The closest translation we can get to the word ‘Dua’ is ‘supplication’. A person who makes dua is one who supplicates. In Arabic, this is derived from a word meaning ‘to call’ or ‘to call out’. In dua, we call out to God and pray to Him, ask from Him what we wish and what we need help with. Making dua is very powerful as we find out from many hadith:
Anas bin Malik narrated that Prophet SAW said: “The supplication is the essence of worship.”
Tirmidhi
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Etiquettes of making dua
The list below will explain the etiquettes one must have when making dua.
- Humble yourself in front of Allah
Allah says in the Quran: Call upon your Lord humbly and secretly. Al-A’raf [7:55]
- Have firm conviction that Allah will answer your prayers
- Be persistent when you ask
Salman Al-Farsi narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:“Indeed, Allah, is Hayy, Generous, when a man raises his hands to Him, He feels too shy to return them to him empty and rejected.”
Tirmidhi
- Do not be impatient
- Use duas from Quran and sunnah
- Stay away from sins and consuming haram
Nabi SAW talked about a person calling out to Allah: “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? [Muslim]
- Make lots of dua in times of ease
Nabi SAW said: Remember Allah during time of ease and He will remember you during times of hardship.
Ahmed
- Make sure you have prepared properly (e.g wudhu, facing qiblah etc)
- Ask for anything and everything (as long as it’s lawful)
- Don’t think your dua has been rejected
Istikhara Dua – Translation and How to Perform
How do you make dua?
- Start with praising Allah
Use words and phrases which Allah has praised Himself with, or Nabi SAW used, or the sahaba used.
- Send durood/salawat (salutations) upon Prophet Muhammed SAW
- Use the beautiful names of Allah
Allah has the Most Beautiful Names. So call upon Him by them, and keep away from those who abuse His Names. [7:180]
- Seek forgiveness
- Display your need of Allah with the utmost humility and desperation
“My Lord! I am truly in desperate need of whatever provision You may have in store for me.” [28:24]
Can you make dua in English?
Outside of salah, you can make dua in any language and there are no restrictions like language barriers. However, in salah, you can only use duas from the Quran and Sunnah.
Occasions when your Duas are readily accepted
- After the fardh (obligatory) prayers [Tirmidhi]
- Between the adhan and iqamah [Tirmidhi]
- In the last third part of the night [Bukhari]
- Whilst in sajdah [Muslim]
- Day of Arafah [Tirmidhi]
- While fasting & when opening the fast [Tirmidhi]
- During the last portion of the day of Jumuah [Abu Dawud]
- When you’re sick or asking the sick to make dua for you [Ibn Majah]
- When drinking zamzam water [Ibn Majah]
- When it rains [Abu Dawud]
- When travelling [Tirmidhi]
- Praying for your absent brother [Muslim]
- When oppressed [Bukhari]
- When a parent makes dua for their child [Tirmidhi]
The act of making dua is one of the most superior forms of worship in Islam. Many times Allah has commanded us to call upon Him and be humble in front of Him, and this is something which we are missing within our lives. Our problems, afflictions, illnesses and issues can all disappear if we put our hearts into dua and show our desperation.
