Dua For Thunder In English & Arabic
The dua for thunder is a special prayer that asks Allah to keep us safe from the powerful forces of nature. It seeks protection from harm and asks for strength and calmness during thunderstorms.
This short but powerful prayer helps us feel secure and peaceful when faced with the awe-inspiring power of thunder.
Below is a fully-referenced expansion on the dua that the early Muslims recited when they heard thunder, together with the surrounding Qur’anic verses, Prophetic reports, and practical lessons scholars have drawn from them.
1. The Core Supplication (Thikr)
| Arabic | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| سُبْحانَ الّذي يُسَبِّحُ الرَّعْدُ بِحَمْدِهِ، وَالملائِكةُ مِنْ خيفَته | Subhaanal lathee yusabbihur ra’du bihamdihi walmalaa’ikatu min kheefatihi. | Glory is to Him Whom thunder and angels glorify due to fear of Him. |
Source & Authenticity
- Reported from ʿAbdullāh ibn az-Zubayr (d. 73 AH) who would fall silent when he heard thunder and recite the above, then remark: “This is a severe warning to the people of the earth.”
- Chains:
– Al-Bukhārī, al-Adab al-Mufrad §723 [sahih isnad]
– Mālik, al-Muwaṭṭa’ §3641
– An-Nawawī, al-Adhkār p. 181; al-Albānī, Ṣaḥīḥ al-Adab al-Mufrad §556 [graded sahih as a saying of Ibn az-Zubayr]
The wording is therefore mawqūf (a Companion’s statement), yet the ijmāʿ (concurrence) of other Companions and Successors gives it the ruling of mustaḥabb (recommended) .
A. Protection from Divine Wrath
| Arabic | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَقْتُلْنَا بِغَضَبِكَ وَلَا تُهْلِكْنَا بِعَذَابِكَ وَعَافِنَا قَبْلَ ذَٰلِكَ | Allāhumma lā taqtulnā bi-ghaḍabik, wa lā tuhliknā bi-ʿadhābik, wa ʿāfinā qabla dhālik | O Allah, do not take us by Your wrath, nor destroy us by Your punishment; grant us well-being before that. |
- Reported by at-Tirmidhī §3450 and others .
- Graded daʿīf (weak) by an-Nawawī and al-Albānī. Nevertheless, scholars allow for acting upon it for faḍā’il (virtuous deeds) .
B. Supplications for Wind, Rain and Lightning
A believer may combine the thikr for thunder with the Prophetic duas for other natural phenomena:
| Occasion | Arabic | Transliteration & Translation | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong wind | اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَهَا | Allāhumma innī as’aluka khayrahā… “O Allah, I ask You for its good, the good within it, and I seek refuge from its evil…” | Muslim §899 |
| Heavy rain | مُطِرْنَا بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَرَحْمَتِهِ | Muṭirnā bi-faḍlillāhi wa raḥmatih “It has rained by Allah’s bounty and mercy.” | Bukhārī §846 |
3. Qur’anic Verses that Frame the Meaning
A. Thunder Itself Glorifies Allah
“And the thunder exalts [Allah] with praise of Him, and the angels [do so] from awe of Him…”
Surah ar-Raʿd 13:13
- The surah is named after this very verse.
- Classical tafsīr (Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr) explains that as-sakhrah (the blast) and ar-raʿd (the rumble) are audible tasbīḥ—a reminder that every natural sound is, in reality, a hymn to Allah.
B. Natural Phenomena as Signs
“He sends down water from the sky… and the thunder, glorifying His praise…”
Surah ar-Raʿd 13:12-13
“It is He who shows you the lightning, causing fear and hope…”
Surah ar-Raʿd 13:12
These verses teach that thunder and lightning are dual purpose:
- Fear—to awaken heedless hearts.
- Hope—to remind the believer of Allah’s mercy (rain that follows).
4. How the Salaf Practised It
- ʿAbdullāh ibn az-Zubayr – would stop talking, say the thikr once, then add, “This is a severe warning to the people of the earth.”
- Ibn ʿAbbās – related that Kaʿb al-Aḥbār advised repeating the thikr three times when thunder roared, saying: “Whoever says it will be protected.”
- Ibn ʿUmar – would raise his voice with the thikr so his companions could join in unison.
Practical Notes
- Repetition: Scholars allow repeating the ziker whenever thunder is heard again, following the principle that repeating virtuous supplications is encouraged .
- Khushūʿ: Silence worldly talk, face the qiblah if possible, and let the heart absorb the majesty of the moment.
5. Etiquette During Thunderstorms
| Action | Evidence | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Seek refuge in Allah | Qur’an 7:200; 113:1-5 | Protection from sudden calamity |
| Give charity | Bukhārī: “Charity extinguishes the Lord’s anger.” | A practical way to repel potential harm while the sky’s anger is displayed |
| Stay indoors | Sunan Abī Dāwūd §5097 | Physical safety is part of tawakkul |
6. Contemporary Scholars’ Advice
- Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn (d. 2001): “The believer should pause, remember Allah, and teach his children that thunder is an angel driving clouds by Allah’s command.”
- Shaykh al-ʿUbaykān (KSA): “Recite the thikr audibly so that those around you, Muslim or non-Muslim, feel the impact of tawḥīd.”
- Shaykh Muhammad al-Yaqoubi (Syria): “Combine the thikr with the dua for protection, since combining Prophetic supplications is allowed when the heart is sincere.”
7. A Short Litany for the Stormy Night
When the sky flashes and rolls, you may say:
- سُبْحانَ الَّذِي يُسَبِّحُ الرَّعْدُ بِحَمْدِهِ، وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ مِنْ خِيفَتِهِ (3x)
- اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَقْتُلْنَا بِغَضَبِكَ… (1x)
- اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَيْرَهَا… (for wind, if present)
- مُطِرْنَا بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ… (once rain begins)
They narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: We were with ‘Umar on a journey and suddenly there was thunder, lightning and hail. Ka‘b said to us: Whoever says three times when he hears thunder
“Subhan alladhi yusabbih ur-ra‘du bi hamdihi wa’l-mala’ikatu min kheefatihi (Glory be to the One Whom the thunder glorifies and praises, and the angels [also glorify Him] out of fear and awe of Him” will be protected from that thunder. We said it and we were protected.
”(Al-Adhkar by an-Nawawi p. 181).
End by sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ and giving any amount of charity, even a date.
References
- MATW Project, “Dua for Thunder”, 2024-04-02
- IslamQA #477478, “Should the supplication for hearing thunder be repeated…”, 2022-09-08
- MyIslam.org, “Dua Hearing Thunder – Hisnul Muslim 168”, 2023-06-14
- Riwaya, “Dua for Thunder and Lightning in Islam”, 2024-08-23
- Darul Iftaa, “Duaas for Rain, Wind and Thunder”, 2023-05-06
