Bismi’Llāhi ir-Raḥmān ir-Raḥīm
In the Name of God, the Universally Merciful, the Singularly Compassionate
Fasting and fast-breaking times are auspicious and powerful occasions for making supplication (du’a) to Allāh ﷻ for what you need. The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ said, “Three types of supplication are undoubtedly granted: a parent’s supplication for his/her children, the supplication of a fasting person, and the supplication of the traveler.” He ﷺ also said, “Indeed, the fasting person has, at the time of breaking fast, a supplication that is not rejected.”
Allāh ﷻ loves to be asked so that He ﷻ may give from His Bounty ﷻ and reveal Himself ﷻ to you as the Universally Merciful ﷻ, the Singularly Compassionate ﷻ, and the Most Generous ﷻ. The Almighty ﷻ says in the Qur’ān, “Call Me — I will answer you…” (al-Ghāfir, 40:60)
The prerequisites for a response to a supplication are: that one believes in Allāh ﷻ, knowing that it is only He Who ﷻ responds; and that you are asking and expecting only from Him ﷻ — and from no one else. Indeed, it is quite common for many to carry a subtle belief that the world or people have what we need and will provide for us. For most, true faith is not like instant oatmeal; it must be cultivated. And if it is nurtured with patient persistence over time, it will blossom into certainty, insha’Llāh. Allāh ﷻ says in the Holy Qur’ān, “…Is it not He Who ﷻ answers the oppressed one when he cries to Him ﷻ, and removes the distress, and [is it not He] Who ﷻ has made you stewards of the earth? Is there some [other] deity besides Allāh ﷻ? Few of them remember” (al-Naml, 27: 62). And the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ said, “If you ask, then ask of Allāh ﷻ, and if you seek help, then seek the help of Allāh ﷻ.”
Now let us consider the etiquette (adab) of supplication. If your supplication transgresses limits, it cannot be accepted as it would be a means of wronging your own soul before your Lord ﷻ. For a supplication to be complete, it must emerge from your heart. First, you must bring your attention to your feelings, whether it be longing or suffering, and allow yourself to feel it. This requires present-moment awareness and self-honesty — telling yourself the truth about what you are feeling. Then, you must articulate to yourself your underlying need(s), and not merely your wants. It is from this direct sense of your life that your supplication can be authentic. Furthermore, the intensity and depth of your angst is potent fuel for your cries for help, especially if you trust Allāh ﷻ enough to place your existence and affairs into His Hands ﷻ. While the supplications of the prophets and other gnostics are extraordinary, to the extent that your heart is not in intimate contact with the depths from which these supplications were birthed, your utterance will be nothing more than empty words. How can you expect the Almighty ﷻ to take you seriously? Be mindful of Who ﷻ you are addressing so that your heart might be awakened. It is no accident that the Prophet Muḥammadﷺ said, “Supplication is the very essence of worship,” as it is a process that begins with honest soul-searching and culminates in intimate conversation with the Friend ﷻ. And Allāh ﷻ knows best.
To be continued…
© Ḥakīm Ilyās Kāshānī
