Al-‘Allāmah, al-Imām Ibn al-Qayyim gathered an amazing summary containing a tremendous amount of good where he clarified the most important of what is befitting for those who make du’ā to concern themselves with when they call upon Allāh (SWT). Then he ended his speech after enumerating these rules for making du’ā with the statement: “Indeed this du’ā, it is rare that it would be rejected.”[1]
Al-Imām Ibn al-Qayyim said,
“If a supplication is combined with:
- presence of the heart and its consciousness of the objective,
- and coinciding with the six prescribed times of acceptance – and they are: the last third of the night, at the time of the adhān, between the adhān and the iqāmah, at the end of the prescribed prayers, from the time the Imām ascends the minbar on the day of Jumu’ah until the ṣalāh is completed and the final hour (on Jumu’ah) after ‘Aṣr,
- and coinciding with the submissiveness in the heart and contrition before the Lord, feeling insignificant, imploring and feeble,
- and the one making du’ā faces the qiblah,
- and he is in a state of purity,
- and he raises his hands towards Allāh,
- and he begins with praises and extolment of Allāh,
- then he salutes Muḥammad ﷺ, His worshipper and His Messenger by asking Allāh to grant him praise, manifest his virtue and elevate his status,
- then he, before anything else, states his need for repentance and forgiveness,
- then he persistently states his dire need for repentance and flatters Him,
- and he calls on Him with longing and reverence,
- and seeking intercession by way of His Names, His Attributes and His Oneness,
- and he precedes his du’ā with charity,
“Indeed this du’ā, it is rare that it would be rejected.” - Especially if it corresponds with the supplications that the Prophet ﷺ has informed us are most likely to be answered and they contain the Greatest Name of Allāh.
The First Matter: Presence of the heart and its consciousness of the objective.
The first matter is that the Muslim makes du’ā with a present heart. Presence of the heart is to turn towards Allāh (SWT) so that his du’ā is not simply moving his tongue while his heart is heedless. Rather, he moves his tongue with du’ā while having presence of the heart. Regarding this, the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Make du’ā to Allāh while you are certain of being answered and know that Allāh does not answer the du’ā from the heart of the heedless, distracted.”[2]
The Second Matter: Coinciding with the prescribed times of acceptance.
Al-Imām Ibn al-Qayyim listed six places:
- The first: the last third of the night. This time is considered from the most likely times of acceptance of du’ā and the greatest of them in status.
- The second: at the time of the adhān, meaning immediately after the adhān. This is a tremendous time to pursue making du’ā.
- The third: between the adhān and the iqāmah.
- The fourth: at the end of the prescribed prayers, meaning before the taslīm, for this time is virtuous and it is believed that the du’ā of the one who supplicates during it is accepted.
- The fifth: from the time the Imām ascends the minbar on the day of Jumu’ah until the ṣalāh is completed.
- The sixth: the final hour after ‘Aṣr, meaning the last hour after ‘Aṣr until the sun sets on the day of Jumu’ah.
The Third Matter: Submissiveness of the heart and contrition before the Lord, with humility and submissiveness.
This matter that Imām Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned is of the utmost importance in the issue of du’ā as well as other acts of worship. From the completion of worship is that the worshipper is imploring and meek towards his Creator and Master (SWT) especially when making du’ā and requesting, as Allāh the Most High said: which means, “Invoke your Lord with submissiveness and humility. Indeed, He does not love the aggressors.” [Qur’an 7:55]
The Fourth Matter: Facing the qiblah at the time of du’ā.
Facing the qiblah is considered from the lofty manners of du’ā which shows the respect that the one making du’ā has for the affair of du’ā, and his concern for it.
Regarding this, it has been authentically narrated from the Prophet ﷺ in a number of situations that he would face the qiblah and make du’ā, just as it occurred in the battle of Badr when he ﷺ saw the abundant amount of polytheists compared to the amount of Muslims. So, the Prophet of Allāh (SWT) faced the qiblah and then he stretched out his hands.[3]
That is because facing the qiblah for the one making du’ā is one of the reasons that it is hoped that his du’ā will be accepted. It is not from the requirements of du’ā but rather it is from the praiseworthy manners.
The Fifth Matter: Purification when making du’ā.
Purification is also from the manners of du’ā. There is no doubt that if the person making du’ā is in a state of purification then that is better and more complete for his du’ā and his secret counsel with Allāh (SWT), because the condition of being in wuḍū is without exception better than the condition of being in the state of impurity.
The Sixth Matter: Raising the hands when making du’ā.
Salmān al-Fārisī (ra) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Indeed, your Lord is Shy, Ever-Generous. He is shy to allow a worshipper’s hands to return empty after he raised them up to Him.”[4]
The Seventh Matter: Beginning with the praises and glorifying of Allāh and then asking Allāh to grant His Prophet Muḥammad praise, manifest his virtue and elevate his status before making du’ā.
On the authority of Fuḍālah ibn ‘Ubayd who said, “Allāh’s Messenger ﷺ heard a man making a du’ā in his ṣalāh and he did not magnify Allāh the Most High and he did not send ṣalāh upon the Prophet ﷺ, so the Prophet ﷺ said:
“This one has been hasty.” Then he called that person and he said to him:
“When one of you prays then let him begin by praising His Lord (SWT), and glorifying Him, and then let him send ṣalāh upon the Prophet ﷺ, then after that he can ask for whatever he wills.”’[5]
It is more complete for the Muslim when he commences his du’ā that he begins his du’ā with the praise of Allāh and magnifying His greatness and praising Him (SWT). Then he combines that with sending ṣalāh and salām upon the Prophet ﷺ, then he makes du’ā after that to His Lord for whatever he likes.
The Eighth Matter: Repenting and seeking forgiveness before making du’ā.
Sins are certainly one of the preventative factors and influential barriers against the acceptance of du’ā. It has been authentically reported from the Prophet ﷺ that he mentioned:
“A man had traveled a long distance. His hair was unkempt and he was covered in dust. He stretched forth his hands to the sky and said: ‘O my Lord! O my Lord!’ But his food was ḥarām, his drink was ḥarām, his cloths were ḥarām, and he was nourished with ḥarām. So how can his du’ā be accepted?”[6]
So, this man had fulfilled in his du’ā a number of reasons for acceptance. He called upon his Lord while he was traveling and he raised his hands to the sky. But he did not abstain from the ḥarām; so his cloths were ḥarām, his food and his drink were from ḥarām. Thus, that was a barrier and a hinderance to the acceptance his du’ā.
The Ninth Matter: Being persistent in making du’ā and not being impatient in wanting an answer.
Abū Hurairah (ra) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“The invocation of one of you is answered as long as he is not impatient saying: I supplicated to my Lord but I was not answered.”[7]
From the tremendous manners of du’ā is being earnest in asking and repeating the du’ā and being consistent in asking along with taking advantage of the virtuous times. Whoever consistently knocks on the door, it is hoped that it will be opened for him.
The Tenth Matter: Combing both hope and fear in his du’ā.
Combining both hope and fear is a matter of utmost importance in the subject of the du’ā and in other acts of worship. It is befitting for the believer to go back and forth between hope and fear in his acts of worship. Regarding this, when Allāh (SWT) mentioned the stories of the Prophets in Sūrah al-Anbiyā and how He saved them from the difficulty and the trials, He ended with His (SWT) statement:
which means, “Verily, they used to hasten to do good deeds, and they used to call upon Us with hope and fear, and they used to humble themselves towards Us.” [Qur’an 21:90]
The Eleventh Matter: Seeking intercession by way of His Names, His Attributes and His Oneness.
Seeking a means of closeness to Allāh (SWT) with His Names and His Attributes is considered from the greatest means for the acceptance of a du’ā. Indeed, Allāh (SWT) commanded with it when He said:
which means, “To Allāh belong the Most Beautiful Names so call on Him by them.” [Qur’an 7:180]
The Twelfth Matter: Giving charity before making du’ā.
Ṣadaqah (charity) it is a tremendous affair. It has been authentically narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Charity in secret puts out the anger of Allāh.”[8] There is no doubt that abating the anger that ar-Raḥmān has towards a worshipper is a reason for Him to answer his du’ā and to give him what he asked for.
It is also among the general righteous actions which are legislated for the believer to use as a means to seek closeness to Allāh (SWT).
The Thirteenth Matter: Striving to use the du’ās whose supplication the Prophet ﷺ informed us would be accepted.
The Muslim, if he observes these narrated supplications, and he makes du’ā with them with truthfulness, attention and earnestness along with the presence of all the previous matters, then his du’ā would rarely be rejected.
An example of these supplications is the statement of the Prophet ﷺ:
دَعْوَةُ ذِي النُّونِ إِذْ دَعَا وَهُوَ فِي بَطْنِ الحُوتِ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ، فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَدْعُ بِهَا رَجُلٌ مُسْلِمٌ فِي شَيْءٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا اسْتَجَابَ اللَّهُ لَهُ
“The supplication of Dhun-Nūn when he called and he was in the belly of the whale: ‘There is nothing worthy of worship except You. Glorified are You. Indeed, I was of the wrong-doers.’ Indeed, no Muslim man makes du’ā with it for anything except that Allāh will answer him.”’[9]
On the authority of Anas ibn Mālik (ra) that the Prophet ﷺ heard a man saying in his du’ā:
اللهم إني أسألك بأن لك الحمد، لا إله إلا أنت وحدك لا شريك لك المنان يا بديع السموات والأرض، يا ذا الجلال والإكرام، يا حي يا قيوم،
“O Allāh! I ask of You because You are the One worthy of praise. There is nothing worthy of worship except You, the Ever-Generous, the Originator of the heavens and the earth. O One of of Honor and Generosity! O Ever-Living! O Sustainer!” So the Prophet ﷺ said:
“Indeed, he has called Allāh with His Greatest Name, which, if He is called by it He answers, and if He is asked by it He gives.”[10]
It has already come, the du’ā of the man who sought nearness to Allāh with His Oneness and having īmān in Him. So, the Prophet ﷺ he said: “Indeed, you asked Allāh by the Name which if He is asked by it He gives, and if He is supplicated to by it He answers.”
Conclusion.
So, these are the general rules and manners in making du’ā which were brought by al-Imām Ibn al-Qayyim, so it is befitting for every Muslim to strive in observing them in making du’ā. Truly, whenever they are gathered together then they are like what Ibn al- Qayyim mentioned: “Indeed this du’ā, it is rare that it would be rejected.”
This excerpt is a summary of [The Dua that is not rejected by Shaykh ‘Abdur-Razzāq ibn ‘Abdul-Muḥsin al-Badr]
Notes:
[1] Al-Jawāb al-Kāfī, pg. 16-17.
[2] Reported by at-Tirmidhī in Al-Jāmi’, no. 3479. Al-Albānī graded it as ḥasan in As-Silsilah aṣ-Ṣaḥīḥah, no. 564.
[3] Reported by Muslim in his Ṣaḥīḥ, no. 1763.
[4] Reported by Abū Dāwūd in his Sunan, no. 1477. Al-Albānī graded it ṣaḥīḥ in Ṣaḥīḥ Abī Dāwūd – Al-Umm, no. 1337.
[5] Reported by Abū Dāwūd in his Sunan, no. 1481, and at-Tirmidhī in his Jāmi’, no. 3477. Al-Albānī graded it ṣaḥīḥ in Ṣaḥīḥ Abī Dāwūd -Al-Umm, no. 1331.
[6] Reported by Muslim in his Ṣaḥīḥ, no. 1015.
[7] Reported by al-Bukhārī in his Ṣaḥīḥ, no. 6240, and by Muslim in his Ṣaḥīḥ, no. 2735, and the wording is his.
[8] Reported by aṭ-Ṭabarānī in Al-Mu’jam al-Kabīr, no. 8014. Al-Albānī graded it ṣaḥīḥ in As-Silsilah aṣ-Ṣaḥīḥah, no. 1908 by gathering its supporting narrations.
[9] Reported by at-Tirmidhī in his Jāmi’, no. 3505. Al-Albānī graded it ṣaḥīḥ in Takhrīj al-Kalam aṭ-Ṭayyib, no. 122.
[10] Reported by Abū Dāwūd in his Sunan no. 1495. Al-Albānī graded it ṣaḥīḥ in Sunan Abī Dāwūd – Al-Umm, no. 1342.
