This is an excerpt from an article I found entitled “Dua’” by Huma Ahmad (D U A’) This is a nice and straight forward list of the times where du’aas are most likely to be accepted. Also included is a list of things we can do to beautify and perfect our du’aas.
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We can and should make Dua in every condition, i.e. in
hardship and in prosperity. There are also some special
times to make Dua where it is more likely to be accepted:
- When one is oppressed
- Between the time of Athan and Iqama
- At the time of the call for prayer
- At the time of fighting when warriors are engaged with each other
- When it is raining
- When one is sick
- The last third of the night
- Ramadan (especially Lailatul Qadr)
- After the Fard part of prayer
- When traveling
- When breaking fast
- In Sujood
- Fridays, some say on Friday after Asr prayer
- While drinking the water from the well of Zamzam
- At the start of prayer (Dua of Istiftah)
- When one begins the prayer, i.e. with “all praise be to Allah, the Pure and the Blessed one”
- While one recites al-Fatiha (which is a Dua)
- When Ameen is said in the prayer (also relating to Fatiha)
- At the time of raising the head after the Rukoo
- In the last part of the prayer after conveying blessings unto the Prophet (SAW)
- Before finishing the prayer (before Tasleem (saying the Salaam to the angels))
- At the end of Wudu
- On the day of Arafah
- On waking up from sleep
- At times of adversity
- Prayer after the death of a person
- Dua when someone’s heart is filled with sincerity and when it is focused on Allah
- Dua of the parent against or for his children
- When the sun moves from its meridian but before the Dhuhr prayer
- The Dua of a Muslim for his brother without the latter’s knowledge
- At the time the army advances to fight in the way of Allah.
Dua can be beautified and perfected by certain actions: - Have Wudu, face Qibla, be neat and clean
- Raise both hands up to the shoulder with palms open facing up
- Use words of Allah and Muhammad (SAW)- i.e. Duas found in Quran and Hadith
- Ask by Asma alHusna- Allah’s Beautiful Names
- Ask Allah by your good deeds
- Be insistent-repeat (i.e. 3x’s)
- Glorify Allah and recite Durud for the Prophet (SAW) at both the beginning and end
- Show humility, entreaty, desire and fear while making Dua
- Repent and try to make amends where one has wronged
- Confess mistakes, shortcomings, and sins
- Keep voice between a whisper and speaking aloud
- Show the need for Allah’s help and implore Him for release from weakness, hardship and tribulation.
- Seize the opportunity of time, situation and circumstance in which prayers are answered
- Avoid rhymed prose to keep concentration
- Crying when making Dua
- The Dua of Dhun-Nun (Yunus) by which he invoked Allah from within the belly of the whale was: “LAa ilaha illa Anta, Subhanaka innee kuntu min aDH-DHaalimeen.” No Muslim ever makes Dua with it but Allah answers it.” [at tirmidhi in his sunan, ahmad and hakim reported it and hakim declared it authentic and adh dhahabee agreed]
- End with “Alhamdulillah rabbil alameen”