"Allāhumma-j'alnī minal-ladhīna idhā aḥsanū istabsharu, wa idhā asā'ū istaghfarū" asks to be made of those who rejoice when they do good and seek forgiveness when they do wrong. It's recorded in Ibn Mājah (3820) and is for anyone whose worship has started to feel distant, or who isn't sure how to come back after a mistake.
Why This Dua Matters
Two things can quietly dim a believer's light, and neither of them announces itself. The first is doing good without feeling it: prayers said, fasts kept, charity given, but somehow distant from the heart. The second is carrying a wrong without putting it down, not because you don't want to, but because somewhere underneath, you've stopped believing the door back is still open.
This dua holds both of those people. Two requests, perfectly balanced: not make me someone who only does good, and not make me someone who never falls, just make me someone who feels the right things in response to both.
The Dua in Arabic, Transliteration & Translation
Arabic
اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِنَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَحْسَنُوا اسْتَبْشَرُوا، وَإِذَا أَسَاؤُوا اسْتَغْفَرُوا
Transliteration
Allāhumma-j'alnī minal-ladhīna idhā aḥsanū istabsharu, wa idhā asā'ū istaghfarū.
“O Allah, make me of those who, when they do good, they rejoice, and when they do wrong, they seek forgiveness.”
How to Make This Dua Part of Your Week
When a good deed feels like it didn't count because you didn't feel anything
Istibšār, the lighting up of the heart, is something this dua asks for because it can be lost. Say the first half before your next prayer and mean it: make me of those who rejoice.
When you've done something you're not proud of
The dua doesn't ask to be made someone who never goes wrong. It asks to be made someone who, when they go wrong, comes back. The door is not locked.
When your giving this Friday comes from joy, not duty
Before your sadaqah goes out, pause. Let yourself feel it: that is istibšār, and it's exactly what this dua asks for.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Allahumma ij'alni minal ladhina idha ahsanu istabsharu" mean?
It means "O Allah, make me of those who, when they do good, they rejoice," the first half of a dua that also asks for the instinct to seek forgiveness when you do wrong.
What is "istibshar"?
Istibšār is the feeling of joy or lighting up of the heart when doing something good. This dua asks Allah to keep that feeling alive, rather than letting good deeds become routine and unfelt.
Where does this dua come from?
It's recorded in Ibn Mājah (hadith 3820), with a hasan (good) chain of narration.
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