D U A '
by Huma Ahmad
Dua is defined as any invocation or prayer addressed to
Allah (SWT). In our times, we find many reasons why people do
not make Dua; we forget, don't know how, or just do not think
it will be answered. Fundamental to this is the loss of
dependence and trust upon Allah. As Muslims there is
something very wrong when we believe our Duas won't be answered.
We do not turn to Allah in our times of need and instead put our
trust, dependence and hopes on worldly things that we think will
help us. Although these temporal things are the means through
which our Duas can be answered, the root of our being should be
trained automatically to turn to Allah and not anything or
anyone else. Through Dua, we strengthen our Imaan and our
relationship with Allah, as well as heighten our awareness of
cause and effect that can help inspire and motivate us to be
closer to Islam in our lives.
We find many reassurances throughout the Quran for those
who make Dua. Allah the Exalted, has said: "And your
Lord says: Pray unto me: and I will hear your prayer" (Quran
40:60), "Call upon your Lord Humbly and in secret" (Quran 7:55),
"When My servants question thee concerning Me, I am indeed close
(to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he
calleth on Me" (Quran 2:186), "Is not He (best) who listens to
the (soul) distressed when it calls on Him, and who relieves its
suffering." (Quran 27:62)
Aisha radhiallaahu anha said, "No believer makes Dua and
it is wasted. Either it is granted here in this world
or deposited for him in the Hereafter as long as he does not get
frustrated."
In fact, it is even wrong to never make Dua, "Whosoever
does not supplicate to Allah, He will be angry with Him."
[Saheeh Jaami`as-Sagheer #2414]
A Hadith says "Ad-Du'aa Huwal-3ibaadah",[Abu
Dawud,at-Tirmidhi, Hasan Saheeh], Dua is Ibadah so calling
upon anyone other than Allah in one's Dua is Shirk. This
is an important condition of having one's Dua accepted; the Dua
should not be directed to other than Allah alone. A second
condition would be sincerity or Hudoor alqalb, having the heart
present. Also, one's food, drink, clothes and lifestyle should
be Halal. One should avoid unlawful, impious or forbidden
sources or means of livelihood. Fourth, one cannot ask for
something sinful or Haram. Dua should not be made against
family and property (i.e. to sever the ties of kinship).
If one asks Allah to curse someone, it rises up to
heaven and goes to the person if they are deserving, if
not it returns to the person supplicating. Patience is another
condition. This perseverance in making Dua is important. One
should not say "Why hasn't Allah answered my Dua" or "I have
prayed and prayed so many times, but the same was not accepted"
and then become disappointed and give up praying. An example of
this is like a person who planted a seed or a sapling, and kept
looking after it and watering it and when its complete shape and
height was slow in coming, they left it and forgot about it.
Lastly one should have expectation, belief with
certainty only Allah can answer the Dua. Understanding
dependence on Allah and asking with absolute resolve and
believing with certainty that one's Dua will be answered is a
also a condition of acceptance. One should not say "O Allah do
this...if you wish..." because one should appeal to Allah with
determination, for nobody can force Allah to do something
against his Will. If one fulfills these conditions, Allah will
definitely answer the Dua, avert some equivalent evil or give
better in the Hereafter.
We can and should make Dua in every condition, i.e. in
hardship and in prosperity. There are also some special
times to make Dua where it is more likely to be accepted:
1. When one is oppressed
2. Between the time of Athan and Iqama
3. At the time of the call for prayer
4. At the time of fighting when warriors are engaged with
each other
5. When it is raining
6. When one is sick
7. The last third of the night
8. Ramadan (especially Lailatul Qadr)
9. After the Fard part of prayer
10. When traveling
11. When breaking fast
12. In Sujood
13. Fridays, some say on Friday after Asr prayer
14. While drinking the water from the well of Zamzam
15. At the start of prayer (Dua of Istiftah)
16. When one begins the prayer, i.e. with "all praise be to
Allah, the Pure and the Blessed one"
17. While one recites al-Fatiha (which is a Dua)
18. When Ameen is said in the prayer (also relating to Fatiha)
19. At the time of raising the head after the Rukoo
20. In the last part of the prayer after conveying blessings
unto the Prophet (SAW)
21. Before finishing the prayer (before Tasleem (saying the
Salaam to the angels))
22. At the end of Wudu
23. On the day of Arafah
24. On waking up from sleep
25. At times of adversity
26. Prayer after the death of a person
27. Dua when someone's heart is filled with sincerity and
when it is focused on Allah
28. Dua of the parent against or for his children
29. When the sun moves from its meridian but before the
Dhuhr prayer
30. The Dua of a Muslim for his brother without the latter's
knowledge
31. At the time the army advances to fight in the way
of Allah.
Dua can be beautified and perfected by certain actions:
1. Have Wudu, face Qibla, be neat and clean
2. Raise both hands up to the shoulder with palms open facing up
3. Use words of Allah and Muhammad (SAW)-
i.e. Duas found in Quran and Hadith
4. Ask by Asma alHusna- Allah's Beautiful Names
5. Ask Allah by your good deeds
6. Be insistent-repeat (i.e. 3x's)
7. Glorify Allah and recite Durud for the Prophet (SAW) at
both the beginning and end
8. Show humility, entreaty, desire and fear while making Dua
9. Repent and try to make amends where one has wronged
10. Confess mistakes, shortcomings, and sins
11. Keep voice between a whisper and speaking aloud
12. Show the need for Allah's help and implore Him for release
from weakness, hardship and tribulation.
13. Seize the opportunity of time, situation and circumstance in
which prayers are answered
14. Avoid rhymed prose to keep concentration
15. Crying when making Dua
16. The Dua of Dhun-Nun (Yunus) by which he invoked Allah from
within the belly of the whale was: "LAa ilaha illa
Anta, Subhanaka innee kuntu min aDH-DHaalimeen."
No Muslim ever makes Dua with it but Allah
answers it." [at tirmidhi in his sunan, ahmad
and hakim reported it and hakim declared it
authentic and adh dhahabee agreed]
17. End with "Alhamdulillah rabbil alameen"
We should ask for Dunya things, but not just for the
sake of Dunya itself and for Akhirah things. We should
not ask for punishment to be brought forward in this world or
for early death. We should not curse any particular human being
or animal, abuse a Muslim for no reason, abuse dead people
without cause and religious excuse, or abuse fever or the wind.
We should not make Dua by saying we have been given rain by this
or that star or what Allah willed, and so and so willed. We
should not make Dua against family and property or for sinful
acts and severing the bonds.
In the end there can be reasons why the Dua might not be
answered such as not fulfilling conditions like some of
the ones listed above or: Divine Wisdom, trying to hurry the
response of one's Dua, Dua for what is sinful or the breaking
off of relations, eating, drinking, or dressing from what is
Haram, not being resolute in making Dua, abandoning the duty of
enjoining what is good and shunning the evil, the dominance of
unmindfulness, lust and vain desires, not being submissive
during Salah, or committing particular sins (not divorcing a
vile woman, giving a loan without a witness, and a man who gave
his wealth to the foolish)
More information on Dua can be found in a book in
English, a translation of Kitaab ud-Du`aa' by Shaykh
al-`Awaa'ishah (published by Jam`iat Ihyaa Minhaaj al-Sunnah),
the Book of Supplications in Al-Bukhari and Riyadh us Saleheen
and Ajawab Alkafi by Imam Shams Adeen Mohamad bin AbiBakr Bin
Qayem Ajawyzeyah. Jazakamullahu khairan to those who corrected
and added to the above compilation. May Allah make us of those
that oft turn to Him in Dua. Ameen.