What’s A Dua?
I’m sure most of the people reading this already know what a dua is in Islam. Still, I know a lot of new Muslims come to this website, so I’m going to give a quick definition.
The word “dua” comes from the Arabic root word da-’a-wa (dal-’ayn-waw). A simple translation means “to call.”
Photo courtesy Kelantan Jottings
Islamically, dua means to make an informal prayer to Allah. A formal prayer is the Salaah, which has structured movements and sayings. But a dua is informal meaning there’s no absolute structure and nothing that absolutely must be said.
Dua means a person is calling upon Allah.
Reasons For Making Dua
Muslims make dua for just about anything and everything. In fact, a lot of our daily speech is filled with duas.
For instance:
- When we recite Surah Al-Fatihah, we’re making dua.
- When we say “As-Salaamu Alaikum” and respond with “Wa Alaikum Salaam” we’re making dua.
- When we make Istikhaarah for decisions, we’re making dua.
There’s no escaping making dua as a Muslim. And this is a great thing because Allah loves it when we call upon Him. Calling upon Allah shows that we’re humble, and that we need Him, and that we know we are helpless without Him.
Allah doesn’t need us to make dua; instead it is we who need to make dua to Allah.
And there’s almost no limit to the things you can make dua for. So long as what you’re asking for is halaal (permissible) and good, you can make dua to Allah for whatever you need and want.
Technically speaking, you can make dua for bad things also. You can make dua against another person asking for some harm to come to them. But this is not a good thing and will probably hurt you more in the long run.
The best dua is “Alhamdulillah” or “All praises and thanks are for Allah.” This is a dua that praises Allah. So we should say this as often as possible.
And when we make dua for other Muslims, the angels make the same dua for us. That’s why we should always keep other people in our duas and refrain from making duas asking for harm against others.
Dua Requests
I get a lot of dua requests at this website. I don’t mind the requests, and I do try to fulfill them when they come. But you should know that I’m not a particularly outstanding Muslim. I try to do the best I can, but I make mistakes just like you do.
Some of my sins might be bigger than yours, and some may not. Only Allah knows that.
But it is okay to ask others to make dua for you. If you believe a certain Muslim is pious and is closer to Allah than you are, then you may ask them to make dua on your behalf. This does not mean you don’t have to make dua also. What this means is that perhaps you may have someone who Allah is more willing to listen asking for you.
The Greatest Dua In The World
A few people have asked me to teach them a really powerful dua to take care of all of their problems. I know a lot of duas that are supposed to help with many different problems.
But I don’t know of any “one dua to rule them all” type thing (any Lord Of The Rings fans out there?)
Well, actually I do know something like this.
There is one dua you can make…and it is the greatest dua in the world.
Are you ready for it?
The greatest dua in all the world is…
The dua that comes from the heart.
This is a dua that is unique. No one else can make this dua except you. And you can make it any language you want to whether that be English, Arabic, Urdu, or whatever.
The dua that comes from the heart, the dua that begs Allah for help, the dua that brings tears to your eyes and wracks your soul is the greatest dua in the world.
There’s No Magic Spells
Many Muslims take their duas like magic spells, ala Harry Potter.
Most duas are in Arabic. And most Muslims, don’t speak Arabic. Yet, we’re told to learn certain duas (and not all of them are from the Quran and Hadith) and when we say them so many times, certain problems will be taken care of.
And so we have duas for wealth and health and marriage and family and pregnancy and all sorts of things.
So you learn a dua and recite it and you don’t really know what it means but you expect certain things to happen just because you said it.
That sounds like a magic spell to me.
That’s not the way duas are supposed to work.
Definitely, you should learn certain duas from the Quran and that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) taught his companions. But also learn what they mean. This way, when you hold your hands up to Allah and you’re saying these duas, you can say them with feeling and conviction, even though they’re in Arabic.
Don’t just memorize sounds and repeat them like a parrot and expect magic to happen.
And if you need something and you don’t know a dua from the Quran and Sunnah, then just turn to Allah and ask Him directly. Ask Him in whatever language you’re most comfortable with.
After all, doesn’t Allah know all languages?
Beg Allah for help. Even cry while you’re asking Him. Acknowledge your weakness. Repent for your sins.
There are no magic spells or magic wands. Call upon Allah with your heart and be sincere.
That is the greatest dua in the world.
salam brother, im very toched by wot u wrote, may Allah swt grant the highest
place in janna for ur grandfather inshallah, and may Allah swt reward u for all ur
hard work and time inshallah.
could you please make a dua for me also my mother is worried about our marrige. please pray for her that ALLAH solve her problem and she could see our marriages
Yes, I will make dua for you and your mother. But why does she think there are problems in your marriage?
Assalamu alaikum.. am a 23year old guy..please make ‘Dua’ for me and my family..i am trying for job in IT field since 1year, but i did not got it till now. where ever i go am facing rejections..and my now family is in big financial problems..i want to get settled as soon as possible so that i can help my family financially..please my humble request for you to make powerfull dua for me and my family..
JazakAllah Khair
read at fajar times 313 daily with daroud sharif in the beginning and end
” Ya allaho ya allaho ya allaho Ya Rabbi Ya Rabbi Ya Rabbi Ya Hawyu Ya qayumo Ya Zulgilale walikram be ismakal azeemil azame an turzukni rizqan waseun halalun tayabun be rehmateka ya arhamur rahemeen ”
I got medical residency in US after reading it , that is more difficult then IT job.
Spread it to the other people , this is sadqa Jaria
Assalaamu alaikum….please make dua for my son, he is an engineer and looking out for a job the past six months but till now he has not got any offer ,he has a lot of committments like student loan etc we are also not in a position to help him in anyway financially .please my humble request for you to make dua for my son so that all his problems will be solved.Jazak Allah Khair
[...] you think of Salafis, you probably think of harsh, bearded men in white thawbs. Unless, you are a Salafi, of course. But that is a gross [...]
Salam
I know you’ve loads of Dua requests.. But I’ll give it a try.. I’m not a Muslimah yet.. Few hours ago I came across your website and I love it
Could you please ask God to lead me the right way all the time and that I’ll be strong enough to face my family and friends’ questions and fights once I become a Muslimah???
Monika.
Wa Alaikum Salaam,
Yes I will make dua for you for these things. And I’ll also make dua that Allah will guide you and increase you in faith and knowledge, Ameen.
Salaam brother plz make dua for my son,he isn’t listening and answering bk plz help me make dua for him,he’s only 12 and I am so worried
Wa Alaikum Salaam,
Yes, I will. May Allah give your son good behavior and righteous character.
لا الہ الا انت سبحانک انی کنت من الظلمین Daily 100 time for 33 Days insha Allah you will get Succeed
Assalamualaikum brother pls pray for my family both mothers side n husbands side for thier good health.and also pray my parents make haj this year aameen
Salaam, may Allah Tallah except all of your duas ameen.
Please could you make dua for my husband he is on trail in court
It’s very important decision I have 3 young children to take care of
May Allah give me sabar and strength to face all things whatever
The outcome is I put my trust in Allah Tallah who is al-hakam & al-wakeel
oke gril you take the duas not searsly
can you tel me a dua to learn please
i need help for dua ,as i am so depressed and keep getting thoughts of suicide
Assalamu alaikum,
This is the best advice one can give. Thank You.
AOA, This is going to be extremely long but i need help desparately. Please help me out
Myy problem is my family. My dad’s side of the family i cannot bear to explain to you how much i hate them from the bottom of my heart. I have literally wished death upon my grandma (dad’s mom) a thousand times repeatedly. I hate her so much for all the grief and pain she has kept my mom going through. I’m only 16 and i know these are some harsh words i’m saying and i really shouldn’t be and i have likely committed a sin by doing this. However, i don’t feel guilty because i really do hate her. She is impolite, disgusting, disrespectful, she backbites and talks craaap consistently behind our backs and everything about her is plain ugly. No manners, nothing. My mom was married into a stupid, uneducated and retarded family long ago – my grandparents (mom’s side) made a huge mistake :/ They really did
Anyways, so my dad’s side of the family had been totally against my mom since the beginning before i was even born, they wanted my dad to divorce my mom even after they had me and my brother stupid retards. But anyways, i just basically went to Pakistan with my mom, sister and brother. It had been 12 years since my mom and me went back. My grandfather even died and his last wish was to see me, which he couldn’t, because of this stupid family who kept my mom from visiting. AFTER 12 DARN YEARS, we finally went, my grandfather died about a year ago. But basically i finally got to meet everyone, my grandmother, aunts, uncles, cousins, and they were all so polite, and so educated, very mannered and FUN! I had soo much fun in Pakistan, more than i’ve ever had in my entire life. i laughed so much, and everyone was so loving, caring and respectful – it was an amazing month, just a very short visit though because of school and everything.
So anyways, when i came back, i saw such a difference in my moms family and dad’s. And i feel unwanted here, my mom doesn’t like it here my siblings don’t and SURE AS HELL DON’T. i hate every single person in my dad’s family and sometimes i start to hate him because he doesn’t stand up for us like he should. He gets so trapped by his mother and demented sisters. They all hate us and are extremely jelous. I don’t want to live in this family anymore, my grandma lives with us and i hate her soooo much. She’s always talking to her daughters about us and its always fake, crap or its about us being this and that and ughhhhhhh IT IS SO FRUSTRATING
Also, im having exams right now. And it makes it so hard for me to study and i don’t know what to do. I can’t stop crying, wishing i was in Pakistan where people loved us, and we had fun, nothing ever went on in my mom’s side of the family compared to what i see here in my stupid dad’s side.
Anyways, i have sworn multiple times at my grandma ( she doesn’t here me ofcourse) because im sick of her behaviours. She’s always causing fights, and if you spent a day in my family you’d understand the hell that my mom went through when she was newly married i feel so bad. I want my grandma and everyone to pay, i want revenge and i want them to die a terrible painful death. I know its wrong, but what do i do? Is it really that horrible to say this? Also, my grandma prays namaz, but, will her namaz really be accepted if she is a bad horrible person? I hope it isn’t
I just really need some prayers and duas too that i can say to be protected and happy. Im so depressed and life is becoming so hard for me. I want to live in pakistan with good people, happy kind people, not with these demons -.-
Anything i can do? Also, i don’t pray namaz, i try and then i don’t. I want to but i can’t i keep forgetting and its hard, i feel like i won’t be able to do it. Are there any duas that can pull me closer to my faith/religion, keep my happy not depressed and give me success.
I need to feel better. I am emotionally exhausted by this cheap and crappy family.
Do not envy one another; do not hate one another; do not turn away from another; and do not undercut one another, but be you. O servants of Allah, brothers.”
“Fear Allah wherever you are, and follow up a bad deed with a good one and it will wipe it out, and behave well towards people.”
“There is nothing heavier in the scales than good character.”
The Prophet (saas) made the following recommendations to his companions: please dont ignore and i how this helped something the prophet Mohammad (saas) said
just went through your mail sister, sorry for the hard time you are going through.i would like to give you a very sincere advise. first of all try your level best to get punctual in your prayers and start reading quran with the translation you will find soutions of of your problem in it…believe me!But first develop a connection with Allah….Before you say I CANT….say i will try , then give it your best…!Once you get a feeling that you are communicating with Allah…you will feel a great change around you.Sister never ever waste your energy in changing the others ,first try to change yourself,.,,,,you will see a new world around you. I think instead of asking for a pain full death for your relatives you must ask Allah to guide them the right path.
i am going through great pain these days (you can see my letter in “5 reasons dua arnt answered”).
but alhamdulilah this examination has brought me so close to Allah, that though we are still being blackmailed…but i have a feeling that this delay Is because of Allah’s will….so for that i say Alhamdulilah…! anyway i will pray for you sister as he listens to our duas when we are in pain. May allah help you to come out all this . ameen
As-Salaamu Alaikum Sister Aliya,
I’m going to have one of the counselors here at Islamic Learning Materials contact you by email, so keep an eye out for that, Inshallah.
If anyone else here wants to offer her advice, please do so.
Jazkallah Khair.
Brother, Could you please tell me the languages revelation of all Asmani Keetab (at leat the best known 4 like,Engeel,Taurat etc) as we know that Quraan is revealed to Mohammad(S:) in Arabic.
Assalamalaikum I m married since 3 years. But after marriage I came to know that my husband already have his first wife. I faced lots of problems even I had to stay alone in one flat. He used to come very rarely to me. Still I managed everything and told him to treat both of us equally. But since 1 year I m staying with my father and he is not willing to come to me even not sending me any money. Recently I came to know that he also has a son with first wife. When I was pregnant he aborted my child. He is totally avoiding me. Plz dear brothers and sisters pray for me that my husband should come to me and give me all rights and treat me equally. JazakAllah.
Salam brother – my mom has been in stomach pain from the past 10 years … and she believes its magic and we have checked from many alim’s that someone has done black magic on her … yet she doesnt get cured … kindly tell me(being a daughter) a prayer that i can perform for herrr which will lead to an effective dua for her … we cant see our mother in this pain ..
please help
This is simply brilliant. Thank you for sharing! and what you said is so true and practical, so thank you again!
Jazakallah Khair and alhamdulillah.
Assalaamu alaikum brother. Please make dua for me.. I got married 6 months ago, but I don’t have peaceful relationship with my husband. In front of all, he will speak good, but to me he used to avoid me. Everyday am begging to Allah. Please add me in ur dua that I and my husband shouls understand each other, and we should show each other affection and caring. InShaa Allah.
Wa Alaikum Salaam Sister Shabana,
Yes, I will definitely make dua for you. I hope the other brothers and sisters who see your request make dua for you also knowing that the Angels make dua for the Muslim who makes dua for his/her brother or sister.
On another note, it sounds like you and your husband need marriage counseling. So many Muslims need it, but so many refuse to get any. I strongly suggest you find a Muslim marriage counselor in your area who can help you and husband work through your problems. 6 years is a long time to suffer in loneliness.
May Allah make it easy for you.
Assalamu Alaikum Brother. Please make dua for me. My name is Aisha Saida Ali and I am a final year Mechanical engineering student at the University of Liverpool. I have my final exams coming up in 2 days as well as my project defence, I finish everything on the 31st of May. I am very worried because I have been finding it really hard to study, please make dua for me that I am able to study to the best of my ability, that I am able to pass all my assessments with flying colours and graduate with a 2:1 in my degree. I really want to make my parents proud of me. May Allah (SWT) continue to guide and bless you brother and grant you all your heart desires that are good for you. Ameen. Jazakallahu Khair.
Wa Alaikum Salaam Sister Aisha,
I’m going to make Salaatul Witr now and will make sure to include you in my duas.
Hello,
Brother can you please make dua on my behalf, I need a strong prayer for getting married, a job, and relief from depression, also there is a dua I made at the first sight of Kaaba which has not been answered as of yet but I don’t wish to disclose it so openly, please pray all these afflictions are removed from my life. I wholeheartedly believe in the power of dua, and CERTAINLY anything is possible for our Allah, but due to my depression I feel really hopeless. Please pray all my worries are taken care of by the end of this year nothing is too huge or impossible for Allah. Thanks in advance. May it be that through your beseeching my prayer is answered inshaa Allah.
Assalaam walikum Brother,
Please make dua for me as I have been looking for a job from a long time… I had took a huge loan from the bank and now I have no job and unfortunately 11 June my House contract will be over and my visa will be cancelled and I dont understand what to do where to go …Please I humbly request you all to remember me in your Duas.
Jazak ALLAh Khair
Wa Alaikum Salaam,
Yes, I will. May Allah make it easy for you and give you relief from your difficulty. Inshallah, I’ll make dua for you in my next prayer.