First 10 Days of Ramadan (Dua And Istigfar)

Assalamu Alaikum.

The first ten days of Ramadan are unlike any other days of the year.

They're not just the beginning of a blessed month—they're the foundation of your entire spiritual journey for the next 30 days.

Get these ten days right, and everything else follows. Miss them, and you'll spend the rest of Ramadan trying to catch up.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ described Ramadan in three phases, and the first ten days are known as Ayamur Rahmah—the Days of Mercy.

This is when Allah's mercy pours down like rain, covering every believer who opens their heart to receive it.

But here's the thing: mercy isn't passive.

You have to actively seek it. You have to show up. You have to ask for it.

And that's exactly what this article is about—the duas and hadith that will help you extract every drop of blessing from these precious ten days.

Essential Duas for the First 10 Days

Now let's talk about the specific duas you should be making throughout the first ten days of Ramadan.

Dua For Ramadan to be Blessed

اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي رَجَبَ وَشَعْبَانَ وَبَلِّغْنَا رَمَضَانَ

Translation

O Allah, bless us in Rajab and Sha'ban and allow us to reach Ramadan.

Significance

This is the dua you should have been saying before Ramadan even started.
But if you didn't, say it now as a dua of gratitude: "Ya Allah, You allowed me to reach Ramadan. Now make it a blessed one for me.

Dua For Fasting to be Accepted

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي لَكَ صُمْتُ وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَعَلَى رِزْقِكَ أَفْطَرْتُ

Translation

O Allah, for You I have fasted, in You I have believed, upon You I have relied, and with Your provision I break my fast.

Significance

Say this dua at the moment you break your fast. It's a beautiful declaration that everything you did today—every moment of hunger, thirst, and restraint—was for Allah alone.

Dua For Allah's Mercy to Descend

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ رَحْمَةً مِنْ عِنْدِكَ تَهْدِي بِهَا قَلْبِي

Translation

O Allah, I ask You for mercy from You that will guide my heart.

Significance

Say this throughout the first ten days. You're asking Allah for the very thing these ten days are designed to give—His mercy.
And not just any mercy, but the kind that transforms your heart and guides you to His path.

The Dua of Prophet Yunus (AS)

لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

Translation

There is no god but You. Glory be to You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.

Significance

The Prophet ﷺ said, "No Muslim calls upon Allah with this dua for anything except that Allah will answer him" (Tirmidhi). Say it often in the first ten days. It's a dua of humility, surrender, and complete dependence on Allah.

Dua For Beneficial Knowledge and Pure Provision

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا، وَرِزْقًا طَيِّبًا، وَعَمَلًا مُتَقَبَّلًا

Translation

O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, pure provision, and accepted deeds.

Significance

This is a perfect morning dua for the first ten days. You're asking for three things that define a blessed life: knowledge that benefits, provision that's halal, and actions that Allah accepts.

Dua For a Clean Heart

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ قَلْبٍ لَا يَخْشَعُ، وَمِنْ دُعَاءٍ لَا يُسْمَعُ، وَمِنْ نَفْسٍ لَا تَشْبَعُ، وَمِنْ عِلْمٍ لَا يَنْفَعُ

Translation

O Allah, I seek refuge in You from a heart that does not feel humility, from a supplication that is not heard, from a soul that is never satisfied, and from knowledge that does not benefit.

Significance

Say this throughout the day. You're asking Allah to protect you from spiritual diseases—a hard heart, unanswered duas, endless greed, and useless knowledge.
These are the things that destroy your Ramadan before it even begins.

Dua Seeking Forgiveness Constantly

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ الَّذِي لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيَّ الْقَيُّومَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ

Translation

I seek forgiveness from Allah, there is no god but Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer, and I repent to Him.

Significance

Say this constantly throughout the first ten days.
Even though these are the days of mercy, you still need to seek forgiveness. Mercy and forgiveness go hand in hand.

The Hadith That Defines Ramadan's Three Phases

Before we dive into other specific thungs, let's start with the hadith that divides Ramadan into three parts:

Arabic:

رَمَضَانُ شَهْرٌ أَوَّلُهُ رَحْمَةٌ، وَأَوْسَطُهُ مَغْفِرَةٌ، وَآخِرُهُ عِتْقٌ مِنَ النَّارِ

Translation:

"Ramadan is a month whose beginning is mercy, whose middle is forgiveness, and whose end is freedom from the Fire."

This hadith (though weak in chain, it's widely accepted in meaning) tells us that Ramadan isn't one-dimensional.

Each phase has a different focus, a different energy, a different purpose.

The first ten days (Days 1-10): Focus on receiving Allah's mercy
The middle ten days (Days 11-20): Focus on seeking Allah's forgiveness
The last ten days (Days 21-30): Focus on earning freedom from Hellfire

So if you're in the first ten days, your primary objective is clear: open yourself to Allah's mercy in every way possible.

You can read the whole ultimate guide about Ramadan Karim

So Why the First 10 Days Matter So Much

Ramadan is like a journey.

The first ten days are when you pack your bags, set your GPS, and build the momentum that will carry you to the finish line.

If you start slow, distracted, or half-hearted, you'll spend the rest of the month trying to recover.

But if you start strong—praying on time, reading Quran daily, making sincere dua, controlling your tongue—you'll enter the second and third phases with spiritual strength and clarity.

The first ten days set the tone.

They determine whether you coast through Ramadan or conquer it.

Practical Action Plan for the First 10 Days Of Ramadan

Here's a simple daily checklist to maximize the first ten days:

Morning (After Fajr):

✅ Recite your morning adhkar
✅ Read at least 4 pages of Quran (to finish one Juz every three days)
✅ Make dua for mercy and guidance

Throughout the Day:

✅ Guard your tongue—no backbiting, no complaining, no lying
✅ Increase your Dhikr—aim for 100 Tasbeeh, 100 Istighfar, 100 Salawat on the Prophet ﷺ
✅ Give Sadaqah, even if it's small

Before Iftar (The Golden 15 Minutes):

✅ Put away all distractions
✅ Sit with a pen and paper or your phone notes
✅ Make sincere, heartfelt dua for yourself, your family, and the Ummah

After Maghrib:

✅ Pray Maghrib on time
✅ Eat moderately—don't overeat
✅ Prepare for Isha and Taraweeh

Before Sleeping:

✅ Recite the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah
✅ Make Istighfar
✅ Set your alarm for Suhoor and Fajr

Final Thoughts: Don't Waste the First 10 Days

Most people waste the first ten days.

They spend it recovering from pre-Ramadan exhaustion. They spend it "warming up." They tell themselves, "I'll really start trying in the second ten days."

But by the time they wake up, the first ten are gone. And with it, the days of mercy.

Don't be that person.

These ten days are a gift. A golden opportunity. A chance to receive Allah's mercy in a way that's not available at any other time of the year.

So show up. Be present. Pray with your heart. Read Quran with intention. Make dua like your life depends on it—because your eternal life does.

The first ten days of Ramadan are the foundation. Build it strong, and everything else will follow.