Wisdom Pearls of Islam

Importance of Duas

Wisdom Pearls of Islam

Introduction

As-salamu alaykum ("peace be upon you") everyone! 

In current times as individuals we are faced with so many tribulations and internationally, the Ummah, is faced with crises across the globe that, at times we cannot help but feel helpless, frustrated and depressed. In such times we have the choice of negotiating these hurdles all by ourselves or through voicing our dissent by petitioning the 'powers' that be or to utilize the most powerful 'weapon' at the disposal of every Believer - dua, and stand up before Allah Almighty and to petition Him for His help as He alone is the one who has power over everything and every situation.

In-sha-Allah if anyone is benefitted by it, I will be happy and grateful to Allah that I am worthy to help.

In the terminology of Islam Dua literally means invocation, an act of supplication.

Dua is essentially an expression of submission of faith to God and of one's neediness.

The term is derived from an Arabic word meaning to 'call out' or to 'summon', and Muslims regard this as a profound act of worship. Prophet Mohammad is reported to have said "Dua is the very essence of worship," while one of Allah's commands expressed through the Quran is for them to call out to Him:

And your Lord says: "Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer)"

Dua in times of difficulty, accompanied by the shedding of tears is uplifting, invigorating, assuring, cleanses, refreshes and provides solace and relief to a broken heart.

AS human beings, our life in this world is characterized by fluctuating conditions making us happy and sad. No one experiences perpetual bliss or misery. Life by its very nature is a test.

Allah says: "He is the One that has created Life and Death in order to test who amongst you is best in conduct." (Qur'an, 67:2) 

Pleasant and favorable conditions demand us to be grateful and humble or adverse conditions require us to be patient and to seek Allah's help.

As Believers we ought to believe that every condition is a manifestation of the Will of Allah. What has passed us was not meant to befall us and what has befallen us was not meant to pass us. Assistance comes with patience, relief after affliction and ease after difficulty (Tirmidhi). Our faith and belief is tested when we undergo difficulties and afflictions. These difficulties may be physical, emotional, financial and/or psychological. This is borne out by the following verse: "Verily We will test you with some fear, hunger, and loss of wealth, life or the fruits (of your labor." (Qur'an, 2:155)

These adverse conditions may at times be upon an individual, a family, a community or upon a large section of the Ummah as is the current case of Palestine, Syria, Afghanistan and Myanmar. Muslims believe in Islam and making supplication or dua before Allah Almighty is what they consider as a weapon in their hands to solve their problems. Prayers or dua are panacea for the present problems facing the Ummah today. In Hadith we find that the Noble Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came across a community of people going through a tribulation. He advised, "Why don't they supplicate (make dua) to Allah for assistance?"

A very poignant example of this is the incident of the Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him). Allah Almighty mentions the incident in the following words, "The people of Noah denied and they belied Our Servant and said, 'He is a madman' and threatened him. He therefore supplicated (through dua) to his Lord (saying), 'I am overpowered! Assist me?' We therefore opened the gates of Heaven, with water flowing furiously. (And) We caused springs to gush out from the earth, so that the two waters met in a quantity that had been destined." (Qur'an, 54: 9-12)

At the time of the battle of Badr, with the future of Islam under threat, when a small ill equipped band of 313 Muslims faced an army of 1,000 well armed, the Noble Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) spent the entire night on the eve of the battle begging and supplicating unto Allah for His assistance and Allah Almighty the following day granted the greatest victory in the annals of Islamic history.

In another such incident, when Sultan Salah Al-din Ayyubi received news of the Crusader's ships sailing toward them with reinforcements, he retired to the masjid and spent the night in prayer, beseeching and begging Allah Almighty's assistance. In the morning prayer, he told a pious man, "Please make dua, so that the enemy ships left the shores carrying reinforcements." The person replied, "Don't fear, O Salah Al-Din. Verily the tears of the night have drowned the enemy ships." A short while later news was received that the ships had sunk.

Such is the power of dua which has been rightfully referred to by scholars as the 'weapon' of a believer.

Dua is that act which 'connects' the slave to his Master. The slave lifts his hands as begging bowls in an expression of begging as a beggar does. "O mankind! It is you who stand as beggars in your relation to Allah, and it is Allah Who is Free of all wants, Worthy of all praise. (Qur'an, 35:15)

In all humility, with an attentive heart, having full hope in his Creator, Maker, Sustainer and Cherisher, one attracts the gaze of mercy of the Master Who feels shy in turning His slave away empty handed (Tirmidhi, Ahmed, Abu Dawood).

If it is not in the nature of a mother to turn her child away empty handed no matter how disobedient a child may be, how is it possible that the One who is the most merciful and who has placed mercy in the hearts of all mothers turns away His slave, empty handed? How is it possible for the One Who becomes angry when His slaves do not supplicate to Him not to be happy when they do? (Sunan Ibn Majah)

Continuously turning to Allah Almighty in dua is a sign of one's conviction in Him and the more one turns to Him, the more one's faith increases. Dua is a condition of the heart and conversation with one's Maker in the language of one's choice. A Hadith says, dua is a means of beseeching Allah Almighty for the fulfillment of all our needs no matter how mundane or insignificant as it may be; or significant as facing overwhelming odds in the battlefield (Tirmidhi).

In the vocabulary of Islam, there are no such words as impossible, unattainable and/or insurmountable. Dua in times of ease is gratifying and engenders humility while at the same time it serves as an assurance of our duas being accepted in times of difficulty, according to Tirmidhi.