You may be wondering right now, is there a specific dua which I can recite at the beginning of every fast during the month of Ramadan?

According to the sunnah there is no one single dua which a Muslim should recite daily. The most important thing is niyyah (intention).

In the first hadith Nawawi (Sahih Al Bukhari 54), It is narrated on the authority of Amir al-Mu’minin (Leader of the Believers), Abu Hafs ‘Umar bin al-Khattab radi-allahu-anhu, who said:

I heard the Messenger of Allah saw say: “Surely, all actions are but driven by intentions, and verily every man shall have but that which he intended. Thus, he whose migration was for Allah and His messenger, the migration will be for the sake of Allah and his Messenger. And he whose migration was to achieve some worldly benefit or to marry a woman, then his migration will be for the sake of whatever he migrated for.”

Simply having the intention to fast tomorrow should be sufficient. To perform a particular act that’s done to please Allah SWT alone is one of the most beloved acts.

With that being said, there is one dua which is recorded Jami At-Tirmidhi 3451 upon seeing the crescent moon which would signal the beginning of the blessed month of Ramadan. Also, this dua is not restricted for the sighting of a new moon but can be said by a Muslim whenever he sees the new moon at the beginning of each month.

Dua For Beginning of Ramadan:

Here’s the dua written in arabic,

اللَّهُمَّ أَهْلِلْهُ عَلَيْنَا بِالْيُمْنِ وَالإِيمَانِ وَالسَّلاَمَةِ وَالإِسْلاَمِ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكَ اللَّهُ

 

Transliteration of this dua:

Allahumma Ahillahu Alaina Bil-Wal-Islam, Rabbi Wa Rabbuka Allah

English Translation:

“O Allah, bring it over us with blessing and faith, and security and Islam. My Lord and your Lord is Allah”

It was recorded that when the Prophet (ﷺ) would see a crescent moon, he would say this dua.

Second Dua for Starting Fast:

اَللّهُمَّ اَصُوْمُ غَداً لَّكَ ـ فَيَسِّرْهُ لِىْ و تَقَبَّلْهُ مِنِّىْ

Allahumma Asumu Ghadallak Fayassirhu lee wa taqabbal hu minnie
O Allah I am fasting tomorrow for you. So make it easy for me and accept it from me.

There is no source for this dua, this is purely for niyyah or intention.

“and most certainly you can recognize them by the intent of (their) speech; and Allah knows your deeds.”
Quran 47:30