Will the Dua of Yunus at the Beginning of One’s Dua Guarantee Acceptance?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
We all know that we have to start making dua by praising Allah, say durud, ask for forgiveness and make other duas.
What if, after I ask for forgiveness, I say ‘La ila ha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu min al dhalimin’ to have all my duas accepted for sure. Since that dua has a profound meaning. I assume if I make that dua and start other all my duas are most likely to be responded to. Let me know if it is okay or if it is a bid ’a?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate
I pray you are in good health and faith.
Yes, one’s dua in such a way will be guaranteed accepted with it conditions, in a way and time Allah (Most High) chooses, and not how we wish and want it.
This is a good question. No doubt, when a person is given success to make dua, Allah (Most High) wants to grant him. Don’t doubt Allah’s response when you have asked him, even if you have asked him fervently, and you don’t see the response, because the response is a guarantee, in a way He chooses, not in the way you choose.
There is no way better to connect to Allah (Most High) than dua. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “There is nothing more honorable to Allah than dua.” He ﷺ also said: “Allah is angry with those who do not make dua to Him.” [Tirmidhi]
Dua of Yunus to Relieve Worldly Distress
Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (Allah be pleased with) reported: We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace), and he said, “Shall I not tell you of something by which a man among you can supplicate to relieve the hardships or trials of the world when they descend?” They said, “Of course!” The Prophet said, “It is the prayer of Jonah (Yunus) Dhul Nun: There is no God but You, glory be to You for I have certainly been among the wrongdoers.” [Quran, 21:87]
[Nasa’i, al-Sunan al-Kubra]
Acceptance of Du‘a
There are many supplications like the dua of Yunus (peace be upon him) that state one’s dua will be accepted. However, what is means is mentioned in the following hadith:
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (Allah be pleased with) reported, The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “There is no Muslim who calls upon Allah (Most High) without sin or cutting family ties, but that Allah (Most high) will give him one of three answers: He will quickly fulfill his supplication, He will store it for him in the Hereafter, or He will ward off an evil from him similar to it.” They said, “In that case we will ask for more.” The Prophet said, “Allah has even more.”
[Ahmad ‘ibn Hanbal, Musnad Aḥmad]
One of the most beautiful and powerful explanations to this was given by Ibn Ata ‘illah “Let not the delay in the time of the answer of your supplication despite your fervent asking cause you to lose hope, for Allah has guaranteed His Answer, but in the way that He chooses, not in the way that you choose, and at the time that He chooses, not in the time that you choose.”
[’Abdul-Haq Muhaddith al-Dehlawi, Lama’at al-Tanqih, Sharh al-Mishkat]
Proper Manners
This is why we have to continue making dua sincerely and with proper manners (adab), – in the order you have mentioned – not worrying, as this is a sign in itself that goodness lies ahead and guaranteed in some form or another, in this world or the Next.
‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭab (Allah be pleased with him) used to say, ‘I do not worry about my dua being answered. Rather, I worry about making dua because I know that if I am inspired by Allah to make dua, the answer will follow.’
Imam Ahmad (Allah have mercy on him) was asked: ‘What is the distance between us and the Throne of Allah?’ He replied: ‘A sincere dua from a sincere heart.’
[lifewithallah.com]
One of the most beautiful and powerful explanations to this was given by Ibn Ata ‘illah “Let not the delay in the time of the answer of your supplication despite your fervent asking cause you to lose hope, for Allah has guaranteed His Answer, but in the way that He chooses, not in the way that you choose, and at the time that He chooses, not in the time that you choose.” [Hikam ‘Ibn-Ataillah]
We pray to Allah (Most high) to give us success to continually supplicate to Him for all our needs, by fulfilling the conditions of supplicating to Him, being certain of Him accepting it, not placing demand, requesting and petitioning, recognizing that one is in need of Him, have no way to turn to except Him, and hoping He will respond with what is best for us in this world and Next, amin.
Linked Answers
Glory and Urgent Need: Explanation of the Special Supplication of Prophet Yunus – SeekersGuidance (Answer)
Reader on Unfulfilled Supplications – SeekersGuidance (Reader)
Adab of Dua 25: Are My Duas Being Answered? – SeekersGuidance (Video)
I pray this helps in your question.
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied within UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan and Turkey.
He started his early education in UK. He went onto complete hifz of Qur’an in India, then enrolled into an Islamic seminary in UK where he studied the secular and Alimiyyah sciences. He then travelled to Karachi, Pakistan.
He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for a number of years. He has taught hifz of the Qur’an, Tajwid, Fiqh and many other Islamic sciences to both children and adults onsite and online extensively in UK and Ireland. He was teaching at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences.
He currently resides in UK with his wife. His personal interest is love of books and gardening.
