Du'a al-Kumayl

The Dua and Its Origin

Du’a al-Kumayl (دُعَاءُ كُمَيل — “The Dua of Kumayl”) is a supplication transmitted from Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) to his faithful companion Kumayl ibn Ziyad al-Nakha’i.

The story of its transmission: Kumayl was with Imam Ali (AS) when he asked about the meaning of the verse:

فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيم “In it (Lailat al-Qadr), every wise matter is decreed.” (Quran 44:4)

The Imam explained the night’s significance and then taught Kumayl this dua, saying: “O Kumayl ibn Ziyad, recite this dua every Thursday night, or once a month, or once a year, or at least once in your lifetime — and you will be protected, provided for, and your sins will be forgiven.”

Du’a al-Kumayl is thus not merely a beautiful supplication — it is a specific gift from the Imam to the mumin, with a specific promised reward.

When to Recite

In Bohra practice, Du’a al-Kumayl is traditionally recited:

Thursday nights (shab-e-jumu’a — the night before Friday): Thursday night is associated with the spirit of the Ahl al-Bayt, and Du’a al-Kumayl is among the special acts recommended for this night.

Shab-e-Baraat (the night of 15 Sha’ban): The night of forgiveness when Allah decrees matters for the coming year. Reciting Du’a al-Kumayl on this night is especially meritorious — seeking Allah’s forgiveness through the intercession of Imam Ali (AS) on the night dedicated to tawbah.

Times of particular spiritual need: When the mumin feels the weight of sin, seeks forgiveness, or needs to renew their connection with Allah.

Structure of the Dua

Du’a al-Kumayl is long and structured — it moves through several profound phases:

1. Opening — Invoking Allah by His Attributes

The dua begins with one of the most beautiful passages of Arabic religious prose:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسأَلُكَ بِرَحمَتِكَ الَّتِي وَسِعَت كُلَّ شَيء، وَبِقُوَّتِكَ الَّتِي قَهَرَت كُلَّ شَيء، وَخَضَعَ لَهَا كُلُّ شَيء “O Allah, I ask You by Your mercy which encompasses all things, by Your power which subdues all things, before which all things are humble…”

This opening establishes the tone: the believer approaches Allah not through their own merit but through Allah’s own attributes — His mercy, His power, His knowledge, His forgiveness.

2. Acknowledgment of Sins

A central section of Du’a al-Kumayl is an unflinching acknowledgment of the believer’s sins — not catalogued in a legalistic way, but in a deeply personal, anguished recognition that the soul has fallen short:

اللَّهُمَّ اغفِر لِيَ الذُّنُوبَ الَّتِي تَهتِكُ العِصَم، اللَّهُمَّ اغفِر لِيَ الذُّنُوبَ الَّتِي تُنزِلُ النِّقَم… “O Allah, forgive me the sins that tear away protective barriers. O Allah, forgive me the sins that bring down calamities…”

The dua categorizes sins by their effect: sins that bring divine punishment, sins that bring illness, sins that obstruct prayers, sins that bring down blessings — forcing the supplicant to confront not just the abstract fact of sin but its spiritual consequences.

3. The Fear of Hellfire

The most emotionally powerful passage of Du’a al-Kumayl is a meditation on the punishment of Hell — and the believer’s plea not to be separated from Allah:

فَهَبنِي يَا إِلَهِي وَسَيِّدِي وَمَولَايَ وَرَبِّي صَبَرتُ عَلَى عَذَابِكَ، فَكَيفَ أَصبِرُ عَلَى فِرَاقِكَ؟ “Even if, my God, my Master, my Lord and my Nourisher, I were to endure Your punishment — how can I endure separation from You?”

This is the theological heart of the dua: the believer’s fear is not punishment itself but the loss of nearness to Allah. The fire of Hell is feared less than the absence of Allah’s presence. This passage is traditionally recited with tears.

4. The Request for Forgiveness and Mercy

After the acknowledgment of sin and the expression of anguish, Du’a al-Kumayl moves to a sustained plea for forgiveness — invoking every divine attribute of mercy:

اللَّهُمَّ وَهَذِهِ رِقَابُنَا عَاتِيَةٌ عَلَى الذُّنُوبِ مُفَكَّكَةٌ مِن أَغلَالِ التَّوبَةِ “O Allah, our necks are bent under sin, unchained from the bonds of repentance…”

The dua pleads for Allah to grant the ability to repent — recognizing that even tawbah (repentance) is a gift from Allah, not something the sinner can conjure by willpower alone.

5. The Closing — Commitment and Hope

Du’a al-Kumayl closes with a renewed commitment to worship and a statement of hope — that despite everything, the believer trusts in Allah’s mercy:

إِلَهِي وَرَبِّي مَن لِي غَيرُكَ أَسأَلُهُ كَشفَ ضُرِّي وَالنَّظَرَ فِي أَمرِي “My God and my Lord — who do I have other than You to ask for the removal of my suffering and to look after my affairs?”

The Spiritual Experience

Reciting Du’a al-Kumayl in community — as is common in Bohra gatherings on Thursday nights and on Shab-e-Baraat — is a profound collective experience:

The dua is long enough (approximately 20-30 minutes to recite properly) that the recitation becomes a sustained state of spiritual attention. The Arabic is exquisite — even those who do not know Arabic feel the weight of its language.

The passage about separation from Allah (“how can I endure separation from You?”) is traditionally a moment where the congregation weeps — an expression of the spiritual longing (shawq) that the Ahl al-Bayt tradition emphasizes as the appropriate emotional disposition of the mumin toward Allah.

Du’a al-Kumayl in the Bohra Tradition

In Bohra devotional life, Du’a al-Kumayl holds a specific place:

It is one of the duas whose recitation is encouraged by the Dawat
Community gatherings for its recitation on Thursday nights are a regular feature of Bohra religious life
The dua is a connection to Imam Ali (AS) directly — one of the few duas transmitted with such a clear chain from the Imam himself
Its recitation on Shab-e-Baraat is especially emphasized alongside the general devotions of that night

Du'a al-Kumayl — The Prayer of Imam Ali (AS)