Why We Should Be Making More Du'a

Bismillah.

In Surah al- Fatihah we recite in ayah number 5:

“It is You we worship and You we ask for help.”

1. The Most Noble of All Actions and the Best Act of Worship is Du’a

• And this is because Allah said in Surah adh-Dhariyat, “And I have not created jinn and humankind except to worship Me.” (51:56)
• The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, “The best form of worship is du’a.” (al-Hakim (1/491); as-Sahihah, no.1579)
• The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, “There is nothing that is more noble in the sight of Allah than du’a.” (Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi, al-Hakim; Sahih al-Jami, no.5392.

2. Allah Only Cares About Us If We Make Du’a to Him

• Allah says in Surah al-Furqan, “Say O Muhammad, ‘My Lord only pays attention to you because of your du’a to Him.” (25:77)
• As-Sadi, a commentator of the Qur’an said that this means that Allah cares and loves us only because we make du’a to him.

3. Du’a Repels and Changes Predestination or Qadr

• The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, “Nothing repels qadr except du’a.” (at-Tirmidhi, no.139; Ibn Majah, no.90; as-Sahihah, no.154)
• Allah will change the qadr of a person because of the sincerity and quality of his du’a. So we should ask Allah to repel future problems and calamities from us, our families and the entire ummah.
• Allah says about Himself in Surah al- Hajj (22:14): “Allah does as He pleases.” 

4. The Reward for Du’a is Guaranteed

• The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, “There is no-one who asks for Allah for anything except that Allah gives it to him, or keeps him away from a similar evil, as long as he does not ask for something evil or breaking of family ties.” (Sahih al-Jami, no.5637; Sahih at-Tirmidhi, no.2827)
• Ibn Hajar, the famous commentator of Sahih al-Bukhari, said, “Every single person that makes du’a will be responded to, but the actual responses are different. Sometimes, the exact matter that was prayed for is given, and sometimes, something equivalent to it is given.” (Fath al-Bari, 11/95)  

5. Du’a is the Cure for All Diseases: Physical and Spiritual

• The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, “For whoever the door of du’a is opened, then all the doors of mercy have been opened for him. And nothing is more pleasing to Allah than being asked for good health.” (at-Tirmidhi, no.3548; Sahih al-Jami, no.3409) 
• Ibn al-Qayyim, known as the doctor of the heart, says, “Du’a is of the most beneficial cures, and it is the enemy of all diseases. It fights them, and cures them, and prevents their occurrence …” (ad-Da’wa wa ad-Dawa, p.41)

6. If You want Something From Allah, Make Du’a for Your Brother or Sister in Islam to Have The Same Thing

• The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, “There is no Muslim who prayers for his brother in his absence except that an angel says, ‘Ameen, and may you receive the same.’” (Muslim; Abu Dawud, no.1534; Sahih al-Jami, no.5737)
• The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother that which he loves for himself.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, no.13 & Sahih Muslim, no.45a)

7. Make Du’a at Any Time and for All Matters

• The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, “Whoever wishes that Allah responds to his du’a in times of hardship, then let him increase his du’a in times of ease.” (at-Tirmidhi, no.3382; al-Hakim, 1/544; as-Sahihah ,no.593)
• Aisha, the mother of the believers, said, “Ask Allah for everything, even if it is only a shoe-lace, because if Allah does not make it easy, then it will not be possible.” (at-Tirmidhi, 4/292; ad-Da’ifah, no.1326 - not marfu)

8. Allah Loves being Asked

• Allah says in Surah al-Baqarah, “And when My slaves ask you concerning Me, then tell them, I am indeed close to them, I respond to their du’a when he calls on Me.” (2:186)
• The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said, “Ask Allah from His bounty, for verily Allah loves to be asked.” (at-Tirmidhi, no.3571; ad-Da’ifah, no.492 - supported by other hadith)
• Dr Akram Nadwi says that when a slave of Allah starts asking Allah and he starts to love asking Allah and being close to Allah, that at times the slave forgets why he is making du’a to his Gracious Rabb.

9. Even When the Answer of the Du’a is Delayed You are Still the Winner

• Allah says in Surah al-Anbiya, “And We test you, with good and evil, as a fitnah. And to Us you will return.” (21:35)
• This is because Allah tests our patience and resolve.
• He wants us to keep turning to Him for help and guidance throughout our lives.
• The believer keeps getting rewards for every time he turns to Allah and has patience in waiting for His answer.
• It brings the believer closer to His Lord and Master.
• It shows his humility and need for His Lord’s assistance and Allah’s position in his life. 
• Only asking for evil is refused, otherwise all du’a is answered either here or in the hereafter.
• Allah may delay your du’a and give you something better or He may delay your du’a until the hereafter where it will be for eternity. 
• Any du'a answered in the hereafter will be definitely unimaginably better than if it was answered here.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

1. MAKE LOTS OF DU’A.
2. YOU CAN NEVER BE A LOSER WITH DU’A AS LONG AS YOU DO NOT ASK FOR EVIL.
3. WHEN IN DOUBT MAKE DU’A - DO NOT LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THE PROBLEM BUT AT THE GREATNESS OF YOUR LORD TO WHOM YOU ARE PLEADING FOR HELP AND FAVOURS.