Duas for kids: short daily duas for children
These short duas for kids cover a child’s day: waking up, eating, the toilet, leaving home, sneezing and bedtime. Each one is authentic, with Arabic, easy transliteration and a meaning a child can understand, plus tips for teaching them at home.
Last updated: 4 October 2026
Morning
When waking up
الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا، وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ
Alhamdu lillahil-ladhi ahyana ba‘da ma amatana wa ilayhin-nushur.
“All praise is for Allah who gave us life after He caused us to die, and to Him is the return.”
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. Arabic text: Hisn al-MuslimEating and drinking
Before eating
إِذَا أَكَلَ أَحَدُكُمْ طَعَاماً فَلْيَقُلْ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، فَإِنْ نَسِيَ فِي أَوَّلِهِ فَلْيَقُلْ بسمِ اللَّهِ فِي أَوَّلِهِ وَآخِرِهِ
“When one of you eats, let him say “Bismillah” (In the name of Allah). If he forgets at the beginning, let him say “Bismillahi fi awwalihi wa akhirihi” (In the name of Allah at its beginning and its end).”
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud and Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi (graded sahih). Arabic text: Hisn al-MuslimAfter eating
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنِي هَذَا، وَرَزَقَنِيهِ، مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَلاَ قُوَّةٍ
Alhamdu lillahil-ladhi at‘amani hadha wa razaqanihi min ghayri hawlin minni wa la quwwah.
“All praise is for Allah who fed me this and provided it for me without any power or strength on my part.”
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud, Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi and Sunan Ibn Majah (graded hasan). Arabic text: Hisn al-MuslimToilet
Before entering the toilet
[بِسْمِ اللَّهِ] اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخُبْثِ وَالْخَبائِث
(Bismillah.) Allahumma inni a‘udhu bika minal-khubuthi wal-khaba’ith.
“(In the name of Allah.) O Allah, I seek refuge in You from all evil and evil beings.”
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim; “In the name of Allah” added in other narrations. Arabic text: Hisn al-MuslimAfter leaving the toilet
غُفْرَانَكَ
Ghufranak.
“I ask You for Your forgiveness.”
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud and Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi. Arabic text: Hisn al-MuslimLeaving and coming home
When leaving home
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ، وَلَاَ حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ
Bismillah, tawakkaltu ‘alallah, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah.
“In the name of Allah, I place my trust in Allah, and there is no power and no strength except with Allah.”
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud and Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi (graded sahih). Arabic text: Hisn al-MuslimWhen entering home
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَلَجْنَا، وَبِسْمِ اللَّهِ خَرَجْنَا، وَعَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّنَا تَوَكَّلْنَا
Bismillahi walajna, wa bismillahi kharajna, wa ‘alallahi rabbina tawakkalna.
“In the name of Allah we enter, in the name of Allah we leave, and upon Allah our Lord we rely. (Then greet your family with salam.)”
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud. Arabic text: Hisn al-MuslimGetting dressed
When wearing new clothes
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ كَسَوْتَنِيهِ، أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِهِ وَخَيْرِ مَا صُنِعَ لَهُ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّهِ وَشَرِّ مَا صُنِعَ لَهُ
“O Allah, all praise is Yours. You clothed me with it. I ask You for its good and the good of what it was made for, and I seek refuge in You from its evil and the evil of what it was made for.”
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud and Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi (graded sahih). Arabic text: Hisn al-MuslimSneezing and anger
إِذَا عَطَسَ أَحَدُكُم فَلْيَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، وَلْيَقُلْ لَهُ أَخُوهُ أَوْ صَاحِبُهُ: يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ، فَإِذَا قَالَ لَهُ: يَرحَمُكَ اللَّهُ، فَلْيَقُلْ: يَهْدِيكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيُصْلِحُ بَالَكُمْ
“When one of you sneezes, let him say “Alhamdulillah” (All praise is for Allah), and let his brother or companion say to him “Yarhamuk Allah” (May Allah have mercy on you). When he says that, let him reply “Yahdikum Allah wa yuslih balakum” (May Allah guide you and set your affairs right).”
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari. Arabic text: Hisn al-MuslimWhen angry
أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
A‘udhu billahi minash-shaytanir-rajim.
“I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan.”
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. Arabic text: Hisn al-MuslimLearning and parents
For knowledge
فَتَعَٰلَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱلْحَقُّ ۗ وَلَا تَعْجَلْ بِٱلْقُرْءَانِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يُقْضَىٰٓ إِلَيْكَ وَحْيُهُۥ ۖ وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدْنِى عِلْمًۭا
“…and say: “My Lord, increase me in knowledge.””
Ta Ha 20:114 (Quran). Arabic: Tanzil (Uthmani, Hafs)For parents
وَٱخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ ٱلذُّلِّ مِنَ ٱلرَّحْمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱرْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِى صَغِيرًۭا
“Lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy, and say: “My Lord, have mercy on them as they raised me when I was small.””
Al-Isra 17:24 (Quran). Arabic: Tanzil (Uthmani, Hafs)Bedtime
Before sleeping
بِاسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا
Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya.
“In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live.”
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari. Arabic text: Hisn al-MuslimHow to teach duas to children
- Start with one du‘a and say it together at the same moment every day, such as Bismillah before every meal.
- Say it aloud yourself: children copy what they hear far more than what they are told.
- Explain the meaning in a sentence they understand, in English or the language spoken at home.
- Add a new du‘a only when the last one is automatic. A five-year-old who knows five du‘as well is doing brilliantly.
- Praise effort, not perfection. Correct pronunciation gently, by repeating it the right way.
For phrases like Masha’ Allah and Jazak Allahu khayran, see Islamic phrases; for the full adult collection, our daily duas. Du‘as fit naturally alongside a child’s first Quran lessons: see how to teach Quran to your child at home and how to motivate your child to learn Quran.
Frequently asked questions
What age should children start learning duas?
Toddlers can start with a single word, such as Bismillah, as soon as they talk. Most children of four to seven can learn the short daily du‘as on this page within a few months, at a pace of one every week or two.
What is the first dua to teach a child?
Bismillah before eating and Alhamdulillah after, because they are short and come up several times a day. Then the bedtime du‘a, “Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya”.
Should children learn the Arabic or the English?
Both: the Arabic words as the Prophet ﷺ said them, and the English meaning so they know what they are asking for. Transliteration helps parents, but children learn best by hearing it.
Teach your child duas with a teacher
Three free one-to-one lessons in UK time, with Urdu, Arabic or Bengali explanation if you prefer.