These are short things the Prophet ︙ said at everyday moments. There is no order to learn them in. Take one, use it for a week, and leave the rest here until you want them.
How to say these
A du'a is simply asking Allah. You can say it out loud or silently, in English or in Arabic, sitting, standing, walking or lying down, and at any hour. Nothing here has to be memorised, and reading it from the screen is fine. You cannot get the words wrong — stumbling over them, forgetting half, or saying it in your own words instead does not spoil it. If you want to know more about how a particular one is said, that's a good question for a scholar — you can find someone to ask here.
Each one below is the full account it comes from, with the words of the du'a inside it. We show it whole rather than cutting it short, because deciding where a du'a begins and ends is for our scholarly board, not for us. A shorter, easier form is being prepared.
Before you eat
What it's for
Starting an ordinary, everyday act by mentioning Allah.
When
As you sit down to a meal, before the first mouthful.
I was a boy under the care of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and my hand used to go around the dish while I was
eating. So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to me, 'O boy! Mention the Name of Allah and eat with your right
hand, and eat of the dish what is nearer to you." Since then I have applied those instructions when
eating.
Narrated `Umar bin Abi Salama:
Show the Arabic
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ أَخْبَرَنِي أَنَّهُ، سَمِعَ وَهْبَ بْنَ كَيْسَانَ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عُمَرَ بْنَ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، يَقُولُ كُنْتُ غُلاَمًا فِي حَجْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَكَانَتْ يَدِي تَطِيشُ فِي الصَّحْفَةِ فَقَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم
" يَا غُلاَمُ سَمِّ اللَّهَ، وَكُلْ بِيَمِينِكَ وَكُلْ مِمَّا يَلِيكَ ". فَمَا زَالَتْ تِلْكَ طِعْمَتِي بَعْدُ.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari, hadith 5162 — Sahih al-Bukhari 5376 (Sunnah.com reference numbering)
As the meal ends, or the plates are being cleared.
Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) finished his meals (or when his dining sheet was taken away), he used to say.
"Praise be to Allah Who has satisfied our needs and quenched our thirst. Your favor cannot by
compensated or denied." Once he said, upraise be to You, O our Lord! Your favor cannot be
compensated, nor can be left, nor can be dispensed with, O our Lord!"
Narrated Abu Umama:
Show the Arabic
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَاصِمٍ، عَنْ ثَوْرِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، عَنْ خَالِدِ بْنِ مَعْدَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ إِذَا فَرَغَ مِنْ طَعَامِهِ ـ وَقَالَ مَرَّةً إِذَا رَفَعَ مَائِدَتَهُ ـ قَالَ
" الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي كَفَانَا وَأَرْوَانَا، غَيْرَ مَكْفِيٍّ، وَلاَ مَكْفُورٍ ـ وَقَالَ مَرَّةً الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّنَا، غَيْرَ مَكْفِيٍّ، وَلاَ مُوَدَّعٍ ـ وَلاَ مُسْتَغْنًى، رَبَّنَا ".
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari, hadith 5246 — Sahih al-Bukhari 5458 (Sunnah.com reference numbering)
One narration covers both ends of the day — putting it down at night, and taking it up again in the morning.
When
As you lie down, and again when you first open your eyes.
Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) intended to go to bed, he would recite: "Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya
(With Your name, O Allah, I die and I live)." And when he woke up from his sleep, he would say:
"Al-hamdu lil-lahil-ladhi ahyana ba'da ma amatana; wa ilaihi an-nushur (All the Praises are for Allah
Who has made us alive after He made us die (sleep) and unto Him is the Resurrection). "
Asking Allah for refuge. One of the shortest, and easiest to remember first.
When
Just before you step inside.
When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered the privy, and in the hadith transmitted by Hushaim (the words are): When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered the lavatory, be used to say: O Allah, I seek refuge in Thee from wicked and noxious things.
Anas reported:
Show the Arabic
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، وَقَالَ، يَحْيَى أَيْضًا أَخْبَرَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ صُهَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، - فِي حَدِيثِ حَمَّادٍ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا دَخَلَ الْخَلاَءَ وَفِي حَدِيثِ هُشَيْمٍ - أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ إِذَا دَخَلَ الْكَنِيفَ قَالَ
" اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخُبْثِ وَالْخَبَائِثِ " .
Source: Sahih Muslim, hadith 735 — Sahih Muslim 375 (Sunnah.com reference numbering)
Remembering who made the journey possible before it begins.
When
As you leave, or once you've settled into the car, train or plane.
Hallowed is He Who subdued for us this (ride) and we were not ourselves powerful enough to use It as a ride, and we are going to return to our Lord. O Allah, we seek virtue and piety from Thee in this journey of ours and the act which pleaseth Thee. O Allah, lighten this journey of ours, and make its distance easy for us. O Allah, Thou art (our) companion during the journey, and guardian of (our) family. O Allah, I seek refuge with Thee from hardships of the journey, gloominess of the sights, and finding of evil changes in property and family on return. And he (the Holy Prophet) uttered (these words), and made this addition to them: We are returning, repentant, worshipping our Lord. and praising Him.
Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them) reported that whenever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) mounted his camel while setting out on a journey, he glorified Allah (uttered Allah-o-Akbar) thrice, and then said: