Theme
الدعاء
Supplication
ad-Du'a
The Companions asked the Prophet ﷺ what to say: in prayer, on the Night of Decree, when worried about debt, when facing a decision. The answers were usually short, and they kept them. They also asked each other for du'a, and prayed for one another in their absence.
These practices give you exact words where the sources preserve them, and the moments in which the Companions used them.
… إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، أَخْبَرَنَا النَّضْرُ بْنُ شُمَيْلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ سَرْوَانَ، الْمُعَلِّمُ حَدَّثَنِي طَلْحَةُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ كَرِيزٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَتْنِي أُمُّ الدَّرْدَاءِ، قَالَتْ حَدَّثَنِي سَيِّدِي، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " مَنْ دَعَا لأَخِيهِ بِظَهْرِ الْغَيْبِ قَالَ الْمَلَكُ الْمُوَكَّلُ بِهِ آمِينَ وَلَكَ …
“He who supplicates for his brother behind his back (in his absence), the Angel commissioned (for carrying supplication to his Lord) says: Amen, and it is for you also”
40 practices from 34 companions
Open any practice to read it in full on the Companion's page, with the Arabic and English text of every source.
Abdullah ibn Abbasعبد الله بن عباس
Asking Allah for understanding
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Ask Allah regularly for understanding, and then act on the knowledge you gain.
Sit with this Do you ask Allah for understanding as often as you ask for provision?
Abdullah ibn al-Zubayrعبد الله بن الزبير
Seeking guidance three times before a major decision
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Pray for guidance (istikhara) and consult people before major choices.
Sit with this Which decision in front of you have you not yet brought to Allah in istikharah?
Abdullah ibn Salamعبد الله بن سلام
Using the time before sunset on Friday for du'a
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On Fridays, set aside the last part of the day for du'a.
Sit with this What would you ask for if you knew the hour before Friday sunset was listening?
Du'a for brothers in their absence
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Make a du'a for a friend in secret and for the same thing for yourself.
Sit with this Which friend could you pray for today without ever telling them?
Seeking righteous company
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Pray for righteous friends, and be that friend for someone.
Sit with this Are you the kind of friend you would ask Allah to send someone else?
Abu Bakr al-Siddiqأبو بكر الصديق
Asking for a dua to use inside prayer
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Learn one forgiveness dua by heart and say it before the salam.
Sit with this Which forgiveness du'a do you say before the salam?
Praying for a parent
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Make du'a for a parent's guidance and wellbeing, especially one who is far from the deen.
Sit with this Which parent or relative could you pray for instead of arguing with?
Abu Lubabah ibn Abd al-Mundhirأبو لبابة بن عبد المنذر
Honouring Friday
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Treat Jumu'ah as the highest day of the week and use its blessed hour for dua.
Sit with this How would your Friday look if you treated it as the best day of your week?
Aisha bint Abi Bakrعائشة بنت أبي بكر
Seeking the Night of Decree with the right dua
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In the last ten nights, say this dua often.
Sit with this Have you learned the du'a for Laylat al-Qadr by heart?
al-Bara ibn Malikالبراء بن مالك
Trusting Allah with every outcome
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Make du'a part of your hardest moments, and rely on Allah rather than your strength.
Sit with this In your hardest moment, do you reach first for your own strength or for du'a?
Witr dua (Allahumma-hdini fiman hadayt)
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Add this short dua to your witr prayer.
Sit with this Do you know the words of qunut to say in your witr?
al-Husayn ibn Aliالحسين بن علي
Growing up under the du'a of protection
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Read this du'a over your children, and ask Allah to protect them from every harm.
Sit with this Do you say a du'a of protection over the children in your care?
al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwamالزبير بن العوام
Relying on Allah as his Master
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In financial stress, plan carefully and then say: Master, help me.
Sit with this In financial stress, after planning, do you say "Master, help me"?
Ali ibn Abi Talibعلي بن أبي طالب
Asking for guidance and a straight aim
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Begin your day by asking Allah to guide you and to keep your actions on target.
Sit with this Have you asked Allah today for guidance and for a straight aim?
Ali ibn Abi Talibعلي بن أبي طالب
The dua for debt and lawful provision
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When you are in financial pressure, turn to a short sunnah dua before any other solution.
Sit with this Before any other plan for a money worry, have you made this du'a?
A dua of the Prophet in every prayer
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Learn one full du'a from the Prophet and say it in your prayer.
Sit with this Which du'a of the Prophet ﷺ will you learn for your prayer?
Preparing for death with du'a
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Ask your family to stay and pray at your grave, and do the same for others.
Sit with this Who will stand at your grave and pray for you, and whose grave could you visit?
Taking a dua from the righteous
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Ask the righteous to pray for you and your family.
Sit with this Whom could you ask to make du'a for you and your family?
Calling on Allah alone in distress
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Say "Allahu Allahu Rabbi la ushriku bihi shay'an" when anxious.
Sit with this When anxiety comes, which words do you reach for first?
Seeking protection for children
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Recite ruqyah and protective du'as for your children.
Sit with this Which protective du'as do you say over your children?
Asma bint Yazid al-Ansariyyahأسماء بنت يزيد الأنصارية
Calling on Allah by the verses of His greatest name
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Add these two passages to your du'a: 2:163 and 3:1-2.
Sit with this Will you open your next du'a with Ayat 2:163 and 3:1-2?
Seeking the last ten nights of Ramadan
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Plan some time in the last ten nights, even a day or night in the masjid.
Sit with this How will you set aside time in the last ten nights of Ramadan?
Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamanحذيفة بن اليمان
Saying the sleep and waking du'as
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Say "Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahya" as you lie down, and the waking du'a when you rise.
Sit with this Will the last and first words of your day tomorrow be a du'a?
Jabir ibn Abdullahجابر بن عبد الله
Praying istikhara before decisions
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Before a big decision, pray two rak'ahs and make the istikhara du'a, then proceed with the best means.
Sit with this Which decision this month will you begin with istikharah?
Khabbab ibn al-Arattخباب بن الأرت
Remembering the Prophet's long prayer of hope and fear
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Make a prayer of hope and fear, and make du'a for the whole Ummah, not only yourself.
Sit with this When did you last make du'a for the whole Ummah, not only yourself?
Khabbab ibn al-Arattخباب بن الأرت
Enduring illness without wishing for death
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In a long illness or trial, ask Allah for good, and do not wish for death.
Sit with this In a long trial, can you ask Allah for good rather than for an end?
Khawlah bint Tha'labahخولة بنت ثعلبة
Bringing a grievance to Allah and to the Prophet
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Turn to Allah first with a complaint, and seek just rulings from those who know.
Sit with this What grievance have you told people about but not yet told Allah?
Khawlah bint Tha'labahخولة بنت ثعلبة
Persistent, honest supplication
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Be specific and persistent in du'a, and do not rush to leave it.
Sit with this Can you keep asking Allah, plainly and specifically, without rushing away?
Maymunah bint al-Harithميمونة بنت الحارث
Staying close to the masjid in menses
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Even when you cannot pray, stay near worship: listen, make dhikr and dua.
Sit with this On the days you cannot pray, how do you stay close to worship?
A du'a after every prayer
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End each prayer with: Allahumma a'inni 'ala dhikrika wa shukrika wa husni 'ibadatika.
Sit with this Will you end your next prayer asking Allah's help to remember, thank and worship Him well?
Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqasسعد بن أبي وقاص
Making du'a with confidence
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Ask Allah often and specifically; keep your earnings and conduct clean.
Sit with this Do you ask Allah often and specifically, with clean earnings behind your du'a?
A sincere du'a at the end
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In illness, make a clear du'a for what you most want for the deen.
Sit with this What would your clearest du'a be if you knew your time was short?
Raising your hands in du'a
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Make du'a with your hands raised, and never think a sincere request is wasted.
Sit with this When you raise your hands, do you believe they will not come back empty?
Ubadah ibn al-Samitعبادة بن الصامت
Remembering Allah when waking at night
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Keep these words by your bed and use them on waking in the night.
Sit with this Do you know the words to say when you wake in the night?
Seeking Laylat al-Qadr and praying through the night
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Seek the last nights of Ramadan actively.
Sit with this How will you seek Laylat al-Qadr this Ramadan?
Umar ibn al-Khattabعمر بن الخطاب
Asking Allah for a good ending
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Ask for a good ending in your regular duas.
Sit with this Do you ask Allah for a good ending in your regular du'as?
Umm Haram bint Milhanأم حرام بنت ملحان
Asking Allah for lofty aims
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Ask for the highest good, and for a role in it.
Sit with this Are your du'as aiming high enough?
Saying the du'a of calamity
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When any loss hits you, say the du'a of calamity straight away, then ask Allah for better.
Sit with this Do you know the du'a of calamity well enough to say it in the moment?
Praying for good at the sickbed and the funeral
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At a sickbed or funeral, say only du'as of goodness; angels say Amen.
Sit with this At a sickbed or funeral, do you say only words of goodness?
Umm Sulaym bint Milhanأم سليم بنت ملحان
Offering her son in service of the Prophet
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Dedicate your children's best years to something worthwhile and ask for du'a for them.
Sit with this Whom could you ask to make du'a for your children?
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