بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Du'a is not as simple as asking Allah for a favor. The message assumes that we approach du'a with certain necessary attitudes and that we leave it positively transformed.
1. Speak Only to the One Who Will Answer
The One who responds to our supplications can’t be physically sensed. Remain true to tawheed (Oneness of Allah) and remember that nothing is comparable to Allah the Exalted.
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ ﴿٥
It is You we worship and You we ask for help. [Qur'an, Al-Fatihah 1:5]
قَالُوا نَعْبُدُ أَصْنَامًا فَنَظَلُّ لَهَا عَاكِفِينَ ﴿٧١﴾ قَالَ هَلْ يَسْمَعُونَكُمْ إِذْ تَدْعُونَ ﴿٧٢
They said, ‘We worship idols and remain to them devoted.’ He said, ‘Do they hear you when you supplicate?’ [Qur'an, Ash-Shu'ara 26:71-72]
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ ﴿٦٠
And your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible. (60) [Qur'an, Ghafir 40:60]
وَالَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ نَصْرَكُمْ وَلَا أَنفُسَهُمْ يَنصُرُونَ ﴿١٩٧
And those you call upon besides Him are unable to help you, nor can they help themselves. [Qur'an, Al-A'raf 7:197]
2. Be Hopeful, Reverent, Humble, and Submissive
ادْعُوا رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةً ۚ إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ ﴿٥٥
Call upon your Lord in humility and privately; indeed, He does not like transgressors. [Qur'an, Al-A'raf 7:55]
So We responded to him, and We gave to him Yahya, and amended for him his wife. Indeed, they used to hasten to good deeds and supplicate Us in hope and fear, and they were to Us humbly submissive. [Qur'an, Al-Anbiya' 21:90]
And We had gripped them with suffering [as a warning], but they did not yield to their Lord, nor did they humbly supplicate, [and will continue thus] [Qur'an, Al-Mukminun 23:76]
3. Make Du'a Continuously— Not Just When You’re in Trouble
Allah demands constant contact with you; He’s not to be forgotten once He’s granted your request.
فَإِذَا رَكِبُوا فِي الْفُلْكِ دَعَوُا اللَّـهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ فَلَمَّا نَجَّاهُمْ إِلَى الْبَرِّ إِذَا هُمْ يُشْرِكُونَ ﴿٦٥
And when they board a ship, they supplicate Allah, sincere to Him in religion. But when He delivers them to the land, at once they associate others with Him. [Qur'an, Al-Ankabut 29:65]
4. Honor Others Who Make Du'a
Those who appeal to Allah on a regular basis form a kind of family- Your family. Don’t ignore them.
And do not send away those who call upon their Lord morning and afternoon, seeking His countenance. Not upon you is anything of their account and not upon them is anything of your account. So were you to send them away, you would [then] be of the wrongdoers. [Qur'an, Al-An'am 6:52]
5. Rest Firm in Your Belief
They will say, ‘Did there not come to you your messengers with clear proofs?’ They will say, ‘Yes.’ They will reply, ‘Then supplicate [yourselves], but the supplication of the disbelievers is not except in error.’ [Qur'an, Ghafir 40:50]
6. Give Charity and Zakah
Prayer and zakah form a strong partnership.
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَارْكَعُوا مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ ﴿٤٣
And establish prayer and give zakah and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience]. (43). [Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:43]
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ ﴿٢٧٧
Undoubtedly, those who believe and do righteous deeds and establish prayer and give zakah will have their reward with their Lord, and there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve. (277) [Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:277]
هَا أَنتُمْ هَـٰؤُلَاءِ تُدْعَوْنَ لِتُنفِقُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ فَمِنكُم مَّن يَبْخَلُ ۖ وَمَن يَبْخَلْ فَإِنَّمَا يَبْخَلُ عَن نَّفْسِهِ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ الْغَنِيُّ وَأَنتُمُ الْفُقَرَاءُ ۚ وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوْا يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْمًا غَيْرَكُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَكُونُوا أَمْثَالَكُم ﴿٣٨
Here you are - those invited to spend in the cause of Allah - but among you are those who withhold [out of greed]. And whoever withholds only withholds [benefit] from himself; and Allah is the Free of need, while you are the needy. And if you turn away, He will replace you with another people; then they will not be the likes of you. (38) [Qur'an, Muhammad 47:38]
Clearly prayer and zakah are spiritually inseparable.
7. Be Patient— the Answer Doesn’t Always Arrive Quickly, or in the Form You Demanded
And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive [to Allah]. [Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:45]
8. When Allah Grants Your Request, Respond With Greater Righteousness
Knowing that The Compassionate responded to your prayer should result in a profound gratitude and increased efforts to live your life in a way that pleases Him.
And [recall] when Musa prayed for water for his people, so We said, ‘Strike with your staff the stone.’ And there gushed forth from it twelve springs, and every people knew its watering place. ‘Eat and drink from the provision of Allah, and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption.’ [Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:60]
May Allah make us of those who are sincere and in constant remembrance of Him. Ameen.
And Allah knows best and He alone grant success.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.
Wassalaam
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