Messenger  صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was once sat (in the masjid). A man came, offered salah and made du'a in these words: ‘اَللّٰهُمَّ اغۡفِرۡلِيۡ وَارۡحَمۡنِيۡ’ - ‘O Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Forgive me and have mercy upon me.’ The final Prophet  صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: ‘عَجِلْتَ اَیُّھَا الْمُصَلِّیْ’ - ‘O performer of salah, you have hurried. (Then, mentioning the method of du'a, he  صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said:) When you complete your salah, first praise Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ in a manner that He عَزَّوَجَلَّ deserves, recite salat upon me, and then make du'a.’

The narrator continues to say, “After him, another person offered salah, then praised Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and recited salat upon the Prophet  صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Hearing this, the final Prophet  صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘اَيُّهَا الۡمُصَلِّيۡ اُدۡعُ تُجَبۡ’ - ‘O salah offering person! Make du'a; it will be answered.’”^[1]

Dear Islamic brothers, from this Hadith, it has been learnt that if a person wants his du'a to be answered, then he must glorify Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ in the beginning, then recite salat upon the final Prophet  صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. He should glorify Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and recite salat at the end of the du'a as well.

Concerning the appropriate manners of du'a, the blessed father of Imam Ahmad Raza Khan, ‘Allamah Naqi ‘Ali Khan رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه writes on page 68 of the 318-page book entitled ‘Fazail-e-du'a’ [Virtues of du'a], published by Maktaba tul-Madinah, the publishing department of Dawat-e-Islami: “One should glorify Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ in the beginning and in the end of the du'a, as there is none who loves His own praise more than Allah. Even the smallest of praise pleases Him greatly, and He blesses the one who praises immeasurably.”

He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْه has further said: “One should recite salat upon the Prophet  صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, his blessed family and Companions, as reciting salat upon him is an action accepted in the sacred court of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. It