6. Supplicating(to make Duaa)
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Hayaatul Muslimeen(Life of Muslims)
6. Supplicating(to make Duaa)
Dua or supplication is to petition Allah Ta'ala for one's needs and requirements, be such needs mundane or spiritual - be they in regard to one's worldly affairs or Deeni affairs - whether such affairs and needs are within one's ability of acquisition or not. In all cases, the Muslim has to supplicate to Allah Ta'ala for the fulfillment of his needs.
Dua for unlawful desires and needs is not permissible. While making dua, all the lawful means and agencies for the requirement should be harnessed, e.g. the farmer while making dua for his farm to yield should at the same time engage in the means and ways of farming; one making dua for protection against an enemy should at the same time engage in the ways and means of warding off the enemy; the sick while making dua for recovery should resort to medicine and treatment as well; one involved in litigation should while making dua for success in his court-case, engage the proper means of achieving the success as well; one engaged in the acquisition of Qur'anic and Deeni knowledge should make dua for barkat and success while at the same time study properly and acquire whatever ways are essential for the correct acquisition of knowledge; one involved in ibaadat should strive against the lowly desires and the diversions of shaitaan and the nafs while at the same time make dua for aid from Allah Ta'ala for sincerity and steadfastness in his acts of ibaadat.
In affairs in which physical and material means and agencies have no role to play, one should in entirety resort to only dua, e.g. rainfall, protection against plaques, the shaitaan and the deception of the nafs, protection from the oppression of cruel persons, etc.
Dua does not mean the mere recitation of some words and the mere ritual reiteration of words after Salaat. The nature of dua consists of petitioning in the Court of Allah Ta'ala. The earnestness and concern which people have when making appeals in the courts of the world should at least be adopted when making dua in the Court of Allah Ta'ala. When making dua, one's mind and body have to be concentrated and directed into the purpose of dua. One should never lose hope in the event of fulfillment of the dua being delayed or if fulfillment is not discerned. One has to submit to the Will of Allah Ta'ala. Dua is an appeal to Allah Ta'ala. It is His sole prerogative to grant or reject the appeals of His servants. We have no right to become disillusioned and despondent if we cannot discern acceptance of our dua.
The times of dua are not to restricted to the time of Salaat. Dua should be made at any time, whenever one requires something although the time after Salaat is very efficacious for acceptance of the dua. Whenever and whatever one is in need of, immediately make dua with the heart as well as with the tongue. This then is the reality and nature of dua,
Now when supplicating, do so according to the reality and nature of dua as has been described. If you do so, you will discern the efficacy and barakaat of dua. Barkat of dua does not necessarily mean that whatever you ask for will be granted. At times the very object sought for, is obtained, e.g. something in regard to the Aakhirat, because a favour or bounty of the Aakhirah is pure goodness for the servant. For the attainment of the fortunes of the Aakhirat, Imaan and Itaa'at (obedience) are conditions. Without these conditions, the blessings of Aakhirah are not attainable. Sometimes, the object asked for is not obtained, e.g. an object or requirement of the world. This is so because sometimes the worldly object supplicated for is harmful and sometimes beneficial. If it is beneficial in the Wisdom of Allah Ta'ala, He grants it to the servant and when it is harmful, He withholds it from the servant just as a father will deny his child an object, which is detrimental to his interests.
The meaning of barkat in this context is that the Attention of Allah Ta'ala is directed to the servant. Thus, if due to some reason known to Allah Ta'ala, the object asked for is not granted, then too he is contented. He is not overcome with frustration and weakness. This spiritual strength with which the heart is imbued is the effect of the Special Attention of Allah Ta'ala as a result of dua made by the servant. This Special Attention of Allah is indeed a great treasure. All other treasures pale into insignificance in its presence. This Special Attention is in fact man's original capital, which he has to strive for. It is the possession of this treasure, which will bring him comfort and peace in this world and in the Aakhirah. The limitless bounties of the Hereafter are obtainable as a result of this Special Attention, which Allah Ta'ala focuses on His servants. There is, therefore, never the slightest fear of being deprived. The one who makes dua is never deprived because of this inherent barakaat of dua.
Some Ahadith pertaining to the significance of dua will now be narrated.
1. Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu anhu) narrated that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: ”The servant's dua is accepted as long as he does not ask for something sinful nor for something unkind for his relatives; and, as long as he is not impatient."
It was asked: '0 Rasulullah! What is the meaning of being impatient”?
"It means to say: 'I have asked dua time and again, but it has not been answered.' So saying, one gives up asking dua." (Muslim)
This hadith stresses the continuous making of dua even if the dua seemingly is not accepted.
2. Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said:
"Nothing is more appreciable to Allah than dua." (Tirmithi, Ibn Majah)
3. Hadhrat Ibn Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "Dua is beneficial in everything. It is efficacious in warding off misfortunes which have already descended as well as misfortunes which are about to descend, Therefore, the servants of Allah should be steadfast in making dua." ('Tirmithi, Ahmad)
4. Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said. "Allah becomes angry with one who refrains from dua."
5. Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said:
"You should continuously engage in dua and firmly believe that Allah is accepting your dua. Allah Ta'ala does not accept the dua of one whose heart is careless." (Tirmithi)
Dua must be made with earnestness and concentration of mind and body while at the same time believing that the dua is definitely being accepted by Allah Ta'ala. Non-attainment of the object of the dua should not be misconstrued as non-acceptance. The dua is most certainly accepted, but obtainal of the object sought after is subject to the Wisdom of Allah Ta'ala as has been earlier explained.
6. Hadhrat Abu Saeed Khudri (radhiyallahu anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said:
"Any Muslim who makes a dua and his dua does not contain a request for anything sinful or anything regarding the severance of family ties, Allah Ta'ala grants him one of three things most assuredly, viz.,
i. What he has asked is granted immediately, or
ii. What he has asked is saved for him as a treasure in the Aakhirah,
iii. Allah wards away some calamity from him in lieu of the object asked for."
The Sahaabah then said that they will resort to dua in abundance. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) replied that by Allah Ta'ala everything is in abundance. Thus, no dua is returned empty.
7. Hadhrat Anas (radhiyallahu anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said:
"Everyone should petition his Creator for all his needs."
In the narration of Hadhrat Thaabit (radhiyallahu anhu) it is said: "Everyone should ask his Creator for all his needs be it even salt or be it a shoelace when it breaks." (Tirmithi)
One should not consider it improper to make dua for insignificant items because by Allah Ta'ala even such things, which are significant, great and valuable by us, are insignificant in His Gaze.
