Doa Awal Muharram in English

Praise be to Allah. 

On the first of Muharram, Muslims all over the world celebrate our Islamic New Year, also known as Awal Muharram. The month of Muharram marks the first month of the Islamic calendar and is one of the four sacred months of Allah s.w.t. The Prophet s.a.w. said in a hadith:

الزَّمَانُ قَدِ اسْتَدَارَ كَهَيْئَتِهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ، السَّنَةُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا، مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ، ثَلاَثَةٌ مُتَوَالِيَاتٌ ذُو الْقَعْدَةِ وَذُو الْحِجَّةِ وَالْمُحَرَّمُ، وَرَجَبُ مُضَرَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ جُمَادَى وَشَعْبَانَ

"The division of time has turned to its original form which was current when Allah created the Heavens and the Earths. The year is made up of twelve months, out of which four months are sacred. Three are in succession: Zulkaedah, Zulhijjah, Muharram, and Rejab of (the tribe of) Mudar which comes between Jumada (Jamadil Awwal and Jamadil Akhir) and Syaaban."

(Sahih Al-Bukhari)

In this blessed month, the rewards of doing good deeds are substantial. Here are 4 simple things that you can do. 

1. READ DOA AKHIR TAHUN

There is no specific Dua to end or welcome a new year. What is encouraged is for us to make abundance of Dua at any point of time. If you're unsure of what to pray, however, here are some Duas which you can consider. In fact, these Duas are often recited at our local mosques together with the congregation, albiet with some slight differences.

In the Islamic tradition, the time of Maghrib marks the start of the following day.
Hence on 29th Zulhijjah (18th July), before Maghrib, you may read the Dua for the end of the Islamic year 3 times. 

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Bismillāh-hir-rahmāni-rahīm

الحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ العَالَمِينَ، وَالصَّلاَةُ وَالسَّلاَمُ عَلَى سَيِّـدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ، وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ 

Alhamdulillāhi Rabbil 'ālamīn, wassolatu wassalāmu 'ala sayyidina Muhammad, wa 'alā ālihi wasohbihi ajma’īn

اَللَّهُمَّ مَا عَمِلْنَا فِى هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ مِمَّا نَهَيْتَنَا عَنْهُ فَلَمْ نَتُبْ مِنْهُ، وَلَمْ تَرْضَهُ وَلَمْ تَنْسَهُ

Allāhuma ma 'amilnā fi hazihis- sanati mimmā nahaitanā 'anhu falam natub minhu, 
walam tardhohu walam tansahu

وَحَلُمْتَ عَلَيْنَا بَعْدَ قُدْرَتِك عَلَى عُقُوبَتِنَا، وَدَعَوتَنَا إِلَى التَّوْبَةِ مِنْهُ بَعْدَ جَرَاءَتِنَا عَلَى مَعْصِيَتِكَ، فَإِنَّنَا نَسْتَغْفِرُكَ فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا

wa-halumta ’alaina ba’da qudrotika 'alā uqūbatinā, wa da'autanā ilat-taubati minhu ba’da jarā-atina ‘alā ma’siyatik, fa-innanā nastaghfiruk, faghfirlanā,

ومَا عَمِلْنَا فِيهَا مِمَّا تَرْضَاهُ، وَوَعَدْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ الثَّوَاب

wa-mā 'amilnā fī-ha mimmā tar-dhohu, wa wa’ad-tanā 'alaihi thawāb,

فَنَسْأَلُكَ اللَّهُمَّ يَا كَرِيمُ يَا ذَا الجَلاَلِ وَالإِكْرَامِ أَنْ تَتَقَبَّـلَهُ مِنَّا وَلا تَقْطَعْ رَجَاءَنَا مِنْكَ يَا كَرِيمُ

fanas-alukallāhumma ya Karīm ya Zhal-Jalāli Wal-Ikrom an tataqabbalahū minnā wala taqta’ rajā-anā minka ya Karīm

وَارْزُقْنَا أَجْرَ الصَّابِرِينَ مِمَّا أَصَابَنَا مِنْ هُمُوْمٍ وَبَلَايَا

Warzuqnā ajras-sābirīna mimmā asōbanā min humūmin wa-balāyā

رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِى الأَخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

Rabbana tinā fid-dunyā hasanah wa fil-akhirati hasanah wa-qinā ‘azāban-nār

  وَصَلَّى اللهُ وَسلَّمَ عَلَى سَيـِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ وَالحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ العَالَمِينَ

Wa sallāllahu wasallam ‘alā sayyidinā Muhammad wa ‘alā ālihi wa sohbihi 
ajma’īn walhamdu-lillahi Rbbil ‘ālamīn

(x3)

Meaning:

In the name of Allah The Most Merciful, The Most Compassionate.

All praises be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds. Prayers and salutations be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and all of his companions.

O Allah, for (all) the wrongful deeds that we have acted upon this year, of which we have yet to repent from, and of which You do not consent nor forget them, yet You remained Merciful despite Your power to punish us, and even invited us to repent after having committed these sins in insolence, indeed we seek forgiveness from You, so please grant us Your forgiveness.

And for what we have done of which You consent of, and of which You have promised to reward us for - we ask You, O Allah The Most Gracious, O The Posessor of Majesty and Honour, to accept our deeds, and do not dash our hopes, O Most Gracious. O Allah grant us the rewards those who are patient for all the grief and trials that we have been through.

O our Lord, grant us goodness in this world and goodness in the Hereafter, and protect us from the torment of the hellfire. And may Allah send prayers and salutations upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and all his companions. And all praises be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.

2. READ DOA AWAL MUHARRAM

On 29th Zulhijjah (18th July), after Maghrib, at the eve of 1st Muharram, you may read the Dua for the start of the Islamic year 3 times. 

 الحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ العَالَمِينَ، وَالصَّلاَةُ وَالسَّلاَمُ عَلَى سَيِّـدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ

Alhamdulillāhi Rabbil ‘ālamīn, wassolatu wassalāmu 'ala sayyidinā Muhammad, wa ‘alā ālihi wasohbihi ajma’īn

 اَللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الأَبَدِيُّ القَدِيمُ الأَوَّلُ وَعَلَى فَضْلِكَ العَظِيمِ وَجُودِكَ المُعَوَّلِ، وَهَذَا عَامٌ جَدِيدٌ قَدْ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْنَا

Allahumma Antal-Abadiyyul-Qodimul-Awwal, wa 'ala fadhlikal-’azhim wa jūdikal-mu'awwal, wa haza 'āmun jadidun qad aqbala ‘alainā.

نَسْألُكَ العِصْمَةَ فِيهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ وَأَوْلِيَاءِهِ وَجُنُودِهِ

Nas-alukal ‘ismata fihi minas-syaitānir-rojīm wa awliyā-ihi wa junūdih,

 وَالعَوْنَ عَلَى هَذِهِ النَّفْسِ الأَمَّارَةِ بِالسُّوءِ، وَالاِشْتِغَالَ بِمَا يُقَرِّبُنَا إِلَيْكَ زُلْفَى، يَا ذَا الجَلاَلِ وَالإِكْرَامِ

wal-‘auna 'alā hazihin-nafsil ammārati bis-sū’, Wal-ishtighala bimā yuqorribunā ilaika zulfa. Ya Zhal-Jalāli Wal-Ikrom.

اللَّهُمَّ أَهِلَّهُ عَلَيْنَا بِالأَمْنِ وَاْلإِيْمَانِ، وَالسَّلاَمَةِ وَاْلإِسْلاَمِ، رَبِّيْ وَرَبُّكَ اللهُ، هِلَالُ رُشْدٍ وَخَيْرٍ

Allāhumma ahillahu 'alainā bil-amni wal-īmān, wassalāmati wal-islām, Rabbī wa-RabbukAllāh, hilālu rusydin wa-khayrin

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسأَلُكَ اْلعَافِيَةَ وَالشِّفَاءَ مِنْ كُلِّ دَاءٍ وَوَبَاءٍ، وَاجْعَلْ لَنَا مِنَ السَّالِمِيْنَ وَاْلمُعاَفِيْنَ مِنْهَا

Allāhumma innā nas-alukal-'āfiyata wasy-syifā-a min kulli dā-in wa-wabā-in, waj-'al lanā minas-sālimīna wal-mu'āfīna minhā,

وَأَعِدْ عَلَيْنَا لَذَّةَ التَّحَنُّثِ وَاْلاِعتِكَافِ فِيْ بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوْتِكَ يَا أَكْرَمَ اْلأَكْرَمِينَ

wa-a'id 'alainā lazzatat-tahannuthi wal-i’tikāfi fī baytin min buyūtika yā Akramal-Akramīn

وَصَلَّى اللهُ وَسلَّمَ عَلَى سَيـِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ، وَالحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ العَالَمِينَ

Wa sollAllāhu wasallam ‘alā sayyidinā Muhammad wa ‘alā ālihi wa sohbihi ‘ajma’īn wal-hamdu lillāhi Rabbil-‘ālamīn

(x3)

Meaning:

In the name of Allah The Most Merciful, The Most Compassionate.

All praises be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds. Prayers and salutations be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and all of his companions.

O Allah, You are The Everlasting, The Eternal and The First, and by Your great blessings and generosity as this new year has dawned upon us - we ask You for protection from the devil, his allies and forces. And we seek from You assistance to repel against our own urges to sin, and to immerse us with that which brings us closer to You, O The Posessor of Majesty and Honour.

O Allah, let this moon appear before us with security and faith, with safety and Islam. My lord and your lord is Allah. May this moon bring guidance and goodness.

O Allah we ask you for well-being and cure from all sickness and diseases. And make us amongst those who are safe and have recovered from it.

Restore to us the sweetness of performing acts of worship and i’tikaf at Your house (of worship), O Allah the Most Honourable.

And may Allah send prayers and salutations upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and all his companions. And all praises be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.

3. FASTING IN THE MONTH OF MUHARRAM

It is part of the Sunnah to fast on the Asyhurul Hurum (the four sacred months of Allah s.w.t.) Amongst which is the Month of Muharram. Prophet Muhammad s.a.w has mentioned specifically the virtue of fasting in the month of Muharram:

وَأَفْضَلُ الصِّيَامِ بَعْدَ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ صِيَامُ شَهْرِ اللَّهِ الْمُحَرَّمِ

"The most virtuous of fasting after the month of Ramadan is Allah's month of Al-Muharram."

(Sahih Muslim)

4. FAST ON THE DAY OF ASHURA

When Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. migrated to Madinah, he met some Jews who were fasting on the tenth of Muharram, which is the Day of Ashura. He asked them why they were fasting and they explained that it was the day that Prophet Musa a.s. successfully saved the children of Israel from the Pharoah, thus, Prophet Musa a.s. fast in its commemoration. Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. then replied,

‏ ‏"فَأَنَا أَحَقُّ بِمُوسَى مِنْكُمْ"‏‏.‏ فَصَامَهُ وَأَمَرَ بِصِيَامِهِ

"We have more claim over (Prophet) Musa than you (Jews)," So he fasted and ordered that Muslims should also fast on that day.

(Sahih Al-Bukhari)

The Prophet has also encouraged us to fast on the days before and after the Day of Ashura. This means that it is encouraged to fast on the ninth and the eleventh day of Muharram.

صُومُوا يَوْمَ عَاشُورَاءَ، وَخَالِفُوا فِيهِ الْيَهُودَ، صُومُوا قَبْلَهُ يَوْمًا، أَوْ بَعْدَهُ يَوْمًا

"All of you should (encouraged) fast on the day of Ashura and be distinct from the fasting of the Jews. Fast on the day before and the day after of Ashura."

(Musnad Ahmad)

In regards to its virtues, Ibn Abbas r.a. was asked about fasting on the day of Ashura, and he said:

مَا عَلِمْتُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَامَ يَوْمًا يَطْلُبُ فَضْلَهُ عَلَى الأَيَّامِ إِلاَّ هَذَا الْيَوْمَ وَلاَ شَهْرًا إِلاَّ هَذَا الشَّهْرَ يَعْنِي رَمَضَانَ

"I do not know Allah's Messenger s.a.w. singling out any day's fast and considering it more excellent than another, except this day (the day of Ashura) and this month, meaning the month of Ramadan."

(Sahih Muslim)

The virtues of fasting on the day of Ashura are indeed immense. Abu Qatadah r.a narrated:

صِيامُ يومِ عاشُوراءَ، إِنِّي أحْتَسِبُ على اللهِ أنْ يُكَفِّرَ السنَةَ التِي قَبْلَهُ

"Fasting on the day of Ashura, I hope, will expiate for the sins of the previous year"

(Sahih Muslim)

What better way to start a new journey than to start on a clean slate. Indeed repentance opens up the doors of His mercy. May Allah s.w.t. bless us with a wonderful year, Amin. Happy New Hijri Year!

And Allah knows best.