Just like any other thing, the art of making the best Dua (supplication) is hidden in being consistent. Ever been to the gym, you don’t get in shape or start to feel better the first day – it’s the process that takes you far.
The purpose of the writing is to shed some light on the mechanics of Dua and the way to go about it and in the end, how to improve.
As Muslims, we should know – Dua is the most powerful shield. It does wonders, and the more you work to shape the way you make Dua – it starts to take charge and change your life, you may not notice it but you will find visible changes through the process.
Let’s get started, I will try to cover 3 aspects of the topic as follows:
- Why should we make Dua
- How to make Dua (steps)
- How to improve Dua
Why should we make Dua
Dua is one of the most beautiful ways of worship and we know from the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad PBUH that Dua holds the power to change destiny.
When we consciously make Dua – we aren’t just putting forward our needs and worries in front of Allah SWT to seek guidance but it is also training our subconscious minds about the existence of Allah SWT and our reach to His guidance and assistance. This plays a key role in the difficult times and our mind seeks patience through reliance on Allah SWT.
How to make Dua
- Start off with the beautiful names of Allah SWT & praises – choose the best of words to start off with. Remember, when you put it forward, you are also training your subconscious to recall Allah SWT in ways you choose to put conciously.
- Shukar (Gratitude) – with all the blessings in life, this has to be the default attitude of every Muslim. When you get in the habit, you psychologically train your brain to be thankful and always be mindful of the blessings that have been given by Allah SWT, even without asking. Gratitude heals depression – it is proven.
- Tauba/Astigfar – the way we cannot count the blessings, we are not the best judges of the mistakes and sins we have done. Seek forgiveness to clear your slate everytime as part of your Dua. Please note, this is a vast topic and you will have to work your ways to seek forgiveness for major sins, you may learn more about how Allah SWT forgives sins here.
- Clear your heart – forgive Allah SWT’s creation – it’s a tough step, especially for those going through tough times in worldly matters where people wrong each other. Take a leap of faith, do it only and only for the sake of Allah SWT. This InshAllah, will serve as the catalyst for your forgiveness.
- Salawat upon Prophet Muhammad PBUH – Our Prophet Muhammad PBUH is the reason why we have such a huge knowledgebase and practical steps to follow, one should never skip Salawat (Durood). Also, we find in the Hadith that Duas are held until we send Salawat to Muhammad PBUH.
- Say Prophet Muhammad PBUH’s favorite Dua – the following is the favorite dua of Prophet Muhammad PBUH. We should always try and include this in our Dua, this has 3 parts – the first one asks for collective blessings and ease for the worldly life, the second asks for the same for the Afterlife, and finally Allah SWT’s shelter from hellfire. This Dua, alone, includes everything one will ever need.
- Ask for what you need – personalize this part. As a rule of thumb, we should try and divide this section into 3 segments and dedicate 1 part for worldly needs and 2 for the hereafter (as we saw in the supplication above).
- End with Salawat upon Prophet Muhammad PBUH – end your Dua with Salawat to Prophet Muhammad PBUH. Please remember to learn the meaning of the Durood you recite.
How to improve Dua and progress onwards
Want to improve your Duas? Ask Allah SWT for guidance and assistance in improving your Duas – here is the beautiful Dua our Prophet Muhammad PBUH has gifted us
This is a beautiful Dua that extends into a lot of dimensions and isn’t limited to supplications. Include this in your routines and you will see wonders.
Here are the key tips to improve Dua:
- Make it a habit – it’s the most systematic mechanism for continuous improvement. Take the example of driving a car – when someone drives for the first time, they have to put their conscious mind to operate but through the process, repetitions, consistency, and frequency this learning finds its space in the subconscious mind, and it feels as if driving a car is a default auto-pilot mode for our brain.
- Put it in your schedule – prioritize it, don’t leave it haphazard. Dedicate a time in your day, every day
- Learn Duas of the Prophets – Quran & Hadith has registered some of the most beautiful Duas from the Prophets, learn them, and gain an understanding of the depth
- Believe – Consciously believe that your Duas are being answered, in the most beautiful ways
- Consistency & Frequency – commit yourself to the process, you won’t see its beauty on day 1 but you will wonder what you have achieved on your 100th day, InshAllah!
Closing…
We tend to go into a deep cycle of Duas when we are stuck in situations, and we absolutely should do it. But, the key is to embed this beautiful concept of Dua into our lives – it will become the tool to leverage strength and assistance in our walk of life.
Start today!
Jazak Allah.