Today, I was discussing with one of my Muslim brothers about Dua in Islam. In the course of the conversation, he remarked that a believer’s life is incomplete without supplications. His words deeply compelled me to reflect on the importance of dua in Islam and this contemplation has led to me the writing of this blog. In this blog, I will try to mention the importance of dua in Islam. Inshallah (if Allah wills). I hope it will be beneficial for both myself and all of you.
As always I seek refuge in Allah Almighty from all kinds of harm and pray that He makes my work easy. I also pray that He considers this effort a means of salvation for us in this world and the hereafter. Whatever is good in my writing is entirely a blessing from Allah Almighty, and any faults are due to Satan (Devil) and my own lack of knowledge. JazakAllah. (Thank you).
dua in islam: Introduction
meaning of dua in islam
The Arabic word دعاء (Dua) means supplication, prayer, to call, to beg, etc.
Definition of Dua in Islam
Dua refers to the act of calling upon Allah Almighty for help, guidance, or any need. It is a form of worship and a means of communicating directly with Allah. In simple terms, supplication (du’a) is asking Allah Almighty for help in all aspects of life. In our Islamic tradition, supplications can be made for various purposes, including seeking forgiveness, asking for blessings, guidance, or help in times of need.
By making duas to Allah Almighty, we actually engage in another form of worship, which is remembering Allah Almighty. Because when we make duas to Allah Almighty, it means we are consciously remembering Him. And this is highly commended by Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala. Allah says in the Holy Quran,
Quranic verse about dhikr
- “وَلَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ” “And the remembrance of God (Allah) is greater” [1]
- “وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ” “And remember God (Allah) often, so that you may succeed.” [2]
- “يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا – وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا” “O you who believe, remember Allah abundantly, and proclaim His purity at morn and eve.” [3]
You will find lots of verses in the Holy Quran besides these where Muslims are told to remember their Lord Almighty Allah. And surely by now you must have understood that making supplications to Allah Almighty is also one of the important ways of remembering Him. But remember one thing, every du’a (supplication) is dhikr (remembrance of Allah Almighty), but not every dhikr (remembrance of Allah Almighty) is a du’a (supplication). Because in making du’a (supplication), a servant not only remembers Allah but also seeks the well-being of both their worldly life and the hereafter. In contrast, dhikr (remembrance of Allah Almighty) involves solely recalling Allah’s attributes, majesty, and praise.
Importance of dua in Islam
I mentioned earlier that my brother had told me that a Muslim’s life is incomplete without supplications. But why? Why are supplications so vital in Islam? What is the hidden wisdom? Lots of questions. Here is the answer.
A believer (Muslim) who asks Allah for anything in their supplication also gains the virtues of dhikr. There are lots of Hadiths that specifically highlight the virtues and significance of du’a (supplication). Here is a brief mention of some of them:
- Abu Dharr reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said: “O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another. O My servants, all of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek guidance of Me and I shall guide you, O My servants, all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek food of Me and I shall feed you. O My servants, all of you are naked except for those I have clothed, so seek clothing of Me and I shall clothe you. O My servants, you sin by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness of Me and I shall forgive you. O My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and will not attain benefiting Me so as to benefit Me. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as pious as the most pious heart of any one man of you, that would not increase My dominion in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of any one man of you, that would not decrease My dominion in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have, any more than a needle decreases the sea if put into it. O My servants, it is but your deeds that I record for you and then recompense you for. So let him who finds good, praise Allah, and let him who finds other than that blame no one but himself.” [4]
I know it’s a very long Hadith, but believe me, this is one of the most important Hadiths in Islam, and I think you already understood the reason.
additional hadith about duas
- Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, thus stated: “I am near to the thought of My servant as he thinks about Me, and I am with him as he remembers Me. And if he remembers Me in his heart, I also remember him in My Heart, and if he remembers Me in assembly I remember him in assembly, better than his (remembrance), and if he draws near Me by the span of a palm, I draw near him by the cubit, and if he draws near Me by the cubit I draw near him by the space (covered by) two hands. And if he walks towards Me, I rush towards him.” [5]
- An-Nu`man bin Bashir narrated that: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The supplication is worship.” Then he recited: And Your Lord said: “Call upon me, I will respond to you. Verily, those who scorn My worship, they will surely enter Hell humiliated.” [6]
- Abu Hurairah narrated that: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “There is nothing more honorable with Allah [Most High] than supplication.” [7]
- Salman narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Nothing turns back the Decree except supplication, and nothing increases the lifespan except righteousness.” [8]
These were Hadiths. Now, we will look at the words of Allah regarding the importance of supplications (du’a). Allah says in the Holy Quran,
Importance of dua in Islam from the quran
- “وَاِذَا سَاَلَكَ عِبَادِيْ عَنِّيْ فَاِنِّيْ قَرِيْبٌ ؕ اُجِيْبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ اِذَا دَعَانِ ۙ فَلْيَسْتَجِيْبُوْا لِيْ وَلْيُؤْمِنُوْا بِيْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُوْنَ” “When My servants ask you about Me, then (tell them that) I am near. I respond to the call of one when he prays to Me; so they should respond to Me, and have faith in Me, so that they may be on the right path.” [9]
- “وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُوْنِيْۤ اَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ ؕ اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ يَسْتَكْبِرُوْنَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِيْ سَيَدْخُلُوْنَ جَهَنَّمَ دٰخِرِيْنَ” “Your Lord has said, “Call Me, I will respond to you. Definitely those who show arrogance against worshipping Me shall enter Jahannam (Hell) with disgrace.” [10]
- “فَاذْكُرُوْنِيْۤ اَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوْا لِيْ وَلَا تَكْفُرُوْنِ” “So Remember Me, and I will remember you, and be thankful to Me, and be not ungrateful to Me.” [11]
How many verses and Hadiths should I give you to make you understand the importance of supplication in Islam? You’re all smart and intellectual people. I hope you already understood the importance of supplications in Islam. So let’s move on to the next section.
Prerequisites for the Acceptance of Dua in islam
We have seen that du’a (supplication) holds significant importance in a Muslim’s life. However, for our supplications to be accepted by Allah, there are certain conditions that have been set by Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him). Now, we will discuss some of the key prerequisites for the acceptance of du’a (supplications).
Broadly speaking, there are three main conditions for the acceptance of du’a (supplications) by Allah:
- Halal Sustenance: One must ensure that their provisions are lawful.
- Supplication Exclusively to Allah: Du'a (supplications) must be made solely to Allah.
- Following the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) Method: Du'a (supplications) should be made in the manner taught by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Halal Sustenance For dua in islam
Allah says in the Holy Quran:
- “يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا كُلُوْا مِنْ طَيِّبٰتِ مَا رَزَقْنٰكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوْا لِلّٰهِ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ اِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُوْنَ” “O you who believe, eat of the good things (Halal things) We have provided to you and be grateful to Allah, if it is He whom you worship (in real terms).” [12]
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has clearly told us that our supplications will not be accepted by Allah until our sustenance is lawful (halal). Here’s a Hadith in this regard.
- Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: O people, Allah is Good and He therefore accepts only that which is good. And Allah commanded the believers as He commanded the Messengers by saying: “O Messengers, eat of the good things, and do good deeds; verily I am aware of what you do” (xxiii. 51). And He said: “O those who believe, eat of the good things that We gave you” (ii. 172). He then made mention of a person who travels widely, his hair disheveled and covered with dust. He lifts his hand towards the sky (and thus makes the supplication): “O Lord, O Lord,” whereas his diet is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothes are unlawful and his nourishment is unlawful. How then can his supplication be accepted? [13]
dua Exclusively to Allah: an important matter for islamic dua
I told you earlier that supplications are an act of worship. And every act of worship must be done solely for Allah. If any act of worship is done for anyone other than Allah, it will never be considered acceptable by Allah. Moreover, if worship is directed to anyone alongside Allah, it will also not be acceptable. Worshipping anyone other than Allah is considered Shirk (associating partners with Allah). In Islam, Shirk is regarded as the greatest sin. Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran:
- “إِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ” “Indeed, associating others with Allah is a great injustice.” [14]
- “اِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ اَنْ يُّشْرَكَ بِهٖ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُوْنَ ذٰلِكَ لِمَنْ يَّشَآءُ ۚ وَمَنْ يُّشْرِكْ بِاللّٰهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرٰۤي اِثْمًا عَظِيْمًا” “Surely, Allah does not forgive that a partner is ascribed to Him, and He forgives anything short of that for whomsoever He wills. Whoever ascribes a partner to Allah commits a terrible sin.” [15]
Following the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) Method:
We can understand the first two types, but often the third type of property {Following the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) Method} becomes difficult for us. This is because we fail to properly understand the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). As a result, we perform many acts of worship that are not actually considered acts of worship. Sometimes, out of emotion, we perform excessive acts of worship which will not be accepted by Allah. This is because Allah has instructed us to follow the example of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in every matter. Regarding this, Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran:
- “قُلْ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّوْنَ اللّٰهَ فَاتَّبِعُوْنِيْ يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللّٰهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوْبَكُمْ ؕ وَاللّٰهُ غَفُوْرٌ رَّحِيْمٌ” “Say (O Prophet): “If you really love Allah, then follow me, and Allah shall love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful.” [16]
- “وَمَاۤ اٰتٰىكُمُ الرَّسُوْلُ فَخُذُوْهُ وَمَا نَهٰىكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوْا ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللّٰهَ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ شَدِيْدُ الْعِقَابِ” “And whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you from, abstain (from it). And fear Allah. Indeed Allah is severe in punishment.” [17]
- “لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِيْ رَسُوْلِ اللّٰهِ اُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُوا اللّٰهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْاٰخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللّٰهَ كَثِيْرًا” “There is indeed a good model for you in the Messenger of Allah – for the one who has hope in Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah profusely.” [18]
Besides the aforementioned verses, there are many more verses in the Holy Quran where the importance of following the footsteps of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is emphasized. To know dtailed discussion on the importance of sunnah you can read this post, Importance of the Sunnah of Prophet (PBUH)
May Allah grant us all the ability to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Ameen.
Some Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) regarding islamic dua
- Making supplications more and more.
- Making supplications to Allah Almighty for very little needs also.
- Starting supplications with praise of Allah Almighty and Salat and Salam (peace and blessings) for Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
- Starting with supplications for oneself.
- Making supplications with a calm mind and being optimistic.
- Only asking good things from Allah Almighty.
- Not making haste while making supplications.
- Making supplications for absent persons.
- Making supplications with the name of Allah Almighty, especially with His great names.
- Completing supplications with praise of Allah Almighty and Salat and Salam (peace and blessings) for Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
Besides these, there are more Sunnah of making duas found in the books of Hadith. Please do your own research to know more. At each point above, there are pieces of evidence from the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his companions. I haven’t presented the evidence here because my blog post has already gone very long. So if anyone is interested, they can take the initiative to explore it further on their own.
my last thought
Remember, Dua (Supplications) can be performed at any time, in any language, and in any place, although there are certain times and situations that are considered more auspicious for making du’a, such as during the last third of the night, after obligatory prayers, or while fasting. You can check my Dua and Dhikr section to learn lots of Islamic duas with meaning and importance.
That’s enough for today. I Know this is a very long blog. Jazakallah (Thank you) for staying with Spreading Wisdom.
For more blog like this, please visit My Blog page.
footnote
- Surah Ankabut, 29:45
- Surah Juma’h, 62:10
- Surah Ah’jab, 33:41-42
- Sahih Muslim, 2577 a In-Book Reference: Book 45, Hadith 70 USC-MSA web (English) reference: Book 32, Hadith 6246 (deprecated numbering scheme)
- Sahih Muslim, 2675 a In-Book Reference: Book 48, Hadith 1 USC-MSA web (English) reference: Book 35, Hadith 6471 (deprecated numbering scheme)
- Sahih (Darussalam) Jami` at-Tirmidhi, 3372 In-Book Reference: Book 48, Hadith 3 English Reference: Vol. 6, Book 45, Hadith 3372
- (This Hadith contains difference of opinion being authentic or weak.) Da’if (Darussalam) Jami` at-Tirmidhi, 3370 In-Book Reference: Book 48, Hadith 1 English Reference: Vol. 6, Book 45, Hadith 3370
- (This Hadith contains difference of opinion being authentic or weak.) Da’if (Darussalam) Jami` at-Tirmidhi, 2139 In-Book Reference: Book 32, Hadith 7 English Reference: Vol. 4, Book 6, Hadith 2139
- Surah Al-Baqarah 2:186
- Surah Mumin/Ghafir 40:60
- Surah Al-Baqarah 2:152
- Surah Al-Baqarah 2:172
- Sahih Sahih Muslim, 1015 In-Book Reference: Book 12, Hadith 83 USC-MSA web (English) reference: Book 5, Hadith 2214 (deprecated numbering scheme)
- Surah Luqman, 31:13
- Surah An-Nisa’ 4:48
- Surah Aal-e-Imran 3:31
- Surah Al-Hashr 59:7
- Surah Al-Ahzab 33:21
