Things to do - Last 10 Nights of Ramadan, especially Lailatul Qadr:
The Night of Power is a special night in which the Qur'an was first revealed. It occurs on one of the last ten nights of Ramadan. Worship on this night is greater than 1000 months which is roughly equal to 84 years.
Prayers to say on the last 10 nights of Ramadan:
أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم
Aoodhu billahi minash shaytaani rajeem.
I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaitan.
Seeking forgiveness:
لاَّ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ أَنتَ سُبْحَـنَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّـلِمِينَ
La Ilaha Illa Anta Subhanaka Inni Kuntu Minaz Zalimeen
There are none worthy of worship besides You. Glorified are You. Surely I am from the wrongdoers. (Qur'an 21:87)
أستغفر الله الذي لا إله إلا هو الحي القيوم وأتوب إليه
Astaghfir ullah-alladhi la ilaha illa Huwal-Haiyul-Qayyumu, wa atubu ilaihi
I seek the forgiveness of Allah, there is no true god except Allah, the Ever-Living, the Self- Subsisting, and I turn to Him in repentance. (Abu Dawood, At- Tirmidhi)
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي ذَنْبِي كُلَّهُ، دِقَّهُ وَجِلَّهُ، وَأَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ وَعَلَانِيَتَهُ وَسِرَّهُ
Allaahum-maghfir lee thanbee kullahu, diqqahu wa jillahu, wa 'awwalahu wa 'aakhirahu wa 'alaaniyata hu wa sirrahu
O Allah, forgive me all my sins, great and small, the first and the last, those that are apparent and those that are hidden. (Abu Dawood)
اللهُـمِّ اغْفِـرْ لِحَيِّـنا وَمَيِّتِـنا وَشـاهِدِنا ، وَغائِبِـنا ، وَصَغيـرِنا وَكَبيـرِنا ، وَذَكَـرِنا وَأُنْثـانا . اللهُـمِّ مَنْ أَحْيَيْـتَهُ مِنّا فَأَحْيِـهِ عَلى الإِسْلام ،وَمَنْ تَوَفَّـيْتَهُ مِنّا فَتَوَفَّـهُ عَلى الإِيـمان
Allaahum-maghfir lihayyinaa, wa mayyitinaa, wa shaahidinaa, wa ghaa'ibinaa, wa sagheerinaa wa kabeerinaa, wa thakarinaa wa 'unthaanaa. Allaahumma man 'ahyaytahu minnaa fa'ahyihi 'alal-'Islaami, wa man tawaffaytahu minnaa fatawaffahu 'alal-'eemaani.
O Allah, forgive our living and our dead, those present and those absent, our young and our old, our males and our females. O Allah, whom amongst us You keep alive, then let such a life be upon Islam (in submission to You), and whom amongst us You take unto Yourself, then let such a death be upon faith. (Ibn Majah)
اللْهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي
Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa’fu’anni.
O Allah, you are the Forgiver, You love to forgive, so forgive me. (At-Tirmidhi)
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لَّا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ، وَأَبُوءُ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِر لِي فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ.
Allahumma anta rabbee la ilaha illa ant, khalaqtanee wa-ana 'abduk, wa-ana 'ala 'ahdika wawa'dika mas-tatwa't, a'oothu bika min sharri ma sana't, aboo-o laka bini'matika 'alay, wa-aboo-o bithanbee, faghfir lee fa-innahu la yaghfiruth-thunooba illa ant.
O Allah, You are my Lord, none has the right to be worshipped except You, You created me and I am Your servant and I abide to Your covenant and promise as best I can, I take refuge in You from the evil of which I have committed. I acknowledge Your favour upon me and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for verily none can forgive sin except You. (Al-Bukhari)
Seeking guidance:
اللهم انى أسالك علماً نافعاً و رزقاً طيباً و عملاً متقبلاً
Allahumma inni as’aluka ‘Ilman naafi’an, wa rizqan tayyiban, wa ‘amalan mutaqabbalan
O Allah! I ask You for knowledge that is of benefit, a good provision and deeds that will be accepted. (Ibn Majah)
اللَّهُمَّ مُصَرِّفَ الْقُلُوبِ صَرِّفْ قُلُوبَنَا عَلَى طَاعَتِكَ
Allāhumma Musarrif al-Qulūbi Sarrif Qulūbana ‘alā Tā’atika
O Allah, Turner of the hearts, direct our hearts to Your obedience. (Al- Muslim)
يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ
Ya muqallib al-quloob thabbit qalbi 'ala deenik
O Controller of the hearts, make my heart adhere firmly to Your religion. (At-Tirmidhi)
Generic duas:
رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا بِمَا أَنزَلَتْ وَاتَّبَعْنَا الرَّسُولَ فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَِ
Rabbana amanna bima anzalta wattaba 'nar-Rusula fak-tubna ma'ash-Shahideen
Our Lord! We believe in what Thou hast revealed, and we follow the Messenger. Then write us down among those who bear witness. (Qur'an 3:53)
رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوْبَنَا بَعْدَ اِذْ ھَدَيْتَنَا وَھَبْ لَنَا مِنْ لَّدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْوَھَّابُ
Rabbanaa Laa Tuzigh Quloobanaa Ba’-Da Id’hadaytanaa Wa Hab Lanaa Mil Ladunka Rah’mah Innaka Antal Wahaab
Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are the Bestower. (Qur'an 3:8)
رَبَّنَآ اِنَّنَآ اٰمَنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوْبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Rabbana innana amanna faghfir lana dhunuubana wa qinna 'adhaban-Naar
Our Lord! We have indeed believed, so forgive us our sins and save us from the punishment of the Fire. (Qur'an 3:16)
رَبَّنَآ اٰتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَّفِي الْاٰخِرَةِ حَسَـنَةً وَّقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Rabbanaaa Aatinaa Fiddunyaa H’asanata Wa Fil Aakhirati H’asanata Wa Qinaa A’d’aaban Naar
Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire.(Qur'an 2:201)
Other things you can do:
Missed praying 5 times a day through out the years? You can inshaAllah 'catch up' with your account by performing voluntary (nafl) prayers equivalent to the number of fardh Salah you've missed per day ( 1 day = 17 rakats) and inshaAllah they will cancel out the obligatory prayers you have missed. The first thing we are asked about on the Day of Judgment is our prayers, so it is important to adhere to performing it with great care.
