Du'a (Personal Supplication)
Personal address and supplication to Allah for help and guidance.
Du'a (Arabic: دعاء) is personal supplication or address to Allah, where the believer asks for help, guidance, forgiveness or other wishes. Unlike salah, which has fixed forms and times, du'a can be made at any time, in any place and in any language.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Du'a is the essence of worship" and "Nothing is more honored by Allah than du'a." There are specific times when du'a is particularly favored: the last third of the night, between adhan and iqamah, during sajdah in the prayer, and on Friday.
The etiquette of du'a includes beginning with praise of Allah and blessings on the Prophet, praying with sincerity and humility, raising the hands, and having trust that Allah will answer the supplication. Allah answers all supplications — either with what was requested, with something better, or by averting something harmful.
Related terms
Hijri (Islamic Calendar)
The Islamic lunar calendar, which begins with the Prophet's migration to Medina.
Tartib (Order in Prayer)
The correct sequence of the prayer's actions and the daily prayers.
Ijtihad (Independent Legal Reasoning)
The independent interpretive effort to derive legal rules from the Islamic sources.
Sunan al-Nasa'i (Nasa'i's Hadith Collection)
One of the six canonical hadith collections, known for its strict authenticity criteria.
Ramadan (The Month of Fasting)
The holy month of fasting, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.
Salat al-Istikhara (Guidance Prayer)
A prayer where one asks Allah for guidance to make the right decision.