The Etiquette of Dua: When and How to Make Supplication

Dua is one of the simplest acts of worship, and one of the most personal. You do not need a special place or a special language, and you can do it at any moment. Still, the Quran and the Sunnah mention certain times and manners that help a person make dua with more presence. This article collects the most commonly cited ones, and explains how scholars understand them.

This is a general guide. Some reports mentioned here are graded differently by different scholars, and we note this where we know of it. Please ask a qualified scholar for rulings.

Dua is worship

Allah says in the Quran that when His servants ask about Him, He is near and responds to the call of the one who calls upon Him (2:186). He also says: “Call upon Me, I will respond to you” (40:60). A report in Sunan al-Tirmidhi and Sunan Abi Dawud says that dua is worship, and scholars have commonly quoted it. It means that when you make dua, you are not only asking for something, you are also acting in worship.

Times when dua is often mentioned as more likely to be answered

• The last third of the night. Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim record that Allah descends to the lowest heaven in the last third of the night, and calls out for those who ask, so that He may give. Scholars explain the descent in different ways, and most of them avoid giving it a physical description. What is clear is the encouragement to pray and ask at that time.
• During prostration. Sahih Muslim records that a servant is closest to his Lord when he is in prostration, so make much dua in it.
• Between the adhan and the iqamah. A report in the collections of Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi says that dua made between the two is not rejected. Many scholars accept it, though some discuss the chain.
• The hour on Friday. Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim mention an hour on Friday in which a Muslim who asks for something while standing in prayer will be given it. Scholars differ widely on which hour it is, so we do not claim to know.
• The dua of a traveller, a fasting person and one who has been wronged. Reports of this kind are found in the Sunan collections, and scholars discuss their chains. We mention them only as reported.

The etiquette of making dua

1. Begin with praise and blessings on the Prophet ﷺ. A report in Sunan Abi Dawud and Sunan al-Tirmidhi tells of a man who made dua in prayer without praising Allah or sending blessings on the Prophet ﷺ, and the Prophet ﷺ said he had been hasty and taught the right order.
2. Be sincere and present. Ask with your heart and not only with your tongue. A report in Sunan al-Tirmidhi says to call on Allah with certainty of being answered, and that He does not accept the dua of a heart that is heedless. Scholars discuss the grading of this report, but the idea of attending with the heart is widely accepted.
3. Do not be hasty. Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim say that one’s dua is answered as long as he is not impatient and does not say “I made dua and was not answered”.
4. Be careful of what you earn and eat. Sahih Muslim mentions a man who travels long, is disheveled and dusty and raises his hands to the sky, but his food, drink and clothing are unlawful, so how can his dua be answered? Scholars take from it the importance of lawful earnings.
5. Do not ask for sin or the breaking of family ties. Sahih Muslim says that a servant’s dua continues to be answered as long as it does not include sin or cutting off of family ties.
6. Raise your hands. There are reports of the Prophet ﷺ raising his hands in dua. Scholars discuss in which situations it is done, so it is commonly practised in personal dua.
7. Ask for specific things, and for good in this world and the next. The Quran teaches the dua: “Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire” (2:201).

What does “answered” mean?

A report in Musnad Ahmad says that a Muslim who makes a dua that does not include sin or cutting of ties will be given one of three things: what he asked, the saving of it for the Hereafter, or the removal of an equal harm from him. Scholars have discussed the chain of this report, and it is graded differently, but the meaning is often mentioned as a comfort. It is a reminder that not seeing the result you wanted does not mean nothing happened.

Common mistakes

• Giving up because the answer did not come quickly.
• Asking only when in difficulty, and forgetting Allah in ease.
• Believing that a dua works only if it is in Arabic, or only if it is read from a book. Scholars generally permit asking in your own language.
• Copying long, unverified supplications from the internet. If you quote a dua, check the source and the grading, or use our pages of daily duas and the guide to beginner duas.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need wudu to make dua?

No. Dua can be made at any time and in any state, though many people prefer to be in a state of cleanliness and facing the qibla.

Can I make dua after the obligatory prayer?

Yes. Scholars have discussed whether dua after the prayer should be before or after the salam, and whether it should be done together in a group. Practices differ by school, so follow the practice of your community.

Can I ask for worldly things?

Yes. The Quran teaches asking for good in this world and the next, and you can ask Allah for anything lawful.

What if my dua is not answered?

Keep asking. As explained above, answers can take different forms, and there is wisdom that we may not see.

Sources and further reading: The Quran, 2:186, 2:201 and 40:60; Sahih al-Bukhari; Sahih Muslim; Sunan Abi Dawud; Sunan al-Tirmidhi; Musnad Ahmad; al-Nawawi, al-Adhkar. Gradings are discussed by scholars, so please check with a qualified teacher.