Dua for Leaving a Gathering
3 Things to Know About Its Expiation
Few gatherings pass without some idle word, and the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) gave the believers a beautiful supplication to say before they rise, which erases whatever slips occurred and seals the gathering with the praise of Allah. He taught that whoever sits in a gathering in which much idle talk occurs and then says these words before rising will have whatever happened in that gathering forgiven. The dua for leaving a gathering is this gift of mercy, a brief supplication that closes every gathering with forgiveness.
سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ، أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ
Subhanaka-llahumma wa bihamdik, ashhadu an la ilaha illa ant, astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk.
“Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise; I bear witness that there is no god but You; I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance.”
The supplication glorifies Allah, bears witness that there is no god but Him, and seeks His forgiveness and turns to Him in repentance, a beautiful way to end any time spent with others. This guide explains the dua for leaving a gathering and three things to know about its expiation, so that the believer may make a habit of sealing their gatherings with this supplication, gain the forgiveness of whatever idle talk occurred, and rise from every gathering having glorified Allah, borne witness to His oneness, and turned to Him in repentance.
The Expiation of the Gathering
The Prophet (pbuh) taught the believers that whoever sits in a gathering in which much idle talk occurs, and then says the beautiful supplication quoted above before rising, will be forgiven for whatever happened in that gathering. This supplication is therefore called the expiation of the gathering, for it wipes away the idle and careless words that so often slip into time spent with others. By saying it before rising, the believer leaves the gathering with a clean record, having sealed it with the praise of Allah.
There is great mercy in this teaching, for gatherings are where the tongue most easily falls into idle talk, gossip or jest, and few people rise from a gathering entirely free of such slips. The Prophet (pbuh) gave the believers this brief supplication as a covering for those slips, a gift of forgiveness at the close of every gathering. The dua for leaving a gathering reflects this mercy, allowing the believer to end any gathering by glorifying Allah and seeking His pardon.
Three Things to Know About Its Expiation
This supplication seals a gathering with forgiveness. These three things help the believer make it a habit.
- Say the supplication before rising, and whatever slips occurred in the gathering are forgiven.
- Use it to seal every gathering with the glory and praise of Allah.
- Bear witness to the oneness of Allah and turn to Him in repentance as you leave.
أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ
Astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk
I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You
Sealing Every Gathering with Praise
The dua for leaving a gathering is a gift of mercy that closes any gathering with forgiveness and the praise of Allah. By saying the supplication before rising, using it to seal every gathering, and bearing witness to the oneness of Allah while turning to Him in repentance, the believer ends their gatherings in the best way. Few gatherings pass without idle words, and the believer who makes a habit of this supplication rises from every gathering having glorified Allah and gained the forgiveness of whatever slips occurred.
This supplication pairs naturally with the dua for good character and the dua for truthfulness. Together they help the believer guard the tongue and seal their company with the remembrance of Allah.
The Prophet (pbuh) taught a supplication that forgives whatever idle talk slipped into a gathering. Learn the daily duas with us on YouTube, where the supplications are recited aloud, on X for a reminder to seal your gatherings with the praise of Allah, and on Pinterest where readers share their daily habits of remembrance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The dua for leaving a gathering is the expiation the Prophet (pbuh) taught: Subhanaka-llahumma wa bihamdik, ashhadu an la ilaha illa ant, astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk, glory be to You O Allah and praise; I bear witness there is no god but You; I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You.
The Prophet (pbuh) taught that whoever says it before rising from a gathering in which idle talk occurred will be forgiven for whatever happened in that gathering. It is an expiation that seals the gathering with the praise of Allah.
It is recited before rising from any gathering, especially one in which much talk occurred. Making it a habit at the end of every gathering closes the time spent with others with forgiveness and the remembrance of Allah.
Gatherings are where the tongue most easily falls into idle talk, jest or gossip, and few rise from a gathering entirely free of such slips. The Prophet (pbuh) gave this supplication as a mercy covering those slips.
The supplication covers the idle slips of a gathering, but wrongs against others, such as backbiting, also require seeking the pardon of those wronged. The believer says the expiation and also makes amends for any clear wrong done to a person.
Yes, the believer may seal any gathering with this supplication, whether a meeting, a meal, or time with friends and family. Ending every gathering with the glory and praise of Allah is a beautiful and protective habit.