Syamila

Duas iftitah or iftitah prayer is one of the prayers that we often read during prayer. Even Rasulullah SAW himself often read this prayer during prayer just like the Qunut Prayer.

Now, to recall and add to our insight, let’s review everything about Iftitah Prayer in the following article:

Ruling on Reading Duas Iftitah

First, we will review the law.

Even though we often read it during prayer, reading this prayer is not one of the pillars of prayer, so it is sunnah. More precise its sunnah hay’ah

We can see this conclusion from the hadith narrated by Bukhari Muslim regarding the reading of this prayer.

عن أبي هريرة -رضي الله عنه- قال: كان رسول الله -صلى الله عليه وسلم- إذا كَبَّرَ في الصلاة سكت هُنَيْهَةً قبل أن يقرأ، فقلت: يا رسول الله، بأبي أنت وأمي، أَرَأَيْتَ سُكُوتَكَ بين التكبير والقراءة: ما تقول؟ قال: أقول: اللَّهُمَّ باعد بيني وبين خطاياي كما باعدت بين المشرق والمغرب. اللهم نَقِّنِي من خطاياي كما يُنَقَّى الثوب الأبيض من الدَّنَسِ. اللهم اغْسِلْني من خطاياي بالماء والثَّلْجِ وَالْبَرَدِ.

From the hadith above, it is narrated that Abu Hurairah R.A was curious because Rasulullah SAW was silent for a moment after takbiratul ihram but before reading Al-Fatihah.

Then Abu Hurairah R.A asked the Apostle about this.

He also replied, that what he read was an iftitah prayer reading.

So, from the history of this hadith, we can conclude that it is legal to read iftitah, including in sunnah when praying.

Kinds of Duas Iftitah Readings

In many hadiths, there is more than one type of iftitah reading that we can read.

Quoting from islam.nu.or.id, according to the book Nihayatuz Zain by Syekh Muhammad bin Umar bin Ali Nawawi Banten there are several types of prayers that are commonly read, including:

Short Duas Iftitah

Short Iftitah Prayer Transliteration:

Allahu akbar kabiroow wal hamdu lillaahi katsiirow wa subhaanallaahibukrotaw wa ashiilaa. Innii wajjahtu wajhiya lil ladzii fathoros samaawaati wal ardho haniifam mushlimaw wamaa ana minal musyrikiin, inna sholaatii wanusukii wamahyaaya wamamaatii lillahirabbil aalamiin. Laa syariikalahu wa bidzaalika umirtu wa ana minal muslimiin.

Translation of Short Iftitiah Prayer:

Allah is the Greatest and most praise be to Him. And Glory be to Allah from morning to evening.

Indeed, I turn my face to the One who created the heavens and the earth in a state of submission and obedience. And I am not one of the polytheists.

Verily, my prayers, my worship, my life and my death are only for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. There is no partner for Him and that is how I was commanded by Him so that I am among the Muslims (safe).

This version of the prayer is the most widely known in Indonesian society. Because many of his readings are listed in the prayer guidance book.

Long Version of Duas Iftitah

Transliteration of the Long Iftitah Prayer:

Allahumma antal maliku laa ilaha illaa anta, anta rabii wa ana ‘abduka dzolamtu nafsii wa’taraftu bidzambii faghafirlii dzunuubii jamii’an innahu laa yaghfirudzunuuba ilaa anta, wahdinii luh sanil akhlaaqi laa yahdii luhsanihaa illa anta, washrif ‘annii sayyiahaa, la a yashrifu ‘annii sayyiahaa illa anta, labbaika wa sa’daika, wal khairu kulluhu fi yadaika, wasysyarru laisa ilaika, ana bika wa ilaika tabaarakta wa ta’aalaita, astaghfiruka wa atuubu ilaik.

Translation of Long Iftitah Prayer:

O Allah, you are the king, there is no god but you, you are my Lord and I am your servant.

I have wronged myself and have confessed the sins I have committed. So forgive all my sins, verily no one can forgive sins except You.

And give me good moral guidance, because no one shows that goodness except You.

Then keep me away from a bad thing, because no one can keep the bad thing away except you.

I fulfill Your cry with happiness, and all good is in Your hands, and there is no bad in You.

I rely on You, and to You I am blessed and exalted, I ask Your forgiveness and repent to You.

The prayer recitation above is an addition to the previous short version of the iftitah prayer. So after reciting ‘….wa ana min muslimiin’ then we continue with this prayer.

Common Duas Iftitah

Transliteration of Iftitah Prayer:

Allahumma baa’id bainii wabaina khathaayaaya kamaa baa’adta bainal masyriqi wal maghribi, allahumma naqqinii min khathaayaa kamaa yunaqqats tsaubul abyadhu minad danas. Allahummaghsil min khathaayaaya bil maa’i wats tsalji wal barod.

Translation of Iftitah Prayer:

O Allah, distance between me and my mistakes as you keep the east and the west.

O Allah, cleanse me from my mistakes like a white shirt that you clean from dust.

Oh Allah wash me from all my faults with water, snow and also ice water.

This version of ifititah also appears the most in the hadith and is among the most famous. Indonesians themselves often refer to this prayer as the Muhammadiyah iftitah prayer.

Duas Iftitah for Tahajjud Prayer

Transliteration:

Allahumma rabba jibriila wa miikaaiila, wa israafiila faa thiras samaawaati wal ardhi, ‘aalimal ghoibi wasy shahaadati anta tahkumu baina ‘ibaadika fiimaa kaanuu fiihi yakhtalifuuna. Ihdinii limakh tulifa fiihi minal haqqi bi idznika tahdi man tasyaa’u ilaa shiraathim mustaqiim.

Translation:

O Allah the god of Gabriel, Mikail. and Israfil the creator of the heavens and the earth. Who knows the unseen and visible.

You decide between Your servants about what they dispute. Give Me a clue to the truth of the matter in dispute with Your permission.

Verily, You guide those whom You wish to the straight path.

In one of the hadiths narrated by Aisyah R.A, this prayer is one that the Prophet often read during the night prayer.

Don’t forget to read the Midnight Prayer Prayer after finishing the prayer so that our worship will be more perfect

Other Duas Iftitah

Apart from the previous prayers, there are several other versions that we can read and all are sourced from the hadith, for example:

Long Version of Other Ifititah Readings

اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الحَمْدُ أَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ ، وَلَكَ الحَمْدُ أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ ، وَلَكَ الحَمْدُ أَنْتَ رَبُّ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ ، أَنْتَ الحَقُّ ، وَوَعْدُكَ الحَقُّ ، وَقَوْلُكَ الحَقُّ ، وَلِقَاؤُكَ الحَقُّ ، وَالجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ ، وَالنَّارُ حَقٌّ ، وَالنَّبِيُّونَ حَقٌّ ، وَالسَّاعَةُ حَقٌّ ، اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ ، وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ ، وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ ، وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْتُ ، وَبِكَ خَاصَمْتُ ، وَإِلَيْكَ حَاكَمْتُ ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ ، أَنْتَ إِلَهِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ

Transliteration text:

Allahumma lakal hamdu Anta nuurus samawaati wal ardhi, wa lakal hamdu Anta qoyyimus samawaati wal ardh, wa lakal hamdu Anta rabbus samawaati wal ardhi wa man fiihinna.

Antal haqqu, wa wa’dukal haqqu, wa qoulukal haqqu, wa liqoulukal haqqu, wal jannatu haqqu, wan naaru haqqu, wan nabiyyuna haqqu, was saa’atu haqqu.

Allahumma laka aslamtu, wa bika aamantu, wa ‘alaika tawakkaltu, wa ilaika anabtu, wa bika khaashomtu, wa ilaika haakamtu, faghfirlii maa qaddamtu, wa maa akhkhortu, wa maa asrortu, wa maa a’lantu, Anta ilaihii laa ilaha illa Anta.

Translation

O Allah, all praise be to You, You are the light of the heavens and the earth, and all praise be to You, You are the guardian of the heavens and the earth, and all praise is to You, You are the Lord of the heavens and the earth and the people in them.

You are True. and Your promise must be true, Your word must be true, and meeting with You must be true, and heaven is true, and hell is true, and the prophets are true, and the Day of Judgment is true.

O Allah, to You is my Islam, and with You is my faith, and to You is my surrender, and to You is my repentance, and with You is my complaint, and to You is my judgment, so forgive my sins and what I have done.

what I haven’t done, both hidden and visible. You are my God, there is no god but You.

Other Duas Iftitah Readings Short Version

There are also other versions that are more concise and shorter such as;

الْحَمْدُ لِلهِ حَمْداً كَثِيْراً طَيِّباً مُبَارَكاً فِيْهِ

Transliteration:

Alhamdulillahi hamdan kastiiran thayyiban mubaarakan fiihi

Translation:

Praise be to Allah with many praises, good and full of blessings in it.

Or a short version like this:

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ ، وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ وَتَعَالَى جَدُّكَ ، وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرَكَ

Transliteration:

Subhaanaka allahumma wa bihamdika, wa tabaarakasmuka wa ta’aalaa jadduka wa laa ilaha ghairuka

Translation

Glory be to You, O Allah, all praise be to You and the blessing of Your name, and Most High is Your majesty and there is no god but You.

You can read all the different versions of iftitah readings during fardhu prayers and during sunnah prayers such as tahajud, duha, or others.

Because all versions of this prayer are sourced from the hadith and are correct according to the sunnah. It remains for us to choose which one is commonplace and becomes our custom when worshiping.

Adab & Procedures for Reading Iftitah Prayer

Quoting again from islam.nu.or.id, in the book Nihayatuz Zain by Syekh Muhammad bin Umar bin Ali Nawawi Banten, there are several conditions for reading iftitah such as

• It’s not the funeral prayer, because it is not sunnah to recite the iftitah for the funeral prayer
• Prayer time is enough to read iftitah, if it is too tight or in a hurry it is not sunnah.
• Don’t miss the priest reading the alfatihah if you read the ifititah first.
• The position of the priest is standing or is in takbiratul ihram. Because if the priest is bowing, prostrating, or other movements it is sunnah to directly follow the movement of the priest.
• Immediately read the iftitah prayer after takbiratul ihram. Because if you read ta’awudz or bismillah first after the takbir sunnah iftitah becomes null.
• These five conditions must be fulfilled to get the sunnah of reading iftitah. If one of them is not fulfilled, we can simply read the obligatory pillars of prayer.

So, that was a glimpse of iftitah prayer, I hope it can be useful for all of us.

However, if there is an error in writing, we apologize and can leave a message in the comments for us to fix it again. Waallahu a’lam bis showab.