Back to search

What is the ruling on the supplication: "O Allah, I draw near to You through my displeasure with myself," and what is the closest supplication to it in Islamic law if it is impermissible?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

If the speaker's intention behind "I draw closer to You through my discontent with myself" is to acknowledge sin, shortcomings, and inability to fulfill the right of worship, then this meaning is good and desirable. For the servant walks towards Allah Almighty between recognizing Allah's favor and reviewing their own faults and deeds, as stated in the Master of Istighfar (supplication for forgiveness): "I acknowledge Your favor upon me, and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me," and in the opening supplication of prayer: "You are my Lord and I am Your servant; I have wronged myself and acknowledged my sin, so forgive all my sins." Indeed, a servant's acknowledgment of their weakness, humility, and neediness before Allah Almighty is one of the greatest avenues for drawing closer to Him, as it necessitates humility, brokenness, and destitution, and they see nothing for themselves but bankruptcy. This is the closest door through which a servant enters to their Lord.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

Read the full answer on Ftawy