Dua before sleeping, after waking up, before eating, when travelling.
📖 5 min read · 3 worked examples · 8 practice questions
Assalamu Alaikum, everyone! My name is your teacher, and I'm so happy to learn with you today. We are going to discover something very special — short prayers that Muslims say to thank Allah (God). First, let's talk about what a dua is. A dua is a short prayer. Muslims say duas at different times — like when they wake up, when they eat, or when they go to sleep. It's a way to talk to Allah and say thank you. At the slide. It says: 'A short prayer to thank Allah (God).' That's exactly what a dua is! Muslims all around the world say duas every day. Even in Kenya, when a child finishes eating, they might say, 'Alhamdulillah' — that means 'Thanks to Allah.' Today, we will learn four special duas for everyday moments. You'll hear the Arabic words, the English meaning, and we'll practice together.
What do we say before we close our eyes? Let's find out. The dua in Arabic is: 'Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya.' Let's say it together: Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya. Here is the transliteration to help us read it: Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya. Great, now we can say it! This means: 'In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live.' So when we go to sleep, we remember that Allah is with us. Repeat after me: 'Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya.' Wonderful job, everyone!
This is one of the first things we can say to thank Allah for a new day. When you open your eyes in the morning, before you even get out of bed, there's a wonderful prayer the Prophet Muhammad taught us. In Arabic, we say: 'Alhamdulillahilladhi ahyana ba'da ma amatana wa ilayhin nushur.' Let me say that slowly: Al-ham-du-lil-la-hil-la-dhi ah-ya-na ba'da ma a-ma-ta-na wa i-lay-hin nu-shur. Can you try saying it with me? It means: 'All praise is for Allah who gave us life after death, and to Him is the return.' So every morning, we thank Allah for waking us up and giving us another day to learn, play, and be with our families — just like Mary from Nairobi thanks Allah every morning before she goes to school. Let's practice together one more time. Say after me: 'Alhamdulillahilladhi ahyana ba'da ma amatana wa ilayhin nushur.' Wonderful! Try saying it tomorrow morning when you wake up. Your mom or dad will be so happy to hear you!
Assalamu alaykum everyone! Before we start eating, we should remember Allah. We say 'Bismillah' – which means 'In the name of Allah'. Can you say that with me? Bismillah. At this word – Bismillah. It is written in Arabic. Try reading it: Bis-mil-lah. Imagine your mama brings you a plate of hot ugali. What do you say? Every time we eat, we remember Allah first. What if you forget? Don't worry! If you remember later, you can say: 'Bismillahi awwalahu wa akhirahu' – In the name of Allah from the beginning to the end. Allah is so kind, He gives us a second chance. Today, let's practice saying Bismillah before we eat. At home, at school, anywhere – start with Bismillah. You are doing a wonderful deed. Mashallah!
At the title—'Dua When Travelling'. Here is the dua: 'Subhanalladhi sakhkhara lana hadha, wa ma kunna lahu muqrinin.' It means 'Glory to Him who has made this easy for us, for we could never have done it alone.' Let's say it together slowly: Sub-han-al-la-dhi sakh-kha-ra la-na ha-dha. We say this dua to praise Allah for making our journey easy. For example, when you get into a matatu and it starts moving, you can say this dua in your heart or quietly. It reminds us that Allah helps us travel safely. Try to remember it. Next time you travel to school or to visit shosho, you can say it. Let's practice one more time: Subhanalladhi sakhkhara lana hadha, wa ma kunna lahu muqrinin.
Here's a story. Ali is very tired. He gets into bed and says: 'Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya.' This means 'In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live.' Now, here's a question: Which dua did Ali say? The answer is: Du'a before sleeping. Ali said the sleeping dua. Why do we say this dua? We trust Allah to protect us while we sleep. It is a way of putting our faith in Him. Great job, everyone!
Another example. This one is called 'Worked Example 2 – Before Eating'. Amina is eating mandazi. She says: 'Bismillah!' That means 'In the name of Allah'. Amina remembered to say Bismillah before she started eating. Good job, Amina! When do we say Bismillah? That is the answer. What if Amina forgets? She can say: 'Bismillahi awwalahu wa akhirahu' — which means 'In the name of Allah, in the beginning and the end'. Even if she forgets at first, she can still say it later. Remember: say Bismillah before you eat. If you forget, say Bismillahi awwalahu wa akhirahu. Great job, everyone!
Worked Example 3. This story is about a boy named Juma. Juma boards a bus for a school trip. As soon as he gets on, he recites a special dua. Let's learn what he says. He says: 'Subhanalladhi sakhkhara lana hadha...' This means: 'Glory be to the One who has made this (vehicle) subservient to us.' It's a way of thanking Allah for making travel easy for us. The question is: Which dua did Juma use? The answer is: When Travelling. Every time we get into a car, bus, or even a boat, we should say this dua to ask Allah to keep us safe. This teaches us that we trust Allah's protection on our journeys. Whether we are going to school, visiting grandparents, or going on a trip, we always remember Allah and ask Him to protect us.
Free email sign-up — the tutor answers in English, Kiswahili or Sheng and walks you through islamic phrases (daily duas) step by step.