Dua

Dua

(Class notes from the sisters Halaqa, with Sheikh Adel)

Dua is what establishes our relationship with Allah swt. While prayers are performed at specific times dua can be made at all times. We are all extremely poor in front of Allah. In Surah Fatir Ayah 15, Allah(SWT) says, O mankind, you are those in need of Allah, while Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy. Prophet(SAW) said that, Dua is worship and it is the brain of worship. Allah loves to give and Allah loves to hear His servant asking from him. Whoever does not ask of Allah earns Allah’s anger. Dua for a Man is like water for a fish.

Allah listens to every caller that calls upon him. Allah even gave Iblees (Shaitan) his dua, when he asked Allah for respite until the end of time to lead men astray except Allah’s sincere servants. To his dua Allah gave Iblees until the end of time but said that he would forgive his servants as long as they seek forgiveness!

Dua is a connection with Allah. Zikr is remembrance of Allah and Dua is a form of Zikr.

 Conditions for dua to be accepted:

1. Sincerity (Ikhlas): Be sincere in your dua, do not focus on anything else but Allah. As we must have khushoo while reciting the Quran, there must be khushoo in the heart while in dua.. Dua is one the most important part of deen. Since it is worship, there can be no question of showing off in worship. Allah knows what is in our hearts.
2. Halal Food: This has two parts to it, First the income should be from Halal sources. Once an uncle (Sa’ad)of the Prophet(SAW) asked him how his dua will be accepted?, The Prophet(SAW) said, “purify your food and Allah will grant you answered Dua.”

Second is that the food should be halal, i.e. it must be slaughtered as Halal.

3. Seriousness. Be serious and mean what you ask for, Allah will give. If a person seriously and sincerely asks Allah to die as a Martyr, Allah would give him that status even if he were to die on his deathbed. A Sahaba had been in over 100 battles, he had battle wounds on every inch of his body but had survived. The Prophet (SAW) had called him the unbroken shield. He was told that his status is surely of a Martyr.
4. Trust in Allah: You must have faith in Allah that the dua will be answered. Have good thoughts about Allah and do not have any doubts that Allah will not answer your dua. Allah says, “ I am what my servant expects me to be.”
5. Avoid asking against the rules of Allah: Do not ask for wrong things or for things against the rules of Allah. If someone is afflicted by calamity do not choose to ask for death, leave it to Allah. You could say, O Allah, cause me to die if death is good for me.
6. Avoid Transgressing: Do not make dua against yourself or your children and do not make dua against your money or your servants. It may be that your dua matches with the time of acceptance of dua and it is accepted. You could find yourself devastated.

Sub Conditions to the fulfillment of Dua:

• Start by praising Allah (SWT)
• Sending durood on the Prophet (SAW), Omar (RA) Said if the durood is not said      before the dua it hangs between the Earth and the heaven.
• You must feel the dua, the heart and the tongue must be connected. Make dua in prosperity and know that in hardship you will be connected to Allah. If you want your dua to be accepted in hardship remember to make dua during ease and prosperity. Allah says in surah Zumar Ayah 8, And when adversity touches man, he calls upon his Lord, turning to Him [alone]; then when He bestows on him a favor from Himself, he forgets Him whom he called upon before, and he attributes to Allah equals to mislead [people] from His way. Say, “Enjoy your disbelief for a little; indeed, you are of the companions of the Fire.”  Whether you are rich or poor you are forever in need of Allah.
• Accept your sins, admit your mistakes and ask Allah for forgiveness and not punishment.
• Dua need not be in a poetic manner, it should be from the heart.
• Dua’s from the Quran and of the Prophet are the best.
• It is preferred to repeat the same dua three times when you are alone.
• Face the Qibla.
• Do not use words like “If you want”
• Do not rush for answers from Allah.
• Raise your hands up when supplicating.
• Show humility.
• Lower your voice when you are making dua alone, you are asking from the one who is all Hearing and all Seeing.
• Stay away from disobeidience of Allah.
• Do not limit the dua only for yourself. Include your family and the muslims in your dua. For example make dua for your sick and the sick Muslims. You will be rewarded for everyone you prayed for and it keeps the other Muslims in your heart.
• Ask Allah by his beautiful names.
• Ask Allah by your righteous actions (Amal Saleh), it is like an intermediary.
• Try to be in a state of wudhu before dua.
• Do not make dua to disobey Allah or to cut ties of kinship.

Preferable time & Occasion for Dua:

• The time between Azan and Iqama. Prophet(SAW) said that the dua made in the time between Azan and Iqama is never rejected.
• In Sujood. By the position in sujood one is closest to Allah, so dua in sujood is preferable.
• After Fard salat.
• During the last third of the night, Allah keeps on asking is there any one who seeks forgiveness, is there anyone who has a need to be fulfilled, etc. until fajr salat
• On Friday there is an hour (period of time) when, no Muslim makes a dua except that Allah grants him that.
• On hearing the voices of roosters, they see Angels passing by.