اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ لَا يَنْفَعُ
Allahumma inni as'aluka 'ilman nafi'an wa a'udhu bika min 'ilmin la yanfa'
O Allah, I ask You for knowledge that is beneficial, and I seek refuge in You from knowledge that does not benefit.
Not all knowledge is equal. You can memorize facts that never change your behavior, earn degrees that never humble you, and accumulate information that never brings you closer to Allah. The Prophet ﷺ distinguished between 'ilm nafi' (knowledge that transforms) and 'ilm la yanfa' (knowledge that merely decorates). This du'a asks for the former and seeks protection from the latter.
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 عَلِّمْنِي مَا يَنْفَعُنِي وَانْفَعْنِي بِمَا عَلَّمْتَنِي وَزِدْنِي عِلْمًا
O Allah, teach me what benefits me, let me benefit from what You have taught me, and increase me in knowledge.
Hasanاللَّهُمَّ يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ
O Allah, O Turner of hearts, make my heart firm upon Your religion.
Sahihاللَّهُمَّ أَلْهِمْنِي رُشْدِي وَأَعِذْنِي مِنْ شَرِّ نَفْسِي
O Allah, inspire me with right guidance and protect me from the evil of myself.
Hasan