Overstepping the Mark of Dua'.

Overstepping the Mark of  Duā’'.

Some brothers are very detailed in their dua'. I am afraid that this is a kind of overstepping the mark in making dua'. It is better for him to ask for what is good in this world and the next by reciting the dua’s that are known from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)? I hope that you can explain this matter.

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;

All the praise and Thanks are due to Allāh, I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam, is His Messenger.

Firstly: Duā’ is a weapon that has been forsaken by many people, although duā’ is worship.

Al-Nu’man ibn Bashīr (radiallāhu`anhu) reported that the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: “Duā’ is worship.” Then he (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) recited: “And your Lord said: Invoke Me [i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islamic Monotheism) and ask Me for anything] I will respond to your (invocation). Verily, those who scorn My worship [i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not believe in My Oneness, (Islamic Monotheism)] they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!” (Ghafir, 40:60). [At-Tirmidzi (3372): Sahih]

The Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: “There is nothing dearer to Allāh than duā’.” [Al-Tirmidzi, no. 2684/2665: sahih].  And he (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: “Whoever does not ask of Allāh, He becomes displeasured with him.” [Al-Tirmidzi, no. 2686: Sahih.]

If you appreciate and value this, one should be keen to make a lot of duā’.

Secondly: There is etiquette to be followed when making duā’ are as follows:

1.     Starting with oneself when making duā’.

2.     It is mustahabb to raise the hands when making duā’.

3.     The person making duā’ should be in a state of complete purity.

4.     One should face the qiblāh when making duā’.

5.    One should manifest humility before Allāh: “call upon Him in humility and in secret” [aAl-An’ām 6:63]. In Badā’i’ Al-Fawā’id Ibn Al-Qayyim said that not being humble when making duā’ is a kind of overstepping the mark in duā’. [Badā’i’ al-Fawā’id, 3/12].

6.     He should beseech Allāh in his duā’.

7.  One should not look for a speedy response.

In Al-Sahihain it is narrated that the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: “You will be answered so long as you are not in a hurry and say, ‘I made duā’ but I did not receive a response.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 6340; Muslim, 2735].

For when a Muslim calls upon his Lord, one of three things happens, as was mentioned in the hadīth of the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam): “There is no Muslim who calls upon his Lord with a duā’ in which there is no sin or severing of family ties, but Allāh will give him one of three things: Either He will answer his prayer quickly, or He will store (the reward for) it in the Hereafter, or He will divert an equivalent evil away from him.” They said: “We will say more duā’.” He said: “Allāh’s bounty is greater.” [Narrated by Ahmad, 10749; al-Tirmidzi, 3573: Sahih].

8. It should be noted that one should praise and glorify Allāh in duā’, and send blessing upon the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam).

It was narrated that Faddālah ibn ‘Ubayd (radiallāhu`anhu) said: The Prophet (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wa sallam) heard a man making duā’ after his prayer, but he did not send blessings upon the (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam). The Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: “This man is in a hurry.” Then he called him and said to him or to someone else: “When any one of you has finished praying (and makes duā’), let him start by praising Allāh, then let him send blessings upon the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam), then after that let him asks for whatever he wants.” [Al-Tirmidzi, 2765: Sahih].

Thirdly:  With regard to overstepping the mark in making duā’, this involves a number of things:

Being too detailed in one's duā’, as described in the question (“O Allāh, give me a furnished apartment and etc”).

Rather what is prescribed is to make duā’ in concise words as the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to do. He used to ask Allāh for the best in this world and in the Hereafter. It was narrated from ‘AbdAllāh ibn Mughaffal that he heard his son say: “O Allāh, I ask You for the white palace on the right side of Paradise if I enter it.” He said: “O my son, ask Allāh for Paradise and seek refuge with Allāh from the Fire, for I heard the Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu ‘alaihi wa sallam) say: ‘Among this ummah will be people who overstep the mark in purifying themselves and in making duā’.” [Narrated by Abu Dawud, 690: Sahih].

Calling upon Allāh in ways that Allāh has forbidden or that are means that lead to something forbidden (because the means come under the same rulings as the ends).

This was stated by Ibn al-Qayyim in Badaa’i’ al-Fawā’id, 3/12. So whatever is a means to something haram is also harām.

Usually those who watch televisions  to see and listen to haram things,  the person who is asking for that then his duā’ is a kind of overstepping the mark in making duā’, because he is asking Allāh to give him something by means of which he will disobey Him.

It is clear that this duā’ is overstepping the mark in two ways:

1-     Because it is detailed

2-     Because it is a means to something haram, and the means come under the same rulings as the ends.

This applies if the person who is making the duā’ is going to use it for something harām, as most people do.

[Via Islam Q&A]