Once a person told a scholar that he doesn’t feel interested in making duas (praying for blessings). The scholar replied," It is because we don’t possess the ability to immediately sense the effect of our dua. If the moment we raise our hands, sound of gold coins falling in our hands could be heard, our interest in dua would have increased many folds. BUT we don’t realize that the moment we humbly raise our hands in front of Allah subhana wa’ta’aala, HIS special mercy and love is directed towards us, which in itself is infinite times greater blessing than what we are praying for. Just like a beggar who knows the value of dollars but doesn’t know the value of diamonds becomes upset if he receives diamonds instead of 5 dollars which he considers to be more valuable than mountains of diamonds.
Our raising hands in front of Allah (swt) is because of HIS blessings upon us that HE gave us “Taufeeq” to be able to remember Allah (swt) and seek HIS mercy, because not all people are blessed with this great blessing in life. Money, car, and worldly materialistic things have no worth in front of the “ability to humbly Pray” in front of Allah (swt) with tears of repentance, which can only be achieved by the grace and mercy of Allah (swt) and ones sincere *talb (*wish) for it.
raising the hands towards Allah and making dua is not the true form of muslim prayers. These are the 5 daily prayers a muslim man and woman are told to hold in full remembrance of Allah, the Almighty. Bowing down "sajdah" where the Heart is over the Brain and then praying to Allah the Almighty is the real form of Hamd and this will lead to the spiritual acsension.
Our Prophet has shown us how to pray. I think he has not shown us to raise the hands so that the coins fall in our hands. You might get the rewards, but this method of communication between Allah and you cannot be considered as the real form of dua.
raising the hands towards Allah and making dua is not the true form of muslim prayers. These are the 5 daily prayers a muslim man and woman are told to hold in full remembrance of Allah, the Almighty. Bowing down "sajdah" where the Heart is over the Brain and then praying to Allah the Almighty is the real form of Hamd and this will lead to the spiritual acsension.
Our Prophet has shown us how to pray. I think he has not shown us to raise the hands so that the coins fall in our hands. You might get the rewards, but this method of communication between Allah and you cannot be considered as the real form of dua.
I have mentioned what the real form of dua is. These are the five daily prayers from Fajr to Isha plus the Tahajjud in the Night! Of course you can raise your hands, but this has not the same effect.
raising the hands towards Allah and making dua is not the true form of muslim prayers. These are the 5 daily prayers a muslim man and woman are told to hold in full remembrance of Allah, the Almighty. Bowing down "sajdah" where the Heart is over the Brain and then praying to Allah the Almighty is the real form of Hamd and this will lead to the spiritual acsension.
Our Prophet has shown us how to pray. I think he has not shown us to raise the hands so that the coins fall in our hands. You might get the rewards, but this method of communication between Allah and you cannot be considered as the real form of dua.
The problem arises when Salah and Dua are both translated as prayers. Sadly, we are a nation that is lost in translations in these times - the dour-ul-fitan.
Bigboi is right ... there are only two opinions of the greatest form of worship and that is not du'a - that is either tawaf or salah. There is a position for du'a as can be seen in Surah Fatihah - That only to Allah (SWT) we worship and only from Allah (SWT) we ask for help ... However, raising the hands in du'a is from our tradition and as authentic as any other facet of our activities.
Now for that anecdote:
I have a problem with it. My first problem stems from the alleged comparison to selfish gain. We are being asked to consider du'a as we would consider worldly riches and the way we should do this is to consider Mercy and Love of Allah (SWT) as diamonds, but then what if we were asking for diamonds and not dollars? It is true that Mercy and Love of Allah (SWT) is far greater, but it is not wrong to ask for the bounties of this life, and it is sometimes that case that Allah (SWT) sends us hardships to test us again as a Mercy for us.
Then when we supplicate in du'a we do so for these very things such as Mercy and Forgiveness, so why is the example of the du'a limited to the materialistic example? Not everybody does du'a to gain worldly things ...
However, the part I totally agree with is that when we do ask from Him - it is a sign that He has favoured us for giving us the tawfiq to ask from Him. So the immediate response, if someone says that they feel no urgency to ask from Allah (SWT) it is primarily because they do not understand that in His Hands are the affairs of all things, i.e. they believe they do not need to ask from Him because they are in charge of their own affairs, but the reality should we understand it is that cause and effect only happen by the permission of Allah (SWT).
Next, that we should be concerned that we feel no urge to ask from Him, because then it means He has left us to go our own way too. Hopefully realising this and feeling guilty about it makes a person take that step that will result in Allah (SWT) giving him tawfiq to ask earnestly.
Hajj is about du'a ... now there was this man who went to Hajj every year, but it was never accepted. The scholars in the area came to him and said, look why do you bother? Then the man replied - "Tell me then where else I should go and from Whom shall I ask?" They could not answer ... Upon that the narration says that all his previous Hajj became accepted.
It is the realisation that despite "we may feel no urge to do du'a to Allah (SWT)" we should continue doing it ... If we feel insincere then we should supplicate for sincerity and so on. Giving a materialistic hook for the du'a is I think side stepping the actual point being made ... which is that we don't stop praying just because we don't feel interested in it, therefore why do we stop doing du'a if we don't feel interested in it? This is what the real message should have been in this anecdote.
I made dua in last 'Sajdah' of 'namaaz', the dua was accepted. I made dua in 'sajdah' but not while offering any 'namaaz' my dua was accepted. I made dua by raising my both hands and it was accepted. Moreover, I made dua just in my heart without doing any 'sajdah' and raising my hands and it was also accepted. BUT one thing was common in my all form of asking/making duas, that was there were no light (hope) in my mind and heart except one and only hope of 'Almighty Allah'. The situation was like its is 'me' and only 'HE'.
Here only I disagree with bigboi's comments that by raising hands, dua will not have the same effect and agree with Jinx at post#11.
^ JazakAllahu khairan. Just realized how much I miss the practical implementation of this advice from a scholar, so wanted to share a reminder for myself.
I have a bit of problem hope someone might be able to help.
I am not a very practicing muslim, but when I do offer prayer (once or twice a week usually) I can’t find the courage to raise my hands and ask for anything.
This has been going on for the last 5 years or so, before that I didn’t have this problem.
The reason I shy away from dua is that I know who I am and what I do, which is not very muslim. So raising my hands after prayers and asking Allah for stuff like forgiveness and material stuff seems very wrong to me. I often think that after I straighten up my act I would be worthy of asking Allah for stuff and then I will do it, before that I will have live like this.
I know that Allah is all forgiving and everything, but can anyone shed light on this maybe with an example or something?
This is a very interesting question and inshaAllah an interesting answer lies behind it that could change your life.
Du’a is linked to tawbah in a way that few realise. There is also the importance of sincerity in du’a and du’a as an act … guilt and other human dimensions are played upon by Shaitan in order to achieve one basic purpose … to make us leave Allah (SWT). If he can encourage us to stop our ibadaat he will, if he can stop us from even thinking about it, he will try …
One game he plays is to use guilt - he tells us “Why are you asking from Allah (SWT), you want this and that, but what have you done? You are not worthy, so stop asking, come back when you are really good” - by listening to this advice - neither do we become better nor do we get what we wanted in the du’a …
So this thought you have is not coming from you - it is coming from the accursed one. Wallahi-leave such thoughts …
Actually do not ask Allah (SWT) for things like dunya … because this same guilt will play around in your head … instead ask Allah (SWT) to give you tawfiq to be a better person. Make you du’as such that you understand what you need. Your need is not the riches, it is not gold and money or the value … it is simply to be given the right help to become more pious … This the type of du’a you should make - because it will happen in full sincerity …
A wisdom of scholars is that by reciting Surah Al-Ikhlas many times will increase your level of sincerity with Allah (SWT)
So if you fear that you should not make du’a because you are not very Islamic then ask yourself “If I can’t ask from Allah (SWT) then who should I ask from?” and say this to that voice in your head and say it to Allah (SWT) … say “Allah (SWT) You see me and know my secrets - nothing is hidden from You … but I am weak - give me strength to cope, or grant me this need that I see and give me more sincerity in You by granting it to me. Ameen”
Du’a is not necessarily a selfish act … it can be selfless - do du’a for others and ask others - bazurg, mother, and 'ulema to do du’a for you … it will help, inshaAllah.
These days people in general have forgotten how to be mature in their lives … we think that life all about “taking” and not about “giving” … We seek out peer sahibs and murshids for our own needs … but we need to think about others - we should all try to seek out the path of becoming friends of God - Awliya … because trust me they are becoming more and more rare …
So by being in a situation where your lack of ability has concerned you - you are right to be concerned - because that is a way Allah (SWT) has taught you … that you need help … So then we are supposed to react to that by rectifying ourselves …
Remember this guideline - you are never so lost that you cannot ask from Allah (SWT) - because only when you are lost and no one can help you - in that state Allah (SWT) Helps you …
Never become too over content with Allah (SWT) that you forget Him and become proud and unkind, but also never become so despaired that you leave Allah (SWT) … Use your remembrance in Allah (SWT) as your mechanism … Shaitan will try to trick us in to believing that we are not capable, we always forget, we are useless, etc … but tell him that Allah (SWT) does not want from us perfection - or that what is impossible from us, but what is required from us are these devotional forms - like prayer and du’a and however sincere they may be or not - we should not leave them but instead ask Allah (SWT) to give us more tawfiq and to increase our sincerity in them …
What would you advise if one doesn’t feel up to making dua because 1) They don’t see hope…2) They fear that when hope is attached to something…even to a dua or Allah…that it will bring about pain if it’s unfulfilled…and to avoid going thru that pain…they hesitate to make dua.
