Part 24

9. Making dua at Holy Places

Allah has blessed certain places over others, so one of the ways that a person can increase his chances of being answered is by making du a in these places.

For example, mosques are preferred by Allah over houses and market-places. Likewise, the places of Hajj during Hajj ime (Mina, Muzdalifah and ‘Arafat) are places that the Prophet (#) would make du ‘ain, as has been stated above. Other places include: the Mounts of Safa and Marwa, inside the Ka'bah, and of course the Harams of Makkah and Madinah.

It is important, though, not to exaggerate in this regard, by considering places that are not blessed as blessed, such as mosques that are built on graves of famous saints, or have such graves inside them or connected to them. Such places are not holy in the slightest. In fact, prayer in such mosques is not allowed due to the explicit narrations from the Prophet (#) in which he prohibited the Muslims

from praying over mosques built over or around graves.

10. Conforming with the Etiquette of Dua

It is essential that the one making dua conforms to all the preconditions and etiquette that has gone before, in particular praying only to Allah, and concentrating on one’s du’ a, and praying during the blessed times and occasions during which one’s du‘a is more likely to be responded to.

In conclusion, we quote Ibn al-Qayyim:

“If the dua is combined with the following factors:

the presence of the heart, and its full concentration on the dua making du ‘a at one of the times of response

a meek heart, one that is broken and humiliated in the presence of Allah, full of humbleness and softness

in a state of wuda

raising one’s hands to Allah

starting the dua@ with praise to Allah

following that up with salutations upon the Prophet (#%)

preceding the du‘a with repentance and seeking forgiveness for past sins

preceding the du’ a by giving some charity

and finally entering in upon Allah, and being persistent in asking Him, and calling upon Him in a state of fear and hope, and performing tawassul with His Names and Attributes

then this dv’ @ is hardly ever left, but rather responded to, especially if the dua is using the supplications that the Prophet

(#8) informed are likely to be responded to.

310 paraphrased from al-Da’ wa al-Dawa’, p. 48.

FACTORS THAT PREVENT Du’ 4s FROM BEING ANSWERED

One of the greatest tests and trials that a Muslim might be afflicted with is that his du‘ is not answered! Hence why the Prophet (8) would pray to Allah that his dz'@ not be amongst those du’ as that are not responded to. In particular he (#%) would pray:

O Allah! I seek your refuge from knowledge that is without benefit, and from a heart that does not become fearful, and

from a soul that is never satisfied, and from a du‘a that is not

So the Prophet (#%) would actually make a dua that his dua be answered!

There are a number of factors that have been mentioned in the ahadith that cause one’s du’ a not to be accepted. Although some of these factors have been given above, for the sake of completeness they will be listed here again.

“O People! Allah is al-Tayyzb (Pure), and He only accepts that which is pure! Allah has commanded the Believers what He has commanded the Messengers, for He said,

“O Messengers! Eat from the pure foods, and do right”,

311 Reported by Muslim and others.

and He said, “O you who believe! Eat from the pure and good foods We

Then the Prophet (#%) mentioned a traveller on a long journey, who is dishevelled and dusty, and who stretches forth his hands to the sky, saying, “O my Lord! O my Lord!” — while his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful, and he is nourished unlawfully; how can he be answered???

In this hadith, we are informed about one of the greatest causes of one’s du'4 not being responded to. Consider the example that ’ the Prophet (#%) gave of this man who combined in him many of the factors that aid the du‘ a in being accepted. Firstly, he was travelling, and not just a small journey, but rather a long one. He was away from his family for a long time, and the land that he was in is far-away. Secondly, his appearance was one that extracts sympathy for his situation, for he was dishevelled and dusty, tired and dirty. Thirdly, he raised his hands to the sky — to the al-Hay, The Shy — hoping that they would not be returned empty. Fourthly, he made tawassul with one of Allah’s most powerful and comprehensive Names, that of ‘a/-Rabb,’ which is one of the best Names to use in a du a. Fifthly, he repeated his du’ a and the Name of Allah, so that

it had more chance of being accepted.

Yet, despite all of these factors and regardless of his following the necessary etiquette, his da was not responded to. Not only that, but the Prophet (3%) made a point of stressing how ridiculous it was that he expected his du’ a@ to be answered, for he stated’,.. .how can he be answered,’ implying that the sin of eating haram sustenance is so great that there is no point in him hoping to have his dua accepted.

312 Reported by Ahmad, Muslim, and al-Tirmidhi from Aba Hurayrah, as mentioned in Sahih al-Jami # 2744.

So it is essential that one who wishes that his du‘ a be accepted ensure that he eats from pure money, money that has been earned with permissible means, and that he eats pure food, food that he is

313 allowed to eat.

Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqas, one of the Prophet’s (#8) famous Companions was once asked, “Why is it that your du’ as are responded to, amongst all of the other Companions?” He replied, “I do not raise to my mouth a morsel except that I know where it came from and where it came out of’.

There is no doubt that a person’s sins come between him and the response of his du‘ a. Therefore, when a person makes du’ a for long periods of time, without receiving a response, this should cause him to turn towards himself, and examine his actions. Perhaps there is something that he is doing that is the cause of his du’ da being unanswered?

This is referred to in the following hadith,

The skies of the heavens are opened in the middle of the night, and a crier calls out: Is there any person making du'a, that he be responded to? Is there any that asks, that he be given? Is there any that is in straightened circumstances, that it be lifted from him? And there is no Muslim that makes a du‘ a (at this time) except that Allah will respond to him, except for a fornicatress that is striving (to sell) her private parts, or a tax-

So in this hadith, we are informed that every single Muslim that makes a du‘ at this time will be responded to, except a prostitute that is selling her body, and a tax-collector that is taking other peo-

313 For further details on this point, see the author’s book, 15 Ways to Increase your Earnings from the Quran and Sunnah, forthcoming.

314 Sharh al-Arba’ in, p. 275. 3} Reported by al-Tabarni in his a/-Awsat. See al-Sahihah, # 1073.

ple’s money unjustly. So these two sins are the cause of their du’ as being rejected.

A poet versified this concept when he wrote,

We call upon our Lord at every disaster,

And yet when rescue arrives, Him do we forget! How can you expect that your dua be responded to,

When you have, with sins, its path blocked?

3. Leaving Advice to Others

Part of one’s iman is that one loves for one’s brother what one loves for oneself. This necessitates one’s wanting good for one’s brother, and averting evil from him. So, when one sees one’sbrother doing something that is not allowed, it becomes obligatory on one to try to prevent him, even if one has to do so physically (if one is able to do so without harm or any adverse consequences). Similarly, one has to advise and exhort him to do good deeds if he is being lax in performing them.

This obligation is one of the factors that has made our nation the greatest nation out of all Allah’s nations.

Ry Loa aa oe oc ft theo 0 Bixthen rb es. pl als “aod Ar ee eeeee Mapas aif eS naeye ees) You are the best of peoples ever raised for mankind; you enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and believe in Allah.”

31 Jami’ al-' Ulam wa al-Hikam, 1/276. 317 Sarah Al-' Imran, 110.

So leaving this obligation brings about Allah’s anger and punishment, and part of this punishment is that our du’ as are not answered.

The Prophet (3%) said:

I swear by Him in whose Hands is my soul, you will of a surety command what is good, and forbid what is evil, or else it is very possible that Allah will send upon you His punishment, so you will make du’ a@ to Him, and you will not be responded to."

This point has already been mentioned, and is one of the factors that the Prophet (#8) informed us that causes a du'@ to be rejected.

“The du‘ a of any worshipper will continue to be responded to, as long as he does not ask for a sin or breaking the ties of kinship, and as long as he is not hasty.”

It was asked, “O Messenger of Allah? And what does it mean to be hasty?” He (8) responded:

“A worshipper says, ‘I have prayed and prayed, and I don’t see

that it will be accepted’, so he gives up hope of being answered,