The numbered duas below are from the Qur'an and authentic hadith, each with its reference, a simple transliteration and the meaning.
Few gifts are as precious as a sincere dua for the person you married. It costs nothing, no one needs to see it, and it reaches the One who can give your spouse everything you wish for them. The Prophet ﷺ said: “There is no Muslim who prays for his brother in his absence except that the angel says: And for you the same” (Sahih Muslim 2732). When you pray for your husband or wife, an angel prays the same for you.
1. Rabbana hab lana: for your spouse and children
رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا
Rabbana hab lana min azwajina wa dhurriyyatina qurrata a'yunin waj'alna lil-muttaqina imama.
“Our Lord, grant us from our spouses and our children the coolness of our eyes, and make us an example for those who are mindful of You.” (Qur'an 25:74)
This is the dua of the servants of the Most Merciful, described at the end of Surah al-Furqan. Early scholars such as al-Hasan al-Basri explained the coolness of the eyes as seeing your spouse and children obeying Allah. It is the most complete dua for a husband, a wife and a family, and you can make it every day.
2. Rabbana atina: good in both worlds
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil-akhirati hasanatan wa qina 'adhaban-nar.
“Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.” (Qur'an 2:201)
Anas said this was the dua the Prophet ﷺ made most often (Sahih al-Bukhari 6389). And among the good of this world, he said: “This world is a provision, and the best provision of this world is a righteous woman” (Sahih Muslim 1467). Make this dua for your marriage, for your spouse, and together with your spouse.
3. Rabbi inni lima anzalta: when you hope for a spouse
رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنْزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ
Rabbi inni lima anzalta ilayya min khayrin faqir.
“My Lord, I am in need of whatever good You send down to me.” (Qur'an 28:24)
Prophet Musa made this dua when he reached Madyan alone, after helping two women water their flock. Soon after, Allah gave him safety, work and a wife (Qur'an 28:25-27). It is not only a dua for marriage, but many Muslims make it when they hope for a righteous spouse, because it asks for every good that Allah chooses.
4. The dua before intimacy
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ اللَّهُمَّ جَنِّبْنَا الشَّيْطَانَ وَجَنِّبِ الشَّيْطَانَ مَا رَزَقْتَنَا
Bismillah. Allahumma jannibnash-shaytana wa jannibish-shaytana ma razaqtana.
“In the name of Allah. O Allah, keep Shaytan away from us, and keep Shaytan away from what You grant us.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 141)
The Prophet ﷺ said that if a child is then decreed for the couple, Shaytan will not harm that child. The hadith mentions the husband saying it, and many couples say it together. For the rest of the etiquette, see our overview of intimacy in Islam, or The Complete Guide to Intimacy in Islam for everything in one place.
5. Barakallahu laka: for a newly married couple
بَارَكَ اللَّهُ لَكَ وَبَارَكَ عَلَيْكَ وَجَمَعَ بَيْنَكُمَا فِي خَيْرٍ
Barakallahu laka wa baraka 'alayka wa jama'a baynakuma fi khayr.
“May Allah bless you, shower His blessings upon you, and join you both together in goodness.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 2130, sahih)
This is how the Prophet ﷺ congratulated a man on his marriage. Say it to newlyweds in place of a plain congratulations.
6. The dua at the start of a marriage
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَهَا وَخَيْرَ مَا جَبَلْتَهَا عَلَيْهِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّهَا وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا جَبَلْتَهَا عَلَيْهِ
Allahumma inni as'aluka khayraha wa khayra ma jabaltaha 'alayh, wa a'udhu bika min sharriha wa min sharri ma jabaltaha 'alayh.
“O Allah, I ask You for her goodness and the goodness of the nature You created her with, and I seek refuge in You from her harm and the harm of the nature You created her with.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 2160, hasan)
The Prophet ﷺ taught this to the husband at the start of his marriage. It is not an accusation: in the same hadith he taught these words for other new beginnings too. They simply ask Allah for all the good in what He has given you, and protection from any harm. See how it fits into the first night of marriage.
7. For the children you hope for
رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِنْ لَدُنْكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِ
Rabbi hab li min ladunka dhurriyyatan tayyibah, innaka sami'ud-du'a.
“My Lord, grant me from Yourself righteous offspring. Indeed, You hear every prayer.” (Qur'an 3:38)
رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةِ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي ۚ رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاءِ
Rabbij'alni muqimas-salati wa min dhurriyyati, Rabbana wa taqabbal du'a.
“My Lord, make me one who establishes prayer, and from my descendants too. Our Lord, accept my prayer.” (Qur'an 14:40)
Prophet Zakariyya made the first dua when he longed for a child, and Allah gave him Yahya. Prophet Ibrahim made the second for himself and his descendants. Together they ask for children who are righteous and who pray.
Duas for your spouse's love, health and success
Many people look for a special dua to make a husband or wife more loving, or for a spouse's health or success at work. There is no secret formula for these in the authentic Sunnah, and you should be wary of anyone selling guaranteed wazifas, amulets or rituals to control another person's heart. Allah is the One who places affection and mercy between spouses (Qur'an 30:21), so ask Him directly, sincerely and often.
You can make dua in your own words, in any language. For example:
- O Allah, put love and mercy between our hearts, and make us a source of peace for each other.
- O Allah, grant my husband health, strength and halal provision, and bless his work.
- O Allah, protect my wife, ease her worries, and make her the coolness of my eyes in this world and the next.
When dua is most likely to be answered
- In the last third of the night, when Allah asks: Who is calling upon Me, that I may answer him? (Sahih al-Bukhari 1145)
- In sujud, when a servant is nearest to his Lord (Sahih Muslim 482).
- Between the adhan and the iqamah, when dua is not rejected (Sunan Abi Dawud 521, sahih).
And pray for your spouse when they are not there to hear it. That is the dua the angel answers with “and for you the same.”
Put your duas in writing
Telling your spouse the duas you make for them can mean more than any gift. Our free letter writer has a letter called A dua for our future: choose what you pray for, and it writes a beautiful letter with an authentic verse, ready to send privately.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best dua for a husband or wife?
Rabbana hab lana min azwajina (Qur'an 25:74) is the most complete, because it asks for a spouse and children who bring you joy, and for both of you to be an example of righteousness.
Can I make dua for my spouse in English?
Yes. You can make dua in any language. The duas of the Qur'an and Sunnah carry a special blessing, but Allah hears every sincere word.
Is there a dua to find a good spouse?
Many Muslims make Prophet Musa's dua (Qur'an 28:24) and Rabbana hab lana (Qur'an 25:74). Make them with patience, and ask Allah for a spouse who will help you towards Him.