On Reciting the Awrad in Other than Arabic

Answered by Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him)

Is it permissible to recite the awrad in a language other than Arabic, or should we strive to understand them in Arabic and recite them in Arabic?

There is more merit in reciting them in Arabic and striving to understand them, even some of them, according to your ability. If this is difficult then you may read the translation of the awrad in any language. This does not apply to the invocations during the prayer, which must be recited in Arabic.

If reciting the awrad is difficult, you can repeat la ilaha ill’Allah Muhammad Rasulullah sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam in abundance, along with Surat al-Ikhlas and seek forgiveness from Allah (by saying, for example ‘astaghfirullah,’ meaning ‘I seek Allah’s forgiveness’). If you do this, your awrad will be complete.