Ask a pilgrim who has come back what they wish they had done differently, and many will say the same thing: “I wish I had prepared what to ask for.” They stood in the most important place on the most important afternoon, raised their hands, and after a few minutes did not know what to say.
This is normal. Almost nobody is used to speaking to Allah for an hour. But it is a skill, and like any skill it grows with practice.
Du’a is worship
الدُّعَاءُ هُوَ الْعِبَادَةُ، {قَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ}
Du'a is worship. [Then he recited:] "Your Lord says: Call upon Me, I will answer you." (40:60)
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Du’a is not only a way to get things. It is itself worship. When you ask, you are admitting that you need Him, that He hears, and that He is able. That is the heart of faith.
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِى عَنِّى فَإِنِّى قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لِى وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِى لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ ﴿١٨٦﴾
Dan apabila hamba-hambaKu bertanya kepadamu mengenai Aku maka (beritahu kepada mereka): sesungguhnya Aku (Allah) sentiasa hampir (kepada mereka); Aku perkenankan permohonan orang yang berdoa apabila ia berdoa kepadaKu. Maka hendaklah mereka menyahut seruanku (dengan mematuhi perintahKu), dan hendaklah mereka beriman kepadaKu supaya mereka menjadi baik serta betul.
How to practise
Train the way someone trains for a long walk: a little every day, a little more each week.
- This week: 10 minutes of du’a every day, at a fixed time. After Fajr or in the last part of the night is best, but any time you will keep is good.
- Next week: 20 minutes.
- The week after: 30 minutes, then hold it there until you travel.
A simple order
Many scholars teach a simple shape for a long du’a. You do not have to follow it exactly, but it helps when the words dry up.
- Praise Allah. Use His names. Thank Him for specific things.
- Send blessings on the Prophet ﷺ.
- Admit your faults, one by one, by name. Do not say “forgive my sins” in general. Say what they were.
- Ask for yourself: your faith, your heart, your health, your death, your grave, your Hereafter.
- Ask for others: parents, spouse, children, family, the dead, friends, those who asked you, the whole ummah.
- Return to praise and blessings on the Prophet ﷺ, and end.
Your own language is fine
Learn the du’as of the Qur’an and the Sunnah, and use them. But do not be shy to speak to Allah in your own language, in your own words, as you would speak to someone who loves you and knows everything about you. Allah understands every language.
Keep a notebook
Start a small notebook, or use the Arafat planner on this site. Every time something comes to mind that you want to ask for, write it down. By the time you travel, you will have pages. On the day, you will not need to search for words.
This week
- Choose your daily time for du’a, and put it in your calendar.
- Do 10 minutes a day. If you run out of words, open your notebook.
- Start your list. Add at least one thing every day.
- Learn one du’a by heart, starting with the talbiyah and the best words of the Day of Arafah.