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Du'a

اللهم أحيني ما كانت الحياة خيرا لي وتوفني إذا كانت الوفاة خيرا لي

Allahumma Ahyini Ma Kanat al-Hayatu Khayran Li: The Du'a Instead of Wishing for Death

8 hadith in the six books

اللَّهُمَّ أَحْيِنِي مَا كَانَتِ الْحَيَاةُ خَيْرًا لِي ، وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا كَانَتِ الْوَفَاةُ خَيْرًا لِي

Allahumma ahyini ma kanat al-hayatu khayran li, wa tawaffani idha kanat al-wafatu khayran li.

O Allah! Let me live as long as life is better for me, and take my life if death is better for me.

Anas ibn Malik narrates that the Prophet forbade wishing for death because of a hardship that has befallen a person, and taught that one who cannot avoid it should say this supplication instead.

The hadith is recorded in all six books: Bukhari in the books of the sick and of supplications, Muslim, Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi in the funeral chapters, Nasa'i under wishing for death, and Ibn Majah under remembering death.

Narrations of the du'a

Each report begins with the prohibition on wishing for death because of a harm that has befallen one.

Bukhari · 6351لَا يَتَمَنَّيَنَّ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمُ الْمَوْتَ لِضُرٍّ نَزَلَ بِهِ ، فَإِنْ كَانَ لَا بُدَّ مُتَمَنِّيًا لِلْمَوْتِ ، فَلْيَقُلْ : اللَّهُمَّ أَحْيِنِي مَا كَانَتِ الْحَيَاةُ خَيْرًا لِي ، وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا كَانَتِ الْوَفAllah's Messenger (ﷺ) said," None of you should long for death because of a calamity that had befallen him, and if he cannot, but long for death, then he should say, 'O Allah! Let me live as long as life is better for me4 narratorsBukhari · 5671لَا يَتَمَنَّيَنَّ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَوْتَ مِنْ ضُرٍّ أَصَابَهُ ، فَإِنْ كَانَ لَا بُدَّ فَاعِلًا فَلْيَقُلْ ، اللَّهُمَّ أَحْيِنِي مَا كَانَتِ الْحَيَاةُ خَيْرًا لِي ، وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا كَانَتِ الْوَفَاةُ خَيْرًا لِيThe Prophet (ﷺ) said, "None of you should wish for death because of a calamity befalling him; but if he has to wish for death, he should say "O Allah! Keep me alive as long as life is better for me, and let me die if dea4 narratorsMuslim · 6814لَا يَتَمَنَّيَنَّ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَوْتَ لِضُرٍّ نَزَلَ بِهِ ، فَإِنْ كَانَ لَا بُدَّ مُتَمَنِّيًا ، فَلْيَقُلِ اللَّهُمَّ أَحْيِنِي مَا كَانَتِ الْحَيَاةُ خَيْرًا لِي ، وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا كَانَتِ الْوَفَاةُ خَيْرًا لِيAnas (b. Malik) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying. None of you should make a request for death because of the trouble in which he is involved, but if there is no other help to it, then say:O Allah, keep me alive a4 narratorsAbu Dawud · 3108لَا يَدْعُوَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ بِالْمَوْتِ لِضُرٍّ نَزَلَ بِهِ ، وَلَكِنْ لِيَقُلْ : اللَّهُمَّ أَحْيِنِي مَا كَانَتِ الْحَيَاةُ خَيْرًا لِي ، وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا كَانَتِ الْوَفَاةُ خَيْرًا لِيNarrated Anas: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ as saying: No one of you should wish for death for any calamity that befalls him, but he should say: O Allah! cause me to live so long as my life is better for me ; and cause me to4 narratorsTirmidhi · 971لَا يَتَمَنَّيَنَّ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَوْتَ لِضُرٍّ نَزَلَ بِهِ وَلْيَقُلْ : اللَّهُمَّ أَحْيِنِي مَا كَانَتِ الْحَيَاةُ خَيْرًا لِي وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا كَانَتِ الْوَفَاةُ خَيْرًا لِيAnas bin Malik narrated that:The Prophet said that (a Hadith similar to no)4 narratorsNasa'i · 1821لَا يَتَمَنَّيَنَّ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَوْتَ لِضُرٍّ نَزَلَ بِهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَلَكِنْ لِيَقُلْ ، اللَّهُمَّ أَحْيِنِي مَا كَانَتِ الْحَيَاةُ خَيْرًا لِي , وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا كَانَتِ الْوَفَاةُ خَيْرًا لِيIt was narrated form Anas that the Messenger of Allah said:"None of you should wish for death because of some harm that befalls him, rather he should say: 'Allahumma ahini ma kanatil-hayatu khairanli wa tawaffani idha ka4 narratorsNasa'i · 1823لَا تَدْعُوا بِالْمَوْتِ وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوْهُ فَمَنْ كَانَ دَاعِيًا لَا بُدَّ فَلْيَقُلْ : اللَّهُمَّ أَحْيِنِي مَا كَانَتِ الْحَيَاةُ خَيْرًا لِي , وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا كَانَتِ الْوَفَاةُ خَيْرًا لِيIt was narrated that Anas said:"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Do not pray for death or wish for it. Whoever insists on praying for it let him say: Allahumma ahini ma kanatil-hayatu khairanli wa tawaffani idha kanatil-waf7 narratorsIbn Majah · 4265لَا يَتَمَنَّى أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَوْتَ لِضُرٍّ نَزَلَ بِهِ , فَإِنْ كَانَ لَا بُدَّ مُتَمَنِّيًا الْمَوْتَ فَلْيَقُلْ : اللَّهُمَّ أَحْيِنِي مَا كَانَتِ الْحَيَاةُ خَيْرًا لِي , وَتَوَفَّنِي إِذَا كَانَتِ الْوَفَاةُ خَيْرًاIt was narrated from Anas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:“None of you should wish for death because of some harm that befalls him. If he must wish for death, let him say: ‘O Allah, keep me alive so long as living i4 narrators

More in du'as from the hadith