Parables of Du’as being Answered

Du’a is a great source of attaining lots of blessings in this world and the Hereafter. Du’a is an extremely easy and a proven source of having Munajat (i.e. praising Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and adopting humbleness), attaining His closeness, getting wishes fulfilled from His great court, becoming deserving of His grace and favours, of attaining forgiveness and getting the solution of worldly and Hereafter problems and difficulties. The act of making Du’a is a habit of the beloved bondmen of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and it is also a great act of worship. Making Du’a is a Sunnah of the Beloved Rasool Hazrat Muhammad صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Du’a is a very great blessing and privilege from Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ for the sinful bondmen.

The importance and appreciation of Du’a can be judged by the fact that, in the Holy Quran, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ is not only commanding His bondmen to make Du’a in His court, but He عَزَّوَجَلَّ is also blessing them with the good news that their Du’as will be answered. It is stated in Ayah 60 of Surah Al Mu`min, part 24:

ؕ وَ قَالَ رَبُّکُمُ ادۡعُوۡ نِیۡۤ اَسۡتَجِبۡ لَکُمۡ

Translation from Kanz-ul-Iman: And your Rab has proclaimed, ‘Pray to Me, I shall answer your prayer.

(Part 24, Surah Al-Mu`min, Ayah 60)

If the blessed days of the blessed life of our Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم are studied, then we will learn that the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم used to make different kinds of Du’as as his routine. This blessed practice of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was also to teach his Ummah. For example, Du’a at the time of entering the home, Du’a at the time of leaving the home, Du’a at the time of sleeping, Du’a after waking up, Du’a before eating a meal, Du’a after eating a meal Du’a at the time of wearing clothes, Du’a at the time of applying oil, etc.

Not only did our Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم mention the importance of Du’a from time to time, but he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم also persuaded us to remain busy in making Du’a day and night.

Blessed Ahadees about the importance and excellence of Du’a:

1. The Rasool of Rahmah, the Intercessor of the Ummah, the Owner of Jannah صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said: ‘اَلدُّعَاءُ مُخُّ الۡعِبَادَةِ’ Du’a is the essence of worship.

(Jami’ Tirmizi, pp. 243, vol. 5, Hadees 3382)

2. Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ has said: The Beloved Rasoolصَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: Nothing is better than Du’a before Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.

(Jami’ Tirmizi, vol. 5, pp. 243, Hadees 3381)

نہ کر رَد کوئی اِلتجاء یا اِلٰہی ہو مقبول ہر اِک دُعا یا اِلٰہی

رہے ذِکر آٹھوں پَہَر میرے لب پر تِرا یا اِلٰہی تِرا یا اِلٰہی

Many virtues of making Du’a have been mentioned in blessed Ahadees. Du’a is highly effective to get rid of troubles and difficulties. It also brings about an increase in sustenance. Du’a is a source of protection against enemies and it is also a weapon of a true believer. A true believer can overcome great troubles and tough circumstances by virtue of Du’a, therefore, every Muslim should remember Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ in times of joy and sorrow, and should sincerely make Du’a in order to attain goodness in this world and the Hereafter. He should make Du’a to get rid of any type of trouble. He should not be heedless of Du’a.

Remember that Du’a is the most superior act of worship through which a Muslim, in fact, talks to his Rab. It is stated in a blessed Hadees: اَفْضَلُ الْعِبَادَةِ الدُّعَاءُ i.e. Du’a is the most superior act of worship.

(Kanz-ul-‘Ummal, vol. 1, pp. 29, Kitab-ul-Azkaar, Hadees 3131)

As all acts of worship have certain conditions and manners, upon which the acceptance of these acts of worship depend. Similarly, Du’a also has some manners which have their own significance and for the Du’a to be answered. If these manners are taken into consideration in Du’a, the possibility of the Du’a being answered will increase.

Part of the manners of Du’a is that the person who makes Du’a should call out to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ with His beautiful names. The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said: Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has appointed an angel upon His holy name ‘اَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِیْن’: Whoever utters it three times, the angel calls out: Ask as ‘اَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِیْن’ is paying attention to you.

(Al-Mustadrak, Kitab-ud-Du’a, vol. 2, pp. 239, Hadees 2040)

Another manner of Du’a is that a good deed should be performed before making Du’a. Sayyiduna Imam Jazri رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has mentioned:

اٰدَابُ الدُّعَاءِ مِنْھَا تَقْدِیْمُ عَمَلٍ صَالِحٍ وَذِکْرُہُ عِنْدَ الشِّدَّۃِ

i.e. To remember Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ in every difficulty and to perform a good deed before making Du’a are amongst the manners of Du’a.

(Al-Hasan Al-Haseen, pp.23)

One of the manners of Du’a is that the person making Du’a should be humble; his heart should be present in his Du’a and he should believe that Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will answer his Du’a through His grace and blessing. The Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said:

اُدْعُوا اللَّهَ وَاَنْتُمْ مُوقِنُونَ بِالْاِجَابَۃِ وَاعْلَمُوا اَنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَسْتَجِيبُ دُعَاءً مِنْ قَلْبٍ غَافِلٍ لَاهٍ

Make Du’a to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ in such a way that you are absolutely sure that your Du’a will be answered and remember that Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ does not hear the Du’a of a heedless heart.

(Sunan-ut-Tirmizi, vol. 5, pp. 292, Hadees 3490)

مِہرباں تُو ہی تُو ہی مددگار اُس دُکھی دل کا تُو حامیِ کار

جس کو دُنیا نے ٹھکرا دِیا ہے یا خدا تجھ سے میری دُعا ہے

One of the manners of Du’a is that whenever we make Du’a for ourselves we should also include all the Muslims in our Du’a. A’la Hadrat رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has said: If a person’s Du’a is not fulfilled, then it can be fulfilled through any other person.

The Du’as of those who fear Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ are very effective because the moment it comes out from their mouths, it is heard in the court of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. Their Du’as remove troubles and worries it blesses a person with piety and with the passion to worship. Therefore, we should not only get the Du’as of the pious people, but we should also follow in their footsteps. In addition to this, we should protect ourselves from bad company and we should have the company of good people.

Focus on the mercy of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and make a proper Du’a so that it can be answered.

Furthermore, one should not be impatient regarding his Du’a to be answered. Some unwise people say things like: We have been making Du’a for so long; we request the pious ones to make Du’a as well; we have not left any Peer and Faqeer; we read so many Awraad; we have been to so-and-so shrines as well, but Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ does not fulfil our needs. However, sometimes, there are many pearls of Divine wisdom behind the delay [of the Du’a being answered] which we cannot understand. Therefore, we should not haste in Du’a.

Making Du’a is the commandment of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ; it is the Sunnah of Beloved Mustafa صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم; it is obedience to Beloved Mustafa صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم; making Du’a is a favourite practice of the saints; it is the essence of worship; Du’a is a superior act of worship; Du’a is a weapon of a true believer; Du’a is a most excellent act before Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ; Du’a is beneficial in times of troubles; Du’a brings about salvation from the enemy and an increase in sustenance; Du’a is answered if Salat-’Alan-Nabi is recited before and after. It is very effective for Du’a to be answered if it is made by mentioning the favourite names of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.

A good deed should be performed and then through the Waseelah (medium) of that good deed, Du’a should be made as it is a very important source by which a Du’a is answered. One should make Du’a with full attention and devotion, with conviction that his Du’a will be answered. To present the Waseelah of the saints in a Du’a also causes the Du’a to be answered. Blessings also lie in making Du’a together with pious people in a congregation. One should remember his parents, spiritual guide, teachers and all Muslims in his Du’a. Du’a should be made with humbleness by expressing helplessness. Even if a single tear drop comes out during the Du’a, it is a sign that the Du’a has been answered.

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد