Du’a plays a vital role in Islam. The Prophet (SAWS) said, “Du’a is worship”. This hadith puts the act of supplicating on a pedestal.
Starting from this Friday, I’ll be bringing out and reflecting upon a dua from the Qur’an and the books of hadith that you can read for maximum benefits. And to begin with, I could not think of a better dua than the following verse from Surah al-Fatihah.
إِيَّاكَ نَعۡبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسۡتَعِينُ
“You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help.”
(Qur’an, Surah al-Fatihah Verse 5)
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah stated that Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (Glorified and Exalted is He) revealed 104 heavenly books. All of these books’ meanings are found in the Qur’an and all of the meanings of the Qur’an can be found in Surat al-Fatiha. Eminently, all of Surat al-Fatiha can be found in the following ayah: “You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help.”
After recounting Allah’s majesty and mercy, and after realising that we will indeed return to Him, in this ayah our attention is brought to the essence of what it is we are supposed to do here on earth – worship Allah and seek His help in doing so.
When we truly internalise within our heart and soul, the purpose of living, which is to worship the Creator, The Lord of Mankind, the Universes, and all that exists, the world around us changes. We are beautifully humbled to our natural disposition. And everything in us submits and calls out to Dhūl Jalali wal Ikram, The Lord of Majesty and Generosity.
