Definition
An act of worship by which the servant calls upon Allah, asks Him, and demonstrates his utter need. Directing du‘ā' to other than Allah is shirk.
Etymology & Root
From د-ع-و (d-ʿ-w), 'to call'. In sharʿī usage: calling upon Allah for benefit or to remove harm. Two types: duʿāʾ al-masʾalah (asking) and duʿāʾ al-ʿibādah (worship through fear and hope).
Usage in the Qur'an
'Your Lord said: Call upon Me; I will answer you' (Ghāfir 40:60). 'And when My servants ask you concerning Me — indeed I am near. I respond to the supplication of the supplicant when he calls upon Me' (al-Baqarah 2:186).
Usage in the Sunnah
The Prophet ﷺ said: 'Duʿāʾ is worship' (Abū Dāwūd, Tirmidhī — ṣaḥīḥ), then recited 40:60. He also taught: 'Nothing repels the decree except duʿāʾ' (Tirmidhī, ḥasan).
Scholarly Notes
Ibn al-Qayyim in al-Jawāb al-Kāfī lists conditions for acceptance: presence of heart, lawful sustenance, persistence, beginning with praise of Allah and ṣalawāt on the Prophet ﷺ. Best times: last third of the night, between adhān and iqāmah, in sajdah, on Fridays.
Common Misconceptions
That delayed answers mean rejection — Allah may give what is asked, withhold something worse, or store the reward for the Hereafter (Aḥmad, ṣaḥīḥ). Also: that asking the dead or 'saints' to intercede is a form of duʿāʾ — this is major shirk.
Practical Application
Memorise the Prophetic adhkār for morning, evening, and after prayers from Ḥiṣn al-Muslim. Make duʿāʾ in your own language. Raise your hands and have certainty Allah will respond.
In classical books
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