TRANSLITERATION OF CERTAIN FORMULAE AND THEIR MEANINGS
1. Allâhumma aslamtu wajhî 'ilaika, wa fawwadtu amrî 'ilaika, wa 'aljatu zahrî 'ilaika raghbatan-wa rahbatan 'ilaika. Lâ malja' minka illâ 'ilaika. Allâhumma âmantu bikitâbikal-ladhî anzalta wa binabîyikal-ladhî 'arsalta.
[O Allâh! I surrender to You and trust You in all my affairs and depend upon You for Your Blessings both with hope and fear of You. There is no place of protection and safety except with You. O Allâh! I believe in the Book (the Qur'ân) You have revealed and in the Prophet (Muhammad ﷺ whom You have sent).
2. Wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasûl-ullâh. [And I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allâh].
3. Haiya 'alas-Salâh. [Come for the prayer]
4. Lâ hawla walâ quwata illâ billâh. [There is neither might nor any power except with Allâh].
5. Allâhumma Rabba hâdhihi-dda-watit-tâmmati was-salâtil-qâ'imati, âti Muhammadanil-wasîlata wal-fadîlata, wab 'athhu maqâman Mahmûda nil-ladhî wa'adt-tahu.
[O Allâh! Lord of this perfect call and of the regular prayer which is going to be established! Kindly give Muhammad ﷺ the right of intercession and superiority and send him (on the Day of Judgement) to the best and the highest place in Paradise which You promised him].
6. Sami'allâhu-liman hamidah. [Allâh heard those who sent praises to Him].
7. Rabbanâ wa lakal-hamd. [O our Lord! All the praises are for You].
8. Allâhumma bâ'id bainî baina khatâyâyâ kamâ bâ-'adt-ta bainal-mashriqi wal-maghribi. Allâhumma naqqinî min khatâyâ kamâ yunaqqa-ththawbul-abyadu minad-danas. Allâhumma-ghsil khatâyâyâ bil-mâ'i wath-thalji wal-barad.
[O Allâh! Set me apart from the sins (faults) as east and west are set apart from each other and cleanse me from sins as a white garment is
cleaned of dirt (after thorough washing). O Allâh! Wash off my sins with water, snow and hail].
9. Al-hamdu lillâhi Rabbiḥ-‘ālamîn.
[All praises and thanks be to Allâh, the Lord of ‘Alamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists).
10. At-tahîyyātu lillâhi was-salawātu wat-taiyibātu. As-salâmu ‘alaika aiyuhan-Nabîyu wa rahmatu-llâhi wa barakâtuhu. As-salâmu ‘alainâ wa ‘ala ‘ibâdillâh is-sâlihîn.
[All the compliments, prayers and good things are due to Allâh; peace be on you, O Prophet, and Allâh’s Mercy and Blessings be on you. Peace be on us and on the true pious devotees of Allâh].
11. Allâhumma innî a ‘ûdhu bika min ‘adhâbil-qabri, wa a ‘ûdhu bika min fitnatil-masîh-id-dajjâl, wa a ‘udhu bika min fitnatil-mahyâ wal-mamâti. Allâhumma innî a ‘ûdhu bika minal-mâ’thami wal-maghrami.
[O Allâh! I seek Your Protection against the punishment of the grave and against the Fitnah (trial and affliction) of Masih Ad-Dajjâl and the Fitnah (trial and afflictions) of life and death. O Allâh, I seek Your Protection against sins and debts].
12. Allâhumma innî zalamtu nafsi zulman kathiranw-walâ yaghfirudh-dhunûba illâ anta, faghfirlî maghfiratam-min ‘indika, war-hamni innaka antal-Ghafûr-ur-Rahîm.
[O Allâh! I have done great injustice to myself and none except You forgive sins, so please forgive me and be Merciful to me as You are the Oft-Forgiver, the Most Merciful].
13. Lâ-ilâha illallâhu wahdahu lâ sharîka lahu, laḥul-mulku wa laḥul-hamdu, wa Huwa ‘ala kulli shai’in Qadîr. Allâhumma lâ māni ‘a limâ a’taita, wa lâmu’tiya limâ mana’ta, wa lâ yanfa’u dhal-jaddi minkal-jadd.
[None has the right to be worshipped but Allâh and He has no partners in worship (nothing is to be worshipped) along with Him, for Him is the kingdom and all the praises are for Him and He is Omnipotent. O Allâh! Nobody can hold back what You give and nobody can give what You hold back, and hard efforts by anyone (or good luck or riches) for anything cannot benefit one against Your Will and Decisions].
TRANSLITERATION
In transliterating Arabic words, the following system of symbols has been used:
1. Consonants
Arabic script English symbol English words having similar sounds أ a'* — ب b bless ت t true ث th think ج j judge ح h** — خ kh — د d dear ذ dh this ر r road ز z is س s safe ش sh show ص s** — ض d** — ط t** — ظ z** — ع a**** — غ gh — ف f free ق q** — ك k care ل l light م m moon ن n nice
Arabic script English symbol English words having similar sounds هـ h health و w wealth ي y youth
* This symbol represents a glottal stop (transliterated medially and finally and not represented in transliteration when initial).
** These sounds have no equivalent sounds in English.
Native speakers of English usually identify them with familiar English sounds in the following manner:
ح h h ص s s ض d d ط t t ظ z z ق q k
*** The Arabic sounds represented by the symbols (‘ / ’) and the ones mentioned in the previous note are to be learned by imitating the native speakers of Arabic, if one wants to be exact in their pronunciation.
2. Vowels
There are only six vowels in Arabic; three of them are short and the other three are long. They are symbolized in the following way:
a approximately as in ‘bad’ i as in ‘bid’ u as in ‘pull’ â as in ‘father’ î as in ‘bread’ û as in ‘pool’
In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful