Du'a al-Istiftah (Opening Supplication).

 

This dua is called the Du'a al-Istiftah (Opening Supplication). It is a Sunnah (recommended) supplication recited after the Takbir al-Ihram (the opening Takbir: "Allahu Akbar") at the start of Salah, before reciting Surah Al-Fatihah.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to call this du'a:

Word-by-Word Meaning of the Du'a

Below is the breakdown of the beautiful supplication, اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَايَ, recited in Salah as part of the opening supplication (Du'a al-Istiftah).

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Arabic Text:

اللَّهُمَّ بَاعِدْ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ خَطَايَايَ كَمَا بَاعَدْتَ بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ. اللَّهُمَّ نَقِّنِي مِنْ خَطَايَايَ كَمَا يُنَقَّى الثَّوْبُ الْأَبْيَضُ مِنْ الدَّنَسِ. اللَّهُمَّ اغْسِلْنِي مِنْ خَطَايَايَ بِالْمَاءِ وَالثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ.

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Transliteration:

Allahumma ba'id bayni wa bayna khatayaya kama ba'adta bayna al-mashriqi wa al-maghrib. Allahumma naqqini min khatayaya kama yunaqqa ath-thawbu al-abyadu mina ad-danas. Allahumma ighsilni min khatayaya bil-ma'i wa ath-thalji wa al-barad.

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Word-by-Word Breakdown

Arabic Word	Transliteration	Meaning
اللَّهُمَّ	Allahumma	O Allah
بَاعِدْ	ba'id	Distance (or separate)
بَيْنِي	bayni	Between me
وَبَيْنَ	wa bayna	And between
خَطَايَايَ	khataayaaya	My sins
كَمَا	kama	Just as
بَاعَدْتَ	ba'adta	You have distanced
بَيْنَ	bayna	Between
الْمَشْرِقِ	al-mashriq	The east
وَالْمَغْرِبِ	wa al-maghrib	And the west
اللَّهُمَّ	Allahumma	O Allah
نَقِّنِي	naqqini	Purify me
مِنْ	min	From
خَطَايَايَ	khataayaaya	My sins
كَمَا	kama	Just as
يُنَقَّى	yunaqqa	Is purified
الثَّوْبُ	ath-thawb	The garment
الْأَبْيَضُ	al-abyad	The white
مِنَ	mina	From
الدَّنَسِ	ad-danas	The dirt/filth
اللَّهُمَّ	Allahumma	O Allah
اغْسِلْنِي	ighsilni	Wash me
بِالْمَاءِ	bil-ma'i	With water
وَالثَّلْجِ	wa ath-thalji	And snow
وَالْبَرَدِ	wa al-barad	And hail

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Translation:

"O Allah, distance me from my sins as You have distanced the east from the west. O Allah, purify me of my sins as a white garment is purified from filth. O Allah, wash away my sins with water, snow, and hail."

Narrator: Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه).

1. Context: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would recite this du'a after Takbir al-Ihram and before Surah Al-Fatihah in Salah.
2. Books:
   • Sahih al-Bukhari (744).
   • Sahih Muslim (598).

in sha allah will continue....