Dua When Hearing Thunder
اللهم لا تَقتُلْنا بغضبِك، ولا تُهلِكُنا بعذابِك، وعافِنا قبلَ ذلك
O Allah, do not kill us with Your wrath, do not destroy us with Your punishment, and grant us well-being before that.
Allāhumma lā taqtulnā bi-ghaḍabika, wa-lā tuhliknā bi-ʿadhābika, wa-ʿāfinā qabla dhālika.
Reference
Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) heard thunder and thunderbolts, he would say:
عن ابن عمر قال: كان رسولُ الله ﷺ إذا سمع الرعدَ والصواعقَ قال: "اللهم لا تَقتُلْنا بغضبِك، ولا تُهلِكُنا بعذابِك، وعافِنا قبلَ ذلك
- Ḥākim, al-Mustadrak 7965 · 8/535
Explanation
This short prayer is said on hearing thunder and thunderbolts, as the cited report says the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to do. It asks Allah not to take our lives in His wrath (ghaḍab) and not to destroy us with His punishment (ʿadhāb). Thunder and striking bolts are awe-inspiring, so the servant turns to Allah for safety. The last request, ʿāfiya, means well-being and safety, and it is asked for before any such punishment could come.