How to make Dua: Tip #21

To expect the best from Allah

Whenever we as Muslims talk about Allah we should avoid speaking in a negative way or assigning negative attributes to Him. In the same way, we should always have a good opinion of Allah

A person making Dua should expect the best from Allah, and anticipate a response from Allah, whether that response is quick in coming or not.

Allah has mentioned in many places in the Qur’an that He is the One who answers.

“And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near to them. I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me!” [The Qur’an: Surah Al-Baqarah 2:186]

“So their Lord accepted of them (their supplication and answered them), ‘Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female!”. [The Qur’an: Surah al-Imran 3:195]

“Verily your Lord has said: “Call upon Me, and I will answer you!” Verily, those who are too arrogant to serve Me will surely find themselves in Hell – in humiliation!“ [The Qur’an: Surah al-Ghafir 40:60]

“And indeed, Noah called upon Us, and We are the best of those who answer”. [The Qur’an: Surah As-Saffat 37:75]

The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: “Make Dua to Allah in a state that you are certain that your dua will be responded to.” [Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and al-Hakim from Abu Hurayrah, Sahih al-Jami #245]

“Indeed, Allah is Shy and Beneficent. He is Shy when His servant raises his hands to Him (in dua) to return them empty!” [Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi and others, from Salman al-Farsi, Sahih al-Jami #1757]

Allah wants to respond to the worshipper even when he has not requested something, so imagine the situation after the worshipper has requested something from Allah?

Abu Hurayrah narrates that the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: “Allah, all Glory and Praise be to Him, has said, ‘Whatever My servant assumes of Me, that is how I will treat him, and I am with him when he remembers Me’”. [Muslim from Abu Hurayrah, Sahih al-Jami #8138]

So if a person expects only good from Allah, and is certain that Allah will not destroy his hopes and desires, then Allah will fulfil his expectations. On the other hand if he feels that he won’t be responded to, then he will be treated in the same way that he feels. In this Hadith, Allah encourages His servants to expect the best from Him, since He will treat them according to their expectations. So whoever expects good from Him will be showered with His Good, and will be shown His Beautiful Generosity…But he who is not like that will not be treated in this manner. And this is the meaning of the fact that Allah is with him when he remembers Him. So it is obligatory on the slave to always assume the best of Allah. And he should help himself to achieve this state by always recalling the texts (of the Qur’an and Sunnah) that show the great Mercy of Allah.

This is why the true Muslim always expects the best from Allah.

The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: “Let not any of you die except that he assumes the best from Allah”. [Muslim #2877]