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 أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ وَأَسْتَقْدِرُكَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ وَأَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ الْعَظِيمِ فَإِنَّكَ تَقْدِرُ وَلَا أَقْدِرُ وَتَعْلَمُ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَّامُ الْغُيُوبِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كُنتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ خَيْرٌ لِّي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاقْدُرْهُ لِي وَيَسِّرْهُ لِي ثُمَّ بَارِكْ لِي فِيهِ وَإِنْ كُنتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ شَرٌّ لِّي فِي دِينِي وَمَعَاشِي وَعَاقِبَةِ أَمْرِي فَاصْرِفْهُ عَنِّي وَاصْرِفْنِي عَنْهُ وَاقْدُرْ لِيَ الْخَيْرَ حَيْثُ كَانَ ثُمَّ أَرْضِنِي بِهِ
O Allah, I seek Your guidance through Your knowledge, and I seek ability through Your power, and I ask of Your great bounty. You are capable and I am not. You know and I do not. And You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know this matter is good for me in my religion, my livelihood, and the outcome of my affairs — decree it for me, make it easy for me, and bless me in it. And if You know this matter is bad for me in my religion, my livelihood, and the outcome of my affairs — turn it away from me and turn me away from it, and decree for me what is good wherever it may be, then make me content with it.
Sahihاللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ لَا يَنْفَعُ وَمِنْ قَلْبٍ لَا يَخْشَعُ وَمِنْ نَفْسٍ لَا تَشْبَعُ وَمِنْ دَعْوَةٍ لَا يُسْتَجَابُ لَهَا
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from knowledge that does not benefit, from a heart that does not humble itself, from a soul that is never satisfied, and from a supplication that is not answered.
Sahihاللَّهُمَّ 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.
Sahihاللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا وَرِزْقًا طَيِّبًا وَعَمَلًا مُتَقَبَّلًا
O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, good provision, and accepted deeds.
Sahih