The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “Indeed the supplication is the worship.” Then he recited: “And your Lord said: Invoke Me, I will respond to you.” [Ibn Majah — 3828].
This hadith should be sufficient to encourage a Muslim seeking reward and connection with their Lord to immerse themselves in the noble act of supplication. However, in today’s world of instant gratification, we become disheartened if we do not immediately see the results we hoped to achieve through our dua. Have you stopped to wonder, though, what the acceptance of dua truly means?
Abu Sa’eed reported that the Prophet (SAW) said: “There is no Muslim who does not offer any du’aa’ in which there is no sin or severing of family ties but Allah will give him one of three things in return: either He will answer his du’aa’ sooner, or he will store it up for him in the Hereafter, or He will divert an equivalent evil away from him because of it.”
Now, consider it from a different perspective: would you rather have your dua accepted now and reap the temporary benefits, or would you prefer to have it stored in the permanent bank of the akhirah? Or, have a terrible calamity stop right in its tracks just because of your supplication? The answer is clear. In other words, instead of thinking that your dua is going to waste, consider that Allah (SWT) may have something much better in store for you.
Also, there are certain conditions that you can fulfil to increase the chances of acceptance for your dua. Some of these are as follows:
Sincerity
One should have firm faith in Allah (SWT) and believe that none can answer the call except Him. This also involves keeping oneself away from mere display and show off.
Humility
An important part of dua is to humble oneself in front of Allah (SWT) with full knowledge of His power over His slaves and control over all affairs. As it is mentioned in the Quran: Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret [7:55].
Beseeching & Repeating The Dua
One should call upon Allah (SWT) persistently and with certainty. As Ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) when he would supplicate, he would supplicate three times, and when he would ask Allah, he would ask three times. [Sahih Muslim – 1794]
Calling Upon Allah (SWT) By His Beautiful Names
The Quran mentions, “And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them” [7:180]. It is also generally recommended to start one’s supplication with the praise of Allah (SWT) before invoking Him for one’s specific needs.
Making Dua In Times Of Ease
We often forget to remember Allah (SWT) in good times and only call upon Him when things get worse. However, this is contrary to the wise words of the Prophet (SAW) who said, “Remember Allah during times of ease and He will remember you during times of hardship”. [Narrated by Ahmed]
Certain Times Your Dua Is More Likely To Be Answered:
The last third of the night, just before Fajr.
- During prostration
- While fasting
- During rainfall
- Between the adhan and iqamah
- While travelling
- However, keeping in mind all these considerations, one should be patient and acknowledge Allah (SWT)’s supreme wisdom and justice.
It was narrated in Bukhari and Muslim that the Prophet (SAW) said, “The dua of any one of you will be answered so long as he is not impatient and says, I made dua but it was not answered” [Muslim — 2735].
In essence, instead of turning away from Allah (SWT) in disappointment, one should strive further to engage in sincere worship and seek forgiveness. The believer should always remain optimistic concerning their Lord and stay steadfast in their goal to ultimately gain His mercy and reward.
