Duas for Palestine and Gaza in English

It has been 75 years since the Nakba in 1948. Throughout these years, Palestinians have had to bear unimaginable oppression and suffering.

Read: Dangers and Opportunities in the Role of Religion in the Israel-Hamas War

Every time we see news of Palestinians being oppressed, displaced or killed, we can’t help but feel grief, rage, sadness, and helplessness. 

Firstly, it is okay to feel and allow yourself to process these feelings. It's important that we acknowledge them and, thus, respond accordingly. 

Read: A Mental Health Guide for Those Grappling With The Crisis in Gaza

Secondly, it is during these times that we should be more spiritually resilient and increase our ibadah, and one of the simplest forms of ibadah is by reciting duas or supplication.

The beauty of making a dua is that it bridges your connection with Allah s.w.t. and it can be recited anytime, no matter your condition and situation. Be it when you are feeling sad or happy, there is always time to recite a dua.

Allah s.w.t. mentioned in the Quran:

وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ٱدْعُونِىٓ أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ ۚ

Your Lord has proclaimed, “Call upon Me, I will respond to you.”

(Surah Ghafir, 40:60)

The dua compiled in this humble list is a recommendation for you to recite. In reality, you may recite whatever is brimming in your heart, whether it is in Arabic or English or in any language you are comfortable with. However, there are times when it is difficult to express our feelings in words. This is where the list may come in handy for you. 

You may recite the same dua over and over again. There is nothing wrong with repeating your duas. In fact, it just proves your resilience and complete reliance upon Allah s.w.t. Although most of the duas in this list are made in the form of 'we' or 'us', you can intend that the dua be directed particularly for the Palestinians while including others who are in need and for yourselves, too.

Read: 4 Ways to Respond to the Sufferings Faced by The Palestinian People

1. Dua Qunut Nazilah

Alhamdulillah, various local organisations and mosques have stepped up in efforts to provide platforms not just for logistical aid but also to support and fortify our spiritual resilience. We can see this in the recitation of the Dua Qunut Nazilah in almost every daily prayer and especially during the Friday prayer.

Dua Qunut Nazilah is a sunnah that is often read in times of calamity or crisis or for seeking Allah’s protection. It also can be read with the intention of assisting others facing adversity, signifying solidarity between Muslims. On this urgent occasion, we should continue making Dua Qunut Nazilah, especially in a congregation, together with our Muslim brothers and sisters.

The way to perform Dua Qunut Nazilah is to recite it in the last raka’at (unit of prayer) of your 5 daily prayers or Solat Jumaat. It is made during the I’tidal - while still standing and before proceeding to the Sujud position. 

اللهُمَّ اهْدِنَا فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ
Allāhummah-dinā fīman hadait
وَعَافِنَا فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ
Wa ‘āfinā fīman ‘āfait
وَتَوَلَّنَا فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ
Wa tawallanā fīman tawallait
وَبَارِكْ لَنَا فِيماَ أَعْطَيْتَ
Wa bārik lānā fīma a’atoit
وَقِنَا شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ
Wa qinā syarra mā qadhait
فَإنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ
Fa innaka taqdhī wa lā yuqdho ‘alaik
وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ
Wa innahu lā yazillu man wālait
وَلاَ يَعِزُّ مَنْ عَادَيْتَ
Wa lā ya’izzu man ‘ādait
تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
Tabārakta Rabbanā wa ta'alait
فَلَكَ الْحَمْدٌ عَلى ما قَضَيتَ, نَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَنَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ
Falak-alhamdu ‘alā mā qadhait, nastaghfiruka wa natūbu ilaik
اَللَهُمَّ إِنَّا نَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ، وَنَسْأَلُكَ بِحَقِّ رَحْمَتِكَ وَلُطْفِكَ، أَنْ تَنْظُرَ إِلَيْنَا وَإِلَى خَلْقِكَ أَجْمَعِينَ
Allāhumma innā natawajjahu ilaik, wa nas-aluka bihaqqi rahmatika wa lutfik, an tanzura ilaina wa ilā khalqika ajma’īn
اَللَّهُمَّ قَدْ أُغْلِقَتِ اْلأَبْوَابُ إِلَّا بَابُكَ، وَقَدِ انْقَطَعَتِ اْلأَسْبَابُ إِلَّا إِلَيْكَ، وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِكَ، يَا رَبَّ اْلعَالَمِيْنَ
Allāhumma qad ughliqatil-abwābu illa bābuk, wa qad inqata’atil-asbābu illa ilaik, wa lā hawla wa lā quwwata illā bika, yā Rabb-al-’ālamīn
اَللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الأَمْنَ وَالأَمَانَ، وَالسِّلْمَ وَالسَّلاَمَ، فيِ الْعَالَمِ كُلِّهِ وَلِلنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ، وَأَدِمْ عَلَينَا وَعَلَيهِمْ هَذِهِ النِّعَمَ، فِي أَنْفُسِنَا وَأَنْفُسِهِمْ، وَأَبْنَائِنَا وَأَبْنَائِهِمْ، وَدِيَارِنَا وَدِيَارِهِمْ يَا رَبَّ العَالَمِينَ 
Allāhumma innā nas-alukal-amna wal-amān, was-silmi was-salām, fil-’alami kullihi wa lin-nās ajma’in, wa adim ‘alainā wa ‘alaihim hazihin-ni’am, fi anfusinā wa anfusihim, wa abnā-ina wa abnā-ihim, wa diyārina wa diyārihim, yā Rabb-al-’ālamīn
اَللَّهُمَّ انْصُرْ إِخْوَانَنَا اْلمُسْتَضْعَفِيْنَ فِي غَزَّةَ وَفِيْ فِلِسْطِيْنَ
Allāhumma-nsur ikhwānanal-mustadh’afīna fī ghazzah (Gaza) wa fī filistīn (Palestine)
x3
وَفِيْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ، يَا أَرْحَمَ الرّاحِمِيْنَ. اّللَّهُمَّ خُذْ بِأَيْدِيْهِمْ، وَاحْفَظْهُمْ، وَالْطُفْ بِهِمْ، وَكُفَّ أَيْدِيَ اْلمَاكِرِيْنَ بِهِمْ
Wa fī kulli makānin, yā Arhamar-Rāhimīn. Allāhumma khuz bi-aydīhim, wah-fazhum, wal-tuf bihim, wa kuffa aydil-mākirīna bihim
اللَّهُمَّ كُنْ عَوْنًا لَهُمْ مِنْ شُرُوْرِ الظَّالِمِيْن، وَارْفَعْ عَنْهُمُ اْلأَذَى وَالظُّلْمَ، وَجَمِيْعَ أَنْوَاعِ اْلفِتَنِ وَاْلمِحَنِ، مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ، وَاْلطُفْ بِهِمْ فِيْ مَا جَرَتْ بِهِ اْلمَقَادِيْرُ، فِيْ عَافِيَةٍ وَسَلَامَةٍ، بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ
Allāhumma kun ‘aunan lahum min syururiz-zolimīn, war-fa’ ‘anhumul-azā waz-zulm, wa jamī’a anwa’il fitani wal-mihan, mā zohara minhā wa mā baton, waltuf bihim fī mā jarat bihil-maqādīru, fi ‘āfiyatin wa salāmatin, birahmatika yā Arhamar-Rāhimīn
اللَّهُمَّ تَقَبَّلْ شُهَدَاءَهُمْ، وَدَاوِ جَرْحَاهُمْ، وَأَنْزِلِ السَّكِيْنَةَ عَلَى قُلُوْبِهِمْ، وَبَدِّلْ خَوْفَهُمْ أَمْنًا، وَحُزْنَهُمْ فَرَحًا، وَهَمَّهُمْ فَرَجًا، يَا رَبَّ العَالَمِينَ
Allāhumma taqabbal syuhada-ahum, wa dāwi jarhāhum, wa anzilis-sakinata ‘alā qulubihim, wa baddil khaufahum amnā, wa huznahum farhā, wa hammahum farajā, yā Rabb-al-’ālamīn
اللَّهُمَّ حُلَّ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ مَنْ عَادَاهُمْ، اَللَّهُمَّ أَلْهِمْهُمْ رُشْدَهُمْ وَافْتَحْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ الحِكْمَةِ وَالأَمَانَ، وَاْلعَفْوِ وَاْلغُفْرَانِ
Allāhumma hulla bainahum wa baina man ‘adāhum, Allāhumma alhimhum rusydahum waf-tah ‘alaihim abwabal-hikmati wal-amān, wal-’afwi wal-ghufrān
يَا حَنَّانُ يَا مَنَّانُ يَا بَدِيْعَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَاْلأَكْوَانِ
Ya Hannān, Ya Mannān, Ya Badi’as-samawāti wal-akwān
وَصَلَّى اللهُ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِيِّ اْلأُمِّيِّ وَعَلَى آلِهَ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلَّمَ
Wa sallAllāhu ‘alā sayyidinā Muhammadin-nabiyyil-ummiyi wa ‘alā alihi wa sahbihi wa sallam

Meaning: 

O Allah, guide me as You have guided others, grant me well-being as You have granted others, take me into Your care as You have taken others into Your care, and bless me in all that You have given me. Protect me from the evils You have ordained.

Surely, You hold command without being commanded, and those under Your care shall not be humiliated. None whom You have taken as an enemy shall taste glory. You are blessed, Our Lord, and Exalted. All praise is upon You for Your decisions. I seek Your forgiveness, and I repent to You.

O Allah, we turn to You and ask, by Your mercy and gentleness, to look upon us and all Your creations. All doors are closed except Yours, all causes ceased except Yours. There is no might or power except through You, Lord of all the worlds.

O Allah, we ask for safety, security, peace, and tranquillity for the entire world and all people. Preserve these blessings upon us, our children, and our homes, Lord of all the worlds.

O Allah, aid our vulnerable brothers and sisters in Gaza and Palestine (repeated three times) and in all places, O Most Merciful of the Merciful. Take them by their hand, protect them, be gentle with them, and suppress deceit. Grant them Your protection against aggressors, and remove harm, oppression, and all adversity—both apparent and hidden. Be gentle with them, in safety and well-being, by Your mercy, O Most Merciful.

O Allah, reward the victims, tend to the wounded, instil tranquillity in their hearts, allay their fears, turn their sadness to happiness, Lord of all the worlds.

O Allah, intervene between them and their adversaries. Inspire them with Your guidance and open the doors of wisdom, safety, pardon, and forgiveness. O Affectionate, Benefactor, Creator of the heavens and universe.

Read: Step By Step: Dua Qunut Nazilah (IG Infogfx post)

2. Dua Seeking Allah's Gentleness 

It is recommended to supplicate to Allah by His 99 Divine Names. This is clearly advocated in the Quran in Surah Al-A'raf:

وَلِلَّهِ ٱلْأَسْمَآءُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ فَٱدْعُوهُ بِهَا

“Allah has the Most Beautiful Names. So call upon Him by them,"

(Surah Al-A’raf, 7:180)

You may start any of your dua with any of His 99 Names of Beauty. However, it is better to call His names by the attributes you are looking for. The following dua is an example of that. Our scholars have recommened us to recite this dua in times of hardship and calamity:

يَا لَطِيفًا لَمْ يَزَل، اُلْطُف بِنَا فِيمَا نَزَل، إِنَّكَ لَطِيفٌ لَم تَزَل، اُلطُفْ بِنَا وَالمُسْلِمِين

Ya Latifan lam yazal, ultuf bina fima nazal, innaka Latifun lap tazal, ultuf bina wal-Muslimin

"O Gentle Who remains forever, be gentle to us in all that befalls us; You are constantly Gentle; treat us and all Muslims with gentleness."

3. Dua For Protection From All Directions

Another important supplication that can be read in these times is the dua, which seeks Allah’s protection and assurance to calm their hearts. 

اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَورَاتِهم وَآمِنْ رَوعَاتِهم، وَاحْفَظْهم مِن بَينِ أَيَدَيهم، وَمِن خَلفِهم وَعَن أَيَمِينِهم وَعَن شِمَائِلِهِم وَمِن فَوقِهِم

Allahummas-tur ‘auratihim wa-amin rau’atihim, wah-fazhum min baini aydihim, wa-min khalfihim, wa-’an aymanihim, wa-’an syama-ilihim, wa-min fawqihim

O Allah, conceal their shortcomings, calm their fears, and protect them from before them, and behind them, from their right and their left, from above them.

This dua is an adaptation of the Prophet's dua recorded by Imam Ibn Majah in his book compilation of hadith (Sunan). We may never know what comes next. This dua intends for protection from all directions. 

Read: Dua for Total Protection (IG Post)

Also read: Dangers and Opportunities in the Role of Religion in the Israel-Hamas War

4. Dua To Amend Our Condition And Seek Betterment In All Affairs

Another dua which begins by calling upon Allah s.w.t. by His Divine Names.

يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ نَسْتَغِيثُ وَمِن عَذَابِكَ نَستَجِير, أَصْلِحْ لنَا شُؤونِنَا كُلَّهَا وَلَا تَكِلْنَا إِلَى أَنَفُسِنَا وَلَا إِلَى أَحَدٍ مِن خَلقِكَ طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ

Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum, birahmatika nastaghith, wa min 'azabika nastajir, aslih lana syu'unana kullaha wa la takilna ila anfusina, wa la ila ahadin min khalqika torfata 'aynin

"O Ever-Living, O Sustainer of all, by Your mercy we seek help, and from Your torment, we seek refuge. Reconcile all our affairs for us, and do not leave us to ourselves or to any of Your creation, even in the blink of an eye."

This dua is inspired by the Prophet's advice to his beloved daughter Fatimah r.a. to recite it every morning and in the afternoon. When we are under Allah's care and protection, even what may apparently seem to be afflictions can turn into wisdom in disguise. When we ask Allah to reconcile all our affairs, this refers to matters related to this life and especially the Hereafter. 

5. Dua for Protection from Trials and Tribulations

In these tumultuous times, Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. has clearly warned us to protect ourselves against trials and tribulations (fitan). Palestinians have been facing the difficulty of occupation and oppression for years. Yet, we have seen how they endured and displayed unmatched resilience in faith. A worse tribulation is to lose sight of ourselves and God in the midst of hardship and adversity.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ, وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ, وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ, اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْمَأْثَمِ وَالْمَغْرَمِ

Allahumma inni a’uzubika min ‘azabil-qabr, wa a’uzubika min fitnatil-masihid-dajjal, wa a’uzubika min fitnatil-mahya wal-mamat. Allahumma inni a’uzubika minal-ma’thami wal-maghram.

O Allah! I seek refuge in You from the torment of the grave, and I seek refuge in You from the trials of the Dajjal, and I seek refuge in You from the trials of Life and Death. O Allah! I seek refuge in You from sin and debts.

(Sunan Abi Daud)

The Prophet s.a.w. would sometimes read this supplication after the end of his prayers. This dua is usually read after the tahiyyat akhir, before giving the salam.

Read: Dua For Protection From Trials and Tribulations (IG Infogfx Post)

Also read: Dealing With Claims of Signs of the End of the World in Islam

Conclusion

As Muslims, how we see life is elevated to a broader lens extending to not just this world but also the next. Allah s.w.t. promised us that even when we may not see the embodiment of our dua before us, it is never wasted. Allah s.w.t. will grant the best for those who remain hopeful in accordance with His divine wisdom.

Likewise, there are those who may enjoy their temporal gifts of this world while abusing it and bringing corruption to the land. That, too, will not be merely dismissed.

وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَـٰفِلًا عَمَّا يَعْمَلُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ ۚ إِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍۢ تَشْخَصُ فِيهِ ٱلْأَبْصَـٰرُ

"Do not think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He only delays them until a Day when (their) eyes will stare in horror."

(Surah Ibrahim, 14:42)

Finally, we should not waver in our ibadah. We should strengthen our connection with Allah s.w.t. fand have that our efforts will never go to waste. As how Allah s.w.t. tells us in the chronicles of Prophet Yusuf a.s, facing tribulation all his life until he finally met the wisdom behind his adversity:

 قَدْ مَنَّ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْنَآ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ مَن يَتَّقِ وَيَصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

“Allah has been very kind to us. Surely, whoever fears Allah and observes patience, Allah does not let the reward of such good people to go to waste.”

(Surah Yusuf, 12:90)

It is even more admiring to see that even when Prophet Yusuf a.s. was met with misery in almost every episode of his life, he never once lost his faith in Allah and only saw goodness which was shown in the eventual outcome of those events. This is expressed in this verse "Allah has been very kind to us". This sense of good thoughts in Allah s.w.t. is expressed in his taqwa and patience.

May Allah s.w.t. accept our sincerest efforts and ease the affairs of our brothers and sisters in Palestine.

May He grant relief, aid and freedom for the Palestinians. May Allah strengthen our faith and guide us to that which brings us tranquillity and peace, both in this world and the next.

Also read: Our Response in Crisis will Demonstrate Our Core Values as Muslims