Du'a (دعاء, supplication) is described by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as "the essence of worship" (الدعاء هو العبادة). It is the direct, personal conversation between a servant and their Lord. While Allah ﷻ hears every sincere du'a, there are specific etiquettes taught by the Prophet ﷺ that enhance the quality of our supplication and increase its likelihood of acceptance.
The pre-conditions and etiquettes of du'a include: beginning with praise of Allah (Alhamdulillah, SubhanAllah) and sending salawaat upon the Prophet ﷺ before making your request; facing the Qiblah when possible; raising your hands in supplication (palms facing upward); being in a state of wudu (ablution); having certainty that Allah will respond; and being sincere and humble in your asking. The Prophet ﷺ also taught us to repeat the du'a three times for emphasis.
There are also special times and places when du'a is more likely to be accepted: during the last third of the night, between the Adhaan and Iqaamah, during sujood (prostration) in prayer, on the day of Arafah, during rain, the last hour of Friday (Jumu'ah), while fasting (especially at the time of breaking the fast), and while travelling. Making du'a at these times is a Sunnah that every Muslim should strive to practice.
It is important to note that du'a should be made with good expectations of Allah. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Call upon Allah while being certain of being answered, and know that Allah does not respond to a du'a from a heart that is heedless and distracted." Also, avoid being hasty — do not say "I made du'a but was not answered." Allah answers every du'a in one of three ways: He gives you what you asked for, He averts a harm from you, or He stores the reward for you in the Hereafter. Our program provides a collection of prophetic du'as for various situations, all with Arabic text, transliteration, and translation.