The talbiyah and the authentically established supplications of the pilgrimage, with sources.
The pilgrimage has one fixed phrase – the talbiyah – and otherwise leaves supplication open. This lesson keeps to what is authentically established: the talbiyah, the verse said during tawaf, and the dua of the Day of Arafah. The rites themselves are covered in the Hajj & Umrah section of the site.
Key points
- The talbiyah is the defining phrase of ihram and is said aloud and often.
- There is no fixed script for tawaf; pilgrims make their own dua, and the one reported wording is Qur-an 2:201 between the two corners.
- The dua of the Day of Arafah is described as the best dua, and its best form is the tahlil (La ilaha illa Llahu wahdahu...).
- Beware of booklets that assign a specific fixed dua to each circuit of tawaf - that practice has no basis in the Sunnah.
Practical steps
- On entering ihram, begin the talbiyah and keep repeating it.
- During tawaf, make your own dua; between the Yemeni corner and the Black Stone say "Rabbana atina fi d-dunya hasanah...".
- During sa'i between Safa and Marwah, make personal dua and dhikr.
- On the Day of Arafah, spend the afternoon in dua, repeating "La ilaha illa Llahu wahdahu la sharika lah...".
Qur’an
Rabbana taqabbal minna, innaka anta s-Sami'u l-'Alim. Rabbana wa-j'alna muslimayni laka wa min dhurriyyatina ummatan muslimatan laka...
“And [mention] when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Ishmael, [saying], "Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed You are the Hearing, the Knowing. Our Lord, and make us Muslims [in submission] to You and from our descendants a Muslim nation [in submission] to You. And show us our rites and accept our repentance. Indeed, You are the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.”
Surah Al-Baqarah — 2:127-128 (the dua of Ibrahim)
When to read: The words Ibrahim and Ismail said while raising the foundations of the Ka'bah. Recited by pilgrims at the Sacred House.
Rabbana atina fi d-dunya hasanah, wa fi l-akhirati hasanah, wa qina 'adhaba n-nar.
“But among them is he who says, "Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire."”
Surah Al-Baqarah — 2:201
When to read: The Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have said this between the Yemeni corner and the Black Stone during tawaf (Sunan Abi Dawud 1892, hasan). Also one of the most repeated everyday duas.
Hadith
Labbayka Llahumma labbayk. Labbayka la sharika laka labbayk. Inna l-hamda wa n-ni'mata laka wa l-mulk. La sharika lak.
Here I am, O Allah, here I am. Here I am; You have no partner; here I am. Indeed all praise, favour and dominion are Yours. You have no partner.
Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 1549 .
When to read: The talbiyah, said aloud repeatedly from entering the state of ihram until the first stoning on the day of Eid (for Hajj) or reaching the Ka'bah (for Umrah).
La ilaha illa Llahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahu l-mulku wa lahu l-hamd, wa Huwa 'ala kulli shay'in qadir.
There is no god but Allah alone, with no partner. His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He has power over all things.
Sunan at-Tirmidhi, no. 3585 — graded hasan .
When to read: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said the best dua is the dua of the Day of Arafah, and the best of what he and the prophets before him said is this. Repeated through the afternoon at Arafah.
Hadith text and grading above are shown as supplied by their source. HikmahBridge does not grade Hadith itself. See Sources & Methodology.
FAQ
Is there a special dua for each round of tawaf?
No. Assigning a set dua to circuit one, two, three and so on is a later invention with no authentic basis. The Sunnah is free personal supplication, with Qur-an 2:201 said between the two corners.
What about travel and visa requirements?
That is separate from the religious learning here. Always check current official requirements from the authorities of the country you are travelling from and Saudi authorities, close to your travel date.
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