ETIQUETTE OF SUPPLICATIONS (DUA)
ETIQUETTE OF SUPPLICATIONS
by Imam Shamsudeen Qasimi
Assalamu Alaikum respected and honourable elders, brothers and sisters!
Allah (GBTH), the most Beneficent, the most Merciful has made mankind's potential, talent and effort to be the basis for one's advancement in life. A man can succeed in anything only if he put his efforts. Allah (GBTH) has framed certain rules to succeed in our life. i.e., A man can achieve his goal only if he uses his talent and potential in a proper way. Hence, Allah (GBTH) will not give success for those who desire for success in their life without using their potential, talent, calibre and effort that's been given to them. Allah (GBTH) has made our worldly life in such a way.
Allah (GBTH) says about in His Holy Quran,
“ A man gets reward for what effort he puts in”.
In another verse, Allah (GBTH) says that,
“ The mankind will get reward in the hereafter only for what good deeds he has done in the world”.
Therefore, it is clear from the above verses that, a man has to put in more effort and potential to achieve his goal no matter if it is worldly goal or the goal of reaching jannah in the hereafter. Allah (GBTH) has made this rule clear through His Holy Quran and His messenger Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh). When a man thinks that he has achieved something in his life only by his potential and efforts, then it will mislead him towards satanic thoughts of “pride and arrogance”. Even there are high chances for him to forget about Allah (GBTH). This will not happen only to mankind but Allah (GBTH) has made to happen it for satan also. The satan was appointed initially as the leader of angels in heaven by Allah (GBTH) considering his intelligence and talent. But, satan was so proud and arrogant that he had achieved this position only by his potential and effort. We all know about his condition very well because of this pride and arrogance. Allah (GBTH) says that, in order to protect mankind from these satanic thoughts, it is very much important to have strong belief towards Him besides one's belief towards their potential, talent and effort to achieve things in life. We cannot achieve anything just by having belief towards Allah (GBTH). We cannot be idle by having belief that Allah (GBTH) will give us everything.
One of the companions of Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh) came to him and said that, “ Ya Rasoolallah!, On hearing your preaches, I have gained a strong belief towards Allah (GBTH) in such a way that I don't even tie my camel now a days. I thought that, let the camel come to my home if Allah (GBTH) wants. But, Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh) neither accepted this action nor rejected. Prophet (Pbuh) didn't praise that sahaba for having just a strong belief towards Allah (GBTH) with no action. Instead he said, “Have belief in Allah (GBTH), but show actions through your effort. Don't have belief in Allah (GBTH) for actions also. Keep trust with Allah (GBTH) but actions within you. Tie your camel and then have trust in Allah(GBTH).”
From the above hadith, Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh) has given us a beautiful advice to his ummath that,“It is not only important that we should believe in Allah (GBTH) but also there is equal importance for our potential and effort.”
We will be mislead if one of them has dominated the other. If one's trust towards Allah (GBTH) is more than his effort, then he will not achieve his goal. Similarly, if one's trust towards his effort is more than his trust on Allah (GBTH), then also he will not achieve his goal. One will be misled in both the above cases.
In order to concentrate equally on both, Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh) taught his ummath a separate ibadah like prayer, fasting, zakat, hajj, reciting quran and dhikrs. He also said that particular ibadah is a very important ibadah among all and also basis for other ibadahs. What is that Ibadah? That is called as “Dua or Supplication” towards Allah (GBTH). Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh) pointed out that, “The 'dua' which we are request to Allah (GBTH) is also an “ibadah”. He also said that, “Dua is a Mukkhul Ibadah”. 'Mukkhul' in arabic means basis for anything like basement for building. So, here dua is the basis for all other ibadahs. Allah (GBTH) protects mankind from pride, arrogance and ego through this dua. Also dua helps mankind to have strong belief in Allah (GBTH). As we put more effort and potential, as per Prophet Mohamed's (Pbuh) advice, we also must ask dua from Allah (GBTH) with strong belief and thakwa. Then only that dua will protect us from satanic characters like pride and arrogance.
We are all thinking that we know to ask dua very well since we are asking it often after 5 daily prayers and at other times. Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh) taught a procedure to ask dua. We should inspect ourselves first whether we are following that procedure in asking dua. How many of us are asking dua properly? Many of us are telling, what hajrath? I am asking dua daily, but it is not fulfilled. Have we ever thought about why our duas are not fulfilled? Have we all ever thought about whether Allah (GBTH) has created any obstacles behind unfulfilled duas? Or Have we ever thought about the reasons that Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh) mentioned behind unfulfilled duas? Have we ever tried to remove the obstacle if we know it and then asked duas? No! Many of us are asking dua just as formality like giving petition to ministers. That minister will not even look into the petition and will throw it into the bin. If that is the situation, will Allah (GBTH) fulfil these kind of duas?
Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh) said 3 conditions in asking dua. They are,
First Condition : We should have strong belief that Allah (GBTH) will definitely fulfil our dua. If we ask dua with that strong belief, then why there is need to go to hajrath for asking dua? Hajrath will read something in arabic and we will say ameen for that. Why is this situation? Because we have made dua as formality. Let it be marriage, death, business, agriculture or journey we are giving some Rs.50 or 100 to hajrath to ask dua. He will ask dua and members of the family in that home will say ameen. This is our situation now. But, we should keep in mind that this dua is like giving petition to minister. How this dua will be fulfilled when someone asks dua for us and we say ameen for that? We should have strong faith and make dua wholeheartedly asking Allah (GBTH) that He must give. Without this faith, how our dua will be fulfilled? If we are opening a shop, we are not thinking to start it of with praying 2 rakaths and asking dua wholeheartedly, instead we are calling hajrath and making him to ask dua. But we are expecting good business from the next minute, and want Allah's (GBTH) barakath to be bestowed on us more and more. How is this possible if we ask dua like giving petition to a minister? So, this dua will also go to bin like how minister throws the petition into the bin. Therefore, we must ask dua wholeheartedly with strong belief saying “ Ya Allah! You have to fulfil my dua since no other can do. You must only fulfil my dua”. We must ask dua with full rights and full trust. This is the first condition in asking dua. We should not ask dua casually, doubting on it's fulfilment and at the same time thinking of the other way in case if it is not fulfilled. So, the trust, belief is very important while asking dua.
Second Condition : The food we are eating, dress we are wearing and our life style should be halal. Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh) said that Allah (GBTH) will fulfil the dua of a traveller in journey even when he is looking dull and dirty. At the same time, he said that, many travellers with a dirty look will ask for dua and will cry “Ya Rabbi! Ya Rabbi” but, Allah (GBTH) will not answer their dua since the food they eat and the dress they wear are not from halal earnings.
Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh) asked how will Allah (GBTH) fulfil if it is haram.
Now, we have to think on whether we are careful about whether we are having halal food while eating outside. That may be in the shops or the treats given by friends or the feast of our neighbours or the dresses gifted by someone. How many of us are drinking tea offered by our friends with the thought whether he is earning in halal way or not? Unless and until we look for halal in anything we eat, that food will not be halal for us. We may ask, how is it possible to look for halal in everything we eat? Our friend is offering tea or food only sometimes, how can we ask for their business, earnings and accounts before that? There is one proverb in Urdu, “You can give thousands of reasons if you don't like anything.” If we like something, we will adjust or else we will tell many reasons to avoid it. If know about someone or his business, then no problem. But, if we doubt on someone's business, then we must avoid that situation of having tea or other things.
Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh) said that “ if Halal and haram are clear, no problem. But there are some situations in between both. If we are in doubt about halal and haram in something, it is better for our thakwa to neglect that”. If we ask dua having that thakwa with us, then it will be fulfilled.
Third condition : One shouldn't be in urgency while asking dua. We are thinking that we must have 4 customers at shop after asking dua for it. We expect our dua to be fulfilled before leaving masjid. We expect gold coins in our right and left pocket after making dua. We are showing these kind of urgency while making dua.
Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh) said that,“One's dua will be fulfilled until he is not urgent about it”.
We are expecting that everything should happen immediately. That's why, one keeps on asking dua but without patience he is getting satanic thinking like going to bava for further request. Satan will change his mind by saying, “Don't ask to Allah (GBTH) alone. What did you get from Him? Go to bava and dargas.” Hence, he is going there and pleading in front of bava in darga. He thinks that he has asked to Allah (GBTH) for enough but He didn't answer, that's why to bava. Now, satan will lead him to another sin called Shirk. Since the man is in urgency and looking for remedies some or other way, he will do whatever satan wishes him to do. So, satan will make him to go to astrologer. Then, he will go for all kind of astrologies.
Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh) said that, “When a mu'meen goes to an astrologer and believes whatever he tells, then that mu'meen is equal to the kafir who doesn't believe my deen”.
The astrologer here can be a muslim or non-muslim. He is not fearing for these warnings as he is in urgent to get his things done. He just wants his wishes and desires to be fulfilled in some or the other way. These kind of urgencies are only making him to go to kabrusthan, astrologer and finally lead him to do shirk. That's why Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh) said not to be hurry about fulfilment of duas.
We may think now then what is the solution if Allah (GBTH) doesn't answer our dua. We are thinking that it is equal to asking some item in one shop and going to other shop if it is not available. Or else like going to another person for help if the former one has not helped.
But Allah (GBTH) says about this in Holy Quran in Surah Al-Naml, verse no: 62,
اَمَّنۡ يُّجِيۡبُ الۡمُضۡطَرَّ اِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكۡشِفُ السُّوۡٓءَ وَيَجۡعَلُكُمۡ خُلَفَآءَ الۡاَرۡضِ ؕ ءَاِلٰـهٌ مَّعَ اللّٰهِ ؕ قَلِيۡلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُوۡنَ ؕ
Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls on Him, and Who removes the evil, and makes you inheritors of the earth, generations after generations? Is there any ilâh (god) with Allâh? Little is that you remember! (62)
So, will Allah (GBTH) does not fulfil the dua when asked by a mu'meen? Definitely not.
Prophet Mohamed said that, Allah (GBTH) will answer one's dua in three ways, Allah (GBTH) will give whatever one has asked for. Allah (GBTH) will not give what one asked in his dua but will protect him from some big danger which he doesn't know of.
For example : If one has asked dua for improvement and development in his business, then Allah (GBTH) would not fulfil that. Instead, He will protect that man from the loss that he has to be incurred. But that man will not know that he is going to get that loss. Allah (GBTH) knows the best.
Sometimes, we used to comment on some actions that it was done only by Allah (GBTH). Allah (GBTH) has saved within a few second other wise the lorry would have dashed over me. Do these kind of miracles are happening often in our life or not? Sometimes, we used to wonder on how things has smoothen when we were thinking it as tough. That is because of some other dua we have asked. We may not know it. We will think that Allah (GBTH) is not answering our duas. But, we will not understand that it has been answered in some other way. Satan will not make one to recognise that and will lead him towards shirk & sins.
3) Allah (GBTH) will not give neither he has asked for nor the other helps. But since a mu'meen has asked dua, Allah (GBTH) will arrange a huge reward for that dua in the hereafter.
Now, we will be confused which one is best for us. Does offering the one which we asked or does protecting us from danger or else arranging reward in the hereafter? How do we know the best option?
Allah (GBTH) says that,
“You will desire for something but it will be danger for you. You may not wish for something, but it will be very useful for you. Only Allah (GBTH) knows which is good and which is bad for you. You may not know it”.
What explanation do we all need beyond this? But, because of our greediness and urgency, we are going to other sources beyond Allah (GBTH). The satan is always ready to mislead us. One might have asked dua to Allah (GBTH) many times and would think that it is not answered. So he may go to darga and other places. If his dua is fulfilled, he will think that bava is bigger than Allah (GBTH). Satan will not only show us that dua has been answered after going to darga, kabrusthan, bava, astrologer and Awliya but also even after going to Hindu temples or churches. Satan doesn't care about going to temples or churches or dargas but his aim is that we should not believe in Allah (GBTH).
We must keep in mind all the above said disciplinary procedures in asking dua in order to make our dua as a beautiful ibadah and accepted by Allah (GBTH).
Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh) said that the dua will not be rejected by Allah (GBTH) in 2 situations. Dua after Fardh Prayer. Dua after midnight prayer called “Tahajath”.
How many of us are asking dua after Fardh prayer wholeheartedly? We are rushing to shops after prayer without asking dua properly. When a man cries and makes dua for long time, then it is a symptom of an increase in his thakwa and emergence of other good deeds in him. Therefore, not only prayer is an ibadah but also dua. But, now a days we have made it as a formality like giving petition to minister. We are expecting hajrath to ask dua and just will tell ameen. Hajrath would have 8 children and he will ask dua that he doesn't need any child after that. But, the one in the jamath who is newly married will say ameen for this. Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh) hasn't taught us to say ameen if hajrath ask dua for all of us. There is no evidence that Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh) asked dua loudly and sahabas saying ameen for it. Then why did we make it as a formality? Dua after Fardh prayer is very sacred and we must ask this dua wholeheartedly keeping our wishes in mind. This is the sign for fulfilment of dua. Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh) said, “ When a man asks dua in midnight prayer i.e., Tahajath prayer, it is answered by Allah (GBTH)”. He has also said that, when a man asks dua to Allah (GBTH) wholeheartedly despite of the efforts and potential he has put in, then only the satanic thoughts of pride and arrogance will not accompany us. Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh) said that, “ if one recites the following dua after Fardh prayer properly, then his sins will be obliterated even if they are equal to the extent of the foam of the ocean” in order to create belief towards Allah (GBTH).
The dua is “Ya Allah! Whatever you have decided to give cannot be stopped by anyone and whatever you have decided to stop cannot be given by anyone. No one's effort will succeed until You wish”.
Therefore, let us all give importance for dua. We should not ask dua just for ourself. Prophet Mohamed (Pbuh) said that, “When a mu'meen ask dua for another mu'meen, then Allah (GBTH) will give reward for all the good deeds they do”.
So, making dua is a wonderful ibadah. If we fulfil that ibadah properly knowing its procedures and importance, then we will get good deeds from Allah (GBTH). May Allah (GBTH) bless us to make dua as mentioned above and also bless us with answering our duas.
|
ஜூம்மா உரை நேரடி ஒளிபரப்பு!இன்ஷா அல்லாஹ், ஒவ்வொரு வெள்ளிகிழமையும் பிற்பகல் 12.30 மணியிலிருந்து. காணத்தவறாதீர்கள்!!
Comments