What follows is a compilation of advice and adhkar for women to be used during pregnancy and labour.
The Intention:
You should make the intention of Sayyidah Hanna – the mother of Mary, the mother of Jesus (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon all of them). Sayyidah Hanna dedicated the child in her womb to the service of Allah. Her intention is described in the Qur’an: “Lord,I have vowed to You, in dedication, what is in my womb for Your service. So accept this of me, for You hear and know all things} and {…I have named her Mary, and commend her to You with her seed, to protect them from the accursed Satan. Her Lord received the child with gracious favour, and caused her to grow up in goodly growth, and placed her in the care of Zakariya and: Behold! the angels said: “O Mary! Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of all nations.”
In a lecture entitled, Jesus and his Blessed Mother, Habib Ali al-Jifri attests to the sincerity and far-reaching consequences of Sayyidah Hanna’s intention: “The intention of Hanna made the one she bore be accepted by Allah. When she intended that in her offspring there would be someone who serves Allah, someone who would serve this religion – when she was truthful in her intention, Allah honoured her because of her intention. Look at the effect of that intention: the very deliverance this Community will take place at the hands of our Master Jesus, peace be upon him.”
Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz advises repeating the following verses during pregnancy (and during labour):
رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِن لَّدُنكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَاء
Rabbi hab li milladunka dhurriyatan tayyibah innaka sami`u-du`a
“O my Lord, grant me a progeny that is pure, for You hear (our) prayers!” (3:38)
رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا
Rabbana hab lana min azwajina wa dhurriyyatina qurrata `ayun wa’ja’lna lilmuttaqin imama
“Our Lord, grant us wives and offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and give us (the grace) to lead the righteous.” (25:74)
ثُمَّ السَّبِيلَ يَسَّرَهُ
Thumm ‘assabila yassarah
Then He made the path easy (80:20)
وَاللَّهُ أَخْرَجَكُم مِّن بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ
W’Allah akhrajakummin butuni ummahatikum
Allah brought you forth from your mothers’ wombs (16:78)
ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُكُمْ طِفْلاً
Thumma yukhrijukum tiflan
Then He brings you out as children (40:67)
Repeat Surat Quraysh
Repeat Allah’s name “al-Latif” 133 times a day along with the following. This can be repeated during labour:
يَالَطِيفًا بِخَلْقِهِ ، يَا عَلِيمًا بِخَلْقِهِ ، يَا خَبِيرًا بِخَلْقِهِ .. اُلْطُفْ بِنَا يَا لَطِيْفُ ، يَا عَلِيْمُ ، يَا خَبِيْرُ
Ya Latifan bi khalqihi ya `Aliman bi khalqihi ya Khabiran bi khalqihi ultuf bina ya Latifu ya `Alimu ya Khabiru (repeat 3 times)
O One Who is gentle with His creation, O One who has complete knowledge of His creation, O One who has complete awareness of His creation! Treat us with gentleness O Gentle, O All-Knowing, O All-Aware!
يَا لَطِيْفًا لَمْ يَزَلْ اُلْطُفْ بِنَا فِيْمَا نَزَلَ .. إِنّك لَطِيْفٌّ لَمْ تَزَلْ .. اُلْطُفْ بِنَا وَ المُسْلِمِيْن
Ya Latifan lam yazal ultuf bina fima nazal innaka Latifun lam tazal ultuf bina wa’l-muslimin (repeat 3 times)
O Gentle Who remains forever, be gentle to us in all that befalls us, You are constantly Gentle, treat us and the Muslims with gentleness!
Repeat the prayer that the Prophet ﷺ would recite at times of hardship:
لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ العَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ رَبُّ العَرشِ العَظِيم، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَرَبُّ الأَرْضِ، وَرَبُّ العَرْشِ الكَرِيم
La ilaha ill’Allahu‘l-Azimu’l-Halim; la La ilaha ill’Allahu rabbu’l-`arshi’l-`azim; La ilaha ill’Allahu rabbu’ssamawati wa rabbu’l-ardi wa rabbu’l-`arshi’l-karim
‘There is no deity save Allah, the Almighty, the Forbearing. There is no deity save Allah, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. There is no deity save Allah the Lord of the heavens and the earth and the Noble Throne.’