By The Noble Shaykh Saalih As-Suhaymee
Translated by: Aboo Nasir Saalik Ibn Baldwin
Masjid Tawheed was Sunnah Durham, NC
In the name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy. Verily, all thanks and praise belong to Allah. We praise Him, we seek His aid, and we seek His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the evil of our own souls and from our wicked actions. Whomsoever Allah guides then there is no misguidance for him, and whomsoever He leaves to stray, there is no guidance for him, I bear witness that there is no God worthy of worship except Allah. He is alone, having no partners. I also bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. May Allah’s peace and Blessings be upon him, his family, and his companions… all of them together.
As to what follows:
O my dear brothers and sisters in Islam, we spoke yesterday concerning a phenomenon: stress, anxiety, psychological conditions and disorders which the people have been afflicted with. We also expounded upon its reasons… from an individuals weakness with regard to his devotion/connection to Allah- The Mighty and Majestic, weakness of faith, clinging to other than Allah- Glorified is He and Most High- and whatever is like that from the various reasons.
Then we clarified after that which the individual must do when faced with the likes of these conditions. From: The consolidation or strengthening of the devotion/connection to Allah- The Mighty and Majestic-, perseverance upon the acts of worship with whatever it contains from those things that are obligatory as well as superogatory, and examples like these, from the means which is befitting that the Muslim seeks refuge with it, after (seeking refuge with) Allah, Glorified is He, and Most High- along with cautioning against procrastination, avoidance, or reluctancy from the remembrance of Allah- The Mighty and Majestic.
We also indicated that from the means: Is the diligency upon remembering (supplicating) to Allah- Glorified and Most High- regardless whether it is from morning supplications, or evening supplications, supplications before sleeping, traveling supplications, the supplications for exiting and entering the home, the supplications for putting on new clothing…even the supplication for going to the toilet; meaning: Upon entering the toilet area and exiting from it. Even in a situation where a man has a desire to lay down with his wife (be intimate with her).
For indeed, theses supplications are a great fortress and protections for whoever receives Allah’s success-Glorified is He and Most High- and He follows upon the method of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلمand his noble companions with regards to that.
I have prepared for you a speech regarding a great affair; and it is none other than “Ad-Du’a” supplication, also resorting to Allah –The Blessed and most High- clinging to Him and attributing or connecting the execution of the needs for Him- Glorified and Most High. Ad Du’a; we will speak about its following components.
- Firstly: What is Du’a (supplication) and what are its categories?
- Secondly: The conditions for the acceptance of supplication. And
- Thirdly: The benefits of supplication, and its etiquettes. So therefore, I say with Allah lies all success.
Verily الدعاء Ad-Dua in the Arabic language means:
Request, call upon someone; Meaning; He called out to Him and asked of Him…
For example: Such-and such called upon such-and-such; meaning: He called upon him and asked of him.
In the legislative meaning;
It’s divided into two categories:
- The supplication of worship, adoration, and glorification; and
- supplication of request.
As for supplication of worship,
then it is comprehensive to every type of worship which the Muslim servant gains access to or draws close to His Lord by it. Verily the application of the supplication of worship comes in the Noble Qur’an and the Pure Prophetic Sunnah. Allah- Glorified is He and Most High- said: “say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم ) My Lord would not pay you any attention were it not for your supplication…”{al-Furqan 25:77} Meaning: Were it not for your worship!
The Most High also said: “And the masjids are for Allah (alone) so do not invoke anyone along with Allah.” {Al-jinn 72:18}” Do not invoke” here means: Do not worship. He- The Mighty and Majestic- said: “and Whoever invokes (i.e. worships), besides Allah, any other god, of whom he has no proof; then his reckoning is only with his Lord. Surely, the disbelievers will not be successful.”{Al-Mu’minoon 23:117}
He – The Mighty and Majestic-said in another verse: “and your Lord said: Invoke Me (believe in My Oneness) and ask Me, I will respond to you. Verily, those who scorn My worship (i.e. do not invoke Me or believe in My Oneness), they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!” {Ghafir 40:60} Every act of worship is an invocation. Every act of worship which draws the person near to his Lord, it is الدعاء Ad’dua supplication/invocation…and for that reason the salah (prayer) is called du’a.
Likewise الذبح slaughtering and النذر- an-nathr- vowing, and the rest of those things that one utilizes them to draw near to Allah-Glorified is he and Most High- because when you present or send forth this nearness (i.e. act of worship/invocation in order to draw near to Allah), you seek and desire only from Allah (alone) that He accepts it from you, and that you are rewarded for it, and he does so for the sake of His Pleasure-glorified is He above any imperfections-whole distancing Himself far away from His displeasure. “And they use to call on us (i.e. worship us) with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves before Us.” {Al-Anbiya 21:90}
And the second category: The supplication of request “or” the asking invocation
And it is the turning of one’s attention toward Allah (alone)-Glorified is He and Most High-with a request that brings about some good, or repels some evil, and it is the more specific types of worship. Rather, it is the essence of worship. We’ve already mentioned the type of supplication which carries the meaning of worship.
It has been substantiated by verses from the Noble Qur’an and Authentic Narrations of the Prophet. صلى الله عليه و سلم.
From the narrations is the statement of the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم:Supplication is worship,” and this narration is authentic. Also in another narration where the wording in it is: “Supplication is the essence/core of worship;’ and the meaning is the same. Meaning: Verily Ad-du’a supplication or invocation, all of it is worship of Allah! And the most dangerous matter which the feet slide into error regarding it (i.e. The most dangerous matter people fall into error regarding), and which the understandings and intellects deviate regarding it, and erroneous beliefs have increased in it … Indeed, it is none other than “supplication”.
Therefore, some of the people resort to the dead inside of his grave, while he attaches himself to Islam. He resorts to or seeks refuge with the dead inside of his grave, then he asks him (the one in the grave) to provide an outcome or fulfillment of his needs, the removal of his worries and troubles, as well as the removal of unrest and nervousness. Are you paying attention, “O servant of Allah!?
For this reason, verily supplication is magnificent and it has conditions in order for it to be answered; Because many of the people say: “I supplicate, and supplicate, and supplicate; but I never receive an answer,” and this is due to the absence of fulfilling the conditions, complaining that it’s taking too long for the answer to come, becoming hopeless, and the likes of this.
The first condition of supplication:
Sincerity to Allah -Glorified and Most High- meaning that one does not supplicate to other than Allah, he doesn’t ask except Allah, nor does he sacrifice/slaughter except for Allah, he does not vow except to Allah, nor does he seek rain except from Allah, and that he doesn’t attach any of his needs to anyone except Allah –Glorified is He and Most High- nor does he seek refuge with anyone other than Him; and whoever puts their trust in Allah … He (Allah Most High) will suffice him.
Sincerity… (shirk) Associating partners to Allah contradicts it and it is inconsistent with it. It is the connection to other than Allah; like supplication to the dead as well as to the living, to inanimate things, (such as) vegetation/plant life, or trees and rocks, or the earth/soil and mud, or the angels, prophets, or examples like this. So indeed this affair-meaning- The supplication- is from the greatest forms of worship which it is absolutely necessary that it has in it sincerity to Allah –Blessed and Most High- Perhaps one may find it strange, and perhaps a questioner may ask: “Are there people who supplicate to other than Allah?” Is it conceivable that a Muslim who claims Islam he supplicates to other than Allah? Yes, -O servant of Allah – it exists.
Many of the people bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad صلى الله عليه و سلم is the messenger of Allah, they establish the salat, give the zakah, fast Ramadan, and make the pilgrimage to the House (of Allah)… and along with that, they supplicate to other than Allah! Therefore, because of that, Allah will not accept from any one of them any charity, nor acts of worship…He will only tire himself out, that’s all! He turns toward a dead person in his grave, and connects his needs to him, rather you hear an individual saying: “Assist me O so-and so!” “I ask that you send rain down upon me ‘O so-and-so!” “”O so-and-so I am under your protection!” “I seek refuge with you ‘O so-and-so!” “O so-and-so, take my hand!” And they ask all of this from created beings whether they are alive or dead.
Yes, it is a fact that people attach their affairs to other than Allah, and they do all sorts of good deeds, but they destroy them, like she who undoes the thread which she has spun after it has become strong, so the person supplicates to the dead person in his grave, where he can’t even move. He can not benefit him nor harm him.
Rather the individual harms himself by calling upon him as oppose to calling upon Allah-Glorified and Most High- , asking him for assistance and children, and he asks from him what should not be asked from anyone except Allah-The Blessed and Most High. Allah, The Mighty and Majestic said; refuting this type of individual: “And who is more astray than the one who calls on (invokes) besides Allah, such as will not answer him till the Day of Resurrection, and who are (even) unaware of their calls (invocations) to them!
*[1] “And when mankind are gathered (on the Day of Resurrection) they (false deities) will become their enemies and will deny their worshipping.” [Al-Ahqaf 46:5-6] And He –The Mighty and Majestic-said: “…and those, whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a qitmir (the thin membrane of the date stone). If you invoke (or call upon) them, they hear not your call; and if (in case) they were to hear, they could not grant it (your request) to you. And on the Day of Resurrection they will disown your worshipping them. And none can inform you like Him, Who is The All-Knower (of everything)!”[Fatir 35: 13-14]
Ponder-‘O servant of Allah-over how Allah has refuted these false deities which are called upon and worshipped besides Allah in numerous matters:
The first matter: (is) that they are not able to do anything for you; since, they are actually the one’s in need of the invocation of their brother, if they were indeed Muslim. Then how about requesting from someone, who he, himself, is in need of supplication…How is he sought out with refuge, and called upon besides Allah?!
So the intended meaning is that he does not control anything, and surely He (Allah) refuted that with numerous points of emphasis, with the لا La of negation, and including the pronoun of emphasis-whoever it may be- and due to the negation (only) of a thing which has already been mentioned and it is a Qitmir. So there three points of emphasis. Then after that He confirmed it with His statement: “If you call upon them, they hear not your call.
Firstly: No one controls anything except for Allah. Secondly: If you called upon them from now until the Day of Judgment, then surely they can not hear, and you can not hear whoever is inside of the graves, no matter how much you call or whatever your call may be, Verily they will not hear your invocation; nor are they aware of what you say: Then He said: “And if they were to hear, they could not answer you.” This is assuming that if they were in a position to hear (able to hear) the invocation, then indeed they lack the ability upon answering; If it is that they are devoid of something, then they cannot give it.
Translator’s Note: Footnote [1] Surah Al-Ahqaaf 46:5-6
(V.46:5) Ref. footnote of (V.2:165)
[1] (V.2:165) Narrated ‘Abdullah رضى الله عنه: The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said one statement and I said another. The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said: Whoever dies while still invoking anything other than Allah as a rival to Allah, will enter Hell (Fire).” And I said, “Whoever dies without invoking anything as a rival to Allah, will enter Paradise.”(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol.6, Hadith N0.24).
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