HOW DO WE KNOW ALLAH HAS ACCEPTED OR LISTENED TO OUR ADUA

*HOW DO WE KNOW ALLAH HAS ACCEPTED OR LISTENED TO OUR ADUA*?

ASSEMBLED BY MALLAM ABBA ABANA, KUBWA, ABUJA, NIGERIA

http://variousislamicdawadocuments.blogspot.com

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FRIDAY 5 DHUL QADA 1441 AH AND 26TH JUNE 2020 CE

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah. As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu.

Praise be to Allaah; we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad (Sallalhu alaihi Wasalam) is His slave and Messenger.

Preamble

Allah is always listening to our Duas, but He will respond to our Duas in the way He wants, not necessarily the way we want. It's in our benefit to keep asking. If you want to pass a test, you should make Dua and study as much as you can.

Subject matter of the article [Brief Presentation]

Our hearts and problems:

Prophet (ﷺ) said: “One of you will be responded to, so long as he is not hasty, saying: ‘I supplicated, and I was not responded to.’” [Tirmidhi].

Man’s heart changes constantly, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) described: “The heart of the son of Adam changes more quickly than a pan of rapidly boiling water.” (Ibid. no. 226. Its isnaad is saheeh: Zilaal al-Jannah, 1/102), According to another report: “It changes more than a pot of rapidly boiling water.” (Reported by Ahmad, 6/4; Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 5147).

Allaah is the One Who turns hearts around and controls them. ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas reported that he heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “The hearts of the children of Adam are as one between the fingers of the Most Merciful, and He turns them in whatever way He wills.” Then he said: “O Allaah, Controller of the hearts, direct our hearts to obey You.” (Reported by Muslim, no. 2654).

Allaah tells us that: “… Allaah comes in between a person and his heart (i.e., He prevents an evil person from deciding anything)…” [Quran al-Anfaal 8:24 – interpretation of the meaning]

In daily works of life some people are in hasty, rushed, speedy, hurried or weak faith and ask such questions:

1. How do we know Allah has accepted our prayers?

2. How do we know Allah is listening to our prayers?

3. How do we know Allah is answering prayers?

The answer to these people, we say, ‘’if Allah did not want to accept your Adua He would not have Guided you to make one to Him?’’

a. Does Allah listen to me?

Allah listens to all prayers. ... Allah says we must be patient, but He does listen. He will answer you when the time is right, because only He knows when the perfect time for that is. Allah loves you, don’t stop asking, pray 5 times salat on time, give sadaka and zakah, voluntarily fast and trust me, Allah will answer you.

b. How do you know that Allah is pleased with you?

So, when you are struggling, and then suddenly you see that things are becoming easier, that's the sign that Allah is answering you; He is pleased with you. When you are continuously improving, becoming a better person every day- more human, that's the sign that Allah is pleased with you.

c. How does Allah respond to DUA?

The Qur'an is the word of Allah. In the Qur'an, Allah tells us to pray to Him, and He is also telling us how to pray to Him. So if you make Dua according to the Dua which Allah prescribed for us in the Qur'an, Insha'Allah your Dua will be accepted. ... Allah expects us to ask from Him through His words.

d. How does Allah respond to DUA?

The Qur'an is the word of Allah. In the Qur'an, Allah tells us to pray to Him, and He is also telling us how to pray to HIm. So if you make dua according to the Dua which Allah prescribed for us in the Qur'an, Insha'Allah your dua will be accepted. ... Allah expects us to ask from Him through His words.

e. How do we know Allah is listening to our dua's?

If you believe He is the All-Hearing, "As-Samee", then you should believe that He hears your Dua. Allah listens to every Dua of every Muslim as Allah is Al-'Alim (knower of All), As-Sami' (Hearer of All), Al-Basir (Seer of All), Al-Khabir (The All-Aware) and Al-Mujeeb (The Responder to Prayer).

f. There may three main responses:

Aisha radhiallaahu anha said, "No believer makes Dua and it is wasted. Either it is granted here in this world or deposited for him in the Hereafter as long as he does not get frustrated."

1. Allah may not answer the Du'a at all due to the person’s disobedience to Allah

2. Allah may answer the Dua straight away

3a. Allah may answer the Du'a after a while so never give up in Du'a. Ayyub ('Alyhee Salaam) made Du'a for many, many years before Allah even answered his call. Mosa ('AlyheeSalaam) even made Du'a for longer before Allah answered his call. So at the end of the day we must not think that if Allah does not answer our call straight away He is not going to respond, because He will in one way or another

3b. Allah may save the reward of Du'a for the Akhira, so if one dies making Du'a for something that he/she did not get in this Dunya, then this will for sure weight heavily on their behalf on The Day of Judgment that will save them from the punishment of The Day of Terror and in Hell, or it may push them up a few more levels in Paradise

Also remember that Allah [Subhanahu Wa Taala] randomly accepts Duas so we should make sure that we don't just say stupid things like "I wish you were dead!" because Allah might just accept it. Duas are accepted provided they are done with sincerity.

"And your Lord says: Pray unto me: and I will hear your prayer" (Quran 40:60),

"Call upon your Lord Humbly and in secret" (Quran 7:55),

"When My servants question thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on me" (Quran 2:186),

"Is not He (best) who listens to the (soul) distressed when it calls on Him, and who relieves its suffering." (Quran 27:62)

g. How do I get my Dua accepted?

Proven tips to get your Duas answered include:

1. Make Dua for others.

2. Ask people to make Dua for you.

3. Make lot of Duas and many times during the day.

4. Ask Allah first.

5. Do a good deed.

6. Give up a sin.

7. Give thanks. ...

8. If you want increase in Rizq, recite authentic Duas before and after every meal.

WHAT ARE THE SECRETS BEHIND A DUA THAT GETS ACCEPTED?

1) Supplicate for others.

Make dua for others what you want for yourself. As a Muslim, we are supposed to feel the pain of other Muslims and pray for them. Life can throw us in the same situation where we might need duas from others.

“He who supplicates for his brother behind his back (in his absence), the Angel commissioned (for carrying supplication to his Lord) says: Amen, and it is for you also”.[Sahih Muslim]

You can ask people to make dua for you as well. This is a tacky situation sometimes as there’s a fine line between depending on Allah alone or thinking that someone’s intercession is divine. Please know that nobody can fulfill your wishes except Allah so asking others to make dua for you can simply be a way to connect. This does not mean that you go to a righteous scholar etc. with the intention that their dua will ALWAYS be heard. By the end of the day, if Allah doesn’t will, nothing can be done. He has a complete authority. But this does not mean that we can’t ask people to pray for us. We may not even have to ask people for a Dua if we help them out, solve their problems, be of use to them. Duas may pour out directly from their hearts.

2) Make duas mentioned in Qur’an & Sunnah

Most of us think that Allah knows what we want so we don’t make duas at all, but what we forget is that we have nothing to lose here. We don’t go empty handed when we make a dua. We get a reward or we get acceptance.

If you don’t know whether you’re asking for the right thing or no, if it has khair or no, then pray Istikhara. As a matter of fact, pray istikhara for every small matter – asking Allah to put khair in whatever you ask from Him.

Making duas from the Qur’an and Sunnah are the best way to cover all matters of your life in a compact form of words. As mentioned in our Hajj/Umrah article, THIS BOOK is a good compilation of the Quranic and masnoon Duas.

3) Ask during the accepted times

Allah did not place a limit on the number or type of duas you can make. Show Allah your dependence on Him through constant supplications. Following is the list of best places and times to make duas (all references linked within):

1. Laylat al-Qadar

2. At the time of Tahajjud

3. After obligatory prayers

4. Between adhan and the iqama

5. At the time of rain

6. A certain time on Friday

7. While traveling

8. In sickness/ pain/ oppression (during calamity)

9. While prostrating

10. During Hajj (On the day of Arafah)

11. When breaking your fast

12. Whatever you drink Zamzam for

13. Supplication of a parent for his child

4) Just pray Tahajjud

If you really want something and you haven’t prayed Tahajjud, then do you really want it that much?

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: “Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?” [Bukhari]

5) Istighfar (repentance)

“And said, ‘Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. He will send the sky upon you in showers. And give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers.” [Quran; 71:10-12]

6) Give up a sin and do good instead

Begin supplication with the praise of Allah. Send peace and blessings upon Rasool Allah ﷺ.

Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Sa`d narrated from his father, from Sa`d that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “The supplication of Dhun-Nun (Prophet Yunus) when he supplicated, while in the belly of the whale was: ‘There is none worthy of worship except You, Glory to You, Indeed, I have been of the transgressors. (Lā ilāha illā anta subḥānaka innī kuntu minaẓ-ẓālimīn)’ So indeed, no Muslim man supplicates with it for anything, ever, except Allah responds to him.” [Tirmidhi]

While reciting this ayah, think of at least one sin that you committed and are willing to give up for the sake of Allah.

For some people, the wordings of Dua can make a huge difference. So if you feel awful and unproductive by dragging yourself through the guilt trip – by saying something like – ya Allah I’m sorry I didn’t pray. Instead, try making Dua with the formation of words like – Ya Allah I want to pray and I need Your help.

Regret sins on a fine line. As long as it encourages you to make a change, it’s good for you but if you think that Shaitan will drag you into hopelessness due to the overwhelming amount of guilt, then try switching up the words you utter to yourself. And stick to what works for you. By the end of the day, the result we want to achieve is BETTERMENT.

7) Show gratitude

Be thankful for what you already have, no matter how meager it is, in order to receive more.

Allah says: “…If you give thanks, I will give you more….” [Qur’an 14:7]

If you want more wealth, give thanks for every dollar. If you need help in staying more grateful and positive (especially for the tiny things in your life that you usually take for granted), a gratitude journal catered for Muslims can be a great way to start this journey in shaa Allah.

When your dua is answered, say Alhamdulillah from the heart, make sujood, increase in your ibadah and decrease your disobedience. Show gratefulness through your actions and words both.

8) Be proactive and remember Allah in the times of ease as well

Along with prayers, make some effort as well. Do something about it. Do everything you can to make it possible. Show Allah you are working really hard. Consistent efforts combined with Dua really does wonders.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever wishes that Allah would respond to him during hardship and grief, then let him supplicate plentifully when at ease.” [Tirmidhi]

9) Ask Allah by His Names

Do you have a favourite name of Allah from the 99 names?

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) heard a man saying: O Allah, I ask Thee, I bear witness that there is no god but Thou, the One, He to Whom men repair, 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. [Abu Dawud]

“Al-Ahad” and “As-Samad” are one of the names of Allah. If you feel lost as to how to make a dua with Allah’s name or attribute in your daily life, then go through the authentic list of 99 names of Allah.

10) Do not be hasty

Prophet (ﷺ) said: “One of you will be responded to, so long as he is not hasty, saying: ‘I supplicated, and I was not responded to.’” [TIRMIDHI]

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “It is necessary that you do not become hasty.” It was said: “What does being hasty mean, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “When one says: ‘I supplicated to Allah but Allah did not answer me.'” [Ibn Majah]

11) Hope for positive results and do not give up

Ask and you shall receive. Have firm faith that your dua will be answered and your wish will definitely be granted. You have asked the King – for Whom, nothing is impossible. No matter, how big your need is, or how difficult you think your problem is, or how messy your situation is, it is a matter of Kun fayakun for Him.

Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: “A supplication should be made in full confidence and one should persistently express his desire (before Allah) in his supplication, for no bounty is too great for Allah to bestow (upon his slaves).” [Muslim]

If the dua leaves your lips without the feeling of excitement and hope of acceptance, then try tweaking your dua a little. Put anticipation in your dua. For eg: Instead of saying – “O Allah! Grant me, children”. Maybe you can ask “O Allah! Let me be a part of my Child’s wedding”. This may keep you more hopeful and excited every time you make this dua.

Don’t lower your standards, raise your DUA! What is your experience with duas? What tips have worked for you?

All about Istikhara

“Asking Allah to put khair in whatever you ask from Him. Making duas from the Qur’an and sunnah are the best way to cover all matters of your life in a compact form of words.”

“Don’t lower your standards, raise your DUA!”

The Secrets of an Accepted Dua

How to Make Dhikr a Daily Habit

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Du’a (supplication) is worship.” [Abu Dawud]

Dua – a beautiful word for “supplication” in Arabic. Its root words are د ع و ( Dal-Ayn-Waw ) which means to seek, desire, ask, demand, call upon, invoke, ascribe, cry out, call out to, pray, supplicate etc.

It is a powerful weapon of the believer. If his/her Dua gets accepted, there’s khair in it. If it doesn’t get accepted, it could either be a source of source of salvation in the hereafter or a way to ward off evil from you.

In short, a Dua can result in the following:

1) Allah will answer immediately.

2) Allah will postpone it for a better time and we’ll be rewarded for the patience in shaa Allah.

3) It will be rejected because Allah knows what’s best for us and it can help ward off harm in Dunya or Aakhirah (here or hereafter).

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Whenever a Muslim supplicates Allah, He accepts his supplication or averts any similar kind of trouble from him until he prays for something sinful or something that may break the ties of kinship.” Upon this, someone of the Companions said: “Then we shall supplicate plenty.” The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Allah is more plentiful (in responding).” [At- Tirmidhi].

QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION

1.0 PLACES AND TIMES WHERE DU’AA’ IS ANSWERED

What are the times, places and situations where du’aa’ is answered? And what is meant by the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) “Dabr al-salawaat al-maktoobah (following the prescribed prayers)”? Is the prayer of a father for his child answered, or is it a prayer against him that is answered? I hope you can explain all these matters.

Answer

Praise be to Allaah.

There are many times and places where du’aa’ is answered. There follows a summary thereof:

1 – Laylat al-Qadar. It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “If I know what night is Laylat al-Qadar, what should I say during it?” He said: “Say: Allaahumma innaka ‘afuwwan tuhibb ul-‘afwa fa’fu ‘anni (O Allaah, You are forgiving and love forgiveness, so forgive me).”

2 – Du’aa’ in the depths of the night, the time before dawn, the time when Allaah descends to bestow His bounty upon His slaves, to meet their needs and to relieve their distress, when He says: “Who will call upon Me, that I may answer Him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will seek My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?” narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1145.

3 – Following the prescribed prayers. According to the hadeeth of Abu Umaamah, it was said: “O Messenger of Allaah, which du’aa’ is heard?” He said: “In the last third of the night, and following the prescribed prayers.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 3499; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.

There was some difference of scholarly opinion concerning the phrase dabr al-salawaat al-maktoobah (“following the prescribed prayers”) – does it mean before the salaam or afterwards?

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah and his student Ibn al-Qayyim were of the view that it is before the salaam. Ibn Taymiyah said: “The word dabr refers to something that is part of a thing, like dabr al-haywaan (the hindquarters of an animal).” Zaad al-Ma’aad, 1.305. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: “What has been narrated of du’aa’ following the prayer is before the salaam and what has been narrated of dhikr following the prayer is after the salaam, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“When you have finished As-Salaah (the congregational prayer), remember Allaah standing, sitting down, and (lying down) on your sides”[al-Nisa’ 4:103]

See: Kitaab al-Du’aa’ by Shaykh Muhammad al-Hamad, p. 54

4 – Between the adhaan and the iqaamah. It is narrated in a saheeh report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A du’aa’ offered between the adhaan and iqaamah is not rejected.” Narrated by Abu Dawood (521) and al-Tirmidhi (212). See also Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2408.

5 – When the call for the prescribed prayers is given and when the ranks are drawn up for battle, as it says in the marfoo’ hadeeth of Sahl ibn Sa’d: “There are two that will not be rejected, or will rarely be rejected: du’aa’ at the time of the call for prayer and at the time of battle when the fighting begins.” Narrated by Abu Dawood; it is a saheeh report. See Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3079.

6 – When rain falls, as it said in the hadeeth of Sahl ibn Sa’d that is attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “There are two which will not be rejected: du’aa’ at the time of the call (to prayer) and when it is raining.” Narrated by Abu Dawood and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’ (3078).

7 – At a certain time of the night, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “During the night there is a time when the Muslim does not ask for the good of this world and the Hereafter but it will be given to him, and that happens every night.” Narrated by Muslim, 757.

8 – A certain time on Friday. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mentioned Friday and said: “During it there is a time when a Muslim slave does not stand and pray and ask Allaah for something, but He will give it to him,” and he gestured with his hand to indicate how short that time is. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 935; Muslim, 852. See also question no. 21748.

9 – When drinking Zamzam water. It was narrated from Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Zamzam water is for that for which it is drunk.” Narrated by Ahmad and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 5502.

10 – When prostrating. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The closest that a person is to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so say a great deal of du’aa’ then.” Narrated by Muslim, 482.

11 – When hearing the crowing of a rooster, because of the hadeeth: “When you hear the crowing of a rooster, ask Allaah of His bounty, for he has seen an angel.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2304; Muslim, 2729.

12 – When saying the du’aa’, “Laa ilaaha illa anta, subhaanaka, inni kuntu min al-zaalimeen ([none has the right to be worshipped but You (O Allaah)], Glorified (and Exalted) be You [above all that (evil) they associate with You]! Truly, I have been of the wrongdoers – cf al-Anbiya’ 21:87]).” It was narrated in a saheeh hadeeth that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The prayer of Dhu’l-Noon (Yoonus) which he said when he was in the belly of the whale: ‘Laa ilaaha illa anta, subhaanaka, inni kuntu min al-zaalimeen ([none has the right to be worshipped but You (O Allaah)], Glorified (and Exalted) be You [above all that (evil) they associate with You]! Truly, I have been of the wrongdoers.’ No Muslim recites this du’aa’ concerning any matter but Allaah will answer him.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and classed as saheeh in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3383.

In his commentary on the passage (interpretation of the meaning):

“And (remember) Dhun Noon (Jonah), when he went off in anger, and imagined that We shall not punish him (i.e. the calamities which had befallen him)! But he cried through the darkness (saying): Laa ilaaha illa Anta [none has the right to be worshipped but You (O Allaah)], Glorified (and Exalted) be You [above all that (evil) they associate with You]! Truly, I have been of the wrongdoers.”

88. So We answered his call, and delivered him from the distress. And thus We do deliver the believers (who believe in the Oneness of Allaah, abstain from evil and work righteousness)”[al-Anbiya’ 21:87-88]

Al-Qurtubi said: In this verse, Allaah stipulates that whoever calls upon Him, He will answer him as He answered and saved Dhu’l-Noon (Yoonus). This is what is meant by the words “And thus We do deliver the believers”.

Al-Jaami’ li Ahkaam il-Qur’aan, 11/334.

13 – If a calamity befalls him and he says, Inna Lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji’oon, Allaahumma ujurni fi museebati w'ukhluf li khayran minha (Truly, to Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return; O Allaah, reward me in this calamity and compensate me with something better than it). It was narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh (918) that Umm Salamah said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “There is no calamity that befalls one of the Muslims and he responds by saying ‘Innaa Lillaahi wa innaa ilahi raaji'oon, Allaahumma ujurni fi museebati w'ukhluf li khayran minha (Truly, to Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return; O Allaah, reward me in this calamity and compensate me with something better than it),’ but Allaah will compensate him with something better than it.”

14 – The prayer of people after the soul of the deceased has been taken. According to the hadeeth, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) entered upon Abu Salamah (after he had died) and his eyes were open. He closed them and said: “When the soul is taken, the gaze follows it.” Some of his family got upset and he said: “Do not pray for anything but good for yourselves, for the angels say Ameen to whatever you say.” Narrated by Muslim. 2732.

15 – Du’aa’ for one who is sick. Muslim (919) narrated that Umm Salamah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When you visit a sick person, say good things, for the angels say Ameen to whatever you say…” When Abu Salamah died, I came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: “Abu Salamah has died.” He said: “Say: O Allaah, forgive me and him, and compensate me well.” She said: I said: And Allaah compensated me with one who was better for me than him: Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

16 – The prayer of the one who has been wronged. In the hadeeth it says: “Fear the prayer of the one who has been wronged, for there is no barrier between it and Allaah.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 469; Muslim, 19. And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The prayer of the one who has been wronged will be answered, even if he is an evildoer, for his evildoing is only against himself.” Narrated by Ahmad. See Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3382.

17 – The du’aa’ of a father for his child – i.e., for his benefit – and the du’aa’ of a fasting person during the day of his fast, and the prayer of the traveller. It was narrated in a saheeh report that our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are three prayers that are not rejected: the prayer of a father for his child, the prayer of the fasting person and the prayer of the traveller.” Narrated by al-Bayhaqi; see Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2032; al-Saheehah, 1797.

18 – The prayer of a father against his child – i.e., to harm him. According to a saheeh hadeeth: ‘There are three prayers that will be answered: the prayer of one who has been wronged, the prayer of a traveller, and the prayer of a father against his child.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1905. See Saheeh al-Adab al-Mufrad, 372.

19 – The du’aa’ of a righteous person for his parents, as stated in the hadeeth narrated by Muslim (1631): “When the son of Adam dies, all his good deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity, a righteous son who will pray for him, or beneficial knowledge.”

20 – Du’aa’ after the sun has passed its zenith and before Zuhr. It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn al-Saa’ib (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to pray four rak'ahs after the sun had passed its zenith and before Zuhr, and he said: “This is a time when the gates of heaven are opened and I want a good deed of mine to ascend during this time.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and its isnaad is saheeh. See Takhreej al-Mishkaat, 1/337.

21 – Du’aa’ when getting up from the night (sleep), and saying the du’a that was narrated for that time. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever awakens from the night and says Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu la shareeka lah, lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-hamd, wa huwa 'ala kulli shay-in qadeer. Alhamdulillah, wa Subhanallah, wa la ilaha illa Allah wallahu akbar wa laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah (There is no god but Allaah Alone, He has no partners, His is the Sovereignty, to Him belongs praise and He is over all things Capable. Glory be to Allah, there is no (true) God but Allah, and Allaah is Most Great and there is no power and no strength except with Allaah), then he says: Allaahumma ighfir li (O Allaah, forgive me), or he makes du’aa’, his prayer will be answered, and if he does wudu and prays, his prayer will be accepted.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1154.

Source: Islam Q&A, 22438

2.0 RULING ON MAKING DU’AA’ IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ARABIC IN THE PRAYER

Question

Can we ask duas, in languages other than arabic in the salat after thashahud and the duas in sunnah.can we pray other duas from the quran that is not in sunnah.

Answer

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:

If the worshipper can say du’aa’ well in Arabic, it is not permissible for him to make du’aa’ in any other language.

But if the worshipper is unable to make du’aa’ in Arabic, there is no reason why he should not make du’aa’ in his own language, so long as he starts learning Arabic in the meantime.

With regard to making du’aa’ in languages other than Arabic outside of prayer, there is nothing wrong with that, especially if that will make the worshipper more focused in his du’aa’.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:

It is permissible to make du’aa’ in Arabic and in languages other than Arabic. Allaah knows the intention of the supplicant and what he wants, no matter what language he speaks, because He hears all the voices in all different languages, asking for all kinds of needs.

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 22/488-489.

Secondly:

There is nothing wrong with reciting du’aa’s mentioned in the Qur’aan even if there is no report in the Sunnah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) recited them in his du’aa’. They are all good and contain guidance. Most of the du’aa’s of the Prophets and Messengers that we know are from the Qur’aan. Undoubtedly their du’aa’s are the most eloquent and most profound in meaning.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

People should make du’aa’ by reciting the prescribed du’aa’s that are mentioned in the Qur’aan and Sunnah, because these are undoubtedly virtuous and good, and this is the straight path. The scholars of Islam and the imams have mentioned the du’aa’s that are prescribed in Islam, and turned away from the innovated du’aa’s, so we should follow them in that.

Majmoo’ al-Fataawa’, 1/346, 348.

And Allaah knows best.

Source: Islam Q&A, 20953

3.0 WHAT SHOULD A NON-ARAB DO FOR THE ADHKAAR IN SALAAH?

Question

I have become Muslim, al-hamdu-Lillaah, but I do not know Arabic. What should I do with regard to the adhkaar (phrases praising Allaah) in the prayer and reading Qur’aan in Arabic?

Answer

Praise be to Allaah.

The majority of fuqaha’ say that if the non-Arab can speak Arabic, he should not recite Takbeer (saying “Allaahu akbar (Allaah is Most Great)”) in any other language. The evidence for this is that the texts instruct this particular wording, which is Arabic, and that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not do it any other way.

But if a non-Arab cannot speak Arabic and is unable to pronounce it, then according to the majority of fuqaha’ it is OK for him to say the Takbeer in his own language after it has been translated from Arabic, according to the statements of the Shaafa’is and Hanbalis, no matter what the language is. The Takbeer is remembrance or mentioning of Allaah, and Allaah can be remembered or mentioned in every language, so a language other than Arabic is an alternative, and the person has to learn how to say it in the other language. There is some controversy as to whether all of the adhkaar of the prayer, such as tashahhud, qunoot, du’aa’, and the tasbeehaat in rukoo’ and sujood may be said in languages other than Arabic.

With regard to reading Qur’aan, the majority say that it is not permissible to read it in any language other than Arabic. The evidence for this is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’aan…” [Yoosuf 12:2]

Moreover, the Qur’aan is a miracle in its wording and its meaning; if it is changed, this is no longer the case, and it is no longer Qur’aan but an interpretation (tafseer).

(al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, part 5: A’jami).

Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

“Section: It is not right to read it in any language other than Arabic, or to substitute other words in Arabic, whether the person can read it well in Arabic or not, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “…an Arabic Qur’aan …’ [Yoosuf 12:2] and ‘In the plain Arabic language’ [al-Shu’ara’ 26:195]. The Qur’aan is a miracle in both its wording and its meaning, but if it is changed this is no longer the case, it is not Qur’aan or anything like it. It is only an interpretation (tafseer), and if the interpretation were like the Qur’aan itself, they would not be unable to meet the challenge of producing a soorah like it.

If a person cannot read well in Arabic, he has to learn. If he does not learn when he is able to, his prayers are not valid. If he is not able, or he fears that he does not have time to learn before the time for the next prayer is over, and he knows one aayah of al-Faatihah, he should repeat it seven times… If he can recite more than that, he should repeat it as much as he needs to make his recitation equivalent to the length of Soorat al-Fatihah, or he could make it up by reciting other aayaat. If he knows some aayaat he does not have to repeat, he could recite another aayah instead, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded the one who could not recite Qur’aan well to say ‘Al-Hamdu Lillaah (Praise be to Allaah)’ and other phrases, which is part of an aayah, but he did not command him to repeat it. If he cannot do anything, but he knows some of the Qur’aan by heart, he should recite whatever he can, and nothing else will do, because of the report narrated by Abu Dawood from Rifaa’ah ibn Raafi’, who said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When you get up to pray, if you know some Qur’aan, recite it, otherwise say al-hamdu Lillaah (praise be to Allaah), and La ilaaha ill-Allaah (there is no god but Allaah), and Allaahu akbar (Allaah is Most Great).” This is more like Qur’aan, and is more appropriate (than any other words). He should also recite as much as he needs to make it equivalent in length to Soorat al-Faatihah. If he cannot recite anything of the Qur’aan, and cannot learn before it is too late to pray the current prayer, he should say Subhaan Allaah wa’l-hamdu Lillaah wa Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa Allaahu akbar wa Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah (Glory be to Allaah; praise be to Allaah; there is no god but Allaah; Allaah is Most Great; and there is no strength and no power except with Allaah). Abu Dawood reported that a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: “I cannot learn anything of the Qur’aan. Teach me something that will suffice me.” He said, “Say Subhaan Allaah wa’l-hamdu Lillaah wa Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa Allaahu akbar wa Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah.”

And Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A, 3471

Source: Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

4.0 RULING ON MAKING DU’AA’ IN ENGLISH

Question

Can I recite duaa's in English?

Answer

Praise be to Allaah.

Making du’aa’ in English or in any other language is permissible outside of salaah (prayer). But it is not permissible to say any part of the salaah in any language other than Arabic, according to the majority of scholars.

But if the Muslim can stick to Arabic in all cases, especially in acts of worship – and du’aa’ is an act of worship – that is preferable and is better.

Islam Q&A, 11588

Source: Shaykh ‘Abd al-Kareem al-Khudayr

Sources

1.    https://islamqa.info/en/answers/3471

2.    https://islamqa.info/en/answers/20953

3.    https://islamqa.info/en/answers/22438

4.    https://islamqa.info/en/answers/11588