Supplication in the life of Muslims

Dear brothers and sisters, there is no doubt everyone will go through difficulties and obstacles in their lives, and everyone would have their own method of trying to resolve the issue, some using their senses while others using superstition,  and none of this will help when its mostly needed

However, the weapon that we as Muslims, have been given by Allah SWT, is a spiritual weapon, the Duaa or Supplication as it’s called, and being truthful with ourselves when asking Him for his help.

The dua is a successful weapon that no one can take away from you, and have been told to use it often as Allah SWT loves those who ask of Him.

The imam referenced Sura Al-Ghafir ayat 60 regarding today’s point. It is translated to say:

And your Lord says, “Call upon Me; I will respond to you.” Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.

And Sura Baqarah, ayat 186 which is translated to say:

And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.

Dear brothers and sisters, there is nothing more noble to Allah SWT than supplication. This is advice given to us by the Prophet SAWS and so we ought to make the most of this in our interaction with our Lord.

And alongside that we have been taught that there are times in our lives where the supplication is more potent than others. Some of these were mentioned in the reminder such as during the last third of the night, during the rainfall, when in prostration in prayer to name just a few.

We also need to address the point that is sometimes made of Divine Decree. Some might say that our lives are already pre-planned and that there is little point in supplication for change as the future is already written. This is not the case and this belief is a misconception.

The imam mentioned the following hadith in relation to this point in which the Prophet SAWS said:

Nothing extends one’s life span but righteousness, nothing averts the Divine Decree but supplication, and nothing deprives a man of provision but the sin that he commits.

Dear brothers and sisters, we need to understand that we have a key to success at our disposal and that we are ultimately in control of our own destiny by the power of supplication to Allah SWT.

However, we also need to know that with everything in our deen, there is a method and an etiquette to asking of our Lord and that is the conclusion of today’s reminder.

What concludes then are steps we ought to take to ensure that we supplicate to Allah SWT in the correct manner.

1. We start with a pure intention, by this we aim to ask for good and not bad towards ourselves or anyone else.
2. We begin through humility, we face the Qibla, raise our hands and ask of Allah SWT with full conviction and belief that only He is the one who can answer our supplications.
3. We begin by thanking Allah SWT and for sending salaam upon the Prophet SAWS. There is no more beautiful way than by being grateful for what we have before asking Allah SWT for more.
4. We ask Allah SWT for forgiveness for our shortcomings when asking Him for help and assistance. This only makes sense as we must show we are worthy of what we are asking Him for.
5. We be specific in the duas we ask, not generic duas, speak in the language we are comfortable with and invoke Allah SWT through his 99 names if we know them, in context of what we are asking such as Al-Razzaq for prosperity.

Dear brothers and sisters, this is the manner in which we ought to be seeking help from our Lord. It needs to be given time, attention, care and consideration. After all, this is the direct communication we are having with Allah SWT.

Ask yourself, next time you are doing a supplication. Are you simply running through the motions of doing the act of supplication or are you really feeling like you are stood, as a humble slave, in front of Allah SWT and asking him for His help? This is the level we need to reach if we are to perform this act to the best of our ability.

Alongside that, the act of supplication ought to be backed up by our actions outside of it. Things such as doing good deeds, repeating the supplication often, asking for others as well as for yourself, doing extra acts of worship, acquiring a halal income. All these things have an effect on how our supplications are answered by Allah SWT.

Lastly, we need to be mindful of the fact that our duas are answered. They are answered in one of two ways:

Yes, but not yet. This is then an act of practicing patience and trusting in Allah SWT.

Or no, but something better will be given instead. This is then an act of humility and knowing Allah SWT knows what is better for us than we know ourselves.

We know this because as the imam reminded us, the Prophet SAWS said:

“The supplication of every one of you will be granted if he does not get impatient and say (for example): ‘I supplicated my Rubb but my prayer has not been granted’.”

Dear brothers and sisters, supplication is the biggest blessing we have in this life. Lets perfect its method so that we can take full advantage of it as well as pleasing Allah SWT in being grateful and reliant slaves of His.