“Allahummahdini wa saddidni” is a powerful dua taught by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). It’s a prayer asking Allah for guidance and steadfastness on the straight and right path.
Allahummahdinee Wa Saddidni in Arabic Text
The dua is written in Arabic as:
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي وَسَدِّدْنِ
Transliteration
The dua is transliterated as “Allahumma-hdini wa saddidni.“
Allahummahdini Wa Saddidni Meaning In English
Allahummahdini wa saddidni means O Allah! Direct me to the Right Path and make me adhere to the Straight Path.
Another narration of Dua for asking guidance is: O Allah I ask you for guidance and uprightness.
Arabic text
اللَّهمَّ إنِّي أسْألُكَ الهُدَى والسَّدَادَ
Transliteration: Allahumma inni as’aluk-alhuda was-sadad.
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Text of the Hadeeth
On the authority of Ali (رضي الله عنه) who said: the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) said to me: “Say:
‘O Allāh! Guide me and grant me success’, and keep in mind – (when asking for) Huda – your guidance along the road, and (keep in mind – when asking for) Sadād – aiming the arrow straight at its target.”
In another narration (it has): “O Allah! Verily, I ask You for al-Huda (right guidance) and as-Sadad (success).”
[Sahih Muslim 2725]
This special prayer asks Allah for two important things: “al-Huda” which means right guidance, and “as-Sadad” which means success.
These are the most important goals for someone who worships Allah, and they’re the greatest gifts anyone could receive.
Without “al-Huda” and “as-Sadad,” a person can’t achieve true prosperity or happiness. That’s why it’s so crucial to ask for them.
When the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, “O Allah! Guide me and grant me success,” or when he said, “O Allah! Verily, I ask You for Hudā (right guidance) and Sadād (success),” he was asking for both guidance and success.
Both of these prayers are asking for “al-Huda” and “as-Sadad,” which are essential for living a good and fulfilling life.
When we talk about “al-Huda,” it means having a deep understanding of the Truth in all its details and overall meaning.
It also means being successful in following and sticking to the Truth, both inside ourselves (like our beliefs and faith) and in our actions and behavior (like in worship and how we speak).
Now, “as-Sadad” is explained by Imam Nawawi as being like aiming an arrow straight at its target. So when we ask for “as-Sadad,” we’re asking for success and to be upright and straight in everything we do.
The original idea of “as-Sadad” is to be sincere and honest and to stay focused on doing what’s right.
When the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) talked about asking for “Huda” and “Sadad,” he compared it to guiding someone along a road and aiming an arrow straight at a target.
Imam Nawawi explains that when we make this dua, we should remember this comparison.
Just like the one guiding someone along a road stays on the right path, and the one aiming an arrow keeps it straight, we should strive to stay on the right path and be focused on doing what’s right.
Similarly, when someone makes this supplication, they should put effort into acquiring proper knowledge, making sure it’s authentic, and then following the Sunnah, the teachings and practices of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Some have suggested that we should remember the examples of “as-Sadad” and “al-Huda” so that we don’t forget their meanings.
By doing this, we can benefit in several ways:
- (a) Remembering the words of the supplication and avoiding forgetting them,
- (b) Understanding what the supplication means,
- (c) Keeping the supplication in mind and not being forgetful of it.
This dua is truly magnificent. It’s short and simple, yet it holds a lot of goodness and general benefits. It’s part of the Jawami’ al-Kalim, which means the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) could say few words but convey a lot of meaning.
This dua also shows the beauty of the Prophet’s advice and how clear his speech was. May Allah’s praise and peace be upon him!
[Taken from the book ‘Explanation of Comprehensive Supplications from the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ) (‘Fiqh al-Ad’iyah wal-Adhkār’) Shaykh Abdur-Razzāq ibn Abdul-Muhsin al-Badr].