A Real-life Parable: Amazing Mercy
Imagine you knock on a friend’s door, as soon as they open, without greeting them, you ask them to borrow money. They reluctantly give you it and the next day you go again, to ask for more. Would they get annoyed, and after a few times tell you to stop coming, or even refuse the first time?
Now imagine you have a need and go to your friend’s house. They open the door, you greet them, inquire how they are, and then ask them. Wouldn’t that be more appropriate? But even then, wouldn’t they get tired of giving after a few times?
Then how come, when it comes to asking the Lord of the Worlds Himself; we are hasty? We rush into what we are asking for without praising Him, and we are uncertain or even uninspired as to what to ask for?
Isn’t this amazing: Allah, Al Mujeeb, the One who Responds, never gets tired of us asking and of giving us what we need. Would that friend ever say: ‘I’m so happy you chose to ask me for money day in day out, I will give you $1000 on top of that’?
Yet, Allah, the All-mighty, even rewards you for asking! And you will find this only in the relationship of Allah with His slave. Isn’t that Mercy?
The Greatest Act of Worship – Enhanced!
Supplicating to Him, the One who loves us to ask from Him, is the backbone of worship. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Dua’ is the essence (or the backbone) of worship. (Sunan At-Tirmidhi)
And:
In the court of Allah, there is no greater thing than dua’. (Ibn Majah)
The invocation of Allah is the greatest act of worship and calling upon Him, by His Beautiful Names, Al Asmaa ul Husnaa, brings about immense rewards and response, by His will!
‘I feel like I don’t know what to ask… I’ve sinned too much anyway… Nothing changed so I stopped asking.’ Where do you stand in your supplicating to Allah? It’s time to reshape your image of making dua (plural: ad’iyah) forever and discover the sweetness of supplicating to Him with Al Asmaa ul Husnaa!
Use the Supplications from the Quran & Sunnah With His Names
In the Quran and Sunnah, there are multiple supplications in which the Beautiful Names and Attributes of Allah are used; and you’ll find they match the content of the dua’. For example:
Our Lord! make not our hearts to deviate after You have guided us aright, and grant us from You mercy; surely You are the most liberal Giver. (Quran, 3:8)
Allah uses His Name Al-Wahhaab, The Giver; and surely guidance and mercy are of His best gifts!
Action Point:
Seek out the Quranic Supplications with Allah’s Names, read their tafsir (explanation of the Qur’an, such as Tafsir Ibn Kathir), use them and teach others.
Make Multiple Intentions while Supplicating
When using these Quranic and Sunnah supplications containing His Beautiful Names, make multiple intentions! Ask Allah, the Most High to be rewarded for: Reading a verse from the Quran (or hadith in case of a supplication from the Sunnah), supplicating to Allah and specifically supplicating using His Names. An extra is to make a niyyah (intention) to learn the meaning of these Names, memorize them and learn how to live by them.*
Make Your Own Supplications with His Names: Five Tips!
Here are some practical to do’s to super-benefit from your dua’-making whilst using Allah’s Beautiful Names and Attributes.
1. Be Motivated and Don’t Be Hasty
The Prophet Muhammad said:
Verily your Lord is Generous and Shy. If His servant raises his hands to Him (in supplication) He becomes shy to return them empty. (Ahmad, Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi)
Think of this beautiful combination: His Generosity and His Shyness and raise those hands!
Never give up.
It was asked:
“O Messenger of Allah, what does it mean to be hasty?”
The Prophet responded:
A worshiper says, ‘I have prayed and prayed , and I don’t yet see that it will be accepted; so he gives up hope of being answered, and leaves dua. (Muslim)
2. Be Convinced and Firm
Be totally positive Allah will accept your dua’.
The Prophet Muhammad said:
When anyone of you supplicates then don’t say “Oh Allah! Forgive me if you want, have mercy on me if you want, give me subsistence if you wish”. Rather believe completely that He will do whatever He wishes. Nobody can force Him. (Al- Bukhari)
And don’t forget He knows what’s best for you!
3. Pick 5 Dream Duas and Use Them All Day, Every Day!
Take a moment one of these days to look into your heart and think what you really, really want this year and beyond.
– Pick a selection of 5 (or more) main duas and make them every day in Ramadan when you break your fast. Set short-term dua’ goals; even for six months ahead and you will see how quick Allah the Most High will answer them, so you can set new goals.
– Then also pick minimum one other time(s) you will stick every day to making these duas, such as in sujood, at the end of your prayer, throughout the day of fasting, immediately after ablution.
– Per dua’, select a Name(s) of Allah which relates to your dua’ and use it while you ask!
4. Your Ultimate Dua’ List
Write down as many supplications you can think of, big or small, long-term or short, for this world or the next. Share thoughts with your family which is a beautiful, intimate experience. This ‘ongoing’ dua list will travel with you throughout your life; keep adding supplications to it!
Start reading your list each day so you get familiar with the duas and you never get a moment in taraweeh prayers you don’t know what to ask! In front of every dua write a Name(s) of Allah that matches the content. Check out this pre-printed ‘Ultimate Dua’ List’ in which spaces are left to fill in Names of Allah.
5. Visualize Your Duas
Go to Google, type in some key words related to your dua, find and image and print it off so you can keep looking at it. This will greatly help you visualize your goals and make your duas (and your longing) much stronger! Also look after the physical part of supplicating; study the physical actions that make your dua accepted more. Like making ablution before you supplicate, face the direction of the Ka’bah and raising your hands.
Use This Practical, Unique Names of Allah Calendar!
You’ll get find each Name of Allah in Arabic with English transliteration and meaning along with a beautiful, concise dua’ based on how to live by this Name. While making dua’ you’ll learn the practical meaning of all these beautiful Names like you never did before, by Allah’s will! Download and use it from your phone or print.
*Find the How to Live By Allah’s Names Series here.
(From Discovering Islam’s archive.)