Dua – the believers’ weapon

Dua, an essential part of a Muslim's life, is the Islamic term for a believer's supplications to Allah, when calling upon Him to seek help, support and blessings.  A person is expected to remember Allah in both good and bad times and in both pleasure and adversity. It is such a powerful tool in the daily life of a believer that it has been termed  ‘the weapon of the believer’. It connects a person with Allah and brings their religious and spiritual life into focus.

Dua’s importance is such, that the Prophet Mohammad, Peace and Mercy of Allah be upon him, said that ‘dua is Ibadah’ (narrated by Tirmidhi). It is also called  'an act of ibadah’, worship to Allah, in this verse from the Quran: '‘And your Lord said that call upon Me and I will respond to you. Indeed those who are  arrogant to serve (worship) Me, will surely enter  Hell contemptible’'. S40 V60

According to the Quran, man is tested by both the ‘ways of good and the ways of evil’. In both cases, a believer is expected to react in the most positive manner – either by offering his thanks to Allah or by seeking his protection against evil and his adversaries.

In a beautiful hadith, our Prophet Mohammad says: '‘the affairs of a believer are truly amazing as they contain only good. That is not the case with everyone, except for the believer. If he was bestowed with goodness and he shows gratefulness that becomes good for him. If he was afflicted by adversity and he shows patience and endurance it brings him goodness (as well). (Sahih Muslim)

Both cases, mentioned in the above hadith, gratefulness and patience require an act of dua delivered with the strength of imaan and belief.

The act of Dua, when resorting to the Lord in one's need,  is called tawakkul’. When a believer calls upon his Lord in his adversity, he seeks out His support by surrendering all his matters and problems to the One Who is the Bestower of all goodness. As a Muslim we must all surrender our will to the most Powerful Will of Allah that oversees every happening in this world. The Quran says: ‘And you do not will until it was willed by Allah, the Lord of worlds’.  S81 V29

The Quran also speaks of the ‘tawakkul’ frequently and says: ‘and those who have trust must place it in Allah. Tawakkul brings a person to Allah and that is the ultimate form of trust and faith in Allah.

Dua and tawakkul are, in a way, intertwined. People who do not place complete trust in the Almighty or fail to accept that all affairs are settled and destined by the creator and nothing can alter the fortunes of their lives, may not become enthused enough to lift their hands in supplication to Allah.

Allah has said in the Quran: ‘and your Lord said call upon  Me and I will respond to you’. 

Therefore it is the noblest of acts to come to your Lord with your praise and thanks, as well as to seek His assistance in matters that need to be resolved in your lives. Additionally, making dua is an act of obedience to Allah, and further opens our hearts to the Almighty when seeking a solution to our problems.

Dua is an act of tawheed and keeps a believer away from the act of shirk (polytheism). It is a condition for all dua that they must be purely and sincerely proffered, with the firm belief that He is the only one Who can bring any change to the situation.

The act of Dua, however, contains its own manners and etiquette and we must ensure it is done correctly. Following are some of those recommended by Islamic scholars:

1-                  To be on wudu and spiritual purity, with raised hands while facing the direction of Ka`bah

2-                  When making dua and supplicating to Allah it has to start with Allah’s praise and gratitude for His favours upon us as well as sending our prayers and mercy of Allah on to the Prophet Mohammad.

3-                  One has to own up to his mistakes and wrongdoings and surrender to the ways of goodness.

4-                  One has to be precise and insistent in his dua. The Prophet said: ‘when someone calls on to Allah he should determine his needs. He should not say: O Allah! If you would like grant me my needs, because no one can compel Allah’. (Sahih Bukhari and Muslim)

5-                  One has to lower his voice and make dua  as though he was whispering. There is no need to raise one's voice and become loud. The Quran says: ‘and call on to your Lord in humility and secrecy. Surely He does not love the transgressors’.   Also the Prophet, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him, said: ‘you are not calling upon a deaf or an absent person. You are calling upon someone who is All Hearing and close to you and who is with you’.

6-                  One also needs to seek the best and most blessed times for this purpose, i.e. at the end of obligatory prayers, at the time of adhan, between adhan and iqamah, in the last third part of the night etc.

7-                  If possible people should choose a dua from among the many mentioned in the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Mohammad, peace and mercy of Allah be upon him.

Dua is also ‘zikr’ or remembrance of Allah the Almighty and it helps us remember Him often and strengthen our love for Him. Dua also helps us seek the right path and reflect upon our deeds and failings more closely.

This subject is very important as it helps all of us to learn how to call upon our Lord in humility and in secret so that we can purify our acts, strengthen our spirituality and make our dua more acceptable.