Du'a al-Qunoot

What Is Qunoot?

The word qunoot appears in the Quran and hadith with two related meanings:

Prolonged, devoted standing in worship — the root meaning of quiet, focused devotion before Allah
The specific supplication (du’a) recited in the standing position (qiyam) during prayer

The Prophet (SAW) is reported to have recited qunoot in various prayers during times of calamity (qunoot al-nazila) — praying for specific communities or situations. The qunoot al-ratib is the regular, daily qunoot that became established Sunnah in Fajr prayer (Shafi’i tradition) and Witr prayer (Hanafi tradition).

The Classic Qunoot Du’a: Text and Meaning

The Prophet (SAW) taught this du’a to al-Hasan ibn Ali (as) to recite in Witr prayer. It is the most authenticated and widely used qunoot text:

Arabic: اللَّهُمَّ اهدِنِي فِيمَن هَدَيتَ وَعَافِنِي فِيمَن عَافَيتَ وَتَوَلَّنِي فِيمَن تَوَلَّيتَ وَبَارِك لِي فِيمَا أَعطَيتَ وَقِنِي شَرَّ مَا قَضَيتَ فَإِنَّكَ تَقضِي وَلَا يُقضَى عَلَيكَ وَإِنَّهُ لَا يَذِلُّ مَن وَالَيتَ وَلَا يَعِزُّ مَن عَادَيتَ تَبَارَكتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيتَ

Transliteration: Allahumma-hdini fi man hadayt, wa ‘afini fi man ‘afayt, wa tawallani fi man tawallayt, wa barik li fi ma a’tayt, wa qini sharra ma qadayt, fa innaka taqdi wa la yuqda ‘alayk, wa innahu la yadhillu man walayt, wa la ya’izzu man ‘adayt, tabarakta Rabbana wa ta’alayt.

Translation: O Allah, guide me among those whom You have guided, And grant me health among those whom You have granted health, And take me under Your care among those You have taken care of, And bless me in what You have given me, And protect me from the evil of what You have decreed, For indeed You decree and nothing is decreed against You, And indeed, none is humiliated whom You befriend, And none is honored whom You take as an enemy, Blessed are You, our Lord, and Exalted.

Source: Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi (who grades it hasan), Ibn Maja — narrated from al-Hasan ibn Ali, who said the Prophet (SAW) taught it to him for the Witr prayer.

Why this du’a is remarkable: It does not ask for specific worldly things — no request for money, health, or victory. It asks for hidaya (guidance), ‘afiya (wholeness/health), walaya (divine care), baraka (blessing in what one has), and wiqaya (protection from the evil of what has been decreed). It is a du’a of total submission and trust in Allah’s judgment — the essence of tawakkul.

The Fajr Qunoot: Shafi’i Position

In the Shafi’i school (and the Maliki school in North Africa), du’a al-qunoot is recited in the Fajr prayer — in the second rak’a, after ruku’ in the second rak’a, while standing (i’tidal position).

The Shafi’i evidence:

Multiple narrations in Bukhari and Muslim record the Prophet (SAW) reciting qunoot in Fajr prayer
The companion Anas ibn Malik (ra) was asked: “Did the Prophet recite qunoot in Fajr?” He answered: “Yes.” “Did he recite it before ruku’ or after?” “After ruku’.” (Bukhari)

The position: After completing the ruku’ (bowing) of the second rak’a, when standing upright saying “Sami’a Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa lakal-hamd” — instead of immediately going to sujud, the worshipper pauses in the standing position and recites the qunoot du’a with hands raised or held forward, then performs sujud.

In Bohra tradition: Bohra salaat follows this Shafi’i practice of Fajr qunoot. The qunoot du’a recited in Bohra Fajr prayer is the above text with additions from the da’wa tradition.

Qunoot al-Nazila: Qunoot for Calamity

A special category of qunoot — qunoot al-nazila (the qunoot of descent, calamity) — is recited when the Muslim community faces a major crisis: persecution, natural disaster, epidemic, or war. In this case, qunoot is recited after ruku’ in all five prayers, not just Fajr, and includes specific du’a for the afflicted community.

The Prophet (SAW) recited qunoot al-nazila for thirty consecutive days after seventy Quran reciters were murdered at Bi’r al-Ma’una, praying for punishment on those who had committed the treachery. (Bukhari, Muslim)

This tradition continues — Muslim communities worldwide have recited qunoot al-nazila during major crises affecting the ummah.

Qunoot in Witr Prayer (Hanafi Position)

In the Hanafi school (dominant in Turkey, Central Asia, South Asia), du’a al-qunoot is recited in the Witr prayer — the single-rak’a (or three-rak’a) prayer that closes the night prayers, recited before or after midnight or just before Fajr.

When in Witr: In the Hanafi practice, qunoot is recited in the third rak’a of Witr — before ruku’, after the recitation of a surah. The hands are raised (according to many Hanafi scholars) and the du’a is recited quietly.

The Hanafi qunoot text is longer than the basic Hasan du’a, sometimes incorporating an additional section:

Allahumma inna nasta’inuk wa nastaghfiruk wa nasta-hdik wa nu’minu bik wa natawakkal ‘alayk wa nuthni ‘alayka al-khair…

(O Allah, we seek Your help and Your forgiveness, and we seek Your guidance, and we believe in You, and we rely on You, and we praise You for the good…)

How to Recite Qunoot

Raising the hands: Scholars differ on the exact hand position — raising both hands with palms facing up (like regular du’a), holding them at chest level, or keeping them at the sides. The most common Shafi’i practice is palms raised as in du’a.

Aloud or quietly?: In Fajr prayer, qunoot is recited aloud by the imam if praying in congregation (the congregation says “Amin” after each phrase); quietly if praying alone.

Saying Amin: When following an imam in congregational prayer, the worshippers say “Amin” at the end of each phrase of qunoot — following along even if they cannot hear all the words.

Length: The classic qunoot du’a is short enough to memorize. There is no requirement to extend it beyond the transmitted text, though one may add personal du’a after. Over-extending qunoot to the point of discomfort for the congregation is discouraged.

Additional Du’as Used in Qunoot

Various scholars and communities have added to the basic qunoot text. The following additions are commonly used:

Salawat at the end: Wa salla Allahu ‘ala Sayyidina Muhammadin wa ‘ala alihi wa sahbihi wa sallam (And may Allah send peace and blessings upon our master Muhammad and upon his family and companions)

Closing: Subhana rabbika rabb al-‘izzati ‘amma yasifun wa salam ‘ala al-mursalin wa al-hamdu lillahi rabb al-‘alamin (Exalted is your Lord, the Lord of Might, above what they attribute; and peace upon the messengers; and all praise is for Allah, Lord of the worlds)

For Children Learning Qunoot

The qunoot du’a should be memorized by every Bohra child before they can pray Fajr independently. The memorization sequence recommended:

Learn the transliteration first — read it aloud repeatedly until it sounds familiar
Memorize line by line — each pair of lines addresses a different request; group them meaningfully
Learn the meaning — understanding what you are asking makes memorization permanent
Practice in actual Fajr prayer — the context reinforces the habit

A child who knows the meaning of the qunoot — “O Allah guide me, protect me, care for me, bless me in what I have, protect me from what You have decreed” — understands the essence of tawakkul and Islamic submission.

Du'a al-Qunoot — The Supplication of Devotion in Salaat