The qunoot is a largely forgotten sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH). Learn more about what a qunoot is and the best things to recite during the qunoot.
The qunoot is a largely forgotten sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH). Learn more about what a qunoot is and the best things to recite during the qunoot.
Qunoot or qunut is a dua recited whilst standing. In the Sunni school of thought, it is highly recommended to recite qunoot in the following scenarios:
- After ruku in the witr prayer
- After ruku in the last rakat (cycle) of the obligatory prayers, if one is going through calamity or hardship
In the Shia school of thought, the qunoot is a recommended act to perform in the second rakat of every obligatory prayer before the ruku.
How Do You Perform The Qunoot?
To perform qunoot, simply join your hands as you would in a regular dua and recite what you want. If you perform the qunoot during an obligatory prayer, you must recite the qunoot in Arabic. In the qunoot, you can say whatever dua you like. It is naturally recommended to recite duas found in the Holy Quran. Reciting a qunoot from the Quran is special because you are using the words recommended by Allah (SWT) to ask for your needs. There are so many qunoot duas from the Quran you can recite. Here are X that are short and easy to remember:
To Remain on The Path of Islam
Living and, more importantly, dying on the path of Islam is the best gift we can give ourselves. It secures us a safe passage to paradise and earns God’s pleasure, which is greater than any other pleasure we can imagine. This qunoot dua should be easy to remember as it is part of Surah Fatiha, which we have to recite in every prayer:
ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ
Ihdinas’s’iraat’al mustaqeem s’raat’al lad’eena an-a’mta a’layhim ghayril maghz’’oobi a’layhim wa laz’’ z’’aalleen
Guide us to the straight path: the path of those You have blessed, those who incur no anger and who have not gone astray.”[1:6-7]
For Acceptance of Good Deeds
We are in dire need of our little acts of worship and good deeds to be accepted by Allah (SWT). Our good deeds will shield us from the fire on the day of judgement and may even prevent our bad deeds from harming us. This dua was recited by Prophets Ibrahim and Ishmael after they finished building the Kaabah and is ideal to recite in your Isha qunoot to ensure your good deeds for that day are accepted as you complete your last obligatory prayer for the day.
رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّآ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ
Rabbanaa taqabbal minna innaka antas samee-u’l a’leem
Our Lord, accept [this] from us. You are the All Hearing, the All Knowing.
[2:127]
To Get The Best Of Both Worlds
One of the most popular duas in the qunoot is the below from Surah Baqarah. It’s a short but complete dua. It summarises exactly what every Muslim would want:
وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةًۭ وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ حَسَنَةًۭ وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ
Waminhum man yaqoolu rabbana atinafee addunya hasanatan wafee al-akhiratihasanatan waqina AAathaba annar
Our Lord, give us good in this world and in the Hereafter, and protect us from the torment of the Fire.
[2:201]
For Help Against Enemies
Whilst we might not have ‘enemies’ hell-bent on killing us, we may have adversaries or people who are difficult to deal with. They may be stopping us from practising Islam, keeping halal and so on. Recite the below dua in your qunoot for help:
وَلَمَّا بَرَزُوا۟ لِجَالُوتَ وَجُنُودِهِۦ قَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَآ أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًۭا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
Walamma barazoo lijalootawajunoodihi qaloo rabbana afrigh AAalayna sabranwathabbit aqdamana wansurnaAAala alqawmi alkafireen
And when they met Goliath and his warriors, they said, ‘Our Lord, pour patience on us, make us stand firm, and help us against the disbelievers.”
[2:250]
To Be Gifted Good Offspring
Trying to have a kid? The Quran has a dua for that. Even better if recited in your qunoot. When Prophet Zachariah recited this, he was given Prophet Yahya!
هُنَالِكَ دَعَا زَكَرِيَّا رَبَّهُۥ ۖ قَالَ رَبِّ هَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنكَ ذُرِّيَّةًۭ طَيِّبَةً ۖ إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ ٱلدُّعَآءِ
Hunalika daAAa zakariyyarabbahu qala rabbi hab lee min ladunka thurriyyatantayyibatan innaka sameeAAu adduAAa
There and then Zachariah prayed to his Lord, saying, ‘Lord, from Your grace grant me virtuous offspring: You hear every prayer.”
[3:38]
To Be Forgiven
We all want Allah (SWT) to forgive our slips. The following qunoot dua recited sincerely whilst feeling genuine guilt for our mistakes can ensure we are forgiven and start the next day with a blank slate.
وَمَا كَانَ قَوْلَهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِىٓ أَمْرِنَا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
Wama kana qawlahum illaan qaloo rabbana ighfir lana thunoobanawa-israfana fee amrina wathabbit aqdamanawansurna AAala alqawmi alkafireen
All they said was, ‘Our Lord, forgive us our sins and our excesses. Make our feet firm, and give us help against the disbelievers.”[3:147]
To Overcome a Calamity
If you are going through a difficult patch such as the loss of a loved one, income, divorce or anything that has got you down, recite this dua in your next qunoot for relief:
قُلْ مَن يُنَجِّيكُم مِّن ظُلُمَـٰتِ ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ تَدْعُونَهُۥ تَضَرُّعًۭا وَخُفْيَةًۭ لَّئِنْ أَنجَىٰنَا مِنْ هَـٰذِهِۦ لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلشَّـٰكِرِينَ
Qul man yunajjeekum min thulumatialbarri walbahri tadAAoonahu tadarruAAanwakhufyatan la-in anjana min hathihilanakoonanna mina ashshakireen
Say [Prophet], ‘Who is it that saves you from the dark depths of land and sea when you humbly and secretly call to Him [and say], “If He rescues us from this, We shall truly be thankful”?”[6:63]
