1. Please email with corrections/additions/comments
Intention for Seeking Knowledge by Imam al-Haddad and Selected Duas for Studying with Arabic text, transliteration, and English translation
Arranged by Mohsin Ali
Please with corrections/additions/comments

3. Imam al-Haddad’s Intention for Seeking Knowledge (in another script)
Bismillahir-raHman ir-raHeem
In the Name of Allah, the All Merciful, the Compassionate
Al-hamdu lillahi Rabb il-’Alameen
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
Wa sallallahu ‘alaa sayyidina Mohammadin wa ‘alaa aalihi wa saHbihi wa sallam.
And peace and blessings be upon Sayyidina Mohammad and upon his family and his companions.
Nawaitu at-ta’alluma wat-ta’leem
I intend to study and teach
Wat-tadhakkura wat-tadhkeer
To take and give a reminder
Wan-naf’a wal-intifaa’
To take and give benefit
Wal-ifaadata wal-istifaadah
To take and give advantage
Wal-hatha ‘alaa tamassuki bi kitaabillahi wa Sunnati rasulihi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)
To encourage holding fast to the Book of God and the way of His Messenger
Wad-du’aa ilal-hudaa
And calling to guidance
Wad-dalaalata ‘alal-khair
And directing towards good
Wabtighaa-a wajhillahi wa marDaatihi wa qurbihi wa thawaabihi, subHaanahu wa ta’aalaa
Hoping for the countenance of God and His pleasure, proximity and reward, transcendent is He

4. Imam al-Haddad’s Intention for Seeking Knowledge1.
In the Name of Allah, the All Merciful, the Compassionate
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
And peace and blessings be upon Sayyidina Muhammad and upon his family and his companions.
(transliteration in Notes section below)
Bismillahir-raHman ir-raHeem
In the Name of Allah, the All Merciful, the Compassionate
Al-hamdu lillahi Rabb il-’Alameen
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
Wa sallallahu ‘alaa sayyidina Mohammadin wa ‘alaa aalihi wa saHbihi wa sallam.
And peace and blessings be upon Sayyidina Mohammad and upon his family and his companions.
Nawaitu at-ta’alluma wat-ta’leem
I intend to study and teach
Wat-tadhakkura wat-tadhkeer
To take and give a reminder
Wan-naf’a wal-intifaa’
To take and give benefit
Wal-ifaadata wal-istifaadah
To take and give advantage
Wal-hatha ‘alaa tamassuki bi kitaabillahi wa Sunnati rasulihi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)
To encourage holding fast to the Book of God and the way of His Messenger
Wad-du’aa ilal-hudaa
And calling to guidance
Wad-dalaalata ‘alal-khair
And directing towards good
Wabtighaa-a wajhillahi wa marDaatihi wa qurbihi wa thawaabihi, subHaanahu wa ta’aalaa
Hoping for the countenance of God and His pleasure, proximity and reward, transcendent is He

5. Imam al-Haddad’s Intention for Seeking Knowledge2.
I intend to study and teach, to take and give a reminder, to take and give benefit, to take and give advantage, to encourage holding fast to the Book of God and the way of His messenger, to call to guidance and to direct towards good, hoping for the countenance of God and His pleasure, His proximity and His reward. Transcendent is He.
Bismillahir-raHman ir-raHeem
In the Name of Allah, the All Merciful, the Compassionate
Al-hamdu lillahi Rabb il-’Alameen
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
Wa sallallahu ‘alaa sayyidina Mohammadin wa ‘alaa aalihi wa saHbihi wa sallam.
And peace and blessings be upon Sayyidina Mohammad and upon his family and his companions.
Nawaitu at-ta’alluma wat-ta’leem
I intend to study and teach
Wat-tadhakkura wat-tadhkeer
To take and give a reminder
Wan-naf’a wal-intifaa’
To take and give benefit
Wal-ifaadata wal-istifaadah
To take and give advantage
Wal-hatha ‘alaa tamassuki bi kitaabillahi wa Sunnati rasulihi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)
To encourage holding fast to the Book of God and the way of His Messenger
Wad-du’aa ilal-hudaa
And calling to guidance
Wad-dalaalata ‘alal-khair
And directing towards good
Wabtighaa-a wajhillahi wa marDaatihi wa qurbihi wa thawaabihi, subHaanahu wa ta’aalaa
Hoping for the countenance of God and His pleasure, proximity and reward, transcendent is He

6. Selected Duas for Studying (next)
The following slide contains my preferred litany of duas for studying. It is simply my own arrangement; it is not a “recommended” collection and it is not in a “recommended” order. The last slide contains a much longer list of duas that you can pick and choose from to formulate your own litany.

7. أللِّهُم النّفَعنِي بِمَا عَلَّمتَنِي وَ عَلِّمنِيِ مَا يَنفَعنِي
سُبْحَانَكَ لاَ عِلْمَ لَنَا إِلاَّ مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ
SubHaanaka laa ‘ilma lanaa illaa maa 'allamtanaa, innaka antal-'Alimul Hakeem Glory be to you, we have no knowledge except what you have taught us.
Verily, it is You, the All-Knower, the All-Wise. [Al-Baqarah; 2:32]
أللِّهُم النّفَعنِي بِمَا عَلَّمتَنِي وَ عَلِّمنِيِ مَا يَنفَعنِي
Allahumma infa’nee bimaa 'allamtanee wa 'allimnee maa yanfa' unee O Allah! Make useful for me what You have taught me and teach me knowledge that will be useful to me
اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا , وَ رِزْقًا طَيَّبًا , وَ عَمَلاً مُتَقَبَّلاً
Allahumma innee as'aluka ‘ilman naafi'an, wa rizqan Tayyiban, wa 'amalan mutaqabbalan O Allah! I ask You for knowledge that is of benefit, and a good provision, and deeds that will be accepted.
رَبِّ زدْنيِ عِلْماً وَ رْزُقْنيِ فَهْماً
Rabbi zidnee 'ilman war zuqnee fahman O Allah! Advance me in knowledge and true understanding
.اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ فَهْمَ النَّ بِيِّينَ وَ حِفْظَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ
Allahumma innee as’aluka fahm an-nabiyyeena wa hifdh al-mursaleen al-muqarrabeen.
Oh Allah! I ask You for the understanding of the prophets and the memory of the messengers, and those nearest to You.
رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي
وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي
وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي
يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي
rabbi ishraH lee Sadree
wa yassir lee amree
waHlul ‘uqdatan min lisaanee
yafqahoo qawlee
My Lord! Expand my breast for me
And ease my task for me;
And make loose the knot from my tongue
That they understand my speech
Salwat
Wa sallallahu ‘alaa sayyidinaa Muhammadin wa ‘alaa aalihi wa saHbihi wa sallam.
And peace and blessings be upon Sayyidina Muhammad and upon his family and his companions.

8. Longer Compilation of Duas for Studying Compiled by Alia Malik
Du'as before/during study اللَّهُمَّ لا سَهْلَ إلَّا مَا جَعَلْتَهُ سَهْلاً وَ إنْتَ تَحْعَلُ الْحزْنَ إذَا شِئْتَ سَهْ Allahumma la sahla illa ma ja'altu sahla, wa 'anta taj-alul hazna idha shi'ta sahla O Allah! There is nothing easy except what You make easy, and You make the difficult easy if it be Your Will [Ibn Hibban] أللِّهُم النّفَعنِي بِمَا عَلَّمتَنِي وَ عَلِّمنِيِ مَا يَنفَعنِي Allahumma infa'nii bimaa 'allamtanii wa'allimnii maa yanfa' unii O Allah! Make useful for me what You taught me and teach me knowledge that will be useful to me. اللهم اني اسالك العفو والعافية Allahumma inni as'alukal 'afuwawal-afiya O Allah! I seek your forgiveness and well being (meaning in examination, memory, and concentration etc) اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا , وَ رِزْقًا طَيَّبًا , وَ عَمَلاً مُتَقَبَّلاً Allahumma inni as'aluka 'Ilman naafi'an, wa rizqan tayyiban, wa 'amalan mutaqabbalan O Allah! I ask You for knowledge that is of benefit, a good provision and deeds that will be accepted. [Ibn Majah and others] اللَّهُمَّ اِنِّى اَسْئَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّه عَاجِله وَ اجِلِه مَا عَلِمْتُ مِنْهُ وَ مَا لَمْ اَعْلَمْ Allahumma inni as'aluka min al khairi kullihi 'ajilihi wa ajilihi, ma 'alimtu minhu wa ma lam a'alam O Allah! I ask You for all the good which is in the present or in the future, which I know and which I do not know [a comprehensive du'a taught to Aisha by the Prophet (saws)]

9. Du’as for Anxiety/Difficulty
اللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَ الْحَزَنِ ، وَ الْعَجْزِ وَ الْكَسَلِ ، وَ الْبُخْلِ وَ الْجُبْنِ ، وَ ضَلَعِ الدِّيْنِ وَ غَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ Allahumma inni a'udhubika minal hammi wal hazan, wal 'ajzi wal kasal, wal bukhli wal jubn, wa dhala'id-dayni wa ghalabatir rijaal O Allah! I seek refuge in You from grief and sadness, from weakness and from laziness, from miserliness and from cowardice, from being overcome by debt and from being overpowered by men (other people) [Sahih al-Bukhari 7:158] حَسْبِيَ اللهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ HasbiyAllahu wa ni'mal wakeel Allah is my availer and protector and the best of aids. رَبِّ اِنِّىْ مَغْلُوْبٌ فَانْتَصِرْ Rabbi inni maghlubun fan-tass-ssir O Allah! I am overpowered, so help me. [surah al-Qamar, 54:10] This was the du'a of sayyidna Nuh (alayhis salam) after 950 years of preaching to a stubborn people.

10. Du’as for Knowledge
سُبْحَانَكَ لاَ عِلْمَ لَنَا إِلاَّ مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ Subhanaka la 'ilma lana 'illa ma 'allamtana 'innaka 'antal-'Alimul Hakim Glory be to you, we have no knowledge except what you have taught us. Verily, it is You, the All-Knower, the All-Wise [surah Baqarah; 2:32] رَبِّ زدْنيِ عِلْماً وَ رْزُقْنيِ فَهْماً Rabbi zidni 'ilman war zuqni fahman O Allah! Advance me in Knowledge and true understanding يَا عَلِيمُ عَلِّمْنِىْ Ya Alimu, alimni O All-Knowing, grant me knowledge رَّبِّ زِدْنِى عِلْمًا Rabbi zidni ilma O my Lord! Advance me in Knowledge [surah Ta-Ha; 20:114]