Dua is talking to Allah (﷾): asking Him for what you need, thanking Him, and turning to Him in hope. You can make dua at any time, in any language, for anything good, and Allah (﷾) promises to hear it.
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِى عَنِّى فَإِنِّى قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لِى وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِى لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ
“When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me: Let them also, with a will, Listen to My call, and believe in Me: That they may walk in the right way.”
How to make dua
Begin by praising Allah (﷾) and sending blessings on the Prophet (ﷺ). Raise your hands, face the qibla if you can, and ask with humility and certainty that Allah (﷾) hears you. Ask for good in this life and the next, for yourself and for others. Keep asking: Allah (﷾) has promised, “Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer)” (Qur’an 40:60), and every sincere dua is answered, in the way and at the time He knows is best.
The best times
In sujud (prostration)
The closest a servant is to his Lord.
Sahih Muslim 482The last third of the night
Allah (﷾) asks: who is calling on Me, that I may answer?
Sahih al-Bukhari 1145Between the adhan and the iqamah
A dua made then is not turned back.
Sunan Abi Dawud 521
Duas from the Qur’an
The dua the Prophet (ﷺ) made most often: good in this life and the next (Sahih al-Bukhari 6389).
رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةًۭ وَفِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ حَسَنَةًۭ وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ
"Our Lord! Give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and defend us from the torment of the Fire!"
The dua of Adam and Eve, asking forgiveness.
رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَآ أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ
"Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls: If thou forgive us not and bestow not upon us Thy Mercy, we shall certainly be lost."
The dua of the Prophet Yunus (Jonah) in the belly of the whale, in times of distress.
لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبْحَٰنَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
"There is no god but thou: glory to thee: I was indeed wrong!"
For your spouse and children.
رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَٰجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍۢ وَٱجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا
"Our Lord! Grant unto us wives and offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and give us (the grace) to lead the righteous."
Duas for every day
After eating or drinking
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ
Alhamdulillah
Praise be to Allah. (The Prophet (ﷺ) said Allah is pleased with the servant who eats or drinks and praises Him for it.)
Leaving home
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
Bismillah, tawakkaltu 'ala-llah, la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah
In the name of Allah, I trust in Allah; there is no might and no power except with Allah
Entering the mosque
اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ
Allahumma-ftah li abwaba rahmatik
O Allah, open for me the doors of Your mercy
Leaving the mosque
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ
Allahumma inni as'aluka min fadlik
O Allah, I ask You for Your bounty
Before sleeping
بِاسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا
Bismika-llahumma amutu wa ahya
In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live
On waking
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا، وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ
Alhamdu lillahi-lladhi ahyana ba'da ma amatana, wa ilayhi-n-nushur
Praise be to Allah, who gave us life after He had caused us to die, and to Him is the resurrection