During the blessed month of Ramadan, we usually spend our time worshipping Allah through reading the Quran, increasing our voluntary salah such as Taraweeh or Tahajjud and giving more in charity. Subhan’ Allah we have been given the power of du’a, to ask Allah for what we want; and what better month to utilise this opportunity than the month of Ramadan to do this?

Dua is amazing because you are calling directly to Allah, you are having a beautiful intimate conversation with the one created you , asking the almighty for whatever your heart desires. It is good practice as recommended by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to live your life by du’a. Not only to ask Allah for worldly things, but to also be thankful, praise Allah and ask for forgiveness. We are also reminded that Dua itself is a form of worship (as stated in the following hadith):

An-Nu’man bin Bashir (RA) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said,

“Du’a (supplication) is worship.” [Abu Dawud]

1. Praise Allah and our beloved Prophet (PBUH)

Begin with praising Allah and send salutations to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. 

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said. ‘When any one of you have performed salah (prayer) and wants to supplicate, let him begin with praising His Lord (swt) and glorifying Him, then send prayers upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Then he may supplicate for whatever he wishes’ [Tirmidhi]

2. Call out to Allah by his most beautiful names

When making dua try and apply the name of Allah that is most befitting to what you are asking for.

“And Allah’s names are the best names, so call on Him and leave those who violate the sanctity of His Names. They shall be recompensed for what they did.”

[Qur’an 7:180]

So if you want to make a du’a for rizq, then you could say Ya Razzaq (the Provider) or Ya Kareem (the Most Generous), please grant me more rizq in my life. 

For something like marriage you could call out through the name Ya Wadud (the Most Loving) or Ya Wali (the Protecting Friend), please help me find a loving spouse, or please grant me a righteous spouse, or please make my nikah this year a success. 

If you want to make a du’a regarding your deen then you could say Ya Alim (The knowledgeable one) please make reading the Quran easy for me or please help to me start praying salah or learn more about Islam.

If you want to make a du’a for Allah to open opportunities for you, for someone’s heart to soften or open up, for the gates of provision and sustenance to open, the gates of work to open, then you could say Ya Fattah (The opener). 

So, for anything you want in life, find a name of Allah that corresponds to what you are asking for, and then formulate your dua’s based on that.

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Recommended reading

We Can Amplify Our Duas by Learning Allah’s Names

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3. Be in a state of wudu & face the Qibla

To increase your chances of your du’a being accepted, try to make du’a with wudu (ablution), facing the Qibla (both not compulsory but desirable).

Abdullah ibn Zayd said, ‘the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ left (Madinah) to this prayer place, seeking rain. So he made a dua, and asked for rain, then he faced the qiblah and turned his cloak inside-out.’ [Reference: Al-Bukhari: 6343, Muslim: 894]

4. Make dua at key times

Times in which du’a is most likely to be accepted are between the Iqamah and the Adhan, when it is raining, during the hours of Tahajjud, when travelling and when fasting to name a few. There are many opportunities to make dua at favourable times and are fundamental things to remember if you want your dua to be answered. 

Abu Umamah RA reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked: “At what time does the supplication find the greatest response?” He (Prophet Muhammad ﷺ) replied, “A supplication made during the middle of the last part of the night and after the conclusion of the obligatory prayers.” (Tirmidhi)

5. So how I can really get my du’a accepted this Ramadan?

The answer to that is Laylatul Qadr (Night of Power)

Prophet ﷺ said, “Seek the Night of Decree in the odd nights among the last ten nights of Ramadan.” This is a night that can change the entire course of our lives.

Allah swt says in the Quran: 

The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace is until the emergence of dawn. [Quran: 97:3-5]

So, imagine—Laylatul Qadr is the equivalent to 83 years of worship—imagine making du’a every single night of the last ten nights of Ramadan? If you make du’a on all 10 nights then it is bound to be answered?! Allah is As-Sami (The All hearing) so He’s just waiting for you to call out to Him.

This year make it your mission to make as much du’a as you can, make du’a every night of the last ten nights of Ramadan. Allah never says No. It is either yes, yes but later, or I have a better plan for you. So, believe in the power of du’a, think of the impossible. Nothing is too small for the Almighty. Remember you are speaking to the King of Kings, the creator of the heavens and Earth so nothing is too small for Him.

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Recommended Reading

10 Duas to Know for Ramadan and Laylat Al-Qadr

Amaliah Shorts: My Night of Power

Seeking Laylatul Qadr

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6. Believe and know it will be answered

Although it can be very hard and you may lose hope from time to time, having belief in the power of du’a it self is part of that worship. Allah is the most loving and the most merciful, and he never leaves us without listening and answering our dua. To make dua is to believe Allah will answer your dua and we need to have a good opinion of Allah through our asking. Ask Allah to help you to make du’a if you’re really struggling to find the words to say and ask for Allah to help you call our for what you need and want. 

Du’a is truly life changing. Trust and believe. 

May Allah accept all our du’as. May He make all our dreams come true, and may Allah accept all our fasts and good deeds during this blessed month. Ameen Ya Rabb.