OF PRAYERS AND SUPPLICATIONS
O ye who believe! Seek help with patient perseverance and prayer; for Allah is with those who patiently persevere. (Quran 2:153)
By Babatunde Jose
In Islam, prayers (Salah) and supplications (Dua) play a crucial role as a direct means of communication with Allah, allowing Muslims to express gratitude, seek forgiveness, ask for needs, and strengthen their connection with God through acts of humility and submission, with the practice considered a vital pillar of Islamic faith, reinforcing the believer’s devotion and guiding their daily life with spiritual awareness; essentially, it’s a way to connect with the divine and receive blessings throughout the day.
Key aspects of prayer and supplication in Islam are: Five Daily Prayers (Salah); Supplication (Dua): This is a personal plea or request made directly to Allah, which can be done at any time, including during the formal prayers, and can encompass anything from seeking guidance to asking for help in personal matters. Then there is Humility and Submission: The posture of prayer, including prostration (Sujood), symbolizes deep humility and submission to Allah.
Prayers are a time for Muslims to reflect on their actions, seek forgiveness for shortcomings, and renew their commitment to righteous living. Performing congregational prayers fosters a sense of unity and brotherhood among Muslims.
The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) emphasized the importance of supplication and taught Muslims specific duas for various situations in life, further guiding their practice. These are contained in various publications: Prayers of the Prophet e.t.c.
Prayer strengthens our faith and influences us to do more good deeds. It creates strong bonds of unity among the Muslims, especially when the prayer is performed as a congregation at a masjid. It also serves as an excellent relief for stress and worry.
It is also recommended for the worshipper to recite thereafter the following supplication: *”La Ilaha Ilal-Lahu Wahdahu, Laa Sharika Lahu, Lahul-Mulku, Walahul-Hamdu, Wahuwa Alaa Kuli Shey-In Qadiir”* which means: *”There is no god but Allah, alone, without partner. His is the sovereignty, and His the praise, and He has power over everything.”*
Supplication (also known as petitioning) is a form of prayer, wherein one party humbly or earnestly asks another party to provide something, either for the party who is doing the supplicating (e.g., “Please spare my life.”) or on behalf of someone else.
Prayer and supplication are different but connected aspects of spiritual devotion. Prayer is a wider way of connecting with the divine, while supplication involves making passionate, specific requests during times of deep need or desire.
When we are weary and feeling down, we pray to God: *Heavenly Father, I come before you with my needs, trusting in Your boundless provision and unfailing love. Help me to lean on You and not rely solely on my own efforts. Remind me to come boldly and persistently in prayer, knowing that You are more than able to handle any challenge I face* .
Daily prayers help Muslims build a personal relationship with Allah and strengthen their faith. Praying regularly fosters humility and modesty by reminding individuals of their place in the universe. The act of praying has a calming effect, reducing stress and anxiety, and promoting mental clarity.
Prayer is therefore a conversation with God where you can express your thoughts, feelings, needs, and desires. You can also listen to what God may say to you. Prayer can help you develop a relationship with God and understand his loving nature. While supplication is a humble and earnest request to God for specific needs or desires. Supplication is generally a request for the person praying, unlike a prayer of petition, which is praying on behalf of others.
Prayer too is a vital part of the Christian faith. It is a way for believers to communicate with God, seek His guidance, express gratitude, and make requests.
Supplication plays a significant role in deepening our relationship with God. It allows us to express our dependence on Him and grow in trust.
The nature of supplication is much more heartfelt than a casual request. The word “supplication” means a humble, earnest entreaty or request.
Supplication literally means “a request or petition.” In a spiritual context, a person who makes supplications humbly presents his requests before God.
When we pray to request something from God, this is known as supplication, “to plead humbly.” Alternatively, we can pray in thanksgiving, simply praising God.
*Supplication is the brain and soul of prayers. When we pray alone we supplicate to the content of our heart. Anything and everything we can think of, we beg our Gracious Rabb for it and hope for early acceptance.*
*Or, Who listens to the (soul) distressed when it calls on Him, and Who relieves its suffering, and makes you (mankind) inheritors of the earth? (Can there be another) god besides Allah? Little it is that ye heed.(Quran 27: 62)*
From Whom do the weak and the oppressed seek victory? Who does everyone beseech? He is Allah. None has the right to be worshipped except Him.
Therefore it is most advisable for you and I to invoke Him during times of both hardship and ease, to seek shelter with Him in difficult times, and to plead at His doorstep with tears of repentance. Then will His help and relief quickly arrive. *“So, surely with hardship comes ease” – (Quran 94:5)*
He saves the one who is drowning, gives victory to the oppressed, guides the misguided, cures the sick, and provides relief to the afflicted.
*He hears all and answers those who supplicate to Him. Invoke Me [and ask Me for anything], I will respond to your [invocation] (Qur’an 40: 60)*
If you are living through affliction and pain, remember Allah, call out His name, and ask Him for help. Place your forehead on the ground and mention His praises, so that you can obtain true freedom. Raise your hands in supplication and ask of Him constantly. Cling to His door, have good thoughts about Him, and wait for His help — you will then find true happiness and success.
Today, therefore we raise our hands in prayer and supplication for our son Akinola Jose, last child of our brother OSHA, who is currently in the ICU in a San Diego hospital, after he was run over by a drunk driver last Friday.
He was completely flattened literally. But we give thanks to God that he is being attended to by a crop of very capable doctors and specialists, under the Glory of the Almighty, he has been responding.
Please pray for Akinola, for a complete restoration from head to toe. And pray for his worried parents for Allah to grant them relief as soon as possible.
Nothing is too much for God to do. For the Psalmist said: _*I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. . . (Psalm 121)*_
Surah Al-Fatiha: The Prophet (SAW) named this as the chapter of healing. Al-Fatiha known as surah Shifa is also known by several other names, such as Al-Hamd (The Praise), As-Salah (The Prayer), Umm al-Kitab (Mother of the Book), Umm al-Quran (Mother of the Quran), Sab’a min al-Mathani (Seven Repeated Ones, from Quran 15:87), and Ash-Shifa’ (The Cure). It is reputed as the best prayer for healing.
We therefore invoke Surah Al Fatiha for the healing of our son Akinola. May Allah accept our prayers and supplications, Aameen.
We pray: *Allahumma Rabban-naas adhhibil-ba’sa washfi Antash-Shaafi laa shifaa’a illaa shifaa’uk shifaa’an laa yughaadiru saqamaa: O Allah, the Lord of mankind, remove the difficulty and bring about healing as You are the Healer. There is no healing except Your healing, a healing that will leave no ailment.
Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend
Babatunde Jose
Friday 29th November 2024
