اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ لَا يَنْفَعُ وَمِنْ قَلْبٍ لَا يَخْشَعُ وَمِنْ نَفْسٍ لَا تَشْبَعُ وَمِنْ دَعْوَةٍ لَا يُسْتَجَابُ لَهَا
Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min 'ilmin la yanfa', wa min qalbin la yakhsha', wa min nafsin la tashba', wa min da'watin la yustajabu laha
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.
The Prophet ﷺ would frequently make this du'a. Knowledge without benefit leads to arrogance. A heart without humility is hardened. A soul without contentment is in perpetual misery. And a du'a without acceptance means distance from Allah.
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.
Sahihرَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا
My Lord, increase me in knowledge.
Sahihاهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ
Guide us to the straight path — the path of those You have blessed, not of those who earned anger, nor of those who went astray.
Sahihاللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي وَسَدِّدْنِي، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْهُدَى وَالسَّدَادَ، وَاذْكُرْ بِالْهُدَى هِدَايَتَكَ الطَّرِيقَ، وَبِالسَّدَادِ سَدَادَ السَّهْمِ
O Allah, guide me and keep me straight. O Allah, I ask You for guidance and straightness — and when you think of guidance, think of the guidance of the road, and when you think of straightness, think of the straightness of the arrow.
Sahih