Dua e Qunoot: Arabic Text, Translation, and How to Recite It in Witr
Quick answer: Dua e Qunoot is the supplication recited in the Witr prayer. In the Hanafi school, which most Pakistanis follow, it is read in the third rakat of Witr after the recitation and before ruku. The most common text begins with “Allahumma inna nasta’inuka”.
What Is Dua e Qunoot?
Qunoot (قنوت) carries the sense of devout, humble standing before Allah. Dua e Qunoot, also searched as dua qunoot or qunoot dua, is a specific supplication made while standing in prayer, most often in Witr, the odd-numbered prayer performed after Isha.
Two texts are widely recited. The first is the long dua most Hanafi households learn as children. The second is the shorter dua the Prophet ﷺ taught his grandson Hasan ibn Ali for Witr, reported in the collections of Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi.
Dua e Qunoot: Arabic Text, Transliteration, and Meaning
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْتَعِينُكَ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَنُؤْمِنُ بِكَ وَنَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْكَ وَنُثْنِي عَلَيْكَ الْخَيْرَ وَنَشْكُرُكَ وَلَا نَكْفُرُكَ وَنَخْلَعُ وَنَتْرُكُ مَنْ يَفْجُرُكَ
اللَّهُمَّ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَلَكَ نُصَلِّي وَنَسْجُدُ وَإِلَيْكَ نَسْعَى وَنَحْفِدُ وَنَرْجُو رَحْمَتَكَ وَنَخْشَى عَذَابَكَ إِنَّ عَذَابَكَ بِالْكُفَّارِ مُلْحِقٌ
Transliteration: Allahumma inna nasta’inuka wa nastaghfiruka wa nu’minu bika wa natawakkalu ‘alayka wa nuthni ‘alaykal-khayr, wa nashkuruka wa la nakfuruka, wa nakhla’u wa natruku man yafjuruka. Allahumma iyyaka na’budu wa laka nusalli wa nasjudu wa ilayka nas’a wa nahfidu, wa narju rahmataka wa nakhsha ‘adhabaka, inna ‘adhabaka bil-kuffari mulhiq.
Meaning (tarjuma): O Allah, we ask You for help and forgiveness, we believe in You, rely on You, and praise You with all good. We thank You and are not ungrateful, and we cast off and abandon anyone who disobeys You. O Allah, You alone we worship; for You we pray and prostrate; toward You we strive and hasten. We hope for Your mercy and fear Your punishment, for Your punishment will surely reach those who reject the truth.
The Second Dua: Taught to Hasan ibn Ali
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلَا يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لَا يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
Transliteration: Allahumma-hdini fiman hadayt, wa ‘afini fiman ‘afayt, wa tawallani fiman tawallayt, wa barik li fima a’tayt, wa qini sharra ma qadayt, fa innaka taqdi wa la yuqda ‘alayk, wa innahu la yadhillu man walayt, tabarakta rabbana wa ta’alayt.
Meaning: O Allah, guide me among those You have guided, grant me well-being among those You have granted it, take me into Your care among those You have cared for, and bless what You have given me. Protect me from the evil of what You have decreed, for You decree and none decrees over You. Whoever You befriend is never humiliated. Blessed and exalted are You, our Lord.
How to Recite Dua e Qunoot in Witr (Hanafi Method)
- Pray the first two rakats of Witr as usual.
- In the third rakat, recite Surah Al-Fatiha and another surah.
- Say Allahu Akbar raising your hands to your ears, then fold them again.
- Recite Dua e Qunoot while standing.
- Go into ruku and finish the prayer normally.
Schools of fiqh differ on details. Shafi’i scholars recite qunoot in the second rakat of Fajr, and in Witr during the second half of Ramadan. Others place it after ruku. If you follow a particular school, check the details with your local scholar.
What If You Don’t Remember Dua e Qunoot?
Many Hanafi scholars say a person who has not yet memorized it can recite the dua from Surah Al-Baqarah, Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil-akhirati hasanatan wa qina ‘adhaban-nar, in its place. Another common recommendation is to say “Allahummaghfir li” three times. Keep working on memorizing the real text, a few words per night, and ask your imam which fallback he advises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dua e Qunoot recited in every prayer?
No. In the Hanafi school it belongs to Witr. Other schools also recite it in Fajr, and there is a separate qunoot of calamity (qunoot nazilah) in times of hardship for the community.
Do you recite Dua e Qunoot in Witr outside Ramadan?
In the Hanafi school, yes: qunoot is part of Witr all year, not only in Ramadan. The Shafi’i view limits it to the second half of Ramadan.
Is Dua e Qunoot compulsory?
Hanafi fiqh counts it among the wajib acts of Witr. If it is missed by mistake, scholars generally advise performing the prostration of forgetfulness (sajdah sahw). Ask your scholar for your specific case.
Can I recite it in English or Urdu?
The Arabic text is what is prescribed in prayer. Reading the translation outside prayer helps you understand it and recite with presence.
Conclusion
Dua e Qunoot is short, and the meaning is worth sitting with. It asks for help, forgiveness, guidance, and protection, and states clearly who we worship. Learn the Arabic, read the tarjuma once a week, and your Witr will start to feel different.
Related reading: how many rakats are in each prayer, Tahajjud prayer, how to make dua, and Istikhara ki dua. You can also browse upcoming Islamic gatherings near you.