Dua-e-Sabah is one of the most eloquent and profound supplications attributed to the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.). It is traditionally recited after the morning prayer (Fajr) to seek Allah’s protection, guidance, and blessings for the day ahead. The prayer is renowned for its high literary style, deep philosophical meanings, and its ability to connect the human soul with the Divine Essence at the break of dawn.
The supplication begins by praising Allah’s creative power, specifically the transition from night to day. It emphasizes that Allah is the only one who can guide us through the darkness of our souls just as He guides the world from the darkness of night into the light of morning. Reciting this dua fosters a sense of humility, reliance on God (Tawakkul), and protection from the whispers of the self (Nafs) and Satan.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.
اللَّهُمَّ يَا مَنْ دَلَعَ لِسَانَ ٱلصَّبَاحِ بِنُطْقِ تَبَلُّجِهِ
O Allah, O He Who extended the morning’s tongue in the speech of its dawning,
وَسَرَّحَ قِطَعَ ٱللَّيْلِ ٱلْمُظْلِمِ بِغَيَاهِبِ تَلَجْلُجِهِ
dispatched the fragments of the dark night into the gloom of its stammering,
وَأَتْقَنَ صُنْعَ ٱلْفَلَكِ الدَّوَّارِ فِي مَقَادِيرِ تَبَرُّجِهِ
made firm the structure of the turning spheres in the measure of its display,
وَشَعْشَعَ ضِيَاءَ ٱلشَّمْسِ بِنُورِ تَأَجُّجِهِ
and beamed forth the brightness of the sun through the light of its blazing!
يَا مَنْ دَلَّ عَلَىٰ ذَاتِهِ بِذَاتِهِ
O He Who demonstrates His Essence by His Essence,
وَتَنَزَّهَ عَنْ مُجَانَسَةِ مَخْلُوقَاتِهِ
transcends from congeniality with His creatures,
وَجَلَّ عَنْ مُلائَمَةِ كَيْفِيَّاتِهِ
and is exalted beyond conformity with His qualities!
يَا مَنْ قَرُبَ مِنْ خَطَرَاتِ ٱلظُّنُونِ
O He Who is near to the passing thoughts of opinions,
وَبَعُدَ عَنْ لَحَظَاتِ ٱلْعُيُونِ
far from the regards of eyes,
وَعَلِمَ بِمَا كَانَ قَبْلَ أَن يَكُونَ
and knows what will be before it comes to be!
يَا مَنْ أَرْقَدَنِي فِي مِهَادِ أَمْنِهِ وَأَمَانِهِ
O He Who has put me at ease in the cradle of His security and sanctuary,
وَأَيْقَظَنِي إِلَىٰ مَا مَنَحَنِي بِهِ مِنْ مِنَنِهِ وَإِحْسَانِهِ
awakened me to the favors and kindness that He has bestowed upon me,
وَكَفَّ أَكُفَّ السُّوءِ عَنِّي بِيَدِهِ وَسُلْطَانِهِ
and held back from me the claws of evil with His hand and His authority!
صَلِّ اللَّهُمَّ عَلَىٰ ٱلدَّلِيلِ إِلَيْكَ فِي ٱللَّيْلِ ٱلأَلْيَلِ
Bless, O Allah, the guide to You in the darkest night,
وَٱلْمَاسِكِ مِنْ أَسْبَابِكَ بِحَبْلِ ٱلشَّرَفِ ٱلأَطْوَلِ
who, of Your ropes, clings to the cord of the longest nobility,
وَٱلنَّاصِعِ ٱلْحَسَبِ فِي ذِرْوَةِ ٱلْكَاهِلِ ٱلأَعْبَلِ
whose pure lineage evident at the summit of stout shoulders,
وَٱلثَّابِتِ ٱلْقَدَمِ عَلَىٰ زَحَاِليْفِهَا فِي ٱلزَّمَنِ ٱلأَوَّلِ
and whose feet were entrenched in spite of slippery places in ancient time.
وَعَلَىٰ آلِهِ ٱلأَخْيَارِ ٱلْمُصْطَفَيْنَ ٱلأَبْرَارِ
And [bless] his household, the good, chosen, and pious.
وَٱفْتَحِ اللَّهُمَّ لَنَا مَصَارِيعَ ٱلصَّبَاحِ
Open for us, O Allah, the leaves of the morning’s door
بِمَفَاتِيحِ ٱلرَّحْمَةِ وَٱلْفَلاَحِ
with the keys of mercy and prosperity!
وَأَلْبِسْنِي ٱللَّهُمَّ مِنْ أَفْضَلِ خِلَعِ ٱلْهِدَايَةِ وَٱلصَّلاَحِ
Clothe me, O Allah, with the most excellent robes of guidance and righteousness!
وَٱغْرِسِ اللَّهُمَّ بِعَظَمَتِكَ فِي شِرْبِ جَنَانِي يَنَابِيعَ ٱلْخُشُوعِ
Plant, O Allah, through Your tremendousness, the springs of humility in the watering place of my heart!
وَأَجْرِ ٱللَّهُمَّ لِهَيْبَتِكَ مِنْ آمَاقِي زَفَرَاتِ ٱلدُّمُوعِ
Cause to flow, O Allah, through fear of You, tears of moaning from the corners of my eyes!
وَأَدِّبِ ٱللَّهُمَّ نَزَقَ ٱلْخُرْقِ مِنِّي بِأَزِمَّةِ ٱلْقُنُوعِ
Chastise, O Allah, the recklessness of my clumsiness with the reins of contentment!
إِلٰهِي إِن لَمْ تَبْتَدِئْنِي ٱلرَّحْمَةُ مِنْكَ بِحُسْنِ ٱلتَّوْفِيقِ
My God, if mercy from You does not begin with fair success for me,
فَمَنِ ٱلسَّاِلكُ بِي إِلَيْكَ فِي وَاضِحِ ٱلطَّرِيقِ
then who can take me to You upon the evident path?
وَإِنْ أَسْلَمَتْنِي أَنَاتُكَ لِقَائِدِ ٱلأَمَلِ وَٱلْمُنَىٰ
If Your deliberateness should turn me over to the guide of hope and wishes,
فَمَنِ ٱلْمُقِيلُ عَثَرَاتِي مِنْ كَبَوَاتِ ٱلْهَوَىٰ
then who will annul my slips from the stumbles of caprice?
وَإِنْ خَذَلَنِي نَصْرُكَ عِنْدَ مُحَارَبَةِ ٱلنَّفْسِ وَٱٱلشَّيْطَانِ
If Your help should forsake me in the battle against the soul and Satan,
فَقَدْ وَكَلَنِي خِذْلاَنُكَ إِلَىٰ حَيْثُ ٱلنَّصَبِ وَٱلْحِرْمَانِ
then Your forsaking will have submitted me to where there is hardship and deprivation.
إِلٰهِي أَتَرَانِي مَا أَتَيْتُكَ إِلاَّ مِنْ حَيْثُ ٱلآمَاِل
My God, do You see that I have only come to You from the direction of hopes,
أَمْ عَلِقْتُ بِأَطْرَافِ حِبَاِلكَ إِلاَّ حِينَ بَاعَدَتْنِي ذُنُوبِي عَنْ دَارِ ٱلْوِصَاِل
or clung to the ends of Your cords when my sins have driven me from the house of union?
فَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَطِيَّةُ الَّتِي ٱمْتَطَتْ نَفْسِي مِنْ هَوَاهَا
So what an evil mount upon which my soul has mounted-its caprice!
فَوَاهاً لَهَا لِمَا سَوَّلَتْ لَهَا ظُنُونُهَا وَمُنَاهَا
Woe upon it for being seduced by its own opinions and wishes!
وَتَبّاً لَهَا لِجُرْأَتِهَا عَلَىٰ سَيِّدِهَا وَمَوْلاهَا
Destruction be upon it for its audacity toward its Master and Protector!
إِلٰهِي قَرَعْتُ بَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ بِيَدِ رَجَائِي
My God, I have knocked upon the door of Your mercy with the hand of my hope,
وَهَرَبْتُ إِلَيْكَ لاَجِئاً مِنْ فَرْطِ أَهْوَائِي
fled to You seeking refuge from my excessive caprice,
وَعَلَّقْتُ بِأَطْرَافِ حِبَاِلكَ أَنَامِلَ وَلائِي
and fixed the fingers of my love to the ends of Your cords.
فَٱصْفَحِ اللَّهُمَّ عَمَّا كُنتُ أَجْرَمْتُهُ مِنْ زَلَلِي وَخَطَائِي
So pardon, O Allah, the slips and errors I have committed,
وَأَقِلْنِي مِنْ صَرْعَةِ رِدَائِي
and release me from the foot-tangling of my robe,
فَإِنَّكَ سَيِّدِي وَمَوْلايَ وَمُعْتَمَدِي وَرَجَائِي
for You are my Master, my Protector, my Support and my Hope,
وَأَنتَ غَايَةُ مَطْلُوبِي وَمُنَايَ فِي مُنْقَلَبِي وَمَثْوايَ
and You are the object of my search and my desire in my ultimate end and stable abode.
إِلٰهِي كَيْفَ تَطْرُدُ مِسْكِيناً ٱلْتَجَأَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ ٱلذُّنُوبِ هَارِباً
My God, how could You drive away a poor beggar who seeks refuge in You from sins, fleeing?
أَم كَيْفَ تُخَيِّبُ مُستَرْشِداً قَصَدَ إِلَىٰ جَنَابِكَ سَاعِياً
Or how could You disappoint a seeker of guidance who comes to Your presence striving?
أَمْ كَيْفَ تَرُدُّ ظَمْآٰنَ وَرَدَ إِلَىٰ حِيَاضِكَ شَارِباً
Or how could You turn away a thirsty one who comes to Your pools to drink?
كَلاَّ وَحِيَاضُكَ مُتْرَعَةٌ فِی ضَنْكِ ٱلْمُحُولِ
Never! For Your pools are overflowing even in the distress of drought,
وَبَابُكَ مَفْتُوحٌ لِّلطَّلَبِ وَٱلْوُغُولِ
and Your door is open for seeking and entering,
وَأَنْتَ غَايَةُ ٱلْمَسْؤُولِ وَنِهَايَةُ ٱلْمَأْمُولِ
and You are the ultimate object of request and the limit of hope.
إِلٰهِي هَذِهِ أَزِمَّةُ نَفْسِي عَقَلْتُهَا بِعِقَالِ مَشِيَّتِكَ
My God, these are the reins of my soul; I have tied them with the rope of Your will,
وَهَذِهِ أَعْبَاءُ ذُنُوبِي دَرَأْتُهَا بِعَفْوِكَ وَرَحْمَتِكَ
and these are the burdens of my sins; I have repelled them with Your pardon and mercy,
وَهَذِهِ أَهْوَائِيَ ٱلْمُضِلَّةُ وَكَلْتُهَا إِلَىٰ جَنَابِ لُطْفِكَ وَرَأْفَتِكَ
and these are my misleading desires; I have entrusted them to the side of Your kindness and compassion.
فَٱجْعَلِ ٱللَّهُمَّ صَبَاحِي هَذَا نَازِلاً عَلَيَّ بِضِيَاءِ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَبِٱلسَّلامَةِ فِي ٱلدِّينِ وَٱلدُّنْيَا
So make, O Allah, this morning descend upon me with the light of guidance and safety in religion and the world,
وَمَسَائِي جُنَّةً مِّنْ كَيْدِ ٱلْعِدَىٰ وَوِقَايَةً مِّنْ مُرْدِيَاتِ ٱلْهَوَىٰ
and my evening a shield from the plots of enemies and a protection from the destructive desires.
إِنَّكَ قَادِرٌ عَلَىٰ مَا تَشَاءُ تُؤْتِي ٱلْمُلْكَ مَنْ تَشَاءُ، وَتَنْزِعُ ٱلْمُلْكَ مِمَّنْ تَشَاءُ،
Indeed, You are capable of whatever You will. You give sovereignty to whom You will, and You take sovereignty from whom You will.
وَتُعِزُّ مَنْ تَشَاءُ، وَتُذِلُّ مَنْ تَشَاءُ، بِيَدِكَ ٱلْخَيْرُ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ،
You honor whom You will and You humble whom You will. In Your hand is all good. Indeed, You are over all things competent.
تُولِجُ ٱللَّيْلَ فِي ٱلنَّهَارِ، وَتُولِجُ ٱلنَّهَارَ فِي ٱللَّيْلِ وَتُخْرِجُ ٱلْحَيَّ مِنَ ٱلْمَيِّتِ، وَتُخْرِجُ ٱلْمَيِّتَ مِنَ ٱلْحَيِّ
You cause the night to enter the day, and You cause the day to enter the night; and You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living.
وَتَرْزُقُ مَنْ تَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ ٱللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ
And You give provision to whom You will without account. There is no god but You. Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You.
مَنْ ذَا يَعْرِفُ قَدْرَكَ فَلاَ يَخافُكَ وَمَنْ ذَا يَعْلَمُ مَا أَنْتَ فَلاَ يَهَابُكَ
Who is it that knows Your worth and does not fear You? And who is it that knows what You are and does not revere You?
أَلَّفْتَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ ٱلْفِرَقَ
You have united the disparate by Your power.
Dua-e-Sabah is more than just a morning prayer; it is a roadmap for a spiritual life. By acknowledging our weaknesses and Allah’s absolute power every morning, we align our souls with the divine purpose. It is a gift from Imam Ali (a.s.) to all those who seek to live a life of meaning, peace, and devotion.