Understanding the Opening Prayer for Events, Complete with Latin and Its Translation

Kapanlagi.com - The opening prayer for an event is one of the important aspects that should be understood by every Muslim. Why? Because this prayer is an expression of our request to Allah SWT that every activity we undertake can proceed smoothly from start to finish.

Every event or knowledge gathering should begin and end with a prayer, as a form of respect and hope. For those of you who have experience in organizing knowledge gatherings discussing various aspects of Islam, the opening and closing prayers are certainly familiar.

You may have often heard the opening prayer for events, especially when attending religious lectures. There are various options for opening prayers that you can recite, depending on the situation you are facing.

Here, KapanLagi.com summarizes interesting information about the opening prayers for events from various sources, on Monday (3/3/2025). Let's take a look together!

1. Opening Prayer for Events Commonly Used

2. Opening Prayer for the Event Along with Its Meaning

Opening prayer for the Arab event:

ﺇِﻥَّ ﺍﻟْﺤَﻤْﺪَ ﻟِﻠﻪِ ﻧَﺤْﻤَﺪُﻩُ ﻭَﻧَﺴْﺘَﻌِﻴْﻨُﻪُ ﻭَﻧَﺴْﺘَﻐْﻔِﺮُﻩْ ﻭَﻧَﻌُﻮﺫُ ﺑِﺎﻟﻠﻪِ ﻣِﻦْ ﺷُﺮُﻭْﺭِ ﺃَﻧْﻔُﺴِﻨَﺎ ﻭَﻣِﻦْ ﺳَﻴِّﺌَﺎﺕِ ﺃَﻋْﻤَﺎﻟِﻨَﺎ، ﻣَﻦْ ﻳَﻬْﺪِﻩِ ﺍﻟﻠﻪُ ﻓَﻼَ ﻣُﻀِﻞَّ ﻟَﻪُ ﻭَﻣَﻦْ ﻳُﻀْﻠِﻞْ ﻓَﻼَ ﻫَﺎﺩِﻱَ ﻟَﻪُ. ﺃَﺷْﻬَﺪُ ﺃَﻥَّ ﻻَ ﺇِﻟَﻪَ ﺇِﻻَّ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻭَﺃَﺷْﻬَﺪُ ﺃَﻥَّ ﻣُﺤَﻤَّﺪًﺍ ﻋَﺒْﺪُﻩُ ﻭَﺭَﺳُﻮْﻟُﻪُ

Opening prayer for the Latin event:

Innalhamdalillahi nahmaduhu wanasta'inuhu wanastaghfiruhu wana'udzubillahi min syuruuri anfusinaa wamin sayyiaati a'maalina man yahdillahu falaa mudhillalahu waman yudhillhu falaa haadiyalahu.Asyhadu alla ilaaha illallah wa asyhadu anna muhammdan 'abduhuu warosuluh.

Meaning of the opening prayer for the event:

"We raise all praise to Him and we ask for His help. While asking for forgiveness and protection from all the evils of our souls and the wickedness of our deeds. Whoever Allah has guided to the right path, then no one can mislead him. And whoever Allah has caused to stray, then no one can guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is the servant of Allah and His messenger."

3. Opening Prayer for the Study Event

Opening Prayer for the Arabic Study Event: اَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي هَدَانَا لِهَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِيَ لَوْلَا أَنْ هَدَانَا اللَّـهُ

Opening Prayer for the Latin Study Event:

Alḥamdu lillāhil-laḏī hadānā lihāḏā, wa mā kunnā linahtadiya lau lā an hadānallāh

Meaning of the Opening Prayer for the Study Event:

"All praise is due to Allah who has guided us to (this paradise) and we would never have been guided if Allah had not guided us."

Opening Prayer for Official Events

In an official event, starting with a prayer is a form of hope for blessings and smoothness, one of which is by practicing the word of Allah in Surah Al-A'raf verse 43 as follows. The opening prayer for an official event can be practiced with Surah Al-A'raf verse 43 as follows:

وَنَزَعْنَا مَا فِي صُدُورِهِم مِّن غِلٍّ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهِم الأَنْهَارُ وَقَالُوا الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي هَدَانَا لِهَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِيَ لَوْلَا أَنْ هَدَانَا اللَّـهُ لَقَدْ جَاءَتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَنُودُوا أَن تِلْكُمُ الْجَنَّةُ أُورِثْتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ.

Opening Prayer for Official Events in Latin:

Wa naza‘nā mā fī shudūrihim min ghillin tajrī min taḥtihimul-an-hār, wa qālul-ḥamdu lillāhilladzī hadānā lihāḏā, wa mā kunnā linahtadiya lau lā an hadānallāh, laqad jā'at rusulu rabbinā bil-ḥaqq, wa nūdū an tilkumul-jannatu ūritstumūhā bimā kuntum ta‘malūn

Meaning: And We removed the grudge from their hearts, beneath them rivers flow. They said, "All praise is due to Allah who has guided us to (this paradise). We would not have been guided if Allah had not guided us. Indeed, the messengers of our Lord have come with the truth." It was proclaimed to them, "This is the paradise which has been inherited by you for what you used to do."

4. The Virtue of Reading the Opening Prayer for the Event

Reading a prayer before starting an event is not just a tradition, but a meaningful step that brings numerous virtues. With the opening prayer, we ask for blessings so that every moment runs smoothly and receives the pleasure of Allah SWT. The atmosphere becomes more solemn and calm, creating a deep concentration. Remembering Allah at the beginning of activities aligns with the advice of the Prophet Muhammad SAW, directing every step we take. Moreover, the opening prayer also serves as a form of worship, filled with remembrance and praise to Him, making the event rich with spiritual values.

5. Closing Prayer for Short Events

After getting to know the opening prayer for the event, you certainly also need to recognize the closing prayer for the event, also known as the prayer of kafaratul majelis. This closing prayer is very brief, so it will not be difficult for a Muslim to memorize it. Here is the text of the closing prayer that needs to be memorized by Muslims:

Closing prayer in Arabic:

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ

Closing prayer in Latin:

“Subhaanakallaahumma wa bihamdika, asyhadu al-laa ilaaha illaa anta, astaghfiruka, wa atuubu ilaik.”

Meaning of the closing prayer:

“Glory be to You, O Allah, I praise You. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except You, I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance.” (HR. Ashhaabus Sunan and see Shahih At-Tirmidzi 3/153.)

This closing prayer has extraordinary virtues, as anyone who recites this prayer before standing up from their seat will have all their mistakes during that gathering forgiven.

6. Closing Prayer for Long Event Activities

Closing prayer for the event in Arabic:

اللّهُمّ اقسِم لَنا مِن خَشيَتِكَ ما تَحولُ بِهِ بينَنا و بينَ مَعاصيكَ و مِن طاعَتِكَ ما تُبلِّغُنا بِهِ جَنَّتَكَ و مِنَ اليَقينِ ما تُهوِّنُ بِهِ عَلَيْنا مَصائِبَ الدُّنيا. اللّهُمّ متِّعْنا بِأَسْمَاعِنا و أَبصارِنا و قُوَّتِنا ما أَحيَيتَنا و اجعَلْهُ الوارِثَ مِنّا و اجعَلْ ثَأرَنا عَلَى مَن عَادانا و لا تَجعلْ مَصيبَتَنا في دِينِنا و لا تَجعلِ الدُّنيا أَكبَرَ هَمِّنا و لا مَبْلَغَ عِلْمِنا و لا تُسَلِّطْ عَلَيْنا مَن لا يَرحَمُنا.

Closing prayer for the event in Latin:

“Allahummaqsim lanaa min khosyyatika maa tahuulu bihi baynanaa wa bayna ma’aashik.Wa min thoo ’atika maa tubalighunaa bihi jannatak.Wa minal yaqiini maa tuhawwinu ‘alaynaa mashooibad dunya.

Allahumma matti’na bi asmaa’inaa wa abshorina, wa quwwatinaa maa ahyyaytanaa, waj’alhul waaritsa minnaa, waj’al tsa’rona ‘ala man zholamanaa, wan-shurnaa ‘alaa man ‘aadaanaa, wa laa taj’al mushibatanaa fii diininaa wa laa taj’al dunyaa akbara hamminaa, wa laa mablagho ‘ilminaa, wa laa tusallith ‘alaynaa mallaa yarhamunaa.”

Meaning of the closing prayer:

“O Allah, grant us the fear of You, which will prevent us from committing sins against You, and grant us obedience to You that will lead us to Your paradise, and grant us certainty that will ease the trials of this world for us.

O Allah, grant us enjoyment through our hearing, our sight, and our strength for as long as we live, and make it a legacy for us. Make our retribution against those who wronged us, and help us against those who oppose us, and do not make our trials in our religion, and do not make this world our greatest aspiration and the pinnacle of our knowledge, and do not make those who do not have mercy on us dominate over us.”

7. People Also Ask (PAA) -- Frequently Asked Questions

What is a short and easy-to-memorize opening prayer for an event?

The short prayer is: Alhamdu lillāhil-laẓī hadānā lihāzā, wa mā kunnā linahtadiya lau lā an hadānallāh.

Does the opening prayer have to be in Arabic?

No, the prayer can be adjusted to the language understood by the audience for better concentration.

When should the opening prayer be recited?

The opening prayer is recited at the beginning of the event, before the main session starts.

Is there an opening prayer for formal events?

Yes, you can use the prayer Alhamdulillahi rabbil ‘aalamiin… which is often used in official events.

(kpl/mni)