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26 Sep 2023

Allah is a wonderful listener, but do you speak to Him enough?

Allah is a wonderful listener, but do you speak to Him enough?

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Dr Musharraf Hussain is an Islamic scholar, CEO of Karimia Institute, and senior trustee of Muslim Hands. Formerly he was the chairman of the Christian Muslim forum (2008-2010), vice chair of the Association of Muslim Schools (2000-2003). He trained and worked as a research scientist before becoming a fulltime Imam and teacher. He has authored over 30 books.

Allah is a wonderful listener, but do you speak to Him enough?

Dua is how we speak to Allah, and this generates spiritual energy that comforts the soul. The Messenger (pbuh) likened the person who remembers Allah to a living person, full of energy and vitality, and the person who does not to a dead person.

โ€œWhen my servants ask you about Me, surely I am near. I answer the caller when he calls Me, so let them obey Me and believe in Me that they may be guided.โ€

Baqarah: 186

Imam Fakhr al-Din al-Razi defined it as โ€œthe pleading of the servant to the Majestic Lord for His support, help and provision.โ€ This โ€˜callโ€™ and sincere plea could be at a time of difficulty, for Divine kindness, healing or peace of mind – the reasons are truly endless. Dua gives Muslims a sense of self-assurance and security, both of which are priceless gems. The Messenger (pbuh) said, โ€œDua is the essence of worship.โ€ One of the Divine names is Al-Mujeeb, the one who answers and replies to the call of his servants. โ€œCall Me and I will answer youโ€ says Allah (Ghafir: 60).

A Bedouin once asked the Messenger ๏ทบ โ€œIs our Lord near so we can have a secret conversation, or is He far away so that we have to call our Lord?โ€ This verse was revealed to explain the meaning of โ€œSurely I am near.โ€ Imam Razi clarifies some of the misunderstandings people have about prayer, he says:

  • Allah is the knower of all secrets, so what is the need for Dua?
  • Some may wonder if the purpose of Dua is to benefit the creation, then shouldn’t Allah give without asking?
  • The highest level of piety is to be satisfied with the Divine Will, whatever that may be. Dua negates this since you are preferring your own wish over the Divine Will.
  • They claim Dua is demanding from Allah or stopping Him; this is blasphemous.

Imam Razi rejects these views. He says, in Dua there is no intermediary between us and Allah – it is a direct dialogue. The caller concentrates and focuses on their needs with deep conviction they put their trust in Allah and call onto Him. So, Dua brings us closer to the Lord and it is the best form of worship.

In fact, it is possible that Allah is annoyed with those who do not ask from Him. โ€œThen why did they not call upon us at the time of trouble, hardened and Shaitan decorated the deeds they used to doโ€ [Anโ€™am: 43]. The Prophet (pbuh) said Dua is the essence of worship and โ€œDua is worshipโ€. Say โ€œLittle does my Lord care about you, if you do not pray to him, since you have denied, soon the punishment will happenโ€ [Furqan: 77].

The gist of Raziโ€™s argument is that Dua is an expression of devotion, humility and turning to Allah wholeheartedly. If this is the aim of Dua, then those doubts listed above disappear. In response to the argument that Dua is not answered, Imam Razi cites the hadith โ€œA Dua of a Muslim is never rejected, as long as he does not ask for a forbidden thing or breaking of ties. Either the Dua will be fulfilled or recorded and saved for the hereafter or Allah will divert away from him a calamity.โ€

Lets pray

Here are some Duas taken directly from The Majestic Quran. The intimate nature of Dua is illustrated by examples of Duas made by the Prophets.

Pictured: Majestic Quran

After the construction of the Kabah, Ibrahim turned to his Lord and prayed:

ุฑูŽุจู‘ูŽู†ุง ุชูŽู‚ูŽุจู‘ูŽู„ ู…ูู†ู‘ุง ุฅูู†ู‘ูŽูƒูŽ ุฃูŽู†ุชูŽ ุงู„ุณู‘ูŽู…ูŠุนู ุงู„ุนูŽู„ูŠู…ู
โ€œLord accept this from us, for you are All-Listening and All-Knowingโ€
(Baqarah: 127).

I have failed in my duty as an obedient servant of yours:

ู„ุง ุฅูู„ูฐู‡ูŽ ุฅูู„ู‘ุง ุฃูŽู†ุชูŽ ุณูุจุญุงู†ูŽูƒูŽ ุฅูู†ู‘ูŠ ูƒูู†ุชู ู…ูู†ูŽ ุงู„ุธู‘ุงู„ูู…ูŠู†ูŽ
โ€œThere is no God but you, glory be to you, I was wrong
โ€ (Anbiya: 87).

I am weak and feeble in my response to You, yet You continuously bless me, this tough life has sapped me of energy and left me helpless and hopeless:

ุฑูŽุจู‘ู ุฃูŽูˆุฒูุนู†ูŠ ุฃูŽู† ุฃูŽุดูƒูุฑูŽ ู†ูุนู…ูŽุชูŽูƒูŽ ุงู„ู‘ูŽุชูŠ ุฃูŽู†ุนูŽู…ุชูŽ ุนูŽู„ูŽูŠู‘ูŽ ูˆูŽุนูŽู„ู‰ูฐ ูˆุงู„ูุฏูŽูŠู‘ูŽ ูˆูŽุฃูŽู† ุฃูŽุนู…ูŽู„ูŽ ุตุงู„ูุญู‹ุง ุชูŽุฑุถุงู‡ู ูˆูŽุฃูŽุฏุฎูู„ู†ูŠ ุจูุฑูŽุญู…ูŽุชููƒูŽ ููŠ ุนูุจุงุฏููƒูŽ ุงู„ุตู‘ุงู„ูุญูŠู†ูŽ
โ€œLord, make me grateful to You for the blessings that You have given me and my father; and grant me strength to do righteous deeds to please You; and kindly, include me with Your righteous servantsโ€
(Naml: 19).

I thank you profusely for the gift of family:

ุฑูŽุจู‘ูŽู†ุง ู‡ูŽุจ ู„ูŽู†ุง ู…ูู† ุฃูŽุฒูˆุงุฌูู†ุง ูˆูŽุฐูุฑู‘ููŠู‘ุงุชูู†ุง ู‚ูุฑู‘ูŽุฉูŽ ุฃูŽุนูŠูู†ู ูˆูŽุงุฌุนูŽู„ู†ุง ู„ูู„ู…ูุชู‘ูŽู‚ูŠู†ูŽ ุฅูู…ุงู…ู‹ุง
โ€œOur Lord, grant us joy in our spouses and children, and make us an example for those who are mindful of You
โ€ (Furqan: 74).

I often fall into the trap of the world, I humbly plead to you, my Guardian and Protector:

ุฑูŽุจู‘ูŽู†ุง ุขุชูู†ุง ูููŠ ุงู„ุฏู‘ูู†ูŠุง ุญูŽุณูŽู†ูŽุฉู‹ ูˆูŽูููŠ ุงู„ุขุฎูุฑูŽุฉู ุญูŽุณูŽู†ูŽุฉู‹ ูˆูŽู‚ูู†ุง ุนูŽุฐุงุจูŽ ุงู„ู†ู‘ุงุฑู
โ€œOur Lord, grant us good in this world and good in the Hereafter and protect us from the punishment of the Fire
โ€ (Baqarah: 201).

So often I shout, get angry and get upset:

ุฑูŽุจู‘ูŽู†ุง ุฃูŽูุฑูุบ ุนูŽู„ูŽูŠู†ุง ุตูŽุจุฑู‹ุง ูˆูŽุซูŽุจู‘ูุช ุฃูŽู‚ุฏุงู…ูŽู†ุง ูˆูŽุงู†ุตูุฑู†ุง ุนูŽู„ูŽู‰ ุงู„ู‚ูŽูˆู…ู ุงู„ูƒุงููุฑูŠู†ูŽ
โ€œOur Lord, shower patience on us, keep our feet firm on the ground and help us against the disbelievers
โ€ (Baqarah: 250).

Pick up the phone

The way you pick up the phone when you need to reach someone, let’s reach for our spiritual phones and talk to Allah, for He is always waiting to hear from us, subhanallah.

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