This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Abu Hamza Abdul Khaliq Siddiqi's book Sahih Fazail-e-Amaal.
Dua is the act of supplicating before Allah Almighty and seeking the fulfillment of one's needs.
Dr. Luqman Salafi, may Allah preserve him, writes:
There are six conditions for the acceptance of dua; if these are not fulfilled, the dua is not accepted:
① Dua should be made through the means of Allah Almighty's beautiful names.
② The intention should be pure.
③ The one making dua should express their poverty and neediness.
④ Dua should not be made for any sin.
⑤ Dua should not be made for something through which one intends to seek help in disobeying Allah Almighty.
⑥ One should be certain that if Allah has deprived them of some worldly benefit, this too is a blessing from Allah Almighty, just like the blessings He has given them.
Reference: (Taysir al-Rahman: 1/102)
﴿وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ﴾
"And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], 'uff,' and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word.
Reference: (40-Ghafir:60)
This is Allah Almighty's kindness and mercy upon His servants and His great blessing that He has invited them to that which is good for their religion and worldly affairs, and He has commanded them to supplicate to Him, meaning the dua of worship and the dua of need... and He has promised them that He will accept their dua and has warned those arrogant ones who turn away from His worship out of pride.
Reference: (Tafsir al-Sa'di: 3/2393)
﴿وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ﴾
(O Muhammad, peace be upon him!) And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided."
Reference: (2-Al-Baqarah:186)
Sayyiduna Salman al-Farsi, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
إن الله حيي كريم ، يستحيي إذا رفع الرجل إليه يديه أن يردهما صفرا خائبتين
"Indeed, Allah Almighty is shy and merciful, and when a servant raises his hands to Him, He feels shy to return them empty."
Reference: Sahih Sunan Tirmidhi, Book of Supplications, Chapter (105) No: 3556 - Sahih Sunan Abu Dawood, Chapters of Witr, Chapter of Dua No: 1488 - Sahih Sunan Ibn Majah No: 3865.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: When one-third of the night remains, Allah Almighty descends to the lowest heaven and says:
من يدعوني فاستجيب له؟ من يسألني فأعطيه؟ من يستغفرني فأغفر له؟ وفي رواية لمسلم: فلا يزال كذلك حتى يضيء الفجر
"Who is calling upon Me so that I may answer him? Who is asking Me so that I may give him? Who is seeking My forgiveness so that I may forgive him?" And in a narration of Sahih Muslim, these words are added: "Then He remains in this state until the dawn breaks."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Tahajjud, No: 1145 - Sahih Muslim: Prayer of Travelers, Chapter Encouragement in Dua and Dhikr, No: 758/169.
Sayyiduna Jabir ibn Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with both of them, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
إن فى الليل لساعة ، لا يوافقها رجل مسلم يسأل الله خيرا من أمر الدنيا والآخرة ، إلا أعطاه إياه ، وذلك كل ليلة
"Indeed, there is an hour in the night in which any Muslim who asks Allah for the good of this world and the Hereafter, Allah grants it to him, and this hour occurs every night."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Prayer of Travelers, Chapter on the Night Hour in which Dua is Answered, No: 757.
Sayyiduna Nu'man ibn Bashir, may Allah be pleased with both of them, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
الدعاء هو العبادة
"Dua itself is worship." Then he, peace be upon him, recited verse 60 of Surah Ghafir.
Reference: Sunan Tirmidhi, Book of Supplications, Chapter on the Virtue of Dua, No: 3372 -
Al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, declared it "Sahih."
