اللَّهُمَّ أَلْهِمْنِي رُشْدِي وَأَعِذْنِي مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِي
Allahumma alhimni rushdi wa a'idhni min sharri nafsi
O Allah, inspire me with right guidance and protect me from the evil of myself.
Two requests that cover the full guidance equation: positive guidance (ilham — divine inspiration toward the right path) and negative protection (from your own nafs). Your biggest obstacle to guidance is not external — it is internal. Your ego, your desires, your biases, your comfort zone — these are the walls between you and rushd (right guidance). This du'a asks Allah to break through from both directions.
Related Du'as
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ لَا يَنْفَعُ
O Allah, I ask You for knowledge that is beneficial, and I seek refuge in You from knowledge that does not benefit.
Sahihرَبِّ هَبْ لِي حُكْمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالصَّالِحِينَ
My Lord, grant me wisdom and join me with the righteous.
Sahihرَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي
My Lord, expand my chest, ease my task for me, and untie the knot from my tongue so that they may understand my speech.
Sahihاللَّهُمَّ أَرِنِي الْحَقَّ حَقًّا وَارْزُقْنِي اتِّبَاعَهُ وَأَرِنِي الْبَاطِلَ بَاطِلًا وَارْزُقْنِي اجْتِنَابَهُ
O Allah, show me the truth as truth and grant me the ability to follow it, and show me falsehood as falsehood and grant me the ability to avoid it.
Hasan