It’s best to avoid transliterations and instead read the Adhkaar in Arabic.

Shaikh Abdul-Muhsin al-‘Abbad (may Allah preserve him) was asked:

Question:

what is the ruling on writing the texts of the Prophetic Ahaadith and Adhkaar in transliteration?

Answer:

“Translate it. [As for] translating its meaning, there is no harm. As for translating the texts in transliteration, then that cannot be done. This is because the ordering of words in Arabic is not like the ordering of words in other languages. This is because the adjective comes before that which it describes in other languages. In Arabic, that which is being described precedes the adjective. Transliteration is not possible nor can occur. What should [be done] is translation of its meaning. Yes”.

[Sharh at-Tirmidhi no. 315]

In another question, the Shaikh is asked about the same issue and it is clarified to him that transliteration may not change the order of the words. The Shaikh (may Allah preserve him) concludes:” The Adhkaar, as it is well-known, should be done in the Arabic language. So a non-Arab should learn Arabic until he is able to do so. However, the one who is not able to do so, then he supplicates in other than Arabic…”

[Sharh at-Tirmidhi no. 316]

And Allah Knows best

Translated by

Faisal bin Abdul Qaadir bin Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan

Shaykh Bakr Abu-Zayd said:

“One time, Al-Asma’i passed by a man who, while making du’a said, “Ya Dhul Jalali Wa Al-Ikram,” (Which is grammatically incorrect, it should be: Ya Dhal…), so Al-Asma’i asked the man about his name. The man replied, “Layth.” So Al-Asma’i wrote a line of poetry saying,

Layth calls upon his Lord with grammatical errors,
This is why when he calls upon him He does not answer.”

[Ref: Tashih Ad-Du’a, Pg. 25]

Note: Some forward this as well for reading transliterations since at times the wordings of the du’a aren’t read grammatically correct.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ قَالَ: قَدِمَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ فِي زَمَانِ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ فَقَالَ: مَنْ يُقْرِئُنِي مِمَّا أُنْزِلَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ؟ قَالَ: فَأَقْرَأَهُ رجل” براءة”، فقال:” أَنَّ اللَّهَ بَرِيءٌ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَرَسُولِهِ”. بِالْجَرِّ فَقَالَ الْأَعْرَابِيُّ: أَوَقَدْ بَرِئَ اللَّهُ مِنْ رَسُولِهِ؟ فَإِنْ يَكُنِ اللَّهُ برئ من رس. له فَأَنَا أَبْرَأُ مِنْهُ، فَبَلَغَ عُمَرَ مَقَالَةُ الْأَعْرَابِيِّ: فَدَعَاهُ فَقَالَ: يَا أَعْرَابِيُّ أَتَبْرَأُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ؟ فَقَالَ يَا أمير المؤمنين، إني قدمت المدينة ولأعلم لِي بِالْقُرْآنِ، فَسَأَلْتُ مَنْ يُقْرِئُنِي، فَأَقْرَأَنِي هَذَا سورة” براءة” فقال:” أَنَّ اللَّهَ بَرِيءٌ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ورسوله”، فقلت أو قد بَرِئَ اللَّهُ مِنْ رَسُولِهِ، إِنْ يَكُنِ اللَّهُ بَرِئَ مِنْ رَسُولِهِ فَأَنَا أَبْرَأُ مِنْهُ، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: لَيْسَ هَكَذَا يَا أَعْرَابِيُّ، قَالَ: فَكَيْفَ هِيَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ؟ قَالَ” أَنَّ اللَّهَ بَرِيءٌ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَرَسُولُهُ” فقال الأعرابي: وأنا أَبْرَأُ مِمَّا بَرِئَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ مِنْهُ، فَأَمَرَ عمر ابن الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَلَّا يُقْرِئَ النَّاسَ إِلَّا عَالَمٌ بِاللُّغَةِ، وَأَمَرَ أَبَا الْأَسْوَدِ «1» فَوَضَعَ النَّحْوَ

Ibn Abi Mulayka said, “A bedouin arrived in Madina in the time of `Umar ibn al-Khattab and asked, ‘Who will recite some of what was revealed to Muhammad, salallahu `alayhi wa sallam?’ A man recited Surat at-Bar’a to him. He said, ‘Allah is free of the idolaters and His Messenger’ using the genitive for Messenger (rasooliHI).’ The bedouin said, ‘Allah is free of His Messenger? If Allah is free of His Messenger, we are more free of him.’ `Umar heard what the bedouin had said so he summoned him and said, ‘Bedouin, are you free of the Messenger of Allah?’ He replied, ‘Ameer al-Mu’minin, I came to Madina with no knowledge of the Qur’an. I asked someone to recite it to me and he recited this Sura al-Bara’ (i.e. tawbah) and said, “Allah is free of the idolaters and His Messenger.” So I said, “Allah is free of His Messenger? If Allah is free of His Messenger, we are more free of him.”‘ `Umar said, ‘That is not how it is, bedouin.’ He said, ‘How is it then, Amir al-Mu’minun?’ He said, ‘Allah is free of the idolaters, as is His Messenger (rasuluHU).’ The bedouin said, ‘We, by Allah, are more free of what Allah and His Messenger are free of!’ So `Umar ibn al-Khattab commanded that only those who knew proper grammar should recite to people and he commanded Abu’l-Aswad to set out the grammar.”

Mentioned by

AbdulFattaah Bin Uthman
Abu Fajr