Duas Before Salat al-Layl

اَللّهُمَّ لَا تُؤْمِنِّي مَكْرَكَ وَلَا تُنْسِنِي ذِكْرَكَ وَلَا تَجْعَلْنِي مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ

Allahumma la tuminni makrak, wa la tunsani dhikrak, wa la taj'alni minal ghafileen.

O Allah, do not make me feel safe from Your plan, do not make me forget Your remembrance, and do not make me one of the heedless.

أَقُومُ إنْ شَاءَ اللهُ سَاعَةَ كذا وكذا

Aqumu in sha Allah sa'ata kadha wa kadha.

I shall rise, if Allah wills, at such and such an hour.

الْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِي رَدَّ عَلَيَّ رُوحي لِأَحْمَدَهُ وَأَعْبُدَهُ

Alhamdu lillahil ladhi radda alayya roohee li-ahmadahu wa a'budah.

Praise be to Allah, who returned my soul to me so that I may praise Him and worship Him.

سُبُّوحٌ قُدُّوسٌ رَبُّ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ وَالرُّوحِ

Subboohun Quddoosun Rabbul mala'ikati war-rooh

All-Glorious, All-Holy, Lord of the angels and the Spirit.

سَبَقَتْ رَحْمَتُكَ غَضَبَكَ

Sabaqat rahmatuka ghadabak

Your mercy has outstripped Your anger.

لاَ إِلَه إِلاَّ أَنْتَ سًبْحَانَكَ وَبِحَمْدِكَ عَملْتُ سُوءاً

La ilaha illa anta subhanaka wa bihamdika 'amiltu soo'an

There is no god but You, glory be to You, and with Your praise. I have done wrong

وَظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي إِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ.

Wa zalamtu nafsi faghfir li innahu la yaghfirudh-dhunooba illa ant

and wronged myself, so forgive me, for none forgives sins but You.

اَللّهُمَّ إِنَّهُ لاَ يُوَارِي مِنْكَ لَيْلٌ دَاجٍ

Allahumma innahu la yuwari minka laylun daj

O Allah, no dark night hides anything from You,

وَلاَ سَمَاءٌ ذَاتُ أَبْرَاجٍ

Wa la sama'un dhatu abraj

nor a sky of constellations,

وَلاَ أَرْضٌ ذَاتُ مِهَادٍ

Wa la ardun dhatu mihad

nor an earth spread out,

وَلاَ ظَلَمَاتٌ بَعْضُهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ

Wa la zulumatun ba'duha fawqa ba'd

nor darkness upon darkness,

وَلاَ بَحْرٌ لُجّيٌّ

Wa la bahrun lujjiyy

nor a fathomless sea,

تُدْلِجُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ الْمُدْلِجِ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ

Tudliju bayna yadayil mudliji min khalqik

as night falls on those of Your creation who travel by night.

تَعْلَمُ خَائِنَةَ الأَعْيُنِ وَمَا تُخْفِي الصُّدُورُ

Ta'lamu kha'inatal a'yuni wa ma tukhfis-sudoor

You know the treachery of the eyes and what the hearts conceal.

اَللّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa ali Muhammad

O Allah bless Muhammad and his family

اَللّهُمَّ اِنِّي اَتَوَجَّهُ اِلَيْكَ بِنَبِيِّكَ نَبِيِّ الرَّحْمَةِ وَ آلِهِ

Allahumma inni atawajjahu ilayka bi-nabiyyika nabiyyir-rahmati wa alih

O Allah I turn to You through Your Prophet the Prophet of mercy and (through) his family and I place them in front of my needs

وَ اُقَدِّمُهُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ حَوَ ائِجِي

Wa uqaddimuhum bayna yaday hawa'iji

so make me through them,

فَاجْعَلْنِي بِهِمْ وَجِيْهًا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَ الآخِرَةِ

Faj'alni bihim wajihan fid-dunya wal-akhirah

respected, in the world and in the hereafter and from the near ones

وَ مِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِيْنَ

Wa minal-muqarrabeen

O Allah have mercy on me through them

اَللّهُمَّ ارْحَمْنِي بِهِمْ وَ لاَ تُعَذِّبْنِي بِهِمْ

Allahummar-hamni bihim wa la tu'adh-dhibni bihim

and do not punish me through them

وَ اهْدِنِي بِهِمْ وَ لاَ تُضِلَّنِي بِهِمْ

Wahdini bihim wa la tudillani bihim

and guide me through them

وَ ارْزُقْنِي بِهِمْ وَ لاَ تَحْرِمْنِي بِهِمْ

Warzuqni bihim wa la tahrimni bihim

and do not lead me astray through them

وَ اقْضِ لِي حَوَائِجَ الدُّنْيَا وَ الآَخِرَةِ

Waqdi li hawa'ijad-dunya wal-akhirah

and grant me sustenance through them

اِنَّكَ عَلى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ

Innaka ala kulli shay'in qadeer

and do not deny me through them

وَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيْمٌ

Wa bikulli shay'in aleem

and fulfill my needs of the world & the hereafter

اِﻟﻬِﻲ ﻏَﺎرَتْ نُجُومُ ﺳَﻤَﺎءِكَ وَ ﻧَﺎمَتْ ﻋُﻴُﻮْنُ اَﻧَﺎﻣِﻚَ وَ هَدَاَتْ اَصْوَاتُ ﻋِﺒَﺎدِكَ وَ اَﻧْﻌَﺎﻣِﻚَ

ilaahi ghaarat nujoomu samaaika wa naamat ‘uyoonu anaamika wa hada-at aswaatuibaaduka wa an’aamika

My God, the stars of Your sky have sunk and the eyes of Your people are sleeping and the voices of Your servants and Your animals have become silent

وَ غَلَّقَتِ اﻟْﻤُﻠُﻮْكُ ﻋَﻠَﻴْﻬَﺎ اَﺑْﻮَاﺑَﻬَﺎ وَ ﻃَﺎفَ ﻋَﻠَﻴْﻬَﺎ حُرَّاسُهَا

wa ghallaqatil mulooku ‘alayha abwaabaha wa taafa ‘alayha hurraa-suhaa

and the kings have locked their doors and its guards are moving around it

وَ اﺣْﺘَﺠَﺒُﻮا عَمَّنْ ﻳَﺴْﺌَﻠُﻬُﻢْ ﺣَﺎﺟَﺔً اَوْ ﻳَﻨْﺘَﺠِﻊُ ﻣِﻨْﻬُﻢْ ﻓَﺎﺋِﺪَةً

wah-tajaboo ‘amman yasaluhum haajatan aw yantaji’u minhum faa-ida

and they are covered from he who wishes to ask them for a need or to get a benefit from them

وَ اَﻧْﺖَ اِﻟﻬِﻲ حَيٌّ قَيُّوْمٌ ﻻَ ﺗَﺎْﺧُﺬُكَ ﺳِﻨَﺔٌ وَ ﻻ ﻧَﻮْمٌ وَ ﻻَ ﻳَﺸْﻐَﻠُﻚَ ﺷَﻴْﺊٌ ﻋَﻦْ ﺷَﻴْﺊٍ

wa anta ilaahi hayyun qayyoomun laa ta-khudhuka sinatun wa laa nawmun wa la yashghaluka shayun ‘an shayin

but You my God, are Ever Living, Subsistent, slumber or sleep does not overtake you (2:255) and one thing does not occupy You from another

اَﺑْﻮَابُ ﺳَﻤَﺎﺋِﻚَ ﻟِﻤَﻦْ دَﻋَﺎكَ مُفَتَّحَاتٌ وَ ﺧَﺰَاﺋِﻨُﻚَ ﻏَﻴْﺮُ مُغَلَّقَاتٍ

abwaabu samaaika liman da’aaka mufattahaatun wa khazaainuka ghairu mughallaqaatin

the doors of Your sky are open for he who asks You and Your treasures are never locked

وَ اَﺑْﻮَابُ رَﺣْﻤَﺘِﻚَ ﻏَﻴْﺮُ ﻣَﺤْﺠُﻮْﺑَﺎتٍ وَ ﻓَﻮَاﺋِﺪُكَ ﻟِﻤَﻦْ ﺳَﺄَﻟَﻚَ ﻏَﻴْﺮُ ﻣَﺤْﻈُﻮْرَاتٍ ﺑَﻞْ هِيَ ﻣَﺒْﺬُوْﻻَتٌ

wa abwaabu rahmatika ghairu mahjoobaatin wa fawaaiduka liman sa-a-laka ghairu mahdhooraatin, bal he-ya mabdhoolatun

and the doors of Your mercy are never covered and Your benefits are never forbidden for he who asks You rather they are given generously.

اَﻧْﺖَ اِﻟﻬِﻲ اَﻟْﻜَﺮِﻳْﻢُ الَّذِي ﻻَ تَرُدُّ ﺳَﺎﺋِﻼً ﻣِﻦَ اﻟْﻤُﺆْﻣِﻨِﻴْﻦَ ﺳَﺄَﻟَﻚَ

anta ilaahee al-karremul-ladhee laa taruddu saailan min-al momineena sa-a-lak

You are my God, the Generous who does not turn away a beseecher who asks from You

وَ ﻻَ ﺗَﺤْﺘَﺠِﺐُ ﻋَﻦْ اَﺣَﺪٍ ﻣِﻨْﻬُﻢْ اَرَادَكَ. ﻻَ وَ عِزَّتِكَ وَ ﺟَﻼَﻟِﻚَ

wa laa tahtajibu ‘an ahadin minhum araadak, laa wa ‘izzatika wa jalaalika

and You do not conceal Yourself from anyone of the believers who intends You. No, by Your Honor and Your Majesty

وَ ﻻَ ﺗُﺨْﺘَﺰَلُ ﺣَﻮَاﺋِﺠَﻬُﻢْ دُوْﻧَﻚَ وَ ﻻَ ﻳَﻘْﻀِﻴْﻬَﺎ اَﺣَﺪٌ ﻏَﻴْﺮُكَ

wa laa tukhtazaloo hawaaijahum doonaka wa laa yaqdheeha ahadun ghairuk

no one removes their needs other than You and no one fulfills their needs apart from You.

اللَّهُمَّ وَ ﻗَﺪْ ﺗَﺮَاﻧِﻲ وَ وُﻗُﻮْﻓِﻲ وَ ذُلَّ ﻣَﻘَﺎﻣِﻲ ﺑَﻴْﻦَ ﻳَﺪَﻳْﻚَ

allahumma wa qad taraane wa wuqoofu wa dhulla maqaamee bayna yadayka

O Allah You see me, and my standing (before You) and my humble position in front of You

وَ ﺗَﻌْﻠَﻢُ ﺳَﺮِﻳْﺮَﺗِﻲ وَ تَطَّلِعُ ﻋَﻠﻰ ﻣَﺎ ﻓِﻲ ﻗَﻠْﺒِﻲ وَ ﻣَﺎ ﻳَﺼْﻠِﺢُ ﺑِﻪِ اَﻣْﺮُ آﺧِﺮَﺗِﻲ وَ دُﻧْﻴَﺎيَ

wa ta’lamu sareeratee wa tat=tali’u ‘alaa maa fee qalbee wa maa yaslihu bihi amru aakhiratee wa dunyaaya

and You know my secrets and are aware of what is in my heart and of what will improve my affairs of the Hereafter and the world.

اللَّهُمَّ اِنَّ ذِكْرَ اﻟْﻤَﻮْتِ وَ اَهْوَالِ الْمُطَّلِعِ وَاﻟْﻮُﻗُﻮْفَ ﺑَﻴْﻦَ يَدَيْكَ

allahumma inna dhikral mawti wa ahwaalil muttali’i wal wuqoofa bayna yadayka

O Allah, the remembrance of death and the frightening conditions of the observer and standing before You

نَغَّصَنِي ﻣَﻄْﻌَﻤِﻲ وَﻣَﺸْﺮَﺑِﻲ وَ اَغَصَّنِي ﺑِﺮِﻳْﻘِﻲ اَﻗْﻠَﻘَﻨِﻲ ﻋَﻦْ وِﺳَﺎدِي وَ ﻣَﻨَﻌَﻨِﻲ رُﻗَﺎدِي

nagh-ghasanee mat’amee wa mashrabee wa aghassanee bee-reeqee aqlaqanee ‘an wisaadee wa mana’anee ruqaadee

makes me stay away from my food and drink and makes me choke, keeps me away from my pillow and prevents me from sleeping.

كَيْفَ ﻳَﻨَﺎمُ ﻣَﻦْ ﻳَﺨَﺎفُ ﻣَﻠَﻚَ اﻟْﻤَﻮْتِ ﻓِﻲ ﻃَﻮَارِقِ اللَّيْلِ وَ ﻃَﻮَارِقِ النَّهَارِ

kayfa yanaamu man yakhaafu malakal mawtu fee tawaariqil-layli wa tawaariqin-nahaari

How can one sleep who fears the angel of death? in the calamities of the night and the calamities of the day

ﺑَﻞْ كَيْفَ ﻳَﻨَﺎمُ اﻟْﻌَﺎﻗِﻞُ وَ ﻣَﻠَﻚُ اﻟْﻤَﻮْتِ ﻻَ ﻳَﻨَﺎمُ ﻻَ بِاللَّيْلِ وَ ﻻَ بِالنَّهَارِ

bal kayfa yanaamul ‘aaqilu wa malakul mawti laa yanamu laa bil-layli wa laa binnahaari

rather how can an intelligent person sleep while the angel of death does not sleep neither at night nor in the day

وَ ﻳَﻄْﻠُﺐُ رُوْﺣَﻪُ ﺑِﺎﻟْﺒَﻴَﺎتِ وَ ﻓِﻲ آﻧَﺎءِ السَّاعَاتِ

wa yatlubu ruhahu bil bayaati wa fee aaanaais-sa’aati

and seeks his soul in the state of sleep and in the middle of the hours

اَﺳْﺄَﻟُﻚَ الرَّوحَ وَ الرَّاحةَ ﻋِﻨْﺪَ اﻟْﻤَﻮْتِ وَ اﻟْﻌَﻔْﻮَ عَنِّي ﺣِﻴْﻦَ اَﻟْﻘَﺎك

asalukar-rawha war-raahata ‘indal mawti wal ‘afwa ‘annee heena alqaak

I beseech You to give me ease and comfort at the time of death and forgiveness when I meet You

اِلٰهِيْ كَمْ مِنْ مُوْبِقَةٍ حَلُمْتَ عَنْ مُقَابَلَتِهَا بِنِقْمَتِكَ

Ilahi kam min moobiqatin halumta an muqabalatiha bi-niqmatik

My God, how many destructive sins have occurred where You showed forbearance instead of meeting them with Your punishment,

وَكَمْ مِنْ جَرِيْرَةٍ تَكَرَّمْتَ عَنْ كَشْفِهَا بِكَرَمِكَ

Wa kam min jareeratin takarramta an kashfiha bi-karamik

And how many crimes were committed which You generously concealed through Your noble grace.

اِلٰهِيْ اِنْ طَالَ فِيْ عِصْيَانِكَ عُمْرِيْ

Ilahi in taala fee isyanika umree

My God, even if my lifespan was long in Your disobedience,

وَ عَظُمَ فِيْ الصُّحُفِ ذَنْبِيْ

Wa azuma fis-sohufi dhanbee

And my sins grew vast within the record of deeds,

فَمَا اَنَا مُؤَمِّلٌ غَيْرَ غُفْرَانِكَ

Fama ana mu'ammilun ghayra ghufranik

I harbor no hope for anything other than Your forgiveness,

وَ لَا اَنَا بِرَاجٍ غَيْرَ رِضْوَانِكَ

Wa la ana bi-rajin ghayra ridwanik

Nor do I wish for anything other than Your good pleasure.

اِلٰهِيْ اُفَكِّرُ فِيْ عَفْوِكَ فَتَهُوْنُ عَلَيَّ خَطِيْئَتِيْ

Ilahi ufakkiru fee afwika fatahoolu alayya khatee'atee

My God, when I reflect upon Your pardon, my sins seem small to me,

ثُمَّ اَذْكُرُ الْعَظِيْمَ مِنْ اَخْذِكَ فَتَعْظُمُ عَلَيَّ بَلِيَّتِيْ

Thumma adhkurul azeema min akhdhika fata'zumu alayya baliyyatee

Yet when I recall the severity of Your retribution, my affliction appears immense.

اٰهٍ اِنْ اَنَا قَرَاْتُ فِيْ الصُّحُفِ سَيِّئَةً اَنَا نَاسِيْهَا وَ اَنْتَ مُحْصِيْهَا

Ahin in ana qara'tu fis-sohufi sayyi'atan ana nasiyaha wa anta muhseeyaha

Ah, what grief if I read a sin in the scrolls that I have forgotten while You have recorded it,

فَتَقُوْلُ: خُذُوْهُ

Fataqoolu: Khudhooh

And You command: "Seize him!"

فَيَا لَهٗ مِنْ مَأْخُوْذٍ لَا تُنْجِيْهِ عَشِيْرَتُهٗ

Fa ya lahoo min ma'khoodhin la tunjeehi asheeratuh

O how helpless is that captive whom his own kin cannot rescue,

وَ لَا تَنْفَعُهٗ قَبِيْلَتُهٗ

Wa la tanfa'uhu qabeelatuh

Nor can his tribe benefit him,

يَرْحَمُهُ الْمَلَأُ اِذَا اُذِنَ فِيْهِ بِالنِّدَاءِ

Yarhamuhul mala'u idha udhina feehi bin-nida'

Pitied by the gathering when the call for his judgment is announced.

اٰهٍ مِنْ نَارٍ تُنْضِجُ الْاَكْبَادَ وَ الْكُلٰى

Ahin min narin tundijul akbada wal-kula

Ah, what grief from a fire that consumes the livers and the kidneys,

اٰهٍ مِنْ نَارٍ نَزَّاعَةٍ لِلشَّوٰى

Ahin min narin nazza'atin lish-shawa

Ah, what grief from a fire that strips away the scalp and flesh,

اٰهٍ مِنْ غَمْرَةٍ مِنْ لَهَبَاتٍ لَظٰى

Ahin min ghamratin min lahabatin laza

Ah, what grief from being submerged beneath the blazing flames of hellfire.