Dua After Wudu & Before, according to Sunnah

Before we perform our prayers, we are required to perform wudhu as Allah s.w.t. says in the Quran:  “O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles.”   [Quran 5:6]

Wudu is a ritual purification in Islam and an essential step before performing our prayers. Without it, our prayers will not be accepted as our Prophet (s.a.w) said “The prayer of none amongst you would be accepted in a state of impurity until he performs ablution.” [Sahih Muslim]

Dua After Wudu

What you should recite after the Wudu consists of 2 parts. 1st part is Shahada and the 2nd part is easy-to-memorize Dua.

1st Part of the Dua

The Dua after wudu should start with the Shahada that acknowledges the oneness of Allah and the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).

Pronunciation

The following video we have made will help you learn the proper pronunciation of Shahada word by word:

YouTube video

Transliteration

Ash-hadu ‘an laa ‘ilaaha ‘illallaahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu wa ‘ash-hadu ‘anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa Rasooluhu.

in Arabic

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

Meaning

I testify that there is no god but Allah, the One, there is no associate with Him and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger. [Sahih Muslim]

Dua After Wudu & Before, according to Sunnah

2nd part of the Dua

Then It is preferable after Shihada to say the following Dua according to At-Tirmithi as it seeks Allah’s acceptance of the wudu and asks Him to make the reciter among those who regularly repent and purify themselves:

2nd part of dua after wudu

Transliteration

Allaahummaj’alnee minat-tawwaabeena waj’alnee minal-mutatahhireen.

in Arabic

“اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِنَ التَّوَّابِينَ وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنَ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ”.

Meaning

O Allah, make me among those who turn to You in repentance and make me among those who are purified. [Sahih At-Tirmithi]

Bonus Dua

Also, you can recite the following Dua according to An-Nasa’i:

Transliteration

Subhaanaka Allaahumma wa bihamdika, ‘ash-hadu ‘an laa ‘ilaaha ‘illaa ‘Anta, ‘astaghfiruka wa ‘atoobu ‘ilayk.

in Arabic

“سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ”.

Meaning

Glory is to You, O Allah, and praise; I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but You. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance.

Dua Before Wudu

The Dua before beginning wudu is just reciting bismillah along with having the right intention which is to perform the wudu for Allah. 

Dua After Wudu & Before, according to Sunnah

Transliteration

Bismillah

in Arabic

 بِسمِ الله

Meaning

In the name of Allah