All praise is due to Allaah, Lord of the Worlds. May peace and blessings be upon the Messenger, his household and companions.

Fellow Muslims! Know that nothing exists in the Heavens and the earths except by the decree of Allaah and nothing desirable or detestable happens except by His Will. He says, “Verily, We have created all things with Divine Pre-ordainments. And Our command is but one as the twinkle of an eye.” (Al-Qamar 54:49-50)

It is Allaah who plans and regulates all matters and He is Aware of what is in the hearts. He says,

“Allaah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see. Then He rose above the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He has subjected the sun and the moon (to continue going round), each running (its course) for a term appointed. He manages and regulates all affairs, He explains the signs in detail that you may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord.” (Ar-Ra‘d 13:2)

He created causes for happiness and causes for misery and created impacts for these causes and nothing influences His Will. Had He willed, He would have created things for no cause. He says, “He is the Doer of whatsoever He intends.” (Al-Burooj 85:16)

He also says, “Surely, His is the creation and the Commandment. Blessed is Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds.” (Al-A‘raaf 7:54)

Brethren in Faith! Supplication is the dearest deed to Allaah. He ordained it upon His slaves in order to bring them good and avert from them evil. Supplication is a great cause for attaining blessings and averting evils. The Prophet said, “Invocation benefits as regards what has happened and what has not.”

Allaah commands His slaves to supplicate in many verses. He says, “And your Lord said: Invoke Me and I will respond to your (invocation). Verily those who scorn My worship (i.e. do not invoke Me), they will surely enter Hell in humiliation.” (Al-Ghaafir 40:60)

The essence of supplication is to earnestly beseech Allaah for one’s mundane and eternal needs, for removal of calamities and prevention of evils. It is through supplication that worship of Allaah can be actualized because it entails heart’s affinity to Him and sincerity to Him and directing one’s attention to Him Alone in seeking benefits and preventing harms. It also entails certainty that Allaah is Most-Gracious, Most-Merciful, the Ever-Living, the Ever-Generous. His generosity and kindness never end and the treasure of His blessings is infinite. It is for these great attributes that He is invoked and called. All that exists in the heavens and the earths supplicate to Him for their needs. Supplication also comprises showing one’s complete helplessness and dire need to Him. These great menings are the real essence of worship. Supplication, therefore, is a great matter and has great impacts. It is to underline the merit of supplication that the Messenger of Allaah said, “Supplication is the essence of worship.” He also said, “Nothing is dearer to Allah than supplication.”

Since supplication is the essence of worship, it should not then be made except to Allaah Alone. No prophet, angel, saint or jinnee should be invoked besides Him. Allaah says, “And the mosques are for Allaah (Alone) so invoke not anyone along with Allaah.” (Al-Jinn 72:18)

But whoever invokes any creature be it a prophet, an angel, a saint or a grave besides Allaah, such person has committed an act that makes him an unbeliever. Allaah says,

“And invoke not besides Allaah any such that will neither profit you nor harm you, but if (in case) you did so, you shall certainly be one of the polytheists and wrong-doers. And if Allaah touches you with harm, there is none who can remove it but He, and if He intends any good for you, there is none who can repel His favour. He causes it to reach whomsoever of His slaves He wills. And He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most-Merciful.” (Yoonus 10:106-107)

Brethren in Faith! Muslim is always in need of supplication to achieve the good of this world and the hereafter and to avert the evil of both. Whoever Allaah makes supplication easy for, will have a door of blessings opened for him.

He should therefore hold on to it. Let every Muslim invoke his Lord for every big and small of his needs. The Prophet said, “Let everyone of you invoke his Lord for his needs even for a lace of his shoe.” If the Muslim reflects deeply over every small and big favour he enjoys, he will certainly realise that, he would not have been capable of getting it or benefit from it had Allaah not blessed him with it. But, Whoever neglects supplication has denied himself of a great blessing and he will be afflicted with evils according to his negligence of this great quality.

Moreover, you should know, dear Muslim brother that, there is acceptance for every supplication made, sooner or later. ‘Umar said, “I am not worried about the acceptance of the supplication, I am only worried about the supplication itself, for whenever you are blessed with supplication, you are also blessed with acceptance.” The Messenger of Allaah said, “There is no Muslim on the earth who supplicates to Allaah with an invocation except that He gives him what he wants or prevents from him an evil equivalent to that invocation as long as he does not supplicate for a forbidden thing or for severance of the bond of kinship.” A man among the people said: “Then we shall supplicate much.” The Prophet answered: “Then Allaah will give more.” (At-Tirmidhee)

Dear Muslim brother! Always supplicate to Allaah and seek Him for all your needs, for He is Able to do all things, and whenever He will that something happen, He creates causes for it or brings it into being with His Will. Also include Islaam your fellow Muslims and their leaders in your supplication. Invoke Allaah to help and protect Islaam and Muslims throughout the world and to disgrace their enemies, most especially in these days that Muslims are suffering from many calamities and in which they have come to a situation from which no one is capable of rescuing them except Allaah. Do this to emulate the Messenger of Allaah whom Allaah commanded thus,

“So know (O Muhammad!) that none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah and ask forgiveness for your sin (the sin of) the believing men and women.” (Muhammad 47:19)

Allaah says, “Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret. He likes not the aggressors. And do not do mischief on the earth after it has been set in order and invoke Him with fear and hope. Surely, Allaah’s mercy is (ever) near unto the good-doers.” (Al-A‘raaf 7:55-56)

Brethren in Islaam! Fear Allaah by abiding to His commandments and abstaining from all that He forbids you will be admitted to blissful Paradise and your worldly affairs will be put in order for you.

Fellow Muslims! Muslim’s sincere supplication with concentrating heart is the dearest of all deeds to Allaah. He says, “And when My slaves ask you concerning Me, then (answer them): I am indeed, near to them (by My knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me. So, let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.” (Al-Baqarah 2:186)

It is also recommended that one chooses comprehensive supplications, Aishah narrated that the Messenger of Allaah used to love comprehensive invocations and leave out others. (Abu Dawood)

The Muslim should also endeavour to memorize the supplications of the Messenger of Allaah as much as he can for the Prophet has made an invocation for every situation. It is also recommended that one presents a good deed before one’s invocation, praise Allaah with some of his Attributes and Names by which He praised Himself and by which His Prophet praised Him and to invoke blessings on the Prophet, for an invocation is suspended between the heaven and the earth until one invokes blessings on him.

One should also beseech Allaah by His Pure Names and by the Divine Name that suits his needs, such as His saying, “My Lord! Forgive and have mercy, for You are the Best of those who show mercy.” (Al-Mu’minoon 23:118)

And like His saying, “And provide us with sustenance, for You are the Best of sustainers.” (Al-Maaidah 5:114)

It is also recommended that one seeks out for the best time for acceptance of invocations like the last third of the night, in-between Aadhaan and Iqaamah, during rainfall, after prayers, when seeing the Kaabah and the last hour of Yaomul Jum‘ah (i.e. just before the sunset).