Dua Upon Waking Up

Thanking Allah for the gift of life

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ
Alhamdulillahilladhi ahyana ba'da ma amatana wa ilayhin-nushoor.
"All praise is for Allah who gave us life after having taken it from us and unto Him is the resurrection."

Meaning & Context

This is the first dua a Muslim recites upon waking, acknowledging the blessing of being given another day of life. The phrase 'after having taken it from us' metaphorically refers to sleep as a form of death. The dua immediately connects the believer's mind to the ultimate reality: that just as Allah returned our soul after sleep, He will resurrect us all on the Day of Judgment ('unto Him is the resurrection').

Benefits of Reciting this Dua

  • Begins the day with the remembrance and praise of Allah.
  • Instills gratitude for the gift of life.
  • Serves as an immediate reminder of the Day of Resurrection and our ultimate accountability.
  • Sets a positive and spiritually-minded tone for the entire day.

Frequently Asked Questions

In Islam, sleep is considered a 'minor death' because our consciousness is temporarily lifted. Waking up is like being given life again, a daily reminder of Allah's power to resurrect.

It connects the daily, personal experience of waking up to the universal, ultimate event of the Final Resurrection, reinforcing a core belief of Islam from the very start of the day.

Quick Quiz

Question: The dua upon waking up reminds us of which major event?