The first Duas a child should learn are the short ones used every day: before and after eating, before sleeping and on waking, entering and leaving the toilet, leaving home, entering and leaving the masjid, after sneezing, and the Quranic Dua “Rabbana atina”. Teach one a week with its meaning and say it together at the right moment.
Each Dua below is taken from the Quran or an authentic Hadith collection, with its reference. Learn the Arabic, and teach the meaning so your child knows what they are asking for.
Eating
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ
“In the name of Allah.” If you forget at the start, say: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ أَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ “In the name of Allah at its beginning and its end.”
Sunan Abi Dawud 3767; Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1858الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنِي هَذَا وَرَزَقَنِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَلَا قُوَّةٍ
“All praise is for Allah who fed me this and provided it for me without any power or strength from me.”
Sunan Abi Dawud 4023; Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3458Sleeping and waking
بِاسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا
“In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 6324الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ
“All praise is for Allah who gave us life after causing us to die, and to Him is the return.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 6324Toilet
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخُبُثِ وَالْخَبَائِثِ
“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the male and female evil beings.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 142; Sahih Muslim 375غُفْرَانَكَ
“I ask for Your forgiveness.”
Sunan Abi Dawud 30; Jami' at-Tirmidhi 7Home and masjid
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
“In the name of Allah, I put my trust in Allah, and there is no power and no strength except with Allah.”
Sunan Abi Dawud 5095; Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3426اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ
“O Allah, open for me the doors of Your mercy.”
Sahih Muslim 713اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ
“O Allah, I ask You for Your bounty.”
Sahih Muslim 713Other daily moments
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ
“All praise is for Allah.” The listener replies يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ “May Allah have mercy on you,” and the one who sneezed answers يَهْدِيكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيُصْلِحُ بَالَكُمْ “May Allah guide you and set your affairs right.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 6224رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
“Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:201رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا
“My Lord, increase me in knowledge.”
Surah Ta-Ha 20:114How to teach Duas to children
- One Dua a week. Say it together every time the moment comes: at every meal, every bedtime.
- Explain the meaning simply. “We say Bismillah so Allah puts barakah in our food.”
- Make it visible. Stick a card with the Dua by the door, the dining table or the bed.
- Let them lead. Ask your child to remind the whole family.
Our Masnoon Duas course teaches these and many more, including the morning and evening Adhkar, with correct pronunciation and meaning.
الدُّعَاءُ هُوَ الْعِبَادَةُ
“Supplication is worship.”
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2969
Common questions
Which Dua should a child learn first?
Start with “Bismillah” before eating and the Dua before sleeping. They are short and used every day, so the habit forms quickly.
Are these Duas authentic?
Yes. Each Dua on this page is from the Quran or an authentic Hadith collection, and the reference is given under it.
Can Duas be made in English or Urdu?
Yes. You can make Dua in any language. Learning the Masnoon wording is still recommended because these are the words the Prophet ﷺ taught.