Rabbi zidni ilma is the short Quranic dua for increase in knowledge, taught by Allah to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in Surah Taha. People also spell it “Rabbi zidni ilman”, “Rab zidni ilma” or simply search for “ilm ki dua”. On this page you will find the Arabic text with a copy button, Roman Urdu, Urdu tarjuma, English meaning and translations, plus a second Quranic dua that students often read before studying and exams.
Rabbi Zidni Ilma in Arabic
These three words are the closing part of verse 114 of Surah Taha (chapter 20). They are easy to memorise and can be read in a few seconds.
رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا
Roman Urdu Transliteration
Rabbi zidni ilma.
When you stop at the end, the last word is pronounced “ilma” (not “ilman”). If you join it to the next word while reading continuously, the “n” sound is kept.
Urdu Tarjuma
اے میرے رب! میرے علم میں اضافہ فرما۔
Rabbi Zidni Ilma Meaning in English
“My Lord, increase me in knowledge.” (Quran 20:114)
Chinese Translation (中文翻译)
“我的主啊！求你增加我的知识。”（《古兰经》20:114）
Bengali Translation (বাংলা অনুবাদ)
“হে আমার রব, আমার জ্ঞান বৃদ্ধি করে দিন।” (সূরা ত্বা-হা ২০:১১৪)
Hindi Translation (हिंदी अनुवाद)
“ऐ मेरे रब, मेरे ज्ञान में बढ़ोतरी फ़रमा।” (क़ुरआन 20:114)
Word-by-Word Meaning
- Rabbi (رَبِّ) – my Lord
- Zidni (زِدْنِي) – increase me / give me more
- Ilma (عِلْمًا) – in knowledge
The dua is very short, yet it asks for something without limit. It does not ask for a certain amount of knowledge; it asks Allah to keep adding to it.
Source in the Quran
The dua comes in Surah Taha, verse 114. In this verse Allah tells the Prophet ﷺ not to hurry in reciting the Quran before its revelation to him is completed, and then says: “and say, My Lord, increase me in knowledge.”
Scholars point out that this is the only thing in the Quran that the Prophet ﷺ was directly told to ask for more of. This shows how highly Islam values beneficial knowledge.
Other verses praise knowledge as well. The very first revelation began with “Read in the name of your Lord who created” (Quran 96:1). Allah also says that He will raise in ranks those who believe and those who were given knowledge (Quran 58:11), and asks: “Are those who know equal to those who do not know?” (Quran 39:9).
What the Hadith Says About Seeking Knowledge
- The Prophet ﷺ said: “If Allah wants to do good to a person, He makes him comprehend the religion.” (Sahih Bukhari 71)
- He ﷺ also said that whoever takes a path in search of knowledge, Allah makes easy for him a path to Paradise. (Sahih Muslim 2699)
Dua for Exams: Rabbi Shrah Li Sadri
Alongside this verse, many students read the dua of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) before studying, giving a speech or sitting an exam. Musa made this dua when Allah sent him to Pharaoh (Quran 20:25–28).
رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي
Roman Urdu: Rabbish rahli sadri, wa yassirli amri, wahlul uqdatam mil lisani, yafqahu qawli.
Urdu tarjuma:
اے میرے رب! میرا سینہ میرے لیے کھول دے، اور میرا کام میرے لیے آسان کر دے، اور میری زبان کی گرہ کھول دے، تاکہ وہ میری بات سمجھ سکیں۔
English meaning: “My Lord, expand for me my chest, and ease for me my task, and untie the knot from my tongue, so that they may understand my speech.” (Quran 20:25–28)
中文翻译：“我的主啊！求你为我开阔我的胸襟，求你使我的事情容易，求你解开我舌头上的结，以便他们理解我的话。”（《古兰经》20:25–28）
বাংলা অনুবাদ: “হে আমার রব, আমার বক্ষ প্রশস্ত করে দিন, আমার কাজ সহজ করে দিন এবং আমার জিহ্বার জড়তা দূর করে দিন, যাতে তারা আমার কথা বুঝতে পারে।” (সূরা ত্বা-হা ২০:২৫–২৮)
हिंदी अनुवाद: “ऐ मेरे रब, मेरे सीने को मेरे लिए खोल दे, मेरे काम को मेरे लिए आसान कर दे, और मेरी ज़बान की गिरह खोल दे, ताकि वे मेरी बात समझ सकें।” (क़ुरआन 20:25–28)
When and How to Read Rabbi Zidni Ilma
The Quran does not fix a particular time or number for this dua, so you can read it whenever you like. Many Muslims find these moments helpful:
- Before starting your study, homework or Quran lesson.
- Before an exam, interview or presentation, together with Rabbi shrah li sadri.
- After salah, as part of your personal duas.
- When teaching children, so that they learn to connect learning with Allah.
Read it with attention to the meaning and a sincere heart. Since it is a Quranic dua, the words are the same for everyone, and you may also ask Allah in your own language for understanding and good memory.
Remember that dua goes together with effort. Rabbi zidni ilma is a request for help, not a replacement for reading, revising and asking teachers. The best results come when a student works hard and also turns to Allah.
Common Mistakes
- Wrong letter in “zidni”: it is written with zaa (ز), not dhaal (ذ) or zuaad (ض).
- Dropping the shadda: say “Rabbi” with a doubled “b”, not “Rabi”.
- Saying “ilman” when stopping: at a pause the word ends as “ilma”.
- Calling it a hadith: rabbi zidni ilma is from the Quran itself, Surah Taha 20:114.
علم میں اضافے کی دعا اردو ترجمہ کے ساتھ
علم میں اضافے کی دعا اس صفحے پر عربی متن، اردو ترجمہ اور رومن اردو کے ساتھ دی گئی ہے۔ عربی متن کاپی کرنے کے لیے اوپر دیا گیا بٹن استعمال کریں۔
FAQs About Rabbi Zidni Ilma
Rabbi zidni ilma kis surah mein hai?
It is in Surah Taha, the 20th surah of the Quran, at the end of verse 114.
Ilm ki dua kab parhni chahiye?
There is no fixed time. You can read it before studying, before exams, after salah or at any time you wish to ask Allah for more knowledge.
Kya imtihan se pehle Rabbi shrah li sadri parh sakte hain?
Yes. It is a Quranic dua asking Allah to open the chest, ease the task and help one speak clearly, so students commonly read it before exams and presentations.
Yeh dua kitni baar parhein?
No specific number is mentioned in the Quran. Read it as often as you like, with focus on its meaning.
علم میں اضافے کی دعا کب پڑھنی چاہیے؟
اس کے لیے کوئی خاص وقت مقرر نہیں۔ یہ قرآنی دعا پڑھائی شروع کرنے سے پہلے، امتحان سے پہلے، نماز کے بعد یا کسی بھی وقت پڑھی جا سکتی ہے۔