Dua for good character
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي لِأَحْسَنِ الْأَخْلَاقِ، لَا يَهْدِي لِأَحْسَنِهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ، وَاصْرِفْ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا، لَا يَصْرِفُ عَنِّي سَيِّئَهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ
Allāhumma’hdinī li-aḥsani’l-akhlāq, lā yahdī li-aḥsanihā illā ant, wa’ṣrif ʿannī sayyi’ahā, lā yaṣrifu ʿannī sayyi’ahā illā ant.
“O Allah, guide me to the best of character, for none guides to the best of it but You; and turn away from me its evil, for none turns its evil away from me but You.”
When to say it
Said when seeking good manners and the removal of bad ones; part of the opening dua of the prayer.
Virtue & benefit
The Prophet ﷺ would say it in his prayer, tying good character directly to Allah's guidance and asking Him to remove bad conduct.
Source
Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (771), from ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib.
Frequently asked
What dua improves your character?
"Allāhumma’hdinī li-aḥsani’l-akhlāq…", which the Prophet ﷺ said in prayer, asking Allah to guide him to the best manners and turn bad ones away.
Where did the Prophet ﷺ say this dua for good character?
It is part of his opening supplication (istiftāḥ) in the night prayer, reported in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim.
Make this dua a daily habit
SABR helps you memorise and retain your everyday duas with spaced repetition — so the words are ready on your tongue when you need them.