Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“Du`a's and ta`awwudhat [prayers seeking refuge with Allah] are like a weapon, and a weapon is only as good as the person who is using it; it is not merely the matter of how sharp it is. If the weapon is perfect and free of faults, and the arm of the person using it is strong, and there is nothing stopping him, then he can lay waste the enemy. But if any of these three features is lacking, then the effect will be lacking accordingly.”
(Ad-Da’ wa-d-Dawa’, p. 35).
From this it will be clear that there is an etiquette and rulings that must be fulfilled in the du`a' and in the person making the du`a'. There are also things that may prevent the du`a' reaching Allah or being answered – these things must be removed from the person making the du`a' and from the du`a'. When all of these conditions are fulfilled, then the du`a' may be answered.
Etiquette for making du’as
1. Start the supplication with Allah’s Praise and Blessings on His Prophet (s).
Fudalah b. ‘Ubaid reported that the Prophet (s) heard a man supplicating during prayer. He did not glorify Allah, nor did he invoke blessings on the Prophet. The Prophet (s) said, “He has been hasty.” Then he called the man and said either to him, or to someone else,
“When any one of you prays, he should begin by glorifying and praising his Lord and then he should invoke blessings on the Prophet, peace be upon him, and after that he should supplicate Allah for anything he wishes.”
Source: Fiqh-us-Sunnah, volume 4: 111c
2. To ask Allah by HIs Names.
Allah himself says in the Qur’an ( Surah Al A’raf, 7:180):
“The most beautiful names belong to Allah: so call on Him by them;”
The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) heard a man saying: O Allah, I ask Thee, I bear witness that there is no god but you, the One, He to Whom men repair (As-Samad), Who has not begotten, and has not been begotten, and to Whom no one is equal, and he said: “You have supplicated Allah using His Greatest Name, when asked with this name He gives, and when supplicated by this name he answers.”
Source: Hadith narrated by Narrated Buraydah ibn al-Hasib in Abu Dawood, hadith 584.
I was sitting with the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) and a man was offering prayer. He then made supplication: O Allah, I ask you by virtue of the fact that praise is due to you, there is no deity but you, Who showest favour and beneficence, the Originator of the Heavens and the earth, O Lord of Majesty and Splendour, O Living One, O Eternal One. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said: “He has supplicated Allah using His Greatest Name, when supplicated by this name, He answers, and when asked by this name He gives.”
Source: Hadith narrated by Anas ibn Malik in Abu Dawood, hadith 585.
3. Choosing the clearest and most concise words and the best of du`a's.
The best of du`a's are those of the Prophet (s.a.w), but it is permissible to say other words according to the specific needs of a person.
‘Aishah says that the Prophet, peace be upon him, loved the short but comprehensive, meaningful supplications, more than others.
Anas reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, frequently prayed, “O Allah, give us all the good of this world, and the good of the life hereafter, and save us from the punishment of the fire.”
Abdallah ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, prayed to Allah, “My Lord, help me and do not turn against me. Grant me victory, and do not grant victory over me. Plan on my behalf and do not plan against me. Guide me, and make the guidance easy for me. Grant me victory over those who act wrongfully toward me. O Allah, make me grateful to You, mindful of You, in awe of You, devoted to your obedience, humble, penitent, and ever turning to You in repentance. My Lord, accept my repentance, wash away my sins, answer my supplication, clearly establish my evidence, guide my heart, make my tongue true, and draw out malice from my breast.”
Other aspects of the etiquette of making du`a', although they are not obligatory, are:
to face the Qiblah;
to make du`a' in a state of purity;
to start the du`a' with praise of Allah and blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
It is also prescribed to raise the hands when making du'as.
Make dua during your sijda (prostration).
As pointed out by Br. Abdul Malik Mujahid, we are in one of the most submissive physical positions when in Sajdah. It is one of the best occasions to ask God for forgiveness, guidance, and all that we want.
The Prophet use to make dua in Sajdah and not just tasbeeh as in obligatory prayers. He used to cry in Sajdah. Abduallah Ibn Abbas reported that the Prophet (s) said”[...] [While] prostrating yourselves be earnest in supplication, for it is fitting that your supplications should be answered.”
Source: Muslim
Abu Hurairah (r) reported, the Prophet (s) said, "The servant is nearest to his Lord when he is prostrating to Him, so make supplication in this state.” (Muslim)
Source: Fiqh-us-Sunnah, 4: 111a
One of the things that helps to bring a response to du`a' is to seek the best times and places. Among the best times is
the time just before Fajr (dawn),
the last third of the night,
the last hour of Jumu`ah (Friday),
when rain is falling, and between the adhan and iqamah.
4. Sincerity in making du`a'.
Sincerity in du`a' means having the firm belief that the One upon Whom you are calling – Allah, may He be glorified and exalted – is alone able to meet your need, and it also means avoiding any kind of showing off in your du`a'.
5. Repentance and turning back to Allah.
Sin is one of the main reasons why du`a's are not answered, so the person who is making du`a' should hasten to repent and seek forgiveness before he makes du`a'.
6. Beseeching, humbling oneself, hoping for Allah’s reward and fearing His punishment.
This is the spirit, essence and purpose of du`a'. Allah says: "(O mankind!) Call upon your Lord humbly and in secret. Lo! He loveth not aggressors." (Al-A`raf 55)
Source: Muslim
Abu Hurairah (r) reported, the Prophet (s) said, “The servant is nearest to his Lord when he is prostrating to Him, so make supplication in this state.” (Muslim)
Source: Fiqh-us-Sunnah, 4: 111a
7. Making du`a' at times of ease, and saying more du`a's at times of plenty (of wealth).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Remember Allah during times of ease and He will remember you during times of hardship.” (Reported by Ahmad)
Do not only do duas during time of difficulty.
Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him), said, “If anyone finds pleasure in receiving an answer from Allah in times of difficulty, he should make many supplications when times are easy.”
8. Do not ask for anything sinful in your dua.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Any Muslim who makes a supplication containing nothing which is sinful or which involves breaking ties of relationship will be given for it by Allah one of three things: He will give him swift answer, or store it up for him in the next world, or turn away from him an equivalent amount of evil.”
Source: Narrated by AbuSa’id al-Khudri in Tirmidhi.
9. Be firm when making dua.
Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu’z Zinad from al-Araj from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ”When you are making dua, do not say: ‘O Allah, forgive me if You wish. O Allah, forgive me if you wish.’ You should be firm in your asking, for there is no compelling Him.”
Source: Al Muwatta hadith 28, volume 15.
10.a. Do not be impatient if your dua has not yet been answered.
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The du`a' of any one of you will be answered so long as you are not impatient and says, ‘I made du`a' but it was not answered.’” (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim)
10.b. Make dua with confidence in its acceptance.
Abu Hurairah also reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said,
“None of you should say, ‘O Allah, forgive me if You wish, (or)
O Allah, have mercy on me if you wish.’
Rather you should be firm in your request, for (Allah does whatever He wishes) and no one can
force Him to do otherwise.”
Source: Fiqh-us-Sunnah, volume 4, number 112b.
11. Pursue lawful means of livelihood
Please note that you should pursue lawful means of livelihood if you wish your duas to be answered. The following hadith makes this clear:
Abu Hurairah (r) reported that the Prophet (s) said, “O people, Allah is Good and He, therefore, accepts only that which is good. And Allah commanded the believers as He commanded the Messengers by saying, ‘O Messengers, eat of the good things, and do good deeds; verily I am aware of what you do,’ Qur’an 23.51 and He said: ‘O those who believe, eat of the good things that We gave you’.” Qur’an 2.172 The Prophet, peace be upon him, then made mention of a person who travels widely, his hair dishevelled, and covered with dust. “He lifts his hands and makes supplication, ‘O Lord, O Lord,’ but his diet is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, and his clothes are unlawful, and his nourishment is unlawful. How then can his supplication be accepted?“ (Muslim and Ahmad)
Source: Fiqh-us-Sunnah, volume 4: 110a
Ibn ‘Abbas reported, “Once, when I recited the verses of the Qur’an, ‘O you people! Eat of what is on earth, lawful and good’ (2.168) in the presence of the Prophet, peace be upon him. Sa’d b. Abi Waqqas got up and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Ask Allah to make me one whose supplication is heard.’ At this the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, ‘O Sa’d, consume lawful things and your supplications will be heard, and by Him in Whose hands is the soul of Muhammad, when a man puts into his stomach a morsel of what is forbidden his prayers are not accepted for forty days, and a servant of Allah whose body is nourished by usury or by what is forbidden becomes more deserving of the Hell fire.” (Al-Hafiz b. Marduwiyah)
Source: Fiqh-us-Sunnah, volume 4: 110a
12. There is no harm in making duas in obligatory prayers.
Yahya said that Malik was asked about making dua in obligatory prayers and he said, “There is no harm in making dua in them.”
Source: Al-Muwatta hadith 39, volume 15.
13. Do not make duas in a distracted manner.
The Prophet (s) has said in a Hadith narrated by Abu Huraira: Make Dua and be assured of being answered, and know that Allah does not answer a Dua from a careless heart which is not concentrating
Source: Tirmidhi in article by Abdul Malik Mujahid, 31 doas to choose from.
14. Make dua. Allah wants you to.
Abu Huraira related that the Prophet said: Allah is angry with those who do not ask Him for anything.
Source: Tirmidhi in article by Abdul Malik Mujahid, 31 doas to choose from.
In order for du`a' to be answered, it is not essential to adhere to all of these points and be free of all that could prevent one’s du`a' from being answered. That is something which happens very rarely. But one has to try hard and strive towards achieving this.
Another important point is to realize that the response to the du`a' may take different forms : either Allah will respond and fulfill the desire of the person who made the du`a', or He will ward off some evil from him because of the du`a', or He will make something good easy for him to attain because of it, or He will save it with Him for him on the Day of Resurrection when he will be most in need of it.
Excerpted, with slight modifications, from:
Allah Almighty knows best.
from:
http://theislamicworkplace.com/helpful-duas/
www.islam-qa.com
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