Allahumma Rabbana anzil ‘alayna ma’idatan minas-sama’ is the dua Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace be upon him) recited when his disciples (the Hawariyyun) asked Allah to send down a table of food from the heavens. It is preserved in Surah Al-Ma’idah, verse 114 — and it is from this very ayah that the surah itself takes its name (al-ma’idah = “the table”). The same wording is recited today by Muslims asking Allah for blessed sustenance, abundance in rizq, and a sign of divine support in their lives.
This guide gives the dua in Arabic, transliteration, and English meaning, then walks through the Quranic context, the story of Isa and the Hawariyyun, the lessons hidden inside the wording, when to recite it, and the most common questions about the dua of the heavenly table.
Table of Contents
Allahumma Rabbana Anzil Alayna in Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا أَنْزِلْ عَلَيْنَا مَائِدَةً مِنَ السَّمَاءِ تَكُونُ لَنَا عِيدًا لِأَوَّلِنَا وَآخِرِنَا وَآيَةً مِنْكَ، وَارْزُقْنَا وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ
Allahumma Rabbana anzil ‘alayna ma’idatan minas-sama’i takunu lana ‘idan li’awwalina wa akhirina wa ayatan minka, warzuqna wa anta khayrur-raziqeen
“O Allah, our Lord, send down to us a table from the heavens — to be a festival for the first of us and the last of us, and a sign from You. And provide for us; You are the best of providers.”
Quranic Source: Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:114
The dua appears in the closing passage of Surah Al-Ma’idah, in the dialogue between Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) and Allah:
“Said Jesus, the son of Mary: ‘O Allah, our Lord, send down to us a table from the heavens to be for us a festival for the first of us and the last of us and a sign from You. And provide for us; You are the best of providers.'”
Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:114
The verses leading up to it (Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:112–113) describe how the Hawariyyun (disciples of Isa) asked: “Can your Lord send down a table from the heavens?” Isa (peace be upon him) initially cautioned them to fear Allah if they were truly believers — they replied that they wanted to eat from it, satisfy their hearts, know that he had spoken truth, and be among its witnesses. Only then did Isa raise his hands and recite this du’a.
Allah’s response is in the very next verse (5:115): “Indeed, I will send it down to you, but whoever disbelieves afterwards from among you — then indeed I will punish him with a punishment by which I have not punished anyone among the worlds.” According to Tafsir Ibn Kathir and Tafsir at-Tabari, the table did descend — bearing food from Paradise — and it became a sign for both the disciples who saw it and every generation that came after.
The Story of the Heavenly Table
The Hawariyyun were the closest companions of Isa (peace be upon him) — described in the Quran as those who said: “We are the helpers of Allah” (Surah Aal Imran 3:52). Yet even they wanted a tangible miracle to deepen their certainty. Allah granted it, on the condition that disbelief afterwards would be punished with severity unmatched in history.
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Tafsir Ibn Kathir reports several narrations about what was on the table — fish and bread, fruit from Paradise, and a meal that fed the disciples and many beyond them. The exact contents are not the point of the verse. The point is the principle: Allah is khayrur-raziqeen (the best of providers), and when He chooses to provide for His servants, no resource is too miraculous, no door too closed.
Three Lessons Hidden Inside the Dua
- Address Allah by His Lordship. The dua opens with Allahumma Rabbana — “O Allah, our Lord”. Asking for sustenance is asking the One who already nurtures and sustains every creature. The believer reminds themselves that Allah is the Rabb of every meal they have ever eaten.
- Ask for sustenance with a purpose. Isa (peace be upon him) did not ask only to eat — he asked for the table to become an ‘eed (festival) and an ayah (sign). The dua links rizq to remembrance: every meal Allah provides is a sign of His care.
- Close with His attribute of provision. The dua ends: “Provide for us — You are the best of providers.” This is the etiquette of du’a — name the attribute of Allah that fits your request. Asking for rizq, you call on Khayrur-Raziqeen; asking for forgiveness, you call on al-Ghaffar.
When to Recite Allahumma Rabbana Anzil Alayna
- When asking Allah for rizq — provision, work, business success, abundance in halal earnings.
- Before family meals or hosting guests, asking Allah to bless the food and turn the gathering into a sign of His mercy.
- In moments of financial difficulty, when sustenance feels tight. Pair it with Allahumma akfini bihalalika ‘an haramika for a complete provision routine.
- In sujud during prayer, especially in tahajjud — the time when “none calls upon Allah except that He answers” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1145).
- On Friday before Maghrib, in the last hour of Jumu’ah — one of the times the Prophet ﷺ said no Muslim asks Allah anything except He answers them (Sahih al-Bukhari 935).
Related Quranic Duas for Sustenance
- Rabbi inni lima anzalta ilayya min khayrin faqir — “My Lord, I am in need of whatever good You send me” — the dua of Musa (peace be upon him) when he was hungry and exhausted (Surah Al-Qasas 28:24).
- Allahumma inni as’aluka min fadlik — “O Allah, I ask You from Your bounty” — based on the Quranic command in Surah An-Nisa 4:32.
- Allahumma akfini bihalalika ‘an haramika, wa aghnini bifadlika ‘amman siwak — the dua the Prophet ﷺ taught Ali (RA) for halal sustenance and freedom from debt (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3563).
- Hasbiyallah la ilaha illa Hu — “Allah is sufficient for me; there is no god but Him” — the verse the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever recites this seven times in the morning and evening, Allah will suffice him in everything that worries him” (Surah At-Tawbah 9:129).
What is the meaning of Allahumma Rabbana Anzil Alayna?
It means “O Allah, our Lord, send down to us a table from the heavens — to be a festival for the first of us and the last of us, and a sign from You. And provide for us; You are the best of providers.” It is the dua of Isa (peace be upon him) recorded in Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:114.
Who said this dua first?
Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace be upon him) said this dua when his disciples (the Hawariyyun) asked for a table of food from the heavens as a sign. Allah granted the request — and the surah itself was named Al-Ma’idah (the Table) after this event.
Where in the Quran is this dua found?
It is in Surah Al-Ma’idah, verse 114 (5:114). The full story of the heavenly table starts in verse 112 and ends in verse 115 with Allah’s promise to send the table down.
Can I recite this dua for rizq today?
Yes. Many scholars include it among the Quranic duas for sustenance. The wording asks Allah for blessed provision and a sign of His mercy — both are valid requests for any Muslim today. Recite it in sujud, in tahajjud, and on Fridays before Maghrib for the highest acceptance.
Did the table actually descend from heaven?
According to the majority of mufassirun including Imam Ibn Kathir and Imam at-Tabari, yes — the table descended bearing food, and it was a real miracle witnessed by the Hawariyyun. Allah’s words in 5:115 promise that He will send it down. The exact contents are detailed in narrations of the Sahabah and Tabi’in.
Why is this dua so powerful for asking sustenance?
Because it is preserved in the Quran from the lips of a prophet — and it ends with the attribute of Allah that fits the request: khayrur-raziqeen (the best of providers). Calling on Allah by His matching attribute is one of the etiquettes of du’a that the scholars say increases acceptance.
Memorise this dua, recite it before meals and in moments of need, and let the prayer of Isa (peace be upon him) become your prayer too — addressed to the same Lord who answered him then, and who is still khayrur-raziqeen today.
