12 Manners and Etiquettes of Dua

The Holy Prophet صلی اللہ تعالیٰ علیہ وآلہ وسلم has referred to Dua as the weapon of the believers. Dua is a great way to convey one’s requests to the court of Almighty Allah and it acts as a connection between the Creator and the creation. Similarly, Dua has certain requirements for it to be accepted that are known as the manners of Dua which must be kept in mind when making Dua in order to have a favorable result. It does not mean that Dua will not be answered if these conditions are not met. However, if these conditions are present, Dua will be more perfect and the likelihood of its acceptance will increase. On the contrary, if these conditions and manners are not adopted, then you should not expect it to be answered. However, if Almighty Allah shows mercy or it is the time of acceptance anyway, then the Dua may be accepted. The Holy Prophet صلی اللہ تعالیٰ علیہ وآلہ وسلم said:

وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَسْتَجِيبُ دُعَاءً مِنْ قَلْبٍ غَافِلٍ لاَهٍ

“And know that Allah does not respond to supplication from a heart that is heedless and occupied by play.”

(Tirmidhi)

A few etiquettes of Dua are listed below:

(1) The heart must be cleansed of the thoughts of all else except Allah because the heart is a special place where the mercy and blessings of Almighty Allah descend as it has been stated in a blessed Hadith:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى أَجْسَادِكُمْ وَلاَ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ

“Verily Allah does not look to your bodies nor to your faces but He looks to your hearts.”

(2) Make sure that your body, clothes and the spot where you are praying are neat and clean, because Almighty Allah is Nazif (clean) and He loves cleanliness.

(3) Perform a good deed before offering Dua. In this way, the blessings of the Merciful Lord will be focused on you. The recommended good deed in this regard is a hidden charity (Sadaqah), as it highly increases the chances of the acceptance of Dua.

(4) Pay those rights of the people that are due on you or seek their forgiveness and have them forgive you before offering Dua.

(5) Take extra precautions to refrain from Haram (prohibited) foods, drinks, clothing and earning because the Dua of the people who consume Haram and commit forbidden acts often go unanswered.

(6) Repent of all the previous sins before offering Dua because asking for a favor while being adamantly disobedient is a shameless act.

(7) While offering Dua, sit reverently on your knees in the state of Wudu with your face towards the Qiblah or stand on your knees or bow down in prostration with the intention of paying gratitude to Almighty Allah for enabling you to supplicate in His court, because a person is closest to Almighty Allah in the state of prostration, as the Holy Prophet صلی اللہ تعالیٰ علیہ وآلہ وسلم said:

أقرب ما يكون العبد من ربه وهو ساجد، فأكثروا الدعاء‏

“The bondman becomes nearest to his Rab when he is in prostration. So increase supplications while prostrating."

(8) Humility and humbleness should be expressed through your body and a proper presence of mind should also be there. Bani Israel complained to their Prophet that their prayers were not being answered. It was said in reply, “How can I accept their prayers, for their tongues pray but their hearts remain drawn towards others.”

(9) The gaze should be kept lowered or else, it is feared that the eyesight might go weak. Even though, this warning has been given in a Hadith for praying during Salah, but the scholars have explained that it is applicable to all situations.

(10) Praise Almighty Allah before and after Dua because doing Hamd (praise) pleases Almighty Allah and He showers countless blessings in return.

(11) Before and after Dua, send Durood upon the Noble Prophet صلی اللہ تعالیٰ علیہ وآلہ وسلم, his companions and his sacred offspring because Durood is always accepted in the court of Almighty Allah and it cannot be expected from the merciful Lord that he accepts the beginning and the end and rejects the middle part i.e. Dua. Sayyiduna Umar رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہsaid:

إِنَّ الدُّعَاءَ مَوْقُوفٌ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ لاَ يَصْعَدُ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ حَتَّى تُصَلِّيَ عَلَى نَبِيِّكَ صلى الله عليه وسلم

“Indeed the supplication stops between the heavens and the earth. Nothing of it is raised up until you send Durood upon your Prophet.”

(Tirmidhi)

(12) It is also recommended to put forward the following in the court of Almighty Allah as Wasilah (intermediary):

His blessed names and attributes, his books especially the Quran, angels, the Noble Messengers especially the best of all creation Sayyiduna Muhammad صلی اللہ تعالیٰ علیہ وآلہ وسلمand His Auliya (friends) and chosen ones especially Sayyiduna Ghaus -e- Azam رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہم, because Dua is accepted by presenting the Wasilah of the people beloved to Almighty Allah.

Almighty Allah states in the Holy Quran:

وَابْتَغُوا إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ

“And seek the means towards Him”

(Maidah 5:35)

It is imperative to remember that when the Dua does get answered, one should pay thanks to Almighty Allah as it grants consistency to the favors of Almighty Allah and causes an increase in them. May Allah enable us to supplicate in His court in the manner which is the most beloved and the most preferred to him and accept all our legal permissible supplications by virtue of the prayers of the Noble Prophet صلی اللہ تعالیٰ علیہ وآلہ وسلم!