Supplication in Islam

By: Shakeel Syed IslamiCity* -

Dua defines us & our relationship with Allah - We ask and He gives.Dua is relevant only to a person of faith. The Prophet said, Dua is the core of worship (mukh al-ibadah) - heart of faith. So let's examine why its importance in light of 2:286:
Allah does not lay a responsibility on anyone beyond his capacity. In his favor shall be whatever good each one does, and against him whatever evil he does. (Pray) Our Lord, take us not to task if we forget or commit mistakes. Our Lord, lay not on us a burden such as You laid on those gone before us. Our Lord, Lay not on us burdens which we do not have strength to bear. Overlook our faults, forgive us and have mercy upon us. You are our Guardian; so grant us victory against the unbelievers.
Revealed around Mi'raj & a year before hijra to Madina. The struggle between Islam and unbelief was at it's climax. Muslims were condemned for everything they did.Parallels today - nearly everywhere, we see demonization of our faith, its values and of its followers. Given that this is the Christmas season - let us look at what Prophet Isa says about a certain group of people:
"Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of their righteousness ... Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely..." Gospel of Matthew (5:10-11).
So we ask who are these "blessed" people ... Could they be Muslims?Wars waged against Muslims. Muslim lands are occupied. Muslims are oppressed and persecuted. Muslim widows & orphans - hungry and homeless. Muslims have the largest number of refugees and orphans in the world. Muslims are denied their human rights and civil rights. Innocent Muslims are abused, accused and detained in prisons in the most miserable conditions.Those who are in power neither want to give up nor share power. Rampant corruption, nepotism tribalism and feudalism. Muslims are persecuted simply for practicing their faith. A cadre of academics and pundits, writers and speakers - busy in producing lies and propaganda against Islam and Muslims. So the question we ask then - What do we do?
(FIRST) we must attempt to understand the challenges, analyze our condition, reform our ways, unite our efforts and work harder. (SECOND) we must turn to Allah sincerely and make our appeal to Allah and Him alone.
Efforts alone may not be enough be enough but with Dua, everything can change.Aisha said; "No believer makes Dua and it is wasted. Either it is granted here in this world or saved for him in the Hereafter as long as he remains patient."Dua should be with utmost respect and in sincerity and never give up Dua and never lose hope in it for Allah's blessings and His mercy.
O Allah, remove our ills, change our condition from weakness to strength, from difficulties to ease, from fear to safety, from despair to hope, from humiliation to honor, from defeat to victory, from division to unity, from errors to guidance and from the evils of ignorance to the virtues of Islam. (a Muslim scholar)
Let's close with this very profound Dua from Imam Ali :
O Allah, help me to say words of truth in the face of the mighty And to refrain from speaking ill in order to gain the applause of the weak And do not let me accuse my adversaries of treachery because their opinions oppose mine.Ya Allah, should you give me wealth, do not take away my happiness,And should you give me might, do not take away my wisdom.And should you give me success do not take away my humility.And should you give me modesty do not take away my sense of dignity.Ya Allah, teach me to love others as I love myself.And teach me to judge myself as I judge others.And teach me that forgiveness is one of the greatest steps towards strength.Ya Allah, do not curse me with arrogance should I be successful.And neither with despair and hopelessness should I fail.Ya Allah, remind me always that failure is the trial that precedes success.Should you take away my wealth, do let me keep my hopefulness.And should I fail, do let me keep the power of determination.And should you take away the blessing of good health do let me keep the blessing of faith.Ya Allah, should I have harmed others give me the courage to apologize.And should others harm me, do bless me with the courage to forgive.And should I forget you Ya Allah I beg that you should not exclude me from your compassion and clemency.For you are the Greatest, the Vanquisher, the All Powerful on all things.
The preceding Khutbah was delivered on Friday, December 16th, 2011 at King Fahd Mosque in Culver City California.Shakeel Syed is the executive director of Islamic Shura Council of Southern California. More of his reflections can be read on his blog.