Therefore, many Muslims engaged in Da'wah find it difficult when confronting a hostile audience. This reminds me of a number of verses mentioned in Surah 20 Ta Ha which are attributed to Prophet Moses - Mūsā عليه السلام when he was asked by Allah to go and extend Da'wah to Pharaoh to Islam. And wh else knew Pharaoh's anger and stubborn better than Prophet Moses - Mūsā عليه السلام who had spent major part of his youth with Pharaoh. Therefore he was rather reluctant to go to him and ask to follow the true faith of Allah. Therefore, he made a supplication / duʿā to Allah to help him stand before the biggest demagogue of the time and yet remain unharmed.
We are sharing this duʿā specifically for those Muslims engaged in Da'wah so that they may recite it before talking to an audience so that the Divine help is by their side and every word they say has conviction of their faith, boldness to face a non-receptive audience, and choosing the right words appropriate to the level of understanding and attitude.
The duʿā of Prophet Mūsā (Moses) عليه السلام before facing Pharaoh is one of the most profound prayers in the Qur’an — simple, short, yet full of lessons for courage, clarity, and composure.
The Duʿā in the Qur’an (Surah Ṭā Hā (20:25–28))
قَالَ رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي
وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي
وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي
يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي
Translation
Prophet Moses - Mūsā عليه السلام supplicated:
“My Lord, expand for me my chest;
Ease my task for me;
Remove the knot from my tongue
So that they may understand my speech.”
— (Qur’an 20:25–28)
Context
Prophet Mūsā (A.S.) was chosen by Allah to confront Pharaoh, the most arrogant and tyrannical ruler of his time, who claimed to be god himself. Prophet Mūsā felt fear and inadequacy — he had fled Egypt earlier and had a speech impediment. Before going on this great mission, he turned to Allah with this heartfelt duʿā.
Meaning and Wisdom
Let’s break down this duʿā fro better understanding:
“Rabbishraḥ lī ṣadrī رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي ” — Expand my chest. That is, fill my heart with the courage that may enable me to perform the obligations connected with the great mission of a Messenger, and give me the confidence for its fulfillment. Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) prayed for this because he realized the grave responsibilities of the great mission.
“Wa yassir lī amrī وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي ” — Make my task easy for me. When asked Allah's help, every task, no matter how great, becomes manageable with Allah’s help.
“Waḥlul ‘uqdatam min lisānī وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي ” — Remove the knot from my tongue. Seeking clarity of expression so the truth is communicated effectively.
“Yafqahū qawlī يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي ” — So they may understand my speech. Guidance is not just about speaking — but being understood and accepted by others.
Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) prayed to Allah for this because he was conscious that he was not a fluent speaker but was slow of speech. He also knew that as a Messenger he would have to be fluent in order to impress Pharaoh and his courtiers. This is confirmed by the Bible (Exodus 4: 10), The fact is, that at first he was not a fluent speaker and Pharaoh had also taunted him on this impediment. (Surah Az-Zukhruf, Ayat 52). Prophet Moses realized the same for he said: My brother Aaron is more fluent than me, so send him with me as a helper, so that he may support me (with his fluent speech). (Surah Al-Qasas, Ayat 34).
However, it does not stand to reason that Allah should appoint a lisper or a stutterer as His Messenger. That is why the Messengers have always been the best of mankind in regard to their appearance, personality and capabilities for they had to be most impressive both in their appearance and conduct, so that they could not be made the target of ridicule and contempt by the people because of such personal defects as stammering or stuttering.
Lessons and Benefits for Us Today
1. Seek Allah’s help before challenges - Before interviews, presentations, exams, or confrontations, reciting this duʿā brings peace and focus.
2. Confidence through humility - Prophet Mūsā didn’t rely on his ability, but on Allah — teaching us to depend on divine support, not ego.
3. Calm in anxiety - “Expand my chest” is a perfect phrase for those facing stress, fear, or social anxiety.
4. Communication with wisdom - We learn to speak kindly, truthfully, and clearly — vital for family, work, or daʿwah.
5. Faith over fear - Even when standing before power and injustice, a believer draws courage from trust in Allah.
Prophetic Example
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ also used to recite similar words when facing hardship. He said:
“O Allah! There is no ease except in what You make easy, and You make the difficult easy if You will.” (Ibn Ḥibbān, 2427)
This echoes Mūsā’s duʿā — a timeless formula for courage, eloquence, and reliance on Allah.
Practical Tip
Whenever you feel nervous — extending Da'wah to non Muslims to Islam or even when giving a speech, defending your truth, starting a project, or facing an intimidating situation, one must recite:
رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي
“My Lord, expand my chest and make my task easy for me.”
and feel the divine calmness descend — as it did upon Mūsā (A.S.).
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
Please refer to our reference page: Da'wah - The Invitation to Non-Muslims to Islam (Reference Page) fro more publications on the subject of Da'wah already published.
For more Q&A about Understanding Islam, please refer to our reference page: Understanding Islam - Frequently asked Q&A. You may also refer to our refference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on important issue related to Islam to know more about Islam.
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