What it is and How to Perform Dua-e-Hajat?
Dua is the ultimate tool in the hands of a Muslim to reach out to Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى for the fulfillment of all kinds of his needs. Dua (supplication) is a humble request or appeal by the believers before Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى. We have a large collection of various Duas, as derived by the scholars from the Quran and Sunnah. Most of these duas are for overall well-being and are often recited as a general purpose dua. However, some of them are specifically articulated for a certain occasion, event, or need, such as traveling dua is recited while starting a journey.
Dua-e-Hajat is also a special and specific supplication recited to fulfill a specific need. Hajat is an Arabic word that can be translated into English as “Wish” or “Need.” So, it is recited in the hour of need. The need may be to come out of any difficult time in our lives, such as a financial crunch, a family problem, a disease, and so on.
What is Dua-e-Hajat?
Dua-e-Hajat can be defined as a specific supplication offered by a person before his Creator, requesting His mercy and guidance to come out of difficult times in life. According to the dictionary, Hajat, an Arabic word, means need. However, the word Hajat is mostly used in Arabic for a desperate need.
Life is full of problems, difficulties, agonies and tragedies. Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى grants His special favor to us to face all these realities of life when we make a dua. Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى urges us to reach out to Him in any such difficult time, as narrated in the 60th verse of Sura Al-Ghafir:
Translation
Our Lord has proclaimed, “Call upon Me, I will respond to you. Surely those who are too proud to worship Me will enter Hell, fully humbled.”
Similarly, in the 205th and 206th verses of Surah Al-Araf, Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى, taught us the manners and etiquettes of making a dua, or specifically the due-e-Hajat.
Translation
Remember your Lord inwardly with humility and reverence and in a moderate tone of voice, both morning and evening. And do not be one of the heedless.
Surely those ˹angels˺ nearest to your Lord are not too proud to worship Him. They glorify Him. And to Him they prostrate.
There are many other verses in the Quran emphasizing the importance of Dua. It is also mentioned in various Hadith. One of them appears at serial 479 in Sunan Al-Tirmidi., where Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us this very special dua.
Translation
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Whoever has a need from Allah, or from one of the sons of Adam, then let him perform Wudu’, performing it well, then pray two Rak`ah, then praise Allah and say Salat upon the Prophet (ﷺ). Then let him say: (La ilaha illallah Al-Halimul-Karim. Subhan Allah Rabbil-`Arshil-`Azim. Al-Hamdulillahi Rabbil-`Alamin. As’aluka mujibati rahmatika wa `aza’im maghfiratika, wal-ghanimata min kulli birrin, was-salamata min kulli ithmin, la tada` li dhanban illa ghafartahu, wa la hamman illa farrajtahu, wa la Hajatan hiya laka ridan Illa Qadaitaha, ya arham ar-rahimin) ‘None has the right to be worshiped but Allah. Al-Halim (the Forbearing) Al-Karim (the Generous). Glorious is Allah, Lord of the Magnificent Throne. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. I ask You for that which warrants Your mercy, and that which will determine Your forgiveness, and the spoils (fruits) of every righteous deed, and safety from every sin; do not leave a sin for me without forgiving it, nor a worry without relieving it. Or a need that pleases you without granting it. O Most-Merciful of those who have mercy.’”
Arabic Text of Dua-e-Hajat
The latter part of the above referred Hadith also provides the specific wordings of the Dua of Need. Here is the Arabic version of that dua.
لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ الْحَلِيمُ الْكَرِيمُ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ أَسْأَلُكَ مُوجِبَاتِ رَحْمَتِكَ وَعَزَائِمَ مَغْفِرَتِكَ وَالْغَنِيمَةَ مِنْ كُلِّ بِرٍّ وَالسَّلاَمَةَ مِنْ كُلِّ إِثْمٍ لاَ تَدَعْ لِي ذَنْبًا إِلاَّ غَفَرْتَهُ وَلاَ هَمًّا إِلاَّ فَرَّجْتَهُ وَلاَ حَاجَةً هِيَ لَكَ رِضًا إِلاَّ قَضَيْتَهَا يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ ”
What is Salat-Ul-Hajat?
Salat-e-Hajat or Namaz-e-Hajat is a Nafal Namaz comprising two units (Raka’ats). It is like any other Salah or Namaz, such as five compulsory daily prayers. There’s no special procedure for offering Salat-ul-Hajat. However, it needs special intention (Niyyat), as in the case of other prayers. One has to make an intention or Niyyat for two Raka’at Namaz-e-Hajat. It is also important that the purpose for which Salat or Dua-e-Hajat is being offered should be considered during this process. The rest of the process is the same as with other naval namaz.
The main thing that separates Salat-e-Hajat from the other regular prayers is the specific dua, recited at the end of this prayer, as taught by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, in the referred Hadith. As narrated in the Hadith referred above, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ told his companions the way to make dua-e-hajat. It can be summarized as follows:
- Make Ablution (Wudu) and do it perfectly.
- Offer two Raka’at namaz.
- Then praise Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى.
- Then send durud upon Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
- After that recite the actual dua-e-hajat, as narrated in the Hadith.
Once Dua-e-Hajat is recited, you may also express your specific need in your own words.
The Spirit of Sending Durud on Prophet Muhammad ﷺ Before Reciting Dua-e-Hajat
Sending Durud (salat) on Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is one of the best acts, as also emphasized in the Quran, in Surah Al-Ahzab, verse number 56.
Translation
Indeed, Allah showers His blessings upon the Prophet, and His angels pray for him. O believers! Invoke Allah’s blessings upon him, and salute him with worthy greetings of peace.
Scholars believe that sending Durud on Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is itself a Dua, and they are of the view that this is the only dua that Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى will surely accept. It means that when we send Durud on Prophet, it is 100% guaranteed to be accepted. That’s why it is always advised first to praise Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى then send Durud on Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and after that recite a dua. This will enhance the possibilities of acceptance of any Dua.
Things to Remember
Salat-e-Hajat, or in other words, Dua-e-Hajat, can be offered at anytime, anywhere, any day. However, most scholars believe the best time to offer Salat-e-Hajat is after the Witr Namaz. Witr namaz, as we all know, is offered after the night prayers (Salat-Isha). Some scholars also recommend that Salat-e-Hajat be offered before Sahar, preferably in the last part of the night. Above all, one needs to have full faith and trust in Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى, that He will listen to the request and will accept it.
Additionally, one needs to be neat and clean while offering this special dua. Moreover, you need to be patient; results don’t come instantly. Keep offering this Dua repeatedly with full confidence, belief, and trust in Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى.
Benefits of Dua-e-Hajat
Like any other act of worship in Islam, reciting a dua has enormous benefits. Same is true with Dua-e-Hajat. That’s why Scholars often advise that one should make it a habit to recite Dua-e-Hajat so often. Here are some of the Dua-e-Hajat benefits.
- It is a rich source of developing a relationship with Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى.
- It enhances trust and faith in Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى.
- It reflects an enhanced gratitude by a person, towards Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى.
- It gives us peace of mind and heart. When we share our problems with Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى, we feel relaxed, which gives us emotional support.
- Scholars widely believe that offering Dua-e-Hajat protects us from various problems.
- Our needs will likely be fulfilled and our problems solved when we offer Dua-e-Hajat.
- It is a source of getting more blessings of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى.
- It also protects us from committing sins, and at the same time, Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى forgives our sins when we make this Dua
Conclusion
Islam teaches us to seek the guidance and mercy of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى in all our endeavors, difficulties and needs. Dua is a way of appealing to or requesting Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى to help us come out of our problems as well as fulfill our needs.
Dua-e-Hajat is a very special dua, specifically offered in times of need. It is one of the most powerful duas, which brings relief to its reciters. It is one of those duas which were directly and specifically taught by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to his companions. He also taught them how to make this dua. Dua-e-Hajat is recited after offering two Rak’ats of Salat-e-Hajat. While it can be offered any time of the day, it is better to recite it after the Witr Namaz, as advised by most Islamic Scholars.