Are We Losing the Essence of Duʿā?

Are We Losing the Essence of Duʿā?

I wrote this one day, sitting quietly in a small musalla inside an airport. I had some free time before my next flight. After praying, I remained seated and spent a long time just making duʿā. It felt like I had found a moment of stillness in the middle of the day. And as I sat there, a thought struck me, when was the last time I had spoken to Allah like this, without rushing, without being interrupted, without checking my phone right after? When was the last time I gave myself this time with Allah, not just in a time of need, but simply to be near Him?

That reflection stayed with me, and as I pondered, I began writing these thoughts. This is not just about the importance of duʿā itself. It is about how we are losing two things: our connection to duʿā in our busy, distracted lives, and our concern for others in what has become a very self-focused world. This piece is about both.

We Are Forgetting to Make Duʿā

It’s not that we don’t believe in duʿā anymore. We do. But we have stopped giving it time. Life moves so fast. We move from one responsibility to another without pause. Prayer ends, and we stand up almost instantly. Rarely do we sit for even a few minutes after salah just to speak to our Lord. There was a time when our elders would quietly recite dhikr, raise their hands, and sincerely make duʿā before they left their prayer spots.

The Prophet ﷺ would often stand in prayer at night until his feet would swell. When asked why, he said, "Should I not be a grateful servant?" He cried not for himself, but for his people. Jibrīl came to him and said, “Allah knows better than you how much you care for your Ummah and how much you love them.” The Prophet ﷺ taught us through his example that duʿā is more than just words. It’s a heartfelt connection that deserves time, presence, and sincerity.

The Salaf understood this well. Imam Ibn al-Qayyim said, “The most beneficial duʿā is the one that comes from a heart that is fully present, knowing the greatness of the One it is calling upon.” Imam Sufyān al-Thawri would spend long nights in duʿā, and sometimes he would repeat the same duʿā for months until he saw its acceptance. Duʿā was a regular part of their day and night — not something reserved for crisis moments only.

Duʿā Has Become Mostly About Ourselves

Even when we do make duʿā, it is often about ourselves. Our health. Our success. Our careers. To the most, Our families! And while it is perfectly valid to ask for these things, something is missing when we forget the wider Ummah.

We have slowly adopted an individualistic mindset, one influenced by the secular world around us. The idea that life is about “me” and “my goals” has crept into even our spiritual habits. This is not how Islam taught us to think. The Prophet ﷺ constantly made duʿā for others. One of his most emotional prayers was for his Ummah: “O Allah, forgive my Ummah.” He would make this duʿā with tears, especially in the last part of the night.

The companions followed this same spirit. Abu Darda’ (رضي الله عنه) used to make duʿā for 70 of his brothers every night, by name. He did this without telling them. It wasn’t for show. It was from the heart. They believed that the best duʿā is the one you make for your brother or sister in their absence, as the angels say, “And for you the same.”

In our times, where the Ummah is going through intense suffering across many lands, the very least we can do is raise our hands and remember them. Duʿā is not a weak action. It is a form of support. It is a reminder that we have not forgotten them, even if the world has.

How Do We Bring Back the Real Essence of Duʿā?

We cannot force the heart to feel something instantly. But we can create the space for it to soften again. Here are a few steps that help reconnect us to dua:

• Pick one salah in your day, and stay seated for five minutes after it. Just you and Allah. Make duʿā without rushing.

• Begin with the Qur’an. Take an ayah about Allah’s mercy or His power and reflect on it before you begin your dua.

• Learn the meanings of the most common duas you make, and when you make those duas the next time, ask Allah sincerely from the bottom of your heart.

• Make dua in your own words. Allah understands every language, the most important thing is sincerity.

• Include others in your dua every time. Make it a habit to pray for at least one person from your family, your community, and the Ummah each day.

• Teach your children to do the same. Let dua become a part of your family’s daily routine. Before sleep. Before exams. After prayers.

• Keep a dua journal. Write down the things you ask for regularly, and note the duʿās that have been answered. It builds both gratitude and trust.

The Qur’an reminds us of the moments when dua is most likely to be answered; in the depths of the night, between the adhan and iqamah, while fasting, and in sujūd. The Prophet ﷺ said, “The closest that a servant comes to his Lord is when he is in prostration, so make plenty of dua.”

Let us return to those moments. Let us return to sincerity. Let us not allow a busy world to rob us of this powerful connection with the One who always listens. Duʿā is not just a request. It is an act of hope. It is a form of love. And it is a way of saying, “O Allah, I trust You more than I trust my plans.” If we want to revive duʿā in our lives, we must first make time for it. And if we want to revive concern for the Ummah, we must carry them in our prayers, just like the Prophet ﷺ did.