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Tuesday, September 14, 2010

The Power Of Dua


The Power Of Dua

The dua can change our life, our outlook, and our fate. It is the most potent weapon of a believer.

Once Prophet Muhammad passed by a people who were suffering from some affliction. "Why don't they make dua (pray) to Allah for protection," he said. With all the suffering and disasters Muslims are facing in various parts of the world, the question can be directed to all of us today.

It is not that we have forgotten dua completely; we refer to it regularly. But, our ideas and practice regarding dua have become distorted. Often it is reduced to the level of a ritual. Generally it is considered when all our efforts have failed --- an act of last resort. It is belittled through actions and sometimes even with words. Is it any wonder that today mostly a mention of dua is meant to indicate the hopelessness of a situation.

What a tragedy, for dua is the most potent weapon of a believer. It can change fate, while no action of ours ever can. It is the essence of ibadah or worship. With it we can never fail; without it we can never succeed. In the proper scheme of things, dua should be the first and the last resort of the believer, with all his plans and actions coming in between.

Dua is conversation with Allah, our Creator, our Lord and Master, the All Knowing, the All Powerful. This act in itself is of extraordinary significance. It is the most uplifting, liberating, empowering, and transforming conversation a person can ever have. We turn to Him because we know that He alone can lift our sufferings and solve our problems. We feel relieved after describing our difficulties to our Creator. We feel empowered after having communicated with the All Mighty. We sense His mercy all around us after talking to the Most Merciful. We get a new commitment to follow His path for that is the only path for success. We feel blessed with each such commitment.

In every difficulty our first action is dua, as is our last. We ask Allah to show us the way to handle that difficulty; we seek His help in following the path He shows to us; we seek His aid in making our efforts successful. When we fall sick, we know that we cannot find the right doctor without His Will; that the best doctor may not be able to diagnose our condition without His Command; that the best treatment plan will not succeed without His Permission. We make dua for all of these. We make dua before we seek medical help, while we are receiving it and after it has been delivered. The same is true of all other difficulties we may encounter.

Dua is the essence of ibadah. A person engaged in dua affirms his belief in Tawheed (monotheism) and shuns belief in all false gods. With each dua his belief in Allah grows. He beseeches Him, affirming his own powerlessness. A person seriously and sincerely engaged in dua understands exactly the relationship between himself and the Creator and affirms it through his actions. That is the essence of worship! Additionally, such a person can never become arrogant or proud, a logical result of true worship.

Dua is conversation with Allah … It is the most uplifting, liberating, empowering, and transforming conversation a person can ever have.

We should make it a point to make dua for all things big and small. It is the beginning of wisdom to realize that big and small are arbitrary labels that are totally irrelevant in this context. Nothing is too big for Whom we are asking from; nothing is too small for the one who is asking. That is why we have been taught to ask Allah when we need something as small as shoelaces. We should ask as a beggar, as a destitute person, for that is what we in reality are in relationship to Allah. At the same time we should ask with great hope and conviction that we shall be granted our prayers. We should remember the Hadith: "There is nothing more dear to Allah than a servant making dua to Him." On the other hand, a prayer lacking concentration and conviction is no prayer at all.

We should make dua at all times, not only during times of distress. The Prophet Muhammad said: "Whosoever desires that Allah answers his duas in unfavorable and difficult conditions, he should make plentiful dua in days of ease and comfort." Also he said: "The person who does not ask from Allah, Allah becomes angry with him."

We should ask for all of our needs: those related to this world as well as those related to the Hereafter. Those who only concentrate on the former are, in effect, announcing that they don't care for their life in the permanent abode. They should blame no body but themselves for the total ruin in that world that Qur'an assures us awaits them. Those who only concentrate on the later are also showing lack of balance, for we need Allah's help to lead a good life here as well.

We should make dua not only for ourselves but also for our parents, brothers and sisters, spouses and children, relatives and friends, teachers and other benefactors, and destitute and for the well being of all humanity. We should pray for them for the good in this world as well as in the Hereafter. The Prophet said: "The dua of a Muslim for his brother (in Islam) in his absence is readily accepted. An angel is appointed to his side. Whenever he makes a beneficial dua for his brother the appointed angel says, 'Aameen. And may you also be blessed with the same.'" [Sahih Muslim]

In the dark ages that we are living in today, everyday brings fresh news about atrocities committed against our brothers in many parts of the world. And what do we do? We can continue to just feel frustrated and depressed. We can petition the determined perpetrators or a fictional "International Community". We can just forget all this and move on to some other subject. Or we can stand up before Allah and pray for His help, who alone can help. The dua can change our life, our outlook, and our fate. It is the most potent weapon. But it works only for those who try sincerely and seriously to use it.

Prayer Points:

Surrender your problem entirely to God.
Be humble.
Forgive all your enemies.
Have faith. Do not doubt.
Thank God in advance and praise Him.
Pray from the heart.

The Philosophy of Dua

Dua is a form of Prayer (ibaadat).

Dua is more forceful than a sword.

Dua is the shield of a believer. It will increase your sustenance.

Dua removes both the present suffering and that which will come down later.

Dua is the weapon of a believer. It will protect you from the evils of enemies.

Dua replaces what has been destined and also creates that what has not been destined.

Dua and sufferings challenge each other until the Day of Judgment, and Dua comes out victorious.

Dua is so powerful that only Dua and nothing other than Dua itself has the power to create and alter fate!!

If God’s servant keeps his mouth shut and does not ask anything from Him, nothing will be given to him. Therefore ask God for what you need so that He will give it to you. Whoever knocks on a door persistently will be allowed in. If you keep on knocking the door of Divine Mercy, sooner or later it will be opened for you.

Never get tired of Dua, for Allah has attached much value to it. Allah says “Let My servants know that I have the power to grant My servants’ wishes.” If God grants someone a chance of making Dua, He will not deprive him of answer. A believer’s Dua will increase his good deeds and rewards him in the Hereafter as his other good deeds are rewarded.

A believer who makes Dua receives one of three things:

1.Either he will quickly have his Dua answered,
2.or he will get in the Hereafter,
3.or something bad will be prevented from him equal to the value of his Dua.

Everything has a proper discipline to it, and so does Dua. Duas are not answered when requirements of Dua have not been fulfilled. Whoever obeys Allah’s order and offers his Dua properly, they will be answered. Praise Allah Almighty. Remember Him and thank Him for His blessings. Send greetings to the Holy Prophet. Pray your Salaah regularly. Recite Qur’an regurarly. Seek Tauba. Attain Taqwa. That is the right way for Dua. Dua which is not made properly does not even ascend towards Allah.

It may be that you dislike a thing while it is good for you, and it may be that you love a thing while it is evil for you. At such times, refer to He who knows the best, and that is Allah. Allah knows, while we do not know. So we must make Dua to Allah, then be patient, have faith in His unquestionable decision and trust His absolute wisdom. Never have this impression that Allah Almighty has opened the door of making Dua but has closed the door of answering it. Sometimes Allah delays answering the Dua to give a greater reward and a further blessing. What a catastrophe it would be if Allah answered every prayer at the snap of your fingers. Do you know what would happen? Allah would become your servant, not your Master. Suddenly Allah would be working for you, instead of you working for Allah. Remember, Allah's delay is not Allah's denial. Allah's timing is perfect. Patience and trust is needed.

It would be impossible for me to sum up everything about Dua in this extremely brief one page article. If I were to summarize the whole concept of Dua into one single statement, it would be this: Dua is a form of Ibaadat, such a powerful (Prayer) Ibaadat that it can create and alter Qismat, and that Allah is generous and if His servant raises his hands towards Him, He feels reluctant not to accept it.

Why our prayers are not answered?

"You know Allaah, Yet you do not obey Him, 
You recite the Qur'aan, Yet do not act according to it, 
You know Shaitaan(Devil), Yet you have agreed with him, 
You proclaim that you love the Messenger of Allah, Yet you abandon his Sunnah, 
You proclaim your love for Paradise, Yet you do not act to gain it, 
You proclaim your fear for the Fire, Yet you do not prevent yourselves from sins, 
You say "Indeed death is true", Yet you have not prepared for it, 
You engage yourselves with finding faults with others, Yet you do not look at your faults, 
You eat of that which Allah has provided for you, Yet you do not thank Him, 
You bury your dead, Yet you do not take a lesson from it." 

25 Duas From The Holy Quran

(And when My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I respond to the dua (prayer) of every suppliant when they calleth on Me - Quran 2:186)

1. Our Lord! Grant us good in this world and good in the life to come and keep us safe from the torment of the Fire (2:201)

2. Our Lord! Bestow on us endurance and make our foothold sure and give us help against those who reject faith. (2:250)

3. Our Lord! Take us not to task if we forget or fall into error. (2:286)

4. Our Lord! Lay not upon us such a burden as You did lay upon those before us. (2:286)

5. Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear, grant us forgiveness and have mercy on us. You are our Protector. Help us against those who deny the truth. (2:286)

6. Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate from the truth after You have guided us, and bestow upon us mercy from Your grace. Verily You are the Giver of bounties without measure. (3:8)

7. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and the lack of moderation in our doings, and make firm our steps and succour us against those who deny the truth. (3:147)

8. Our Lord! Whomsoever You shall commit to the Fire, truly You have brought [him] to disgrace, and never will wrongdoers find any helpers (3:192)

9. Our Lord! Behold we have heard a voice calling us unto faith: "Believe in your Lord" and we have believed. (3:193)

10. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and efface our bad deeds and take our souls in the company of the righteous. (3:193)

11. Our Lord! And grant us that which you have promised to us by Your messengers and save us from shame on the Day of Judgement. Verily You never fail to fulfill Your promise. (3:194)

12. Our Lord! We have sinned against ourselves, and unless You grant us forgiveness and bestow Your mercy upon us, we shall most certainly be lost! (7:23)

13. Our Lord! Place us not among the people who have been guilty of evildoing. (7:47)

14. Our Lord! Lay open the truth between us and our people, for You are the best of all to lay open the truth. (7:89)

15. Our Lord! Pour out on us patience and constancy, and make us die as those who have surrendered themselves unto You. (7:126)

16. Our Lord! Make us not a trial for the evildoing folk, and save as by Your mercy from people who deny the truth (10:85-86)

17. Our Lord! You truly know all that we may hide [in our hearts] as well as all that we bring into the open, for nothing whatever, be it on earth or in heaven, remains hidden from Allah (14:38)

18. Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Your presence and dispose of our affairs for us in the right way. (18:10)

19. Our Lord! Grant that our spouses and our offspring be a comfort to our eyes, and give us the grace to lead those who are conscious of You. (25:74)

20. Our Lord! You embrace all things within Your Grace and Knowledge, forgive those who repent and follow Your path, and ward off from them the punishment of Hell. (40:7)

21. Our Lord! Make them enter the Garden of Eden which You have promised to them, and to the righteous from among their fathers, their wives and their offspring, for verily You are alone the Almighty and the truly Wise. (40:8)

22. Our Lord! Relieve us of the torment, for we do really believe. (44:12)

23. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins as well as those of our brethren who proceeded us in faith and let not our hearts entertain any unworthy thoughts or feelings against [any of] those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness and Most Merciful (59:10)

24. Our Lord! In You we have placed our trust, and to You do we turn in repentance, for unto You is the end of all journeys. (60:4)

25. Our Lord! Perfect our light for us and forgive us our sins, for verily You have power over all things. (66:8)
Courtesy: www.geocities.com/mtia786/Articles/Dua.html

Prayer From Holy Quran

Our Lord We have wronged our own souls: If Thou forgive us not And bestow not upon us Thy Mercy, we shall Certainly be lost 
Source : http://www.sadaqathullah.com/dua.htmlThe Power Of Dua

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