Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
1. When making dua, ask Allah Ta‘ala to bless you with aafiyah (i.e. to bless you with ease in all departments of your life).
عن العباس بن عبد المطلب قال: قلت: يا رسول الله علمني شيئا أسأله الله عز وجل قال: سل الله العافية فمكثت أياما ثم جئت فقلت: يا رسول الله علمني شيئا أسأله الله فقال لي: يا عباس يا عم رسول الله سل الله العافية في الدنيا والآخرة (سنن الترمذي، الرقم: ٣٥١٤)[1]
Hazrat Abbaas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports: I once asked Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), “O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), teach me a (beneficial) dua which I should beg from Allah Ta‘ala.” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “Beg Allah Ta‘ala to bless you with aafiyah (physical and spiritual ease).” After a few days, I again came to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and asked, “O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), teach me a (beneficial) dua which I should beg from Allah Ta‘ala .” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “O Abbaas, O uncle of the Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), beg Allah Ta‘ala to bless you with aafiyah in this world and the aakhirah.”
2. Refrain from consuming haraam or doubtful food and engaging in sins. Consuming haraam and engaging in sins prevents duas from being answered.
عن أبي هريرة قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: أيها الناس إن الله طيب لا يقبل إلا طيبا وإن الله أمر المؤمنين بما أمر به المرسلين فقال: يا أيها الرسل كلوا من الطيبات واعملوا صالحا إني بما تعملون عليم وقال: يا أيها الذين آمنوا كلوا من طيبات ما رزقناكم ثم ذكر الرجل يطيل السفر أشعث أغبر يمد يديه إلى السماء يا رب يا رب ومطعمه حرام ومشربه حرام وملبسه حرام وغذي بالحرام فأنى يستجاب لذلك ( صحيح مسلم، الرقم: ١٠١٥)
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “O people, indeed Allah Ta‘ala is Pure and accepts only that which is pure. Allah Ta‘ala has commanded the believers with the same command that He gave to the Ambiyaa (‘alaihimus salaam). (In regard to the Ambiyaa ‘alaihimus salaam,) Allah Ta‘ala has said, “O Messengers, consume that which is pure and wholesome and perform righteous actions. Indeed, I am all aware of what you do.” (In regard to the believers,) Allah Ta‘ala has mentioned, “O believers, consume from the pure and wholesome foods that We have provided for you.” Thereafter, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) explained the condition of a person undertaking a long, arduous journey. His hair is dishevelled and his clothing is covered in dust. He raises his hands to the sky, crying in supplication saying, “O my Rabb, O my Rabb (help me in my difficulty)!” However, his food and drink are haraam, his clothing is obtained from haraam sources, and his body is nourished with haraam, so how can his duas ever be answered?” (i.e. Despite being in this pitiable plight and condition, his duas are not answered).
3. Do not curse your children while making dua or at any other time. It is possible that your curse may coincide with the time when duas are accepted.
عن جابر بن عبد الله قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: لا تدعوا على أنفسكم ولا تدعوا على أولادكم ولا تدعوا على خدمكم ولا تدعوا على أموالكم لا توافقوا من الله تبارك وتعالى ساعة نيل فيها عطاء فيستجيب لكم (سنن أبي داود، الرقم: ١٥٣٤)[2]
Hazrat Jaabir (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Do not curse yourselves, your children, your slaves, or your wealth. Your curse may coincide with the moment (of acceptance) where if anything is asked of Allah Ta‘ala, it will be granted.”
4. Do not be hasty and impatient for your dua to be accepted and materialise.
عن أنس قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: لا يزال العبد بخير ما لم يستعجل قالوا: يا نبي الله كيف يستعجل قال: يقول دعوت ربي فلم يستجب لي (مسند أحمد، الرقم: ١٣٠٠٨)[3]
Hazrat Anas (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “The servant will remain in the state of goodness so long as he is (pleased with the decree of Allah Ta‘ala and is) not hasty.” The Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) enquired, “O Nabi of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)! What does being hasty refer to?” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “He says, ‘I made dua to my Rabb, but He did not answer my dua.”
5. If one feels that his duas are not being accepted, then he should not lose hope but should continue to make dua to Allah Ta‘ala. He should understand that Allah Ta‘ala knows what is best for each servant and Allah Ta‘ala will grant it to the servant at the appropriate time.
عن أبي سعيد أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: ما من مسلم يدعو بدعوة ليس فيها إثم ولا قطيعة رحم إلا أعطاه الله بها إحدى ثلاث: إما أن تعجل له دعوته وإما أن يدخرها له في الآخرة وإما أن يصرف عنه من السوء مثلها قالوا: إذا نكثر قال: الله أكثر (مسند أحمد، الرقم: ١١١٣٣)[4]
Hazrat Abu Sa’eed Khudri (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Hazrat Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) said, “Whichever Muslim makes dua to Allah Ta‘ala and supplicates to Him, and his dua does not contain any sin (i.e. asking for anything which is impermissible) or the severance of family ties, Allah Ta‘ala will grant him one of three things. Either He will grant him what he had asked for (in this world), or He will keep the reward of the dua for him in the Aakhirah, or He will avert a calamity from him.” The Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) said, “In that case, we will engage in abundant dua.” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “Allah Ta‘ala is the more than everything (i.e. His power and treasures are more than what you ask for).”
[1] وقال الترمذي : هذا حديث صحيح
[2] وقال العلامة المنذري رحمه الله مختصره ٤٤٣/١: وأخرجه مسلم في أثناء حديث جابر الطويل
[3] وقال العلامة المنذري رحمه الله في الترغيب والترهيب، الرقم: ٢٥٥٢: رواه أحمد واللفظ له وأبو يعلى ورواتها محتج بهم في الصحيح إلا أبا هلال الراسبي
[4] وقال العلامة الهيثمي رحمه الله في مجمع الزوائد، الرقم: ١٧٢١٠: رواه أحمد وأبو يعلى بنحوه والبزار والطبراني في الأوسط ورجال أحمد وأبي يعلى وأحد إسنادي البزار رجاله رجال الصحيح غير علي بن علي الرفاعي وهو ثقة
