As you embark on your academic pursuits and examinations, align your heart and lower self (nafs) with the infinite knowledge and wisdom of our beloved Allah s.w.t. Here is a frequently recited dua you can include in your supplications seeking success in your tests:
Dua For Tests | Dua For Anxiety
As exams approach, maintaining focus and adequate concentration can often become a challenge if you are feeling anxious or stressed. To seek Allah’s help in this, recite:
“اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَ الْحَزَنِ، وَ الْعَجْزِ وَ الْكَسَلِ وَ الْبُخْلِ وَ الْجُبْنِ، وَ ضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ وَ غَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالْ”
Transliteration: “Allahumma inni a’udhu bika minal-hammi wal-hazan, wal-ajzi wal-kasal, wal-bukhli wal-jubn, wa dala’id-dayni wa ghalabatir-rijal.”
Translation: “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from being heavily in debt and the oppression of men.”
Dua For Tests | Dua for Success in Examinations
رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِن لِّسَانِي يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي
Transliteration: “Rabbi ishrah li sadri, wa yasser li amri, wahlul ‘uqdatan min lisaani, yafqahu qawli.”
Translation: “Oh my Lord, open up my chest (grant self-confidence, contentment, and boldness); Ease my task for me; And loose the knot (remove the defect) from my tongue, (That) they may fully understand my speech.” [Surah Ta-Ha [20:25-28]]
This dua was invoked by Prophet Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) before he was tasked with the invitation to guidance of Pharaoh, it focuses on creating ease, removing anxiety, and improving eloquence. The recital of this supplication will, InshaAllah, bring tranquility to your heart and clarity to your mind.
Dua For Exams | Dua for Seeking Knowledge
“اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا، وَرِزْقًا طَيِّبًا، وَعَمَلًا مُتَقَبَّلًا”
Transliteration: “Allahumma inni as’aluka ‘ilman naafi’an, wa rizqan tayyiban, wa ‘amalan mutaqabbalan.”
Translation: “O Allah, I ask You for knowledge that is of benefit, a good provision, and deeds that will be accepted.”
As you strive to embrace the light of knowledge, let your heart be grounded in the remembrance of Allah and His divine wisdom. Remember, the pursuit of knowledge is a noble endeavor favored by our Lord, and success comes from Him alone. So take heart and seek His aid.
Dua For Tests | Dua for Wisdom and Understanding
From Surah Al-Baqarah, we find a supplication of our beloved Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) calling upon Allah for wisdom and clarity:
رَبِّ هَبْ لِي حُكْمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالصَّالِحِينَ
Transliteration: “Rabbi habli hukman wa alhiqni bis-saliheen.”
Translation: “My Lord, grant me [the gift of] judgment (common sense, wisdom, knowledge) and join me with the righteous.”
[Quran, 26:83]
Dua for Tests | Asking for guidance and knowledge
اللهم إني عبدك وابن عبدك وابن أمتك ناصيتي بيدك ماضٍ فيَّ حكمك عدلٌ فيَّ قضاؤك أسألك بكل اسم هو لك سميت به نفسك أو أنزلته في كتابك أو علمته أحد من خلقك أو استأثرت به في علم الغيب عندك أن تفتح عليَّ فتوح العارفين بحكمتك وأن تنشر عليَّ من خزائن رحمتك وذكرني من العلم ما نسيت يا فتاح يا عليم يا خبير يا حكيم يا ذا الجلال والإكرام سبحان الله والحمد لله ولا إله إلا الله والله أكبر ولا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله العلي العظيم عدد كل حرف كُتِبَ ويُكتَبُ إلى أبد الآبدين ودهر الداهرين يا أرحم الراحمين يا رب العالمين
Transliteration:
Allahumma inni ‘abduka wa ibn ‘abdika wa ibn amatika nasiyati biyadika madin fiyya hukmuka ‘adlun fiyya qada’uka, as’aluka bi kulli ismin huwa laka samayta bihi nafsaka aw anzaltahu fi kitabika aw ‘allamtahu ahadan min khalqik aw ista’tharta bihi fi ‘ilm al-ghaib ‘indaka an tafutaha ‘alayya futuha al-‘arifin bi hikmatika wa an tanshura ‘alayya min khazaini rahmatika wa dhakirni min al-‘ilmi ma naseetu, Ya Fattah ya ‘Aleem ya Khabir ya Hakeem ya dha al-Jalal wal-Ikram, subhan Allah wal-hamdu lilah wa la ilaha illa Allah, wa Allahu akbar wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah al-‘Ali al-‘Azim, ‘adada kulli harfin kutiba wa yuktibu ila abad al-abadeen wa dahr ad-dahirin, ya Arham ar-Rahimin ya Rabb al-‘Alamin.
Translation:
O Allah, indeed I am Your servant and the son of Your servant and the son of Your maidservant. My forelock is in Your hand. Your command over me is forever executed, and Your decree is just. I ask You by every name that is Yours which You have named Yourself with, revealed in Your Book, taught to one of Your creation, or kept exclusively in Your unseen knowledge, to open for me the openings of the knowers by Your wisdom and to spread over me from the treasures of Your mercy, and to remind me of the knowledge I have forgotten. O Opener, O All-Knowing, O Aware, O Wise, O Possessor of Majesty and Honor, glory be to Allah, and praise be to Allah, and there is no god but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest, and there is no power nor strength except with Allah, the Most High, the Supreme. For the number of every letter that has been written and will be written, to the eternity of eternities and the agelessness of ages, O Most Merciful of all who show mercy, O Lord of the Worlds.
Note: The next duas were not specifically mentioned in sunnah or Quran.
Dua for Tests | Asking for guidance and knowledge
اللهم يا معلم موسى علمني، ويا مفهم سليمان فهمني، ويا مؤتي لقمان الحكمة وفصل الخطاب آتني الحكمة وفصل الخطاب، اللهم اجعل ألستنا عامرة بذكرك، وقلوبنا بخشيتك، وأسرارنا بطاعتك، إنك على كل شيء قدير وبالإجابة جدير».
Transliteration:
Allahumma ya mu’allim Musa allimni, wa ya mufahhim Sulaiman fahhimni, wa ya mu’ti Luqman al-hikmah wa fasl al-khitab, atini al-hikmah wa fasl al-khitab. Allahumma ij’al alsinatana amirah bithikrik, wa qulubana bikhushyatik, wa asraranah bi ta’atik, innaka ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer wa bil-ijaba jadeer.
Translation:
O Allah, who taught Musa, teach me, and O who gave understanding to Sulaiman, give me understanding. And O who gave Luqman wisdom and eloquent speech, grant me wisdom and eloquent speech. O Allah, make our tongues abundant in Your remembrance, and our hearts in Your reverence, and our secret in Your obedience. Surely You are capable of everything and worthy of responding.
Dua For Tests | Dua for memorization
اللهم أكرمني بجودة الحفظ وسرعة الفهم وثبات العقل والذهن والذاكرة بحق قولك: (الرَّحْمَـنُ، عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ، خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ، عَلَّمَهُ الْبَيَانَ، الشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ بِحُسْبَانٍ)، وبحق (اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ، الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ، عَلَّمَ الْإِنسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ)، وبحق (سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلَا تَنسَى، إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ اللَّـهُ إِنَّهُ يَعْلَمُ الْجَهْرَ وَمَا يَخْفَى)، وبحق (فَفَهَّمناها سُلَيمانَ وَكُلًّا آتَينا حُكمًا وَعِلمًا).
Transliteration:
Allahumma akrimni bi judat al-hifz wa sur’at al-fahm wa thibat al-‘aql wa al-dhahin wa al-dhakira bi haqq qawlik (al-Rahman, ‘allam al-Quran, khalaqa al-insan, ‘allamahu al-bayan, ash-shamsu wal-qamaru bihusban), wa bi haqq (iqra’ wa rabbuk al-akram, aladhee ‘allama bil-qalam, ‘allama al-insan ma lam ya’lam), wa bi haqq (sanuqri-uka fala tansa, illa ma shaa’Allah, innahu ya’lamu al-jahr wa ma yakhfa), wa bi haqq (faffahamnaha Sulaiman wa kullana atayna hukman wa ‘ilman).
Translation:
O Allah, honor me with the quality of memorization, speed of understanding, and stability of mind, intellect, and memory, by the right of Your saying: (The Most Merciful, He taught the Quran, He created the human, He taught him eloquence, the sun and the moon move with precision), and by the right of (Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous, Who taught by the pen, taught man what he did not know), and by the right of (We will make you recite, so you don’t forget, except what Allah wills, indeed He knows the exposed and what is hidden), and by the right of (So, We made Solomon understand it; and to each, We gave judgment and knowledge).
Dua for tests | Praying for preserving and keeping knowledge handy
اللهم إني استودعك ما علمتني فاحفظه لي في عقلي وذهني وقلبي، ورده إلي عند حاجتي إليه، ولا تنسيني إياه يا عليم يا حفيظ فالله خيرٌ حافظًا وهو أرحم الراحمين، اللهمّ إنك تعلم سري وعلانيتي فاقبل معذرتي وتعلم حاجتي، فأعطني سؤالي، واغفر لي ذنبي يا من يعلم خائنة الأعين، وما تخفي الصدور أستغفرك وأتوب إليك وألجأ إليك وأتوكّل عليك.
Transliteration:
Allahumma inni astawdi’uka ma ‘allamtani fahfazh li fi ‘aqli wa dhahni wa qalbi, wa ruddahu ilay ‘inda hajati ilayh, wa la tansiani iyyahu ya ‘Aleem ya Hafeez fa Allahu khayrun hafizhan wa huwa Arhamu ar-Rahimeen, Allahumma innaka ta’lamu siri wa ‘alaniyati faqbal ma’dhirati wa ta’lamu hajati, fa’a’tini su’ali, wa ighfir li dhambi ya man ya’lamu khaa’inata al-a’yun, wa ma tukhfi as-sudoor astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilayk wa alja’u ilayk wa atawakkalu ‘alayk.
Translation:
O Allah, I confide in You what I have learned, so preserve it for me in my mind, my understanding, and my heart; and restore it to me when I need it, and do not forget it, O All-Knowing, O Preserver. Verily, Allah is the best preserver and He is the Most Merciful of the merciful. O Allah, You know my inner and outer self, so accept my excuse and You know my need, so grant my request, and forgive my sins; You who knows the treachery of the eyes, and what the hearts conceal, I seek Your forgiveness, I repent to You, I resort to You, and I rely on You.
May Allah bless your efforts and bestow upon you the wisdom and understanding to excel in your exams and all aspects of your life, and may He make you of those who use their knowledge in service of humanity and His creation. Aameen.
Let us remember that while we strive for success in our worldly pursuits, the ultimate success is in attaining the pleasure of Allah and His paradise in the Hereafter. May Allah grant you the knowledge that benefits, success that elevates and wisdom that guides. Ameen.