Authentic Adhkar: Lesson 20

Sat  11st Aug 2018

Lesson 20: The times and states when the Dua is more likely to be answered

  • Allah has encouraged us to make dua
  • Allah has made certain times which are more likely to have dua answered:
    • The last third of the night.
      • Allah Says: “(They are) those who are patient ones, those who are true (in Faith, words, and deeds), and obedient with sincere devotion in worship to Allah. Those who spend [give the Zakat and alms in the Way of Allah] and those who pray and beg Allah’s Pardon in the last hours of the night” [Surah Aali Imraan (The Family of Imraan) verse 17]
      • Allah Says: “And in the hours before dawn, they were (found) asking (Allah) for forgiveness” [Surah Adh-Dhaariyaat (The Winds that Scatter) verse 18]
      • Narrated by Abu Huraira (May Allah be pleased with him): Allah’s Apostle () said, “When it is the last third of the night, our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, descends every night to the heaven of the world and says, ‘Is there anyone who invokes Me (demand anything from Me), that I may respond to his invocation; Is there anyone who asks Me for something that I may give (it to) him; Is there anyone who asks My forgiveness that I may forgive him?’ ” [Sahih al-Bukhari]
      • NOTE: The hadith informs us that Allah himself descends in a way that is befitting of his Majesty
      • NOTE: this hadith is an evidence of the tremendous blessing of this time and is from the BEST of times to turn to Allah in dua
      • Shaykh Ul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said the people’s hearts are soft and more focussed in the last third of the night
    • There is an hour in the day of Friday where the dua is Answered.
      • Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah () said while talking about the merits of Friday, “There is a time on Friday at which a Muslim, while he (or she) is performing Salat and is supplicating, will be granted whatever he (or she) is supplicating for.” And he (PBUH) pointed with his hand to indicate that this period of time is very short” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
      • The scholars have differed on what exact time this hour is, there are almost 40 opinions
      • Opinion 1: From amongst the strongest of the opinions is that this hour occurs between when the Imam sats on the Mimbar, up until he finishes the prayer.
      • ISSUE: how can you do the dua in this time as it is khutbah? The answer is to make dua during the prayer, in fact the hadith indicates this may be case as it mentions the slave making dua in prayer
      • Abu Burdah b. Abl Musa al-Asha’ri said: ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Umar said to me: Did you hear your father narrating a tradition from the Messenger of Allah () about an hour on Friday (when supplication is accepted by Allah)? I said: Yes, I heard it. I heard the Messenger of Allah  () say: This hour is found during the period when the imam is seated (for giving Friday sermon) until the prayer is finished. Abu Dawud said: By sitting is meant sitting on the pulpit.” [Sunan Abi Dawud]
      • NOTE: you can and should make dua in all your prayers as a servant is closest to Allah during prostration
      • It was narrated that ‘Abdullah bin Salam said: “I said, when the Messenger of Allah () was sitting: ‘We find in the Book of Allah that on Friday there is an hour when no believing slave performs prayer and asks Allah for anything at that time, but Allah will fulfil his need.’” ‘Abdullah said: “The Messenger of Allah () pointed to me, saying: ‘Or some part of an hour.’ I said: ‘you are right, or some part of an hour.’ I said: ‘What time is that?’ He said: ‘It is the last hours of the day.’ I said: ‘It is not the time of the prayer?’ He said: ‘Yes (it is so), when a believing slave performs prayer and then sits with nothing but the prayer keeping him, he is still in a state of prayer.’” [Sunan Ibn Majah]
      • Opinion 2: Al-hafidh Ibn Hajar among others holds the opinion that the strongest opinion is that the hour in which dua is likely to be answerd #
    • The Month of Ramadhaan, especially the last ten, especially on the Night of Decree.
      • Ramadhaan as a whole is a virtuous time
      • ‘Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported: I asked: “O Messenger of Allah ()! If I realize Lailat-ul-Qadr (Night of Decree), what should I supplicate in it?” He (PBUH) replied, “You should supplicate: Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun, tuhibbul-‘afwa, fa’fu ‘anni (O Allah, You are Most Forgiving, and You love forgiveness; so forgive me).” [At-Tirmidhi, Riyad as-Salihin]
    • The Day of Arafah.
      • The day of Arafah is a great and virtuous day
      • `Amr bin Shu`aib narrated from his father, from his grandfather, that the Prophet () said: “The best of supplication is the supplication of the Day of `Arafah. And the best of what I and the Prophets before me have said is: None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, Alone, without partner, to Him belongs all that exists, and to Him belongs the Praise, and He is powerful over all things. (Lā ilāha illallāh, waḥdahu lā sharīka lahu, lahul-mulku wa lahul-ḥamdu, wa huwa `alā kulli shai’in qadīr).’” [Jami` at-Tirmidhi]
    • The time between the Adhaan and the Iqaamah
      • Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah () said: “The supplication made between the Adhan and the Iqamah is never rejected so make it.”[Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi]
    • At the End of the Prayer
      • Abu Umamah narrated: “It was said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, which supplication is most likely to be listened to?’ He said: ‘(During) the last part of the night, and at the end of the obligatory prayers.’” [Jami` at-Tirmidhi]
      • NOTE: The scholars say that this means at the very last part of the prayer before giving the tasleem, NOT after the prayer. However there is a difference of opinion and other scholars say it should be done after. Shaykh Ul Islaam Ibn TAymiyyah says it should be made BEFORE the tasleem

Next Part: What states of a person can make dua being answered more likely?

  • Making dua in the state of the prayer is one of the favourable states to be in when making dua
    • It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: The Messenger of Allah () said: “The closest that a person can be to his Lord, the Mighty and Sublime, is when he is prostrating, so increase in supplication then.” [Sunan an-Nasa’i]
    • Ibn ‘Abbas said: The Prophet() lifted the curtain (and saw that) the people were standing in rows(of prayers) behind Abu Bakr. He said: O people, there remained nothing that gives good tidings from prophethood except a true dream which a Muslim has himself or which another Muslim has for him. I have been prohibited to recite the Qur’an while bowing or prostration. As regards bowing, exalt the Lord in it, and as to prostration, make supplication with exertion in it, that is worthy of being accepted.” [Sunan Abi Dawud]
  • Being a parent, being in a state of Fasting, or a traveller
    • The Prophet () said: “Three prayers (supplications) are not rejected: the prayer of a father, the prayer of a fasting person, and the prayer of a traveller.” [Al-Bayhaqi – Classed as Sahih by Shaykh al-Albaani]
  • Being in a state of Ihram,
    • See hadith about Arafah
  • The one who is oppressed, even if he is non Muslim
    • ‘Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that: the Prophet sent Muadh to Yemen, and said: “You are going to some people among the People of the Book. Call them to bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and that I am the messenger of Allah. If they obey that, then tell them that Allah has enjoined upon them five prayers every day and night. If they obey that, then tell them that Allah has enjoined upon them charity (Zakat) from their wealth, to be taken from the rich and given to their poor. If they obey that, then beware of (taking) the best of their wealth. And beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between and Allah.[Sunan Ibn Majah]
  • A dua you make in secret for your Muslim brother/sister
    • Abud-Darda’ (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah () said, “The supplication of a Muslim for his (Muslim) brother in his absence will certainly be answered. Every time he makes a supplication for good for his brother, the angel appointed for this particular task says: ‘Ameen! May it be for you, too’.”[Muslim]
  • Being someone who is obedient and devoted to Allah
    • On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah () said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said: Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him. [It was related by al-Bukhari]
  • Being ill or in distress or in difficulty
    • Allah Says: Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls Him, and Who removes the evil, and makes you inheritors of the earth, generations after generations. Is there any ilah (god) with Allah? Little is that you remember! [Surah An-Naml (The Ant) verse 62]

Next part: Making sure you remain within the legislated ways of making Dua

  • There is a lot of misguidance amongst the muslims that they are allowed to go to the graves and make dua so that the dead will either take their dua to Allah and some even believe that they will directly grant them their wish! Subhaanallaah. This is a serious matter and should be avoided as it is a form of Shirk (associating partners with Allah)

Q&A:

  • The best ten days and the best ten nights of the year
  • A child’s dua
  • The dua of one who is affected by Sihr (magic)
  • Can you ask someone to make dua for you? should this be done often?
  • If one lives far from a salafi masjid can he pray at mosques of innovation?