Self Protection of the Prophet

Time, Place, and Condition in which Du’a will be Answered (part 1)

All praises be to Allah, peace and blessing always be upon Allah’s apostle, his companions, and anyone who follows his guidance until the Last Day,

In this occasion, by Allah permission, we’ll mention some times, places, and conditions where reciting du’a or supplicating will be generously answered. May Allah the Glorified and Exalted make the writing of this article done sincerely for Him, and useful for others. Amin, O Allah.

Time, Place, and Condition where Du’a in it will be Answered

  1. The Night of Al Qadr

Indication that shows how supplication on the night of al Qadr will be answered is Allah’s decree in chapter Al Qadr, and a hadith from ‘Aisha -may Allah be pleased with her- when she said, ” O Messenger of Allah, please tell me what shall I say if I happen to know the night of Al Qadr?”. He replied, “Say:

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ كَرِيْمٌ تُحِبَّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنِّيْ

“O Allah, indeed, You are The Oft-Forgiver and Merciful. You like to forgive, so please forgive me.” (Narrated by Tirmidhi and he classified it as valid; by Ibn Maja, and classed as valid hadith by Sheikh al Albani).

  1. The last one-third of every night

Amr Ibn Anbasah narrated that the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said,

أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الرَّبُّ مِنَ العَبْدِ فِي جَوْفِ اللَّيْلِ الآخِرِ، فَإِنْ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ تَكُونَ مِمَّنْ يَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ فِي تِلْكَ السَّاعَةِ فَكُنْ

“The closest time Allah to a slave is on the last part of the night. Therefore, if you’re able to be in it as a person who remembers Allah, do it.” (Narrated by Tirmidhi and classed valid by Sheikh al Albani. It is also narrated by Ibn Khuzaima, Nisa’i, and Hakim).

  1. On the end of Compulsory prayer

It is based on a hadith from Abu Umamah al-Bahiliy, in which he said, “A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, what du’a is the fastest to be answered?” He answered,

جَوْفَ اللَّيْلِ الآخِرِ، وَدُبُرَ الصَّلَوَاتِ المَكْتُوبَاتِ

“On the last part of the night and on the end of compulsory prayer.” (Narrated by At Tirmidhi and classed good by Sheikh al Albani).

The meaning of compulsory prayer here is whether it is before or after the salaam, but I tend to define is as before the salaam. And Allah knows best.

  1. Between Adhan and Iqamah

The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said,

الدُّعَاءُ لَا يُرَدُّ بَيْنَ الأَذَانِ وَالإِقَامَةِ

“Supplication between adhan and iqamah will not be rejected.” (Narrated by Tirmidhi and classed valid by Sheikh al Albani).

  1. One time in Every night

The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said,

إِنَّ فِي اللَّيْلِ لَسَاعَةً لَا يُوَافِقُهَا رَجُلٌ مُسْلِمٌ، يَسْأَلُ اللهَ خَيْرًا مِنْ أَمْرِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، إِلَّا أَعْطَاهُ إِيَّاهُ، وَذَلِكَ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ

“Indeed, there is one time in the night that if a muslim ask Allah at that time of goodness in his worldly or Hereafter affairs, Allah will grant it. And it happens every night.” (Narrated by Muslim from Abu Huraira)

  1. When adhan of Compulsory Prayer

Abu Daud narrated from Sahl Ibn Sa’d, that the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said,

ثِنْتَانِ لَا تُرَدَّانِ، أَوْ قَلَّمَا تُرَدَّانِ الدُّعَاءُ عِنْدَ النِّدَاءِ، وَعِنْدَ الْبَأْسِ حِينَ يُلْحِمُ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا

“Two du’a that will not be rejected, or rarely rejected, that is, du’a at the time of adhan (between adhan and iqamah) and at the time of war, when two armies intermingled.” (Narrated by Abu Daud and Darimi, and classed valid by Sheikh al Albani. Al Hafizh said, “Hadith hasan shahih (good and/or valid).

  1. When it rains

Imam Shafi’i narrated in his work “al Umm”, 1:223-224 with a chain of narrator that reached back to Makhul, from the Prophet -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-, that he (the Prophet) said,

اُطْلُبُوا إِجَابَةَ الدُّعَاءِ عِنْدَ الْتِقَاءِ الْجُيُوْشِ، وَإِقَامَةِ الصَّلاَةِ وَنُزُوْلِ الْمَطَرِ

“Find the time when du’a in it is answered, that is when two armies facing each other, when prayer is performed, and when it rains.” (According to Sheikh al Albani the chain of narration of this hadith is weak because it is mursal and because the teacher of Imam As Shafi’i is unknown, as he said, ‘It is said to me by a man whom I hold no prejudice against” without mentioning his name and this saying doesn’t mean that he was a trusted person, because among his teachers there was a man who was accused (with lying, -ed), that is Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Abi Yahya al-Aslami, whereas in the science of hadith (mustholah hadith) it is said that a man’s saying, “”A trusted man has told me” can’t be used as basis of argumentation until it is known that the person has been approved as trusted one. However, according to Sheikh al-Albani, this hadith has several syahid from a hadith of Sahl Ibn Sa’d, Ibn Umar, and Abu Umamah, which he mentioned in “at-Ta’liqur Raghiib (1:166). These hadith, even though individually are weak, but if combined with this hadith mursal, it can be strong and becomes good hadith, insha Allah. See: ash-Shahiihah no. 1469).

  1. Upon departing to a battle

See the indication in no. 6

  1. One time in Friday

Imam Bukhari and Muslim narrated from Abu Huraira -may Allah be pleased with him- that the Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said,

«فِيهِ سَاعَةٌ، لاَ يُوَافِقُهَا عَبْدٌ مُسْلِمٌ، وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي، يَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى شَيْئًا، إِلَّا أَعْطَاهُ إِيَّاهُ» وَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ يُقَلِّلُهَا

“There is a time in it in which a muslim doesn’t stand and pray and ask Allah of something, but He will grant it.

He gestured with his hand, indicating that the time is little.

The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- also said,

يَوْمُ الْجُمُعَةِ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ سَاعَةً لَا يُوجَدُ فِيهَا عَبْدٌ مُسْلِمٌ يَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ شَيْئًا إِلَّا آتَاهُ إِيَّاهُ فَالْتَمِسُوهَا آخِرَ سَاعَةٍ بَعْدَ الْعَصْرِ

“The Friday (its daylight) consists of 12 times. None of a muslim slave who asks Allah (at that time, -ed) but He will grant it, thus find it at the last time after the Ashr prayer.” (Valid, narrated by Abu Daud, Nisa’i, and Hakim, he classed it valid hadith  and Adz Dzahabi agreed with him).

Based on this hadith, the time is on the last part of Friday, after the Ashr prayer, or when the sermon is being given and at the prayer.

  1. Upon drinking the zamzam water with a good intention

The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said,

مَاءُ زَمْزَمَ لِمَا شُرِبَ لَهُ

“The water of zamzam is as the intention of who drinks it.” (Narrated by Ibn Maja, Ahmad, and classed as valid hadith by Sheikh al Albani in al-Irwaa’ no. 1123, ash-Shahiihah no. 883, and Shahihul Jami’ no. 5378)

  1. Upon prostrating

The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said,

أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الْعَبْدُ مِنْ رَبِّهِ، وَهُوَ سَاجِدٌ، فَأَكْثِرُوا الدُّعَاءَ

“The closest of a slave with his Lord is when he prostrates, therefore, pray a lot (upon prostrating).” (Narrated by Muslim).

  1. Upon waking up from the night sleep and after reciting dhikr with certain dhikr mentioned in hadith

The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said,

مَنْ تَعَارَّ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ، فَقَالَ: لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ المُلْكُ وَلَهُ الحَمْدُ، وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ، وَلاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَلاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي، أَوْ دَعَا، اسْتُجِيبَ لَهُ، فَإِنْ تَوَضَّأَ وَصَلَّى قُبِلَتْ صَلاَتُهُ

“Whoever wakes up in the night and says, “Laailaahaillallah..”until “Wa laa quwwata illaa billah.” (The meaning: No deity has the right to be worshipped except Allah, the kingdom and praises belong to Him, and He is All-powerful over everything. All praises be to Allah, may Allah be glorified, No deity has the right to be worshipped except Allah ,  Allah is the Greatest, there is no might nor power except with Allah). Then says,”O Allah, forgive me.” Or he supplicates, then it will be answered, and if he performs ablution and prays, his prayer will be accepted.” (Narrated by al Bukhari and Tirmidhi).

  1. Supplication of a person who sleeps in the state of purity and reciting dhikr

The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- said,

مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَبِيتُ عَلَى ذِكْرٍ طَاهِرًا، فَيَتَعَارُّ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَيَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ خَيْرًا مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا أَعْطَاهُ إِيَّاهُ

“None of a muslim that sleeps after reciting dhikr and in the state of purity, then he wakes up in the night and asks Allah of goodness in the world and in the Hereafter but Allah will answer his du’a.” (Narrated by Abu Daud, and classed valid by Sheikh al Albani).

  1. Upon supplicating with the du’a, “Laailaahaillaa anta subhaanaka inniy kuntu minazh zhaalimiin.”

The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him-said,

دَعْوَةُ ذِي النُّونِ إِذْ دَعَا وَهُوَ فِي بَطْنِ الحُوتِ: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ، فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَدْعُ بِهَا رَجُلٌ مُسْلِمٌ فِي شَيْءٍ قَطُّ إِلَّا اسْتَجَابَ اللَّهُ لَهُ

“The du’a of Dzun Nuun (Jonah) when he prayed inside the stomach of a whale is, “There is none has the right to be worshipped but You. Glorified be You, indeed, I am among the transgressors.” Verily, none of a muslim prays with this du’a but Allah will answer it.” (Narrated by Tirmidhi, Ahmad, Hakim, and classed valid by Sheikh Al Albani)

  1. Supplication done right after the death of a person

Umm Salamah said, “The Messenger of Allah -peace and prayer of Allah be upon him- once met Abu Salamah. At that time, his eyes were wide open, thus he (the Prophet) immediately closed it, and said,

«إِنَّ الرُّوحَ إِذَا قُبِضَ تَبِعَهُ الْبَصَرُ» ، فَضَجَّ نَاسٌ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ، فَقَالَ: «لَا تَدْعُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِكُمْ إِلَّا بِخَيْرٍ، فَإِنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ يُؤَمِّنُونَ عَلَى مَا تَقُولُونَ» ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: «اللهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِأَبِي سَلَمَةَ وَارْفَعْ دَرَجَتَهُ فِي الْمَهْدِيِّينَ، وَاخْلُفْهُ فِي عَقِبِهِ فِي الْغَابِرِينَ، وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلَهُ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ، وَافْسَحْ لَهُ فِي قَبْرِهِ، وَنَوِّرْ لَهُ فِيهِ»

“Indeed, when a soul is taken away, the sight will follow it.” Then his family became panicked, and he said, “Don’t pray for yourselves except with decent things, because the angel will pray for your du’a to be accepted.” Then he supplicated, “O Allah, please forgive Abu Salamah. Raise his degree amongst guided people, replace for him in his descendants amongst the living, please forgive us and him, O Lord of the universe, expand his grave and lit it with light.” (Narrated by Muslim).

To be continued…

Author: Marwan bin Musa

References: Ad Du’aa minal Kitaab was Sunnah (Dr. Sa’id bin Ali Al Qahthaniy), Syuruthud Du’aa (Dr.  Sa’id bin Ali Al Qahthaniy), Al Maktabatusy Syaamilah version 3.35 and 3.45 , etc.

 

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