is plenty for young children.
Use it in the moment: before the meal, at the door, at bedtime.
Make a chart and add a sticker for each dua learned.
Praise effort, not perfection.
Frequently asked questions
At what age should children learn duas?
As soon as they start talking. Toddlers can say Bismillah and Alhamdulillah; by five or six most children can learn the eating, sleeping and leaving-home duas.
How can I help my child remember duas?
Say each dua out loud at the right moment every day and let your child say it with you. Repetition in daily life works better than memorising a list.
Can a teacher help?
Yes. Our Islamic studies classes teach daily duas one to one, with their meanings, alongside Salah and the kalimas.
Sources
Hadith: Sahih al-Bukhari 142, 5376, 6224 and 6324; Sahih Muslim 713; Sunan Abi Dawud 30, 3767, 4023 and 5095; Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 7, 3426 and 3458. Hadith numbers as on sunnah.com; gradings are Imam Tirmidhi’s own verdict in his Jami‘.
Quran: Arabic from the Tanzil Quran text; English meaning based on Kanz-ul-Iman by Imam Ahmad Raza Khan, checked against the Kanz-ul-Iman text on dawateislami.net (Al-Isra 17:24).
Learn duas with a caring teacher
In our one-to-one Islamic studies classes, children learn daily duas, their meanings and when to say them. Three free trial classes.
