“Dua- Weapon of a believer” by Sh. Yasir Qadhi

Dua- Weapon of the Believer

Everybody makes Dua even an atheist! It’s in human nature so therefore a proof of existence of Allah!

Meaning of Dua

• Form of worship. Means to call out. We make dua to ask for benefit or prevent evil of this world and the hereafter.

Dua affirms 3 types of tawheed.

• Allah’s Lordship
• Allah’s names and attributes
• Right to be worshiped

Types of Dua

• Dua al mas’ala (ask) e.g. Grant me …
• Dua al Ibaadah (worship) e.g. La Ilaaha Illallah

We Must do both!

Blessings in Dua

• The noblest act in the sight of Allah; best Ibaadah is Dua!
• Is a command of Allah, therefore we are obeying him
• Allah comes close to the one making the Dua, he loves and cares for us when we make Dua, and it’s also a sign of Allah’s generosity.
• It’s a sign of ones humbleness and humility (arrogance is a major sin in Islam) Dua repels Allah’s anger. We get angry if we keep asking someone for something however Allah gets angry if we stop asking him. The more you ask, the more you get.
• The more you give thanks the more Allah gives you.
• Dua saves you from the fire of Hell.
• The only thing that can change “Qadr” (Fate) is Dua. Every single Dua is responded by in this world, or some evil is removed from him.
• Easiest act of worship- can be made in heart.

Pre conditions of dua

• Have to have hope that it will be accepted. Expect the best from Allah. Out of desperate situation when you go to your parents you are sure they will help you, similarly you should expect the best from Allah (SWA)
• Sincerity (even responded to Iblis, cause there was ikhlaas)
• Must be persistence, not impatient. Never give up your Dua! Can ask for an immediate response but be patient.
• Eat and live halaal (It is a spiritual law for your dua to be listened to)

Etiquettes

• Praise Allah and use Allah’s names, send salaam to Prophet (SAW) then you make Dua. (Best name- Allah, Al Hayy, Al Qayuum)
• Raise your hands up to Allah, palms with your hands and together, to your chest level. For an extreme case raise them up higher and separate hands with armpits showing.
• When someone raises his hands to Allah, Allah feels shy to let those hands come back without giving him what he asks. For normal dhikr or a small Dua you can just raise your forefinger as you do in Salaah.
• It is against the Sunna to raise your hands to make Dua during the Friday Khutba.
• Face towards the Kiblah and make Dua.
• Make wudoo and then make Dua (Optional)
• Have humility and be soft. Allah does not like arrogance. Seek sympathy from Allah, not from the creation. (Complain only to him) – Very difficult to do.
• Dua very quietly, secretly – sign of Imaan that Allah can hear your Dua, sign of respect and means of achieving humbleness and sincerity.
• Allows you to concentrate, and shows closeness with Allah (you get lost in your thoughts with Allah. You are with yourself and with Allah),
• Allows you to make Dua for longer cause you don’t get tired talking softly, causes less distraction to people to around you.
• Hide your good deeds as much as possible or people become envy with you and your relationship with Allah. We do not donate publicly and we do not make Dua publicly.
• Recognize your sins, recognize that we have not fulfilled our rights to Allah and yet we are asking Allah for something because there is no one to ask but Allah so seek for forgiveness as well while making Dua.
• Determination- “Forgive me if you wish” NO! YOU NEED HIM “Please DO forgive ME!!” but it is permissible to say for example “grant me this job if it is good for me”.
• Make Istikhaara and seek for guidance when deciding. SubhanAllah!
• Start making Dua for yourself and then others. (initiates sincerity)
• Make your Dua broad for all the Muslims e.g. (grant me shifaa and shifaa to all the sick muslims.) When you seek forgiveness for all the believing men and women a good deed is written for each believing men and women!
• Say “Ameen” not Aaaaaameeen– means respond to the prayer; it’s like making another Dua.
• Make Dua frequently at all times, whether you need something or not. If you remember him at all times then when the time comes your Dua will be accepted.
• Make Dua for all matters, small or big. Ask for more than you need for he is all generous.

Acts that we should not do:

• Do not make Dua into poetry.
• Do not only ask for this dunya, INCLUDE YOUR AAKHIRAAH. Iblis only asked for life in the dunya – give me life.
• Do not improperly use the names and attributes of Allah.
• Do not make Dua against yourself and family – do not curse them, it may be responded. Don’t curse your enemies, instead Dua for their guidance.
• Do not ask for death.
• Do not experiment with Dua; (make it just to see if it gets accepted.)
• Make Dua for yourself. Don’t think cause you are a bad person your Dua will not be accepted and therefore rely on others. Even Iblis’s Dua was accepted.
• Do not cry in public to make your Dua – you are showing off your deeds.

Bidah! – After Salaah the imam makes Dua and everybody says Ameen. There is no evidence of this done in the Quran and Sunna, therefore stay away. Dua should be done quietly and they should be personal for ikhlaas purposes. If making a Dua together must also keep it short and to the point or the group will loose khushoor. Do the Salaah together and make a short a Dua and the rest everyone can make on their own with khushoor.

Recommended timings for Dua

• His mercy that certain time he has made more blessed. This increases the person’s enthusiasm for making more Dua and gives him hope.

• Last third of the night!
• During the Azaan.
• When you are in Sajadah. You can make Dua in any language.
• At the end of Salaah.
• One hour on Friday. Before sunset?
• After performing wudu. – Bear witness and make Dua to enter the doors of Jannah!
• Before drinking the Zamzam water.
• Laylatul Qadr – ask for forgiveness.
• BEST DUA- DUA OF ARAFA! People at Hajj stand altogether tired and dirty form all around the globe and the angles bear witness and Allah says to forgive them all and grant them what they wish! Subhan Allah!
• When it is raining – rain is the mercy of Allah.
• After reciting the Quran – Dua for their families be forgiven.
• Dua for a Muslim in his absence. – You get that benefit as well.
• The person that remembers Allah at all times your Dua is responded.

Conditions – Dua has more of a chance

• Person in severe circumstances. Why? – give you an experience of true ikhlaas.
• When other people have taken his right away. Allah cannot stand injustice!
• Traveller. – Person is cut off from family – Allah’s mercy!
• Before Iftaar – Shows ikhlaas. (Concentrate on Dua instead of the food). Dua will not be rejected. Inshallah!
• Never stop making Dua for your parents even after their death. Parents lead you to Jannah- if they make a Dua for you or against you it will be accepted.
• Good deeds are wings to raise up your Dua! If you don’t have good deeds what is going to raise your Dua? So increase your charity and Salaah!
• Fulfill the right of your parents!!!
• Repent from your previous sins.
• Forbid evil and encourage good around you.
• Don’t make conditions or vows with Allah – Makrooh however if you do it, it becomes wajib to fulfill it.

Wisdom behind a Delayed Response

• The response may not be as how you see it.
• It is a great trial from Allah. These trials bring you closer to Allah. The more Allah loves you the more he will test you to raise your rank up. Subhan Allah!
• Out of his infinite love and mercy- There might be bad long term effects to that Dua that we don’t realize. We are narrow minded, we don’t have the same perception but trust in Allah for he knows what is better for his believers. Allah is more merciful to you than your own mother. We do not know the result of our Dua.
• What a slave of Allah hates is better for him for when he is in museebah he will make more Dua and remember Allah. If he had what he loved he would be too distracted by what he has loved to make more Dua.
• When his Dua is not responded, every person will stop and think about their relationship with Allah. It’s a time for contemplating, for self judgement, when a person stops and thinks about his life and what he is doing with it. Allah’s blessing that Allah gives you a chance in this life to stop and think now and improve before it is too late.
• If every Dua were to be accepted the person would become too arrogant. A person in a trial forms a new relationship with Allah. His love for Allah grows and is afraid for that Dua to be even accepted for after he will have to give up his friendship with Allah.
• The greatest treasure is the treasure of Imaan. It perfects the person’s Ibaadah. It prolongs your fear and hope in Allah. And it increases your humbleness and patience.
• Combating the plot of Shaytaan. Shaytaan uses this opportunity to make you go astray.
• You will not get everything you want, you are not God. Even the Prophet (SAW) all of his Dua were not accepted. 2/3 were accepted. – My nation not be destroyed by a drought. My nation may not perish by drowning. We do not fight amongst ourselves.
• You are asking Allah what you want but are forgetting what Allah requires of you. We want our duas to be accepted immediately but when time for our salaah comes we become lazy L

Dua and its relationship with Qadr

• Question: everything is written for me so why should I make Dua? If it’s written it’ll happen.
• So why do go to work and go for groceries, if you are meant to have it it’ll fall down from the skies and jump up into your mouth.
• You do not know what is written so you strive by making Dua to obtain the path that is written for you. It has been written for you but it is possible for it not to occur for you did not make dua for it.
• Make dua “save us from trials and tribulations”.
• Nothing repels Qadr except for dua. How? Allah SWT made a condition with Qadr, if we make dua it will happen and if we don’t make dua it won’t happen.

• • Allah is not everywhere physically; we are not walking through Allah. Allah is above us and he is everywhere in his knowledge.

• • Reciting Ayat-ul-Kursi after every fard, nothing stops them from entering Jannah except Death.