Question:
A discussion took place in one of the sessions regarding the subject of supplication (du’a), specifically what was mentioned in the book Concepts (Al-Mafaheem) on pages 57 and 58... There was a back-and-forth: Is du’a only for seeking reward (thawab)? Or can it have a tangible result? Does the method of implementing the Islamic idea (fikrah) exclude du’a, relying instead on material actions that achieve tangible results? Is the pairing of these actions with du’a contrary to the Islamic method (tariqah)? What about the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: “There is no Muslim who supplicates with a prayer that does not involve sin or the breaking of family ties, except that Allah gives him one of three things: either He hastens his prayer for him, or He stores it for him in the Hereafter, or He diverts an equivalent evil from him.” They said: "Then we shall supplicate much." He said: "Allah is more [abundant]." This implies that there are tangible results that occur from du’a, such as Allah hastening the fulfillment of the supplicant's need in this world. Furthermore, Allah has bestowed a favor upon His servants by stating that He answers the call of the distressed when they call upon Him in the noble verse:
أَمَّنْ يُجِيبُ الْمُضْطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ
“Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him...” (Quran, An-Naml [27]: 62).
We hope for a clarification of this matter, and may Allah reward you with goodness.
Answer:
It seems there is a confusion in understanding what was mentioned on pages 57 and 58 of Al-Mafaheem. What was mentioned regarding du’a there—that it achieves intangible results (thawab)—was in the context of a specific situation: when the Shari’ah texts have explained a method (tariqah) to execute a certain matter, but we do not utilize it, instead sufficing only with du’a. The book gave the example of Jihad and du’a regarding the conquest of a fortress or fighting an enemy.
As for cases other than this, du’a may indeed result in tangible results by the permission of Allah, in addition to the reward, as mentioned in the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ cited in the question.
To make the matter clear, I will review what was stated on pages 57 and 58 of Al-Mafaheem:
- It was mentioned at the beginning of page 57: "One who examines these actions, which the Shari’ah rules related to the method (tariqah) have pointed to, finds that they are material actions that achieve tangible results, and they are not actions that achieve intangible results..." (End quote).
This is correct. By inducting the evidences, it becomes clear that the actions of the tariqah achieve tangible results.
- The book then compared du’a and Jihad in the case of conquering a fortress or city or killing the enemy. It considered that du’a alone is not part of the tariqah; rather, Jihad is the tariqah in this case, according to the provided evidences.
It says in Al-Mafaheem: "...For example, du’a is an action that achieves a spiritual value, and Jihad is a material action that achieves a spiritual value. However, du’a, even if it is a physical act (involving the tongue), achieves an intangible result, which is reward (thawab), even if the intent of the one supplicating is to achieve a spiritual value. This is unlike Jihad, which is fighting enemies; it is a material action that achieves a tangible result, which is the conquest of a fortress or city or the killing of the enemy and the like, even if the intent of the mujahid is to achieve the spiritual value..."
The comparison here is between du’a and Jihad when fighting enemies or conquering a fortress:
If one acts by du’a alone, it achieves an intangible result, which is the reward (thawab). This is because the tariqah revealed for this situation is Jihad, not du’a. Thus, the subject is a comparison regarding du’a if it is used alone in a matter without utilizing the tariqah that was clarified for that matter.
It is not permissible to generalize this case by claiming that du’a in other situations has no effect on tangible results and only achieves reward! This is because what was mentioned in the previous paragraph relates to a matter that has a practical method in the Shari’ah which was neglected, and instead, only du’a was taken. Thus, the du’a yielded an intangible result, which is the reward.
It seems the confusion came from a sentence mentioned in the example given: "However, du’a, even if it is a physical act, achieves an intangible result, which is reward..." This sentence led some of you to think it was general—meaning that du’a in all cases only achieves intangible results (thawab). In reality, the context of the example is a specific case: using du’a alone for the conquest of a fortress or the defeat of an enemy without adopting the method mentioned in the texts (Jihad).
- As for du’a accompanied by taking the necessary means (asbab), it has an effect on the results. This is what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) practiced. The Messenger ﷺ would prepare the army and then enter the ’arish (canopy) to supplicate. The Muslims at Qadisiyah prepared the equipment to cross the river while Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) turned to Allah in supplication... and so it is with the sincere believers; they prepare the means and initiate the du’a. The one seeking provision strives and works hard while supplicating; the student studies and exerts effort while supplicating to Allah for success. This has an effect on the results by the permission of Allah.
It states in Al-Mafaheem at the end of page 58: "However, it must be known that although the action pointed to by the tariqah is a material action with tangible results, this action must be directed by Allah’s commands and prohibitions, and the aim of directing it by Allah’s commands and prohibitions must be to seek the pleasure of Allah. Similarly, the Muslim’s awareness of his connection to Allah must dominate him, so he draws closer to Him through prayer, du’a, recitation of the Quran, and the like. The Muslim must believe that victory is from Allah. Therefore, taqwa (piety) centered in the hearts is necessary to implement the laws of Allah, and du’a is necessary, and the remembrance of Allah is necessary, and a continuous connection with Allah is necessary when performing all actions." It is clear from this how important it is for du’a to be paired with taking the means in all of a believer's actions. This importance is emphasized by the repetition of the phrase "is necessary" (la budda) to indicate the extreme importance of all actions being coupled with du’a and a constant connection with Allah.
- Using du’a along with taking the means is, as we said, what the Messenger ﷺ, his Companions, and the believers practiced. When paired, they both have an effect on the results by Allah’s permission. Using them together does not contradict the Islamic method; rather, what contradicts it is restricting oneself to du’a alone without the tariqah clarified by the texts for implementing the Islamic idea.
It says in Al-Mafaheem at the end of page 57 and the beginning of page 58: "Therefore, it is completely rejected that all actions intended to implement the Islamic idea be actions that achieve an intangible result; this is considered contrary to the Islamic method..."
This means what contradicts the Islamic method is "that all actions intended to implement the Islamic idea be actions that achieve intangible results." However, for some of them to achieve intangible results (du’a in certain cases) alongside actions that achieve tangible results (material preparation), this is expected and important, and it does not contradict the Islamic method.
- Thus, what was mentioned in Al-Mafaheem regarding du’a covers two cases:
First: When it occurs alone in the execution of an idea for which it is not the method of execution, whereas the texts have specified another method for its execution—such as du’a alone in cases of fighting the enemy, by standing before a fortress to conquer it without preparing an army, but with du’a alone. In this case, du’a achieves nothing but intangible results (thawab).
Second: The pairing of du’a with the means (asbab). This is a necessity, and in this case, both (the du’a and the taking of means) share in influencing the results by Allah’s permission.
Al-Mafaheem did not mention anything about du’a in other cases; rather, those are covered by the general Hadith recorded by Ahmad in his Musnad:
عَنْ أَبِي الْمُتَوَكِّلِ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَدْعُو بِدَعْوَةٍ لَيْسَ فِيهَا إِثْمٌ، وَلَا قَطِيعَةُ رَحِمٍ، إِلَّا أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ بِهَا إِحْدَى ثَلَاثٍ: إِمَّا أَنْ تُعَجَّلَ لَهُ دَعْوَتُهُ، وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَدَّخِرَهَا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ، وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ مِنَ السُّوءِ مِثْلَهَا» قَالُوا: إِذًا نُكْثِرُ، قَالَ: «اللَّهُ أَكْثَرُ»
On the authority of Abu al-Mutawakkil, from Abu Sa’id, that the Prophet ﷺ said: “There is no Muslim who supplicates with a prayer that does not involve sin or the breaking of family ties, except that Allah gives him one of three things: either He hastens his prayer for him, or He stores it for him in the Hereafter, or He diverts an equivalent evil from him.” They said: "Then we shall supplicate much." He said: "Allah is more."
This means Allah responds to the supplicant in one of three ways, including: "either He hastens his prayer for him," which is a tangible result.
- Accordingly, there are possible tangible results for du’a in situations other than the one mentioned in Al-Mafaheem. The Hadith mentioned one of the three: "that He hastens his prayer for him," which is a tangible result. Similar to this is what occurs in the prayer for rain (Istisqa)—which is du’a—achieving tangible results with the falling of rain, and what occurs in Ruqyah—which is du’a—achieving tangible results with the healing of the sick, just as happens with treatment through material medicine.
Allah has bestowed favor upon His servants in His verses by stating that He responds to the call of the distressed when he calls upon Him, and He made this response a proof that there is no god but Allah. It is clear from all this that the response to the distressed here is in this world, as the word "distressed" (mudttar) is a description signifying a need in this world. Thus, the response is tangible by the permission of Allah. He says:
أَمَّنْ يُجِيبُ الْمُضْطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكْشِفُ السُّوءَ وَيَجْعَلُكُمْ خُلَفَاءَ الْأَرْضِ أَإِلَهٌ مَعَ اللَّهِ قَلِيلًا مَا تَذَكَّرُونَ
“Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him and removes evil and makes you inheritors of the earth? Is there a deity with Allah? Little do you remember.” (Quran, An-Naml [27]: 62).
Allah has commanded us to supplicate and promised us a response:
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ
“And your Lord says, ‘Call upon Me; I will respond to you.’” (Quran, Ghafir [40]: 60).
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ explained this response as being "one of three things," among which is the tangible result. Naturally, the realization of results—whether tangible or intangible—is all by the permission of Allah.
Summary:
What was mentioned in Al-Mafaheem is:
a- The method (tariqah) consists of actions that achieve tangible results.
b- A comparison between du’a alone and Jihad regarding the conquest of a fortress or fighting an enemy... du’a here does not lead to a tangible result, but only reward, as it alone is not the method for conquering the fortress or fighting the enemy.
c- It is not correct for all actions intended to implement the Islamic idea to be actions that yield only intangible results; rather, they can be a mix of actions that achieve tangible results with actions that achieve intangible results, such as preparing the army for battle while supplicating to Allah for victory.
d- Du’a is a necessary matter for a Muslim while performing the actions of the tariqah... as was practiced by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his Companions.
This is what was stated in Al-Mafaheem regarding the case where du’a does not exceed the reward—i.e., in the case of using du’a alone for a matter like conquering a fortress, and not adopting the method clarified by the Shari’ah texts for that matter, which is Jihad in this instance.
As for other cases of du’a, they fall under the general Hadith of the Messenger ﷺ: “There is no Muslim who supplicates with a prayer that does not involve sin or the breaking of family ties, except that Allah gives him one of three things: either He hastens his prayer for him, or He stores it for him in the Hereafter, or He diverts an equivalent evil from him.” They said: "Then we shall supplicate much." He said: "Allah is more." (Reported by Ahmad).
From this, it is clear that Allah may fulfill the need of the supplicant in this world, which is tangible; or divert an equivalent evil from the supplicant in this world, which is tangible; or store it for him on the Day of Resurrection, which is the reward—an intangible result.
Allah is the Possessor of great bounty; He is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, honoring His servant with the reward of du’a even if He answers his prayer in this world. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.