3 things you need to know to make powerful Dua

There is something beneficial I learn from Hajj‬ every year, and this particular post is about something that I came across while at Mina last year and is extremely powerful and beneficial for all of us not only during Hajj but every other day inshaAllah.

This is very different to the usual steps to make dua, i.e. making wudhu, times dua is accepted, etc. This is a mental framework that is fundamental to making dua.

So this came about when a brother and I were meeting a Sheikh at Mina and in conversation the brother asked the Sheikh just one question –

“Sheikh, this is my first Hajj. Please give me some advice that I can use on the day of Arafat”

The Sheikh gave him a 3 pronged principle to make Dua, the most powerful weapon of the believer, that the brother shared with us in our Mina camp.

Step 1: Fill yourself with humility – Be Humble

Look at all the people around you. People in the Masjid. People at home. People on the street. Now think about all the good that each one of these people might be doing, that you are totally unaware of. How much better they are to their family than you are. How much more Sadaqa they give than you do. How many more Nafl Salah they pray than you do. Convince yourself you are the MOST sinful among them all. Humble yourself. This should be the state that you enter making dua in. You need to be in a state of desparation, as though Allah will forgive each and every one around you, except YOU, as you are the most sinful. And Allah alone knows how sinful we are Astaghfirullah.

Step 2: Use the dua Sa’eed Al Istighfar framework – Acknowledge. Admit. Ask.

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لا إِلَهَ إِلا أَنْتَ خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَإِنَّهُ لايَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلا أَنْتَ

Allahumma anta Rabbi la ilaha illa Anta Khalaqtani wa ana abduka, wa ana ‘ala ahdika wa wa’dika mastata’tu, A’udhu bika min Sharri ma sana’tu, abu’u Laka bini’matika ‘alaiya, wa Abu’u Laka bidhanbi faghfirli fainnahu la yaghfiru adhdhunuba illa anta

O Allah! You are my Lord! None has the right to be worshipped but You. You created me and I am Your slave, and I am faithful to my covenant and my promise as much as I can. I seek refuge with You from all the evil I have done. I acknowledge before You all the blessings You have bestowed upon me, and I confess to You all my sins. So I entreat You to forgive my sins, for nobody can forgive sins except You.[Sahih al-Bukhari; 8,75,318, at-Tirmidhi; 3393, an-Nasa’i; 5522, Ahmad; 16662]

Apply the framework of the Dua Sa’eed Al Istighfar and apply this to each and every dua you make. The framework is simple. You first acknowledge that Allah is your creator, and you are His slave. You then state that you will do everything you can to uphold this covenant. Only then do you get to your dua, but for every dua you ask for, you first acknowledge three things

1. The blessing that you have been given by Allah
2. How you have been deficient in using this blessing in a way that Allah will be pleased with you
3. You seek Allah’s forgiveness for this first and foremost.

Your deficiency is the ONLY reason you are making Dua and asking for His guidance in spite of his immense blessing upon you. Example, if you are making dua to be a better parent – first acknowledge and be grateful to Allah for having blessed you with children. Then acknowledge that you have been deficient as a parent. Only THEN ask Allah for your Dua. Similarly if you are making dua for a spouse, first acknowledge the blessing of your existence, your parents for having brought you up, etc.

SubhanAllah how many blessings of our Creator do we take for granted that we are not thankful for?

Step 3: Make a pact with Allah – What will you do for His sake?

Once you have made your dua, you KNOW that you will sin again. This is the nature of humans. Hence make a pact with Allah. A pact that you will do something in this duniya that is ONLY for His sake, and for this to be your excuse on the Day of Judgement when you are questioned about your sins. Something that you can say “Ya Allah, I know I am sinful but please also look at what I have done only for your sake and please use this to allow me to enter Jannah and make it a means of forgiveness for my sins.” This can be Sadaqah that you give, Voluntary work for Islamic organisations for the sake of Allah, etc. but it has to be sincerely for His sake only.

SubhanAllah, such a powerful lesson that this brother gave us, all by a chance 5 minute meeting with a Sheikh who Allah has blessed with the knowledge and was able to impart this knowledge in response to an impulsive question. Allahuakbar!

Let’s implement this every day of our lives when making Dua to our Creator!