The Means for a Dua to be Answered

By Shaykh Muhammad bin Hadi Al-Madkhali

The Question:
What are the means for a Dua to be answered? What should a Muslim do if trials and tribulations become severe?

The Answer:
As for the means for Dua to be answered then they are many, however, the most important of them is to make sure his food / provision is Halal, like the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said:

“Make your food Halal so that your Dua is answered.”

And the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wassallam) mentioned:

“A man who, having journeyed far, is disheveled and dusty and who spreads out his hands to the sky [saying]: ‘O my Lord! O my Lord!’ – while his food is unlawful, his drink unlawful, and he is nourished unlawfully, so how can he be answered!”

Meaning how can his Dua be answered?!

The Messenger – Sallallahu alayhi wassallam – mentioned in this Hadeeth a number of means for Dua to be answered, but along with this his Dua was prevented from being answered, due to obstacles.

Travel was mentioned in the Hadeeth, travel is a means for a Dua to be answered. The Dua of a traveller is answered, also being disheveled and dusty then this is a characteristic of those who humble themselves for Allaah – Jala wa Ula – it is not from the characteristics of the people who are proud and arrogant.

Then the hadeeth says ‘and who spreads out his hands to the sky’ he raises his hands, and Allaah – Subhanahu wa Ta’ala – is ‘Hayyun Siteer’ (Shy and Covers up). He is Shy of His slave if the slave of Allaah raises his hands to Allaah that He would reject them empty, meaning without answering him.

Along with this the slave of Allaah raises his hands, and raising the hands in Dua is a means for Dua to be answered.

Then he beseeches his Lord –Jala wa Aala-: ‘Ya Rubbee Ya Rubbee’ (my Lord, my Lord). This is an amazing way for a Dua to be answered, which is manifesting neediness and want and in a state of brokenness in front of Allaah – Jala wa Aala – along with that his Dua was not answered even though these means were present which the Messenger of Allaah – (Sallallahu alayhi wassallam) – mentioned, why? Because his food was Haraam, his clothing was Haraam he fed Haraam and was also fed with Haraam, so how can his Dua be answered?!

Therefore, this hadeeth indicates that having Halal food and clothing is from the means of Dua being answered, And food and clothing attained by evil means it is from the ways that prevents a Dua being answered -may Allaah pardon us and yourselves- there are many means for a Dua to be answered However, this is from the most apparent and perhaps my son the questioner refers to the books which deal with this issue.’

[Taken from http://ar.miraath.net/fatwah/11195]