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 Is Dua Worship?

Is dua (supplication) worship? Is there any reward or fine in return for our good and bad duas?

Answer:

The basic acts of worship are stated in the five pillars of Islam which are shahadah, prayer, fasting, alms and Hajj. However, ibadah is not limited to them. Any action, any behavior or word that Allah swt is pleased with is a sort of worship. Therefore, as praying, fasting are ibadah, the good attributes and actions such as having good morals, seeking knowledge for the consent of Allah swt, having patience with diseases, troubles are ibadah as well.

 

Dua is worship since man comprehends his impotence and poverty through it

Worship involves the meaning of recognition of man's impotence and his servitude to Allah swt.

In other words, a servant confronted by troubles and tribulations knows that he is impotent to overcome the problems which lead him to seek help in the infinite power of Almighty Allah swt through worship. Besides, in the face of his endless needs and innumerable desires, he feels his poverty and beseeches and supplicates Allah swt who is the Provider of Needs.

In just the same way, dua is the servant’s acknowledging his impotence and poverty and inclining to his Lord whose might is endless and his invocation to Allah swt for his needs. So dua is the basis of worship..

 

Dua is worship that is ordered by Allah (swt)

“And your Lord says: Call upon Me, I will answer you; surely those who are too proud for My service shall soon enter hell abased.” (Surah al Mu’min, 60)

Elmalılı Hamdi Yazir, in his tafseer, states for this ayah that:

“In the ayah ‘Call upon (make dua)’ stands for the meaning of “worship” as it does in many ayahs of the Quran. So it means “Perform worship and servitude to me so that I will reward you.” To make dua is enjoined. “Surely those who are too proud for My service shall soon enter hell abased.”

The order of dua in the ayah is quite significant. Whether it is in the meaning of “worship” or “dua”, it enjoins mankind to “call upon Allah swt” and it is laid down as a condition for the response and acceptance of Allah swt.

 

Our Blessed Prophet (pbuh) stated that “dua” is the essence of worship

"Dua is the essence of Ibadah (worship)." (Tirmidhi)

Narrated An-Nu'man ibn Bashir:

 The Prophet (pbuh) said: Supplication (du'a') is itself the worship. (He then recited :) "And your Lord said: Call on Me, I will answer you. Verily! Those who scorn My worship they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!"" (Abu Dawud , 8, 1474)

The Blessed Prophet (pbuh) says in his hadith that dua is worship and the 60. ayah of Surah al Mu’min confirms it referring to “dua”  as “worship”:  “Call on Me, I will answer you. Verily! Those who scorn My worship…”

 

Dua should be performed only for the sake of Allah swt

The reason of worship is the order of Allah swt, so if it is performed for obtaining what is asked or for gaining reward or for attaining the high ranks of jannah, the sincerity in worship is destroyed. There is benefit in worship out of sincerity neither in this world nor in the akhirah, because in such worship, wordly benefits and intentions take precedence over the order and consent of Allah swt.

In fact worship means to incline to Allah swt sincerely and to establish the religious duties and deeds, which Allah swt promised to reward, in order to gain the consent of Allah swt. Since dua is ibadah, it should also be performed for the reason that Allah swt ordered it and for His sake.

 

There are eternal rewards in return for any dua performed for the sake of Allah swt

Any wishes, desires, whether accepted or not,  that are asked Allah swt for are just like seeds planted in this world. When the performer of the dua goes to afterlife, he is benefited from the fruits of his dua. Besides, it is narrated that servants, when they see the good rewards their dua, would say: “O my Lord! I wish You haven’t accepted any of my duas in the world so that I would have more rewards here.”

Moreover, Our Blessed  Prophet (pbuh) is narrated to state that a servant gets one of the three results when he makes dua:

1. He is either forgiven due to his duas

2. Or he attains what he asks for

3. Or else, he gets his reward in return in the hereafter. (Musnad) Kaynak: http://askaquestionto.us - Is Dua Worship?