Understanding Supplication (Dua)
In linguistic terms, supplication refers to the act of asking or requesting. In a religious context, it denotes a servant’s sincere plea to Allah – the Exalted – for guidance and support in both worldly affairs and spiritual matters. Allah has commanded us to turn to Him through supplication, as illustrated in the verse: (And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me and believe in Me that they may be guided). Among the factors that contribute to the acceptance of supplication are honoring one’s parents, sincere reliance on Allah, avoiding sinful actions, and ensuring that one’s supplication is free from that which Allah has prohibited. A Muslim is continuously in need of Allah, and through supplication, they express their humility and dependence on Him.
Religious Supplications from the Sunnah
There are numerous supplications found within the noble hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Here are some examples:
- (O Allah, I have wronged myself with a great wrong, and no one forgives sins except You; so grant me forgiveness from Yourself. Indeed, You are the Most Forgiving, Most Merciful).
- (O Allah, forgive all my sins, both minor and major, past and future, those hidden and those public).
- (O Allah, You are my Lord, there is no deity except You; You created me and I am Your servant. I am committed to my covenant with You as best as I can. I seek refuge in You from the evil of my deeds, and I acknowledge to You Your favors upon me, and I confess my sins to You. So forgive my sins, for no one forgives sins except You).
- (O Allah, I ask You for all that is good, both immediate and future, that which I know and that which I do not know. I seek refuge in You from all evil, both immediate and future, that which I know and that which I do not know. O Allah, I ask You for the best of what Your servant and Prophet has asked of You, and I seek refuge in You from the worst of what Your servant and Prophet sought refuge from. O Allah, I ask You for Paradise and for that which brings me closer to it through words or deeds, and I seek refuge in You from the Fire and for that which brings me closer to it through words or deeds. And I ask You to make every decree You have decreed for me one of goodness).
- (O Lord, forgive my sins and ignorance, and my excessive behavior in all matters, and what You know better than I. O Allah, forgive my mistakes, my intentional and unintentional wrongs, my foolishness, and all of that which I regard as minor. O Allah, forgive me for what I have done in the past and that which I will do in the future, what I have concealed and what I have made known; You are the Initiator and You are the Delayer, and You are capable of all things).
- (O Allah, grant me light in my heart, light in my tongue, light in my hearing, light in my sight, light above me, light below me, light on my right, light on my left, light in front of me, light behind me, and place light within me, and grant me abundant light).
- (O Allah, reform my religion, which is my strongest fortress, and amend my worldly affairs, in which is my livelihood, and rectify my Hereafter, in which is my final destination. Make my life an increase for me in every good, and make my death a relief from every evil).
- (O Allah, I seek refuge in Your pleasure from Your displeasure, and in Your forgiveness from Your punishment. I seek refuge in You from You; I cannot enumerate Your praise. You are as You have praised Yourself).
- (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, and from the burden of debts and oppression from men).
- (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the withdrawal of Your blessings, the change of Your health, the suddenness of Your punishment, and all forms of Your wrath).
- (O Allah, Lord of the heavens and the earth, and Lord of the Great Throne. Our Lord and the Lord of all things. Split the seed and the date stone, and the One who sent down the Torah, Gospel, and Criterion. I seek refuge in You from the evil of all things over which You have power. O Allah, You are the First, and there is nothing before You; You are the Last, and there is nothing after You; You are the Manifest, and there is nothing above You; You are the Hidden, and there is nothing beneath You. Clear our debts and free us from poverty).
Religious Supplications from the Quran
Many supplications can also be found in the Holy Quran. Here are some notable examples:
- Allah says: (Guide us to the Straight Path – The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray).
- Allah says: (Our Lord, burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people).
- Allah says: (Our Lord, make us not a trial for the wrongdoing people, and save us by Your mercy from the disbelieving people).
- Allah says: (Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower).
- Allah says: (My Lord, cause me to enter a sound entrance and exit a sound exit and grant me from Yourself a supporter).
- Allah says: (Our Lord, accept this from us. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing).
- Allah says: (Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or made a mistake).
- Allah says: (Our Lord, forgive us our sins and our excess in our affairs and make firm our feet and give us victory over the disbelieving people).
- Allah says: (Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers).
- Allah says: (Our Lord, pour upon us patience and make us firmly planted in our faith and give us victory over the disbelieving people).
- Allah says: (Our Lord, grant us in this world goodness and in the Hereafter goodness and protect us from the punishment of the Fire).
- Allah says: (Sufficient for us is Allah, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs).
- Allah says: (Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of Hell. Indeed, its punishment is ever adhering; indeed, it is evil as an abode and a place to rest).