Du'a or vow

18-12-2003 | IslamWeb

Question:

What is the correct way for making Du'a? Can we make Du'a in this way "Ya Allah" if I get this matter done, fulfilled I will donate a certain amount to charity or "Ya Allah" give me this and that only asking from Allah? Please help me as I am very confused.

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Answer:

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions. The first method is not Du'a (supplications) because it is not a demand, but it is a suspended vow and vow is not desirable and the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) disliked it. He said: It (the vow) doesn't prevent anything but it is a means to take out (something) from the miser (mean). [ al-Bukhari and Muslim ] Now, if a Muslim vows to do something in obedience to Allah like: charity, fasting or prayer and so on he has to fulfill it because the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said, He who vowed to obey Allah must obey Him and he who vowed to disobey him, he should not disobey Him. [Narrated by al-Bukhari ] The second method is Du'a, but to be legal (lawful) it should include many conditions which you can find in Fatwa:83421. Allah knows best.