The Times & Places That Du’â is Answered

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

The last third of the night

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رضى الله عنه أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ يَنْزِلُ رَبُّنَا تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا حِينَ يَبْقَى ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ الآخِرُ يَقُولُ مَنْ يَدْعُونِي فَأَسْتَجِيبَ لَهُ مَنْ يَسْأَلُنِي فَأُعْطِيَهُ مَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُنِي فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ

Narrated by Abû Hurairah that the Messenger of Allâh صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“Our Lord, descends to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains, and He says: “Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to the invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?”

Sahîh Bukhârî 1145

At the end of the obligatory prayers

عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ، قَالَ قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الدُّعَاءِ أَسْمَعُ قَالَ ‏”‏ جَوْفُ اللَّيْلِ الآخِرُ وَدُبُرَ الصَّلَوَاتِ الْمَكْتُوبَاتِ ‏”‏

Abû Umamah narrated: “It was said: ‘O Messenger of Allâh, which supplication is most likely to be listened to?’ He said: ‘During the last part of the night and at the end of the obligatory prayers.'”

At-Tirmidhî 3499. Declared Hasan by Al-Albânî

*At the end of the obligatory prayers, means before the salam. See Ibn al-Qayyim’ speech in Zâd al-Ma’âd.

Supplication made between the Adhân & Iqâmah

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ الدُّعَاءُ لاَ يُرَدُّ بَيْنَ الأَذَانِ وَالإِقَامَةِ ‏”‏

Anas Ibn Mâlik narrated that the Messenger of Allâh صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“The supplication made between the Adhân and Iqâmah is not rejected.”

At-Tirmidhî 212. Declared Sahîh by Al-Albânî

When saying Lâ Ilâha Illâ Anta Subhânaka Innî Kuntu Minadh-dhâlimîn

عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ سَعْدٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ دَعْوَةُ ذِي النُّونِ إِذْ دَعَا وَهُوَ فِي بَطْنِ الْحُوتِ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ ‏.‏ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَدْعُ بِهَا رَجُلٌ مُسْلِمٌ فِي شَيْءٍ قَطُّ إِلاَّ اسْتَجَابَ اللَّهُ لَهُ ‏”‏ ‏

Ibrâhîm Ibn Muhammad Ibn Sa’d narrated from his father, from Sa’d, that the Messenger of Allâh صلى الله عليه وسلم said :

“The supplication of Dhun-Nûn (Yûnus) when he supplicated, when he was in the belly of the whale, was: ‘Lâ Ilâha Illâ Anta Subhânaka Innî Kuntu Minadh-dhâlimîn (There is none worthy of worship except You, Glory be to you [from all imperfection], indeed I have been one of the transgressors)’. So indeed, no Muslim man supplicates with it for anything, ever, except Allâh responds to Him.”

At-Tirmidhî 3505. Declared Sahîh by Al-Albânî

Allâh says:

-وَذَا ٱلنُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَٰضِبًا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ أَن لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبْحَٰنَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ- فَٱسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُۥ وَنَجَّيْنَٰهُ مِنَ ٱلْغَمِّ ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُۨجِى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٨٨-٨٧﴾

And (remember) Dhan-Nun (Jonah), when he went off in anger, and imagined that We shall not punish him (i.e. the calamites which had befallen him)! But he cried through the darkness (saying): La ilaha illa Anta [none has the right to be worshipped but You (O Allah)], Glorified (and Exalted) are You [above all that (evil) they associate with You]. Truly, I have been of the wrong-doers. So We answered his call, and delivered him from the distress. And thus We do deliver the believers (who believe in the Oneness of Allah, abstain from evil and work righteousness).

Al-Anbiya 21:87-88

The supplication of the one who has been wronged
The supplication of the traveler
The supplication of the father for / against his child

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ ثَلاَثُ دَعَوَاتٍ مُسْتَجَابَاتٌ لاَ شَكَّ فِيهِنَّ دَعْوَةُ الْمَظْلُومِ وَدَعْوَةُ الْمُسَافِرِ وَدَعْوَةُ الْوَالِدِ عَلَى وَلَدِهِ ‏”

Abû Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allâh صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“Three supplications are accepted, there is no doubt about them (them being accepted) : The supplication of tbe oppressed, the supplication of the traveler, and the supplication of the father against his son.”

At-Tirmidhî 1905. Declared Hasan by Al-Albânî

In a similar narration collected by Ibn Mâjah [3862, declared Hasan by Al-Albânî] he صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

وَدَعْوَةُ الْوَالِدِ لِوَلَدِهِ

“And the supplication of the father for his child”

The prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم also said:

وَاتَّقِ دَعْوَةَ الْمَظْلُومِ فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ اللَّهِ حِجَابٌ ‏

“Beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between it and Allâh”

Sahîh Bukhârî 4347

Similarly, he صلى الله عليه وسلم said :

ثَلاَثَةٌ لاَ تُرَدُّ دَعْوَتُهُمُ… وَدَعْوَةُ الْمَظْلُومِ يَرْفَعُهَا اللَّهُ فَوْقَ الْغَمَامِ وَيَفْتَحُ لَهَا أَبْوَابَ السَّمَاءِ وَيَقُولُ الرَّبُّ وَعِزَّتِي لأَنْصُرَنَّكَ وَلَوْ بَعْدَ حِينٍ

“There are three whose supplication is not rejected:… And the supplication of the oppressed person; Allâh raises it up above the clouds and opens the gates of heaven to it. And the Lord says: ‘By My Might, I shall surely aid you, even if it should be after a while.'”

At-Tirmidhî 3598. Ibn Mâjah 1752. Declared Sahîh by Al-Albânî

The supplication of the fasting person until he breaks his fast
The supplication of a just ruler

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ ثَلاَثَةٌ لاَ تُرَدُّ دَعْوَتُهُمُ الصَّائِمُ حَتَّى يُفْطِرَ وَالإِمَامُ الْعَادِلُ وَدَعْوَةُ الْمَظْلُومِ يَرْفَعُهَا اللَّهُ فَوْقَ الْغَمَامِ وَيَفْتَحُ لَهَا أَبْوَابَ السَّمَاءِ وَيَقُولُ الرَّبُّ وَعِزَّتِي لأَنْصُرَنَّكَ وَلَوْ بَعْدَ حِينٍ ‏”‏ ‏

Abû Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allâh صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“There are three whose supplication is not rejected: The fasting person until he breaks his fast, the just ruler, and the supplication of the oppressed person; Allâh raises it up above the clouds and opens the gates of heaven to it. And the Lord says: ‘By My might, I shall surely aid you, even if it should be after a while.’”

At-Tirmidhî 3598. Declared Sahîh by Al-Albânî.

During the last hour of Friday

عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ ‏”‏ يَوْمُ الْجُمُعَةِ ثِنْتَا عَشْرَةَ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ يُرِيدُ سَاعَةً ‏”‏ لاَ يُوجَدُ مُسْلِمٌ يَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ شَيْئًا إِلاَّ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَالْتَمِسُوهَا آخِرَ سَاعَةٍ بَعْدَ الْعَصْرِ ‏”‏ ‏

Narrated by Jâbir Ibn ‘Abdullâh that the prophet صلى الله عليه said:

“Friday has twelve hours to it, in it which there is no Muslim who asks Allâh for anything except that Allâh gives it to him. So seek it during the last hour of ‘Asr.”

Sunan Abû Dawûd 1048. Declared Sahîh by Al-Albânî

Supplication made during Sujûd

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الْعَبْدُ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَهُوَ سَاجِدٌ فَأَكْثِرُوا الدُّعَاءَ ‏”

Abû Hurairah narrated that the messenger of Allâh صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so make a great deal of supplication (in this state).”

Sahîh Muslim 482

Supplication made at the time of the call to prayer
Supplication made during battle

عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏:‏ ‏ “‏ ثِنْتَانِ لاَ تُرَدَّانِ، أَوْ قَلَّمَا تُرَدَّانِ ‏:‏ الدُّعَاءُ عِنْدَ النِّدَاءِ، وَعِنْدَ الْبَأْسِ حِينَ يُلْحِمُ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا ‏”‏

Sahl Ibn Sa’ad reported that the Messenger of Allâh صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

“Two supplications are not rejected or are rarely rejected: supplication at the time of the call to prayer and when the battle becomes intense, when they clash and fight intensely.”

Abû Dawûd 2540. Declared Sahîh by Al-Albânî

When it is raining

قَالَ مُوسَى ‏:‏ وَحَدَّثَنِي رِزْقُ بْنُ سَعِيدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏:‏ وَوَقْتَ الْمَطَرِ

Mûsâ said: Rizq Ibn Sa’îd ibn Abdur-Rahman reported from Abû Hâzim on the authority of Sahl ibn Sa’ad from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم as saying:

“And while it is raining.”

Abû Dawûd 2540.

A similar narration has also been related by Ash-Shâfi’î in Al-Umm (2/223).

Al-Albânî said that although the individual narrations are weak, when other chains are gathered together they raise the level to Hasan. See As-Silsilah As-Sahîhah 1469.

When hearing a rooster crow

عَنْ أَبِي، هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ صِيَاحَ الدِّيَكَةِ فَاسْأَلُوا اللَّهَ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ فَإِنَّهَا رَأَتْ مَلَكًا وَإِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ نَهِيقَ الْحِمَارِ فَتَعَوَّذُوا بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ فَإِنَّهَا رَأَتْ شَيْطَانًا ‏”

Abû Huraira reported Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم as saying:

“When you hear the crowing of the rooster, ask Allâh for His Bounty for it sees Angels and when you hear the braying of the donkey, seek refuge in Allâh from the Shaytân for it sees a Shaytân.”

Sahîh Muslim 2729