Reflections on some statements of Al-Allamah Rabee Bin Hadi Al-Madkhali 85

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower.

The Shaikh, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

The Reality of Du’aa in the Qur’an

Allah, The Exalted, said:

هُنَالِكَ دَعَا زَكَرِيَّا رَبَّهُۥ قَالَ رَبِّ هَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ ٱلدُّعَآءِ

At that time Zakariya (Zachariya) invoked his Lord, saying: “O my Lord! Grant me from You, a good offspring. You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation.” [Sal Imran 38]

Allah, The Exalted, also said about Zakariyyah:

إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُۥ نِدَآءً خَفِيًّا
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى وَهَنَ ٱلْعَظْمُ مِنِّى وَٱشْتَعَلَ ٱلرَّأْسُ شَيْبًا وَلَمْ أَكُنۢ بِدُعَآئِكَ رَبِّ شَقِيًّا
وَإِنِّى خِفْتُ ٱلْمَوَٰلِىَ مِن وَرَآءِى وَكَانَتِ ٱمْرَأَتِى عَاقِرًا فَهَبْ لِى مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّا

When he called out his Lord (Allah) a call in secret, saying: “My Lord! Indeed my bones have grown feeble, and grey hair has spread on my head, And I have never been unblest in my invocation to You, O my Lord! And Verily! I fear my relatives after me, since my wife is barren. So give me from Yourself an heir”. [Maryam 3-5]

The supplication mentioned in Aal-Imran is referred to here as a call, and the call is interpreted in Surah Maryam as a request for a child.

The reality of Du’aa in the Sunnah

Narrated Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “When one of you makes supplication, he should not say: ‘O Allah! Forgive me if you wish’, instead he should have conviction in his request and have great fervent desire (to receive what he is asking for) because there is nothing so great to Allah which He cannot grant”. (Sahih Muslim 2679)

What a servant seeks from his Lord is referred to as Du’aa (supplication), Mas’alah (request) and Raghbah (fervent desire for something), which aligns with the statements of the scholars of the Arabic language.

Narrated from him (Abu Huraira) who said that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “The supplication of every one of you is granted as long as he does not grow impatient (or hasty)’. It was said, ‘And how does one become impatient (or hasty) O Allah’s Messenger?’ He said, ‘(When) one says, ‘I supplicated but it was not granted'”. (Sahih Ibn Majah 635)

The prophetic narrations, the writings of scholars and compilations of hadith regarding (the meaning of) supplication is something which a person cannot fully encompassed. Nevertheless, when the common people hear the term ‘Du’aa’, nothing comes to their minds except this reality: a call, a request, and seeking.

After the reality of supplication is established and understood in light of the Quran, the Sunnah, the Arabic language, and the circumstances of people, Allah, the Exalted, has commanded us to supplicate to Him and prohibited us from supplicating to others.

He, The Exalted, said:

ٱدْعُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةً إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُعْتَدِينَ
وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَٰحِهَا وَٱدْعُوهُ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ مِّنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret. He likes not the aggressors. And do not do mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order, and invoke Him with fear and hope; Surely, Allah’s Mercy is (ever) near unto the good-doers. (Al-A’raf 55-56)

Allah commanded us to invoke Him and has taught us the etiquette of supplication, which is hoped to lead to a response, namely: Humility, Secretly, Fear, and Hope.

An Excerpt from “Adawa Islamiyyah Ala Ba’dil Afkar Al-Khati’a 17-19