Imam Ja`far al-Sadiq (a.s) used to say the following supplication before he would start reciting the Holy Qur'an
Short Dua | Longer Dua

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اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ هَذَا كِتَابُكَ الْمُنْزَلُ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ عَلَى رَسُولِكَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ

allahumma inni ashhadu ann hadha kitabuka almunzalu min `indika ala rasulika muhammadi bni `abdillahi salla allahu `alayhi wa alihi

O Allah I testify that this is the Book revealed by Thee on Thy Messenger Muhammad bin Abdillah, blessings of Allah be on him and on his children;

وَ كَلاَمُكَ النَّاطِقُ عَلَى لِسَانِ نَبِيِّكَ جَعَلْتَهُ هَادِياً مِنْكَ إِلَى خَلْقِكَ وَ حَبْلاً مُتَّصِلاً فِيمَا بَيْنَكَ وَ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ

wa kalamuka alnnatiqu `ala lisani nabiyyika ja`altahu hadiyan minka ila khalqika wa hablan muttsilan fima baynaka wa bayna `ibadika

(these are) Thy Words, Thy Prophet gave tongue to, (whom) Thou appointed as a Guide for the people, and an uninterrupted closely connected link of protecting friendship between Thee and Thy servants.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي نَشَرْتُ عَهْدَكَ وَ كِتَابَكَ اللَّهُمَّ فَاجْعَلْ نَظَرِي فِيهِ عِبَادَةً وَ قِرَاءَتِي فِيهِ فِكْراً وَ فِكْرِي فِيهِ اعْتِبَاراً

allahumma inni nashartu `ahdaka wa kitabaka allahumma faj`al nazary fihi `ibadatan wa qira‘aty fihi fikran wa fikry fihi a`tibaran

O Allah I make publicly known Thy testament and Thy Book. O Allah let me pay full attention to (this) adorable pious work; let me notice and take warning from (this)thoughtful reflection;<

وَ اجْعَلْنِي مِمَّنِ اتَّعَظَ بِبَيَانِ مَوَاعِظِكَ فِيهِ وَ اجْتَنَبَ مَعَاصِيَكَ

waj`alny mimmn att`aza bibayani mawa`izika fihi wajtanaba ma`asiyaka

let me be one of them who exhort themselves from Thy plain warnings and preaching found in this Book, and keep from that which Thou has made unlawful.

وَ لاَ تَطْبَعْ عِنْدَ قِرَاءَتِي عَلَى سَمْعِي وَ لاَ تَجْعَلْ عَلَى بَصَرِي غِشَاوَةً

wa la tatba` `inda qira‘aty `ala sam`i wa la taj`al `ala basary ghishawatan

Do not seal my hearing and do not cover my eyes when I recite (it).

وَ لاَ تَجْعَلْ قِرَاءَتِي قِرَاءَةً لاَ تَدَبُّرَ فِيهَا بَلِ اجْعَلْنِي أَتَدَبَّرُ آيَاتِهِ وَ أَحْكَامَهُ آخِذاً بِشَرَائِعِ دِينِكَ

wa la taj`al qira‘aty qira‘atan la tadabbara fiha bali aj`alny atadabbru ayatihi wa ahkamahu Learning the laws of my religion

Do not let me recite for the sake of recitation , paying no attention to its meaning, but let me contemplate over its signs and commands, to know and understand the modus operandi of Thy religion.

وَ لاَ تَجْعَلْ نَظَرِي فِيهِ غَفْلَةً وَ لاَ قِرَاءَتِي هَذَراً إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الرَّءُوفُ الرَّحِيمُ

wa la taj`al nazary fihi ghaflatan wa la qira‘aty hadharan innaka anta alrra´ufu alrrahimu

Do not let my concentration go slack, nor my recitation be like a delirious monologue. Verily Thou art full of pity, Merciful.

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Ref:-Bihar al-Anwär, lxxxix, 206-207, from Misbah al-Anwar. Makırim al-Akhlaq, 343; al-Ikhtisas, 14.

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Longer Supplication for beginning the Recitation of the Holy Quran by Imam Jafar as Sadiq (as)in Al Kafi -Usool Kafi PDF

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اللهمَّ رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ،

O Allah! Our Lord! To You belongs all praise.

أَنْتَ الْمُتَوَحِّدُ بِالْقُدْرَةِ وَالسُّلْطَانِ الْمَتِينِ،

You alone possess all power and the firmest authority,

وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ الْمُتَعَالِي بِالْعِزِّ وَالْكِبْرِيَاءِ،

and to You belongs all praise.You are exalted in Your might and supremacy

وَفَوْقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ،

and over and above the heavens and the Great Throne.

رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ الْمُكْتَفِي بِعِلْمِكَ،

Our Lord, to You belongs all praise!

وَالْمُحْتَاجُ إِلَيْكَ كُلُّ ذِي عِلْمٍ، رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ،

You are self-sufficient in Your knowledge, and every possessor of knowledge stands in need of You. Our Lord, to You belongs all praise,

يَا مُنْزِلَ الآيَاتِ وَالذِّكْرِ الْعَظِيمِ،

O sender of the signs and the Great Reminder!

رَبَّنَا فَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ بِمَا عَلَّمْتَنَا مِنَ الْحِكْمَةِ وَالْقُرْآنِ الْعَظِيمِ الْمُبِينِ.

Our Lord, to You belongs all praise for what You have taught us of wisdom and the great manifest Qur’an.

اللهمَّ أَنْتَ عَلَّمْتَنَا قَبْلَ رَغْبَتِنَا فِي تَعَلُّمِهِ(۱)

O Allah! You taught it to us before we could be eager to learn it,

وَاخْتَصَصْتَنَا بِهِ قَبْلَ رَغْبَتِنَا بِنَفْعِهِ،

and singled us out for it before we could desire its benefit.

اللهمَّ فَإِذَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ مَنّاً مِنْكَ وَفَضْلاً وَجُوداً،

O Allah! As such has been Your favour toward us,

وَلُطْفاً بِنَا وَرَحْمَةً لَنَا وَامْتِنَاناً عَلَيْنَا مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلِنَا وَلا حِيلَتِنَا وَلا قُوَّتِنَا،

and Your grace, generosity, and kindness to us and Your mercy and favour toward us
—not because of any power that we possessed,
nor because of any devising on our part,
nor because of any strength that we had—

اللهمَّ فَحَبِّبْ إِلَيْنَا حُسْنَ تِلاوَتِهِ،

O Allah, grant us the passion for the charm of its recitation,

وَحِفْظَ آيَاتِهِ، وَإِيمَاناً بِمُتَشَابِهِهِ وَعَمَلاً بِمُحْكَمِهِ،

and memorization of its verses,faith in its metaphorical parts,pursuance of its univocal parts,

وَسَبَباً فِي تَأْوِيلِهِ، وَهُدًى فِي تَدْبِيرِهِ وَبَصِيرَةً بِنُورِهِ.

the means to interpreting it,guidance in contemplating it,and inner vision through its light.

اللهمَّ وَكَمَا أَنْزَلْتَهُ شِفَاءً لأوْلِيَائِكَ وَشَقَاءً عَلَى أَعْدَائِكَ وَعَمًى عَلَى أَهْلِ مَعْصِيَتِكَ وَنُوراً لأهْلِ طَاعَتِكَ،

O Allah, even as You have sent it down as healing for Your friends,wretchedness for Your enemies, blindness for the disobedient,and a light for the obedient,

اللهمَّ فَاجْعَلْهُ لَنَا حِصْناً مِنْ عَذَابِكَ وَحِرْزاً مِنْ غَضَبِكَ وَحَاجِزاً عَنْ مَعْصِيَتِكَ وَعِصْمَةً مِنْ سَخَطِكَ وَدَلِيلاً عَلَى طَاعَتِكَ

so also, O Allah, make it for us a shield against Your punishment, a bulwark against Your wrath, a safeguard against Your disobedience, a protection from Your displeasure, a guide to Your obedience, and,

وَنُوراً يَوْمَ نَلْقَاكَ نَسْتَضِي‏ءُ بِهِ فِي خَلْقِكَ وَنَجُوزُ بِهِ عَلَى صِرَاطِكَ وَنَهْتَدِي بِهِ إِلَى جَنَّتِكَ.

on the day we shall encounter You, a light whereby we may walk amid Your creatures, cross safely Your bridge [over hell],to be led by it into Your paradise.

اللهمَّ إِنَّا نَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشِّقْوَةِ فِي حَمْلِهِ وَالْعَمَى عَنْ عَمَلِهِ(۲)

O Allah! We seek Your protection from wretchedness in bearing it, from blindness in practicing it,

وَالْجَوْرِ عَنْ حُكْمِهِ وَالْعُلُوِّ عَنْ قَصْدِهِ وَالتَّقْصِيرِ دُونَ حَقِّهِ

from deviating from its precepts, from swerving from its middle path and disregarding its right.

اللهمَّ احْمِلْ عَنَّا ثِقْلَهُ وَأَوْجِبْ لَنَا أَجْرَهُ وَأَوْزِعْنَا شُكْرَهُ وَاجْعَلْنَا نُرَاعِيهِ وَنَحْفَظُهُ.

O Allah! Lighten for us its burden, appoint for us its reward, inspire us to give thanks for it, and enable us to observe it and secure it.

اللهمَّ اجْعَلْنَا نَتَّبِعُ حَلالَهُ وَنَجْتَنِبُ حَرَامَهُ وَنُقِيمُ حُدُودَهُ وَنُؤَدِّي فَرَائِضَهُ،

O Allah! Enable us to pursue what it declares as lawful, to avoid what it asserts to be unlawful, to observe its bounds, and to fulfill its obligations.

اللهمَّ ارْزُقْنَا حَلاوَةً فِي تِلاوَتِهِ، وَنَشَاطاً فِي قِيَامِهِ، (۳)

O Allah! Grant us sweetness of its recitation, animation in its performance,

وَوَجِلاً فِي تَرْتِيلِهِ،

awe in its recitals,

وَقُوَّةً فِي اسْتِعْمَالِهِ فِي آنَاءِ اللَّيْلِ وَأَطْرَافِ النَّهَارِ.

and strength in putting it into practice in the watches of the night and at the ends of the day.

اللهمَّ وَاشْفِنَا مِنَ النَّوْمِ بِالْيَسِيرِ(٤)

O Allah! Refresh us with a little amount of sleep

وَأَيْقِظْنَا فِي سَاعَةِ اللَّيْلِ مِنْ رُقَادِ الرَّاقِدِينَ وَنَبِّهْنَا عِنْدَ الأحَايِينِ(٥)

and awaken us in the hour of the night from the sleep of the slumberers, and arouse us, at the moments

الَّتِي يُسْتَجَابُ فِيهَا الدُّعَاءُ مِنْ وسِنَةِ(٦)

wherein supplications are granted,

الْوَسْنَانِينَ(۷).

from the drowsiness of the drowsy.

اللهمَّ اجْعَلْ لِقُلُوبِنَا ذَكَاءً عِنْدَ عَجَائِبِهِ الَّتِي لا تَنْقَضِي وَلَذَاذَةً عِنْدَ تَرْدِيدِهِ،

O Allah! Make our hearts perceptive of its wonders, which are never exhausted,relish murmuring it in soft tones,

وَعِبْرَةً عِنْدَ تَرْجِيعِهِ،

take lesson from it when consulting it,

وَنَفْعاً بَيِّناً عِنْدَ اسْتِفْهَامِهِ،

and benefit manifestly when seeking an answer from it to our queries.

اللهمَّ إِنَّا نَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ تَخَلُّفِهِ فِي قُلُوبِنَا،

O Allah! We seek Your protection from letting it languish in our hearts,

وَتَوَسُّدِهِ عِنْدَ رُقَادِنَا،

from our turning it into a soporific,

وَنَبْذِهِ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِنَا،

and from casting it behind our backs.

وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ قَسَاوَةِ قُلُوبِنَا لِمَا بِهِ وَعَظْتَنَا،

We seek Your protection from hardening of our hearts to what You have advised us.

اللهمَّ انْفَعْنَا بِمَا صَرَفْتَ فِيهِ مِنَ الآيَاتِ وَذَكِّرْنَا بِمَا ضَرَبْتَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْمَثُلاتِ (۸) ،

O Allah! Give us the benefit of the signs You have variegated in it, admonish us by the parables You have drawn in it,

وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا بِتَأْوِيلِهِ السَّيِّئَاتِ،

remedy our ills through its interpretation,

وَضَاعِفْ لَنَا بِهِ جَزَاءً فِي الْحَسَنَاتِ،

double through it our reward of good deeds,

وَارْفَعْنَا بِهِ ثَوَاباً فِي الدَّرَجَاتِ،

elevate us in rank through it as a reward,

وَلَقِّنَا بِهِ الْبُشْرَى بَعْدَ الْمَمَاتِ،

and give us good news through it after death!

اللهمَّ اجْعَلْهُ لَنَا زَاداً تُقَوِّينَا بِهِ فِي الْمَوْقِفِ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ

O Allah! Make it for us a provision with which You may fortify us in the halt before You,

وَطَرِيقاً وَاضِحاً نَسْلُكُ بِهِ إِلَيْكَ و

a clear path by which we may travel towards You,

َعِلْماً نَافِعاً نَشْكُرُ بِهِ نَعْمَاءَكَ وَتَخَشُّعاً صَادِقاً نُسَبِّحُ بِهِ أَسْمَاءَكَ

a beneficial knowledge, by which we may thank You for Your blessings, a true veneration, with which we may glorify Your Names,

فَإِنَّكَ اتَّخَذْتَ بِهِ عَلَيْنَا حُجَّةً قَطَعْتَ بِهِ عُذْرَنَا وَاصْطَنَعْتَ بِهِ عِنْدَنَا نِعْمَةً قَصَرَ عَنْهَا شُكْرُنَا

for You have made it an argument against us, whereby You have cut off our excuses, and granted thereby a blessing, for which we can, never thank You enough!

اللهمَّ اجْعَلْهُ لَنَا وَلِيّاً يُثَبِّتُنَا مِنَ الزَّلَلِ وَدَلِيلاً يَهْدِينَا لِصَالِحِ الْعَمَلِ وَعَوْناً هَادِياً يُقَوِّمُنَا مِنَ الْمَيْلِ وَعَوْناً يُقَوِّينَا مِنَ الْمَلَلِ

O Allah! Make it for us a guardian that saves us from stumbles, a guide that directs us to righteous conduct, a guiding helper that saves us from deviation, a helper that gives us vigour in weariness,

حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ بِنَا أَفْضَلَ الأمَلِ

thus enabling us to realize our best aspirations.

اللهمَّ اجْعَلْهُ لَنَا شَافِعاً يَوْمَ اللِّقَاءِ وَسِلاحاً يَوْمَ الإرْتِقَاءِ وَحَجِيجاً يَوْمَ الْقَضَاءِ

O Allah, make it an intercessor for us on the Day of Meeting, a weapon on the Day of Ascension, a support on the Day of Judgment,

وَنُوراً يَوْمَ الظَّلْمَاءِ يَوْمَ لا أَرْضَ وَلا سَمَاءَ يَوْمَ يُجْزَى كُلُّ سَاعٍ بِمَا سَعَى

and a light on the Day of Darkness, the Day when there is neither earth nor sky, the Day when every striver will be recompensed for what he strived for

االلهمَّ اجْعَلْهُ لَنَا رَيّاً يَوْمَ الظَّمَإِ

O Allah! Make it for us a means of slaking our thirst on the day of thirst,

وَفَوْزاً يَوْمَ الْجَزَاءِ مِنْ نَارٍ حَامِيَةٍ قَلِيلَةِ الْبُقْيَاء عَلَى مَنْ بِهَا اصْطَلَى وَبِحَرِّهَا تَلَظَّى،

a means of deliverance on the day of retribution from the scorching Fire unsparing to anyone who enters it and is inflamed by its heat

اللهمَّ اجْعَلْهُ لَنَا بُرْهَاناً عَلَى رُؤوسِ الْمَلأ يَوْمَ يُجْمَعُ فِيهِ أَهْلُ الأرْضِ وَأَهْلُ السَّمَاءِ

O Allah! Make it for us an evidence before the assembly of the Elite, on the day wherein are gathered the inhabitants of the earth and the heaven.

للهمَّ ارْزُقْنَا مَنَازِلَ الشُّهَدَاءِ وَعَيْشَ السُّعَدَاءِ وَمُرَافَقَةَ الأنْبِيَاءِ إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِ.

O Allah! Grant us the stations of the martyrs, the life of the felicitous and the company of the prophets. Indeed You hear all supplications!

Refrence :Al-Kulayni, Usul al-Kafi, (Beirut: Dar al-Adwa’ lil-Taba‘ah wal-Nashr walTawzi‘, 1413/1992) Kitab al-Du‘a’, bab al-du‘a’ ‘inda qira’at al-Qur’an, vol. 2, pp. 550-552, narrated from al-Imam al-Sadiq (‘a).