Dua for Entering the Marketplace | In the hustle of daily life, we find ourselves constantly moving between homes, workplaces, schools, and shopping centers. For many of us, entering the marketplace—whether a traditional souq, a modern supermarket, or an online store—is an almost daily event. And yet, how many of us pause to remember Allah when we step into these environments?
Among the many duʿāʾs (supplications) taught by the Prophet ﷺ is a powerful invocation for the marketplace—a place where worldly distractions are abundant and spiritual mindfulness is often forgotten. Despite being rarely recited today, this duʿāʾ carries immense reward and spiritual protection, serving as a shield for the heart amid material allure.
This article explores this duʿāʾ of the marketplace in full detail: its wording, sources, meanings, virtues, and how we can incorporate it into our modern lives.
Dua for Entering the Marketplace | Audio & Transliteration
لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ، وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ، وَهُوَ حَيٌّ لَا يَمُوتُ، بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ، وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Transliteration:
Lā ilāha illā Allāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-ḥamdu, yuḥyī wa yumītu, wa huwa ḥayy lā yamūt, biyadihi al-khayr, wa huwa ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr.
Translation:
There is no god but Allah, alone without any partner. To Him belongs the dominion and all praise. He gives life and causes death. He is Ever-Living and does not die. In His hand is all good, and He has power over all things.
Dua for Marketplace | Source and Authenticity
This duʿāʾ is found in Sunan al-Tirmidhī and Musnad Aḥmad, with slight variations in wording.
Sunan al-Tirmidhī
- Hadith Number: 3428
- Arabic Text of the Hadith:
عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّانَةٍ، وَمَحَا عَنْهُ أَلْفَ أَلْفِ سَيِّئَةٍ، وَرَفَعَ لَهُ أَلْفَ أَلْفِ دَرَجَةٍ.”**
Translation:
From ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“Whoever enters the marketplace and says:
Lā ilāha illā Allāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-ḥamdu, yuḥyī wa yumītu, wa huwa ḥayy lā yamūt, biyadihi al-khayr, wa huwa ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr
— Allah will write for him one million good deeds, erase one million bad deeds, and raise him one million degrees in status.”
Authentication and Grading
- Graded Ḥasan (good) by:
- Shaykh al-Albānī in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Tirmidhī (no. 3428)
- Also listed in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Jāmiʿ (no. 6231)
Other Collections Where This Ḥadīth Appears
- Musnad Aḥmad (with slight variation in wording)
- Sunan Ibn Mājah
- al-Ṭabarānī in al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr
Note on Reward (One Million Good Deeds)
Some scholars comment that the large number mentioned is likely meant to inspire action rather than represent an exact literal count. However, the narration remains authentic and the reward immense, especially when dhikr (remembrance of Allah) is done in places of heedlessness, like the market.
Breaking Down the Words: A Reflection
Let us now delve deeper into the meanings of each phrase to understand why such a tremendous reward is associated with this duʿāʾ.
1. لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ
There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.
This is the essence of tawḥīd, the foundation of Islam. To affirm Allah’s oneness in the middle of a place where desires, competition, and distractions reign is a powerful act of spiritual resistance.
2. وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ
Alone, with no partner.
Reiterating Allah’s uniqueness in lordship and worship. In marketplaces, where materialism and consumerism often dominate, we remind ourselves that true ownership and control belong only to Allah.
3. لَهُ الْمُلْكُ، وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ
To Him belongs the dominion, and to Him is all praise.
All products, prices, wealth, and buyers belong to Him. Success in trade, deals, or savings should not make the believer arrogant—this phrase humbles the heart.
4. يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ، وَهُوَ حَيٌّ لَا يَمُوتُ
He gives life and causes death, and He is Ever-Living and does not die.
These lines shift our focus from the temporary nature of worldly pursuits to the permanence of the Hereafter. A person may enter a market thinking about profit, but this duʿāʾ reminds him of his mortality.
5. بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ، وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
In His hand is all good, and He has power over all things.
It is not the product, price, or promotion that brings benefit, but the decree of Allah. This is a complete act of tawakkul (reliance).
Why the Marketplace Needs Dhikr
The marketplace is often described in ḥadīth as one of the least spiritually favorable places on earth:
“The most beloved places to Allah are the masājid, and the most hated places are the marketplaces.”
– Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (ḥadīth 671)
Why?
- It is a place of heedlessness: buyers and sellers are often consumed by worldly gain.
- It is fertile ground for dishonesty, greed, envy, and competition.
- It draws attention away from Allah and the Hereafter.
Reciting this duʿāʾ acts as spiritual purification in an environment of distraction. It brings the remembrance of Allah into a setting where He is usually forgotten.
The Immense Reward: Is It Literal?
The narration promises:
- 1 million good deeds
- 1 million bad deeds erased
- 1 million levels raised
Even if the numbers are symbolic or hyperbolic, they convey the immense value Allah places on dhikr in a place of heedlessness. The Messenger ﷺ said:
“The example of the one who remembers Allah among those who do not is like a living one among the dead.”
– Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (ḥadīth 6407)
This duʿāʾ is not only about the words themselves but about reorienting the heart to Allah amid material concerns.
Practical Benefits of the Duʿāʾ Today
1. Brings Barakah to Purchases
When Allah is remembered before buying or selling, He puts blessings (barakah) in the transaction—even if the amount is small.
“The buyer and the seller have the option [to cancel or confirm the bargain] until they part. If they speak the truth and make clear [the defects of the goods], they will be blessed in their transaction…”
– Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, ḥadīth 2079
2. Protects from Deception and Greed
Many stores are designed to manipulate consumer behavior. This duʿāʾ reinforces mindful spending, self-control, and gratitude.
3. Resists Materialism
Saying this duʿāʾ acts as a reminder that wealth, goods, and trends are not ends in themselves—they are tests and tools.
4. Strengthens the Habit of Dhikr
By forming the habit of reciting this duʿāʾ at the entrance of a mall or store, you build a habit of remembering Allah in uncommon places, thereby strengthening your connection to Him in all circumstances.
Modern Application: Not Just Physical Marketplaces
In today’s world, the marketplace is no longer limited to bazaars and malls. The following places also fall under the same category:
- Online shopping websites
- Mobile shopping apps
- Stock trading platforms
- Social media marketplaces
- Business expos and job fairs
One may silently recite this duʿāʾ even before entering a virtual marketplace or browsing a shopping app. The reward remains, as the intention and state of heart are what matter most.
Tips for Remembering to Recite the Duʿāʾ
- Set a phone reminder titled “Marketplace Duʿāʾ” with the Arabic text.
- Make it a family habit when entering stores together.
- Print the duʿāʾ and keep it in your wallet or glovebox.
- Use app widgets or wallpapers with the duʿāʾ text.
- Pause briefly before entering the store—even a few seconds of remembrance have immense spiritual value.
Spiritual Mindfulness in a Material World
The duʿāʾ for the marketplace is a reminder that even the most worldly of actions—shopping—can become a form of ʿibādah (worship) when done with the right intention and remembrance.
It is a declaration of tawḥīd, a submission to Allah’s ultimate control over benefit and harm, and a profound act of spiritual awareness in the midst of distraction.
Let us not allow this Sunnah to be lost. Revive it in your heart, your home, and your habits. Share it with others. For in doing so, you carry a forgotten light into one of the darkest spiritual corners of modern life.
اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنَا مِنَ الذَّاكِرِينَ فِي أَوْقَاتِ الْغَفْلَةِ، وَمِنَ الْمُقْبِلِينَ إِلَيْكَ فِي كُلِّ مَكَانٍ وَزَمَانٍ
O Allah, make us among those who remember You in times of heedlessness and turn to You in every place and time.
Āmīn.
Read more: Dua for Leaving Home