Opening the Night Prayer

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 1120

اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ، أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ، أَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ، أَنْتَ مَلِكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ، أَنْتَ الْحَقُّ، وَوَعْدُكَ الْحَقُّ، وَلِقَاؤُكَ حَقٌّ، وَقَوْلُكَ حَقٌّ، وَالْجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّارُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّبِيُّونَ حَقٌّ، وَمُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَقٌّ، وَالسَّاعَةُ حَقٌّ، اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ، وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ، وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْتُ، وَبِكَ خَاصَمْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ حَاكَمْتُ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ، أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ

Transliteration

Allahumma lakal-hamd, anta qayyimus-samawati wal-ard wa man fihinna, wa lakal-hamd, anta nurus-samawati wal-ard wa man fihinna, wa lakal-hamd, anta malikus-samawati wal-ard wa man fihinna, wa lakal-hamd, antal-haqq, wa wa'dukal-haqq, wa liqa'uka haqq, wa qawluka haqq, wal-jannatu haqq, wan-naru haqq, wan-nabiyyuna haqq, wa Muhammadun sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam haqq, was-sa'atu haqq. Allahumma laka aslamtu, wa bika amantu, wa 'alayka tawakkaltu, wa ilayka anabtu, wa bika khasamtu, wa ilayka hakamtu, faghfir li ma qaddamtu wa ma akhkhartu, wa ma asrartu wa ma a'lantu, antal-muqaddimu wa antal-mu'akhkhir, la ilaha illa ant.

Translation

O Allah, to You belongs all praise. You are the Maintainer of the heavens and the earth and all that is within them. To You belongs all praise. You are the Light of the heavens and the earth and all that is within them. To You belongs all praise. You are the King of the heavens and the earth and all that is within them. To You belongs all praise. You are the Truth. Your promise is the truth. Meeting You is the truth. Your word is the truth. Paradise is the truth. The Fire is the truth. The prophets are the truth. Muhammad, peace be upon him, is the truth. The Hour is the truth. O Allah, to You I have submitted. In You I have believed. Upon You I have relied. To You I have turned in repentance. For You I have argued. To You I refer judgment. So forgive me what I have done and what I have yet to do, what I have hidden and what I have made public. You are the One who brings forward and the One who holds back. There is no god but You.

What this dua means

The Prophet opened his night prayer by standing before Allah with praise and complete surrender.

When to read it

Say it when you begin the night prayer after waking for tahajjud.

Its virtue

It is the opening the Prophet himself used, filling the night prayer with light from its first word.

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