What Are the Supplications We Should Make for Our Children?

Answered by Shaykh Abdul Sami‘ al-Yakti

Question

What are the supplications we should make for our 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.

Supplication is the essence of worship, and it has great virtue and a clear impact on the life of a believer. Therefore, our religion has guided us to it and commanded us to supplicate for ourselves, our families, and our children. The best supplications a believer can make for themselves and their children are those made by the Prophets and the righteous for their offspring, as mentioned in the Quran and taught by our trustworthy Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace).

These include supplications for their righteousness, adherence to religion, worship, and obedience to Allah (Most High), as well as asking for forgiveness, mercy, and blessings for them. We should also ask Allah to protect them from all harm, evil, and the devil, and to grant them knowledge, understanding, wisdom, and the ability to interpret the Quran.

Additionally, we should ask for blessings in their sustenance, lives, and offspring, and that they become a source of joy for their parents. These include both the transmitted supplications and those not specifically transmitted but seek the good of this world and the hereafter. Allah knows best.

Explanation and Details

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

In another narration, “The supplication is worship.” Therefore, Allah commanded His believing servants to supplicate and promised them an answer. 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]

Additionally, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Whoever does not supplicate to Allah, He becomes angry with him.” [Hakim]

This meaning is confirmed by the great verse where Allah (Most High) says, “Your Lord has proclaimed, ‘Call upon Me, I will respond to you. Surely those who are too proud to worship Me will enter Hell, fully humbled.’” [Quran, 40:60]

And this answer is inevitably fulfilled by Allah’s promise, especially when a person adheres to the etiquettes and conditions of supplication. Allah answers it by giving them what they asked for, or by averting harm from them equivalent to their supplication, or by saving the reward for them until the Day of Judgment. As the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

“There is no Muslim who calls upon Allah with a supplication that does not contain any sin or severing of family ties, but Allah will give him one of three things: He will either hasten the response to his supplication, or save it for him in the Hereafter, or avert from him an equivalent amount of evil.” They said, “In that case, we will ask for more.” He replied, “Allah is more (generous).” [Ahmad]

Due to the importance, virtue, and impact of supplication on Muslims, their family, and their wealth, our religion has guided us to supplicate for the good of our children and offspring and prohibited us from supplicating against them. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

“Do not supplicate against yourselves, do not supplicate against your children, and do not supplicate against your wealth. You might happen to do it at a time when Allah grants all requests, and your supplication might be answered.” [Muslim]

Below are some great supplications that we should make for our children, which are mentioned in the Quran and supplicated by the prophets and the righteous for their children. These are in addition to what our Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) guided us through his words and actions, such as his supplication for Hasan and Husayn and the children of the Companions (Allah be pleased with them).

Supplication for Children’s Righteousness and Devotion

As mentioned by our master Ibrahim (peace be upon him), Allah (Most High) says:

“And (remember) when Abraham raised the foundation of the House with Ishmael, (both praying,) ‘Our Lord! Accept (this) from us. You are indeed the All-Hearing, All-Knowing. Our Lord! Make us both (fully) submit to You and from our descendants a nation that will submit to You. Show us our rituals, and turn to us in grace. You are truly the Accepter of Repentance, Most Merciful.’” [Quran, 2:127-128]

He (Most High) says, “(Remember) when Abraham prayed, ‘My Lord! Make this city (of Mecca) secure, and keep me and my children away from the worship of idols.’” [Quran, 14:35]

He (Most High) says, “My Lord! Make me and those (believers) of my descendants keep up prayer. Our Lord! Accept my prayers.” [Quran, 14:40]

Regarding the righteous person, Allah (Most High) says, “We have commanded people to honor their parents. Their mothers bore them in hardship and delivered them in hardship. Their (period of) bearing and weaning is thirty months. In time, when the child reaches their prime at the age of forty, they pray, ‘My Lord! Inspire me to (always) be thankful for Your favours which You blessed me and my parents with, and to do good deeds that please You. And instil righteousness in my offspring. I truly repent to You, and I truly submit (to Your Will).’” [Quran, 46:15]

Supplication for Forgiveness and Eternal Salvation

As mentioned by the angels in their supplication for the believers and their offspring, Allah (Most High) says:

“Those (angels) who carry the Throne and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord, have faith in Him, and seek forgiveness for the believers, (praying:) ‘Our Lord! You encompass everything in (Your) mercy and knowledge. So forgive those who repent and follow Your Way, and protect them from the torment of the Hellfire. Our Lord! Admit them into the Gardens of Eternity which You have promised them, along with the righteous among their parents, spouses, and descendants. You (alone) are truly the Almighty, All-Wise.’” [Quran, 40:7-8]

Supplication for Protection and Virtuous Growth

As mentioned by the mother of Mary (peace be upon her), Allah (Most High) says:

“When she delivered, she said, ‘My Lord! I have given birth to a girl,’—and Allah fully knew what she had delivered—‘and the male is not like the female. I have named her Mary, and I seek Your protection for her and her offspring from Satan, the accursed.’ So her Lord accepted her graciously and blessed her with a pleasant upbringing.” [Quran, 3:36-37]

In this sense, the Prophetic guidance came when a man wanted to approach his wife. Ibn ‘Abbas narrates that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,

“If anyone of you on having sexual relations with his wife said (and he must say it before starting) ‘In the name of Allah. O Allah! Protect us from Satan and also protect what you bestow upon us (i.e. the coming offspring) from Satan, and if it is destined that they should have a child then, Satan will never be able to harm that offspring.”  [Bukhari; Muslim]

Supplication for Knowledge and Righteous Offspring

This was the supplication of our master Zakariyya (peace be upon him) when he took care of Maryam. When he entered her sanctuary and found provision with her, he turned to Allah in supplication, saying:

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

Allah (Most High) says in Surat Maryam:

“(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]

These verses point to several important etiquettes of supplication: feeling the presence of Allah in the supplication, knowing that He is near and hears, supplicating with sincerity and honesty, without showing off, feeling one’s weakness and need for Allah, and then Allah honors and answers the supplication. Zakariya emphasized: “And never have I been in my supplication to You, my Lord, unhappy.”

After this introduction, he began to express his concerns 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 Jacob, and make him, O  Lord, pleasing (to You)!” [Quran, 19:5-6]

Then came the glad tidings and divine announcement of the answer to his supplication:

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

Tabari mentioned in his interpretation of “So grant me, by Your grace, an heir”: “That is, grant me, by Your grace, a child who will be an heir and a helper. … And Mujahid said about the verse: ‘Who will inherit me and inherit from the family of Jacob,’ meaning: inherit knowledge, and Zakariya was from the descendants of Jacob.” [Tabari, Tafsir al-Tabari]

And Allah (Most High) says in Surat Maryam, describing the qualities of this great son He granted him:

“(It was later said,) ‘O John! Hold firmly to the Scriptures.’ And We granted him wisdom while (he was still) a child, as well as purity and compassion from Us. And he was God-fearing, and kind to his parents. He was neither arrogant nor disobedient. Peace be upon him the day he was born, and the day of his death, and the day he will be raised back to life!” [Quran, 19:12-15]

Supplication for Children as a Joy to Believing Parents

As mentioned in the supplication of the servants of the Most Merciful, Allah (Most High) says, “(They are) those who pray, ‘Our Lord! Bless us with (pious) spouses and offspring who will be the joy of our hearts, and make us models for the righteous.’” [Quran, 25:74]

This means they worship and obey Allah, excel in their worship, and do not commit crimes that would cause us distress, thus bringing joy to our eyes in this world and the hereafter.

Supplication for Allah’s Love and Mercy

As the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said regarding Hasan and Husayn, “These are my two sons and the sons of my daughter. O Allah, You know that I love them, so love them. O Allah, You know that I love them, so love them.” [Nasa’i]

And from Usama Ibn Zayd (Allah be pleased with him) who said, “the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to place me on one thigh and Hasan on the other thigh, then embrace us and say: ‘O Allah, have mercy on them as I have mercy on them.’” [Bukhari]

In another narration: “O Allah, I love them, so love them.”

Supplication for Wisdom and Understanding

As the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to supplicate for Ibn ‘Abbas, saying, “O Allah, teach him the interpretation (of the Quran) and make him knowledgeable in the religion and make him among the people of faith” [Hakim]

In another narration: “O Allah, teach him the interpretation of the Quran.”

Supplication for Protection from Harm, Envy, and the Evil Eye

Ibn ‘Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to seek protection for Hasan and Husayn, saying, “I seek protection for you both in the perfect words of Allah from every devil and poisonous pest, and from every harmful envious eye.” And he said: “Thus did Ibrahim (peace be upon him) seek protection for Ishaq and Ismail” [Tirmidhi; Ahmad; Nasa’i]

“Poisonous pest” refers to any venomous creature, and “harmful envious eye” refers to an eye that brings harm or illness through its envy.

Supplication for Blessings in Provision and Life

Qatada reported that he heard Anas Ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) say: “Umm Sulaym said to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace): ‘Anas is your servant, supplicate to Allah for him.’ So he said: ‘O Allah, increase his wealth and children, and bless him in what You have given him.’” [Bukhari; Muslim]

Summary

Know that supplication is the essence of worship and has a real impact on a believer’s life, especially if it is for good. Therefore, we should not fall short in our duty to supplicate for our children with the supplications made by the Prophets and the righteous for their offspring, as mentioned above. Additionally, we can make any supplication or form that combines the good of this world and the hereafter for them. We ask Allah (Most High) to protect our children, your children, and the children of all Muslims, to make them a source of joy, and to make them guides who are rightly guided, through whom Allah benefits the world. Ameen.

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds. Peace and blessings be upon our Master Muhammad, his Family, and all his Companions.

Allah knows best.