Dua, the worship of helplessness
The Prophet ﷺ called dua the essence of worship. The verses that invite us to ask, and the three answers Allah may give.
Outline
- 1
The verb is a command
Allah says: call upon Me, I will answer you (Ghafir 40:60). The whole verse is a command followed by a promise. The one who does not ask is named as arrogant. Asking is not weakness, it is the worship Allah requires.
- 2
Three responses
The Prophet ﷺ said: every Muslim who makes a dua, in which there is no sin or breaking of ties, Allah gives him one of three: He grants it, He stores it for the next life, or He averts an equivalent harm (Ahmad 11149). No dua is wasted.
- 3
Times of acceptance
Last third of the night. Between adhan and iqamah. While prostrating. Last hour of Friday. While fasting, when breaking the fast. While travelling. After the obligatory salah. Place your most needed duas at these times, and you have stacked the response in your favour.
Closing line
Right now, before the next prayer, write down three duas. Carry them with you and ask them at every opportunity this week.
Aisha (RA) reported: the Prophet's ﷺ khutbahs were of moderate length and his prayers were short (Sahih Muslim 869). Aim for fifteen to twenty minutes. Two sections separated by a brief sitting is the Sunnah pattern.