Meaning & use
duas
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“duas” is a form of “dua”.
Meanings
nouncountablereligion
In Islam, personal prayers or requests made to God, often spoken quietly and not part of the five daily ritual prayers.
Grammar: Countable; the singular is 'dua'. Use 'a dua' for one such prayer and 'duas' for more than one.
Patterns
- make a dua
- say a dua
- a dua for someone
- a dua for something
She made a quiet dua for her family before going to bed.
The teacher encouraged the students to say a dua for success before the exam.
Many Muslims recite special duas during the month of Ramadan.
nouncountablereligion
A collection or written list of such prayers, often published in a small book.
Grammar: Countable; usually appears in the plural when referring to a collection, e.g. 'a book of duas'.
Patterns
- a book of duas
- a collection of duas
- read duas
He bought a small book of duas for his daughter.
The website offers a collection of duas for different occasions.
Word forms
| singular | dua |
|---|---|
| plural | duas |
Common combinations
- make a dua
- He made a dua for his sick mother.
- say a dua
- The children say a dua before eating.
- a dua for someone
- She offered a dua for her friend's safe journey.
- a collection of duas
- The mosque library has a collection of duas in several languages.
Synonyms and how they differ
- prayer
- A more general word that can refer to any religious address to God; 'dua' is specific to Islam and often implies a personal request.
- supplication
- A formal or literary term for humbly asking God for something; 'dua' is the everyday Islamic term and is more common in Muslim contexts.
Word family
- dua noun
- Singular form; one personal prayer in Islam.
Practice
In which sentence is 'duas' used correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Duas' is the plural of 'dua', so it can be used without 'a' or 'the' in a general sense. Option B is wrong because 'a' cannot go with a plural. Option C uses the singular 'dua' without an article, which is less natural when speaking generally. Option D uses 'the', which suggests specific prayers already mentioned, not a general act.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “duas”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.