Allahumma Ajirni Minan Naar: Meaning, Authentic Hadith & How to Recite

Allahumma Ajirni Minan Naar (Arabic: اللَّهُمَّ أَجِرْنِي مِنَ النَّارِ, “O Allah, protect me from the Fire”) is a short, deeply personal Islamic supplication asking Allah for safety from Hellfire. It is the core phrase of a longer dua reported in Sunan Abi Dawud 5079 and Musnad Ahmad, traditionally recited 7 times after Fajr and Maghrib — though, as you will see below, scholars differ on the strength of that specific instruction.

This guide gives you the full Arabic text with and without diacritics, the correct transliteration (including the common ajirna plural spelling), the literal English meaning, a word-by-word breakdown of ajirni and an-nar, the complete hadith narration with grading, the scholarly disagreement explained honestly, the longer Maghrib version of the dua, the authentic 3-times Sahih alternative from Jami at-Tirmidhi 2572, and answers to the questions readers actually search for.

What Does Allahumma Ajirni Minan Naar Mean?

Allahumma Ajirni Minan Naar is a four-word Arabic supplication. The literal English meaning is “O Allah, protect me from the Fire,” with “the Fire” (an-nar) referring specifically to Hellfire (Jahannam) in the Qur’anic and prophetic vocabulary. A common, slightly looser rendering is “O Allah, save me from the Hellfire.”

Arabic with tashkeel (diacritical marks):

اللَّهُمَّ أَجِرْنِي مِنَ النَّارِ

Arabic without tashkeel (copy-friendly):

اللهم أجرني من النار

Transliteration:

Allahumma ajirni minan naar.

English meaning: “O Allah, protect me from the Fire.”

Word-by-word breakdown

• اللَّهُمَّ — Allahumma: the vocative form “O Allah,” used to address Allah directly in supplication. It is the most frequent opening word across the Prophet’s (ﷺ) reported duas.
• أَجِرْنِي — Ajirni: command form (imperative) of the Arabic verb ajara (أَجَارَ), meaning “to grant protection,” “to give refuge,” or “to rescue.” The -ni ending is the object pronoun “me.” So ajirni literally means “protect me / grant me refuge / rescue me.”
• مِنَ — Min(a): the preposition “from.”
• النَّارِ — An-nar: “the Fire,” definite (with the article al-). In Qur’anic usage an-nar is shorthand for the punishment of Hellfire.

Put together, the dua is asking Allah, by name, to grant the speaker refuge specifically from the Fire of the Hereafter. This is also why the verb ajirni appears in other reported supplications, including the one recited at the time of calamity, “Allahumma ajirni fi musibati” (“O Allah, reward me in my affliction”), recorded in Sahih Muslim 918. The verb itself carries the meaning of being rescued by someone with the power to rescue — which in this dua is Allah alone.

Meaning in Urdu, Hindi and Bangla

Since this dua is widely recited across the Indian subcontinent, the meaning is often translated into local languages with the same literal sense:

• Urdu: “Aey Allah! Mujhe Jahannum ki aag se panaah de” — اے اللہ! مجھے جہنم کی آگ سے پناہ دے۔
• Hindi: “Hey Allah! Mujhe Jahannam ki aag se bachaa le” — हे अल्लाह! मुझे जहन्नम की आग से बचा ले।
• Bangla: “Hey Allah! Amake jahannamer agun theke rokkha korun” — হে আল্লাহ! আমাকে জাহান্নামের আগুন থেকে রক্ষা করুন।

The Hadith Source — Sunan Abi Dawud 5079

The most frequently cited source for the specific practice of reciting “Allahumma ajirni minan naar” seven times after Fajr and Maghrib is Sunan Abi Dawud 5079, in the Book of General Behavior (Kitab al-Adab), Book 43, in-book hadith 307. The same narration is also recorded in Musnad Ahmad 17362, both on the authority of Muslim ibn al-Harith al-Tamimi from his father (RA).

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me secretly: “When you finish the Maghrib prayer, say seven times before you speak to anyone: ‘O Allah, protect me from the Fire’ (Allahumma ajirni minan naar); for if you say so, and die that night, protection from it will be recorded for you. And when you finish the Fajr prayer, say it likewise, for if you die that day, protection from it will be recorded for you.”

— Sunan Abi Dawud 5079; also Musnad Ahmad 17362 (sunnah.com)

Arabic opener of the narration:

إِذَا انْصَرَفْتَ مِنْ صَلاَةِ الْمَغْرِبِ فَقُلِ: اللَّهُمَّ أَجِرْنِي مِنَ النَّارِ، سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ

This is the only hadith in the Sunan that mentions the specific 7-times count tied to Fajr and Maghrib. Other classical books that cite it — Mishkat al-Masabih, Hisn al-Muslim, and Imam Nawawi’s al-Adhkar — all trace back to this same Abu Dawud and Ahmad chain. It is not in Sahih Bukhari or Sahih Muslim.

Is It Authentic? Scholarly Views on the 7-Times Practice

Since the practice is widespread, it is worth being honest about how classical and contemporary scholars actually graded this narration — because the popular framing online tends to either present it as a confirmed sunnah or dismiss it entirely. Both are oversimplifications.

View 1: The chain is weak, so the specific 7-times ritual is not established

Shaykh Muhammad Nasir al-Din al-Albani — one of the most influential hadith critics of the 20th century — graded this narration Da’if (weak) in his collection of weak narrations, Silsilat al-Ahadith ad-Da’ifah (no. 1624). The weakness is in the chain through Muslim ibn al-Harith al-Tamimi, whose narration of this particular text scholars considered unreliable.

On the same basis, the Saudi fatwa authority IslamQA (fatwa 6544) concluded that “it is not mustahabb (not specifically recommended) to recite this du’a after Fajr and Maghrib in this manner,” and Shaykh Ibn Baz issued similar rulings in fatwas 17726 and 25195. In this view, the underlying meaning — asking Allah for refuge from the Fire — is unquestionably good and rewarded, but ritualizing the specific count of 7 immediately after Fajr and Maghrib should not be treated as an established sunnah.

View 2: It has some weakness but is permissible to act on for virtuous deeds

The traditional position — held by Imam Nawawi, who included this narration in his classic al-Adhkar, and by contemporary Hanafi scholars such as Ustadh Tabraze Azam at SeekersGuidance — is that the chain has some weakness but is not fabricated. Under the well-established juristic principle that a weak hadith may be acted upon in fada’il al-a’mal (virtuous deeds) — provided it is not severely weak and it does not establish a ruling on its own — reciting “Allahumma ajirni minan naar” seven times after Fajr and Maghrib is permissible and rewarded.

The balanced recommendation

The safest position — one that both sides of this disagreement would accept — is to anchor the practice in the authentic narration from Jami at-Tirmidhi 2572 (graded Sahih by al-Albani), in which the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Whoever asks Allah for Paradise three times, Paradise says: ‘O Allah, admit him into Paradise.’ And whoever seeks refuge from the Fire three times, the Fire says: ‘O Allah, save him from the Fire.'” This three-times pattern is authentically established, applies at any time, and reaches exactly the same goal — asking Allah for protection from Hellfire.

When and How to Recite Allahumma Ajirni Minan Naar

Putting the two views together, there are three reasonable patterns of practice:

1. The traditional 7-times pattern (per Sunan Abi Dawud 5079, weak): immediately after finishing the Maghrib prayer, before speaking to anyone, recite “Allahumma ajirni minan naar” seven times. Do the same immediately after Fajr.
2. The authentic 3-times pattern (per Jami at-Tirmidhi 2572, Sahih): at any time of day or night, ask Allah for Paradise three times and seek refuge from the Fire three times. This pattern can be added after every obligatory prayer, in the morning and evening adhkar, or any time you remember.
3. General practice: recite “Allahumma ajirni minan naar” whenever the Fire crosses your mind — during personal dua, after reading a Qur’anic passage about the Hereafter, or as part of tahajjud. There is no restriction on time or place; it is a free supplication.

Pronunciation — word-by-word audio guide

The following short video walks through the dua syllable by syllable so you can recite it correctly:

A few common pronunciation points worth noting:

• Allahumma — the hu is short, the doubled mm is held briefly: Al-laa-hum-ma.
• Ajirni — emphasize the long ee in the middle (the kasra under the jeem), and roll the r lightly: a-jir-nee. Not ajeerni — that’s an over-stretch; the long vowel is on the ni ending, not the middle.
• Minan — the n at the end of min elides into the definite article and is pronounced as mina-n (a single connected sound), not as two separate words.
• Naar — a long, open aa sound; the final r is voiced clearly. Do not nasalise.

Ajirni vs Ajirna — Singular vs Plural Form

Search trends show real confusion between two valid spellings of this dua, “ajirni” and “ajirna.” The difference is grammatical, not theological:

• اللَّهُمَّ أَجِرْنِي مِنَ النَّارِ — Allahumma ajirni minan naar = “O Allah, protect me from the Fire.” Singular. Use this when praying for yourself alone.
• اللَّهُمَّ أَجِرْنَا مِنَ النَّارِ — Allahumma ajirna minan naar = “O Allah, protect us from the Fire.” Plural. Use this when praying for your family, your gathering, or the community of believers.

Both are correct Arabic, and both express the same fundamental request. The Sunan Abi Dawud 5079 wording is the singular ajirni, since the Prophet (ﷺ) was instructing one Companion individually. Imams and parents often shift to the plural ajirna when leading collective dua — this is consistent with how prophetic supplications are commonly adapted between personal and congregational settings.

Allahumma Ajirni Minan Naar Full Dua — The Longer Maghrib Version

The Abu Dawud 5079 narration mentions a slightly longer version recited after Maghrib that pairs asking for Paradise with seeking refuge from the Fire:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ، اللَّهُمَّ أَجِرْنِي مِنَ النَّارِ

Allahumma inni as’aluka al-jannah, Allahumma ajirni minan naar.

English meaning: “O Allah, I ask You for Paradise, O Allah, protect me from the Fire.“

This pairing mirrors the authentic Tirmidhi 2572 narration thematically — asking for the highest reward (al-jannah) while seeking refuge from the worst punishment (an-nar) — and is the version many people learn for the moments immediately after the Maghrib prayer. The standalone “Allahumma inni as’aluka al-jannah” portion is itself a well-known supplication asking Allah for Paradise.

Benefits of Reciting This Dua

The benefits cited in classical and contemporary scholarship are spiritual and behavioural rather than transactional. Some are tied to the weak Abu Dawud narration specifically; others apply to any sincere request for refuge from the Fire.

• Asking Allah by the most appropriate request. The Prophet (ﷺ) is reported in Sunan Abi Dawud 792 to have said when a Companion did not know what to say in dua: “What I say and what Mu’adh says are around them: we ask Allah for Paradise and seek refuge in Him from the Fire.” Asking for protection from the Fire is one of the two most important things any believer can ask for.
• Cultivating awareness of the Hereafter (akhirah). Reciting this dua regularly keeps the reality of Hellfire present in the believer’s mind, which is itself a recurring theme of the Qur’an — for example in Surah al-Baqarah 2:201 and Surah Ali Imran 3:16 (cited below).
• A short dua suitable for any moment. Four words make this one of the easiest prayers to memorise and one of the easiest to bring to your tongue while walking, working, or driving.
• Reward of the authentic Tirmidhi 2572 narration. Whoever seeks refuge from the Fire three times, the Fire itself asks Allah to save them — a vivid image of the dua being answered by the very thing one is seeking refuge from.

What this dua does not claim to do is operate as a magical formula. There is no authentic narration that promises automatic, guaranteed entry to Paradise simply for repeating the words a certain number of times. The benefit comes through sincere repetition coupled with the actions of belief, prayer, repentance, and avoiding what Allah has forbidden — the standard framework for any prophetic supplication.

Quranic Context — Other Duas for Protection from Hellfire

The same request — refuge from the Fire — appears in several Qur’anic supplications. Memorising these alongside “Allahumma ajirni minan naar” gives you a more complete vocabulary for asking Allah for protection.

• Surah al-Baqarah 2:201 — “Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanah, wa fil-akhirati hasanah, wa qina ‘adhaban-nar.” “Our Lord, give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.“
• Surah Ali Imran 3:16 — “Rabbana innana amanna faghfir lana dhunubana wa qina ‘adhaban-nar.” “Our Lord, indeed we have believed, so forgive us our sins and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”
• Surah Ali Imran 3:191 — from the closing verses on those who reflect: “Rabbana ma khalaqta hadha batila, subhanaka faqina ‘adhaban-nar.” “Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly. Glory be to You; protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”

Three of these explicitly use the verb qina (“protect us”) and the phrase ‘adhab an-nar (“the punishment of the Fire”) — the same theme as “ajirni minan naar,” just framed as a collective dua taught in the Qur’an itself.

Common Misconceptions to Avoid

• “Saying it 100 times daily guarantees Paradise.” There is no authentic hadith that specifies 100 repetitions or guarantees Paradise. The strongest authentic count is three times, from Jami at-Tirmidhi 2572; the seven-times count is from the weak Abu Dawud chain. Be wary of forwarded WhatsApp messages claiming larger guaranteed numbers — they are not from any reliable hadith collection.
• “The 7-times sunnah is binding and confirmed.” As shown above, this overstates the evidence. It is at best a permissible practice acted on under the rules of fada’il al-a’mal, and several major scholars do not treat it as an established sunnah at all.
• “Repeating it mechanically without focus counts the same.” Classical scholars, including Imam Nawawi in al-Adhkar, emphasised that any dhikr is most effective when the heart is present with the tongue. The Prophet (ﷺ) said in Jami at-Tirmidhi 3479: “Know that Allah does not answer a du’a from a heart that is heedless and inattentive.“
• “It replaces actual obedience to Allah.” Asking Allah for refuge from the Fire is the dua of the believer; it is not a substitute for the believer’s actions. The two work together: sincere supplication and sincere obedience.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Allahumma Ajirni Minan Naar mean?

Allahumma Ajirni Minan Naar means “O Allah, protect me from the Fire.” The Arabic is اللَّهُمَّ أَجِرْنِي مِنَ النَّارِ. Allahumma is the vocative “O Allah,” ajirni means “protect me / grant me refuge,” and an-nar means “the Fire” — referring specifically to the Hellfire of the Hereafter.

Is the hadith about saying it 7 times after Fajr and Maghrib authentic?

The narration is reported in Sunan Abi Dawud 5079 and Musnad Ahmad 17362, but Shaykh al-Albani graded its chain Da’if (weak). Scholars differ as a result: IslamQA (fatwa 6544) and Shaykh Ibn Baz consider the specific 7-times-after-prayer practice not established, while SeekersGuidance and Imam Nawawi’s traditional position permit acting on it under the principle of using weak narrations for virtuous deeds.

How many times should I say Allahumma Ajirni Minan Naar?

The weak Abu Dawud narration mentions seven times after Fajr and Maghrib. The authentic Jami at-Tirmidhi 2572 narration (Sahih) recommends seeking refuge from the Fire three times in any dua. There is no fixed obligatory count — you can recite it as often as you remember, and the safer Sunnah is the authentic three-times pattern.

What is the difference between Ajirni and Ajirna?

Ajirni (أَجِرْنِي) is the singular form — “protect me” — used when you are praying for yourself. Ajirna (أَجِرْنَا) is the plural form — “protect us” — used when you are praying for your family, your gathering, or the community of believers. Both are linguistically and Islamically valid.

Can I recite Allahumma Ajirni Minan Naar at any time?

Yes. Outside the specific Fajr and Maghrib pattern reported in the weak Abu Dawud narration, there is no restriction on when or where to ask Allah for protection from the Fire. The Prophet (ﷺ) encouraged seeking refuge from Hellfire as one of the two most important things any believer can ask for, and Qur’anic duas such as Surah al-Baqarah 2:201 are taught with no time restriction at all.

What is the longer Maghrib version of this dua?

The longer version, also from Sunan Abi Dawud 5079, adds asking Allah for Paradise: “Allahumma inni as’aluka al-jannah, Allahumma ajirni minan naar“ — “O Allah, I ask You for Paradise, O Allah, protect me from the Fire.” This is the form many people recite immediately after Maghrib, combining the highest request (Paradise) with seeking refuge from the worst punishment (the Fire).