It was narrated that Thawban said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Nothing extends one’s life span but righteousness, nothing averts the Divine Decree but supplication, and nothing deprives a man of provision but the sin that he commits.’”
A question frequently raised by Muslims is: Why should I make dua when Allah knows my future? If my destiny is already written, what is the point of anything?
This line of thinking is flawed and can deprive you of worshipping Allah (SWT)—one of the greatest acts a person can perform. Authentic hadith teaches us that through dua, we have the power to alter our divine decree.
But wouldn’t Allah know whether I would make the dua or not?
Yes, Allah knows everything. However, this does not diminish the value of the act of worship itself. We still have to perform righteous deeds, which will only benefit us. Allah knows our future, but we do not.
Allah says in the Quran: “Is the reward for good [anything] but good?” (55:60)
Anas bin Malik narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever asks Allah (SWT) for Paradise three times, Paradise says: ‘O Allah, admit him into Paradise’, and whoever seeks refuge from the Fire three times, the Fire says: ‘O Allah, save him from the Fire.’”
Thus, it would do well for us to learn duas for protection from Jahannam (Hellfire).
Allahumma Ajirni Minan Nar Dua in Arabic
The Arabic text of the Allahumma Ajirni dua is as follows:
اللَّهُمَّ أَجِرْنِي مِنَ النَّارِ
Transliteration (for Pronunciation)
Here are several common transliterations to assist with pronunciation:
-
Allahumma ajirni minan nar
-
Allahumma ajirni min al-nar
-
Allahumma ajirni minan naar
-
Allahumma ajirni minnaar
The most accurate transliteration is: Allahumma ajirni minan naar.
Meaning of the Dua
The meaning of “Allahumma ajirni min al-nar” is “O Allah, protect me from Hell” or alternatively “Ya Allah, protect me from Hell.”
Guidance on Reciting This Dua for Protection from Hellfire
Al-Harith b. Muslim al-Tamimi quoted his father Muslim b. al-Harith al-Tamimi as saying that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) told him secretly: “When you finish the sunset prayer, say: ‘O Allah, protect me from Hell’ seven times; for if you say that and die that night, protection from it would be recorded for you; and when you finish the dawn prayer, say it in a similar way, for if you die that day, protection from it would be recorded for you.” Abu Sa’id told me that al-Harith said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said this to us secretly, so we confine it to our brethren.”
It is important to note that while some narrations mention specific recitation counts, we know from authentic hadith that it is a favored act (mustahabb) for a Muslim to ask Allah for Jannah and seek protection from Hell.
There are no restrictions on when, where, or how many times we should recite this dua. It is a short and simple dua, and the benefits of reciting it are evident.
Remember, the Quran states: “Is the reward for good [anything] but good?” There is no harm in performing beneficial acts, whether with our tongues or our actions. Try to do as much good as possible every day, and over a lifetime, you will accumulate a mountain of good deeds.
Allah knows best. May He keep us on the straight path, keep us humble, and protect us and our families from the Hellfire.
For those interested, there is another dua for protection from Hell taken from the Quran, specifically Surah Imran.
About the Author
