Dua e Qunoot (دعاء القنوت) is one of the most important duas in a Muslim's daily prayer life. It is the supplication recited in the Witr prayer — the final prayer of the night — and is a direct teaching from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to his beloved grandson Hasan ibn Ali (رضي الله عنهما).

In this complete guide, you will find the full Arabic text, transliteration, and English translation of Dua e Qunoot — plus when to recite it, how it differs across the four madhabs, and how to teach it to children.

📖 The Hadith Behind This Dua:
Al-Hasan ibn Ali (رضي الله عنهما) narrated: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught me some words to say in the Witr prayer: 'Allaahumma-hdini feeman hadayt...'" — (Abu Dawud 1425, Tirmidhi 464, An-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah — all authenticated as Hasan/Sahih)

Dua e Qunoot — Full Arabic Text with Transliteration

This is the widely recited Dua e Qunoot (also known as Qunoot al-Witr), taught by the Prophet ﷺ to Hasan ibn Ali — the most authentic narration:

🌙 Dua e Qunoot · Qunoot al-Witr
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، وَلَا يَعِزُّ مَنْ عَادَيْتَ، تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى مَا قَضَيْتَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ
Transliteration:

Allaahumma-hdini feeman hadayt,
wa 'aafini feeman 'aafayt,
wa tawallanee feeman tawallayt,
wa baarik lee feemaa a'tayt,
wa qinee sharra maa qadayt,
fa innaka taqdee wa laa yuqdaa 'alayk,
wa innahu laa yadhillu man waalayt,
wa laa ya'izzu man 'aadayt,
tabaarakta Rabbanaa wa ta'aalayt,
wa lakal-hamdu 'alaa maa qadayt,
astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilayk.
English Translation:

O Allah, guide me among those You have guided,
and pardon me among those You have pardoned,
and befriend me among those You have befriended,
and bless me in what You have granted,
and protect me from the evil of what You have decreed.
For verily You decree, and none can decree over You,
and he is not humiliated whom You befriend,
and he is not honored whom You oppose.
Blessed are You, our Lord, and Exalted.
And Yours is the praise for what You have decreed.
I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance.

Extended Dua e Qunoot (Longer Version)

Some scholars also recite an additional Qunoot dua after the above. This is commonly known in the Hanafi tradition and combines the Qunoot with Salawat on the Prophet ﷺ:

📿 Additional Qunoot Dua
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 innaa nasta'eenuka wa nastaghfiruka wa nu'minu bika wa natawakkalu 'alayka wa nuthni 'alaykal-khayr, wa nashkuruka wa laa nakfuruka wa nakhla'u wa natruku man yafjuruk. Allahumma iyyaaka na'budu wa laka nusalli wa nasjudu wa ilayka nas'aa wa nahfidu wa narju rahmataka wa nakhsha 'adhaabaka, inna 'adhaabaka bil-kuffari mulhiq.
English Translation:

O Allah, we seek Your help, we seek Your forgiveness, we believe in You, we place our trust in You, we praise You with all good, we thank You, we do not deny You, and we disown and abandon those who disobey You. O Allah, You alone do we worship, and to You we pray and prostrate, and to You we hasten and serve, and we hope for Your mercy and fear Your punishment. Verily, Your punishment is bound to overtake the disbelievers.

Line-by-Line Meaning of Dua e Qunoot

Understanding each line deepens your focus (khushu') when reciting it in salah:

اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ Allahumma-hdini feeman hadayt O Allah, guide me among those You have guided
وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ wa 'aafini feeman 'aafayt and grant me health among those You have granted health
وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ wa tawallanee feeman tawallayt and befriend me among those You have befriended
وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ wa baarik lee feemaa a'tayt and bless me in what You have given me
وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ wa qinee sharra maa qadayt and protect me from the evil You have decreed
فَإِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلَا يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ fa innaka taqdee wa laa yuqdaa 'alayk for You decree and none can decree against You
لَا يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ laa yadhillu man waalayt none is humiliated whom You befriend
وَلَا يَعِزُّ مَنْ عَادَيْتَ wa laa ya'izzu man 'aadayt and none is honored whom You oppose
تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ tabaarakta Rabbanaa wa ta'aalayt Blessed are You, our Lord, and Most Exalted
أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilayk I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You

When is Dua e Qunoot Recited?

🕌 In Witr Prayer
Recited in the final rak'ah of Witr (the odd-numbered night prayer). This is agreed upon by all four major madhabs as the primary occasion.
🌅 In Fajr Prayer
Those following the Shafi'i madhab recite Qunoot in the second rak'ah of Fajr prayer, after rising from ruku'. This is a well-known scholarly position.
⚠️ Qunoot an-Nawazil
During times of widespread calamity, disaster, or crisis, the imam recites a special Qunoot supplication in all five daily prayers. This is proven from the Sunnah.
🌙 After or Before Ruku'?
Hanafi madhab: Qunoot is recited before ruku' in Witr. Shafi'i and Hanbali: after ruku'. Both positions are from authentic narrations — follow your local imam.

How to Recite Dua e Qunoot in Witr — Step by Step

1
Complete two rak'ahs of Witr
Witr consists of either 1, 3, 5, 7, or 11 rak'ahs — most commonly 3. Pray the first two rak'ahs normally as you would any other prayer.
2
Stand for the final rak'ah
In the third rak'ah, recite Surah Al-Fatiha and another surah (commonly Surah Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, and An-Naas).
3
Raise your hands and say Takbeer
After the surah, raise your hands to shoulder level saying "Allahu Akbar" — this signals the beginning of Qunoot.
4
Recite Dua e Qunoot
With hands raised in the dua position (palms facing upward), recite the Dua e Qunoot quietly or silently. You may raise your hands or hold them in front of you — both are acceptable.
5
Proceed with ruku' (bowing)
After completing the Qunoot, go into ruku' as normal. Then continue with the rest of the rak'ah until the final salaam.

Virtues and Benefits of Dua e Qunoot

  • Direct teaching of the Prophet ﷺ: It was personally taught by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to Hasan ibn Ali — making it one of the most authenticated duas in existence.
  • Asks for the best of this world and the Next: The dua encompasses guidance, health, friendship with Allah, blessings, and protection from harm — a comprehensive request for all goodness.
  • Part of the Witr prayer: The Prophet ﷺ said: "Make Witr the last of your night prayers." (Bukhari). Ending the night with this dua connects you deeply with Allah before sleep.
  • Acknowledges Allah's complete authority: The phrase "fa innaka taqdee wa laa yuqdaa 'alayk" (You decree and none can decree against You) is a profound declaration of tawakkul (trust in Allah).
  • Ends with tawbah (repentance): The dua closes with "astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilayk" — seeking forgiveness and turning back to Allah, which is the highest spiritual act.

Teaching Dua e Qunoot to Children

Dua e Qunoot can be taught to children as young as 5–6 years old who are beginning to pray. Here is how:

  • Learn it in sections: Teach 2–3 lines at a time over several days, not all at once.
  • Recite it with them: Pray Witr with your child and let them recite it alongside you every night — repetition is the key.
  • Explain the meaning simply: Even young children understand "We're asking Allah to guide us and protect us from bad things."
  • Use the transliteration: For younger children who haven't learned Arabic script yet, use the transliteration above.
  • Make it a routine: Children who recite it every night in Witr will have it memorized within 2–3 weeks naturally.
At NoorPath Academy, our tutors teach Dua e Qunoot alongside correct Witr prayer methods, Tajweed, and Quran recitation — all in one structured lesson. See our Islamic Studies course → or book a free trial class.

Frequently Asked Questions about Dua e Qunoot

What is Dua e Qunoot?
Dua e Qunoot (دعاء القنوت) is a special supplication recited in the Witr prayer. It was taught by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to his grandson Hasan ibn Ali (رضي الله عنهما), narrated in Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, and An-Nasa'i with authentic chains. It asks Allah for guidance, health, blessings, and protection from the evil of His decree.
Is Dua e Qunoot wajib (obligatory)?
According to the Hanafi madhab, Dua e Qunoot is wajib (obligatory) in Witr prayer. Forgetting it requires a sajdah sahw (prostration of forgetfulness). According to the Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali madhabs, it is a strongly recommended Sunnah. All four madhabs agree it should be recited.
What is the difference between Qunoot al-Witr and Qunoot an-Nawazil?
Qunoot al-Witr is the regular supplication recited every night in the Witr prayer, beginning with "Allahumma-hdini." Qunoot an-Nawazil is a special supplication made during times of calamity — it is recited in all five daily prayers (or in Fajr only, according to some scholars) until the crisis passes. Both are authentic Sunnah.
Can you recite Dua e Qunoot in your own language?
According to the majority of scholars, the Qunoot in Witr should be recited in Arabic. However, if a person does not know Arabic and is still learning, some scholars permit making dua in one's own language. The goal is to learn the Arabic text as soon as possible, as the prayer is primarily in Arabic.
How many rak'ahs is Witr prayer?
Witr prayer can be 1, 3, 5, 7, or 11 rak'ahs — it must be an odd number. The most common is 3 rak'ahs. It is performed after Isha prayer and before Fajr. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Make Witr the last of your night prayers." (Bukhari). Dua e Qunoot is recited in the final rak'ah.