There is no single dua the Prophet ﷺ taught specifically for exams, but the Quran and Sunnah give perfect ones for the situation: Musa's dua "Rabbi shrah li sadri" (expand my chest, ease my task, untie my tongue), "Rabbi zidni 'ilma", the Prophet's dua for beneficial knowledge, and his dua against worry and laziness. Combine them with preparation and trust in Allah.
Exams did not exist in their modern form, so there is no authentic dua labelled "for exams". What we have is
better: supplications from the Quran and Sunnah for exactly what you need.
Before you start: Musa's dua. When Allah told him to go to Pharaoh, a tyrant who had transgressed, Musa (AS) said: "My
Lord, expand for me my breast [with assurance] and ease for me my task and untie the knot from my tongue that they
may understand my speech" 1. In Arabic: Rabbi shrah li sadri, wa yassir li amri, wahlul 'uqdatan min lisani,
yafqahu qawli. It fits an exam or an oral presentation perfectly.
While revising: ask for more knowledge. Allah taught the Prophet ﷺ to say, "My Lord, increase me in
knowledge" (Rabbi zidni 'ilma) 2. The Prophet ﷺ also prayed: "O Allah, benefit me with that which You have
taught me, and teach me that which will benefit me, and increase me in knowledge" 3. After Fajr he would ask for
"beneficial knowledge" 4.
When you feel anxious. He sought refuge in Allah "from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness" 5. And
when something is weighing on you, remember the words of the believers under pressure: "Sufficient for us is
Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs" 6.
Do your part, then trust. The Prophet ﷺ said: "seek help from Allah and do not lose heart", and if something
goes wrong, do not keep saying "if only", but accept what Allah decreed 7. Whoever relies upon Allah, "He is
sufficient for him" 8.
So revise well, sleep, make these duas with a present heart, then walk in calmly. The result is written; your
effort and your trust are what you are rewarded for.
The evidence
1
Quran Taa-Haa · 20:24–28
Sent to Pharaoh, Musa made dua to expand his chest, ease his task and untie his tongue.
24 Go to Pharaoh. Indeed, he has transgressed 25 [Moses] said, "My Lord, expand for me my breast [with assurance] 26 And ease for me my task 27 And untie the knot from my tongue 28 That they may understand my speech
So high [above all] is Allah, the Sovereign, the Truth. And, [O Muhammad], do not hasten with [recitation of] the Qur'an before its revelation is completed to you, and say, "My Lord, increase me in knowledge
3
HadithJami' at-Tirmidhi 3599
Sahihgraded by Al-AlbaniGraders differ
Ahmad Muhammad Shakir: Sahih
Al-Albani: Sahih
Zubair Ali Zai: Daif
O Allah, benefit me with what You taught me, teach me what benefits me, and increase me in knowledge.
Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:“O Allah, benefit me with that which You have taught me, and teach me that which will benefit me, and increase me in knowledge. All praise is due to Allah in every condition, and I seek refuge in Allah from the condition of the people of the Fire (Allāhummanfa`nī bimā `allamtanī wa `allimnī mā yanfa`unī, wa zidnī `ilma, al-ḥamdulillāhi `alā kulli ḥālin, wa a`ūdhu billāhi min ḥāli ahlin-nār).”
After Fajr the Prophet ﷺ asked Allah for beneficial knowledge, good provision and accepted deeds.
It was narrated from Umm Salamah that when the Prophet (ﷺ) performed the Subh (morning prayer), while he said the Salam, he would say:‘Allahumma inni as’aluka ‘ilman nafi’an, wa rizqan tayyiban, wa ‘amalan mutaqabbalan (O Allah, I ask You for beneficial knowledge, goodly provision and acceptable deeds).’”
العربية
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا شَبَابَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ أَبِي عَائِشَةَ، عَنْ مَوْلًى، لأُمِّ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ كَانَ يَقُولُ إِذَا صَلَّى الصُّبْحَ حِينَ يُسَلِّمُ " اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْمًا نَافِعًا، وَرِزْقًا طَيِّبًا، وَعَمَلاً مُتَقَبَّلاً " .
5
HadithSahih al-Bukhari 6369
SahihBukhari
The Prophet ﷺ sought refuge from worry, grief, incapacity and laziness.
Narrated Anas bin Malik:The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say, "O Allah! I seek refuge with You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from being heavily in debt and from being overpowered by (other) men." (See Hadith No)
Those to whom hypocrites said, "Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them." But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, "Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs
7
HadithSahih Muslim 2664
SahihMuslim
Seek Allah's help, do not lose heart, and do not say "if only" after a setback.
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:A strong believer is better and is more lovable to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone, (but) cherish that which gives you benefit (in the Hereafter) and seek help from Allah and do not lose heart, and if anything (in the form of trouble) comes to you, don't say: If I had not done that, it would not have happened so and so, but say: Allah did that what He had ordained to do and your" if" opens the (gate) for the Satan
And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent
This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24