Tip #1 - The realisation that only Allah responds to dua
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This is the essence of Tawhid, that only Allah can hear your dua and only Allah has the power to grant it.
Tip #2 - Singling out Allah alone for dua
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Once a person realises that only Allah can respond to his dua, then they will only ever ask Allah for help, rather than asking idols or other people.
Tip #3 - To perform tawassul properly
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Tawassul is an important aspect of making dua. Linguistically it means trying to get closer to a goal. Islamically, it involves using methods prescribed in Islamic law to help get your du'a answered.
Tip #4 - Tawassul through Allah's names and attributes
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Allah's various Names and Attributes may be used when making Dua, they help one strengthen their connection with Allah and make their Dua more personal.
Tip #5 - Tawassul by mentioning Allah's favours
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Mentioning the favours of Allah is another method of performing tawassul, in essence, this increases your love for Allah when you remind yourself of what He has given you.
Tip #6 - Tawassul by mentioning the state you find yourself in
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Mentioning the state one is in helps you remember your own weakness and the fact that only Allah can help you.
Tip #7 - Tawassul through Good Deeds
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Mentioning ones good deeds in front of Allah in order to gain favour from Him is another permissible way of performing tawassul.
Tip #8 - Tawassul through mentioning the Effect of the Dua
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When asking for something from someone, there is more chance of you receiving it if you mention what you are going to do with it, this concept is the same in Dua and is a permissible form of tawassul
Tip #9 - Tawassul by asking a Living person to make Dua
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This is a very detailed aspect of Tawassul and often the most misused. It involves asking another person to make dua on your behalf in the chance that it will increase the likelihood of your dua being
It is allowed to make tawassul by asking a living person to make Dua on your behalf, if you feel that such a person is a truthful, righteous person. So it is permissible to go to a scholar and ask him to make Dua for something that you want.

Safwan ibn Abdillah narrated: ‘I went to Syria, and visited Abu al-Darda in his home, but he was not present when I arrived. Umm al-Darda asked me, ‘Are you going to perform Hajj this year?’ I replied that I was, so she said: ‘In that case, do not forget to pray to Allah for us for good, for the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] used to say: “The dua of a Muslim for his brother in his absence is responded to. In his presence there is an angel that has been assigned to him; every time he makes a dua for his brother with good, the angel assigned to him says, Ameen, and to you the same. [Reported by Muslim, Ibn Majah, and Ahmad, from Abu al-Darda, as mentioned in Sahih al-Jami #3380.
Jabir ibn Abdillah reported that a woman came to the Prophet (May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: “Pray for me and my husband”. So the Prophet responded: “May Allah have mercy on you and your husband” [Abu Dawud #1530]

When performing this tawassul it is better to not ask for personal duas, but rather a general dua. This principle is shown in the following narration: ‘Once, during the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab, there was a severe drought that afflicted Madinah. The Muslims, under the leadership of Umar, went outside the city to perform salat-al-istisqa, the prayer for rain. After finishing the prayer, Umar said: “O Allah! We used to perform tawassul through the Prophet, (while he was alive), and now we will perform tawassul through the Prophets uncle, Abbas ibn Abd-al-Muttalib”. So saying, he commanded ‘Abbas to make a dua to Allah for rain, and indeed, Allah responded to his dua, and it rained in Madinah. [al-Bukhari 4/209]

Regarding this type of Tawassul there are some general rules that one should keep in mind:
1. A general rule is that a person should pray for himself. Just like he does his other acts of worship, and takes care of his own affairs in this world, so he should too make his own dua.
2. It could involve degrading oneself or humiliation by asking others too much.
3. No one feels more sincerity than the one making dua for his self. Sincerity cannot be expected from others when making dua for you, sincerity plays a key role in the acceptance of the dua, so it is important that you don’t rely heavily on others.
4. This type of tawassul may lead many people to stop making dua for themselves and to just rely on others to do it for them.
5. It may lead to arrogance on the part of the person being asked, for he may start to consider himself to be higher than his status.
6. It has not been reported than any of the major companions ever asked the Prophet (May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) to make Dua for them regarding a personal, wordly benefit that they desired. They would ask him to make Dua regarding a matter that was of benefit to all the Muslims (such as Umars request to the Prophet, to make dua to bless the Muslims with food when the army ran short of it during the Battle of Tabuk), or of a religious benefit (such as Abu Hurayrah asking the Prophet to make Dua to guide his mother to Islam, but there is no reported incident in which they came to the Prophet to ask for a personal, wordly benefit.

It has been reported that once a person came to Malik ibn Deenar (one of the famous scholars of his time). He asked Malik: “Make dua for me, as I am in severe circumstances”. Malik responded, “In that case, make Dua for yourself, as He is the One Who responds to the distressed who is in severe circumstances”.

In another incident, Tawus, one of the scholars of the Tabi’in, visited a sick person, who asked him: “O Tawus, please make dua for me”. Tawus replied: “Pray for yourself, for He is the One that responds to the one in distress”. [Al-Hamad, p.76]

These are the 6 ways found in the Qur’an and Sunnah by which tawassul can be done. If a person performs tawassul through any other way which has not been mentioned here then they risk falling into Shirk (making partners with Allah) or Bid’ah (Innovation in the Religion).
Tip #10 - Lack of Hastiness
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Hastiness is a cause of your dua being rejected.

And man supplicates for evil as he supplicates for good, and man is ever hasty. [The Qur'an: Surah al-Isra 17:11]

Surely man is created of a hasty te
Tip #11 - Du’a for things that are good
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Your dua must not contain anything impure or evil, such as cutting of relationship ties with family, as Allah would not help someone to do that.
Tip #12 - To have good intentions
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All deeds are based upon intention in Islam, including Dua. The intention of the dua can help your dua to be accepted as you are telling Allah what you intend to do with the response.
Tip #13 - The presence of an attentive Heart
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An attentive heart should be present during all forms of worship, especially in Dua and Salaah, in which you are requesting an audience with Allah.
Tip #14 - Purity of One’s Sustenance
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What you earn should be pure, if your earnings are impure, then everything gained from those earnings will also be impure, this negatively effects ones dua.
Tip #15 - Prayer upon the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him]
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Praying upon the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] is a noble act in itself and adding it into your dua helps the dua be responded to. This etiquette is specifically mentioned
Tip #16 - That the Du’a doesn’t interfere with something more important
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A Muslim must prioritise what needs to be done in life, for example Dua should not interfere with performing the obligatory prayers, as the obligatory actions are more important than the voluntary.
Tip #17 - Praising Allah before the Du’a, and Praying upon the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings
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This is an important etiquette of dua, one who neglects these has been hasty in his Dua.
Tip #18 - Du’a with Allah’s Greatest Name
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Allah has a name which is greater than all the others, there are various opinions as to which name it is, however some ahadith have narrowed it down.
Tip #19 - Raising One’s Hands
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Raising ones hands with the palms facing upwards is an etiquette for dua mentioned in various ahadeeth.
Tip #20 - Facing the Qiblah
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The qiblah, being a blessed place, is a good direction to face when making dua, this helps you focus when asking from Allah.
Tip #21 - Performing Wudu
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Being in a state of Wudu is important to a Muslim, one requires it when performing Salaah, the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] used to love being in a state of wudu and some
Tip #22 - To Cry
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Crying is a way in which one can show and feel true sincerity in dua, in front of Allah. It is something which shows the helplessness and seriousness of the person within his dua.
Tip #23 - To expect the best from Allah
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Whenever we as Muslims talk about Allah we should avoid speaking in a negative way or assigning negative attributes to Him. In the same way, we should always have a good opinion of Allah, and this inc
Tip #24 - To pray with Humility and Fear
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One should humble himself when requesting something from Allah, The Lord of The Worlds, they should also fear His punishment and have hope for forgiveness.
Tip #25 - To complain only to Allah
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A Muslim understands that if all the beings in the world gathered to benefit or harm him, they cannot do either without the permission of Allah, thus one should only complain to Allah, whether the iss
Tip #26 - To Pray quietly
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From the etiquettes of making dua, is that one makes dua in a quiet voice. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah goes through the wisdom behind making dua quietly in the more detailed section.
Tip #27 - Acknowledging ones sins
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When one acknowledges ones sins, it helps them realise how much they need the mercy of Allah and adds to the sincerity of the person.
Tip #28 - To Implore Allah Earnestly
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One should ask of Allah with a sense of urgency and comprehensiveness, for example, asking not just for forgiveness of your sins, but of all your past sins and future sins as well.
Tip #29 - To be determined in One’s request
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Determination and resolve are factors which will help get your dua answered, as they both show how much you want a response. The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] commanded us
Tip #30 - To use the Proper names and attributes of Allah
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Allah has many Names and Attributes, it is good to use specific ones when asking for things, such as calling Allah, Ar-Razaq, when wanting sustenance.
Tip #31 - To repeat the du’a three times
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Repeating the Dua 3 times brings about a sense of urgency, this was practised by the Prophet Muhammad [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] many times.
Tip #32 - To Pray with concise Du’a
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The meaning of concise here is to be brief but to contain many meanings, and ask for general benefits, and seek refuge in general evils.
Tip #33 - To start Du’a with ones self
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A person should be concerned with himself first and foremost, as this is how it will be on the Day of Judgement. So when making dua, before asking Allah for others, ask for yourself first.
Tip #34 - To Pray for all Muslims
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Allah says in the Qur'an: "Ask forgiveness for your sin and also for the believing men and women". This also comes under loving for your brother what you love for yourself.
Tip #35 - To Say Ameen
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The phrase 'Ameen' is a mercy from Allah, and literally means "O Allah! Accept (or respond to) this dua".
Tip #36 - To make dua at all times
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Dua can be made anywhere, any time. One should take advantage of this blessing Allah has given us, and make Dua in every situation for everything, whether small or great.
Tip #37 - To make dua for all matters
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One should make Dua for all matters, whether that is something which seems insignificant, or something great.
Tip #38 - To make du’as when one is in a condition of response
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There are specific conditions in which your Dua is more likely to be accepted, they are listed on the Full Tips page.
Tip #39 - Situations when Dua is answered: The person who has been Wronged -
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Allah accepts the Dua of any person who has been wronged, even if he is a non-Muslim. This condition gives hope to those who have been wronged and fear to those who wrong people.
Tip #40 - Situations when Dua is answered: when Dua is answered: The One in Severe Circumstances -
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Allah is the One who responds to the distressed when they call out to Him, in reality no one can help a person without the permission of Allah.
Tip #41 - Situations when Dua is answered: After a Calamity
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Providing a person has been patient through a trial or calamity, and has remained pleased with Allah, Allah will accept their dua.
Tip #42- Situations when Dua is answered: The Traveller -
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Allah has given many leniencies and graces to the traveller, such as being able to join the prayers together for ease, another major one is that Allah will accept the dua of the traveller.
Tip #43 - Situations when Dua is answered: The One who is Fasting -
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Fasting is of the most pious deeds that one can do, and brings with it many benefits, one of which is that the dua of the fasting person is not rejected.
Tip #44 - Situations when Dua is answered: The Person Reciting the Qur'an -
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The Qur'an is a blessed book given by Allah, the benefits of reading and acting on it are too many to list, tranquillity descends on the One who reads it, so we are encouraged to make dua at this time
Tip #45 - Situations when Dua is answered: The person performing Hajj, Umrah or Jihad -
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Hajj is of the greatest deeds one can do, and it is known in an authentic hadith that the person doing Hajj will have his dua responded to.
Tip #46 - Situations when Dua is answered: The Dua for a Person in his Absence -
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A specific condition is mentioned regarding the one who prays for his brother in his absence, and that the angels pray for him also.
Tip #47 - Situations when Dua is answered: The One who Remembers Allah Constantly -
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The one who always remembers Allah will be of those whose duas are not rejected.
Tip #48 - Situations when Dua is answered: The Just Ruler
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A Ruler is someone who Allah has put in power, and if he does not abuse his power and is just, Allah will accept his dua.
Tip #49 - To make duas at the times of response
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There are many recommended times in which a dua is more likely to be accepted, this is a great mercy from Allah. One who wishes for his dua to be accepted, should utilise these times.
Tip #50 - Times when Dua is answered: Dua in the Last Third of the Night -
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The night is mentioned in many cases in the Qur'an and Sunnah as being a blessed time, especially the last third of the night, where Allah descends to the lowest heavens and responds to duas.
Tip #51 - Times when Dua is answered: Dua when the Adhan is called -
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A specific condition is mentioned in various ahadeeth singling out the time after the Adhaan as being a time in which your dua is responded to.
Tip #52 - Times when Dua is answered: Dua between the Adhan and the Iqamah -
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It is mentioned in a hadith that the dua said between the adhan and the iqamah is not refused, so we are encouraged to make dua during this time.
Tip #53 - Times when Dua is answered: Dua during the Salaah -
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Salaah is a time when you are requesting an audience with Allah, so it is befitting to make dua in this situation.
Tip #54 - Times when Dua is answered: Dua while Prostrating -
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Making dua in Salaah is something good and recommended, even more so when one is in prostration to Allah as this is when a slave is closest to his Lord.
Tip #55 - Times when Dua is answered: Dua before the end of Salaah -
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We are encouraged by the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings be upon him] to make dua before the end of Salaah]
Tip #56 - Times when Dua is answered: Dua after the Salaah -
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It is mentioned in a hadith that a dua after the obligatory prayer is the most likely to be responded to.
Tip #57 - Times when Dua is answered: An hour on Friday -
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As mentioned in a hadith, there is a specific hour on Jummah, in which Allah will give the Muslim what he has asked for. There are various opinions as to when this hour is.
Tip #58 - Times when Dua is answered: When waking up at night -
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A person who wakes up in the middle of the night for whatever reason, and remembers Allah, then his dua will be accepted.
Tip #59 - Times when Dua is answered: After performing Wudu -
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Wudu is a blessed state to be in, and brings with it specific benefits, such as the gates of paradise opening for the one who performs it properly and says a specific dua.
Tip #60 - Times when Dua is answered: Before drinking Zam Zam -
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The water of Zam Zam is known to be a blessed water, and that it will give people whatever they drank it for.
Tip #61 - Times when Dua is answered: Dua during Ramadan -
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The benefits of Ramadan are too many to list. As Muslims we know that this is the blessed month and that we should increase our worship at this time, including our duas.
Tip #62 - Times when Dua is answered: Dua on 'The Night of Decree' -
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Within Ramadan, there is 1 night in which many blessings are sent down, it is so great that Allah has revealed a Surah concerning just that night [Surah al-Qadr], on this night Muslims should strive t
Tip #63 - Times when Dua is answered: While visiting the sick -
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A specific mannerism of a Muslim is to visit the sick, when one does this then they have an increased chance of having their dua accepted.
Tip #64 - Times when Dua is answered: When Rain falls -
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It is mentioned specifically that duas will be accepted during rainfall, as this is a time when the mercy of Allah descends.
Tip #65 - Times when Dua is answered: Before Zuhr -
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The time before Zuhr is another time in which your dua is more likely to be accepted.
Tip #66 - Times when Dua is answered: At the Crowing of a Rooster -
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There is a hadith which mentions that when a rooster crows it has seen an Angel, so we should ask Allah for His Bounties.