(And when My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I respond to the dua (prayer) of every suppliant when they calleth on Me - Quran 2:186)
1. Our Lord! Grant us good in this world and good in the life to come and keep us safe from the torment of the Fire (2:201)
2. Our Lord! Bestow on us endurance and make our foothold sure and give us help against those who reject faith. (2:250)
3. Our Lord! Take us not to task if we forget or fall into error. (2:286)
4. Our Lord! Lay not upon us such a burden as You did lay upon those before us. (2:286)
5. Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear, grant us forgiveness and have mercy on us. You are our Protector. Help us against those who deny the truth. (2:286)
6. Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate from the truth after You have guided us, and bestow upon us mercy from Your grace. Verily You are the Giver of bounties without measure. (3:8)
7. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and the lack of moderation in our doings, and make firm our steps and succour us against those who deny the truth. (3:147)
8. Our Lord! Whomsoever You shall commit to the Fire, truly You have brought [him] to disgrace, and never will wrongdoers find any helpers (3:192)
9. Our Lord! Behold we have heard a voice calling us unto faith: "Believe in your Lord" and we have believed. (3:193)
10. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and efface our bad deeds and take our souls in the company of the righteous. (3:193)
11. Our Lord! And grant us that which you have promised to us by Your messengers and save us from shame on the Day of Judgement. Verily You never fail to fulfill Your promise. (3:194)
12. Our Lord! We have sinned against ourselves, and unless You grant us forgiveness and bestow Your mercy upon us, we shall most certainly be lost! (7:23)
13. Our Lord! Place us not among the people who have been guilty of evildoing. (7:47)
14. Our Lord! Lay open the truth between us and our people, for You are the best of all to lay open the truth. (7:89)
15. Our Lord! Pour out on us patience and constancy, and make us die as those who have surrendered themselves unto You. (7:126)
16. Our Lord! Make us not a trial for the evildoing folk, and save as by Your mercy from people who deny the truth (10:85-86)
17. Our Lord! You truly know all that we may hide [in our hearts] as well as all that we bring into the open, for nothing whatever, be it on earth or in heaven, remains hidden from Allah (14:38)
18. Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Your presence and dispose of our affairs for us in the right way. (18:10)
19. Our Lord! Grant that our spouses and our offspring be a comfort to our eyes, and give us the grace to lead those who are conscious of You. (25:74)
20. Our Lord! You embrace all things within Your Grace and Knowledge, forgive those who repent and follow Your path, and ward off from them the punishment of Hell. (40:7)
21. Our Lord! Make them enter the Garden of Eden which You have promised to them, and to the righteous from among their fathers, their wives and their offspring, for verily You are alone the Almighty and the truly Wise. (40:8)
22. Our Lord! Relieve us of the torment, for we do really believe. (44:12)
23. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins as well as those of our brethren who proceeded us in faith and let not our hearts entertain any unworthy thoughts or feelings against [any of] those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness and Most Merciful (59:10)
24. Our Lord! In You we have placed our trust, and to You do we turn in repentance, for unto You is the end of all journeys. (60:4)
25. Our Lord! Perfect our light for us and forgive us our sins, for verily You have power over all things. (66:8)
AD-DUA Is An Act Of WORSHIP
Al-Manar Issue 33
Du'a or supplication, is an essential part of the faith, as all Muslims would agree. However, a large number of Muslims do not seem to realise the full significance of du'a and the necessity for a believer to call unto Allah as often as possible. Moreover the Prophet (saws) defined du'a as worship, "Supplication (du'a) is worship ('ibaadah)." [Abu Dawood].
Undoubtedly, it is also an act of righteousness to call unto Allah, be it for a materialistic object or to save one from trials (fitnahs)! A regular supplication to Allah is one of the believers' characteristics.
Supplication to Allah (swt) has greater significance rather than a mere request from Allah (swt). To supplicate to Allah and Allah alone is to recognise that only Allah can answer the du'as. All creatures rely and are totally dependent on their Creator.
"O people! It is you who stand in need of Allah, but Allah is Rich (free of all wants and needs), worthy of all praise." [35:15]
Supplication to Allah alone is an act of Tawheed and a confirmation of belief in the names and attributes of Allah (swt), for He is As–Samad (the Self–Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need), Al–Malik (the King) and Al–Azeez (the All–Mighty). There is no means and no power except that of Allah! (La hawla wala quwata illa billah).
Allah our Lord, loves when His servants supplicate to Him, as is stated in the hadeeth of Abu Hurairah, the Prophet (saws) said (in the meaning), "Nothing is dearer to Allah than one's supplication to Him." [Ibn Majeh].
How does Allah respond to the supplication?
Allah Has promised to respond to our supplications. He (swt) said (in the meaning), "And your Lord said: "Invoke Me, I will respond to your (invocation)." [40:60]
also
"And when My slaves ask you concerning Me, then I am indeed near. I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me." [2:186]
Therefore, a believer should be extremely confident about Allah's response to his supplication and should not have the slightest doubt regarding this. The Prophet (saws) said: "Supplicate Allah and be confident of being answered…" [at–Tirmidhi].
Yet, it is important to bear in mind that the response to a supplication may be granted in one of three forms. This is explained in the hadeeth narrated by 'Ubadah ibn Samit (ra) who reported that the Prophet (saws) said (in the meaning), "Whenever a Muslim supplicates Allah, He (swt) grants his supplication or averts some kind of evil from him so long as he does not supplicate for something sinful or something that would cut off the ties of kinship." Thereupon someone said: Then we shall supplicate plenty. The Prophet (saws) said: Allah is more plentiful in responding." [at-Tirmidhi, Al–Hakim's version adds: "…Or lays up an equivalent reward for him."].
Also, we should not be hasty about the answer. The Prophet (saws) warned us by saying, (in the meaning), "Your supplication is answered as long as you are not hasty, he (the supplicant) says I have supplicated but was not granted (what I asked for)." [Agreed Upon].
As an example, let's consider the advent of Prophet Muhammad (saws) which indeed was a response to a supplication made by one of Allah's Messenger — Ibraheem (as), who said, (in the meaning), "Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own…" [2:129]
We can see that this supplication was answered thousands of years later!
As true believers, all we can and need to do is offer the supplication sincerely, and then leave it to the wisdom of Allah as to when and how He (swt) will respond.
"Sufficient is Allah, there is no god but He, and on Him I place my trust." [3:173]
Could a supplication be unanswered?
Yes. If that happens, the blame should fall on ourselves. The Prophet (saws), warned us against things that render supplication unanswered:
When the supplication is only offered by tongue, whilst the heart and mind are absent. "…And know that Allah does not answer a supplication that comes from a careless and inattentive heart." [At–Tirmidhi]
When the supplication is offered by a person whose sustenance and livelihood are from haraam sources, as stated eloquently in this part of a hadeeth. The Prophet made mention of: "a person who, travels widely, his hair is dishevelled and covered with dust. "He stretches his hands up to the sky (supplicating), 'O Lord, O Lord' but his diet is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothes are unlawful, and his nourishment is unlawful. How then can his supplication be answered?" [Muslim]. Dear brothers and sisters, how many Muslims do we know who deal with Riba (interest), who sell alcohol, who eat all types of haraam food, who care little where their money comes from? Such people, apart from incurring the wrath of Allah, would have all their supplications unanswered? What a desperate and terrible state they are in!
When a person does not enjoin the good and forbid the evil. The Prophet (saws) said (in the meaning), "By Him in Whose hand my soul is, you must enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, or Allah will certainly send punishment from Himself unto you. Then you will make supplication and not receive an answer." [at–Tirmidhi].
1. Our Lord! Grant us good in this world and good in the life to come and keep us safe from the torment of the Fire (2:201)
2. Our Lord! Bestow on us endurance and make our foothold sure and give us help against those who reject faith. (2:250)
3. Our Lord! Take us not to task if we forget or fall into error. (2:286)
4. Our Lord! Lay not upon us such a burden as You did lay upon those before us. (2:286)
5. Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear, grant us forgiveness and have mercy on us. You are our Protector. Help us against those who deny the truth. (2:286)
6. Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate from the truth after You have guided us, and bestow upon us mercy from Your grace. Verily You are the Giver of bounties without measure. (3:8)
7. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and the lack of moderation in our doings, and make firm our steps and succour us against those who deny the truth. (3:147)
8. Our Lord! Whomsoever You shall commit to the Fire, truly You have brought [him] to disgrace, and never will wrongdoers find any helpers (3:192)
9. Our Lord! Behold we have heard a voice calling us unto faith: "Believe in your Lord" and we have believed. (3:193)
10. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and efface our bad deeds and take our souls in the company of the righteous. (3:193)
11. Our Lord! And grant us that which you have promised to us by Your messengers and save us from shame on the Day of Judgement. Verily You never fail to fulfill Your promise. (3:194)
12. Our Lord! We have sinned against ourselves, and unless You grant us forgiveness and bestow Your mercy upon us, we shall most certainly be lost! (7:23)
13. Our Lord! Place us not among the people who have been guilty of evildoing. (7:47)
14. Our Lord! Lay open the truth between us and our people, for You are the best of all to lay open the truth. (7:89)
15. Our Lord! Pour out on us patience and constancy, and make us die as those who have surrendered themselves unto You. (7:126)
16. Our Lord! Make us not a trial for the evildoing folk, and save as by Your mercy from people who deny the truth (10:85-86)
17. Our Lord! You truly know all that we may hide [in our hearts] as well as all that we bring into the open, for nothing whatever, be it on earth or in heaven, remains hidden from Allah (14:38)
18. Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Your presence and dispose of our affairs for us in the right way. (18:10)
19. Our Lord! Grant that our spouses and our offspring be a comfort to our eyes, and give us the grace to lead those who are conscious of You. (25:74)
20. Our Lord! You embrace all things within Your Grace and Knowledge, forgive those who repent and follow Your path, and ward off from them the punishment of Hell. (40:7)
21. Our Lord! Make them enter the Garden of Eden which You have promised to them, and to the righteous from among their fathers, their wives and their offspring, for verily You are alone the Almighty and the truly Wise. (40:8)
22. Our Lord! Relieve us of the torment, for we do really believe. (44:12)
23. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins as well as those of our brethren who proceeded us in faith and let not our hearts entertain any unworthy thoughts or feelings against [any of] those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness and Most Merciful (59:10)
24. Our Lord! In You we have placed our trust, and to You do we turn in repentance, for unto You is the end of all journeys. (60:4)
25. Our Lord! Perfect our light for us and forgive us our sins, for verily You have power over all things. (66:8)
AD-DUA Is An Act Of WORSHIP
Al-Manar Issue 33
Du'a or supplication, is an essential part of the faith, as all Muslims would agree. However, a large number of Muslims do not seem to realise the full significance of du'a and the necessity for a believer to call unto Allah as often as possible. Moreover the Prophet (saws) defined du'a as worship, "Supplication (du'a) is worship ('ibaadah)." [Abu Dawood].
Undoubtedly, it is also an act of righteousness to call unto Allah, be it for a materialistic object or to save one from trials (fitnahs)! A regular supplication to Allah is one of the believers' characteristics.
Supplication to Allah (swt) has greater significance rather than a mere request from Allah (swt). To supplicate to Allah and Allah alone is to recognise that only Allah can answer the du'as. All creatures rely and are totally dependent on their Creator.
"O people! It is you who stand in need of Allah, but Allah is Rich (free of all wants and needs), worthy of all praise." [35:15]
Supplication to Allah alone is an act of Tawheed and a confirmation of belief in the names and attributes of Allah (swt), for He is As–Samad (the Self–Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need), Al–Malik (the King) and Al–Azeez (the All–Mighty). There is no means and no power except that of Allah! (La hawla wala quwata illa billah).
Allah our Lord, loves when His servants supplicate to Him, as is stated in the hadeeth of Abu Hurairah, the Prophet (saws) said (in the meaning), "Nothing is dearer to Allah than one's supplication to Him." [Ibn Majeh].
How does Allah respond to the supplication?
Allah Has promised to respond to our supplications. He (swt) said (in the meaning), "And your Lord said: "Invoke Me, I will respond to your (invocation)." [40:60]
also
"And when My slaves ask you concerning Me, then I am indeed near. I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me." [2:186]
Therefore, a believer should be extremely confident about Allah's response to his supplication and should not have the slightest doubt regarding this. The Prophet (saws) said: "Supplicate Allah and be confident of being answered…" [at–Tirmidhi].
Yet, it is important to bear in mind that the response to a supplication may be granted in one of three forms. This is explained in the hadeeth narrated by 'Ubadah ibn Samit (ra) who reported that the Prophet (saws) said (in the meaning), "Whenever a Muslim supplicates Allah, He (swt) grants his supplication or averts some kind of evil from him so long as he does not supplicate for something sinful or something that would cut off the ties of kinship." Thereupon someone said: Then we shall supplicate plenty. The Prophet (saws) said: Allah is more plentiful in responding." [at-Tirmidhi, Al–Hakim's version adds: "…Or lays up an equivalent reward for him."].
Also, we should not be hasty about the answer. The Prophet (saws) warned us by saying, (in the meaning), "Your supplication is answered as long as you are not hasty, he (the supplicant) says I have supplicated but was not granted (what I asked for)." [Agreed Upon].
As an example, let's consider the advent of Prophet Muhammad (saws) which indeed was a response to a supplication made by one of Allah's Messenger — Ibraheem (as), who said, (in the meaning), "Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own…" [2:129]
We can see that this supplication was answered thousands of years later!
As true believers, all we can and need to do is offer the supplication sincerely, and then leave it to the wisdom of Allah as to when and how He (swt) will respond.
"Sufficient is Allah, there is no god but He, and on Him I place my trust." [3:173]
Could a supplication be unanswered?
Yes. If that happens, the blame should fall on ourselves. The Prophet (saws), warned us against things that render supplication unanswered:
When the supplication is only offered by tongue, whilst the heart and mind are absent. "…And know that Allah does not answer a supplication that comes from a careless and inattentive heart." [At–Tirmidhi]
When the supplication is offered by a person whose sustenance and livelihood are from haraam sources, as stated eloquently in this part of a hadeeth. The Prophet made mention of: "a person who, travels widely, his hair is dishevelled and covered with dust. "He stretches his hands up to the sky (supplicating), 'O Lord, O Lord' but his diet is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothes are unlawful, and his nourishment is unlawful. How then can his supplication be answered?" [Muslim]. Dear brothers and sisters, how many Muslims do we know who deal with Riba (interest), who sell alcohol, who eat all types of haraam food, who care little where their money comes from? Such people, apart from incurring the wrath of Allah, would have all their supplications unanswered? What a desperate and terrible state they are in!
When a person does not enjoin the good and forbid the evil. The Prophet (saws) said (in the meaning), "By Him in Whose hand my soul is, you must enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, or Allah will certainly send punishment from Himself unto you. Then you will make supplication and not receive an answer." [at–Tirmidhi].
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