6 Oct 2018
Lesson 27: The subject of your dua
- When you make dua you may be making it for yourself, for others or for both yourself and others
- The virtue of making dua for your Muslim brothers and sisters
- Making dua for your fellow Muslims connects and unites Muslims
- Allah says: “The believers, men and women, are Auliya’ (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another, they enjoin (on the people) Al-Ma’ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden); they perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) and give the Zakat, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have His Mercy on them. Surely Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.” [Surah At-Tawbah ()]
- Allah says: “The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islamic religion). So make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear Allah, that you may receive mercy.” [Surah Hujaraat verse 10]
- It is narrated on the authority of Anas b. Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (ﷺ) observed: “None amongst you believes (truly) until he loves for his brother” – or he said “for his neighbour” – “that which he loves for himself.” [Sahih Muslim]
Four types of subjects for your Dua:
Making dua for yourself
- Firstly, that a muslim makes dua for his own self from the goodness of this world and the hereafter or for his sins to be forgiven
- What are some examples?
- Ibnul qayyim mentioned that there are authentic narrations from the Prophet (ﷺ) that he would sometimes make dua in the singular pronoun. See example below
- Abu Huraira reported that Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) used to observe, silence for a short while between the takbir (at the time of opening the prayer) and the recitation of the Qur’an. I said to him: Messenger of Allah, for whom I would give my father and mother in ransom, what do you recite during your period of silence between the takbir and the recitation? He said: I say (these words):” O Allah, remove my sins from me as Thou hast removed the East from the West. O Allah purify me from sins as a white garment is purified from filth. O Allah! wash away my sins with snow, water, and ice.” [Sahih Muslim]
- NOTE: why did the Prophet (ﷺ) mention washing of sins with cold, ice water? Someone may think “Isn’t washing done with warm water?” What do the Scholars say about this?
- The Narration of Thawban (may Allah be pleased with him) [Reported by Imam Ahmad] that says an Imam should not make dua for himself whilst leading congregation, how should this hadith be understood?
- Shaykh ul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah mentions that this restriction applies to the congregational dua that the Imam would do in the prayer e.g. the Qunut
- NOTE: if you see a dua from the Qur’an then you should recite it in the exact way it has been revealed and not change it. For example, the verse “Guide us to the straight way” [Surah Al-Fatiha (The Opening) verse 6] then you cannot change it to the singular version to yourself, rather the Qur’an is read as it is.
Making dua for someone else
- This is to make dua for someone else and ask for them to be guided, forgiven or other righteous supplication
- Narrated Anas: “Um Sulaim said to the Prophet “Anas is your servant.” The Prophet said, “O Allah! increase his wealth and offspring, and bless (for him) whatever you give him.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]
- Narrated ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Abu ‘Umairah – and he was one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) : “from the Prophet (ﷺ), that he said to Mu’awiyah: “O Allah, make him a guiding one, and guide (others) by him.” [At-Tirmidhi]
- Narrated Ibn `Abbas:Once the Prophet embraced me and said, “O Allah! Bestow on him the knowledge of the Book (Qur’an).” [Sahih al-Bukhari]
- A dua you make in secret for your Muslim brother/sister is from the types of dua that are likely to be accepted (See Lesson 20)
- Abud-Darda’ (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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]
Making dua for yourself and someone else
- If you are doing this, then it is Sunnah to begin with yourself first, then follow it with the dua for the other person
- The Hadith of Ubay Ibn Ka’b (may Allah have mercy on him)
- Verse: “So know (O Muhammad (ﷺ)) that La ilaha ill-Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah), and ask forgiveness for your sin, and also for (the sin of) believing men and believing women. And Allah knows well your moving about, and your place of rest (in your homes).” [Surah Muhammad verse 19]
- Verse: “”My Lord! Forgive me, and my parents, and him who enters my home as a believer, and all the believing men and women. And to the Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers, and disbelievers, etc.) grant You no increase but destruction!” [Surah Nuh (Noah) verse 28]
- Verse: “”Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents, and (all) the believers on the Day when the reckoning will be established.”” [Surah Ibrahim (Abraham) verse 41]
- NOTE: This order only applies if you are making dua for yourself and someone else, however if your intention is to make dua just for someone else, then you just make it directly for them without needing to mention yourself
Making dua for yourself and the Muslims as a whole
- This is different to making dua
- Examples given of when this is done e.g. in the Khutbah
- Ibn ‘Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:“Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) seldom left a gathering without supplicating in these terms: “Allahumma-qsim lana min khashyatika ma tahulu bihi bainana wa baina ma’sika, wa min ta’atika ma tuballighuna bihi jannataka, wa minal-yaqini ma tuhawwinu ‘alaina masa-‘ibad-dunya. Allahumma matti’na biasma’ina, wa absarina, wa quwwatina ma ahyaitana, waj’alhul-waritha minna, waj’al tharana ‘ala man zalamana, wansurna ‘ala man ‘adana, wa la taj’al musibatana fi dinina, wa la taj’alid-dunya akbara hammina, wa la mablagha ‘ilmina, wa la tusallit ‘alaina man-la yarhamuna, (O Allah, apportion to us such fear as should serve as a barrier between us and acts of disobedience; and such obedience as will take us to Your Jannah; and such as will make easy for us to bear in the calamities of this world. O Allah! let us enjoy our hearing, our sight and our power as long as You keep us alive and make our heirs from our own offspring, and make our revenge restricted to those who oppress us, and support us against those who are hostile to us let no misfortune afflict our Deen; let not worldly affairs be our principal concern, or the ultimate limit of our knowledge, and let not those rule over us who do not show mercy to us).” [At- Tirmidhi]
- The hadith above shows how the Prophet (ﷺ) made comprehensive dua for all of the Muslims
General Points
- When someone does good for you, and you say to them “Jazaakallaahu khair” (May Allah reward you with goodness) then this is a comprehensive dua that you make for them as the goodness you are asking for encompasses all types of goodness
- NOTE: need to avoid saying “Laa Jazaakallaahu Khair” i.e. when trying to be polite and wanting to say the equivalent of “No thank you” however
- NOTE: the phrase “Jazaakallaahu Khair” is actually in the past tense grammatically, and literally says “Allah rewarded you with Good”, why is this past tense? Is this the intended meaning?
Next week: The Impermissibility of making dua against yourself or others