دُعَاءُ الِاسْتِيقَاظِ

In the morning, you open your eyes. Even before getting up, the Prophet ﷺ taught us to say:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ

In Latin letters: al-ḥamdu lillaahi lladhii aḥyaanaa ba'da maa amaatanaa wa ilayhi n-nushuur.

The meaning: "Praise be to Allah, who gave us life after having made us die, and to Him is the resurrection."

Source: Bukhari 6312.

What does "after having made us die" mean? When we sleep, we no longer see, we no longer hear, we no longer know what is happening: sleep is a little like death. Every morning Allah gives us life again and offers us a new day. So we thank Him!

The tip to remember it: cut it into three pieces. 1. الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ: "Thank you, Allah!" (you already know it). 2. الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا: "who woke me up". Think: aḥyaanaa = "woke up, alive". 3. وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ: "and I will return to Him". Stick a small picture of a sun next to your bed: when you see it in the morning, you will remember to say your dua.

Challenge of the week: say this dua every morning for seven days. Tick a box on your calendar each time!

Understanding the lesson

Explanation The very first word of your day is a thank you: "al-hamdu lillah". Before you even think about school, breakfast or games, you remember that your new day is a gift from Allah.

The end of the dua, "and to Him is the resurrection", reminds you that one day everyone will "wake up" before Allah. So every morning we can tell ourselves: "Allah has given me this day; what good am I going to do with it?"

Saying this dua every morning also teaches you a good habit: doing the same beautiful thing at the same time every day. That is how good habits become easy.

Lessons to draw from it • I begin my day by thanking Allah, before anything else. • Every day is a gift: I try to do at least one good deed in it. • A good habit is built by repeating it every day, at the same time.

Key points to remember • On waking: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ (Bukhari 6312). • Sleep is a little like death; waking up is a new life given by Allah.

The main message Every morning Allah gives you a new day: begin it with "thank you, Allah!".