"Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him and removes evil and makes you inheritors of the earth? Is there a deity with Allah ? Little do you remember." [The Qur'an: An-Naml 27:62]

This is why Dua is the greatest form of Worship and make Dua to anyone else is the greatest form of associating partners with Allah.

The Prophet (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Du'a (supplication) is worship." [Abu Dawud: Book 17, Hadith 1465]

In Islam we know that worship directed towards anyone other than Allah constitutes as Shirk [i.e making partners with Allah] and is the biggest sin which a person can commit.

Once a person realises that only Allah can answer his Duas, then it is logical for that person to make Dua to Allah alone

And the mosques are for Allah (Alone), so invoke not anyone along with Allah. [The Qur'an: Surah Al-Jinn 72:18]

Would you then call upon any one other than Allah? If you should be truthful? [The Qur'an: Surah Al-An'am 6:40]

Verily, those whom you call upon besides Allah are slaves like you [The Qur'an: Al-A'raf 7:194]

The meaning of 'besides Allah' includes everything that is worshipped besides Allah, from lifeless objects or idols to pious people or Prophets.

The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said to Ibn Abbas: O slave! Guard (the duties of) Allah, and He will guard you! Guard (the duties of) Allah, and you will find Him in front of you! And when you ask, ask only from Allah, and when you seek any help, seek help only from Allah. [Authentic, narrated by Abu Dawud, Ahmad, al-Tirmidhi, al-Hakim from Ibn Abbas, and authenticated in Sahih al-Jaami' #7957]

The concept of Tawassul is one of the most important etiquettes of dua, and one of the greatest factors that increase the chances of a dua being accepted. Many people have an incorrect understanding of this concept, and because of it fall into shirk or innovation. Linguistically, tawassul means to come closer to an objective and to gain proximity to a desired goal. In Islamic terms, it signifies the act of trying to come closer to Allah through manners that have been prescribed by the Qur'an and Sunnah. In other words, it is a means of seeking nearness to Allah. This concept is referred to in the following verse:

O you who believe! Do your duty to Allah and fear Him. Seek the means of approach to Him, and strive hard in His Cause as much as you can. So that you may be successful.[The Qur'an Al-Ma'idah 5:35]

When used in the context of dua, tawassul takes on a more specific meaning. It refers to seeking a means of having one's dua accepted, or increasing the chances of it being accepted.

There are a number of ways prescribed in the Shari'ah to perform tawassul. These are as follows:

This is one of the most powerful means of tawassul, the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] heard a man say in his tashahhud: "O Allah I ask You by virtue of the fact that all praise belongs to You, none has the right to be worshipped but You, alone, having no partner. The Great Bestower of all blessings, O Originator of the heavens and the earth, O Possessor of Majesty and Honour, O Ever-Living, O Sustainer and Protector of all that exists. Indeed I ask You for Paradise and I seek Your refuge from the Fire". So the Prophet said to his Companions: 'Do you know what he has supplicated with?' They replied: 'Allah and His Messenger know best'. He said: "By Him in Whose Hand is my soul! He has supplicated to Allah by His Great Name, the one that, if He is called upon by it, He responds, and if He is asked by it, He gives". [Abu Dawud, al-Nasa'i and Ahmad]

Another example of this type of tawassul is found in the following Hadith. The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] prayed with the following dua: "O Allah! (I ask you) by Your knowledge of the unseen, and Your power to create, that You cause me to live as long as living is better for me, and that You cause me to die when You know that death is better for me." [al-Bukhari #5671, Muslim #2680]

Another method in which one may do tawassul is by mentioning the favours of Allah. So for example, a person may say: "O Allah! You have guided me to Islam, and placed in me a love for knowledge and its people! O Allah! Cause me to increase in this knowledge, and cause me to be amongst the righteous scholars!"
This principle is shown in the dua of Zakariyya, when he asked Allah to bless him with a child. "He said: O My Lord! Indeed, my bones have grown feeble, and grey hair has spread over my head. And I have never been unblest in (or deprived of) my dua to You, O my Lord!" [The Qur'an Surah Maryam 19:4]

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: "The meaning is: you have made me accustomed to receiving your response, and You have not deprived me by rejecting me and cutting off (your help) from me. So it is a tawassul to Allah by the blessings that He has previously given, of answering his duas, and His good. And this is very apparent here". [Majmu al-Fatawa, v.15, p.14]

Another means of tawassul is by mentioning to Allah the dire circumstances that one is in, and the desperate need that one has for His Mercy and Blessings. In the dua of Zakariyya quoted above, he begins by mentioning his state of being an old man, and that he needs to be blessed with a son, for he might be on the verge of death.

The Prophet Nuh, when he was rejected by his people, cried out: "Then he made a dua to his Lord: I have been overpowered to help (me)! [The Qur'an: Surah al-Qamar 54:10]

And when Prophet Musa was in the valley of Midyan, alone and with no helper, he cried out to Allah: "O My Lord! Verily, I am faqeer (needy) for whatever good that you can send down upon me" [The Qur'an: Surah al-Qasas 28:24]

Tawassul can also be made through mentioning one's good deeds. So, once can say: "O Allah! Because of my love for Your religion, and love for You and Your Prophet, forgive me!" Or, "O Allah! Because of the charity that I gave to so-and-so, out of pleasing You, then grant me my dua".

The Qur'an is full of this type of tawassul, in one verse it is mentioned: "Those that say: 'O Allah! We have believed, so forgive us our sins, and save us from the Fire of Hell!'" [The Qur'an: Surah al-Imran 3:16]

This principle is confirmed in the famous Hadith of the people of the cave: 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar narrated: "I heard Allah's Messenger say: “Three men from among those who were before you, set out together until they reached a cave at night and they entered it. A big rock rolled down the mountain and closed the mouth of the cave. They said (to each other): ‘Nothing can save us from this rock but to invoke Allah by mentionning the righteous deeds that we have done (for Allah’s sake only).” So, one of them said: ‘O Allah! I had old parents (whom I used to provide with milk) and I never provided my family (wife, children, etc.) with milk before them. One day, by chance I was delayed, and I arrived late (at night) after they had slept. I milked the sheep for them and then took the milk to them, but I found them sleeping. I did not like to offer my family the milk before them, so I waited for them and the bowl of milk was in my hand and I kept on waiting for them to get up until dawn. Then they got up and drank the milk. O Allah! If I did that for Your sake only, I invoke You to relieve us from our critical situation that has been caused by this rock.’ So, the rock moved a little, but they could not get out. The Prophet (SAWS) added: “The second man said: ‘O Allah! I had a cousin who was the dearest of all people to me and I wanted to have sexual intercourse with her, but she refused. Later she came across hard times during a year of famine and she came to me, and I gave her one hundred and twenty dinars on the condition that she would not resist my desires, and she agreed. When I was about to fulfill my desires, she said: “It is illegal for you to violate my chastity except through legitimate marriage.” So, I realized it was a sin to have sexual intercourse with her and left her, though she was the dearest of all people to me. I also left the gold I had given her. O Allah! If I did that for Your sake only, please relieve us from the present calamity.’ So, the rock moved a little more, but still they could not get out from the cave. The Prophet (SAWS) added: “Then the third man said: ‘O Allah! I employed few laborers and I paid them all of them their wages, with the exception of one man who did not take his wages and went away. I invested his wages and I gained much profit from this. (Then after some time) he came and said to me: “O Allah’s servant! Pay me my wages.” I said to him: “All the camels, cows, sheep, and slaves that you see here, are yours.” He said: “O Allah’s slave! Don’t mock me.” I said: “I am not mocking you.” So, he took the herd and drove them away and left nothing. O Allah! If I did that for Your sake only, please relieve us from the present suffering.’ So, the rock moved completely and they walked out. [Bukhari 3/260, Muslim #6607]

By attaching the reponse of the dua to a good deed or benefit, one can perform tawassul. So, for example, a person can say: "O Allah! I ask you to increase me in knowledge, so that I may teach my family and relatives your religion." Or, he might pray: "O Allah! Increase my wealth so that I can spend it in your way!"

This principle is shown in the Hadith in which the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "When a person comes to visit the sick, then let him say: O Allah! Cure your sevant so-and-so, for he will then inflict a wound on an enemy, or walk for your sake to the prayer." [Abu Dawud #3107, Sahih al-Jami #466]

It is also shown in the dua of Ibrahim when he left Hajar and Isma'il in the barren valley of Bakkah, later to be called Makkah: "O My Lord! I have left my family to live in a valley that has no fruits, close to your Sacred House, so that they may establish the prayer. Our Lord! Therefore cause a group of people to love them, and provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks." [The Qur'an: Surah Ibrahim 14:37]

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).

To be hasty in ones prayer is a cause of rejection of the Dua.

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet (May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“The dua of any worshipper will continue to be responded to, as long as he does not ask for a sin or breaking the ties of kinship, and as long as he is not hasty”.
It was asked, “O Messenger of Allah? And what does it mean to be hasty?” He responded:
“A worshipper says, ‘I have prayed and prayed, and I don’t see that it will be accepted’, so he gives up hope of being answered and leaves Dua.” [Narrated by Muslim from Abu Hurayrah, as mentioned in Sahih al-Jami #7705]

To ‘give up’ means to turn away and break off from something, and the meaning intended here is that a person leaves Dua. This is what is meant in the following verse: “They are not too proud to worship Him, nor do they weary” [The Qur’an: Surah al-Anbiya 21:19]. This means that they do not stop Worshipping Allah.

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said: “You will be responded to as long as you are not hasty, meaning that (a person) says, ‘I have prayed and prayed, and my prayer has not been answered!” [Narrated by al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, and others from Abu Hurayrah as is mentioned in Sahih al-Jami #8085]

“And man invokes (Allah) for evil as he invokes (Allah) for good, yet man is every hasty!” [The Qur’an: Surah al-Isra 17:11]

Ibn al-Qayyim mentions: "And of the diseases that afflict dua and prevent its response is that a person is hasty in expecting a response, and the response is delayed, so he gives up hope, and leaves dua. His example is like that of a person who planted a seed, or a seedling, then guarded it, and took care of it, and watered it, but when it delayed in (giving its fruit) and reaching perfection, he left it and did not take care for it any more!" [Al-Jawab al-Kafi p.10]

This does not mean that one should not pray that his dua be answered quickly, as it was authentically narrated that when the Prophet prayed for rain he said: "...quickly, and not delayed...." [Narrated by Ibn Majah, al-Tahawi, al-Hakim, and others, from Ka'b ibn Murrah, as mentioned in Irwa al-Ghalil 2/145]

In order for a dua to be accepted by Allah, it is essential that it must be for something pure and good. The hadith quoted earlier stated that, "The dua of any worshipper will continue to be responded to, as long as he does not ask for a sin or breaking the ties of kinship", and this clearly shows this aspect. The reason that the sin of breaking ties of kinship is mentioned explicitly is due to its grave nature of that sin, but the same rule applies to all other sins.

It is essential that a person making dua has the best of intentions for whatever he is asking for. So, if someone asks for an increase in wealth, he should intend with that, that he spends more on his relatives and on the poor, and increase in reward in this manner. Likewise, if someone asks that Allah bless him with a pious spouse, his intention should be so that he can avoid falling into prohibited acts and begin a pious family.

The proofs for this are obvious, for it is not possible for a Muslim to ask Allah for something in order that he do evil with it. This principle is found in the dua that the Prophet taught us to say when visiting the sick. Abdullah ibn Amr narrated that the Prophet said: When a person comes to visit the sick, then let him say: O Allah! Cure your servant so and so, for he will then inflict a wound on an enemy, or walk for your sake to the prayer. [Abu Dawud #3107. Sahih al-Jami #466]

The whole point of dua is that a person call out with a sincere heart to his Creator. This sincerity cannot be achieved if one calls out heedlessly, without earnestness. The Prophet said: "Make dua to Allah in a state that you are certain that your dua will be responded to, and know that Allah does not respond to a dua that originates from a negligent, inattentive heart". [Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and al-Hakim from Abu Hurayrah, Sahih al-Jami #245]

This shows that Dua must be made with a mindful heart, such that one knows exactly what one is asking for, and remembers who he is asking, for he is asking the Lord of Honour. It does not befit, therefore, a servant to ask his Lord in a neglectful manner, such that he is not even aware of what he is saying, or using memorised sentences that he repeats over and over again without understanding these phrases and appreciating their meanings.

Imam Ahmad reports from Abdullah ibn Umar that the Prophet said: "Hearts are like vessels, some have greater capacity than others. Therefore, O people, when you ask from Allah, all Glory and Praise be to Him, ask from Him in a state in which you are certain that your prayers will be answered, for verily Allah does not accept from His slave any dua that is made from a neglectful heart. [Ahmad, from Ibn Umar. Al-Haythami said in Majma al-Zawa'id (10/148).

Al-Nawawi said: "Know that the purpose of dua is that one have an attentive heart (towards Allah), as we have already mentioned, and the proofs for this are more than can be mentioned, and the knowledge of it is so apparent that it need not be discussed. [Al-Adhkar p.356]

Abdullah ibn 'Umar reported that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasalam) said: "Hearts are like vessels, some more attentive and capacious than others. When you supplicate Allah you should be certain of being answered, and know that Allah does not answer a supplication that comes from a careless and inattentive heart." [Ahmad]

Allah says in the Qur'an: "For, verily there are those amongst men who say, 'O Our Lord! Grant us in this world,' and they have no share of the Hereafter. [The Qur'an Surah al-Baqarah 2:200]

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet said: "O People! Allah is al-Tayyib (Pure), and He only accepts that which is pure! Allah has commanded the Believers what He has commanded the Messengers, for He said: "O Messengers! Eat from the pure foods, and do right".

Furthermore He said: "O you who believe! Eat from the pure and good foods We have given you".

Then the Prophet mentioned a traveller on a long journey, who is dishevelled and dusty, and he stretches forth his hands to the sky, saying, "O my Lord! O my Lord!" - while his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful, and he is nourished unlawfully, how can he be answered? [Reported by Ahmad, Muslim, and al-Tirmidhi from Abu Hurayrah, as mentioned in Sahih al-Jami #2744

Sa'd ibn Abi Waqas, one of the Prophets famous Companions, was once asked: "Why is it that your prayers are responded to, amongst all of the other Companions?" He replied: "I do not raise to my mouth a morsel except that I know where it came from and where it came out of'. [Sharh al-Araba'in, Ibn Rajab, p. 275]

Additionally do not forget your consciousness of God (taqwa), as Allah says in the Qur'an: "Allah only accepts (deeds) from those who fear him (muttaqin)". [The Qur'an Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:27]

The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "Every dua is covered until (the person) prays upon the Prophet." [Narrated by al-nasa'i from Abdullah ibn Bisr, and Ibn Hibban from Mu'adh, and al-Daylami from Anas and others, Sahih al-Jami #4523]

The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him[ said: "A messenger came to me from my Lord and said, "There is no worshipper who prays upon you once, except that Allah will pray upon him ten times!"

The Dua is 'covered' meaning that it is not raised up to Allah until the person making the dua accompanies it with the prayer upon the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him]. However, it seems that this is not a necessary condition, since the Prophet himself did not practice this continually. There are numerous narrations from the Prophet concerning specific Duas which he made, and which he commanded his Companions to make, which do not contain the prayer upon him.

For example he said: "O Allah! I seek refuge in you from leprosy, madness and evil diseases." [Abu Dawud and al-Nasai from Anas ibn Malik in Sahih al-Jami #1281]

Without doubt, Dua is one of the most important acts of worship, however, worship can be divided into two categories: those that have a specific time, and those that can be done at any time. Dua is of the second category, in that there is no specific time of the day when making it is restricted. Salah is of the first category, so Dua should not be done at the expense of missing ones Salah.

The first category takes precedence, this is proven in the Hadith of the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] in which he narrated to us about the story of Jurayj, a monk who chose to pray instead of answering his Mothers request, when he could have shortened it, this resulted in his Mother making dua against him. [al-Bukhari #3436, Muslim #2550]

Fudhalah ibn Ubayd narrated that the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] was once sitting in the mosque, when a person entered and prayed two raka'ats. After he finished, he said, "O Allah, forgive me and have mercy on me!" The Prophet said: "You have been hasty, O worshipper! When you finish your prayer, then sit down and praise Allah with the praise that He is worthy of, and pray upon me, then state your dua".

After that, another man prayed, and then praised Allah and prayed upon the Prophet. The Prophet said to him: "O worshipper! Make your dua, and it will be answered!" [Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and al-Nasa'i from Fudhalah ibn Ubayr, authenticated in Sahih al-Jami #3988]

Buraydah narrated that the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] heard a person say: "O Allah! I ask you, by virtue of the fact that I testify that You are Allah, there is no deity except You, the One, whom all the Creation turns to for help, who does not beget and is not begotten, and there is none equivalent to Him!"

He said: "This person has asked Allah by His Greatest Name, which if He is asked with, He gives, and if He is petitioned with, He answers". [Narrated by Abu Dawud in Sahih al-Sunan #1341, al-Tirmidhi in Sahih al-Sunan #2763]

Imam al-Tibi said, explaining this hadith: This hadith shows that Allah has a Great Name (al-Ism al-Azam), and if He is called by this name, He responds, as is mentioned in the hadith. Other ahadith have also mentioned examples of the Ism al-Azam, and in those narrations, there are names not mentioned in this hadith, except that the Name 'Allah' occurs in all of these narrations. By this, it can be inferred that this Name (i.e Allah) is the Ism al-Azam. [Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi 9/446]

A famous etiquette of dua is to raise the hands, this is known by almost all Muslims, young or old. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: "As for the Prophet, raising his hands in dua, then this has been narrated in so many ahadith that they cannot be counted!" [Arusi, p.212]

Abu Musa al-Ash'ari narrated: "The Prophet made dua, and I saw him raise his hands, until I could see the whiteness of his armpits". [al-Bukhari 4323]

Malik ibn Yasar narrated that the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "If you ask Allah, then ask Him with the palms of your hands outwards, and not the outward portion of the hands (i.e. with the palms facing down)". [Narrated by Abu Dawud from Malik ibn Yasar, and narrated by Ibn Majah, al-Tabarani, and al-Hakim from Ibn Abbas, in Sahih al-Jami #593]

It is not befitting for a person to ask with his palms facing down, for this is a sign of arrogance, and an indication that he is not really in need for his request.

There are many reasons why raising one's hands id du'a is beloved to Allah. Of these reasons is that it is an indication of Allah's complete power and right to be worshiped. It proves-by actions and not words-that Allah is worthy of being asked, and that He is the one Who Hears and Knows everything, for He knows the situation of His servant better than the servants himself. It is a sign that the One being asked is Ever - Merciful (al-Rahim), Loving to His servants (al-Wadud), responding to His slave (Sami al-Du'a). It shows that Allah is the Ever-Generous (al-Karim), the Self-Sustaining (al-Ghani), and that only He deserves to be asked, and only He is capable of responding. It demonstrates that the man is poor and the destitute for his Lord's blessings, for he has humbled himself in front of the One full of Honour, and raised his hands up to him, indicating his poverty.

In other words, it is a physical manifestation of all that this noble act of du'a embodies.

There are three types of motions that are narrated from the Companions. The first type is to point with one's forefinger, without necessarily lifting one's hands. This action is done when one asks for forgiveness, or makes a general dhikr (remembrance of Allah), or while making du'a during the khutbah (sermon), or during the tashahhud (that part of the prayer said in the final sitting position of each cycle of two rak'at).

The second type is to raise one's hands to the level of one's shoulders, with the palms facing up. This is done for regular du'as that one makes at any time.

The last type of action is only done be extremely serve circumstances, such as asking for rain after a drought, or seeking protection from an imminent enemy attack. In this case, the hands are stretched forwards to the sky, without joining the two palms together. When this is done, a person's armpits become exposed due to the severity of the stretching.

This is affirmed by the narration of Ibn 'Abba, who said: "The asking (of any du'a should be accompanied by) raising your hands to the level of your shoulder, or around that level. The seeking of forgiveness (istighfar) (should be accompanied by) pointing with one finger (i.e the forefinger). Petitioning (is done by) stretching forth your hands totally (above the head, such that the armpit are exposed)".

The general rule is that when a person makes du'a, he should raise his hands. However there is one case in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not raise his hands, and that was during the Friday khutbah. So for the du'a during, the khutbah, it is not Sunnah for the Imam or the people to raise the hands, expect if the person giving the khutbah makes a special prayer for the rain (istisqa), for it is Sunnah to raise one's hand for this particualr du'a.

Also, it is not Sunnah to raise ones hands for the general du'as of the day, such as the du'as for entering the mosque and house, and for existing them. As for the exact manner in which the hands should be raised, then note that they should be raised to the level of the shoulders, and placed together. One can either turn ones palms towards the sky (in which case the back of one's hands will face the earth), or turn the palms to face one's own face, in which case the back of the hands will face away from him.

The Qiblah is a blessed direction to face, and through it Allah has caused the Muslims to unite all over the world. By facing the qiblah, a Muslim turns himself in the direction of the very first place of worship ever built on Earth - the Ka'bah.

The proof to face the Qiblah when making dua can be found in the following narration: Abdullah ibn Zayd said: "The Prophet left (Madinah) to this prayer place, seeking rain. So he made a Dua, and asked for rain, then he faced the qiblah and turned his cloak inside-out". [al-Bukhari #6343, Muslim #894]

It has also been narrated that when the Quraysh tormented the Prophet, he '...faced the Ka'bah and made a dua against them.' [al-Bukhari #3960]

Of the etiquettes of dua is that a person be in a state of Wudu (Ritual purity) while making dua. This is confirmed in the Hadith of Abu Musa al-Ash'ari in which he stated that the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] after the Battle of Hunayn, called for water, performed wudu, then raised his hands and said: "O Allah! Forgive 'Ubayd ibn Amir!" Abu musa said, "I could see the whiteness of his armpits" [al-Bukhari #4323 and Muslim #2498]

One of the ways in which sincerity is shown in dua is through crying. This brings about a feeling of humility in front of Allah and shows the importance of your request.

The Prophet used to say: "O Allah! My ummah! My ummah!", and he started crying. Allah said to the angel Jibreel, "O Jibreel, go to Muhammad = and your Lord knows - and ask him what makes him cry?" So Jibreel went to the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] and asked him. The Prophet, responded that he was crying out of concern for his followers, just like Ibrahim and Isa were concerned for their followers, and Allah knew why he was crying, without having to ask Jibreel.
So Allah said, "O Jibril! Go to Muhammad and say: 'We will please you regarding your followers, and will not cause you grief" [Muslim #202]

A person making Dua should expect the best from Allah, and anticipate a response from Allah, whether that response is quick in coming or not.

Allah has mentioned in many places in the Qur'an that He is the One who answers.

"And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near to them. I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me!" [The Qur'an: Surah Al-Baqarah 2:186]

"So their Lord accepted of them (their supplication and answered them), 'Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female!". [The Qur'an: Surah al-Imran 3:195]

"Verily your Lord has said: "Call upon Me, and I will answer you!" Verily, those who are too arrogant to serve Me will surely find themselves in Hell - in humiliation!" [The Qur'an: Surah al-Ghafir 40:60]

"And indeed, Noah called upon Us, and We are the best of those who answer". [The Qur'an: Surah As-Saffat 37:75]

The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "Make Dua to Allah in a state that you are certain that your dua will be responded to." [Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and al-Hakim from Abu Hurayrah, Sahih al-Jami #245]

"Indeed, Allah is Shy and Beneficent. He is Shy when His servant raises his hands to Him (in dua) to return them empty!" [Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi and others, from Salman al-Farsi, Sahih al-Jami #1757]

Allah wants to respond to the worshipper even when he has not requested something, so imagine the situation after the worshipper has requested something from Allah?

Abu Hurayrah narrates that the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "Allah, all Glory and Praise be to Him, has said, 'Whatever My servant assumes of Me, that is how I will treat him, and I am with him when he remembers Me'". [Muslim from Abu Hurayrah, Sahih al-Jami #8138]

So if a person expects only good from Allah, and is certain that Allah will not destroy his hopes and desires, then Allah will fulfil his expectations. On the other hand if he feels that he won't be responded to, then he will be treated in the same way that he feels. Al-Shawkani commented on this hadith: In this Hadith, Allah encourages His servants to expect the best from Him, since He will treat them according to their expectations. So whoever expects good from Him will be showered with His Good, and will be shown His Beautiful Generosity...But he who is not like that will not be treated in this manner. And this is the meaning of the fact that Allah is with him when he remembers Him. So it is obligatory on the slave to always assume the best of Allah. And he should help himself to achieve this state by always recalling the texts (of the Qur'an and Sunnah) that show the great Mercy of Allah.

This is why the true Muslim always expects the best from Allah.
The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "Let not any of you die except that he assumes the best from Allah". [Muslim #2877]

Ibn al-Qayyim said: "Whoever reflects upon this issue deeply will realist that having the best expectations from Allah is equivalent to having good deeds, and doing good with one's soul. For only when a person expects the best from Allah will he perform good deeds, since he will expect that Allah will reward him for his deeds and accept them. Therefore, the reason that he performed these good deeds was because of his good expectations of Allah; so the more a person betters his expectations from Allah, the more good deeds he does!" [Al-Jawab al-Kafi p.23]

Allah has said in the Qur'an: "Call upon your Lord with humility, and in secret. Verily, He does not like the aggressors. [The Qur'an: Surah al-A'raf 7:55]

Likewise, Allah described the Prophet Zakariyyah and his wife as: "Verily, they used to hasten to do good deeds, and they used to make dua to Us with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves before Us. [The Qur'an: Surah al-Anbiya 21:90]

So it is important that the servant shows humility to The Creator, and humble himself before Him while making dua. Is it not befitting that a slave appear in front of his Creator and Master in a state of humility, realising the status of his Lord, and fearing his own shortcomings in his duty towards Him?

The true Muslim submits all of his affairs to Allah, without complaining to anyone else, in order to gain their sympathy and pity. The Prophets of Allah, whenever they were in severe situations and extenuating circumstances, would turn to Allah, and show their need of Allah's help.

When Zakariyya grew old, and was not blessed with any progeny, he cried out: "O My Lord! Do not leave me alone (without progeny), and you are the best of inheritors." [The Qur'an: Surah al-Anbiya 21:89]

When Ibrahim left his wife and child in the middle of the desert, without any support or help, he prayed to Allah, describing their pitiful situation: "O My Lord! I have left my family to live in a valley that has no fruits, close to your Sacred House, so that they may establish the prayer. Our Lord! Therefore cause a group to love them, and provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks. [The Qur'an: Surah Ibrahim 14:37]

When Prophet Ayyub was tried and tested by Allah, and his family and wealth were taken away from him, to such an extent that even his body suffered a terrible disease, he cried out: "O My Lord! Verily, some harm has afflicted me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who are merciful." [The Qur'an Surah al-Anbiya 21:83]

When Musa fled from Egypt to avoid Pharaoh, and was all alone in the Valley of Midian, with no helper or aid, he prayed: "O My Lord! Verily, I am needy to whatever good that You send down to me." [The Qur'an: Surah al-Qasas 28:24]

And when Ya'qub did not know of the fate of his favourite son Yusuf, and his oldest son stayed behind in Egypt, while Yusuf's brother Ben Yamin was also taken captive, all he could cry out was: "Verily, I only complain of my grief and sorrow to Allah!" [The Qur'an Surah Yusuf 12:86]

So it is important that one turns only to Allah, and complains of ones situation only to Him. For what value is there in turning to another created being, who cannot benefit or harm without Allah's help?

When making dua, a person should not pray loudly, so that others can hear him. The proper way to make dua is in a subdued voice, as Allah has said in the Qur'an: "Call upon your Lord with humility, and in secret. Verily, He does not like the aggressors. [The Qur'an: Surah al-A'raf 7:55]

That is why Allah praised the dua of Zakariyya: "When he made a dua to his Lord in secret (or privately). [The Qur'an: Surah Maryam 19:3]

This principle is reinforced in the hadith: "Once, the Companions were travelling, and loudly engaging in dhikr (remembrance of Allah). The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "O people! Be gentle on yourselves, for you are not calling someone who is deaf or absent. Rather, you are calling the One Who hears everything, Ever-Close". [al-Bukhari #6384]

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, when talking about the wisdom of making dua silently, said: "Firstly, it is a sign of strong iman, as the person demonstrates that he firmly believes that Allah can hear even the quietest of prayers and thoughts. Secondly, it is a sign of respect and manners in front of Allah. For, just as it is considered improper for the servant to raise his voice in front of his master, or the peasant in front of the King, then it is even more so regarding a slave and his Creator. Thirdly, it is a means of achieving humility and humbleness, which is the essence of worship. The one who is humble does not ask except meekly, whereas the one who is arrogant asks loudly. So softening the voice aids one in achieving this desired humility in dua.

Fourthly, it is a means of achieving sincerity, since others will not notice him. Fifthly, it aids the heart in concentrating on the dua, since raising one's voice loudly distracts one from one's thoughts. So, to make a dua quietly will help the person keep his thoughts together, and not be distracted from the state that he is in.

Sixthly, it shows the closeness that the true believer feels to his Creator. So it is a means of strengthening the relationship that the believers should have with Allah, as it allows him to feel that Allah is closer to him than any other object. Hence why Allah praised Zakariyya when He described his dua as being secret.

Seventhly, it aids a person in continuing the dua and not breaking off. This is because it is easier on the tongue and body, for it does not wear out or tire a person, in contrast to one who makes a dua loudly.

Eighthly, it causes less distraction, for raising one's voice brings about the attention of others, and leads to a person becoming conscious of his surroundings. However, if he lowers his voice, then he will be able to cut himself off from his environment and not be distracted by it.

Lastly, it prevents a person from being the target of envy and jealousy. For indeed, men and jinn are full of evil souls that envy others, and there is no greater cause for enmity than to see a person turn to Allah in private conversation, engrossed in His remembrance. So if a person makes Dua silently, he protects himself from this evil.

So the Companions of the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] understood the importance of saying a dua silently. Ibn Abbas stated: "A silent dua is seventy times better than a loud one!" [Ibn al-Mubarak in his al-Zuhd #40]

Part of the etiquette of dua is to acknowledge one's shortcomings and sins in front of Allah. This is also a means of properly worshipping Allah. Abu Hurayrah said: "The best dua is for a person to say: O Allah! You are my Lord, and I am your servant. I have wronged myself, and acknowledge my sins. O my Lord! Forgive me my sins, for You, and only You, are my Lord, and none forgives sins except You!" [Authentic statement of Abu Hurayrah, reported by Ahmad 1/515]

Ali ibn Abi Talib reported that the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "verily, Allah likes a worshipper who says: 'There is no one worthy of worship except You. I have wronged myself, so forgive my sins, for none forgives sins except You.' Allah says: 'My servant knows that he has a Lord who forgives and punishes!" [Narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi and others from 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, and authenticated by al-Albani in al-Sahihah #1653]

The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "The sayyid al-istighfar (the best dua to ask for forgiveness) is that a person says: O Allah! You are my Lord, there is no one worthy of worship except You. You created me, and I am your slave. And I am (following) Your covenant and Promise as much as I can. I seek Your refuge in the evil that I have done. I acknowledge Your favours upon me, and I acknowledge my sins. So forgive me, since no one forgives sins except You!" [al-Bukhari #6306]

So when one raises one's hands to Allah, expecting a response from Him, one should also ponder over one's own relationship with Allah, and the shortcomings that one possesses. in this way the person should recall his many sins, and feel his own humility - that is, he should remember that he is asking One whom he has disobeyed, and sinned against, and not fulfilled his rights upon Him. Let him taste his impudence when he asks Allah for more and more, without fuilfilling the basic deeds that are obligatory upon him.

Another etiquette of du’a is that a person implore Allah, and beseech Him. This sense of urgency is demonstrated in the Sunnah of the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him]. A’ishah reported that when the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] was afflicted with magic, he made du’a, then he made du’a, then he made du’a. [Muslim #2189] This incident demonstrates a sense of urgency and insistence that is needed while making du’a.

Additionally, we find this same characteristic in many of the du’as that the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] used to make. For example, he would pray: O Allah! Forgive me all (my sins) that I have already done, and will do (in the future), and what I have done in private, and what I have done in public, and all (sins) that you know from me. [Muslim #771]

Now, it was possible to just say, ‘Forgive all my sins’, and the meaning would have been the same. However, in this beautiful prophetic du’a, there is a strong sense of urgency – of imploring Allah, and beseeching Him, of pleading to Him, and insisting on this forgiveness. All of this not conveyed in the simple phrase,’ Forgive my sins.’

Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said, 'When one of you makes a du'a, then let him be firm and determined in his du'a, and let him not say, 'O Allah! If You will, then please forgive me', for there is noone who can force Allah to do anything'. [Sahih al-Bukhari #6339, Muslim #2678, Ahmad and others]

Therefore, what is desired is that a person be firm in his du'a asking from Allah in a determined manner. If, on the other hand, a person says, "O Allah! Grant me my dua if you wish", this goes against the firmness and resolution that is desired.

To Allah belong the Most Beautiful Names and Perfect Attributes. One of the purposes of these Names and Attributes is so that believers can increase in their Love for Allah when they contemplate the meanings of these Names and Attributes. One of the best ways to truly understand and comprehend the meaning of these Names and Attributes is to use the appropriate one when making dua.

So, when one is asking for forgiveness, one should use the Names that are appropriate to the concept of forgiveness, such as al-Tawwab (the One who continually accepts Repentance) or al-Razzaq (the One who Provides, when asking for sustenance. Whatever a person is asking for there will be an appropriate Divine Name or Attribute that one can use.

This is a recommended action while making a du'a, for it shows a sense of urgency in obtaining what is asked for. The act of repeating a dua thrice is narrated in many ahadith from the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] as, for example, the one reported by Ibn Masud, who said: "When the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] finished his prayer, he raised his voice, and prayed against them (the leaders of the Quraysh who had persecuted him). And whenever he made a dua, he would repeat it thrice, and whenever he asked (from Allah), he would do so thrice. So he then said: "O Allah! Upon you is (the retaliation) of the Quraysh!, O Allah! Upon you is (the retaliation) of the Quraysh!, O Allah! Upon you is (the retaliation) of the Quraysh!" [al-Bukhari #420, Muslim #1794]

Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "Whoever asks for Paradise three times, Paradise says: 'O Allah! Enter him into Paradise!' And whoever seeks refuge from the Hellfire three times, the Hellfire says: 'O Allah! Save him from the Hellfire!" [al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i and al-Hakim, Sahih al-Jami #6275]

Concise' duas are those which are brief, yet contain many meanings, and ask for general benefits, and seek refuge in general evils. The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] used to pray frequently with concise duas, and he was the one who had been given the most eloquent and concise of words. It was as if he were asking for all the good possible of both worlds, and seeking refuge in all evils, in the briefest and most eloquent of phrases, so that the people who heard him could memorise his duas easily, and understand what he said.

'A'ishah narrated that the Prophet "...used to love concise duas, and he would leave all duas besides those". [Abu Dawud, Ahmad, Ibn Hibban from 'A'ishah, Sahih al-Jami #4949]

Al-Khattabi states: "So let him (i.e. the worshipper) choose for his dua the appropriate words, and let him praise his Lord using the best praises, and the noblest of them ,and the most comprehensive in meaning. For dua is a secret conversation between the slave and the Master of all masters, whom no one resembles, nor does He have an equal!" [Sha'n al-Dua p.15]

An example of a comprehensive and concise dua is one which the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] used to pray with: "O Allah! I seek refuge in you from the evil of what I have done, and the evil that I have not done!" [Muslim from Abu Dharr, and Abu Dawud and al-Nasa'i from 'A'ishah, Sahih al-Jami #1293]

Another example is the famous dua of the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him]: "O Allah, Our Lord! Grant us the good in this world, and the good in the Hereafter, and save us from the punishment of Hell!" [al-Bukhari and Muslim]

It is desirable that the person making the du'a should first ask of it for himself. This is so for a number of reasons. Firstly, a person should desire all good for himself, so it does not make sense to pray for others and forget one's self. Secondly, the fact that a person prays for himself shows what he is praying for is an important goal anf objective. In other words, this ensures that he desires that he his brothers what he desires for himself. Thirdly, it increases him in his sincerity in this du'a, for verily mankind is weak, so when he makes du'a only for his brother, it is possible that it will not be as sincere as when he makes du'a for himse;f and his brother.

Likewise, this principle is affirmed by the hadith, as was collected by at-Tirmidhi in the narration of Ubay bin Ka'ab (may Allah be pleased with him) that if someone was mentioned to the Prophet, he would invoke Allah for him but would begin with himself. [Sahih at-Tirmidhi, abu Dauwd, an-Nasa'i, Sahih al-Jami #4723]

However, this was not the constant habit of the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him], for there are other narrations to show that sometimes he would not begin with himself, while still prying for another person. Thus, it is permissible to make du'a without mentioning one's self, but in general it is recommended to do so.

Part of the completeness of one's iman is that a person loves for his brother what he loves for himself. Therefore, just as he desires that he be guided to the truth, and be forgiven for his sins, so too should he desire the same for his fellow Muslims.

Allah says in the Qur'an, "Ask forgiveness for your sin and also for the believing men and women" [The Qur'an: Surah Muhammad 47:19]

Likewise, the Prophet Nuh prayed to Allah: "O My Lord! Forgive me, and my parents, and whoever entered my house as a believer, and all the believing men and women". [The Qur'an: Surah Nuh 71:28]

Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As reported that the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: 'The supplication that gets the quickest answer is the one made by one Muslim for another in his absence.''[Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi]

So it is encouraged for the Muslim to remember all of his brothers and sisters when he is making a dua, and to pray for the entire Muslim ummah. He should also pray against the enemies of Islam, against tyrants and non-Muslim rulers that fight and torture the Muslims. All of this is a sign of the persons own imaan, and is contained within the etiquette of dua.

Of particular importance is that a person prays for his own parents (alive, or if they have died as Muslims). Allah specifically instructs the believers in this respect: "And lower unto them the wings of humility and mercy, and say, 'O My Lord! Have mercy on them, even as they took care of me while I was young.' [The Qur'an: Surah al-Isra 17:24]

When a person is listening to another person make dua, it is recommended that he say 'Ameen', which literally means 'O Allah! Accept (or: Respond to) this dua.'

It is stated that the phrase 'Ameen' is one of the specialities of this nation, and that no nation before Islam had been given it. The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "The Jews do not envy you for any matter as much as they envy your for 'Ameen', and for giving salams to one another. [al-Bukhari in his al-Adab al-Mufrad #759 of al-Albani's sahih version]

The purpose of saying 'Ameen' is so that it might increase the chances that a person's dua be answered. It is like repeating the dua over again, except that instead of going into all the details of one's dua, it is all summarised in the one phrase, 'Ameen', which means, as we mentioned, 'O Allah! Respond (to the dua)!' So it is like another dua after the first one.

Of course, there are certain duas that should be done privately, not in a group, and there are others that are done in a group. Example of the first type are most of the duas that a person does during the day and night. It is an innovation to have a group dua for, say, entering the house, or after finishing the salaah. An example of the second type is the dua that is done is qunut, where the imam makes dua, and the congregation behind him says, 'Ameen'. Likewise, if the person giving the Friday sermon makes a dua, the congregation is encouraged to say 'Ameen' after his dua. Furthermore to say 'Ameen' after reciting Surah al-Fatihah is encouraged, regardless of whether one is praying, or reciting it outside the prayer, and regardless of whether one is the imam or the follower. At all such times, Ameen should be stated with an audible voice.

When Musa prayed to Allah to punish Pharaoh, it is said that Harun was behind him, saying 'Ameen!' Yes, even though only Musa was actually saying the dua, Allah said in the Qur'an: "Your (both of you) prayers have been answered!" [The Qur'an: Surah Yunus 10:89]

So Allah referred to both of them making dua, even though Harun was only saying 'Ameen' behind Musa's dua. And in this is proof that the one who says 'Ameen' to a dua is like the one who made the dua.

One last point regarding this phrase, is the pronunciation of 'Ameen', some common mistakes include prolonging the Alif so that it becomes 'Aaaaaameen' or shortening the Alif, it should be said for two Harakas [1 Haraka is approximately half a second]

Dua should be done at both times of ease and times of hardship. Dua is one of the greatest acts of worship, and should be performed as much as possible. Many people have a bad habit of only praying when a calamity befalls them, or when they wish for a particular good to occur. This goes against the attitude of a believer, for it shows that he only remembers Allah at times of need. The true believer always remembers Allah.

The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] stated: "Whoever wishes that Allah responds to his dua at a time of hardship, then let him increase his dua at times of ease!" [al-Tirmidhi #3382, al-Hakim 1/544, al-Sahihah #593]

Allah is not like His creation, in the sense that, if you continue to ask Him, He will get sick of you, rather there is nothing like Allah, and the more you ask of Him, the greater He will love you.

Another common mistake that many people fall into is that they only ask Allah for matters that are of great importance to them. However, Allah should be asked for every matter, large or small. This is because everything occurs by Allah's Will, so if Allah does not Will it, it will not occur, no matter how trivial the matter may be. This is why 'A'ishah, the beloved wife of the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him], said: "Ask Allah for everything, even if it is only a shoe-lace, because if Allah does not make it easy, then it will not be possible". [al-Tirmidhi #4/292, this doesn't reach the conditions of authenticity as a hadith, however it is authentic as a statement from 'A'ishah]

There are specific conditions in which your Dua is more likely to be accepted, they are listed on the Full Tips page.

If a person has been wronged by someone, Allah accepts the dua of that person against the person that wronged him. This 'wrong' could be that he was cheated of his rights, oppressed, persecuted, slandered, or any other form of wrong that a person may be inflicted with. The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "Fear the dua of he who has been wronged, for verily it ascends to the skies faster than sparks (of light)". [al-Hakim from Ibn Umar, Sahih al-Jami #118]

Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "Fear the dua of he who has been wronged, even if he is a disbeliever, for there remains no veil between it". [Ahmad, Abu Ya'la, Sahih al-Jami #119]

When a person finds himself in a grave crises, and his heart is about the shatter with grief and fear, at this point, he turns to Allah with a heart like that of no other person. The quality of sincerity that he displays, and the desperate need that he feels for the Mercy of his Lord, is so strong and pure that it is a dua that is answered in all situations, regardless even of whether the person is a Muslim or not! Event the dua of the Kafir is sometimes accepted, and that is part of the perfection of Allah's Lordship, for He is the Rabb of the Muslim and the Kafir.

Allah described about Himself: "Is not He (the One) who responds to the distressed one when he calls out to Him? [The Qur'an: Surah al-Naml 27:62]

- One of the times when a persons dua is answered is after a calamity, providing the person has been patient and not become displeased with the decree of Allah. Umm Salamah narrated that the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "There is no Muslim that is afflicted with a calamity, and he says what Allah has commanded him to say: 'To Allah we belong and to Him we will return! O Allah! Give me rewards (of being patient over) this calamity, and grant me something better than it to replace it,' except that Allah will give him something better to replace it.

Umm Salamah said, "So when (my husband) Abu Salamah dies, I said this dua, but could not help thinking, 'Who is better than Abu Salamah?' Then the Prophet himself sent me a messenger proposing to me, so Allah blessed me with someone better than Abu Salamah". [Muslim #918, Abu Dawud #3119, al-Tirmidhi #3511]

The person who has left his house, and is on a journey, is a stranger in the land that he travels to, alone and away from his family and friends. As such, Allah, sends His Mercy upon a traveller, especially if he is travelling for the sake of knowledge or with the intention of performing any other act of worship, such as pilgrimage or jihad.
A traveller has been guaranteed that his dua will be answered, for the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "Three are the duas that are responded to, there is no doubt concerning them: the dua of he who has been wronged, the traveller, and the dua of the father for his son". [Abu Dawud #1535, al-Tirmidhi #1905, Sahih al-Jami #3031]

The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "Three peoples duas are never rejected: the one who is fasting, until he breaks his fast; the just ruler; the one who has been wronged. Allah raises it above the clouds, and the doors of the skies are opened for it, and the Lord says, 'By My Honour and Glory! I will help you, even if it be after some time!' [al-Tirmidhi #3598]

It has been authentically narrated that peace and tranquillity descend on the one who recites the Qur'an, as do the angels. Therefore, after reciting any portion of the Qur'an, we are encouraged to make a dua, as it is more likely to be responded to. [Bakr Abu Zayd, Tas-hih al-Dua p.33]

These 3 types of people have all left their homes solely for the sake of performing an act of worship to please Allah, and, thus, they are like Allah's guests. Therefore, as soon as they leave their homes, they are under the special protection and care of Allah.

The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "The person who is fighting in the way of Allah, and the person going for Hajj, and the person going for Umrah are (like) Allah's delegates. Their duas are responded to, and their requests are given." [Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban and al-Tabarani, from Ibn Umar, Sahih al-Jami #4171.

Abu al-Darda reported that the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "There is no Muslim worshipper who prays for his brother (Muslim) in his absence except that an angel says, 'And to you be the same!'"

The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "Three (peoples) duas are not rejected: the one who remembers Allah frequently, and the one who has been wronged, and a just ruler. [al-Bayhaqi in Shu'ab al-Iman 2/399, al-Sahihah #1211]

When a person whom Allah has placed in a position of control and power over people is able to restrain his emotions and desires, and rules them with justice and honesty, then Allah blesses him, and causes his dua to be answered.

During this time, when most of creation is in a deep sleep, the true worshipper is awake, earnestly praying to his Creator, reflecting upon Allah's creation, the heavens and the Earth. In fact, Allah describes the true believers as those who: "...and, in the hours of dawn, they seek forgiveness from their Lord..." [The Qur'an: Surah al-Dhariyat 51:18].

Not only that, but Allah Himself comes down to His servant, and opens for Him the doors of Mercy and Forgiveness. Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet [May Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: "Our Lord descends every night, during the last third of it, to the skies of this world, and asks: 'Who is making dua to Me, so that I can respond to him? Who is asking Me, so that I can give him? Who is asking for My forgiveness, so that I can forgive him?" [al-Bukhari and Muslim from Abu Hurayrah, Sahih al-Jami #8021]

'Amr ibn 'Absah reported that the Prophet [May Peace and Blessings be upon him] 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" [al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i, and al-Hakim from 'Amr ibn 'Absah, and authenticated by al-Albani in Sahih al-Jami #1173]

The Prophet [May Peace and Blessings be upon him] said: "Two (duas) are never rejected: the dua during the call for prayer, and the dua during the calamity, when the two armies attack each other". [Abu Dawud #2540, Ibn Majah, and al-Hakim, from Sahl ibn Sa'd, and authenticated by al-Albani in Sahih al-Jami #3079]

In another Hadith: "When the prayer is called, doors of the skies are opened, and the dua is answered" [al-Tayalisi in his Musnad #2106; authenticated in al-Sahihah #1413]

And in another one: "Seek the response to your duas when the armies meet, and the prayer is called, and when rain falls" [al-Shafi'i in his al-Umm 1/223, authenticated in al-Sahihah #1469]

This is one of the best times for the prayer to be accepted, and what a great blessing it is! Five times every day, while a worshipper is waiting to offer his prayers to Allah, he is given the opportunity to ask from Him his needs of this world and the Hereafter.

Anas ibn Malik narrated that the Prophet [May Peace and Blessings be upon him] said: "The dua said between the adhan and iqamah is not refused, therefore offer your duas (at this time)" [Ahmad, Abu Dawud #521, al-Tirmidhi #212 from Anas ibn Malik. Sahih al-Jami #3408]

The Prophet [May Peace and Blessings be upon him] said: "People will have to stop from looking up at the sky while making dua during salah, or else Allah will snatch their sight away." [Muslim, Ahmad, and al-Nasa'i from Abu Hurayrah, Sahih al-Jami #5479]

This is the most noble posture that a worshipper can be in, for it is the epitome of humility and submissiveness. And how can it not be, when a person in prostration lowers his face to the dust, seeking the pleasure of Allah? Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet [May Peace and Blessings be upon him] said: "The closest any worshipper can be to his Lord is while is is in prostration, so increase your duas in it". [Muslim, Abu Dawud, al-Nasa'i and others, from Abu Hurayrah, as mentioned in Sahih al-Jami #1175]

Ibn Mas'ud narrates: I was once praying, and the Prophet [May Peace and Blessings be upon him], Abu Bakr, and Umar (were all present). When I sat down (in the final tashahhud), I praised Allah, then sent salams on the Prophet [May Peace and Blessings be upon him], then started praying for myself. At this, the Prophet [May Peace and Blessings be upon him] said: "Ask, and you shall be given it! Ask, and you shall be given it!" [al-Tirmidhi #593]

Abu Umamah al-Bahili asked the Prophet, "O Messenger of Allah! Which dua is the most likely to be responded to?" The Prophet [May Peace and Blessings be upon him] replied: "In the last part of the night, and after the obligatory prayers." [al-Tirmidhi #3499]

The Prophet [May Peace and Blessings be upon him] stressed this time period to Mu'adh ibn Jabal when he said: "O Mu'adh! I swear by Allah, I love you. Therefore, do not forget to say after each prayer, 'O Allah help me to remember You, and to thank You, and to perfect my worship for You'. [Abu Dawud, Ahmad, and al-Nasa'i, from Mu'adh ibn Jabal, Sahih al-Jami #7969]

There is a special hour on Friday, during which all prayers are accepted and answered by Allah. Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet [May Peace and Blessings be upon him] said: "On Friday, there is an hour during which, if any Muslim is standing in front of Allah in salaah, and asking Allah for something good, he will be granted his request." Then he made a sign with his hands, showing that it was a very short period of time. [al-Bukhari #935]

There are numerous opinions as to the exact hour on Friday during which this occurs, but two opinions are the strongest; when the Imam sits down between the two Khutbahs until the end of the khutbah, and after the 'Asr prayer until the Maghrib prayer. Ibn al-Qayyim preferred the second over the first one. [Zad al-Ma'ad 1/378-396]

This is because of the following hadith: Friday has twelve hours (or parts to it). There is one hour during which if a Muslim asks Allah anything, Allah will give it to him, so find it during the last hour after 'Asr. [Abu Dawud #926 of Sahih al-Sunan and al-Nasa'i #1316 of Sahih al-Sunan]. This is also the opinion of the vast majority of early scholars and the Prophet's companions.

When a person wakes up in the middle of the night, only to go back to sleep again, if he remembers Allah at this time, his dua will be accepted. The Prophet [May Peace and Blessings be upon him] said: "Whoever wakes up at night, and says, 'La ilaha illa Allah Wahdahu la sharika lah, lahu al mulk wa lahu al-hamd wa huwa ala kulli shay'in Qadir. Alhamdulillah, wa SubhanAllah, wa la ilaha illa Allah, wa Allahu akbar, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa bi Allah', and then says, 'O Allah, forgive me!' or makes a dua, then he will be responded to. And if he performs wudu and prays, then his prayer will be accepted. [al-Bukhari #1154]

The Prophet [May Peace and Blessings be upon him] said: "There is no one amongst you that makes wudu, and does so perfectly, and then says, 'I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. He is alone, having no partners. And I bear witness and testify that Muhammad is His slave and messenger', except that all eight doors of Paradise are opened for him, and he can enter into it through whichever one he pleases. [Muslim #234]

The Prophet [May Peace and Blessings be upon him] said: "The water of Zam Zam is for whatever it is has been drunk for." [Ahmad 3/357, Ibn Majah #3062, Sahih al-Jami #5502]

The month of Ramadan is a blessed month, during which the Qur'an was revealed. The Prophet [May Peace and Blessings be upon him] said: "When Ramadan comes, the Doors of Mercy are opened, and the Doors of Hell are closed, and the Shayateen are chained up." [al-Bukhari #1899, Muslim #1079]

During this blessed night, when the angels descend down to Earth with the angel Jibreel, and when the Earth is overwhelmed with peace and serenity until the break of dawn, and when the doors of Paradise are opened, the worshipper is encouraged to turn to Allah, and to ask of his needs for this world and the Hereafter.
Allah says:
Indeed, We sent the Qur'an down during the Night of Decree.
And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree?
The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.
The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter.
Peace it is until the emergence of dawn. [The Qur'an: Surah al Qadr]

'A'ishah narrated that she asked the Prophet [May Peace and Blessings be upon him]: "O Messenger of Allah! What dua should I make on Laylat al-Qadr?" He answered: "Say, 'O Allah! You are Forgiving, and love to forgive, so forgive me!'"

Laylat al-Qadr is one of the odd nights in the last ten nights, which are the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or the 29th. There is a common misconception that it is definitely on the 27th, however this is not confirmed in any authentic source, so one should strive to do their best on all of the odd nights.

Umm Salamah narrated that the Prophet [May Peace and Blessings be upon him] said: "When you visit the sick, or the dead (body before its burial) then say good, because the angels say, Ameen to whatever you say." [Muslim #2126]

This is a time when the blessings of Allah descend from the Heavens, and so it is also one of the times when the dua of a worshipper is accepted. Sahl ibn Sa'd narrated that the Prophet [May Peace and Blessings be upon him] said: "Two are the duas that are never returned: the dua made when the prayer is being called, and at the time of rainfall." [Abu Dawud #3540, al-Hakim 2/114, Sahih al-Jami #3078]

The Prophet, would pray four rak'ahs after the sun had reached its zenith, and he said, "This is an hour during which the gates of the skies are opened, and I like that some of my good acts are raised up (at this time). [Ahmad 3/411, al-Tirmidhi #478]

Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet [May Peace and Blessings be upon him] said: "When you hear a rooster crowing, then ask Allah for His Bounties, for it has seen an angel, and when you hear a donkey braying, then seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan, for it has seen a shaytan." [al-Bukhari, Muslim and Ahmad, Sahih al-Jami #611]