Quote Misquoted

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

In this age of technology and social media, everyone wants to share his “two cents” and wants to be heard. This maybe in the form of notes, pictures with (their own) quotes, or videos etc. Sometimes theses quotes are correct, and sometimes they are incorrect. One such pic which I came across today had the following quote:

Quote: “Dear God, I wanna take a minute, not to ask for anything from you, but simply to say… Thank You for all I have.”

One may find such quotes as thought provoking. But this is not how we behave with Allaah. Such a thought that we should not ask from Allaah all the time is considered as having bad thoughts about Allaah. Allaah تعالى does not get angry or annoyed when we supplicate to Him. Rather, Allaah تعالى loves that we should supplicate to Him, all the time, for all our needs – big or small. When we supplicate to Allaah, we humble ourselves, showing that we are the ones in need and that Allaah تعالى is Rich - free from needs and wants.

DU`AA IS `IBAADAH:

Allaah تعالى says:

﴿وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ﴾

{And your Lord said: "Invoke Me, [i.e. believe in My Oneness (Islaamic Monotheism)] (and ask Me for anything) I will respond to your (invocation). Verily! Those who scorn My worship [i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not believe in My Oneness, (Islaamic Monotheism)] they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!"} [Surah Ghaafir (40): 60]

An-Nu`maan Ibn al-Basheer رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝Verily supplication is worship.❞ [Sunan Abu Dawood (1479), Sunan al-Tirmidhee (2969, 3247, 3372), Sunan Ibn Maajah (3828) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

Du`aa’ are of two types:

1) Du`aa’ for asking (دعاء المسألة)

2) Du`aa’ for worship (دعاء العبادة)

1) Du`aa’ for asking: means beseeching Allaah for that which will benefit – in this world and the Hereafter, or asking to ward off that which will cause harm – in this world or the Hereafter. Example: seeking forgiveness, mercy, Paradise, protection from Hellfire and so on.

2) Du`aa’ for worship: means any type of worship (from the many legislated types of worship), which includes the actions of the heart, or physical, or financial, such as fearing Allaah, having hope in His Mercy, loving Him, thanking Him for His many favors & blessings, offering Salaah, doing Adhkaar, reciting the Qur’aan, Fasting, performing Hajj, giving Sadaqah & Zakaah etc.

NOT SUPPLICATING IS A SIGN OF ARROGANCE AND A CAUSE OF PUNISHMENT:

Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝Whoever does not call upon (or supplicate to) Allaah, He (تعالى) will be angry with him.❞ [Sunan al-Tirmidhee (3373) and Sunan Ibn Maajah (3827) and graded as “Hasan” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

WE HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO SUPPLICATE TO ALLAAH AT ALL TIMES – IN TIMES OF EASE AND IN TIMES OF NEED:

Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝Whoever would be pleased to have Allaah respond to him during hardship and disaster should make much Du`aa’ in times of ease.❞ [Tirmidhee (3383) and graded as “Hasan” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

THE MORE WE SUPPLICATE, THE MORE WE’LL RECEIVE:

`Ubaadah Ibn al-Saamit رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝There is not a Muslim upon the earth who calls upon Allaah with any supplication, except that Allaah grants it to him, or he turns away from him the like of it in evil; as long as he does not supplicate for something sinful, or the severing of the ties of kinship.❞ So a man from the people said: “What if we were to increase (in our supplication).” He صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝(With) Allaah is more*.❞ [Sunan al-Tirmidhee (3573) and graded as “Hasan Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

* i.e. the more you supplicate, the more you shall be granted by Allaah, more than what you ask for, and His bounty is greater than what He grants you for your supplications.

In the end: We should avoid making statements which are misleading and are not supported by the Text from the Qur’aan or the Sunnah.

WE SHOULD SUPPLICATE TO ALLAAH FOR OUR NEEDS AND THANK HIM FOR HIS FAVORS.