How to make Dua: Tip #33

To Say Ameen

The phrase ‘Ameen’ is a mercy from Allah, and literally means “O Allah! Accept (or respond to) this dua”.

When a person is listening to another person make dua, it is recommended that he say ‘Ameen’, which literally means ‘O Allah! Accept (or: Respond to) this dua.’

It is stated that the phrase ‘Ameen’ is one of the specialities of this nation, and that no nation before Islam had been given it. The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] said: “The Jews do not envy you for any matter as much as they envy your for ‘Ameen’, and for giving salams to one another. [al-Bukhari in his al-Adab al-Mufrad #759]

The purpose of saying ‘Ameen’ is so that it might increase the chances that a person’s dua be answered. It is like repeating the dua over again, except that instead of going into all the details of one’s dua, it is all summarised in the one phrase, ‘Ameen’, which means, as we mentioned, ‘O Allah! Respond (to the dua)!’ So it is like another dua after the first one.

Of course, there are certain duas that should be done privately, not in a group, and there are others that are done in a group. Example of the first type are most of the duas that a person does during the day and night. It is an innovation to have a group dua for, say, entering the house, or after finishing the salaah. An example of the second type is the dua that is done is qunut, where the imam makes dua, and the congregation behind him says, ‘Ameen’. Likewise, if the person giving the Friday sermon makes a dua, the congregation is encouraged to say ‘Ameen’ after his dua. Furthermore to say ‘Ameen’ after reciting Surah al-Fatihah is encouraged, regardless of whether one is praying, or reciting it outside the prayer, and regardless of whether one is the imam or the follower. At all such times, Ameen should be stated with an audible voice.

When Musa (as) prayed to Allah to punish Pharaoh, it is said that Harun (as) was behind him, saying ‘Ameen!’ Yes, even though only Musa was actually saying the dua, Allah said in the Qur’an: “Your (both of you) prayers have been answered!” [The Qur’an: Surah Yunus 10:89]

So Allah referred to both of them making dua, even though Harun was only saying ‘Ameen’ behind Musa’s dua. And in this is proof that the one who says ‘Ameen’ to a dua is like the one who made the dua.

One last point regarding this phrase, is the pronunciation of ‘Ameen’, some common mistakes include prolonging the Alif so that it becomes ‘Aaaaaameen’ or shortening the Alif, it should be said for two Harakas [1 Haraka is approximately half a second]