Ramadan Dua: 9 Essential Duas for Iftar, Laylatul Qadr & More

Dua for sighting of the new moon

At the sight of the new moon (of the lunar month), the Prophet ﷺ used to supplicate: "Allahumma ahillahu 'alaina bil-amni wal-iman, was-salamati wal-Islam, Rabbi wa Rabbuk-Allah, Hilalu rushdin wa khairin." (Hadith al-Tirmidhi)

Translation: O Allah, let this moon appear on us with security and Iman; with safety and Islam. (O moon!) Your Rubb and mine is Allah. May this moon be bringing guidance and good.

Once the moon has been confirmed and you know you'll begin fasting the next day, say this dua to set your intention for the month ahead, and to ask Allah for security, faith and safety.

Seeing the new moon is also when many people exchange Ramadan Mubarak wishes with family and friends. A simple way to do this is to pair the greeting 'Ramadan Mubarak' or 'Ramadan Kareem' with a short prayer of your own — for example, asking Allah to let everyone reach the month in good health and to accept everyone's fasting and prayers.

Dua for beginning the fast

There's no recorded dua in the sunnah for the start of fasting, but here is a commonly used intention for fasting that you can recite:

وَبِصَوْمِ غَدٍ نَّوَيْتُ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ

Transliteration: Wa bisawmi ghadin nawaytu min shahri Ramadan

English Meaning: I intend to fast tomorrow in the month of Ramadan.

Start your day with intention with this dua, and then, after Fajr prayer, read your morning adhkar.

Dua for Breaking the Fast (Iftar)

اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ صُمْتُ وَعَلَى رِزْقِكَ أَفْطَرْتُ

Transliteration: Allahumma laka sumtu wa 'ala rizqika aftartu

Translation: "O Allah! For You I have fasted and upon Your provision, I have broken my fast."

Then add:

ذَهَبَ الظَّمَأُ وَابْتَلَّتِ الْعُرُوقُ وَثَبَتَ الْأَجْرُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ

Transliteration: Dhahaba al-zama'u wabtallati al-'urooq, wa thabata al-ajru in sha' Allah

Translation: "The thirst is gone, the veins are moistened, and the reward is assured, if Allah wills."

It's important to try to remember this dua to break fast in Ramadan around iftar time. Not only does it verbalise our offering and sacrifice for Allah, but it also takes advantage of a time when we know that duas are more likely to be accepted — as we break our fast. It also ensures we follow a sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ.

Iftar time is also one of the most powerful moments to give, since a fasting person's dua is accepted and the reward for feeding someone who is fasting is immense — you can donate to our Ramadan appeal to help provide iftar meals to families around the world.

Dua for the Last Ten Nights (Laylatul Qadr)

Aisha (RA) asked the Prophet ﷺ what dua she should recite if she knew it would be Laylatul Qadr. He told her to recite:

اَللَّهُمَّ اِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ ، تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي

Transliteration: Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun, tuhibbul 'afwa, fa'fu 'anni

Translation: "O Allah, You are the Most Forgiving, and You love to forgive, so forgive me."

As a minimum, we should be reciting this every single night of Ramadan, but especially in the last 10 nights. A hadith this clear and specific is a gift to the ummah, and the fact that it is short and easy means there's no excuses — say it on your way to the mosque, as you put your children to bed, or as you rise for Qiyam.

Dua for protection from Hellfire and good in the dunya

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ — a comprehensive and frequently recited supplication from the Quran (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:201).

Transliteration: Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil-'akhirati hasanatan waqina 'azaaban-nar

Translation: Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.

This was one of the most frequently recited duas by the Messenger ﷺ that is comprehensive without being long — so it's easy to remember and repeat each night. This dua lays trust in Allah to know what is good, and filled with tawakkul, putting our fates in His hands.

Dua for health, parents and halal sustenance

It's important to form a habit of praying for our health, and for those we love, to acknowledge that good health isn't taken for granted, and to request healing from the only One who can heal.

اللّهُـمَّ عافِـني في بَدَنـي ، اللّهُـمَّ عافِـني في سَمْـعي ، اللّهُـمَّ عافِـني في بَصَـري ، لا إلهَ إلاّ أَنْـتَ. اللّهُـمَّ إِنّـي أَعـوذُبِكَ مِنَ الْكُـفر ، وَالفَـقْر ، وَأَعـوذُبِكَ مِنْ عَذابِ القَـبْر ، لا إلهَ إلاّ أَنْـتَ

Transliteration: 'Allaahumma 'aafinee fee badanee, Allaahumma 'aafinee fee sam'ee, Allaahumma 'aafinee fee basaree, laa 'ilaaha 'illaa 'Anta. Allaahumma 'innee 'a'oothu bika minal-kufri, walfaqri, wa 'a'oothu bika min 'adhaabil-qabri, laa 'ilaaha 'illaa 'Anta'.

Translation: O Allah, make me healthy in my body. O Allah, preserve for me my hearing. O Allah, preserve for me my sight. There is none worthy of worship but You. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from disbelief and poverty, and I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the grave. There is none worthy of worship but You.

Ramadan is also a beautiful time to pray for our parents. The Quran teaches us this simple, heartfelt dua:

رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا

Transliteration: Rabbi irhamhuma kama rabbayani sagheera

Translation: "My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up when I was small." (Surah Al-Isra, 17:24)

Many people also use Ramadan to ask specifically for halal sustenance (rizq), following this dua reported in the sunnah:

اللَّهُمَّ اكْفِنِي بِحَلاَلِكَ عَنْ حَرَامِكَ وَأَغْنِنِي بِفَضْلِكَ عَمَّنْ سِوَاكَ

Transliteration: Allahumma-kfinee bihalalika 'an haramika wa aghnini bifadlika 'amman siwak

Translation: "O Allah, suffice me with what You have made lawful, keeping me away from what You have made unlawful, and make me independent of all others besides You." (Hadith, at-Tirmidhi)

Dua for those who have passed

For many of us, this will be a Ramadan lacking a loved one. Recite this dua across Ramadan, but especially in the last 10 days, to offer them blessings.

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُ الَّلهُمَّ ثَبِّتْهُ

Transliteration: 'Allaahum-maghfir lahu Allaahumma thabbithu'

Translation: O Allah, forgive him. O Allah, strengthen him.

Then add:

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَارْحَمْهُمْ وَعَافِهِمْ وَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَأَكْرِمْ نُزُلَهُمْ وَوَسِّعْ مُدْخَلَهُمْ وَاغْسِلْهُمْ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ وَنَقِّهِمْ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الأَبْيَضُ مِنَ الدَّنَسِ

Translation: Oh Allah, forgive them and have mercy on them and give them strength and pardon them. Be generous to them and cause their entrance to be wide and wash them with water and snow and hail. Cleanse them of their transgressions as white cloth is cleansed of stains.

General Dua for Acceptance of Deeds

اللَّهُمَّ تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا صَلاتَنَا وَصِيَامَنَا وَقِيَامَنَا

Transliteration: Allahumma taqabbal minna siyamana wa qiyamana

Translation: O Allah, accept our fasting and our night prayers.

This is a prayer you might have heard in the mosque, especially towards the end of Ramadan. In it, we ask The Most Merciful to overlook any missteps and to accept all of our prayer and fasting throughout Ramadan. More broadly, it's a reminder to ask Allah to accept all of our good deeds this Ramadan — not just fasting and prayer, but charity, kindness and every small act of worship along the way.

Simple Ramadan duas for kids

From a young age you can teach children that dua is a direct line to Allah. Help them to build it into their lives through habit, and through seeing you pray too. For children, it helps to keep duas short and easy to memorise, paired with simple meanings.

Before eating (iftar)

"O Allah, I fasted for You, and I believe in You, and I break my fast with what You gave me."

Arabic: اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ صُمْتُ وَعَلَى رِزْقِكَ أَفْطَرْتُ

Transliteration: Allahumma laka sumtu wa 'ala rizqika aftartu

Do this in Arabic or English as appropriate for your child's age and language. This teaches kids that fasting is done for Allah, and food is a gift from Him.

When seeing the moon

"Allah is the Greatest. O Allah, bring this moon with safety and faith."

Transliteration: Allahu akbar. Hilalu rushdin wa khairin.

Arabic: اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ. هِلَالُ رُشْدٍ وَخَيْرٍ

Help your children to feel the excitement of Ramadan beginning and anticipate the month ahead.

Habits

Model saying 'bismillah' before iftar and 'Alhamdulillah' after to show that all provision is from Allah — and because children, especially young ones, learn by example.

Dua for reaching Ramadan

Let's conclude with the dua not to be underestimated — a dua for us to reach the upcoming Ramadan. We all view Ramadan as a certainty, but it's only a certainty for those who reach it. Pray to Allah that you live long enough to ask for His forgiveness:

اَللّهُمَّ بَلِّغْنَا رَمَضَان

Transliteration: Allahumma Ballighna Ramadan

Translation: Oh Allah, let us reach the month of Ramadan.

Dua for fasting outside Ramadan

Fasting isn't limited to Ramadan. Many Muslims also fast voluntarily — for example on Mondays and Thursdays, the six days of Shawwal, the Day of Arafah, or Ashura — and some need to make up missed Ramadan fasts later in the year.

The intention (niyyah) for these fasts follows the same principle as in Ramadan — it's made in the heart, but can be put into words the night before or before dawn:

نَوَيْتُ صَوْمَ غَدٍ

Transliteration: Nawaitu sawma ghadin

Translation: "I intend to fast tomorrow."

The same dua used to break the fast during Ramadan — "Allahumma laka sumtu wa 'ala rizqika aftartu" (O Allah! For You I have fasted and upon Your provision, I have broken my fast) — can also be said when breaking a voluntary fast outside of Ramadan.

May Allah accept all your duas.