Understand the Quran Academy

The Excellence of Dua

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Allah Ta'ala said (translation): And your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible. [Quran, 40:60]

Also,

And when My servants ask you concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided. [Quran, 2:186]

The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, Supplication (du'a') is itself the worship. (He then recited:) "And your Lord said: Call on Me, I will answer you." [Abi Dawud 1479]

Also,

Your Rabb (Lord of the Universe) is Modest and Generous, and would never turn the hands of a slave without gain when he raises them to Him (in supplication). [Related by the four lmams except An-Nasa'i.]

He also 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]

Etiquettes of Dua and Causes for Acceptance:Sincerity to AllahTo start with the praise of Allah, then sending salat upon the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, and to end likewise.Being firm on the dua, and being certain of it being answeredPersisting with the dua, and not being hasty.Purity of the heart regarding the dua.Dua during both prosperity and adversity.Not asking from anyone except Allah alone.Not making dua against family, wealth, children or oneself.Lowering the voice in the duaConfession of sin and asking for forgiveness for it. Acknowledgment of the blessings, and thanking Allah for them.Not intentionally making rhymes in the dua.Beseeching [with] khushu', hope and fear.[intending to] stop wrongdoing with [sincere] repentance.Repeating the dua 3 times.Facing the QiblahRaising the hands in dua.Doing wudu before dua if it's easyTo go beyond limits inThe one who supplicates starts with oneself when making dua for others.To make tawassul with Allah's beautiful Names and the Highest Attributes, with one's good deeds, or through the dua of a righteous person who is alive and present.That one eats, drinks and wears only halal things.Not making dua for [doing] a sin or cutting the ties of kinship.To enjoin good and forbid evilTo stay away from all kinds of disobedience.

Translated from the book Ad-Duau min-al-Kitaabi wa-as-Sunnah, by Dr. Sa'id ibn 'Ali ibn Wahb al-Qahtani, author ofHisnul Muslim.