DU’A: THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON OF A BELIEVER II BY IMAM YAHYA GARBA AL-YOLAWI

  THE 110TH KHUTBAH DELIVERED AT AREA 10 JUMA’AH MASJID ABUJA, BY IMAM YAHYA GARBA AL-YOLAWI, ON 10TH MAR 2017/ 11^TH  J/AKHIR 1438 AFTER HIJRA

TOPIC: DU’A: THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON OF A BELIEVER II

(Factors liable for accepting or rejecting prayers)

 In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

To proceed; My dear respected brothers and sisters in Islam, today’s topic will focus on Factors liable for accepting or rejecting prayers).

First of all, scholars have explain that dua’ (supplications) is of two types: That of need (Dua’u mas’alah) and That of worship ( Du’a ibadah). The first category is a plain request made such as "O Allah, forgive me!", and "O Allah provide for me!" and so on. All of
these are specific requests, for specific needs and this is called (Du’a masalah), "The invocation of need and for needs. As for the second, (Dua’ ibadah) the invocation foe worship, it covers every act of worship said in words or in actions. Example of this is type of du’a  that comes immediately after tasleem. Now du’a mas’alah is our focal point of discussion here, which could be influenced by some factors that can lead to it acceptance or rejection.

FACTORS LIABLE FOR ACCEPTNG ONE’S PRAYERS

Seeking the best time and places:

There are many times and places where du’aa’ is answered to mention but few:

 1 – Laylat al-Qadar. It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “If I know what night is Laylat al-Qadar, what should I say during it?” He said: “Say: Allaahumma innaka ‘afuwwan tuhibb ul-‘afwa fa’fu ‘anni (O Allaah, You are forgiving and love forgiveness, so forgive me).”

2. Arafat Day:  The best of supplications is the supplication on the day of A Aarafah and the best which I and the Prophets before me have said (is):“None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, alone, without partner. To Him belongs sovereignty and all praise and He is over all things omnipotent.” - tirmizi

 3 – Du’aa’ in the last one-third of the night: the time before dawn, the time when Allah descends to bestow His bounty upon His slaves, to meet their needs and to relieve their distress, when He says: “Who will call upon Me, that I may answer Him? Who will ask of Me, that I may give him? Who will seek My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?” narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1145.

4 – At the end of prescribed five daily prayers. According to the hadeeth of Abu Umaamah, it was said: “O Messenger of Allaah, which du’aa’ is heard?” He said: “In the last third of the night, and following the prescribed prayers.” Tirmidzi.

There was some difference of scholarly opinion concerning the phrase dubr al-salawaat al-maktubah (“following the prescribed prayers”) – does it mean before the salam or afterwards? However Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: “What has been narrated of du’aa’ following the prayer is before the salaam and what has been narrated of dhikr following the prayer is after the salaam, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):  “When you have finished As-Salaah (the congregational prayer), remember Allah standing, sitting down, and (lying down) on your sides” [Q 4:103]  

5 – Between the adhaan and the iqaamah. It is narrated in a saheeh report that the Prophet (S.A.W) said: “A du’aa’ offered between the adhaan and iqaamah is not rejected.” Narrated by Abu Dawood  and al-Tirmidhi

6 – When rain falls, as it said in the hadeeth of Sahl ibn Sa’d that is attributed to the Prophet (S.A.W): “There are two which will not be rejected: du’aa’ at the time of the call (to prayer) and when it is raining.” Narrated by Abu Dawood and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’ (3078).

 7 –. A period of time on Friday.  The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) mentioned Friday and said: “During it there is a time when a Muslim servant does not stand and pray and ask Allaah for something, but He will give it to him,” and he gestured with his hand to indicate how short that time is. Bukhaari, and muslim.

 8 – When drinking Zamzam water. It was narrated from Jaabir (RA) that the Prophet (SAW) said: “Zamzam water is for that which it was drunk for.” Narrated by Ahmad  

9 – When prostrating. The Prophet (S.A.W) said: “The closest that a person is to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so say a great deal of du’a’ then.” Muslim

 10  – If a calamity befalls him and he says, Inna Lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji’oon, Allaahumma ujurni fi museebati w'ukhluf li khayran minha (Truly, to Allah we belong and to Him we shall return; O Allaah, reward me in this calamity and compensate me with something better than it). It was narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh (918) that Umm Salamah said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “There is no calamity that befalls one of the Muslims and he responds by saying ‘Innaa Lillaahi wa innaa ilahi raaji'oon, Allaahumma ujurni fi museebati w'ukhluf li khayran minha (Truly, to Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return; O Allaah, reward me in this calamity and compensate me with something better than it),’ but Allah will compensate him with something better than it.”

FACTORS AS REGARD TO PERSON WHO PRAYS AND THE KIND OF PRAYER IT SELF

1 – The prayer of the one who has been oppressed. “Fear the prayer of the one who has been oppressed, for there is no barrier between it and Allah.”  al-Bukhaari, Muslim

2 – The fasting person and the du’aa’ of a father for his child or against his child:  It was narrated that our Prophet (SAW) said: “There are three prayers that are not rejected: the prayer of a father for his child, the prayer of the fasting person and the prayer of the traveller.” Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2032;

3 – The du’aa’ of a righteous son for his parents, as stated in the hadeeth narrated by Muslim (1631): “When the son of Adam dies, all his good deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity, a righteous son who will pray for him, or beneficial knowledge

4 – The Traveler: ‘There are three prayers that will be answered: the prayer of one who has been wronged, the prayer of a traveller, and the prayer of a father against his child.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi,

5. Dua of righteous person "..My servant does not come closer to Me with anything more dear to Me than that which I made obligatory upon him. And My servant keeps coming closer to Me with more(Nawaafil) volunteer deeds, until I love him. When I love him, I become His ear by which he hears, his eyes by which he sees, his hand by which he holds and his foot by which he walks And If he asks Me anything I shall give him. If he seeks My protection I shall grant him My protection… "Bukhari

 6. Seeking Allah’s help through acceptable tawasul(invocation) as done by the three people trapped in the cave from that long hadith of Abdullahi bn Umar.

7. Just ruler: Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), "Three types of people's dua’as are not rejected: 1) At the time of iftar the person who has fasted 2) Adil ruler's dua’a 3) The dua’a of the oppressed. Allah raises the dua'a of the oppressed on the clouds and the doors of heaven are opened for it and Allah says, "Oath of MY Majesty and Honour! I will help and aid you. Even though if the help is after few days." [Tirmizi

 FACTORS LIABLE FOR DU’A ( PRAYERS) TO BE REJECTED :

 To Mention but Few:

1)      Du’a from negligence and careless heart:

 Abu Hurairah (RAA) narrates from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), "Do supplicate [dua’a] to Allah with confidence that HE will accept it and know this well; that Allah doesn't accept the dua’a done with a negligent and careless heart. [Tirmizi]

2)      Try not to be hasty in Dua: It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “(The dua’a’) of any one of you will be answered so long as he is not hasty in seeking a response and does not say, ‘I prayed but I have not had a response.’” [Al-Bukhaari, 5981; Muslim, 2735].

3)      Making the dua’a’ conditional, such as saying, “O Allah, forgive me if You wish” or “O Allah, have mercy upon me if You will.” The person who makes dua’a has to be resolute in his supplication, striving hard and earnestly repeating his dua’a’.

4)      Making Dua'a in a Hurry {Without praising Allah and sending blessings upon the Prophet (s.a.w).

5)       Failing to Remember Allah at times of Happiness (ease or comfort)

6)       Failing to supplicate at the time and places where prayers are answered the most.

7)       Complaining to others and refraining from seeking Allah's help.

8)       Supplicating to those who have left this world other than Allah.

9)       Disobeying Allah's commands, indulging in sins (stealing, fornications, usury, adultery, intoxications) and not Enjoining Good.

10)     Going to a Fortune teller (Boka, babalawo ojuju etc)

11)   Being Impatient -

12)   Asking to break family ties or for something unlawful

13)   Eating, Drinking, spending, buying and Living on Haraam source of earning.

14)  .Lack of sincerity and making dua'a with a distracted mind.

15. Haram earnings: or having haraam wealth – whetheris that food or drink or clothing or accommodation or transportation, or taken a haram job, or the stain of sin is still in the heart etc. On the authority of Abu Hurairah, who said : the messenger of Allah said :  "Allah the Almighty is pure and accepts only that which is pure. Allah has commanded the believers to do that which he commanded the messengers, and the Almighty has said: "O ye messengers ! Eat of the good things and do right". And Allah the Almighty  says : "O you who believe! Eat of the good things with We have provided you" Then he mentioned [the case of] a man who, having  travel far, is disheveled and dusty and who spreads out his hands to the sky [saying Yaa Rabb Ya Rab] : "O Lord! O Lord!" - while his food is [Haram] unlawful, his drink unlawful, his clothing is unlawful, and he was nourished unlawfully [with haram], so how can he be answered !" Muslim  

 Finally I will end by the response given by this great scholar Ibrahim bn Adham  when he was asked: Why is it that we supplicate and receive no response? “He said because did not   follow the Sunnah, and you know the Qur’an but you do not act in accordance with it, and you eat from the blessings of Allah but you do not give thanks for them, and you know Paradise but you do not seek it, and you know Hell but you do not flee from it, and you know the shaytaan but you do not fight him rather you agree with him, and you know death but you do not prepare  for it, and you have buried the dead but you do not learn a lesson from that, and you ignore your own faults and are preoccupied with other people’s faults.” So do not expect a response when you have blocked the way with sins.

May Allah (SWT) forgive me where I am wrong and guide us to the right path.

 We ask Allah the most high, to continue to guide, protect our Iman and grant our prayers.  Ameen.

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