The Best Way to Make Duʿāʾ According to the Sunnah

Question: What is the best way to make du‘āʾ so that it is answered according to the Sunnah?

Summary:

The best way to make du‘āʾ is: That you turn to Allah with sincerity and humility, begin with praising Allah and sending ṣalāh upon the Prophet ﷺ, supplicate with what is proven from the Qur’an and Sunnah, at the proper times, with certainty, avoiding transgression and sin, and with a present heart.

Answer:

In the name of Allah, all praise is due to Allah, and may Peace and Blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)

May Allah bless you. Your question about the best way to make du‘āʾ so that it is answered is one of the most beneficial questions, because du‘āʾ is worship as the Prophet ﷺ said, and it is a means to goodness in this world and the Hereafter if it aligns with what the Shariah has brought.

The best way to make du‘āʾ so that it is answered (in light of the Sunnah and the understanding of the Salaf):

1. Sincerity and Tawḥīd:

    Du‘āʾ is worship, and the du‘āʾ that contains shirk or showing off is not accepted.

    From the Qur'an:

    • Ghafir: 14
      "So call upon Allah with sincere devotion, even to the dismay of the disbelievers."

    From the Scholars:

    • Ibn al-Qayyim said:
      “Du‘āʾ is not accepted except from a pious, humble, sincere heart”

    2. Praising Allah and sending ṣalāh upon the Prophet ﷺ first: It is mentioned in the Sunnah that du‘āʾ begins with: • Praising Allah the Exalted • Sending ṣalāh upon the Prophet ﷺ • Then making du‘āʾ afterwards

    From the Sunnah:

    • Sunan Abī Dāwūd: 1481 and authenticated by al-AlbānīNarrated by Faḍālah ibn ʿUbayd (رضي الله عنه):
      The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) heard a person supplicating during prayer. He did not mention the greatness of Allah, nor did he invoke blessings on the Prophet (ﷺ). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: He made haste. He then called him and said either to him or to any other person: If any of you prays, he should mention the exaltation of his Lord in the beginning and praise Him; he should then invoke blessings on the Prophet (ﷺ); thereafter he should supplicate Allah for anything he wishes.

    3. Supplicating with authentic du‘ās from the Qur’an and Sunnah:

    From the Qur'an:

    • Al-Baqarah: 201
      Yet there are others who say, “Our Lord! Grant us the good of this world and the Hereafter, and protect us from the torment of the Fire.”

    From the Sunnah:

    • Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2722Narrated by Zayd ibn Arqam (رضي الله عنه):
      The Prophet ﷺ said: “...O Allah, grant to my soul the sense of righteousness and purify it, for Thou art the Best Purifier thereof...”
    • Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2721 aNarrated by ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd (رضي الله عنه):
      The Prophet ﷺ said: " O Allah. I beg of Thee the right guidance, safeguard against evils, chastity and freedom from want."

    Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah said: “The legislated du‘āʾ is that which is proven in the Qur’an and Sunnah, and it is more perfect and better than the innovated supplications.” 4. Seeking the times when du‘āʾ is answered: Examples: • In the last third of the night:

    From the Sunnah:

    • Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 1145, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 758 aNarrated by Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
      Allah's Messenger(ﷺ) said, "Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: "Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?"
    • Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī: 212, and authenticated by al-AlbānīNarrated by Anas ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه):
      Allah's Messenger said: "The supplication made between the Adhan and Iqamah is not rejected."

    From the Sunnah:

    • Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 482Narrated Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
      The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself, so make supplication (in this state).
    • Sunan Abū Dāwūd: 1048, and authenticated by al-AlbānīNarrated by Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
      The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Friday is divided into twelve hours. Amongst them there is an hour in which a Muslim does not ask Allah for anything but He gives it to him. So seek it in the last hour after the afternoon prayer"

    5. Presence of heart and certainty in the response:

    From the Sunnah:

    • Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī: 3479, and graded Hasan by al-AlbānīNarrated by Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
      The Prophet ﷺ said: “Call upon Allah while being certain of being answered, and know that Allah does not respond to a supplication from the heart of one heedless and occupied by play.”

    6. Avoiding transgression in du‘āʾ: • Like asking for something impermissible (such as cutting ties of kinship or sin) • Or going to extremes in description or request Allah the Exalted said:

    From the Qur'an:

    • Al-Aʿrāf: 55
      "Call upon your Lord humbly and secretly. Surely He does not like the transgressors."

    7. Avoiding things that prevent the du‘āʾ from being answered: Examples: • Consuming ḥarām • Oppression • Severing family ties

    From the Sunnah:

    • Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1015Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
      The Prophet ﷺ said: "...He then made a mention of a person who travels widely, his hair disheveled and covered with dust. He lifts his hand towards the sky (and thus makes the supplication): "O Lord, O Lord," whereas his diet is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, and his clothes are unlawful and his nourishment is unlawful. How can then his supplication be accepted?"

    And Allah knows best.

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