Table of Contents

Munajat -e- Maqbool English

By Shaykh Ashraf Ali Thanvi (r.a) مناجات مقبول

INTRODUCTION’

I commence in the name of Allah Who is extremely Beneficent, most Merciful

All praise is due to Allah who stipulated du ‘ad’ and peace and salutations to Muhammad 4% who taught us the ways and means of protecting ourselves from calamities. Peace and salutations to his Companions who guided us to the path leading us out of every type of distress. [And peace and salutations] to the ‘ulamda’ and auliyd’ of his ummah who exhausted all their energy and expended maximum effort to find ways and means for the cure of our spiritual ailments.

There is not a single person who is not in need of every type of goodness and success. It is for this reason that Allah 4€ provided various means and opened numerous doors for goodness and success in both the worlds. This He did, so that those who are in need may seek assistance via these avenues and gain salvation from difficulties and calamities. The effects of all means apart from du ‘da’ are very restricted [and not all-embracing]. The aim of the natural means [such as agriculture, trade, medicine] is worldly success, although they can indirectly assist one’s din as well. As for the Shar‘? means [such as fasting, salah, and hajj], their actual purpose is religious success although they are beneficial in one’s material life as well. However, du‘d’ is the only method which has been stipulated equally for worldly and dini success at the same time.

Due to this comprehensive nature of du ‘a’, its efficacy and importance are obvious. It is for this reason that encouragement, virtue and emphasis in this regard are mentioned again and again in the Qur’an and Hadith. Allah 48 says: “Make du‘a’ to Me, I will accept it.” Rastlullah # said: “The greatest act of worship is du‘a”’. He also said: “The doors of acceptance have been opened for the person who has been blessed with the opportunity of making du‘d’.” Other Traditions state: “The doors of paradise are opened.” “The doors of mercy are opened.” Rasulullah 4% said: “The most beloved thing which can be asked of Allah 48 is to ask Him for peace and prosperity.” We learn from this that we are also ordered to ask for worldly needs. Du ‘a’ comes to one’s aid even at the time when a calamity is befalling one. It also wards off impending calamities, At times, the moment a calamity descends, du ‘da’ confronts it and there is a struggle between the two till the day of resurrection.

We learn from this that du‘d’ is far more beneficial than all other types of precautions and plans. We also learn that by continuously making du ‘da’ before a calamity, the calamity does not befall one through the barakah of this du‘d’. We further learn that another form of acceptance of du‘d’ is that, by virtue of the du‘d’, acalamity is delayed. Therefore, one should not be despondent after making du‘d’, irrespective of whether one knows that the du ‘ad’ has been accepted or not.

Rasdlullah 4 said: “There isn’t anything greater than du’d’ in the sight of Allah 4.” Rasdlullah 3% said: “The one who wishes that Allah 3€ accepts his du ‘a’ at the time of difficulties, should make it a point of making du‘ad’ to Him in abundance during times of prosperity.” We learn from this that the effect of making du‘d’ at the time when one is not experiencing any difficulties is realized at the time of difficulties. Rastlullah # said: “Do not lose courage in making du‘ad’ because nothing is lost while making du‘a’.” Rasdlullah # said: “Du‘a@’ is the weapon of the Muslim, the support of din, and the light of the earth and heavens.” Once Rasdlullah 3% passed by a community of people who were afflicted with a calamity. Upon seeing them, he said: “Why do these people not ask Allah 4¢ for peace and prosperity?” Rasilullah 3% said: “There is no Muslim who persists in du‘d’ and yet does not receive [i.e. his du‘d’ is bound to be accepted]. He either receives immediately, or it is stored for him for the future.” We learn from this that du‘d’s are certainly accepted, but the forms [of acceptance] differ. Sometimes, the person receives the very thing that he asked for, while sometimes it is stored for him for the future. We learnt previously that at times acalamity is delayed by the barakah of du‘d’. In short, by stretching your hands before Allah 4%, you certainly receive something. Despite [all the above virtues of du‘d’], it is seen that most of the people, let alone the masses, even the elite are totally disinclined and inattentive to du‘d’. Even the short times of du‘d’, such as after the five daily salah, people make a du‘d’ which they had memorized. But there is no change in their condition nor any eagerness in their du‘d’. They don’t even realize this fact that this petition which is presented before Allah 4§ 2nd this act of pleading to Him again and again is arost effective and supreme method of gaining success. This is similar to one beseeching the leaders and rulers of the world again and again — this being considered to be a powerful means of accomplishing one’s purpose. By repeating one’s requests and needs, one’s wishes and ambitions grow and are revived.

Only if a serious calamity befalls someone and all available means are of no avail, then one is compelled to turn to Allah 4%. And that too, not through du ‘da’. Instead, all efforts are directed to some wazifah, ‘amal, etc. irrespective of whether such a thing is in accordance with the Shari‘ah or not. Even if a person was extremely cautious and took full consideration of acting in accordance with the Shari‘ah, how can these ‘ama/ls have the same barakah as the du‘d’s taught to us by Allah 3g and His Rastl 4?