How Duas Are Answered?
How Duas Are Answered?
Time of Dua
a – Friday and Friday night
Imam Sadeq (A.S.) has said
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65. The Sun has not risen on a day better than Friday. When the birds of sky meet one another on this day, they greet one another saying: What a good day!
66. It is related that the Holy Prophet of Islam (SAW) chose Thursday to leave his room for outside fresh air in the beginning of summer and chose Friday to his return to room in the beginning of winter.”
It is related that Imam Baqer (A.S.) has said:
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“If you decide to give charity, delay it until Friday.”
Imam Baqer (A.S.) has also said:
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67. “Throughout Friday night God calls:
-Isn’t there any believing servant who calls upon Me until before dawn so that I will grant his worldly and spiritual request?
-Isn’t there any believing servant who repents his sins before down so that I will forgive him?
-Isn’t there any believing servant whose sustenance is meager and asks Me to increase it before dawn so that I will increase his sustenance?
-Isn’t there any ailing and believing servant who asks Me to heal him before dawn so that I will heal him?
-Isn’t there any imprisoned servant who asks Me to free him from prison so that I will free him from prison?
-Isn’t there any oppressed believing servant who asks Me to take his right from the oppressor before dawn so that I will help him and restore his right?
Imam Baqer or Imam Sadeq (A.S.) has said:
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68. “The believing servant makes a request to God and God too delays it until Friday.”
The Holy Prophet of Islam (SAW) has said:
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69. “Surely Friday is the master of days and the most glorious day of God. Rather it is superior to Eidolfetr and Eidolazha. Friday has five advantages:
-God created Adam (AS) on this day.
-God sent down Adam (AS) from paradise to earth on the same day.
-God took the life of Adam on such a day.
-There are hours in Friday when every one who requests something from God, it will be granted provided that it is lawful.
-Archangels, the heavens, the earth, winds, mountains, and trees fear that the Last Day occurs on such a day.”
The children of Jacob asked their father to request god to forgive them. Jacob said;
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“I will ask for you forgiveness from, my Lord” (Yunus, verse 98)
Interpreting this verse, Imam Sadeq (AS) has said:
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70. “Jacob delayed asking forgiveness until dawn of Friday night.”
There are two hours on Friday when Duas are answered: one is when Friday leader has completed the sermon and the worshippers are prepared for Friday prayer.
The other is the last moments of Friday that is:
71. “When half face of the sun is hidden.”
Imam Baqer (AS) has said:
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72. “On Friday one must keep a time from the beginning of moon until an hour, for the Holy Prophet of Islam (SAW) has said during this hour no servant requests anything from God unless his request is granted.
b. On Wednesday between noon and afternoon:
Jaber Ibne Abdullah Ansari has thus narrated:
During Ahzab Battle, the Holy Prophet (SAW) prayed on Monday and Tuesday against atheists and his request was granted between noon and afternoon of Wednesday as the result of which happiness appeared on his face. I too prayed at the same time and whenever I faced a problem, my Dua was answered.
c. Time of night prayer
The Holy Prophet (SAW) has said:
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73. “Anyone of you who has a need, should request it during night prayer, for it is especially for you and it has not been granted to former nations (ummahs).”
d. The first one sixth of midnight.
First, there are Hadiths indicating the virtues of the recommended prayer after midnight while people are asleep.
Secondly, there are Hadiths indicating the virtues of rememberance of God among those heedless of Him.
Thirdly, Omar Ibne Ozaineh has quoted Imam Sadeq (AS) as saying:
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74. “There is an hour in night which if a believing servant appreciates by performing prayer and calling upon God, his request will be certainly granted. I said: My God bless you, which is that hour? He said: After midnight, the first one sixth of its second half.
e. One third of the last hours of night
There are many Hadiths in this relation
The Holy Prophet (SAW) said:
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75. “In the last hours of every night, God says:
-Is there anyone who calls upon Me so that I will answer him?
-Is there anyone who request so that I will grant it?
-Is there anyone asking forgiveness so that I will forgive him?
-Is there anyone repenting so that I will accept his repentence?
Ibrahim Ibne Abi Mahmood says I said to Imam Reza (AS): people say: The Holy Prophet (SAW) has said: God comes to the sky of the world every night. What is your opinion of it? He said:
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76. “May God curse those who distort the words of others. By God! The Holy Prophet (SAW) did not day it, rather he said: In the last third of every night and on Friday night, from its beginning, God sends an angel to the sky of this world calling:
-Is there anyone who calls upon Me so that I will grant his request?
-Is there anyone who repents so that I will accept his repentence?
-Is there anyone asking forgiveness so that I will forgive him?
-O seeker of good! come to Me and O seeker of evil! stop it. God keeps on calling until dawn. At this time that angel returns to his place in the heavens. This was polyquoted by my father, his father and the Holy Prophet (SAW).”
Advice
One who truly acknowledges the Holy Prophet of Islam (SAW) and his cleansed and pure children (AS) and knows that whatever these honorable ones have brought from God, is true, should present his needs to God during these hours and should not leave His call unresponded. Otherwise he will be among those about Whom God has said:
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“Surely those who are too proud for My service shall soon enter hell abased.” Hence he will be among those deprived of God’s Mercy and the heavy load of sins will rest on his shoulders as mentioned in the following Hadith:
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77. “Whoever abandons request from God, will become destitute.”
About recommended prayer after midnight, Imam Sadeq (AS) says:
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78. “Don’t let your eyes fully enjoy sleep, for eyes are the least thankful to God.”
In this connection, the Holy Prophet of Islam has said:
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79. “When a true believer rises up to please God with the recommended prayer after midnight, while slumber has overpowered his eyes, God speaks proudly to His angels saying: Do you see this servant of mine who has risen up to perform the prayer which is not obligatory! Therefore I take you as witness that I have forgiven his sins.”
Advantage
Each day is divided into twelve hours and each hour is associated with one of the twelve Imams (AS) and it is proper to seek the mediation of that Imam in that hour. There are special Duas for those hours in the book “Mesbah”. Seyed Ibne Tavoos too says the days of week are associated with the Imams (AS) and each day we are their guests. Hence Ziyarat (visitation) of the Imam or Imams would be proper on that day as follows:
Saturday is associated with the Holy Prophet (SAW)
Sunday is associated with Imam Ali (AS)
Monday is associated with Imam Hassan and Imam Hussein (AS)
Tuesday is associated with Imam Zainol Abedeen, Imam Baqeer and Imam Sadeq (AS)
Wednesday is associated with Imam Kazem, Imam Reza, Imam Javad and Imam Hadi (AS)
Thursday is associated with Imam Hassan Asgari
Friday is associated with Imam Mehdi (AS)
f. Grand Night (Leylatolghadr)
Grand night is in the holy month of Ramadhan but it is not clear which night it is. It may be 19th, 21st or 23rd night is the most likely.
g. Ahya Nights (spending night awake)
There are four nights during which keeping vigil is recommended. These nights are:
1. The first night of Rajab
2. The night of fifteenth of Sha-baan.
3. The night of E’edul Fitr
4. The night of E’edul D’uh’aa
It is related that:
80. “It was surprising for Imam Ali to be idle on such nights and not to pray.”
h. Araf day
It is a day for prayer (Dua) and asking one’s need. Hence although observing fast is highly recommended if one becomes too ill to pray, it is better to pray and not fast.
i. When wind is blowing
j. When call to prayer is made
k. When it is raining
l. When the first drop of a martyr’s blood is dripped.
Zeid shahham has quoted Imam Sadeq (AS) as saying:
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81. “Pray on four occasions: When the wind is blowing, at noon, when rain is falling, and when the first drop of a believer’s blood drips, for at such times the gates of heavens are opened.”
Imam Sadeq (AS) also has said:
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82. “When noon arrives, the gates of heavens will be opened and great desires will be fulfilled.”
The Imam was asked how long? The Imam said:
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“During a time one can perform a four-rakat prayer with tranquility.”
m. From dawn to sunrise
Abol Sabak Kanani quotes Imam Baqer (AS) as saying:
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83. “God answers the call of those servants of His who often pray (Dua). Therefore, pray at dawns until sunrise, for the gates of paradise are opened at this time. Daily food is distributed at this time and great needs are met.”
Place of Dua
a – Arafaat land
It has been related that:
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84. “On that Day of A’rafah, God says to His angels: O My angels! Don’t you see My servants who have come from various countries with their hair disshevelled and dust on their faces? Do you know what they want? The angels say: O Lord, They are asking You to forgive their sins. A this time God says: I take you as witness that I have forgiven their sins.”
It has also been related that:
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85. “Some of the sins are forgiven only these occasions: Arafat and Masharolharam about which God said: When you leave Arafat, remember God in Masharolharam, and one of the nights of Ahya.”
b. The two Sanctuaries (in Mecca)
Imam Reza (AS) has said:
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86. “No one has ever had a stop on these mountains unless his prayer was answered. If he is a believer, he will have a spiritual reward and if he is an unbeliever, he will have a worldly reward.”
c. Mosque
Since mosque is God’s house, anyone going there wishes to visit God. A sacred Hadith says:
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87. “Know that mosque are My houses on the earth, therefore happy is a servant who performs ablution in his own house and visits Me in My house.”
God is too generous to leave His pilgrims desperate and deprived.
Saeed Ibne Mosleum has quoted Moavieh Ibne Ammar that whenever Imam Sadeq (AS) had a need, he request it at noon, that is to say, he first gave alms, sniffed something with good smell. then went to mosque and request his need from God. It goes without saying that what he did suggests four things:
First, noon is the time of requesting your need.
Second, it is recommended to give alms.
Third, it is good to sniff something with good smell.
Fourth, mosque is a good place for requesting one’s needs.
d. Near the Holy shrine of Imam Hussein
The Holy shrine of Imam Hussein is more sacred and honorable than other places. A Hadith says:
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88. “God has compensated Imam Hussein’s martydom with four rewards:
-He has placed healing in his tomb
-He has placed fulfilment of legitimate desires under his dome
-The following Imams are his offsprings
-The time pilgrims spend for his visitation is not considered as part of their life.”
It has been related that once Imam Sadeq (AS) was ill. The Imam ordered someone to be hired to go to the tomb of Imam Hussein and to pray for him. The hired man expressed surprise, for to him there was no difference between the two Imams. Therefore he asked for the reason. Imam Sadeq (AS) said:
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89. “This man is right but he does not know that God has specified lands where Duas are answered and the Holy shrine of Imam Hussein is one of them.”
Duas which are answered
a – A Dua containing the Chief Name of God whether specified or unspecified.
No one but the prophets and Imams know what the Chief Name of God is. Ibne Abbas quoting the Holy Prophet of Islam (SAW) has said:
90. “The Chief Name of God is in the last verses of the Quranic Chapter Hashr (The Bamishment).”
91. “The chief Name of God is in the Throne verse and in the beginning of Alay Imran (The Family of Imran) hence the Everliving, the Self-subsisting (Alhayyolghayoom) are said to be surely the Chief Names of God, for it is only these two attributes that are both in the Throne verse and in the beginning of Alay Imran.”
The Holy Prophet (SAW) has said:
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92. “In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful is closer to the Chief Name of God than the black of eye to its white.”
It is said that the Chief Name of God is either * *
“the Everliving or the Self-subsisting” or
(Ya Zaljalal val Ekram) * *
93. “The Lord of Majesty and honor”
(Ya hova ya man lahova ella hoo) * *
94. “It is Allah” * *
Which is the most known Attribute of God. It has the most superior position among words for remembering God. It is the Imam of other Names. In the monotheistic words (Laelahaellallah) only this Allah has been mentioned. If someone wishes to assert his being a muslim, he has to say it.
1- The hypothesis that Allah is the chief Name of God is extremely likely.
2- This Holy name has special advantages as compared to other Attributes as follows:
First it is proper name especially for God, for no one else can be called Allah.
It is for this reason that God in verse 65 of the Quranic Chapter, Marium, says:
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“Do you know anyone equal to Him?”
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96. “Whoever says: Allah for ten times, it is said to him: Here am I , O My servant, say what you need so that it will be granted.”
It has been related that:
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97. “Whoever says: O Lord for ten times” he will hear the same call. And so is O Lord, O Lord, O Master.
(Ya’rab, ya’rab ya’sayyeda’h) * *
It has also been related that:
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98. “Whoever says O Allah, O Lord, O Master” three times in his prostration” (YA Allah, ya rabbah, ya seyyeda) he will hear the same call.
Samaeh has quoted Imam Kazem (AS) as saying:
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99. O Samaeh, whenever you desire something say: O God! By Mohammad and Ali who are honorable to You, fulfill my desire which is such and such, for on the Day of Judgment, there is no archangel, nor any messenger or a believing servant whose heart has been tested for his belief save he needs these two honorable persons.”
d. Ibne Abi Amir has quoted Moavieh Ibne Ammer as saying:
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100. “Every person who after obligatory prayer says for three times: O You who will do anything You wish and none save You can do whatever he wishes, and requests something from God, his desire will be fulfilled.”
e. It has also related that if a person wishes to repay his debt, he should recite the following on Friday or any other day:
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101. “O Allah! Make me independent of others with Your giving and lawful sustenance.”
f. And for the increase in sustenance, he should recite the following after morning prayer:
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“Glory be to Allah, and praise is due to Him. I am seeking forgiveness from Allah, and asking for His Grace.”
g. And after night prayer he should say:
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102. “O God! I do not know where my sustenance is to be found but I an seeking it in cities on the basis of conjectures which occur to my heart. I wonder where my sustenance is. Is it to be found in the pastures, mountains, the earth or the heavens? Is it in the land or seas? In whose hands or by whom is it to be found? But I know that only You know both its place and its ways and means and that you divide it according to Your Grace and Mercy.
O God! Send greetings upon Mohammad and his household and increase my sustenance, make it easy to obtain, and its place near. And do not put me into trouble for that which is not destined for me. Surely You are free from my torment but I am it need in need of Your Mercy. Therefore, send greetings upon Mohammad and forgive Your servant, for You are of bounty abounding.”
h. For keeping away fear of a tyrant and going to a tyrant ruler, one should recite the Dua which Imam Sadeq (AS) recited when he went to Mansoor:
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103. “O my asset during afflictions! O my Helper during hardships! protect me with Your eye to which sleep does not find its way, and protect me with Your pillar which does not break.”
i- For repaying one’s debt, one should recite what is related by Maaz Ibne Jabal who said:
I failed to attend Friday prayer so the Holy Prophet (SAW) said:
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104. “O Maaz! What kept you from attending Friday prayer?”
I said O Messenger of Allah, I owe John, the Jew about serven Mesghal (35 grams) of gold and he is keeping watch at my door. I was afraid of being caught by him. The Holy Prophet (SAW) said:
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“Would you like God to repay your debt?” I said: Yes O Messenger of Allah! The Holy Prophet said: recite:
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“O Allah, Master of the kingdom! You give the kingdom to whomsoever You please and take away the kingdom from whomsoever You please, and You exalt whom you please and abase whom You please; in Your hand is the good; surely, you have power over all things. You make the night to pass into the day and You make the day pass into the night, and You bring forth the living from the dead and You bring forth the dead from the living. and You give sustenance to whom You please without measure, O Merciful in the world and Hereafter. You bestow these two Mercies upon whomever You wish and withhold it from whomsoever you wish, O God send greetings upon Mohammad and his household and have my debt repaid, O Generous One.”
Then the Holy Prophet (SAW) said:
* * *
“If your debt in gold is as much as the whole earth, God will repay it on your behalf.”
j- For developing a flawless memory, the following Dua was taught by the Holy Prophet (SAW) to Imam Ali (AS):
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105. “O Ali! If you wish to memorize whatever you hear, recite the following after every obligatory prayer: Glory be to Him who does not treat the citizen of His kingdom unjustly and harshly, glory be to Him who does not let torment and pain come suddenly upon mankind, glory be to the Compassionate, the Merciful. O Allah fill my heart and mind with true enlightenment, discerning intelligence, quick understanding and knowledge, verily You are able to do all these things.”
k- For repelling neighbour’s nuisance
A man went to Imam Hassan (AS) complaining of his neighbor’s nuisance. The Imam said:
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106. “Perform a two-Rakat salaat after evening prayer and then say: O Mighty in prowess, O Mighty, O You whose plan is strong, O You who have abased all creatures before Your Might! Save me from the evil of such a person as You will.”
The man acted according to Imam Hassan’s order. At midnight a wailing was heard and he was informed that his neighbor had died.
Importance of Time of Dua
a- Dua-us simmat
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107. “O Allah! I beseech You through the honor of this prayer (Dua) and through the honor of the names not mentioned therein, and through the interpretation of those names which no one save You knows, fulfill my desires of..
b. Imam Baqer (AS) has been related as saying: Open the Holy Quran on the second quarter of the holy month of Ramadhan and say:
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108. “O God! I beseech You through the Holy Quran and through what is therein and through Your Chief Name, the Great, and Your Beautiful Names and verses causing fear and hope, place me among those who are free from the Fire of Hell.”
Then ask your desire.
c. Reciting “Suratolghadr” (The Majesty) in the last third part of Friday night.
109. The virtue of reciting of “Suratolghadr” in the last third part of Friday night has been mentioned in a Hadith. Reciting any Dua after it has been recommended.
The Importance of Place of Dua
a. Special Dua near the grave of Imam Hussein (AS). Imam Sadeq (AS) has been quoted as saying:
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110. “If a person has desire, he should go to top of the grave of Imam Hussein saying: O Aba Abdullah! I bear witness that you witness my status, that you hear my words, that you are alive, and enjoy special sustenance. Therefore beseech God to fulfill my desires.
b. Special Dua near the grave of Imam Hadi (AS)
It has been related that a person used to receive annuity from caliph but it had been cut by him for a few years. This person went to Imam Hadi (AS) and told him story asking him to intercede for him with the caliph. At night the emissary of caliph came to him to say that he had been called to the court. When he reached the court, he said to the doorman: Has Ali Ibne Mohammad Hadi (AS) been here? He said: No. Finally he arrived in court and the caliph warmly received him, placed him near himself and ordered to give to him what had been withheld during those few years. The man left the court for home. The doorman whose name was “Fatah” said him: Tell Imam Hadi to teach me the same Dua he has taught you.
The man then went to Imam Hadi and when the Imam saw his cheerful face said: You look happy, it seems that you are pleased. He said: Yes, but they say you have not gone to caliph. He said:
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111. “God has made us to promise that we should resort only to Him in important affairs, and request from Him alone. I feared that if I break the promise, He will break it too.”
The man said: Fatah says: Kindly teach me the same Dua. The Imam said:
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“Fatah loves us only on the surface and not in his heart. Dua has a requisite and that is love of we Ahlulbeit (household of the Holy Prophet). As for Dua, I should say it is the one I recite invoking God to fulfill my desire. I asked God to fulfill the desire of whoever comes to my grave and recite the Dua! The Dua is as follows”:
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“O the asset of my old age! O my Hope and Trust! O my Heaven and Support! O the Unique One, say he , Allah is one. O God! Through that group of creatures the like of which You have not created (Mohammad and his household) send greetings upon them and fulfill my desire of….”
Note: As Imam Hadi (AS) said: Dua is fulfilled only if there is a love of ahlulbeit. Furthermore, it is a requisite for all the obligatory and recommended deeds to be accepted by God. Mohammad Ibne Moslem has quoted Imam Mohammad Baqer or Imam Ja-fat Sadeq (AS) as saying:
112. “O Aba Mohammad! The parable of we, the household of the Prophet is the parable of the household in Bani Israel. Whenever one of them strove in the way of God for forty days and recited Dua, it was fulfilled. Yet the Dua of one of them, after devotion of forty nights, was not fulfilled. So he went to Prophet Jesus (AS) complaining of the situation and asked him to recite Dua for him. Having purified himself, Jesus performed prayer and then recited a Dua. Revelation came to him saying: O Jesus! My servant did not come through the right way. He supplicated while there was doubt in his heart about your prophethood. Hence his Dua was not fulfilled.
Jesus (AS) said to the man: Do you call on God while you have doubt about His messenger? The man said; O spirit of God! What you say is right. Call on God to remove this doubt from me. Here, Jesus (AS) recited Dua for him. God too made a favor and the man returned home while becoming a true believer.
We, the household of the prophet are the same. God does not accept the deeds of a servant who has doubt about us.”
Relation of Good Deeds with Dua
a- After salat (prayer)
Imam Ali (AS) has quoted the Holy Prophet (SAW) as saying:
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113. “Whoever performs an obligatory prayer and recites a Dua, it will be fulfilled.”
Ibne Faham says he had seen Imam Ali in his dream asking him about the veracity of this Hadith. The Imam said: It is true. Whenever you perform an obligatory prayer, perform prostration while saying:
* * *
“O God I beseech You through the person who related this Hadith (Ali) and through the person from whom it has been related (the Holy Prophet)to send greetings upon them and fulfill my desire…”
* * *
114. “God has made prayer obligatory to you at hours which are the most favored with Him. Therefore, request your desire after performing prayer.”
Imam Ali (AS) has been quoted as saying:
* * *
115. “No one of God’s servants completes his prayers unless he wishes for paradise, seeks refuge with Him from the Fire of Hell and asks Him to give him a Houri as a wife.”
Abi Hamzeh says; I heard Aba Ja’far Imam :Mohammad Baqer saying:
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116. “When a believer rises up to perform prayer, God makes Houri to attend to him. And if the believer rises up after prayer and does not desire Houri, those Houri will be scattered with surprise.”
Fazl Baqbaaq has quoted Imam Sadeq (AS) as saying:
* * *
117. “Dua will be fulfilled in four situations: in odd prayer, after dawn, afternoon, and after evening.”
In a Hadith, it has been related: prostrate after evening and recite a Dua.
b. The Dua of a needy person
When something is given to a needy person, the Dua of that needy person will be fulfilled. If he recites Dua for himself, it will not be fulfilled.
Imam Zeinal Abedeen (AS) used to say to his servant who had the duty to give alms to the poor:
* * *
118. “Make a pause before the needy person so that he will recite a Dua.”
He also said:
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119. “A needy person’s Du is not rejected.”
It has also been said that the Imam used to say to his servant to tell the needy person to recite Dua.
Imam Mohammad Baqer (AS) has been quoted as Saying:
* * *
120. “When you give something to needy persons, ask them to recite Du, for their Du for you will be fulfilled but not for themselves.”