Invocations for the beginning of the prayer — Du'a 6

اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الحَمدُ، أَنتَ نُورُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرضِ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الحَمدُ أَنتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرضِ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ، [وَلَكَ الحَمدُ أَنتَ رَبُّ السَّمَواتِ وَالأَرضِ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ] [وَلَكَ الحَمدُ لَكَ مُلكُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرضِ وَمَن فِيهِنَّ] [وَلَكَ الحَمدُ أَنتَ مَلِكُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرضِ] [وَلَكَ الحَمدُ] [أَنتَ الحَقُّ، وَوَعدُكَ الحَقُّ، وَقَولُكَ الحَقُّ، وَلِقاؤُكَ الحَقُّ، وَالجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّارُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّبِيُّونَ حَقٌّ، وَمحَمَّدٌ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَقٌّ، وَالسّاعَةُ حَقٌّ] [اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ أَسلَمتُ، وَعَلَيكَ تَوَكَّلتُ، وَبِكَ آمَنتُ، وَإِلَيكَ أَنَبتُ، وَبِكَ خاصَمتُ، وَإِلَيكَ حاكَمتُ. فَاغفِر لِي مَا قَدَّمتُ، وَمَا أَخَّرتُ، وَمَا أَسرَرتُ، وَمَا أَعلَنتُ] [وَمَا أَنتَ أَعلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي] [أَنتَ المُقَدِّمُ، وَأَنتَ المُؤَخِّرُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنتَ] [أَنتَ إِلَهِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنتَ] [وَلاَ حَولَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ]

Approximate Arabic reading aid

Allāhumma laka alḥamdu, anta nūru as-samawāti wal-'arḍi waman fīhinna, walaka alḥamdu anta qayyimu as-samawāti wal-'arḍi waman fīhinna, walaka alḥamdu anta rabbu as-samawati wal-'arḍi waman fīhinna walaka alḥamdu laka mulku as-samawāti wal-'arḍi waman fīhinna walaka alḥamdu anta maliku as-samawāti wal-'arḍi walaka alḥamdu anta alḥaqqu, wawa'duka alḥaqqu, waqawluka alḥaqqu, waliqa'uka alḥaqqu, wal-jannatu ḥaqqun, wan-nāru ḥaqqun, wan-nabiyyūna ḥaqqun, wamḥammadun ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam ḥaqqun, was-sa'atu ḥaqqun allāhumma laka aslamtu, wa'alayka tawakkaltu, wabika āmantu, wa'ilayka anabtu, wabika khaṣamtu, wa'ilayka ḥakamtu. faghfir lī mā qaddamtu, wamā akhkhartu, wamā asrartu, wamā a'lantu wamā anta a'lamu bihi minnī anta almuqaddimu, wa'anta almu'akhkhiru lā ilāha illā anta anta ilahī lā ilāha illā anta walā ḥawla walā quwwata illā billāhi

English meaning

O Allah, to You belongs all praise, You are the Light of the heavens and the Earth and all that is within them. To You belongs all praise, You are the Sustainer of the heavens and the Earth and all that is within them. To You belongs all praise. You are Lord of the heavens and the Earth and all that is within them. To You belongs all praise and the kingdom of the heavens and the Earth and all that is within them. To You belongs all praise, You are the King of the heavens and the Earth and to You belongs all praise. You are The Truth, Your promise is true, your Word is true, and the Day in which we will encounter You is true, the Garden of Paradise is true and the Fire is true, and the Prophets are true, Muhammad is true and the Final Hour is true. O Allah, unto You I have submitted, and upon You I have relied, and in You I have believed, and to You I have turned in repentance, and over You I have disputed, and to You I have turned for judgment. So forgive me for what has come to pass of my sins and what will come to pass, and what I have hidden and what I have made public. You are Al-Muqaddim and Al-Mu-akhkhir. None has the right to be worshipped except You, You are my Deity, none has the right to be worshipped except You.)(Meaning of Al-Muqaddim and Al-Mu-akhkhir: Allah puts forward and favours whom He wills from amongst His creation just as He defers and holds back whom He wills in accordance to His wisdom. E.g. Favouring man over the rest of creation, favouring the Prophets over the rest of mankind, favouring Muhammad over all the Prophets and Messengers…etc.

Explanation (Tafseer)

This expansive opening praises Allah as the Light, Sustainer, Lord, and King of the heavens and earth. It affirms the truth of His promise, revelation, judgment, Paradise, the Fire, and the prophets, then expresses submission, trust, faith, and repentance before asking forgiveness for hidden, public, past, and future sins.

When to use

Invocations for the beginning of the prayer

Reference & source

Hisn al-Muslim 32

Open source