Manners Of Supplication

Supplication should start with “(In the name of Allah, Praise is to Allah, and Peace and Blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah) and should end with (Peace and Blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah).

Supplication should be performed secretly and with a present (sincere) heart. Allah (SWT) said: “Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret, He likes not the aggressors” [7:55].

Supplicate Allah (SWT) with humility and express your need of Allah (SWT). He said: “Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they used to call on Us with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves before us” [21:90].

Insist on Allah (SWT) in your supplication by repeating it many times. Invoke Allah (SWT) by His Names and Attributes. He said: “And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them” [7:180].

Supplicate Allah (SWT) by mentioning the righteous deeds you have done. Narrated Abdullah bin Umar (radi Allahu anhu) that he heard Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) saying, “Three men, amongst those who became before you set out until night came and they reached a cave, so they entered it. A rock slithered down from a mountain and blocked the entrance of the cave. They said:’ Nothing will save you from this except that you supplicate to Allah (SWT) by mentioning the righteous deeds you have done …….etc”  [Reported by Bukahri and Muslim].

Admit your sins during your supplication. Allah (SWT) said: “DhanNun (Jonah), when he went off in anger, and imagined that We shall not punish him, but he cried through the darkness (saying): La ilaha ilIa Anta (none has the
right to be worshiped but You) Glorified be You, Truly, I have been of the wrongdoers” [2 I:87].

Repeat each sentence of your supplication three times. From the long Hadith Narrated by Ibn Masaud (radi Allahu anhu), and when the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) finished His Salat, He raised His voice. He supplicated on them, and when He supplicated, He supplicated three times ….”[Reported by Muslim].

Face AI-Qiblah(Makka) during your supplication. Narrated Abdullah bin Zaid (radi Allahu anhu): Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) went out to his praying place to offer the Salat of Istisqa (rain). He invoked Allah (SWT) for rain and then faced the AIQiblah and turned his upper garment inside out. [Reported by Bukahri].

Raise your hands while supplicating Allah (SWT). As in the Hadith of Abu Musa (radi Allahu anhu) when the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) had finished from the battle of Hunain, he said: “The Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam)  asked for water, performed ablution, and then raised his hands saying ‘O Allah, forgive Ubaid Abi Amir’ ….” [Reported by Bukahri and Muslim].

Be in the state of Purity during your supplication. (See the previous Hadith). When making supplication for others, Start with yourself first, then include others. Allah (SWT) said about Noah (Alayhi-salam), “My Lord, forgive me and my parents and him who enters my home as a believer, and all the believing men and women..” [71:28].

Do not be aggressive when you are supplicating Allah (SWT), such as asking Him to make you a prophet, and you know there will not be a prophet after Mohammed (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam), or make you live forever, and you know everyone will die.

Remember to include your parents in your supplication (if they are Muslims only, or they died in Islam, but if they are not) alive and they are non-believers, you can not supplicate Allah (SWT) to have mercy on them or forgive their sins, you are only allowed to ask Allah (SWT) to guide them to the right path “Islam”).

Be patient, do not expect an immediate response from Allah (SWT), although this could happen, but if it does not, then you should be patient and continue supplicating Allah (SWT) until you see the results. Narrated Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu): Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said: “The invocation of anyone of you is responded to by Allah(SWT) if he does not show impatience by saying ‘I invoked Allah (SWT), but my request has not been granted’ “. [Reported by Bukahri and Muslim].