Sharing Supplications

There's no time like Ramadan, to make lots of du'a (supplications).

Personally, du'as have worked wonders for me by His grace. It's also had the added benefit of increasing my grasp of Arabic words, despite my illiteracy. This really helps, when I hear the same roots being used in tilawah (Qur'anic recitations).

I've also noticed that when one follows the etiquettes of making supplications (adab ad-dua) , it makes a real difference. There must be lists of etiquettes in the classical tomes that I remain unaware of, yet I do know this much:

1) One should begin with awareness of His majesty and one's own utter dependence on Him & mention His praise (eg. Alhamdulillah ar-rabbil Aalameen)

2) Then one should recite prayers on Rasulullah (saw)

3) Then one should make prayers for oneself FIRST (istighfar, especially) and then for others.

4) Upon closing this appointment with our Lord, one should again praise Him and then end with prayers on Rasulullah (saw).

Imam Tirmidhi narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra) said ‘Verily, supplications are stalled between the heavens and the earth, and are not lifted up until the supplicant invokes blessings upon the Prophet (saw).’

Of course there are other 'obvious' etiquettes in du'a, such as being in wu'dhu, facing the Ka'bah, invoking His Beautiful Names in relation to what we ask Him for, etc.

There are also the favorable TIMES in which du'a is usually heard by Allah (swt). In our prostrations during prayer. While fasting. The month of Ramadan. During rainfall. In the depth of the night. While we are struck with illness or other calamities. And whenever we feel intense emotional pain, thus propelling our hearts to seek Grace.

It's said that du'a is the weapon of the believer. With that in mind, let us truly be comrades in arms and share our spiritual artillery.

Here are a few du'as I especially love (pardon the crude translations):

1) From Rasulullah (saw):

Allahumma inni audhu`bika min ilm la yanfaa
wa audhu `bika min qalbi la yakshaa
wa audhu `bika min nafsin la tashbaa
wa audhu `bika min dawaat la yustajaad

(Oh God! I seek refuge in you from knowledge which has no benefit
and from a heart which does not fear
and from a self that is not satisfied
and from prayers which go unanswered)

Allahumma inni as`alukal hudaa wat-tuqaa, wa`l afaafa, wa`l ghina

(Oh God! I ask you for guidance, for piety, for chastity & for wealth)

2) From Imam Sufyan at-Thawri (ra):

Ahmad ibn Yunus relates that he used to hear Sufyan say countless times:

Allahumma sallim sallim. Allahumma sallimna `warzuqna al-aafiyata fid-dunya wa`l akhira

(Oh God, keep me safe. Oh God grant me security and enrich me with utmost good in this life and the hereafter)

Come on people, share your du'as! Allah will smile on us all. Perhaps if we're fortunate, He shall grant us more than what we ask.

wa sal`Allahu a`lan-Nabiyy.