Conditions During Which Du’a Is Answered (2/3)

3. After a Calamity

One of the occasions in which the du’a of a person is answered is after a calamity has befallen him.  However, it is necessary  that  the person  display  patience  and  satisfaction  at Allah's decree,  and  not wail or lament  over his misfortune.

Umm Salamah narrated that the Prophet   (Peace be upon him) said:

“There   is no Muslim that is afflicted with a calamity, and he says what Allah has commanded him to say: 'To Allah we belong and to Him we will return!  O Allah! Give me the rewards (of being  patient  over)  this calamity,  and  grant  me something better than  it to replace it,' except that Allah will give him something  better  to replace  it. ”

Umm  Salamah  said, "So when  (my husband)  Abu Salamah  died, I said  this du’a,  but  could  not  help  thinking,   'Who  is better  than Abu  Salamah   (i.e. no  one  can replace  Abu  Salamah)?'   Then   the Prophet  (Peace be upon him)  himself  sent me a messenger  proposing  to me, so Allah, blessed me with  someone  better  than  Abo Salamah" .[1]

4. The Traveller

The   person  who  has  left his  house,   and  is on  a journey,   is a stranger   in  the  land  that  he  travels  to,  alone  and  away   from  his family and friends.  As such, Allah,  all Glory  and Praise  be to Him, sends  His  Mercy  upon  a traveller,  especially  if he is travelling  for the sake of knowledge  or with the intention  of performing  any other act of worship,  such  as pilgrimage   or jihad.

A traveller has been guaranteed that his du' a will be answered, for the Prophet   (Peace be upon him) said:

"Three are the du'as that are responded to, there is no doubt concerning them:  the du’a of he who has been wronged, the traveller, and the du’a of the father for his son".[2]

If this  is the  case of the  average  traveller  who  is travelling  for worldly reasons,  then  it applies  even more when  the person  is travelling  for religious  reasons,  such as desiring  to increase  his knowledge, or visit his parents,  or visit a Muslim  brother.

5. The Father Against his Son or for his Son

The proof for this condition has been mentioned in the previous hadith.  In another wording of the hadith, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“Three are the du’as that are responded   to  ...  the du’a of the father against his son.”[3]

The du'a of a father for his son could be a du’a of blessings and mercy for him if the father is content and happy with his son. On the  other  hand,  the  father  can  make  a du’a  against  his son,  if the son does not treat  his father  properly.  In this,  there  is a strong  encouragement to Muslims  to treat  their  parents  with  kindness,  and to avoid causing  distress to them  in any way. This is also a warning to parents  not to rush  in making  a du’a against  their  children,   for they might  make  a du’a  in a state of anger  which  they would  later regret.

The du’a of the mother is also included in this hadith,   for the right of the mother is even greater than that of the father. The du’a of the parents for their daughters comes under this hadith as well, since the rulings applicable to men also apply to women unless there exists evidence to the contrary.

The story of Jurayj and his mother was mentioned   earlier, and this story also proves this point. When Jurayj's mother prayed against him because he did not obey her, Allah responded   to her du'as.

6. The Son for the Father

While  the father  is alive, the son can benefit  from him  by pleasing him,  thus  ensuring   that  he  makes  du’a for his  son. After  the father  dies, then  the son must  repay some of the sacrifices that  the father made  for him,  and part  of this can be done by sincerely  praying for him  after his death.

The Prophet   (Peace be upon him) said:

“When   a person  dies, all of his actions  are cut  off except  from three  (matters):   a sadaqah jariyah[4]  or a pious  son that  prays for him,  or some knowledge   (that  he gave) that others still benefit from.” [5]

The Qur'an itself commands this, for Allah says:

“And lower unto them the wings of humility and mercy, and say, 'O My Lord!  Have mercy on them, even as they took care of me while I was young.'”[6]

So the  pious  son should  make  a point  of regularly  praying   for his deceased  parents,   for this  is the  least  that  he  can  do to repay them  for their kindness  and care. Likewise, the daughter too should pray for her parents, as the hadith applies to both son and daughter.

This  does not mean  that a person  should  not pray for his parents if they  are alive, for of course  this  too is one  of the  rights  that  the parents  have over the child.

7. The One who is Fasting

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“Three du'as are never  rejected:  the du'a of the father,  and  the du (a  of the  one  fasting,  and  the du'a of the traveller.” [7]

In another narration,   it is reported that he (Peace be upon him) said:

“Three  people's  du’as are never rejected:  the one who is fasting, until  he breaks  his fast;  the  just  ruler;  and  the one  who  has been wronged.  Allah raises it above the clouds, and the doors of the skies are opened for it, and the Lord says, 'By My Honour and Glory! I will help you, even if it be after some time!’ ”[8]

The preceding hadith shows that the one who is fasting can make du’a throughout the day, and his du'a will be responded   to. In  a third  hadith,  the time just before  breaking  the fast has been  specified, so a person  should  strive even more  at this particular  time  to be sincere  in his du' a. The Prophet   (Peace be upon him) said:

“Indeed, the one who is fasting has - while he is about to break his fast - a du’a that is not rejected".[9]

8. The Person Reciting the Qur'an

It has been authentically narrated that peace and tranquility   descend on the one who recites the Qur'an,   as do the angels.  Therefore, after reciting any portion of the Qur'an,   we are encouraged   to make a du’a, as it is more likely to be responded   to.[10]

Likewise,  when  we finish  reciting  the entire  Qur'an,  we are also encouraged   to make  a du’a,  just  as the  famous  Companion Anas ibn Malik, did when he called his family, and make a du’a as soon as he had finished reciting  the Qur'an.[11]   

 (Continued)