Allahumma Akfini Bihalalika An Haramika: Dua for Debt Relief and Halal Provision

Allahumma akfini bihalalika ‘an haramika, wa aghnini bifadlika ‘amman siwak is the dua the Prophet ﷺ taught Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) to recite for the relief of debt and for halal sustenance. The Prophet ﷺ said: “If you have a debt like the mountain of Sir, Allah will pay it off for you.” It is one of the most powerful supplications in the Sunnah for anyone facing financial pressure or wanting to live entirely from halal earnings.

This guide gives the dua in Arabic, transliteration, and English meaning, then walks through the hadith and the famous story behind it, what each phrase teaches about kifayah (sufficiency) and ghina (independence), when to recite it, and the most common questions about debt relief in Islam.

Allahumma Akfini Bihalalika in Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning

اللَّهُمَّ اكْفِنِي بِحَلَالِكَ عَنْ حَرَامِكَ، وَأَغْنِنِي بِفَضْلِكَ عَمَّنْ سِوَاكَ

Allahumma akfini bihalalika ‘an haramika, wa aghnini bifadlika ‘amman siwak

“O Allah, suffice me with what You have made lawful, in place of what You have forbidden, and enrich me by Your bounty, so I have no need for anyone besides You.”

Hadith: The Dua That Pays Off a Mountain of Debt

Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that a slave who had a written contract of emancipation came to him and said: “I am unable to fulfil my contract. Help me.” Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) replied:

“Shall I not teach you words that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ taught me? If you had a debt like the mountain of Sir, Allah would pay it off for you. Say: ‘Allahumma akfini bihalalika ‘an haramika, wa aghnini bifadlika ‘amman siwak‘.”

Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 3563 — hasan

The “mountain of Sir” (جبل صير) is a real mountain near Madinah — the Prophet ﷺ used it as the heaviest possible image for debt. The hadith is in Jami’ at-Tirmidhi, Imam Ahmad’s Musnad, and Imam an-Nawawi included it in Riyad as-Salihin under the chapter on supplications. Its chain is hasan, and it is widely accepted by scholars as a daily du’a for any believer struggling with money or burdened by debt.

The Two Halves of the Dua

The dua has two clear halves, each asking for a different blessing:

• “Akfini bihalalika ‘an haramika” — “Suffice me with Your halal in place of Your haram.” This is asking Allah for two things at once: enough of what is permitted, and protection from ever needing what is forbidden. The believer is not just asking for income — they are asking for income that does not stain the soul.
• “Aghnini bifadlika ‘amman siwak” — “Enrich me by Your bounty, away from anyone besides You.” This is asking for ‘izzah (dignity) and ghina (self-sufficiency from creation). Allah is asked to remove the need to beg, borrow, or compromise religion in order to depend on someone other than Him.

Together, the two halves cover both the quality of provision (halal) and the source of provision (Allah alone). It is a complete prayer for financial peace.

When to Recite Allahumma Akfini Bihalalika

• When you are in debt, large or small. The hadith promises that even debt the size of a mountain can be cleared by the One who taught the dua.
• When you are tempted by haram income — riba (interest), bribery, deception, gambling, or any earnings that compromise the deen.
• When you feel dependent on people for favours that are eroding your dignity. Recite this and pair it with active effort to find halal alternatives.
• In sujud and tahajjud. Whisper it in the closest moments to Allah, in the last third of the night.
• As a daily du’a after every fardh prayer. Many scholars recommend making it a permanent fixture of the post-salah supplications.

Related Duas for Debt and Sustenance

• The dua of debt and worry the Prophet ﷺ taught Abu Umamah: Allahumma inni a’udhu bika minal-hammi wal-hazan, wa a’udhu bika minal-‘ajzi wal-kasal, wa a’udhu bika minal-jubni wal-bukhl, wa a’udhu bika min ghalabatid-dayni wa qahrir-rijal — “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from being overcome by debt and overpowered by men” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6369).
• The Quranic dua of Musa (peace be upon him) when he was hungry and exhausted: “Rabbi inni lima anzalta ilayya min khayrin faqir” — “My Lord, I am in need of whatever good You send me” (Surah Al-Qasas 28:24).
• Surah Al-Waqi’ah — Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) reported the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever recites Surah Al-Waqi’ah every night will never be afflicted with poverty.” Recite it as part of your night routine alongside this dua.

Memorise this dua, recite it consistently in the moments closest to Allah, and pair it with honest effort to keep your earnings entirely halal — the same Lord who lifted the debt of Ali’s freedman lifts every burden He is asked to lift.