This concise Prophetic du‘a asks Allah for four things that reach into almost every part of a Muslim’s life: guidance, taqwa, chastity and inward sufficiency. Its strength is in how much it gathers into a few words.
Arabic
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْهُدَى وَالتُّقَى وَالْعَفَافَ وَالْغِنَى
Transliteration
Allahumma inni as’alukal-huda wat-tuqa wal-‘afafa wal-ghina.
Meaning
O Allah, I ask You for guidance, piety, chastity and sufficiency.
Four needs in one supplication
The hadith does not ask only for information about what is right. It asks for the qualities needed to live by that knowledge. Guidance gives direction. Taqwa shapes the choices made after we know the direction. ‘Afaf protects dignity and restraint. Ghina asks for a form of sufficiency that keeps the heart from being controlled by what other people have.
Al-huda, guidance
Ask Allah to show you the right path and keep you steady upon it. Guidance is needed in belief, worship, relationships and everyday decisions.
At-tuqa, taqwa
Taqwa is living with awareness of Allah in a way that affects what you choose, avoid and prioritise.
Al-‘afaf, chastity and restraint
This includes guarding yourself from what is unlawful and maintaining dignity in desires, speech and conduct.
Al-ghina, sufficiency
Here the request is broader than simply becoming wealthy. It includes freedom from desperate dependence on people and contentment with what Allah provides.
Why this du‘a is useful today
Modern life gives us constant choices and constant comparison. We can know Islamic principles yet still feel pulled by status, attention, desire or fear of missing out. This du‘a addresses the problem from the inside. It asks Allah not only to show us what is right, but to give us the character and contentment needed to choose it.
It is especially useful when you are trying to improve a habit, protect yourself from temptation, make better decisions or stop measuring your life against other people.
When can you say it?
The narration records that the Prophet ﷺ used to make this supplication. It is not tied in the hadith to one narrow life event, which makes it suitable as a regular personal du‘a. You can include it in morning or evening worship, after salah, or whenever you are asking Allah to correct your direction and your heart.
After saying the du‘a, identify which of the four qualities you most need today. Then take one practical action that matches your request.
Turning the words into action
- Guidance: verify what Islam actually teaches before acting on a viral clip or unsourced quote.
- Taqwa: pause before a decision and ask whether you would be comfortable meeting Allah with that choice.
- ‘Afaf: remove one trigger that repeatedly pulls you towards something harmful.
- Ghina: practise gratitude and reduce unnecessary comparison with other people’s lifestyle, income or possessions.
Why these four requests belong together
One useful way to reflect on the wording is to notice that the four requests cover both direction and self-control. A person may know what is right but still struggle to follow it. They may avoid one temptation but become consumed by comparison or dependence on other people. Asking for guidance, taqwa, restraint and sufficiency together gives the du‘a a balance that is easy to miss when it is memorised only as a translation.
That also makes it a useful du‘a at moments when the problem is not simply “What should I do?” You may already know the answer and instead need courage to act on it, restraint to walk away from something, or contentment to stop chasing what is not good for you. The words remain short, but the areas of life they touch are wide.
Common questions
Does al-ghina only mean money?
The word can carry the meaning of sufficiency and freedom from need. In this du‘a, it is commonly understood as asking Allah for a state that protects a person from humiliating dependence and greed, not simply asking to accumulate wealth.
Is this a du‘a for making one specific decision?
It is a broad supplication for qualities that improve your decisions generally. For a specific permissible choice where you are seeking what is best, see our guide to Istikharah.
Can I add my own personal requests afterwards?
Yes. Authentic Prophetic supplications give us excellent words to learn from, and you can also ask Allah for your own lawful needs in your own words.
Related learning
Continue with Tawakkul, How to make du‘a and the Du‘a & Dhikr library.
Primary reference: Sahih Muslim 2721a.
