WHISPERING WITH GOD. Darood & Dua

Whispering With God

Gift-wrap Your ‘Dua’ With Darood!

No Darood, No Acceptance!

 (M. Javed Naseem)

Allah is the Supreme Creator and we are His wonderful creation. 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 (‘Salat’) when he whispers to Him.

Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) said: ‘When you pray (offer Salat) do it as if you are in front of Allah (seeing Him). 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. He declares in the Quran:

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 Salat), he whispers with God’.

Prayer and supplication (‘Dua’) is the only way a person can communicate with God in private and directly without any intermediary. This is the best way of establishing a relationship with Allah and maintaining it.

Your invocation (Dua) reflects your Faith (Iman) and trust in God. It shows how much you count on Him and how sincerely you depend on Him. Allah asked Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) in the Quran to tell the disbelievers or rejecters:

“My Lord pays attention to you only because of your invocation to Him."

قُلْ مَا يَعْبَأُ بِكُمْ رَبِّى لَوْلاَ دُعَآؤُكُمْ

“Say: My Lord would not care for you

were it not for your prayer.”

(al-Quran 25:77)

There are certain times when Dua (supplication) is more likely to be accepted by Allah as mentioned by the Prophet (s.a.w.). Some of these times are mentioned below.

Remember! These times are only ‘recommendations’. The Most Merciful Allah, when He wills, can accept anything, any time, any where!

1. The Last Third of The Night:

Abu Hurairah (r.a.a.) 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).

2. Late Night:

When people are sleeping and busy with worldly pleasures, Allah gives the believers an opportunity or an answer-hour, if they can fight sleep and invoke Allah for whatever they need. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said:

‘There is at night an hour when any Muslim who happens to be asking Allah for any matter of this world or the Hereafter, he will be granted; and this (occurs) every night.'
(Muslim, Hadith No: 757)

3. Between Adhan and Iqamah:

Anas (r.a.a.) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.) said:

‘A supplication (Dua) made between the Adhan (Azan) and Iqama is not rejected’. (Ahmad, Abu Dawood, Hadith No: 521, Tirmidhi, No: 212, Sahih al-Jami, No: 3408, Nasa’ee and Ibn Hibban).

4. An Hour On Friday:

Narrated Abu Hurairah (r.a.a.):

Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.) talked about Friday and said: 'There is an hour on Friday and if a Muslim gets it while offering Salat (prayer) and asks something from Allah, then Allah will definitely meet his demand.' And he (the Prophet, s.a.w.) pointed out the shortness of that particular time with his hands.

(Sahih Bukhari). 

Some say that this hour is from the time the Imam enters the mosque for Friday’s prayer until the prayer is over. Some say that it is between the two Khutbahs (sermons), whereas others say that it is the last hour of the day (i.e., after the Asr (late afternoon) prayer until the Maghrib (sunset) prayer). Allah knows best.

5. While Prostrating (Sajdah):

Abu Hurairah (r.a.a.) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.), said:

‘The nearest a slave can be to his Lord is when he is prostrating (in Sajdah), so invoke (supplicate) Allah much in it’.

(Muslim, Abu Dawood, Nasa’ee, Sahih Jami No: 1175).

When a Muslim is in his Salat (prayer), he is facing Allah and when he prostrates he is the nearest he can be to Allah, so it is best to invoke Allah at this time. It is said that while in prostration, one should not ask for worldly needs (i.e., a house, a car, a new job, etc.), but for the Hereafter.

6. After Obligatory (Fardh) Salat:

Narrated Abu Omamah that Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w.) was asked:

‘O Messenger of Allah! Which supplication is heard by Allah?’

He said the one at the end of the night; and the one after the obligatory (Fardh) prayer’. 

(Tirmidhi).

7. The Night Of ‘Qadr’:

This night is the greatest night of the year. This is the night about which the Almighty Allah said:

لَيْلَةُ ٱلْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِّنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ

"The night of Al-Qadr (Decree) is

better than a thousand months."

(al-Quran 97:3)

The Night of Qadr is one of the odd nights of the last ten nights of the blessed month of Ramadan. The angels descend down to the earth, and the earth is overwhelmed with peace and serenity when the doors of Paradise are opened, until the break of dawn. The worshipper is encouraged to turn to Allah to ask for Forgiveness, Mercy and Blessings for this world and the Hereafter.

8. Dua after Tashahud and Darood:

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

After a person has finished his Tashahhud (at-tahiyyat…), and before he/she says the 'Salam', supplication at this time is most likely answered.

Darood (Blessings):

(Darood: Allahuma salli ala Seyyidina Muhammadin …)
Darood is like a gift-wrap! You are supplicating Allah, the Almighty; you are sending Him a request; and you are asking Him for mercy and forgiveness, so it is only befitting that you wrap your request in a beautiful and attractive packing. And there is no better gift-wrap (packing) than Darood. Allah and His angels send their blessings via Darood on the Prophet (s.a.w.) and Allah commands all Muslims in the Quran that they should also do the same:

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلاَئِكَـتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّ

يٰأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ صَلُّواْ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُواْ تَسْلِيماً
“Allah and His angels send blessings on the

Prophet. O you who believe! Send blessings

on him, and salute him with all respect.”

(al-Quran 33:56)

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 (Darood) on the Prophet (s.a.w), then started praying for myself. At this point, 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).

In the chapter ‘Whispering With God’ of my book “The Way (Sunnah) of The Prophet (s.a.w.)”, I have mentioned 33 occasions when the supplication (Due) is considered to be more acceptable to Allah. Remember! These are only the recommendations of the scholars. Allah can accept any Dua, any where at any time. Allah knows best!

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