As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

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In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

To the best of our knowledge, there is no authentic tradition of the Messenger of Allah (saws) to the effect that the dua or supplication is not accepted until the ‘durood’ is recited; as the ‘durood’ is not an obligatory condition of making supplication to the Merciful Lord.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verses 55-56:

55      Call on your Lord with humility and in private: for Allah loveth not those who trespass beyond bounds.

56      Do no mischief on the earth after it hath been set in order, but call on Him with fear and longing (in your hearts): for the Mercy of Allah is (always) near to those who do good.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 186: And if  My servants ask you,  O Prophet, concerning Me,  tell them that I am quite near to them.   I hear and answer the prayer of the suppliant, when he calls on Me.  So let them respond to My call and believe in Me.  (Convey this to them), perhaps they may be guided aright!

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2257        Narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri

The Prophet (saws) said, "Any Muslim who makes a supplication containing nothing which is sinful, or which involves breaking ties of relationship,  will be given for it by Allah one of three things: He will give him swift answer, or store it up for him in the next world, or turn away from him an equivalent amount of evil."  Those who heard it said they would then make many supplications and he replied that Allah was more ready to answer than they were to ask.

Nu'man b. Bashir reported that the Prophet (saws), said, "Verily supplication is worship."

Abu Hurairah reported, "The Prophet (saws) said, "Nothing is more dear to Allah than one's supplication to Him.'' 

Ibn Mas'ud reported that the Prophet (saws), said, "If any servant of Allah afflicted with distress or grief makes this supplication, his supplication will be accepted:  'O Allah, I am Your servant, son of Your servant, son of your maidservant.   My forehead is in Your hand.   Your command conceming me prevails, and Your decision concerning me is just.  I call upon You by every one of the beautiful names by which You have described Yourself, or which You have revealed in Your book, or have taught anyone of Your creatures, or which You have chosen to keep in the knowledge of the unseen with You, to make the Qur'an the delight of my heart, the light of my breast, and remover of my grieves, sorrows, and afflictions'." A supplication in these words will be answered.  Allah will remove one's affliction and replace it with joy and happiness.

Salman reported that the Prophet (saws), said, "Your Lord, the Blessed and the Exalted One, is Modest and Generous, and He loathes to turn away His servant empty-handed when he raises his hands to Him in supplication."

Abdallah b. 'Umar reported that the Prophet (saws) said, "Hearts are like vessels, some more attentive and capacious than others. When you supplicate Allah you should be certain of being answered, and know that Allah does not answer a supplication that comes from a careless and inattentive heart."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2248        Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "There are three whose supplication is not rejected:  one who has just ended a fast,  a just imam,  and one who has been wronged,  whose supplication is raised by Allah above the clouds and for which the gates of Heaven are opened.   The Lord says, 'I swear by My might that I shall certainly help you, though it be after some time.'"

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (saws) said, "Your supplication will be answered if you are not impatient, and if you do not say, 'I supplicated but my supplication was not heard'."

In light of the above aayah and the various narrations from the Messenger of Allah (saws), it is evident that no supplication to Allah of a believer is ever left unanswered.  

The ‘adaab’ or the most correct way to supplicate the Merciful as taught by the Messenger of Allah (saws) was to in all humility, fear, hope, and longing to:

Praise and Extol Allah Subhanah Alone as is deserving to Him

Make the supplication

Recite the durood on the Last Messenger of Allah (saws).

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 56: Allah and His Angels send blessings on the Prophet: O ye that believe! send ye blessings on him, and salute him with all respect.

Al-Muwatta Hadith 9.70

Yahya related to from Malik from Nuaym ibn Abdullah al-Mujmirthat,  Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Zayd told him that Abu Masud alAnsari said, "The Messenger of Allah (saws) came to us at the gathering of Sad ibn Ubada.   Bashir ibn Sad said to him, 'Allah has ordered us to ask for blessings on you, O Messenger of Allah (saws). How should we do it?'  The Messenger of Allah (saws), remained silent until we wished we had not asked him. Then he (saws) told us to say, 'O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad asYou blessed Ibrahim, and give baraka to Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You gave baraka to the family of Ibrahim. In all the worlds You are worthy of Praise and Glorious.'"

(Allahumma salli ala Muhammad wa ali Muhammad kama sallaita Ibrahim, wa baraka ala Muhammad wa ali Muhammad kama baraktaala ali Ibrahim. Fi'l alamin, innaka Hamidu'm - Majid.)

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.589         Narrated by Abdur Rahman bin Abi Laila

We asked Allah's Messenger (saws) saying, 'O Allah's Messenger (saws)! How should one (ask Allah to) send blessings on you, for Allah has commanded us to salute you?'  The Messenger of Allah (saws) said, 'Say: O Allah! Send Your Mercy on Muhammad and on the ‘Aal’ of Muhammad (wives, family, followers, etc), as You sent Your Mercy on Ibraheem and on the ‘Aal’ of Ibraheem (wives, family, followers, etc) , for You are the Most Praiseworthy, the Most Glorious.  O Allah! Send Your Blessings on Muhammad and the ‘Aal” of Muhammad, as You sent your Blessings on Ibraheem and on the family of Ibraheem, for You are the Most Praiseworthy, the Most Glorious.' "

The ‘durood’ or salutation commanded by Allah Subhanah, and the one taught to the believers by the Messenger of Allah (saws) is the one quoted in the authentic narration above.  This is the ‘durood’ the Messenger of Allah (saws) prayed in his prayers, and this is the ‘durood’ the Messenger of Allah (saws) taught the believers to pray.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.   Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brothers and sincere well wishers in Islam,

Members of Islamhelpline