Salaam!

September 4th - Chapter 9: Factors that Aid a Person's Du'a in Being Answered

Some of these factors have already been mentioned, but they will be listen again here for the sake of benefit.

1. Sincerity

2. To Expect the Best from Allah

The prophet(saw) said that Allah said: "O My servants! If the first of you; if the jinn of you and the men of you were to stand on one plain, and ask Me, and I gave every single person what he wanted, then all of that would not decrease anyhting from My Kingdom, except like a needle (decreases the amount of water) when it is placed in the ocean (and then taken out)

This hadith is an indication of the completeness of Allah's Power and Kingdom.

The Companions understood this concept of expecting the best from Allah. Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra) said: "I am not worried about whether my du'a will be responded to, but , but rather I am worried about whether I will be able to make du'a or not. So if I have been guided (by Allah) then (I know) that the response will come with it)"

3. Doing Good Deeds

Once Anas ibn Malik was asked by someone to make du'a for him. He replied "Verily du'a is raised up (to Allah) by good deeds", indicating that the questioner should strive to do good deeds if he wants his du'as to be answered.

Wahb ibn Munabbih also said "The example of the one who makes du'a without doing any deeds is like the one who tries to shoot without a bow". So the person who wishes to have his du'a responded to should increase the quantity and quality of the good deeds that he does.

4. Fulfilling the Rights of Parents

Umar ibn al-Khattab narrated " I heard the prophet(saw) say: 'There will come to you (a man by the name of) Uways ibn Amir with some people from Yemen....He has a mother to whom he is very dutiful. If he were to swear by Allah, Allah would fulfill his oath. If you are able to ask him to seek your forgiveness, then do so.'"

This hadith shows that being dutiful to one's parents is a cause of one's du'a being accepted, as the reason that Uways' oath was responded to was because of the devotion he used to display to his mother.

(Also the story of the three people in the cave further proves this point as one of them mentioned his good character to his parents as a means of tawassul which is mentioned in a later chapter)

5. To Make Du'a at All Times

6. To Do Extra Voluntary Acts After the Obligatory Ones

When a person increases his voluntary good deeds, such as prayer and fasting and giving charity, then Allah loves him and when Allah loves him all his du'as are answered

7. Repenting From Previous Sins

Sins are one of the factors that prevent a person's du'as from being accepted.
This repentance must be a sincere one, for all the previous sins he has committed, by having sincerity towards Allah, feeling guilty for the sins he has performed, asking for Allah's forgiveness and making a sincere determination not to return to that sin.

8. Having a Humble Appearance

This shows a person's poverty and need of Allah and that he is not concerned with his appearance or looks, but rather about the response to his du'a.

However this does not mean that a person should purposely tear his clothes up before making a du'a. What is meant is that when such a condition exists - the result of factors beyond the control of the person himself - then such a du'a is more likely to be responded to.

9. Making Du'a at Holy Places

Allah has blessed certain places over others, so one of the ways that a person can increase his chances of being answered is by making du'a in these places.

For example, mosques are preferred over houses and likewise the places of Hajj during Hajj time (Mina, Muzdalifah and 'Arafat) etc.

It is important thought not to exaggerate in this regard, by considering places that are not blessed as blessed, such as mosques that are built on graves of famous saints, or have such graves inside them or connected to them.

10. Conforming with the Etiquette of Du'a (mentioned previously:

Ibn al-Qayim said: "If the du'a is combined with the following factors:

- The presence of the heart,and its full concentrations on the du'a

- Making du'a at one of the times of response

- A meek heart in the presence of Allah, full of humbleness and softness

- Facing the qiblah

- In a state of wudu

- Raising one's hands to Allah

- Starting the du'a with the praise of Allah

-Following that up with the salutations on the prophet(saw)

- Preceding the du'a with repentance and seeking forgiveness for past sins

- Preceding the du'a by giving some charity

- Finally, being persistent in asking Allah and calling upon Him in a state of fear and hope and performing tawassul with His Names and Attributes

the this du'a is hardly ever left, but rather responded to.