What Are the Supplications for Those without Children?

Answered by Shaykh Abdul Sami‘ al-Yaqti

Question

What are the supplications for those who have not been blessed with children?

Answer

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Blessings and peace be upon the Master of the Messengers, his Family, and all his Companions.

The Power of Supplication in Islam

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Supplication is worship.” [Abu Dawud; Tirmidhi]

Therefore, Allah commands His believing servants to supplicate, and He promises to answer their prayers. Allah (Most High) says:

“When My servants ask you (O Prophet) about Me: I am truly near. I respond to one’s prayer when they call upon Me. So let them respond (with obedience) to Me and believe in Me, perhaps they will be guided (to the Right Way).” [Quran, 2:186]

Allah’s Sovereignty Over Blessings and Children

Everything is in the hands of Allah (Most High), and He is capable of all things. Allah (Most High) says:

“To Allah (alone) belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He creates whatever He wills. He blesses whoever He wills with daughters, and blesses whoever He wills with sons, or grants both sons and daughters (to whoever He wills), and leaves whoever He wills infertile. He is indeed All-Knowing, Most Capable.” [Quran, 42:49-50]

Supplications from the Quran for Children

There are specific supplications mentioned in the Quran for the blessing of children, such as the supplications made by the prophets (peace be upon them) for the gift of offspring. For example, the supplication of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), as Allah (Most High) says:

“My Lord! Bless me with righteous offspring.” [Quran, 37:100]

Also, the supplication of Prophet Zakariyya (peace be upon him), which is mentioned in several places in the Quran. Allah (Most High) says:

“And (remember) when Zakariyya cried out to his Lord, ‘My Lord! Do not leave me childless, though You are the Best of Successors.’ So We answered his prayer, granted him Yahya, and made his wife fertile. Indeed, they used to race in doing good, and call upon Us with hope and fear, totally humbling themselves before Us.” [Quran, 21:89-90]

Allah (Most High) also says:

“Then and there, Zakariyya prayed to his Lord, saying, ‘My Lord! Grant me—by your grace—righteous offspring. You are certainly the Hearer of (all) prayers.’” [Quran, 3:38]

Tabari, in his Tafsir, explains: “When Zakariyya saw her condition, he said, ‘Indeed, a Lord who granted her this out of season is capable of giving me righteous offspring!’ He then desired a child, stood up, prayed, and secretly supplicated to his Lord.” [Tabari, Tafsir al-Tabari]

Allah (Most High) says:

“(This is) a reminder of your Lord’s mercy to His servant Zachariah, when he cried out to his Lord privately, saying, ‘My Lord! Surely my bones have become brittle, and grey hair has spread across my head, but I have never been disappointed in my prayer to You, my Lord!’” [Quran, 19:2-4]

Etiquettes of Supplication

These verses highlight several important etiquettes of supplication. One should feel a sense of presence with Allah during supplication, recognizing that He is near and hears them. They should call upon Him with a sincere, hidden, and honest supplication, free from any insincerity, and fully aware of their weakness, humility, and need for Him (Most High).

When a person supplicates in this manner, Allah (Most High) blesses them with mercy and answers their supplication, especially since He has never disappointed them before, as Prophet Zakariyya (peace be upon him) said:

“I have never been disappointed in my prayer to You, my Lord!” [Quran, 19:4]

After this introduction in his supplication and approaching Allah (Most High), Prophet Zakariyya began to express his concerns, worries, and needs, saying:

“And I am concerned about (the faith of) my relatives after me, since my wife is barren. So grant me, by Your grace, an heir, who will inherit (prophethood) from me and the family of Yaqub, and make him, O Lord, pleasing (to You)!” [Quran, 19:5-6]

Then came the divine glad tidings in response to his prayer:

“(The angels announced,) ‘O Zakariyya! Indeed, We give you the good news of (the birth of) a son, whose name will be Yahya—a name We have not given to anyone before.’” [Quran, 19:7]

General Supplications for Blessings

There are also general supplications that one can make, such as:

The Supplication of Prophet Yunus (Peace Be Upon Him):

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

“The supplication of Dhu al-Nun (Prophet Yunus) when he called upon Allah from the belly of the whale was, ‘There is no god (worthy of worship) except You. Glory be to You! I have certainly done wrong.’ No Muslim ever supplicates with it for anything, but Allah will answer him.” [Tirmidhi; Hakim]

Frequent Seeking of Forgiveness:

Allah (Most High) says:

“…saying, ‘Seek your Lord’s forgiveness, (for) He is truly Most Forgiving. He will shower you with abundant rain, supply you with wealth and children, and give you gardens as well as rivers.’” [Quran, 71:10-12]

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

“Whoever regularly seeks forgiveness, Allah will make for him a way out of every distress and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide for him from where he does not expect.” [Abu Dawud; Ibn Maja]

Conclusion: The Best Supplications for Children

Based on the above, the best supplications are those that have been transmitted from the prophets and messengers, those found in the Quran, and in the Sunna of the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace). Whoever wishes to be blessed with righteous offspring should adhere to these supplications, as we have explained above.

However, there is no harm in a person making any other supplication of their choice, expressing their need and urgency. They should choose the appropriate times and conditions for supplication while having certainty in the answer and observing the etiquettes of supplication. Allah (Most High) will not disappoint those who call upon Him.

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.

Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Abdul Sami‘ al-Yaqti