How To Ensure That My Du'a Is Accepted?

What is the yardstick to measure an accepted Du'a? In other words, what do I do to ensure my Du'a is accepted by Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala? We make Du'a now and then especially in this Holy month of Ramadan. Du'a al-Iftitah, Jawshan al-Kabir, we are going to be reciting very soon. Abu Hamza ath-Thumali. No sometimes times you have your own hajat (desires) and you have been asking Allah and yet there is no result. What Du'a is accepted by Allah and what Du'a is rejected by Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala? Let me just give you a few tips and we are done.

There is one way to measure a Du'a which is accepted by Allah. What is that way? That is when the Du'a is for Allah. Pay attention to this, kindly. When the Du'a is for Allah, then that Du'a would be accepted by Allah. How? See the Ayat, Qur'an 2, verse 186. It says: 'fa yastajibu li' (2:186) - 'Let them supplicate to Me.' Let them ask Me. If your Du'a is for Allah, there is no way that Allah will not accept your Du'a. You know why? Allah promised in Qur'an: "Ud'uni astajib lakum"(40:60). 'Call on Me and I will respond'. This is Allah's promise. Will Allah fail to deliver on His promise? La! No.

But why is it that you make Du'a? You are looking for job. Sometimes you make Him Du'a to get married, sometimes you make Him Du'a to get promotion, sometimes you making Du'a to establish a business. But you are not getting it and Allah promised in Qur'an: "Ud'uni astajib lakum"(40:60). Where is the problem?

Is the problem, a'udhu bil-Lah, from God? Or the problem is from you? No doubt the problem is from us and not from God. The Giver gives, every single moment, but the receiver does not know how to receive. If we know how to receive, then [the] Giver is always giving. As Amir al-Mu'minin mentioned, 'I will not supplicate to a Lord that I do not know.'

They came to Imam Ja'far 'alayhi as-salam, and they said to Imam 'alayhi as-salam. We are making Du'a, 'fa la yustajabu lana-'nad'u fala yustajabu lana'-Imam 'alayhi as-salam, we are praying, crying to Allah but our Du'as are not answered. What was the response of Imam Ja'far 'alayhi as-salam? 'Tad'una li annakum tad'una man la ta'rifuna'- 'because you are calling on the One you do not know.'

One, if you truly want your Du'a to be accepted. Number one: when you sit during Du'a, give the maximum attention to the Du'a, if you like, unconditional attention to the Du'a. Not when Du'a is being recited, you turn this way, you turn that way, you walk out, you come in making noise. La! (No!) If you truly want your Du'a to be accepted- that is the promise of Allah: "Ud'uni astajib lakum"(40:60). He promised. Allah's promise is not like my promise or your promise.

First thing to do during Du'a, sit, pay unconditional attention to the Du'a. And today especially we have PowerPoint presentations, when Du'a is being recited, pay attention and relate to the Du'a. Understand what is being recited, and reflect upon what is being recited. When at the line of a Du'a it has been recited that we ask forgiveness of Allah, remember your sins and pledge [to] Allah that I will never indulge in a sin, engage with the Du'a. That is one.

Two: if you truly want your Du'a to be accepted by his and sisters. Because you do not want to waste our time, making Du'a, spending times, spending hours, and those Du'a are not being accepted. Facing towards the direction of Qiblah. It is a condition for the acceptance of our Du'a. When Du'a is being recited, it is highly recommended you face Qiblah.

When you go for an interview, work interview, you pay attention. This is like coming to Allah's interview, because you are told whoever wants to talk to Allah, he should make Du'a. But whoever wants Allah to talk to him, he should recite Qur'an. So during Du'a, Qiblah. It is so important.

Three: if you truly want your Du'a to be accepted, raise up your hands. Rasul Allah mentioned: Allah is shy. Allah is shy not to answer the Du'a of the one who raises up his hands before he put the hands down. So when Du'a is being recited. Yes, sometimes you may get tired, that is fine. Raise up your hands, that shows humbleness. That shows humility. That shows sense of urgency. That shows that you are determined. That shows that you are really seeking Allah. That shows that you are demonstrating that Allah truly and absolutely owns you.

And the other conditions of Du'a: timings of our Du'a. Remember, Du'a is 'raqiqat al-'ibadah'-'the beauty of our worship.' Is the beauty of the worships of the Holy month of Ramadan. Timing is crucial. What better time than the Holy month of Ramadan? And what better time than the nights of Qadr?

There are certain specific times that when you make Du'a, quickly Allah answers. Best of them, the nights of Ramadan and the days of Ramadan. So when we come for A'mal, understand these timings are precious. You cannot afford to waste every moment of these nights of Qadr, especially with those in the United Kingdom, and other places, where the period between iftar and suhur is too short. You can not afford to waste a moment of that. Because these are the moments that you cannot replace them anymore in your life.

And last but not least, if you truly want your Du'a to be accepted, try to make sure that there is no 'Huquq an-Nas' on your shoulder-'People's rights'- 'Huquq an-Nas.' When you ask Allah, make sure somebody's right is not with you. And if that person is right is with you, negotiate with that person.

In fact one tradition of the Prophet says, on the night of Qadr, there are two people, their Du'as will not go up, it will remain hanging. Two groups of people. You will make Du'a. 'Subhanaka ya la ilaha illa Anta; Allahumma inni aftatihu al-thanaa bi hamdika; Dhalamtu nafsi, wa tajara'tu bi jahli'...He said their Du'a will remain.

Number one: somebody who eats the right of people as I mentioned. You have eaten somebody's money, you have eaten somebody's wealth. You gossip about someone he did not know, he does not know. You undermine someone he does not know, she does not know. You backbite someone who does not know. You have to go back to that person if you truly want Allah to accept your Du'a.

And last 'Huquq al-Walidayn'-'disobedience to parents.' You have been disrespectful to your parents. Before you sit for Du'a ask them for forgiveness, wa Allahi al-'Adhim. You have undermined your parents. You have talked to your parents anyhow. Your parents are offended by your comments or by your attitudes or by your behavior. The Holy Prophet is saying, go back, ask for forgiveness before you come and ask Allah on the night of Qadr.

And lastly, when you sit for the Du'a, do it as if it is a farewell Du'a of your life. As if there will be no any other Ramadan in your life.

It is an opportunity. Do not let it slip, and skip you.