Ramadan Challenge: Your Smart Dua List!

I started making dua lists some 13 years ago when I was struggling with my life and an Accountancy degree, my future was hazy, I didn’t know why I was doing what I was doing – I apparently had no life goal except for qualifying as an Accountant – which I thought I was probably incapable of anyway. And other than that, I had the plethora of other teenager issues.

Since writing has always been my sanctuary, one day I just pulled out a journal and started writing my duas.

The entries were like a letter to Allah SWT, The duas were bullet points loosely based on the theory of SMART – (specific, measurable, Action-oriented, Results-oriented and Tangible).

For example, instead of asking a generic “guide me”, I would write, “O Allah help me study harder so that I could pass my tax exam this summer”.

13 years later almost all of my duas have been answered or are in the process of being answered. Literally! Big duas, tiny duas, stupid duas, funny duas – All. Of. Them. Answered. Alhamdulillah!

It seems surreal but I am telling a fact of my life. And ever since I encourage myself and my friends to write their duas.

Importance of Writing Down Your Duas

Now you may ask why is writing important. Following are the reasons why I endorse writing:

1. Gives You FOCUS & Allows You to Ask Questions

Most of us living in today’s world are mindlessly sleepwalking through life. We do not know why we are doing what we are doing and the screens have numbed us so much that we have stopped questioning ourselves.

So, sitting down to write duas will revive our FOCUS, it will allow us to contemplate on our life and ask questions like what is actually significant and what is worthy enough to be asked from Allah.

2. Gives You Your Vision

Most of us in today’s world, do not have life goals and do not even think about life goals. We tend to  just live on a day-to-day basis without having a bigger picture of our life.

The list of our duas, once completed, will be a comprehensive vision of our life. It will tell us what we are looking for in life and what we value the most. And hence will empower us by defining the general direction of our life.

What Happens When You Write Duas?

Here are 6 amazing benefits that you will achieve when you write down your duas:

1. Written Duas Become a Road Map

Written duas are actually your written life goals, your dreams, your aspirations.

Now, since you have written them on paper you have the chance to expand them, add details to them and identify exactly what you want to achieve. Working on the list will make you realize that it is actually a road map of your life.

2. Written Duas are Tangible & Instil Belief of Acceptance

Written duas are now a tangible thing – and we humans are much more likely to believe in something tangible.

So naturally, the dua list will make us start believing in the duas, believing in the fact that they will become a reality. Now, belief is a very interesting thing, as Allah SWT says, ‘I am as my servant thinks/believes of me’. [Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book 97, Hadith 13]

So the strength of belief of anything to happen is directly proportional to the chances of its occurrence, which means: the more your believe in something the more it is likely to happen (with the Will of Allah).

3. Written Duas Will Inspire Action

Once you trust your dua will be answered you will be inspired to start working towards it by devising ways and strategies, and putting effort in achieving the dua, hence doing your bit in tawakkul* upon Allah.

4. Written Duas (just like asking dua) Eradicate Worry

Writing your duas gives you a strange positive energy in knowing that you have handed over your load to the Supreme Power – and you feel the stress disappear. The feeling be like: “Okay Allah SWT take my burden and take care of it”.

5. Written Duas Relieve You of Your Mental Load

Since you have written down the duas, you don’t have to constantly recall them every time you have to pray. It will save you a lot of energy and mental load by freeing your mind to have to perpetually remember them.

6. Written Dua Lists Will Inspire Asking You For Them Often

By writing the duas and pasting the list at a place where you notice it often will also encourage you to spare a minute or two and ask the duas. Hence will make you insistent and remind you to repeat the duas which will also, inshaAllah increase the chances of its acceptance.

CHALLENGE:

Dear brothers & sisters, tonight – sit down. Take a piece of paper & pen and scribble away your duas. Such that – instead of worrying on the nights of Ramadan about “what” to ask, you can work & concentrate on “how” to ask the duas off your dua list.

*Tawakkul: Tawakkul is an Islamic concept that means putting your trust in Allah (One God) after using the appropriate means to achieve your goal.