From Duas from the Qur'an

Rabbi hab li min ladunka dhurriyyatan tayyibah

Quick answer

The prayer of Zakariya (AS) for a good and righteous child. It is a fitting Du'a for anyone asking Allah (SWT) for children or praying for the goodness of future offspring.

When to recite

Recite it when asking Allah (SWT) for a child, during a long wait for pregnancy, or when praying that present or future children grow in faith and goodness. The verse gives no fixed count.

Verified wording

The Arabic and meaning are paired with Quran 3:38. No special promise or count is added without a cited basis.

Arabic
رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِن لَّدُنكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِ
Transliteration

Rabbi hab li min ladunka dhurriyyatan tayyibah, innaka sami'u-d-du'a.

Meaning in English

My Lord, grant me from Yourself a good offspring. Indeed, You are the Hearer of supplication.

Word by word
رَبِّ
Rabbi
My Lord
هَبْ لِي
Hab li
Grant me
مِن لَّدُنكَ
Min ladunka
From Yourself
ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً
Dhurriyyatan tayyibah
Good and righteous offspring
إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِ
Innaka sami'u-d-du'a
You hear every supplication
Meaning and context

Zakariya (AS) made this prayer after seeing the extraordinary provision Allah (SWT) gave Maryam (AS). That moment renewed his hope, even though his circumstances made parenthood appear unlikely.

He did not ask only for offspring. He asked for dhurriyyatan tayyibah, offspring marked by goodness. The prayer holds together the longing for a child and the deeper hope that the child will live well before Allah (SWT).

Source: Quran 3:38
Common questions
Is this a Du'a for pregnancy?

It is the Quranic prayer of Zakariya (AS) for good offspring, so it is appropriate when asking Allah (SWT) for a child. It is not a promise of a particular outcome or timetable.

Can parents recite it for children they already have?

Yes. Its wording asks for good offspring, which includes praying for the faith, character, and well-being of one's children.

Is there a fixed number of times to recite it?

Quran 3:38 does not prescribe a fixed count. Recite it sincerely without presenting an unsupported number as part of the Sunnah.

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Rabbi hab li min ladunka dhurriyyatan tayyibah: Arabic, transliteration, and translation
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