How Important Making Duas are for Every Muslim

Are You making Dua everyday in your life to Allah Swt so that he can give you; a good wife, husband, an excellent job, good health and long life? Those are average desires of the Muslim in this dunya. But then the supplicant (the one making that prayer) gets into a block, a sad pit, a low point because in their perception that Dua is not being answered or accepted. We have come to the abrupt conclusion (and foolishly to, I might add) that the Dua is taking to long to materialize and that we wont get that Dua answered. Are you one of those Muslims who is about to give up or has already given up? I Think Allah’s creation (you, me, all of us) expects The creator to answer us immediately – afterall we live in a world now that “yesterday” was when our expectations are supposed to be fullfilled, “I wanted that yesterday”. This is one of the most common complaints and faults of many of us, we lose hope in the effectiveness and powers of our Dua.

I was fortunate enough that Allah had guided me to read a most excellent reasoning on the subject from Sheik Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-Jawzi “Rahmatu-(A)llah alai-hi” (508 AH – 597 AH). It is unanimously agreed that he is one of the most distinguished of Islamic historians, may Allah illumine the blessed Sheik’s grave with his noor. Insha-allah, once you have read what the Sheik has said below, I am sure the doubts and questions you had about the delays in your Duas will be settled.

I think part of the test is when a believer supplicates and receives no response, and he repeats the dua for a long time and sees no sign of a response. He should realize that this is a test and needs patience.

What a person experiences of waswaas (whispers from shaytan) when the response is delayed is a sickness which needs medicine – I have experienced this myself. A calamity befell me and I supplicated and did not see any response, and Iblees started to lay his traps. Sometimes he said: The generosity (of Allah) is abundant and He is not miserly, so why is there a delay?

I said to him: Be gone, O cursed one, for I have no need of anyone to argue my case and I do not want you as a supporter!

Then I told myself: Beware of going along with his whispers, for if there was no other reason for the delay except that Allah is testing you to see whether you will fight the enemy, that is sufficient wisdom.

My soul (nafs) said: How could you explain the delay in the response of Allah to your prayers for relief from this calamity?

I said: It is proven with evidence that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, is the Sovereign, and the Sovereign may withhold or give, so there is no point in objecting to Him.

The wisdom behind that is proven in definitive evidence. I may think that something is good, but wisdom does not dictate it, but the reason for that may be hidden, just as a doctor may do things that appear outwardly to be harmful, intending some good purpose thereby. Perhaps this is something of that nature.

There may be an interest to be served by delay, and haste may be harmful. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “A person will be fine so long as he does not become impatient and says, ‘I prayed but I did not receive any answer.’”

The response may be withheld because of some fault in you. Perhaps there was something dubious in what you ate or your heart was heedless at the time when you said the dua, or your punishment is being increased by means of your need being withheld, because of some sin from which you have not repented sincerely. So look for some of these reasons, so that you might achieve your aim.

You should examine the intention behind this request, because attaining it may lead to more sin, or prevent you from doing some good, so withholding it is better.

Perhaps losing what you have missed out on will cause you to turn to Allah and getting it will distract you from Him. This is obvious, based on the fact that were it not for this calamity you would not have turned to Him, because the real calamity is what distracts you from Him, but what makes you stand before Him is good for you and is in your best interests.

If you ponder these things you will focus on what is more beneficial for you, such as correcting a mistake or seeking forgiveness or standing before Allah and beseeching Him, and forget about what you have missed out on. Source: Sayd al-Khaatir (59-60)

My dear brother, my dear sister – Do not give up hope, don’t abandon communicating with your Allah. Be steadfast in your supplication, and by all means avoid the haraams – These three ahadith below – I have heard so many times in Jummah Kutbah – And I think it is an excellent reflection piece and one that we should use to scrutinize our daily affairs before we attempt to communicate with our Allah with the expectation of our Duas being answered quickly.

In Sahih Muslim , we have a Hadith wherein that man is mentioned, who is on a long journey with dishevelled hair and his whole body is covered in dust. He lifts his hands in prayer: ‘0 My Lord, 0 My Lord!’ He does all this while his food is of Haraam, his drink is Haraam and his clothes is haram. How can his dua be accepted?

Sayyidina Anas Radiallahu anhu reports: “I once said: Ya Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam pray to Allah to make me of those whose Duas are directly accepted.” Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam replied: “O Anas, keep your earnings Halaal and pure and your Duas will be accepted because if a man places one morsel of Haraam food in his mouth, his duas will not be accepted for a period of forty days.”

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.”