FAVORITE DUAS OF THE PROPHET (S.A.W.)

Some Favorite 'Duas' of

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.)

(Excerpts from: "The Way (Sunnah) of The Prophet, s.a.w.", Chapter: Whispering With God)

(M. Javed Naseem)

                                 

Man cannot see his Creator, Allah, nor can he talk to Him face to face (until the Judgment Day). The closest he can get is during the prayer (‘Salaat’) when he whispers to Him. Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) said: ‘When you pray (offer Salaat) do it as if you are in front of Allah. And if you cannot achieve that level, then imagine that He is watching you’.

Allah is the Supreme Creator and the Controller of the heavens and the earth (and whatever is between them). Every living thing in the universe glorifies Allah’s name.

أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ

وَٱلأَرْضِ وَٱلطَّيْرُ صَآفَّاتٍ كُلٌّ قَدْ عَلِمَ صَلاَتَهُ

وَتَسْبِيحَهُ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا يَفْعَلُونَ

“See you not that it is Allah Whose praises all beings

in the heavens and on earth do celebrate, and the

birds (in the air) with wings outspread? Each one

knows its own (mode of) prayer and praise.

And Allah knows well all that they do”.

(al-Quran 24:41)

In another Hadith, Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) said: ‘When a man  prays (offers Salaat), he whispers with God’. Prayer and supplication (‘Dua’) is the only way a person can communicate with God in private and in person.

Your invocation (Dua) means your Faith (Iman). And Allah said:

قُلْ مَا يَعْبَأُ بِكُمْ رَبِّى لَوْلاَ دُعَآؤُكُمْ

فَقَدْ كَذَّبْتُمْ فَسَوْفَ يَكُونُ لِزَاماً

"Say (O Muhammad to the disbelievers):

My Lord pays attention to you only

because of your invocation to Him."

(al-Quran.25:77)

                           

The most beautiful names belong to Allah and He should be invoked by those names so that we are blessed and have mercy on us all. Allah has commanded us in the Quran:

وَللَّهِ ٱلأَسْمَآءُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ فَٱدْعُوهُ بِهَا وَذَرُواْ ٱلَّذِينَ

يُلْحِدُونَ فِيۤ أَسْمَآئِهِ سَيُجْزَوْنَ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ

“Allah's are the fairest names. Invoke Him

by them. And leave the company of those

who blaspheme His names. They will be

requited what they do”.

(al-Quran 7:180)

We are Allah’s creation and we should pray Him alone; beg Him alone for guidance, help and Mercy. It is ONLY Allah’s right on us and we are obligated to fulfill it. We CANNOT give this right to any human being - whether a prophet, a saint, a sheikh, a wali-Allah, a peer/murshid, a sa’een-baba or anybody else. In every Salaat, when we recite Surah al-Fatihah, we pledge to Allah (take oath) by declaring:

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

“You alone we worship;

you alone we ask for help”.

(al-Quran 1:5)

                          

How can we then go to other sources (saints or Mazars) to seek help? That’s ‘Munafiqat’ (hypocrisy) and ‘shirq’. Soon after the Salaat we start disobeying Allah as if our oath or declaration of faith means nothing!

فَلاَ تَدْعُ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَـٰهاً آخَرَ فَتَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُعَذَّبِينَ

“Therefore, invoke not with Allah another

god, lest you be one of the doomed”.

(al-Quran 26:213)

وَأَنَّ ٱلْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلاَ تَدْعُواْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَداً

"And the places of worship are for Allah (alone);

so invoke not any one along with Allah”.

(al-Quran 72:18)

Respecting a saint is another thing but praying at his feet is Shirk and it is not allowed. For praying to Allah and invoking Him for Mercy, we don’t need to go anywhere, any shrine, any tomb or grave, or to any ‘Sa’een-Baba’. In the privacy of our home, we can talk to Allah and pray to him for help and mercy, any time. It is more convenient and free of Shirk.

Paradise is the property of Allah and He alone grants it to His faithful slaves. He has told us in the Quran, at many places, that it is our ‘good deeds’ coupled with His mercy that will earn us the Paradise, nothing else. Any man-made promise of ‘Paradise Gate’ or ‘Jannati/Bahishti Darwazah’ is a LIE with no guarantee. Don’t let the ignorance (‘Jahalat’) fool you!

Allah is the most Merciful. Every time we repent and ask for His forgiveness, He forgives us. At that time we should invoke Him with Dua.

There are certain times when Dua (supplication) is more likely to be accepted by Allah as mentioned by The Prophet (s.a.w.). (Please read chapter: ‘Whispering With God’ of my latest book, “The Way – Sunnah – of The Prophet, s.a.w.” on this blog.) The best of those times is the one mentioned by Allah in the Holy Quran and practiced by Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) – before Fajr: 

The Last Third of The Night:

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.) said: 'In the last third of every night our Rabb (Cherisher and Sustainer – Allah) descends to the lowest heaven and says: "Who is calling Me, so that I may answer him? Who is asking Me so that I may  grant him? Who is seeking forgiveness from Me so that I may forgive him?."' (al-Bukhari, Hadith Qudsi).

Amr Ibn Absah narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said: ‘The closest any worshipper can be to his Lord is during the last part of the night, so if you can be amongst those who remember Allah at that time, then do so.” (Tirmidhi, Nasa’ee, Hakim).

Dua and Darood:

Another popular time for supplication (Dua) is at the end of prayer (Salat), after Tashahud (or At-tahiyyat…) before Salam.

Narrated Faddalah ibn Ubayd: The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said: “When anyone of you makes Dua, let him start by glorifying his Lord and praising Him (Allah); then let him send blessings upon the Prophet, s.a.w. (Darood); then let him pray for whatever he wants.” (Abu Dawood, No:1481, Tirmidhi, No:3477).

Dua Without Darood:

In another Hadith, Baqiy ibn Mukhallid narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said: “Every Dua is not responded to until one sends blessings upon the Prophet (s.a.w.)”. (Bayhaqi).

No Darood, No Acceptance:

In another Hadith, Umar bin Khattab (r.a.a.) narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said: “Dua is detained between the heavens and the earth and no part of it is taken up until you send blessings upon

your Prophet (s.a.w.)”. (Tirmidhi, No. 486).

Darood (Blessings):

(Darood: Allahuma salli ala Seyyidina Muhammadin wa ala …)
Ibn Masud narrated: “I was once praying, and the Prophet (s.a.w.), Abu Bakr (r.a.a.) and Umar (r.a.a.) were all present. When I sat down (in the final Tashahhud, I praised Allah, then sent Salams on the Prophet, s.a.w. (Darood), then started praying for myself. At this, the Prophet (s.a.w.) said: Ask and you shall be given it! Ask, and you shall be given it!” (Tirmidhi, No.593, Mishkat al-Misbah, No. 931).

Popular ‘Duas’ of the Prophet (s.a.w.)

There are many supplications (Duas) Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) used to recite during his night prayer. There are books written on this subject and many websites offer ‘Prophetic Duas’. Those Duas are countless. Here’s just a few of them:

Hadith No.1:

The most frequent invocation of the Prophet (s.a.w.) was: ‘O Allah! Give to us in the world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire’. (al-Quran 2:201), (Bukhari, Book 80, No.84).

 

اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً، وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً، وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

Hadith No.2:

Narrated Abu Huraira: “Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.) said: Whoever says: ‘Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi’, one hundred times a day, all of his sins will be forgiven, even if they were as much as the foam of the sea.” (Bukhari, Book 80, No.100).

سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ

Hadith No.3:

(Bukhari, Book 80, No.101)

Narrated Abu Huraira: “The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: There are two expressions which are very easy for the tongue to say, but they are very heavy in the balance and are very dear to the Beneficent (Allah), and they are:

 سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَبِحَمْدِهِ 

Hadith No.4:

(Bukhari, Book 80, No.98)

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.) said: “Whoever recites the following Dua one hundred times, will get the same reward as given for freeing ten slaves; and one hundred good deeds will be written in his account, and one hundred sins will be remitted from him; and it will be a shield for him from Shaitan on that day till night; and nobody will be able to do a better deed except the one who does more than he”.

لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ، وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ، وَهْوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

Hadith No.5:

(Bukhari, Book 80, No.94)

Narrated Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari: The Prophet (s.a.w.) used to invoke Allah by reciting the following Dua:

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي خَطِيئَتِي وَجَهْلِي وَإِسْرَافِي فِي أَمْرِي، وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي،

 اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي هَزْلِي وَجِدِّي وَخَطَاىَ وَعَمْدِي، وَكُلُّ ذَلِكَ عِنْدِي

Hadith No.6:

(Bukhari, Book 80, No.73)

Narrated Aayesha (r.a.a.): “The Prophet (s.a.w.) used to seek refuge with Allah (by saying): "O Allah! I seek refuge with You from the affliction of the Fire and from the punishment in the Fire, and seek refuge with You from the affliction of the grave, and I seek refuge with You from the affliction of wealth, and I seek refuge with You from the affliction of poverty, and seek refuge with You from the affliction of Al-Masih Ad-Dajjal."

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ النَّارِ وَمِنْ عَذَابِ النَّارِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ

 مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْقَبْرِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ

 فِتْنَةِ الْغِنَى، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْفَقْرِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ

Hadith No.7:

Narrated Ibn Abbas: “The Prophet (s.a.w.) used to invoke Allah at the time of distress with this Dua: (Bukhari, Book 80, No.42).

لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ

 رَبُّ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ، رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ

Hadith No.8:

(Bukhari, Book 80, No.4)

Narrated Abu Huraira: “I heard Allah's Messenger (s.a.w.) saying: “By Allah! I ask for forgiveness from Allah and turn to Him in repentance (‘Astaghfir-uh Allah’) more than seventy times a day."

استغفر اللہ

Hadith No.9:

Narrated Shaddad bin Aus: “The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: This Dua is the most superior way of asking for forgiveness from Allah:

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ، خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ، وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ

 وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ، أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ، أَبُوءُ لَكَ

 بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَىَّ وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي، فَاغْفِرْ لِي، فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ

The Prophet (s.a.w.) added. "If somebody recites it during the day with firm faith in it, and dies on the same day before the evening, he will be from the people of Paradise; and if somebody recites it at night with firm faith in it, and dies before the morning, he will be from the people of Paradise." (Bukhari, Book 80, No.3).

Hadith No. 10:

Narrated Abu Huraira: “Allah's Messenger (s.a.w.) said, "For every prophet there is one special invocation (that will not be rejected) with which he appeals (to Allah), and I want to keep such an invocation for interceding for my followers in the Hereafter". (Bukhari, Book 80, No.1).

                                  

Hadith No. 11:

Narrated Anas: “The Prophet (s.a.w.) said: For every prophet there is an invocation that surely will be responded by Allah," (or said), "For every prophet there was an invocation with which he appealed to Allah, and his invocation was accepted (in his lifetime), but I kept my (this special) invocation to intercede for my followers on the Day of Resurrection". (Bukhari, Book 80, No.2).

Here’s what Rumi says about the night-prayer:

THE VIGIL

Don’t go to sleep one night.

What you most want will come to you then.

Warmed by a sun inside, you’ll see wonders.

Tonight, don’t put your head down.

Be tough, and strength will come.

That which adoration adores, appears at night.

Those asleep may miss it.

One night Moses stayed awake

And asked, and saw a light in a tree.

Then he walked at night for ten years,

Until finally he saw the whole tree illuminated.

Muhammad rode his horse through the night-sky.

The day is for work. The night for love.

Don’t let someone bewitch you.

Some people sleep at night. But not lovers.

They sit in the dark and talk to God, who told David:

‘Those who sleep all night every night

And claim to be connected to us, they lie.’

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