all about Dua / Doa

This section contains helpful duas (supplications or prayers) from the Qur’an and from our beloved Prophet, Muhammad (s). These duas, Insha Allah, have been selected because of their relevance in various work-related or daily situations. No matter how difficult the situation is that we are going through, we need to remember that a Muslim is always in direct communication with Allah, that Allah understands us no matter what language we speak in, that He is there for us at all times, and that we can always turn to Him for help. We do not need to make an appointment, schedule a conference call or send out a memo to address Our Lord and Creator at any time.
Insha Allah, we are adding duas with spanish subtitles as we locate them. The dua section with spanish subtitles is located at the bottom of this page.

Why Make Dua?

1. In a sound hadith the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “Allah’s wrath is on the one who does not call upon Him for help.” ‘Aishah reported, “The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, ‘Precautions are of no avail against the decree of Allah, but the supplication benefits in the case of a calamity that strikes or is about to strike. And when a calamity descends the supplication intercepts it and holds it at bay until the Day of Resurrection’. (Reported by Al-Bazar, At-Tabrani, and Al-Hakim, who says its chain of authorities is sound)
2. Salman Al-Farisi reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “Nothing can avert the decree of Allah except supplication, and nothing increases life except virtuous deeds.” (Tirmidhi)
   Source: Fiqh-us-Sunnah, 4: 109

Etiquette for making duas:

1. Start the supplication with Allah’s Praise and Blessings on His Prophet (s).
Fudalah b. ‘Ubaid reported that the Prophet (s) heard a man supplicating during prayer. He did not glorify Allah, nor did he invoke blessings on the Prophet. The Prophet (s) said, “He has been hasty.” Then he called the man and said either to him, or to someone else, “When any one of you prays, he should begin by glorifying and praising his Lord and then he should invoke blessings on the Prophet, peace be upon him, and after that he should supplicate Allah for anything he wishes.”
Source: Fiqh-us-Sunnah, volume 4: 111c
2. To ask Allah by HIs Names.
Allah himself says in the Qur’an ( Surah Al A’raf, 7:180): “The most beautiful names belong to Allah: so call on Him by them;”
The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) heard a man saying: O Allah, I ask Thee, I bear witness that there is no god but you, the One, He to Whom men repair (As-Samad), Who has not begotten, and has not been begotten, and to Whom no one is equal, and he said: “You have supplicated Allah using His Greatest Name, when asked with this name He gives, and when supplicated by this name he answers.”
Source: Hadith  narrated by Narrated Buraydah ibn al-Hasib in Abu Dawood, hadith 584.
I was sitting with the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) and a man was offering prayer. He then made supplication: O Allah, I ask you by virtue of the fact that praise is due to you, there is no deity but you, Who showest favour and beneficence, the Originator of the Heavens and the earth, O Lord of Majesty and Splendour, O Living One, O Eternal One. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said: “He has supplicated Allah using His Greatest Name, when supplicated by this name, He answers, and when asked by this name He gives.”
Source: Hadith narrated by Anas ibn Malik in Abu Dawood, hadith 585.
3. a. Be in a state of purity, face the Qiblah, and raise your hands when making duas.
According to Fiqh us Sunnah, volume 5, #96b, one must maintain a complete state of purity. face the direction of Ka’bah, seek forgiveness of Allah as much as possible. glorify Allah, and supplicate for one’s well being and welfare in this Iife and in the Hereafter, and for others, with fervor, attention, and with hands raised in supplication. Osamah bin Zaid reported: “I was riding behind the Prophet (peace be upon him) in Arafah, while he raised his hands in supplications to Allah.” (Reported by Nasa’i)
Source: Fiqh-us-Sunnah, volume 5, #96b.
The Prophet went towards the Musalla and invoked Allah for rain. He faced the Qibla and wore his cloak inside out, and offered two Rakat.
Source: Abdullah bin Zaid in Sahih Bukhari, volume 2, hadith 125.
3.b Raise your hands in front of your face, but not above your head.
Umayr saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) praying for rain at Ahjar az-Zayt near az-Zawra’, standing, making supplication, praying for rain and raising his hands in front of his face, but not lifting them above his head.
Source: Narrated Umayr, the client of AbulLahm, in Sunan Abu Dawood, hadith #450
3.c. Supplicate with the palms of your hand upward.
The Prophet (s) said. “[...] Supplicate Allah with the palms of your hands; do not supplicate Him with their backs upwards. When you finish supplication, wipe your faces with them.”
Source: Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas in Sunan Abu Dawood, hadith #578.
3.d.  Make Wudhu (ablution) before asking du’a
[...]I returned and entered upon the Prophet at his house, and found him lying in a bed made of stalks of date-palm leaves knitted with ropes, and on it there was bedding. The strings of the bed had their traces over his back and sides. Then I told the Prophet about our and Abu Amir’s news and how he had said, “Tell him to ask for Allah’s Forgiveness for me.” The Prophet asked for water, performed wudhu  and then raised hands, saying, “O Allah! Forgive ‘Ubaid, Abu Amir.” [...]
Source:  Narrated by Abu Musa in Sahih Bukhari, volume 5, hadith 612.
4. Use comprehensive words.
‘Aishah says that the Prophet, peace be upon him, loved the short but comprehensive, meaningful supplications, more than others. Fiqh us Sunnah (volume, #133a) gives below some of these supplications, which are a must for every believer:

• Anas reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, frequently prayed, “O Allah, give us all the good of this world, and the good of the life hereafter, and save us from the punishment of the fire.”
• Abdallah ibn ‘Abbas reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him, prayed to Allah, “My Lord, help me and do not turn against me. Grant me victory, and do not grant victory over me. Plan on my behalf and do not plan against me. Guide me, and make the guidance easy for me. Grant me victory over those who act wrongfully toward me. O Allah, make me grateful to You, mindful of You, in awe of You, devoted to your obedience, humble, penitent, and ever turning to You in repentance. My Lord, accept my repentance, wash away my sins, answer my supplication, clearly establish my evidence, guide my heart, make my tongue true, and draw out malice from my breast.”

5. Make dua during your sijda (prostration).

• As pointed out by Br. Abdul Malik Mujahid, we are in one of the most submissive physical positions when in Sajdah. It is one of the best occasions to ask God for forgiveness, guidance, and all that we want.The Prophet use to make dua in Sajdah and not just tasbeeh as in obligatory prayers. He used to cry in Sajdah. Abduallah Ibn Abbas reported that the Prophet (s) said”[...] [While] prostrating yourselves be earnest in supplication, for it is fitting that your supplications should be answered.”
  Source: Muslim
• Abu Hurairah (r) reported, the Prophet (s) said, “The servant is nearest to his Lord when he is prostrating to Him, so make supplication in this state.” (Muslim)
  Source: Fiqh-us-Sunnah, 4: 111a

6. Do not only do duas during times of difficulty.
Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him), said, “If anyone finds pleasure in receiving an answer from Allah in times of difficulty, he should make many supplications when times are easy.”
Source: Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a gharib tradition.
7. Do not ask for anything sinful in your dua.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Any Muslim who makes a supplication containing nothing which is sinful or which involves breaking ties of relationship will be given for it by Allah one of three things: He will give him swift answer, or store it up for him in the next world, or turn away from him an equivalent amount of evil.”
Source: Narrated by AbuSa’id al-Khudri in Tirmidhi.
8. Be firm when making dua.
Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu’z Zinad from al-Araj from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ”When you are making dua, do not say: ‘O Allah, forgive me if You wish. O Allah, forgive me if you wish.’ You should be firm in your asking, for there is no compelling Him.”
Source: Al Muwatta hadith 28, volume 15.
9.a. Do not be impatient if your dua has not yet been answered.
Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Abu Ubayd, the mawla of Ibn Azhar, from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “You will be answered as long as you are not impatient and say, ‘I have made a dua and I have not been answered .’ “
Source: Al-Muwatta hadith 29, volume 15.
9.b. Make dua with confidence in its acceptance.
Abu Hurairah also reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him,
said, “None of you should say, ‘O Allah, forgive me if You wish, (or) O
Allah, have mercy on me if you wish.’ Rather you should be firm in
your request, for (Allah does whatever He wishes) and no one can
force Him to do otherwise.”
Source: Fiqh-us-Sunnah, volume 4, number 112b.
10. Pursue lawful means of livelihood
Please note that you should pursue lawful means of livelihood if you wish your duas to be answered. The following hadith makes this clear:
Abu Hurairah (r) reported that the Prophet (s) said, “O people, Allah is Good and He, therefore, accepts only that which is good. And Allah commanded the believers as He commanded the Messengers by saying, ‘O Messengers, eat of the good things, and do good deeds; verily I am aware of what you do,’ Qur’an 23.51 and He said: ‘O those who believe, eat of the good things that We gave you’.” Qur’an 2.172 The Prophet, peace be upon him, then made mention of a person who travels widely, his hair dishevelled, and covered with dust. “He lifts his hands and makes supplication, ‘O Lord, O Lord,’ but his diet is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, and his clothes are unlawful, and his nourishment is unlawful. How then can his supplication be accepted?“ (Muslim and Ahmad)
Source: Fiqh-us-Sunnah, volume 4: 110a
Ibn ‘Abbas reported, “Once, when I recited the verses of the Qur’an, ‘O you people! Eat of what is on earth, lawful and good’ (2.168) in the presence of the Prophet, peace be upon him. Sa’d b. Abi Waqqas got up and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Ask Allah to make me one whose supplication is heard.’ At this the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, ‘O Sa’d, consume lawful things and your supplications will be heard, and by Him in Whose hands is the soul of Muhammad, when a man puts into his stomach a morsel of what is forbidden his prayers are not accepted for forty days, and a servant of Allah whose body is nourished by usury or by what is forbidden becomes more deserving of the Hell fire.” (Al-Hafiz b. Marduwiyah)
Source: Fiqh-us-Sunnah, volume 4: 110a
11. There is no harm in making duas in obligatory prayers.
Yahya said that Malik was asked about making dua in obligatory prayers and he said, “There is no harm in making dua in them.”
Source: Al-Muwatta hadith 39, volume 15.
12. Do not make duas in a distracted manner.
The Prophet (s) has said in a Hadith narrated by Abu Huraira: Make Dua and be assured of being answered, and know that Allah does not answer a Dua from a careless heart which is not concentrating
Source: Tirmidhi in article by Abdul Malik Mujahid, 31 doas to choose from.
13. Make dua. Allah wants you to.
Abu Huraira related that the Prophet said: Allah is angry with those who do not ask Him for anything.
Source: Tirmidhi in article by Abdul Malik Mujahid, 31 doas to choose from.
Section 14: Best Times During Which You Can Make Your Dua