Question Summary:
Correct method of Dua. Question Detail:
WHAT IS THE CORRECT METHOD OF MAKING DUAA?
Answer :
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
1.Before making dua, condition the mind that Allah Taala listens to ones duas and Allah Taala responds. The following narration is clear on this.
عن عبادة بن الصامت رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: "ما على الأرض مسلم يدعو الله تعالى بدعوة إلا آتاه الله إياها، أو صرف عنه من السوء مثلها. ما لم يدع بإثم، أو قطيعة رحم" فقال رجل من القوم: إذًا نكثر قال: "الله أكثر"
Rasulullah (ﷺ) said, "Whenever a Muslim supplicates Allah, He accepts his supplication or averts any similar kind of trouble from him until he prays for something sinful or something that may break the ties of kinship." Upon this someone of the Companions said: "Then we shall supplicate plenty." Rasulullah (ﷺ) said, "Allah is more plentiful (in responding)."
سنن الترمذي ت شاكر (5/ 566)
2. Ensure ones income is halal. See the following narration.
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم "إنَّ اللَّهَ طَيِّبٌ لَا يَقْبَلُ إلَّا طَيِّبًا، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِمَا أَمَرَ بِهِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ فَقَالَ تَعَالَى: "يَا أَيُّهَا الرُّسُلُ كُلُوا مِنْ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَاعْمَلُوا صَالِحًا"، وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: "يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُلُوا مِنْ طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ" ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ الرَّجُلَ يُطِيلُ السَّفَرَ أَشْعَثَ أَغْبَرَ يَمُدُّ يَدَيْهِ إلَى السَّمَاءِ: يَا رَبِّ! يَا رَبِّ! وَمَطْعَمُهُ حَرَامٌ، وَمَشْرَبُهُ حَرَامٌ، وَمَلْبَسُهُ حَرَامٌ، وَغُذِّيَ بِالْحَرَامِ، فَأَنَّى يُسْتَجَابُ لَهُ؟".
Rasulullah (ﷺ) said, “Allah the Almighty is Good and accepts only that which is good. And verily Allah has commanded the believers to do that which He has commanded the Messengers. So the Almighty has said: “O (you) Messengers! Eat of the tayyibat [all kinds of halal (legal) foods], and perform righteous deeds.” [23:51] and the Almighty has said: “O you who believe! Eat of the lawful things that We have provided you.” [2:172]” Then he (ﷺ) mentioned [the case] of a man who, having journeyed far, is disheveled and dusty, and who spreads out his hands to the sky saying “O Lord! O Lord!,” while his food is haram (unlawful), his drink is haram, his clothing is haram, and he has been nourished with haram, so how can [his supplication] be answered?
صحيح مسلم (2/ 703)
3. Commence dua by praising and glorifying Allah Ta'ala.
عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ، قَالَ: بَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَاعِدًا، إِذْ دَخَلَ رَجُلٌ فَصَلَّى، ثُمَّ قَالَ: اللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي، فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «عَجِلْتَ أَيُّهَا الْمُصَلِّي، إِذَا صَلَّيْتَ فَقَعَدْتَ، فَاحْمَدِ اللهَ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ، ثُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَيَّ، ثُمَّ ادْعُهُ» . ثُمَّ صَلَّى آخَرُ، فَحَمِدَ اللهَ وَصَلَّى عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «سَلْ تُعْطَهُ
While Rasulullah (ﷺ) was seated, a man entered and performed Salat, and he said: ‘O Allah, forgive me, and have mercy upon me.’ Rasulullah (ﷺ) said: ‘You have rushed, O praying person. When you perform Salat and then sit, then praise Allah with what He is deserving of, and send Salat upon me, then call upon Him.’” He said: “Then another man performed Salat after that, so he praised Allah and sent Salat upon Rasulullah (ﷺ). Rasulullah (ﷺ) said to him: ‘O praying person! Supplicate, and you shall be answered.
’ المعجم الكبير للطبراني (18/ 307)
4.Recite Duruud Sharif at the beginning and ending of the dua.
عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الخَطَّابِ، قَالَ: إِنَّ الدُّعَاءَ مَوْقُوفٌ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ لاَ يَصْعَدُ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ، حَتَّى تُصَلِّيَ عَلَى نَبِيِّكَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
Indeed the dua remains suspended between the heavens and the earth, the dua is not raised until you send Duruud upon your Nabi (ﷺ).
سنن الترمذي ت بشار (1/ 614)
5. Make dua with raised hands and facing the qiblah.
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " إِذَا دَعَوْتَ اللَّهَ فَادْعُ بِبُطُونِ كَفَّيْكَ وَلاَ تَدْعُ بِظُهُورِهِمَا فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَامْسَحْ بِهِمَا وَجْهَكَ
Nabi (ﷺ) said: "When you supplicate to Allah, supplicate with your palms uppermost, not with the backs of your hands uppermost, and when you finish, wipe your face with them."
سنن ابن ماجه (2/ 1272)
6. Seek forgiveness and express humility.
عَنْ شَدَّادِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ - رضى الله عنه - قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ - صلى الله عليه وسلم -{ سَيِّدُ اَلِاسْتِغْفَارِ, أَنْ يَقُولَ اَلْعَبْدُ: اَللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي, لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ, خَلَقْتَنِي, وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ, وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اِسْتَطَعْتُ, أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ, أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ, وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي, فَاغْفِرْ لِي; فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ اَلذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ }
“The best manner of asking for forgiveness is to say: “O Allah! You are my Lord. None has the right to be worshipped except You. You created me and I am your servant and I abide by your covenant and promise as best I can. I seek refuge in you from the evil, which I have committed. I acknowledge your favor upon me and I knowledge my sins, so forgive me, for verily none can forgive sin except you.
صحيح البخاري (8/ 67)
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِاسْمِكَ الطَّاهِرِ الطَّيِّبِ الْمُبَارَكِ الْأَحَبِّ إِلَيْكَ، الَّذِي إِذَا دُعِيتَ بِهِ أَجَبْتَ، وَإِذَا سُئِلْتَ بِهِ أَعْطَيْتَ، وَإِذَا اسْتُرْحِمْتَ بِهِ رَحِمْتَ، وَإِذَا اسْتُفْرِجَتَ بِهِ فَرَّجْتَ
"I heard the Rasulullah say: O Allah! I ask You by Your pure, good and blessed Name which is most beloved by You, which if You are called thereby You answer, and if You as asked thereby You give, if You are asked for mercy thereby You bestow mercy, and if You are asked for relief (from distress) thereby You grant relief.'
سنن ابن ماجه (2/ 1268)
7. Choose times that a conducive for the acceptance of duas.
عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ يُرَدُّ الدُّعَاءُ بَيْنَ الأَذَانِ وَالإِقَامَةِ "
A supplication made between the Adhan and Iqamah is never rejected.
سنن أبي داود ت الأرنؤوط (1/ 392)
عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ، قَالَ قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الدُّعَاءِ أَسْمَعُ قَالَ " جَوْفُ اللَّيْلِ الآخِرُ وَدُبُرَ الصَّلَوَاتِ الْمَكْتُوبَاتِ "
Oh Rasulullah, which supplication is most likely to be listened to?’ He said: ‘(During) the last part of the night, and at the end of the obligatory prayers.
سنن الترمذي ت شاكر (5/ 527)
8.Continue making dua.
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا مِنْ رَجُلٍ يَدْعُو اللَّهَ بِدُعَاءٍ إِلاَّ اسْتُجِيبَ لَهُ فَإِمَّا أَنْ يُعَجَّلَ لَهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَإِمَّا أَنْ يُدَّخَرَ لَهُ فِي الآخِرَةِ وَإِمَّا أَنْ يُكَفَّرَ عَنْهُ مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِ بِقَدْرِ مَا دَعَا مَا لَمْ يَدْعُ بِإِثْمٍ أَوْ قَطِيعَةِ رَحِمٍ أَوْ يَسْتَعْجِلُ " . قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَكَيْفَ يَسْتَعْجِلُ قَالَ " يَقُولُ دَعَوْتُ رَبِّي فَمَا اسْتَجَابَ لِي "
There is not a man who calls upon Allah with a supplication, except that he is answered. Either it shall be granted to him in the world, or reserved for him in the Hereafter, or, his sins shall be expiated for it according to the extent that he supplicated - as long as he does not supplicate for some sin, or for the severing of the ties of kinship, and he does not become hasty.” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, and how would he be hasty?” He (ﷺ) said: “He says: ‘I called upon my Lord, but He did not answer me.
سنن الترمذي ت بشار (5/ 477)
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Huzaifah Deedat
Student Darul Iftaa
Lusaka, Zambia
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
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