My dear brothers and sisters, dua is not just words whispered but a believer’s most powerful weapon, a direct and personal dialogue between the servant and his Lord. Dua is the essence of worship and the weapon of the believer. It is through dua that hearts find peace, sins are forgiven, and destinies are changed by the permission of Allah. The question now is that do we know the correct way of making dua in Islam?
Since we have understood that dua is worship, and anything called worship in Islam has to be done the way Allah or His Prophet directed us to it. This is why understanding the correct way of making dua and the Sunnah way of making dua is so essential. This is because doing it correctly in a way that aligns with the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah is a means that makes it an accepted plea.
The Correct Way of Making Dua That Aligns With the Sunnah
As we have said earlier, my dear brothers and sisters, that dua is not just mere wordings but a connection between you and your Creator because it is a worship. It’s a reflection of your iman, your love for Allah, and your trust in His mercy. The correct way of making dua is not just outward gestures, it is also a condition of the heart, actions of sincerity, and signs of true servitude.
To ensure your supplications are not just spoken into the air but are received by the Most Merciful, your entire approach must align with the Sunnah way of making dua. This is the path that transforms a wish into a worship and a plea into a powerful connection with Allah.
Let us now walk through these noble etiquettes and the correct way of making dua that the Quran and our Prophet ﷺ taught us, step by step.
1. Have Firm Faith in Tawhid (Oneness of Allah)
The foundation of every accepted dua begins with tawhid, the pure belief that only Allah has the power to grant your request. When you call upon Him, call upon Him alone. Do not associate anyone in your supplication. When you call upon Him, you are affirming your belief in His Lordship, His Names, and His Attributes. For Allah says:
“And your Lord says: Call upon Me; I will respond to you.”
— Surah Ghafir (40:60)
Dua is an act of worship, and directing it to anyone other than Allah is a form of shirk (association). When you make dua, your heart must believe that none can give, withhold, or answer except Allah. So before you start praying, your heart must affirm: “La ilaha illa Allah” and at all times too as a Muslim. No saint, no prophet, no angel, only Allah can respond to your plea. This is the first and most crucial step in the correct way of making dua.
2. Start with Praising Allah (Tahmid, Tasbeeh, and other praises)
Do not rush headfirst into your list of requests. That is not the way of a wise and humble servant. In the Sunnah way of making dua is to begin with glorifying and praising your Lord. Start with Tahmid (praise) and Tasbeeh (glorification). Say words like:
“Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, Laa ila a illallah, Allahu Akbar… and or any other related words of praises.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“If anyone of you makes dua, let him begin by glorifying Allah and praising Him, then send blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, and then ask for whatever he wishes.” [Tirmidhi 3477]
Why is this so crucial? It is a recognition of who you are speaking to. It humbles you and magnifies the One you are asking. It is like first acknowledging the majesty and generosity of a king before presenting your personal request. This is the correct way of making dua, you start by exalting your Lord, reminding your heart of who He is before asking for what you need.
3. Send Blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ (Salat al-Ibrahimiyyah)
After praising Allah, follow it by sending blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, saying:
Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin, kama sallayta ‘ala Ibrahima, innaka Hamidun Majid; Allahumma barik ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala ali Muhammadin, kama barakta ‘ala Ibrahima, innaka Hamidun Majid
This is not just etiquette, it is a key that unlocks the doors of response. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The Prophet (ﷺ) heard a man supplicating in his Salat but he did not send Salat upon the Prophet (ﷺ), so the Prophet (ﷺ) said: ‘This one has rushed.’ Then he called him and said to him, or to someone other than him:
‘When one of you performs Salat, then let him begin by expressing gratitude to Allah and praising Him. Then, let him send Salat upon the Prophet (ﷺ), then let him supplicate after that, whatever he wishes.’” (Jami` at-Tirmidhi, 3477)
Another evidence is A man who came to our Prophet ﷺ and asked him, “Should I say all of my prayers for blessings upon you?”
The Prophet said, “If so, your worries will be resolved, and your sins will be forgiven.” [At-Tirmidhi 2457]
SubhanAllah! This shows that the Sunnah way of making dua is to begin by honoring your Lord and then honoring His beloved Messenger ﷺ.
4. Raise Your Hands in Humility
The Sunnah way of making dua involves raising your hands with your palms open but gently close together, and facing upwards, like a destitute person pleading before a King. This simple gesture symbolizes your need and your total dependence on Allah. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Verily, Allah is conscientious and generous. He would be shy, when a man raises his hands to Him, to turn them away empty and disappointed.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhī 3556)
5. Don’t Raise Your Voice and ask in humility and certainty
Your du’a is a secret conversation, not a public announcement. Allah says in the Quran:
“Call upon your Lord in humility and privately; indeed, He does not like transgressors.” (Surah Al-A’raf, 7:55)
Abu Musa reported: We were with the Prophet ﷺ on a journey, when the people began to exalt Allah loudly. The Prophet said,
“O people, be gentle with yourselves, for you are not calling upon one who is deaf or absent. You are calling upon the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.” [Bukhari 6384, Muslim 2704]
When you ask, ask with full conviction. Don’t let doubt dilute your trust in Allah. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Call upon Allah while being certain of being answered, and know that Allah does not respond to a dua from a heedless heart.” [Tirmidhi 3479]
Your heart should be present, your tone humble, and your hope strong. Never say, “O Allah, forgive me if You wish.” Instead, say with confidence, “O Allah, forgive me, for You are the Most Forgiving.” Be persistent. Keep asking, even if the answer is delayed. Because every dua you make is recorded, and every whisper is heard. This conviction and humility represent the correct way of making dua in Islam.
6. End with Gratitude and Blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ Again
After finishing your prayer, then, once again, send peace and blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Our Prophet ﷺ said…
“Verily, the supplication is suspended between the heavens and the earth. Nothing ascends from it until you send blessings upon your Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.”
[At-Tirmidhi 486, authenticated by Albani]
This is a beautiful closure. It starts with praise, is filled with sincere requests, and ends by sending blessings upon His Messenger. This is the complete and correct way of making dua.
My dear brothers and sisters, as we conclude this discussion, let us have one truth in our hearts: the correct way of making dua is not a set of rigid, burdensome rules. It is, in fact, a roadmap gifted to us by our Merciful Lord through His Prophet ﷺ. This roadmap ensures that our most intimate conversations with Him are filled with honor, hope, and a certainty of acceptance.
We have walked through the path of the Sunnah way of making dua together, from the initial preparation of the heart with firm Tawhid, to adorning our plea with praise and Salawat, to the physical humility of raised hands, and the spiritual conviction that our Lord will respond. This is the complete Islamic way of making dua.
Never think that your dua goes unheard. Sometimes Allah answers immediately, sometimes He delays it for wisdom, and sometimes He replaces it with something far better. The Prophet ﷺ said,
“There is no Muslim who calls upon Allah, within which is no sin or cutting family ties, but that Allah will give him one of three answers: He will quickly fulfill his supplication, He will store it for him in the Hereafter, or He will divert an evil from him similar to it.” They said, “In that case, we will ask for more.” The Prophet said, “Allah has even more.”
(Musnad Ahmad, 11133)
So never stop making dua. Keep calling upon Him day and night. He loves to hear your voice. He loves it when you turn to Him again and again.
We ask Allah to make us among those who call upon Him with sincerity, humility, and full trust in His mercy. We ask Him to accept our supplications, forgive our shortcomings, and make our tongues always moist with His remembrance. Aameen.
