Ramadan Day 6 – Dua, the essence of worship

** Remove the roof **

Five consecutive verses from chapter 2 have been dedicated to the topic of Ramadan. Take a look at their summaries below, listing verse number and topic, and something will become apparent;

Verse 183: Rulings about fasting

Verse 184: Rulings about fasting

Verse 185: Rulings about fasting

Verse 186: Du’aa

Verse 187: Rulings about fasting

It sticks out, doesn’t it? The flow of Ramadan-related verses are suddenly interrupted with the topic of Du'aa, before then returning to the topic of Ramadan. Allah wants us to spill our hearts out in requests.

This year, however, do something different; Remove the roof of your Du’aa and ask for the unimaginable.

Consider the Du’aa of the prophets before us. They went for it without looking back, asking Allah for what many would describe as an utter impossibility.

Consider the Du’aa of Sulayman, when he set his ambitions loose, saying:

رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَهَبْ لِي مُلْكًا لَا يَنْبَغِي لِأَحَدٍ مِنْ بَعْدِي إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ

“My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom that will not belong to *anyone* after me, certainly, You are the Bestower.” (Al-Qur’an, 38:35)

As you just read, his request wasn’t for any average kingdom, but one that would be crammed with “impossibilities”. His confidence in his Lord was enormous and his expectation of Him was beautiful, and so Allah did not let him down.

What happened?

Sulayman was gifted with (1) prophethood, (2) knowledge, (3) sound judgement, (4) control of the wind, animal world, mankind and Jinnkind, (5) and a kingdom that shall never be replicated on planet earth ever again.

Righteousness isn’t about making humble requests in Du’aa.

Raise your hands this Ramadan, and as you do so, raise the ceiling of your ambitions to a brand new height as well.

Don’t just ask for ease on the day of Judgement, but beg for entry to Paradise without *any* prior accountability, even if you feel that you don’t deserve it.

Don’t limit your requests for paradise, but beg Him for the very highest of its stations – Al-Firdows – even if you feel that you don’t qualify.

Don’t limit your Du’aa for “the guidance of friends and relatives”, but also beg to turn them into revivalists, even if you really can’t see it happening at present.

When making Du’aa for yourself, go all out and beg for the torrents of iman to be released upon you, torrents that will change your appearance in public, social media, finances, mode of Hijaab, and ambitions of your life forever.

This month, every one of us is bowing, prostrating, fasting and reciting. This Ramadan however, we want to exercise another act of worship that Allah loves so much, but is missed all too often;

Displaying the best of expectations from Allah.

Allah hasn't capped you, and so

“call upon Allah whilst you are certain of the response” (Prophet Mohammad PBUH) and realise that “I (Allah) will be to my servant just as he expects of Me.”