I have five kids, and I want to tell you how they make Dua to me – meaning: when they ask me something. This is how they do it. Let me start with Yusuf, who is my oldest one. The first child is always little bit soft, cries a little too much, and so on. I was the oldest one myself and I was too soft – I used to start crying over smallest matters. So Yusuf says: “Baba, Baba!” I say: “Yes?” He says: “Can I buy that?” I say: “What is that thing?” He says: “Play station. It’s a nice game.” I say: “No, Yusuf, I don’t have money.” And he just makes that face of his, turns away, sheds two or three tears and that’s it. This is how he asks me.
Then comes Aisha, my eldest daughter. What does she do? “Baba!” “Yes?” “You are very nice, baba!” She comes and combs my hair, touches my head. She is so unbelievable! Subhan’Allah, she is going to get everything from her husband! Masha’Allah she does everything – she touches me and says: “Baba, how are you, baba? Can I do anything for you? Get you a glass of water? Get you some juice?” She takes my shoes off. “Aisha, what do you want?” “Baba, can I get that present from there?” “No, not now. I don’t have money.” “Okay, baba, that’s fine.” Then she just goes away nicely.
Then comes Zainab. Look at how she makes Dua to me – what does she do? She says: “Baba, baba, babaaa…” “Yes?” “Emmm ummm… there is really a nice toy… ummm ummm, so can I, please, have it? Please, pleeease, pleaaaseee?” She is seven and a really funny girl asking me like that. I say: “No, Zainab!” “Okaaaayyy!” And she just goes away.
Then comes Ibrahim. He does not talk, he just smiles: “Baba!” “Yes?” All he does is smile, and I know he is up to something naughty. “Okayyy?” He smiles a bit more. “Ibrahim – no!” “Okayyyy!” He is still smiling and going away.
Then the last one, Mariam! How does she ask? She is three years old. (Just crying.) “Huh? (Again crying.) “No, no, no!” (Keeps crying.)
Who do you think is the most successful negotiator! The last one! She gets it all the time, because if she does not, she is going to kill me. She would not stop.
I am going to ask you: why can’t we ask Allah (swt) like a two-year-old child? Why can’t we ask Allah (swt) and make Dua to Allah (swt) like that? Why? And I thought about this. Look at how she gets everything from me all the time.
Allah (swt) loves to hear us make Dua. The Prophet (sa) also said in an authentic Hadeeth: “Nothing is more honourable to Allah the Most High than Dua.” (Sahih al-Jami, 5268)
The Prophet (sa) also said in an authentic Hadeeth: “The most incompetent of people are those people who are not capable of making Dua.” (Muslim)
Do you know what the Prophet (sa) said? He said: “Allah (swt) is ashamed of His slaves when he raises his hands up to Him to return it back Sifra (empty).” (Muslim)
Subhan’Allah! What an honourable King! What an honourable Judge! What an honourable Lord He is!
My brothers and sisters in Islam, ask Allah (swt) like a two-year-old child. You will have everything you want. Ask Allah (swt) like you never asked before. Do not make like:
Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil ‘akhirati hasanatan waqina ‘adhaban-nar –ameen. (Repeating habitually and heedlessly.)
Wa fil Jannati Ma‘al Abraar –ameen. (Repeating habitually and heedlessly.)
You are saying what you do not understand yourself!
It’s like Zainab comes to me: “Please, please, please, please, can I have it?” “No!” So she just goes away. Is this the way? This isn’t the way! If Zainab would only be more persistent, if Yusuf would only be more persistent, if Ibrahim would only be more persistent, if Aisha would only be more persistent – they would get their way. But they did not. Neither do we. We are far too hasty in our Duas.
Allah (swt) sometimes does not answer our Duas directly. Do you know why? Because He loves to make us make Dua, He loves to hear us beseeching Him and making Dua to Him. He loves it, that’s why He waits, waits, waits… before He answers to it. Because He knows you are going to stop making Dua, as soon as you would get what you want.
So let’s connect to Allah (swt) – this is our chance. Nothing is as strong as Dua!
Do you know how many verses are there in the Quran against making Dua to other than Allah (swt)? Five hundred verses of not making Dua to anyone other than Allah (swt). Do you know why? Because, as the scholars say: “The Dua is the best of Ibadah.” Because the Prophet (sa) said: “Dua is the heart and soul of Ibadah.”
Ramadan is the month of Dua. It is the month, in which Allah (swt) will not reject our Dua – one Dua every single day. What Dua have you made today? And have you been hasty in your Dua?
Beg Allah (swt) and He will not say ‘no’ to you!
And if you make Dua to Allah (swt), Allah (swt) remembers you to Himself. If you remember Allah (swt), Allah (swt) remembers you to Himself. Ibn Al Qayyim (ra) said: “If there was only one verse that was revealed, that could show you the greatness of Dua, then this verse would be enough.” Which verse is he talking about?
فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ
“So remember Me; I will remember you.” (Al-Baqarah 2:152)
Ya Salam, how powerful!
Transcribed for hiba by Hira Naqi Khan
Why can’t we ask Allah (swt) like a two- year-old child?
O Allah! O Allah! You are the Lord of the Heavens and the earth.
O Allah! You are the Richest and I am the poor.
O Allah! I do not want to put my hands down until You answer my Dua.
O Allah! Do not put my hands down, until You answer my Dua.
O Allah! I besiege You, O Allah!
O Allah! I need Your help, O Allah!
Allah, Allah! Give me Jannah.
Allah! Do not punish me in Jahannam.
O Allah! Let me see Your face.
O Allah! Write for me safety from the fire today.
O Allah! Do not let me put my hands down, until You answer my Dua.
O Allah! I am not going to put my hands down, until You answer my Dua.
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