Closing Prayer for a Meeting in Islam
Muslims most often end a meeting or gathering with Kaffarat al-Majlis, a short dua asking forgiveness for anything imperfect said during the sitting. Kaffarat means expiation, while majlis means a sitting or assembly, so the phrase describes exactly what the dua does: it wipes the slate of a gathering clean before everyone stands up and leaves. The Prophet Muhammad is reported to have recited this dua at the end of his own gatherings.
Many Muslims today also say it after a business meeting, a class, a family gathering, or any conversation involving a group of people. Unlike opening duas, which ask God for help before a discussion begins, this closing dua looks back and asks forgiveness for careless words, wasted time, or anything said that fell short. Below, you'll find the full Arabic transliteration and its English meaning, along with a few shorter closing phrases and a note on where the practice comes from in the hadith.
Kaffarat al-Majlis: The Expiation of the Gathering
Transliteration: "Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, ash-hadu al-la ilaha illa anta, astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk." Translation: "Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You. I bear witness that there is no god but You. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance." This dua is recorded in the hadith collections of Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi, both of whom narrate that reciting it at the end of a sitting serves as an expiation for whatever was said during that sitting, aside from major sins.
A Short Closing Phrase: Alhamdulillah
Transliteration: "Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alameen." Translation: "All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds." Many Muslims end a meeting, a speech, or a class with this short phrase alone, closing on gratitude rather than a longer dua. It works well when a fuller closing prayer would feel too long for the setting, such as the end of a short huddle or a quick check-in.
Sending Blessings on the Prophet
Transliteration: "Allahumma salli ala Muhammad wa ala aali Muhammad." Translation: "O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad." Known as salawat, this is often added at the close of a religious gathering, a study circle, or a meeting held in a mosque, ending the sitting on remembrance of the Prophet rather than simply standing up and leaving.
A Dua for Accepting the Work Done
Transliteration: "Rabbana taqabbal minna innaka anta as-Samiu al-Alim." Translation: "Our Lord, accept this from us. Indeed, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing." Drawn from the Quran (2:127), this dua was originally the prayer of Ibrahim and Ismail as they finished building the Kaaba. Many Muslims now use it to close a completed task or meeting, asking that the effort just spent be accepted rather than wasted.
A Reflection on Why Muslims Close With Forgiveness Rather Than Thanks Alone
A closing prayer in many traditions asks for blessing on what comes next. Kaffarat al-Majlis does something different. It looks back at the conversation just finished and asks forgiveness for whatever fell short in it, an idle word, an interruption, a moment of impatience. That habit reflects a broader instinct in Islamic practice to treat even an ordinary meeting as something a person will answer for, so ending it by seeking forgiveness is treated as good manners, not an overreaction.
A General Reflection for Any Reader
God, thank You for every tradition that teaches people to leave a room having asked forgiveness rather than simply moving on to the next task. Whatever words a person uses to close a meeting, let them leave that room lighter than they entered it, and let the people they spoke with feel respected rather than merely managed. Amen.
Scripture to pray
Our Lord, accept this from us. Indeed, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.— Quran 2:127
Whoever sits in a gathering and indulges in loose talk, and before rising supplicates, "Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, ash-hadu al-la ilaha illa anta, astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk," it will be an expiation for whatever happened in that gathering.— Abu Dawud 4859; al-Tirmidhi 3433
Frequently asked questions
What is a good closing prayer for a meeting in Islam?
Most Muslims close with Kaffarat al-Majlis, "Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, ash-hadu al-la ilaha illa anta, astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk," meaning "Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You. I bear witness that there is no god but You. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance." It is short enough to say quietly right before everyone stands up to leave.
What does Kaffarat al-Majlis mean?
Kaffarat means expiation, and majlis means a sitting or gathering, so the phrase means "the expiation of the gathering." The hadith describing it says that reciting it at the end of a sitting covers whatever imperfect words were said during that sitting, aside from major sins.
Is this dua only for religious meetings?
No. Muslims recite Kaffarat al-Majlis after any kind of gathering, a business meeting, a family dinner, a school class, or an informal conversation, not only after a specifically religious sitting. The dua is about the sitting itself, not the subject that was discussed.
Can this dua be said silently, or does it need to be said aloud?
Either is accepted. Many Muslims say it quietly to themselves as a meeting wraps up, especially in a mixed workplace, while others say it aloud in a gathering made up entirely of Muslims, such as a study circle or a mosque committee meeting.
What's the difference between this closing dua and the opening dua for a meeting in Islam?
The opening dua, most often Bismillah or the dua of Musa from the Quran, asks God for help before the work begins. Kaffarat al-Majlis looks backward instead, asking forgiveness for anything that fell short during the sitting that just ended. One prepares for the meeting. The other closes it.
Where can I find guidance specific to my community or school of thought?
This page describes a widely practiced custom drawn from the hadith collections of Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi. Exact emphasis and local custom can still vary, so a local imam or a qualified teacher remains the best source for guidance specific to your own community.