Duas for Leaving the House, Entering the Mosque and Using the Toilet

Each doorway has its own short supplication. The table gathers them with their sources and the grading displayed on Sunnah.com; reports in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim carry no separate grade there. The sections below give the meanings, and the Arabic of each supplication is on its linked source page.

Sources: [1] [3] [6] [10] [13]

The best-known dua for leaving the house entrusts the day to Allah. In Sunan Abi Dawud 5095, shown as Sahih (al-Albani), the Prophet said that whoever says it on going out is told that he is guided, sufficed and protected, and the devils move away from him. Jami at-Tirmidhi 3426 has the same words; Sunnah.com shows it as Da'if (Darussalam), while at-Tirmidhi himself called it hasan sahih gharib.

Umm Salamah added a second supplication: whenever the Prophet left her house he raised his eyes to the sky and sought refuge from going astray and from wronging or being wronged (Sunan Abi Dawud 5094, Sahih, al-Albani). It suits anyone heading into work, study or traffic.

• Bismillah, tawakkaltu 'ala Allah, la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah. — In the name of Allah; I place my trust in Allah; there is no might and no power except with Allah (Sunan Abi Dawud 5095).
• Allahumma inni a'udhu bika an adilla aw udall, aw azilla aw uzall, aw azlima aw uzlam, aw ajhala aw yujhala 'alayy. — O Allah, I seek refuge in You from going astray or being led astray, from slipping or being made to slip, from wronging others or being wronged, and from acting ignorantly or being treated ignorantly (Sunan Abi Dawud 5094).

Sources: [1] [2] [3]

The practice recorded in Sahih Muslim is to mention Allah on entering. Sahih Muslim 2018a reports that when a person remembers Allah on entering his home and at his meal, Satan says there is no lodging and no supper for them; when he enters without remembering Allah, Satan says they have found a place to stay. Quran 24:61 adds the greeting: ‘salute one another with a greeting from Allah, blessed and sweet’.

A longer entering supplication, Allahumma inni as'aluka khayral-mawlaji wa khayral-makhraj, followed by entering and leaving in Allah’s name and trusting in Him, is widely shared. It comes from Sunan Abi Dawud 5096, which Sunnah.com shows as Da'if, attributed to al-Albani. When visiting someone else’s home, Quran 24:27 asks you to announce yourself and greet the household before entering.

• Mention Allah as you step in, for example with Bismillah (Sahih Muslim 2018a).
• Greet those inside with a greeting of peace (Quran 24:61).

Sources: [4] [15] [5] [16]

Abu Usayd reported the Prophet’s instruction to say Allahumma iftah li abwaba rahmatik on entering the mosque (Sahih Muslim 713a). Sunan Abi Dawud 465, shown as Sahih (al-Albani), adds that the person entering should first send peace upon the Prophet and then say these words.

Al-Bukhari placed a chapter on starting with the right when entering the mosque and elsewhere, which the Sunnah.com translation titles as starting with the right foot. Under it he narrated Aishah’s report that the Prophet liked to begin with the right in all his affairs where possible (Sahih al-Bukhari 426).

• Allahumma iftah li abwaba rahmatik — O Allah, open for me the gates of Your mercy (Sahih Muslim 713a).
• Send peace upon the Prophet before it and step in with the right foot (Sunan Abi Dawud 465; Sahih al-Bukhari 426).

Sources: [6] [7] [8]

The same hadith gives the words for going out: Allahumma inni as'aluka min fadlik, asking Allah for His bounty (Sahih Muslim 713a; Sunan Abi Dawud 465). The pairing is easy to remember: mercy when you come in to worship, and bounty as you return to work, family and the rest of the day.

• Allahumma inni as'aluka min fadlik — O Allah, I ask You of Your bounty (Sahih Muslim 713a).
• Word guide: as'aluka, I ask You; min, of or from; fadlik, Your bounty or favour.

Sources: [6] [7]

The Prophet said that whoever enters a mosque should pray two rak'ahs before sitting down (Sahih al-Bukhari 444). The Sunnah.com translation of al-Bukhari’s chapter heading names this prayer Tahiyyat al-Masjid, the greeting of the mosque. Questions about particular times of day, or about arriving while the congregation is already praying, are best put to a local imam or teacher.

The two rak'ahs follow the ordinary form of prayer, which our salah guide explains step by step. If you are going to Friday prayer, our Jummah guide covers the other preparations for the day.

Sources: [9]

Anas reported that when the Prophet entered the toilet he said the words below (Sahih al-Bukhari 142). The Arabic on that page also records a narration saying ‘when he intended to enter’, which is why the words are commonly said before going in. Translators render al-khubuth wal-khaba'ith as male and female devils, or as offensive and wicked things.

Saying Bismillah before entering is also widely taught. It comes from Jami at-Tirmidhi 606, which Sunnah.com shows as Da'if (Darussalam); at-Tirmidhi described its chain as not strong. The refuge supplication is the wording recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari 142.

• Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-khubuthi wal-khaba'ith — O Allah, I seek refuge in You from male and female devils (Sahih al-Bukhari 142).
• A'udhu billahi minal-khubuthi wal-khaba'ith — I seek refuge in Allah from male and female devils; a shorter wording in Sunan Ibn Majah 298, shown as Sahih (Darussalam).

Sources: [10] [12] [11]

Aishah reported that when the Prophet came out of the toilet he said Ghufranak, a single word asking for Allah’s forgiveness. Sunnah.com shows Sunan Abi Dawud 30 as Sahih (al-Albani) and Jami at-Tirmidhi 7 as Sahih (Darussalam); at-Tirmidhi himself called his narration hasan gharib. Because it is one word, it is an easy supplication to teach young children.

• Ghufranak — I ask for Your forgiveness (Sunan Abi Dawud 30; Sahih, al-Albani).
• The same word appears in Jami at-Tirmidhi 7 (Sahih, Darussalam).

Sources: [13] [14]

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