an-Nu’man bin al-Bashir (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:{إِنَّ اَلدُّعَاءَ هُوَ اَلْعِبَادَةُ}
“Verily supplication is worship.”

[Related by the four Imams and at-Tirmidhi graded it as Hasan Sahih, 3247, an-Nasa’i in al-Kubraa 6/450, Abu Dawud 1479, Ibn Majah 3828, Buloogh al-Mar’am, Book 16, Hadith no. 113]
Anas (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:{اَلدُّعَاءُ مُخُّ اَلْعِبَادَةِ} “Supplication is the pith of worship.”

[Related by at-Tirmidhi with a full chain of narrators, 3271, Graded: Weak, Buloogh al-Mar’am, Book 16, Hadith no. 114]

Being Elaborate in Supplications (Du’a)

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saleh al-Uthaymin (rahimahullah) said:

If someone asks: Why do we have to elongate and elaborate in our supplications?

We say that the affair of supplication requires elaboration.

And the Sunnah regarding elaboration and elongation in supplication are for six reasons:

[1] Elongating the supplications shows the love of the one supplicating. This is because if an individual loves someone, he loves to prolong his intimate conversation with him. For indeed you are connecting with Allah when you supplicate. So your elongating and elaborating in your supplication is proof of your love of intimately conversing with Allah.

[2] Elongation of the supplication manifests elaboration which shows the tremendous need of the individual for his Lord in every circumstance.

[3] It causes the heart to be more present.

[4] An increase in rewards and acts of worship to Allah. Verily supplication is an act of worship that one is rewarded for.

[5] It is from the affairs of insistency in supplication and Allah answers those that are insistent in supplication.

[6] With elongation in supplication one might remember a matter that he may forget when supplicating.

[ash-Sharh al-Mumti’ ‘ala Zaad al-Mustaqna’, 5/319-320]

A Mother’s Du’a

Muhammad bin Ismail (al-Bukhari) — rahimahullah — lost his vision (went blind) when he was a little boy.
And his mother saw (the prophet) Ibrahim al-Khalil (alayhi salam) in a dream, and he said to her:

**“Oh you! Allah has restored the eyesight of your son due to your excessive crying and (making) abundant du’aa (for him)”.

Then in the morning they woke up and Allah had restored his eyesight to him.**

[adh-Dhahabi (rahimahullah), Siyar A’laam an-Nubalaa’ (Biographies of the Noble Ones), 12/393]

Raising Hands in Du’a

Salman al-Farsi (radiyAllahu ‘anhu) reported:

The Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said,

“Verily, Allah is conscientious and generous. He would be shy, when a man raises his hands to Him, to turn them away empty and disappointed.”

[Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 3556, Grade: Sahih (authentic), according to al-Albani (rahimahullah)]

Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullah):

**And of the diseases that afflict du’a and prevent its response is that a person is hasty in expecting a response (for his du’a), and the response is delayed, so he gives up hope, and leaves du’a.

His example is like that of a person who planted a seed, or a seedling, then guarded it, and took care of it, and watered it, but when it delayed in (giving its fruit) and reaching perfection, he left it and did not take care of it anymore!**

[al-Jawab al-Kafi, pg. 10, Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullah)]

Du'ā' is Worship

Du'ā' is worship; as such, it is not befitting for the slave to become bored of worship. Du'ā', as the scholars have mentioned, requires patience. The Muslim must constantly supplicate and not become bored, because du'ā' is not merely asking for something; rather, du'ā' is worship. You worship Allāh with your du'ā', so how can you become bored of worshipping Allāh?! It is worship which contains a request, and the response to the request has been promised so long as the person does not become hasty. Allāh has perfect widsom. Perhaps Allāh desires to elevate your status and increase your good deeds by way of your du'ā', so He delays the response. Therefore, by increasing your supplication, you combine two virtues: increasing your reward and (receiving) the answer to your du'ā'. So do not become hasty.

[Book: Explanation of the Concise Advices of Shaykh-ul-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (Rahimahullah) by Shaykh Sulaymān ar-Ruḥaylī (Hafidhahullah), pg. 214, Authentic Statements Publishing]

Two Places within Salah Where You Can Offer Du’a

1. During Sujood when in Salah

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“With regard to sujood, offer lots of du’aa’ then, for it is more likely that you will receive a response.”

(Narrated by Muslim, 479).

1. After Tashahhud and Before Giving Final Salaam (between these two)

Another occasion (to make du’a in salah) is after saying the final tashahhud and before saying the salaam.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Then (after tashahhud and before starting to give salaam) let him say whatever du’aa’ he wants.”

(Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim).

Whoever frequently knocks on a door is on the verge of it being opened for him; and whoever supplicates (makes du’a) often, is on the verge of it being accepted.
[Abu ad-Darda’ (raḍiyAllāhu ‘anh), Shu’b al-Imaan, no. 1102, al-Bayhaqi (rahimahullah)]

Dua’ (supplication) is one of the most beneficial remedies.

[Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullah), The Disease and The Cure, pg. 15]

Allah commands the believers in surah al-Nisa':

[وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوْا مَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ ۚ لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا اكْتَسَبُوا ۖ وَلِلنِّسَاءِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا اكْتَسَبْنَ ۚ وَاسْأَلُوا اللَّهَ مِن فَضْلِهِ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا]

And wish not for the things in which Allah has made some of you to excel others. For men is a share of what they have earned, and for women is a share of what they have earned. And ask Allah of His bounty. Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knower of everything. [32]

In his tafsir of this ayah, sheikh Faysal Aal Mubarak wrote:

[قال ابن عباس : ولا يتمنى الرجل فيقول : " ليت لو أن لي مال فلان وأهله! " فنهى الله عن ذلك ، ولكن يسأل الله من فضله . وقال ابن سيرين : نهيتم عن الأماني ودللتم على ما هو خير من ذلك {وَاسْأَلُوا اللَّهَ مِن فَضْلِهِ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا} ]

Ibn 'Abbaas said: No man should wish by saying, "Woe is me, if only I had the wealth and family of so-and-so!" Allah forbade doing that. Instead, a person should ask Allah for His bounty.

Ibn Sireen said: You have been forbidden from idle wishing and instead directed to something better than that - "And ask Allah of His bounty. Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knower of everything."

[Tawfiq al-Rahman 1/261]

Don’t wish! Just ASK what you want.