Du‘as

The Conditions of the Acceptance of Du‘ā

Sometimes we find ourselves asking why our du‘ās are not accepted. There could be a number of reasons for this. The Prophet ﷺ has mentioned in his aḥādīth the following reasons:

1. Not paying attention whilst making du‘ā

2. Consuming ḥarām

3. Asking for impermissible things

4. Being impatient by saying, “I made du‘ā but it wasn’t accepted.”

How Du‘ās are Accepted

If we find that t...

Imām Muslim and the Imāms of the four Sunan, Abū Dāwūd, An-Nasā’ī, At-Tirmidhī and Ibn Mājah رحمهم الله all narrate a ḥadīth in which S‘ad ibn Abī Waqqāṣ رضي الله عنه reports that the Prophet ﷺ said:

Whoever says upon hearing the Mu’adh-dhin:

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، رَضِيتُ بِاللهِ رَبًّا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولًا، وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا

Ash-hadu al-l...

Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنه narrates that when the Prophet ﷺ would hear the sound of thunder and [see] lightning, he would say:

اللَّهُمَّ لَا تَقْتُلْنَا بِغَضَبِكَ، وَلَا تُهْلِكْنَا بِعَذَابِكَ، وَعَافِنَا قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ

Allā-hum-ma lā taq-tul-nā bi ghaḍa-bik, wa-lā tuh-lik-nā bi ‘adhā-bik, wa ‘ā-finā qab-la dhā-lik

Trans: “O Allāh! do not kill us due to Your wrath, do not destroy us through Your punishment, and grant us safety befo...

Jābir ibn ‘Abdillāh رضي الله عنهما narrates that once a person came into the company of the Prophet ﷺ and said, “My sins, my sins!”

So the Prophet ﷺ said to him, “Say:

اللّهُمَّ مَغْفِرَتُكَ أَوْسَعُ مِنْ ذُنُوْبِـيْ، وَرَحْمَتُكَ أَرْجَى عِنْدِيْ مِنْ عَمَلِيْ

Al-lā-hum-ma magh-fira-tuka aw-sa’u min dhu-nū-bī, wa rah-ma-tu-ka ar-jā ‘in-dī min ‘Ama-lī

‘O Allāh! Your forgiveness is vaster than my sins, and your mercy is more encomp...

In addition to the various du‘ās that can be said whilst performing Sa‘ī, one can also recite:

رَبِّ اغْفِرْ وَارْحَمْ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْأَعَزُّ الْأَكْرَمُ

‘Rab-bigh fir war-ḥam in-naka an-tal a‘az-zul ak-ram’

Trans: ‘O My Lord! Forgive [me] and have mercy [upon me], for verily you are the Most Mighty and the Most Honourable.’

The great Ṣaḥābī, ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd رضي الله عنه would say the above between Aṣ-Ṣafā and Al-Marwah.[1...

‘Ā’ishah رضي الله عنها narrates, “I said to the Prophet ﷺ, ‘O Messenger of Allāh! If I was to come to know what night Laylat-al-Qadr fell upon, what should I ask Allāh in it?’

He replied, ‘Say:

اللَّهُمَّ إنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ العَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي

Allā-hum-ma in-naka ‘afuw-wun tu-ḥib-bul ‘af-wa fa‘fu ‘an-nī

Translation: O Allāh! You are very pardoning, you love to pardon, so pardon for me [my sins].’”[1]

[1] At-Tirmidhī

حَدَّثَن...

Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet ﷺ once took hold of his hand and said: “O Mu‘ādh! By Allāh, I love you, by Allāh, I love you; O Mu‘ādh! I advise you: never forget to say after each Ṣalāh:

اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ، وَشُكْرِكَ، وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ

‘Allā-hum-ma a‘in-nī ‘alā dhik-rika wa shuk-rika wa ḥusni ‘ibā-datik’

Translation: ‘O Allāh! Assist me in your remembrance, in your gratitude, and in th...

Imām An-Nasa‘ī رحمه الله has narrated a ḥadīth on the authority of ‘Ā’ishah رضي الله عنها that the Prophet ﷺ would recite the following when it would rain:

اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ صَيِّبًا نَافِعًا

“Allāhum-maj ‘al-hu ṣay-yiban nā-fi‘an”

“O Allāh, make it a fruitful rainfall”

Ibn Mājah رحمه الله has narrated the same hadith with a slight difference:

اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ صَيِّبًا هَنِيئًا

“Allāhum-maj ‘al-hu ṣay-yiban hanī’an”

“O Allāh,...