Class05-Dua & Adhkaar beyond Ramadan

Class 5

‘Dua & Adhkaar beyond Ramadan’

Dua’a

All praise is due to Allah. We praise Him, seek His aid, and ask His forgiveness.

Verily, man has been created for a noble and great purpose — in fact, the most noble and dignified goal that can exist — and that is that he may worship Allah alone, without any partners. Allah has said in the Qur’an: And I have only created jinn and mankind to worship Me.

And amongst the most noble form of worship is dua. It is a plea from the very heart of a believer directed towards Allah — the Hearer of all things, the Knower of all secrets. It is a confession that emanates from the heart of a believer that he is weak and help- less, that he cannot achieve anything without Allah’s help and aid. It is an implicit affirmation of every single Name and Attribute of Allah, for it affirms that Allah is the Creator, the Sustainer, the Controller of all Affairs, the Hearer, the Seer, the Merciful, the Great, the All-Powerful, the Ever-Capable. The concept of du’ a entails complete submission to Allah, and perfect recognition of His right to be worshipped. It also consigns man to his proper status — a poor, created being, who has no control of any matter by himself, but rather he is the one that is controlled. It is a confirmation and attestation from the worshipper that he is in need of his Creator at every instance, and that Allah is independent of any need from him. It shows that man is in a dire state of poverty towards his Lord, and that he cannot live without Him in any circumstance. In fact, his need for his Lord is more than his need for food, drink and air, for it is his Lord that provides him with all this and more. In particular, he is in need of continual guidance from His Lord, and this is, the most important of all his needs, and the most noble of all his wants.

In a way, Dua is the essence of worship. This can be seen by imagining the condition of one making dua ‘a – a worshipper repenting from his sins, humiliated in front of His Lord, in a state of fear, submitting himself to the will of Allah, earnestly desiring Allah’s rewards, raising his hands, turning to Allah with the best of hopes from Him, exemplifying the statement of Allah. “Verily, they used to hasten to do good deeds, and they used to make dua to Us with hope and fear, and used to humble them-selves before Us.” (Surah al-Anbiya, 90)

Such a person makes dua, keeping in mind the promise that Allah has given him, hopeful of achieving that promise: And your Lord has said: “Call upon me, and I will answer you!” Verily, those who are (too) arrogant to worship Allah will enter Hell, humiliated! (Surah Ghafir, 60) So when one visualises such a person, and the state that he will be in, one can understand the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم statement: Dua is worship.

Dua is a noble, spiritual form of worship which allows the created to appreciate the majesty and eminence of the Creator. This is because the worshipper turns to his Lord at his time of need, after all other types of aid have been cut off, and all other sources have been despaired of. He turns to his Lord to obtain from Him contentment, peace and serenity, and he finds Beneficence which will never be found from other sources. And how can this not happen, when he is turning to the Lord of all lords, and the King of all kings, the One Who is Self-Sufficient from all wants, and Who is Praised at all times?

And this is why we get this Amazing feeling of upliftment and renewed hope after a few minutes of an indulging Dua.

Dua is not only for Ramadan or for times of distress, but it is also for times of thankfulness, a way of showing that we love Allah and rely on Him more than anything, including our own efforts, to succeed in this life and the Next, and so we do this all round the year.

MAKE DUA – HE LOVES BEING ASKED

Allaah loves to be asked, and He encourages that in all things. He is angry with the one who does not ask of Him and He encourages His slaves to ask of Him. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And your Lord said: “Invoke Me [i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islamic Monotheism) and ask Me for anything] I will respond to your (invocation)” [Ghaafir 40:60]

Alhamdulillah we have been making dua consistently and heavily during Ramadan, asking Allah for forgiveness before opening our fasts, asking for forgiveness and His Blessings at Sahoor time, making various in Tarawih/Witr/Tahajjud (May Allah accept the pleas of Muslims). Let us not give up on our Duas, and InShaAllah He (SWT) will grant them. 

When praying, firstly ask for the Ibaadaat of Ramadan to be accepted, the sahaaba used to do that for months after Ramadan. Then always ask for His guidance and refuge in your daily quests and seek His forgiveness and refuge from hellfire. 

ALLAH RESPONDS

Allah has named Himself Al-Mujeeb, which means the One who responds. Throughout the Quran, Our Lord encourages the believers to call on Him, He asks us to lay our dreams, hopes, fears, and uncertainties before Him and to be sure that He hears every word. Islam encourages us to make a lot of du’aa’, and not to be hasty in seeking a response. That is because du’aa’ is a great act of worship which is beloved to Allaah.

SOME OF THE BENEFITS AND EXCELLENCE OF DUA

  1. It is beloved to Allah
  2. We understand the Essence of Worship
  3. Du’a is a Sign of One’s Imaan
  4. To Make Du’a is To Obey Allah
  5. Means of getting close to Allah
  6. Du’a is a Sign of Humility and the loss of arrogance- When we make Dua we submit that Allah alone is the creator and He is The Powerful one and everything is under control Him. We are nothing in front of Him we have to ask from Him.
  7. Du’a can save us from Allah’s Anger
  8. Can be a Cause of Being Saved from the Fire
  9. Dua is the Only Act that Changes Predestination (Qadr)
  10. Dua is a Characteristic of the Believer
  11. The Reward of Dua is Guaranteed (Will study more about this in the course)
  12. Dua is a Sign of Brotherhood
  13. Dua is a Cure for All Diseases
  14. Dua Makes a Person More Optimistic
  15. Dua is One of the Easiest Acts of Worship

May Allah make us amongst those who sincerely ask of Him and those who Please Him.

Please join our free online certificate course DUA’A, to learn to learn more about the virtues, conditions, Sunnahs of Dua along with times that they are answered, the duas from Quran & Sunnah and more.

“DUA – CONNECT BETTER” :https://learn-islam.org/dua

Note these are not part of the ongoing course, it is an independent course that can be done at your own pace and at your own convenience.

DHIKR

اذكروا الله ذكرا كثيرا

Remember Allah with much remembrance. (Al-Ahzaab:41)

Ali ibn Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with them both) stated regarding this statement of Allah The Most High.

Verily, Allah did not obligate an obligation upon his servants except that he legislated a fixed limit for it (e.g. obligatory prayers are a fixed with set number of raka’aat, obligatory fasts of Ramadhan are one month every calendar year), and then excused its performers when they are in a situation when they are excused (traveller, sick etc), except in the case of dhikr (remembrance of Allah) for indeed Allah did not legislate a limit for it and nor is a person excused for abandoning it, except when compelled. Allah said,

فَٱذۡڪُرُواْ ٱللَّهَ قِيَـٰمً۬ا وَقُعُودً۬ا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِڪُمۡ
remember Allah standing, sitting down, and (lying down) on your sides (An-Nisaa:103)

night and day, at land or sea, whilst travelling or resident, when wealthy and in times of poverty, in sickness and in health, in private and public and in all circumstances, He, The Mighty and Majestic said,

و سبحوه بكرة و أصيلا

 And glorify His Praises morning and afternoon [the early morning (Fajr) and ‘Asr prayers]. (Al-Ahzaab:42)

so if you were to do that (in the manner mentioned by ibn Abbas (Allah be pleased with them both)) then Allah will send His Blessings upon you, and the Angels will supplicate for you.

Allah, the Exalted, also says:

  • And the remembering (praising) of (you by) Allah (in front of the angels) is greater indeed [than your remembering (praising) of Allah in prayers]” (29:45)
  • Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying). I will remember you.” (2:152)
  • And remember Allah much, that you may be successful.” (62:10)
  • Verily, the Muslims (those who submit to Allah in Islam) men and women… (up to)… And the men and the women who remember Allah much with their hearts and tongues. Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward (i.e., Jannah).” (33:35)

These verses contain a command to remember Allaah intensely and abundantly, since the worshipper is in dire need of [remembering Allaah] and cannot do without it even for a twinkling of an eye. This is because every moment that a person does not spend in the dhikr (remembrance) of Allaah will not be of any benefit to him. Rather, the harm entailed in being neglectful of the dhikr of Allaah is far greater than any benefits that can be gained.

Al-Bayhaqee relates from ‘Aaishahradiallaahu ‘anhaa that the Prophet ﷺ said: “There is no time in which the son of Aadam does not remember AIIaah in it, except that it will be a source of regret for him on the Day of Judgement” [Hasan: It was authenticated by Shaykh al-Albaanee in Saheehul-Jaami’ (no.5720)]

Mu’aadh ibn jabalradiallaahu ‘anhu relates that the Prophet ﷺ said: “The people of Paradise will not have any regrets except for those moments in which they were not engaged in the dhikr (remembrance) of Allaah.” [Saheeh: Related by lbnus-Sunnee in ‘Aml al-Yawmawal-Laylah (no.3). Refer to Saheehul-Jaami’ (no.5446)].

Mu’aadh ibn Jabal also relates that Allaah’s Messenger ﷺ was asked: What action is the most beloved to Allaah? So he ﷺ replied: “That you continue to keep your tongue moist with the dhikr of Allaah, until you die.” [Hasan: Related by lbnHibbaan (no.2318). It was authenticated by Shaykh Saleem al-Hilaalee in Saheeh al-Waabilus-Sayyib (p.80)]

POLISHING THE HEART

Al-Bayhaqee relates from Ibn ‘Umar radiallaahu ‘anhu that AlIaah’s Messenger ﷺ said: “For everything there is a polish, and the polish for the hearts is the dhikr (remembrance) of Allaah. There is nothing more potent in saving a person from the punishment of Allaah than the dhikr of Allaah.” It was said: Not even Ji haad in the path of Allaah. So he ﷺ  replied: “Not even if you were to continue striking with your sword until it breaks.” [Saheeh: Related by Ahmad (4/352), from Mu’aadh ibn Jabal radiallaahu ‘anhu. It was authenticated by al-Albaanee in Saheehul-Jaami’ (no.5644)]

There is no doubt that hearts becomes rusty just as copper and silver coins become rusty. The polish for [this rust] is the dhikr of AIlaah. This is because [dhikr] is like a polish [which polishes the heart] like a shiny mirror. When dhikr is left, the rust returns. But when dhikr resumes, then the heart is [again] polished. And hearts become rusty due to two things:-

  • (i)      Neglecting remembering Allaah, and
  • (ii)    Committing sins.

The polish for these two things is:

  • (i)      seeking Allaah’s forgiveness and
  • (ii)    dhikr.

SOME BENEFITS OF DHIKR

  1. Dhikr brings joy, happiness and relaxation in the heart of a person.
  2. Protects from Shaytaan.
  3. When a person remembers Allaah, Allaah remembers him.
  4. It prevents one from committing sins, wipes away sins and saves a person from Allaah’s punishment.
  5. It earns a person Allaah’s favour, reward and grace [in a way] that a person cannot earn through other acts of worship, even though it [i.e. Dhikr] is the easiest act of worship.
  6. It is a light for the person in this Dunyah, in his grave and in the hereafter.
  7. A person earns Allaah’s blessings, forgiveness, praise and benevolence] and the angels [supplicate for him and ask Allaah to forgive him].

Please join our free online certificate course DHIKR, to learn to learn more about the virtues, rewards, adhkaar mentioned in the Sunnah, their times mentioned in the Sunnah and more.

“DHIKR” :https://learn-islam.org/dhikr

Note these are not part of the ongoing course, it is an independent course that can be done at your own pace and at your own convenience.

All the best for test.



TIPS OF TEST

  • Do not have to memorise the ayahs or hadeeths word for word and their references, but remember their meanings and the message being given.
  • Remember the Virtues & benefits.