[6] The Art of Supplication - The Advantages and Benefits of Supplication - Part 2
A series of discussions based on the book Uddat al-Dai wa Najah as-Saee - The Provision of the Supplicant, and the Triumph of the Seeker by Ibn Fahd al-Hilli on the subject of Supplication and Prayer.
In His Name, the Most High
This is the sixth part in our series discussing supplications (dua) and the supplicant and the etiquette of supplicating.
As with other series of discussions we have had, it is strongly recommended that the previous parts are read, before continuing with this one, so as to avoid any confusion or misunderstanding within the subject matter.
The nature of the subject matter, and the style of discussion requires that each part build upon the ones that came before, so it is very strongly recommended that the reader, read the previous parts, prior to consuming this one.
The previous parts in this series can be found here:
Video of the Majlis (Sermon/Lecture)
This write up is a companion to the video majlis (sermon/lecture) found below:
Recap
In our previous session, we turned to a question that quietly stirs within every heart: Why do we supplicate? What true benefit lies in raising our hands, again and again, toward the unseen?
We did not shy away from this inquiry. Instead, we welcomed it—recognising that not every journey begins with selfless love. Some begin with fear, others with hope, many with need. Yet all are drawn in, and all are accepted.
We learned that the desire for benefit is not condemned, but acknowledged as a valid starting point on the path to God. The seeker is not expected to begin at the summit, but to walk, step by step, through the degrees of servitude: the slave who worships out of fear, the merchant who seeks reward, and the free soul who worships out of love alone. Each is on the path, and the destination is the same—nearness to the Beloved.
Intention, we discovered, is the axis upon which every deed turns. Two people may fast, pray, or give charity in the same way, yet the value of those acts diverges entirely based on the heart that fuels them. Sincerity sanctifies; arrogance and self-conceit, even subtle, can hollow out the noblest actions. True success—tawfīq—is a gift from God, not a personal triumph, and humility is both its guardian and its sign.
Supplication, we came to see, is more than a request—it is a school. It teaches humility, polishes intention, and confronts the ego. It reminds us of our need, and of His nearness. The etiquette of duʿā’ matters: how we ask is as important as what we ask. The humble, grateful servant is far more beloved than the entitled, even when the words are the same.
We reflected that to refrain from supplication is not harmless silence, but a spiritual deprivation. God has commanded us to ask, and warned of the consequences of turning away. To not knock on the door of mercy is to close it upon oneself. And even when a prayer is delayed, it is not ignored; sometimes, the delay is itself a sign of divine affection, for God loves to hear the voice of His servant.
In all this, we understood: whether one is a fearful slave, a hopeful merchant, or a yearning lover—supplication is the path. It is the key that opens the gate of divine mercy, the hand that bridges distance, the whisper that draws down grace.
With these lessons in our hearts, we are now ready to look more closely at the fruits of this act: the real, tangible benefits and advantages of supplication itself.
In His name, we continue…
Introduction
We have already looked at why a person makes dua—whether out of fear, desire, need, or pure love. A natural follow-up question is: what is the effect of supplication over time? In this second part on the benefits and advantages of dua, we will examine how it transforms the one who supplicates—or rather, how it should transform them.
Dua is not just a ritual act; it is a process of self-improvement. A person who continually engages in meaningful supplication should experience deep personal transformation. It should not be a mechanical or fruitless exercise.
For example, someone who recites or listens to Dua Kumayl every Thursday, without reflection or comprehension, misses its transformative power. The question must be asked: if you are not closer to God after reciting it—even by a small margin—what benefit has it brought you?
Even though every act of dua is blessed and carries barakah (divine grace), that grace becomes meaningful only when the supplicant is moved to grow closer to God and improve their inner state. Otherwise, how will they ever realise the potential of divine mercy or attain the success necessary for eternal felicity?
Six Transformative Benefits of Supplication
Over time, persistent and conscious supplication leads to various spiritual and psychological benefits. Six of the most important ones are:
Supplication as a Mirror to the Self
Supplication Softens the Heart
Becoming More God-Focused and Less Outcome-Focused
Supplication Builds Intimacy with God
Supplication as a Gateway to Contentment
Becoming a Witness to God’s Mercy
Supplication as a Mirror to the Self
One of the key spiritual functions of dua - or supplication - is that it forces the supplicant to reflect inwardly. When you truly understand what you are saying—especially in moments of confession—you hold a mirror to your own soul.
Take, for instance, this line from Duʿāʾ Kumayl:
ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي وَتَجَرَّأْتُ بِجَهْلِي وَسَكَنتُ إِلَى قَدِيمِ ذِكْرِكَ لِي وَمَنِّكَ عَلَيَّ
[My Lord] I have wronged (oppressed) myself. And I have been audacious (reckless) in my ignorance. And I have depended upon Your ancient remembrance of me and Your favour toward me.
— Dua Kumayl
This is a profound admission. You are confessing to having oppressed yourself, to having been arrogant in your ignorance, and to having taken God’s favour for granted. But if you don’t understand what you’re saying—if the Arabic is recited without comprehension—the transformative weight of that confession is lost.
The Primacy of the Heart in Supplication (Dua)
What matters most in dua is not the correctness of pronunciation, but the sincerity of the heart. The Prophet and the Imams emphasised this:
إِذَا دَعَوْتَ فَادْعُ بِقَلْبِكَ قَبْلَ لِسَانِكَ
When you supplicate, supplicate with your heart before your tongue.
— Al-Kulayni, Al-Kafi, Volume 2, Page 482, Chapter “On Dua and it’s Etiquette”, Hadeeth #4
Likewise:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَلَا إِلَى أَمْوَالِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُمْ
Indeed, Allah does not look at your forms or your wealth, but He looks at your hearts and your deeds.
— Sahih al-Muslim, “Book of Righteousness, Maintaining Good Relations with Relatives and Manners”, Hadeeth #2564
This spiritual principle is echoed throughout Islamic scholarship: what is said must be felt, or it risks becoming hollow ritual.
Supplication in One’s Own Language
Understanding what one says in duʿāʾ is essential for transformation. This is why scholars, classical and contemporary, permit and encourage duʿāʾ in one’s own language.
Shaykh Abbas al-Qummi writes in Mafatih al-Jinān:
فَإِنْ لَمْ تَقْدِرْ عَلَى قِرَاءَةِ الدُّعَاءِ بِاللُّغَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّةِ فَادْعُ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى بِلُغَتِكَ، فَإِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ، وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي قَلْبِكَ
If you are unable to recite the supplication in Arabic, then supplicate to Allah in your own language, for He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, and He knows what is in your heart.
— Shaykh Abbas al-Qummi, Mafatih al-Jinan, Introduction
Imam al-Sadiq is reported to have said:
قُلْ مَا شِئْتَ فِي الْقُنُوتِ
Say whatever you wish in the Qunoot (optional prayer done during the daily prayers).
— Shaykh al-Hurr al-Amili, Wasa’il al-Shi‘a, Volume 6, Page 70, Hadith #2
Shaykh al-Tusi, in al-Nihaya, further elaborates:
وَلَا بَأْسَ أَنْ يَدْعُوَ فِي الْقُنُوتِ بِأَيِّ دُعَاءٍ أَرَادَ، وَبِأَيِّ لُغَةٍ أَرَادَ، إِذَا لَمْ يُحْسِنِ الْعَرَبِيَّةَ
There is no problem in supplicating in Qunoot (optional prayer done during the daily prayers) with any supplication one wishes, and in any language one wishes, if he does not know Arabic.
— Shaykh al-Tusi, Al-Nihāya fi Mujarrad al-Fiqh wa al-Fatawa (The Final Word on the Essentials of Jurisprudence and Legal Rulings), Page 105, Section on Qunoot and Supplication
These rulings are echoed by contemporary scholars:
ولا يشترط أن تكون التعقيبات بالعربية، وإن كان الأولى أن يأتي بما ورد في كتب الأدعية
It is not necessary that the ta’qibaat be in Arabic, but it is better to recite what has been instructed in the books of duas.
السؤال: هل يجوز في الصلاة أن ندعو باللغة الفارسية أو أي لغة أخرى غير العربية؟ الجواب: لا إشكالالسؤال: هل يجوز في الصلاة أن ندعو باللغة الفارسية أو أي لغة أخرى غير العربية
الجواب: لا إشكال في ذلك، إلا أن الأذكار الخاصة بالصلاة يجب أن تكون باللغة العربيةQuestion: Is it permissible to pray in Persian or another language other than Arabic?
Answer: There is no problem in that, however, the ‘dhikr’ (formulations in the prayer, parts of the prayer) itself must be in Arabic- Imam Khamenei, Supplications in other than Arabic in prayer (Arabic)
سؤال: آیا می توانیم در نماز به زبان فارسی یا زبان دیگری غیر از عربی دعا کنیم؟
جواب: اشکال ندارد، البته اذکار مخصوص نماز، باید به زبان عربی گفته شودQuestion: Is it permissible to pray in Persian or in a language other than Arabic
Answer: There is no problem, but the ‘dhikr’ (formulations in the prayer, parts of the prayer) of the prayer should be recited in Arabic- Imam Khamenei, Supplications in other than Arabic in prayer (Farsi)
313. It is not necessary to say the ta‘qib (optional prayers after the daily prayers) of prayer in Arabic. Yet, it is better to read supplications and dhikr which are transmitted from the Imams. Among the best of them is a dhikr known as Tasbih of Lady Fatimah as follows: Allahu Akbar (God is the Greatest) 34 times, Alhamdu lillah (Praise be to God) 33 times, Subhan Allah (Glory be to God) 33 times. In the books on supplication, some ta‘qibaat in beautiful phrases conveying great messages are transmitted from the Imams.
Finally, the Qur’an affirms this principle of comprehensibility in religion:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا بِلِسَانِ قَوْمِهِ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْ ۖ فَيُضِلُّ اللَّهُ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
We did not send any apostle except with the language of his people, so that he might make [Our messages] clear to them. Then God leads astray whomever He wishes, and He guides whomsoever He wishes, and He is the All-mighty, the All-wise.
- Quran, Surah Ibrahim (the Chapter of Abraham) 14, Verse #4
All of these tell us, that while the daily prayer must be done in Arabic - in so far as its key components, supplications do not necessarily need to be in any specific language. They can be in the language that is best understood by the supplicant.
Yes, as is said, we should make use of supplications taught by the Prophet Muhammad and Ahl al-Bayt, certainly, but there is nothing that says that they must be recited in Arabic - and indeed logic also confirms this.
Indeed, examining the supplications - such as Dua Kumayl, or the many in Sahifa as-Sajjadiyyah or in Mafatih al-Jinan and many other places - there is absolutely no compulsion in reciting them in Arabic.
In fact, when a supplicant recites them without any understanding or comprehension; it would not be unfair to say that it would be wrong to recite them in that manner; and that the key should be to understand and develop that connection, that relationship, that intimacy, that complete trust in God, the Mighty, the Wise, the Most Loving, the Most Amazing.
Dua as Transformation, Not Tradition
Supplication must never be reduced to a mechanical tradition. It is a dialogue with the Divine, and like all sincere conversations, it should move the heart, shift the soul, and illuminate the path. Whether in Arabic or another language, what matters is presence, understanding, and sincerity. Without that, the lips move but the soul remains still.
The Prerequisite of Comprehension in Supplication
In order for dua —supplication—to be truly transformative, it must touch the heart and stir the soul of the one who supplicates. This is simply not possible if the supplicant does not understand what they are saying. Without comprehension, the words become empty sounds—recited, perhaps beautifully, but disconnected from meaning.
An Analogy: Miscommunication and Meaninglessness
Consider the following analogy:
A man travels to a foreign country. He has a friend there, someone who is meant to be his guide. One day, he spots a gift in a shop that he wants to take home for his loved ones. He asks his friend how to negotiate and communicate with the shopkeeper.
The friend gives him a phrase in Farsi, saying:
“If you want to buy it, tell the shopkeeper: “من میخوام اینو بخرم” (transliteration: Man mikham in-o bekharam)” - translation: “I want to buy this.”
But the man, unfamiliar with the language, misremembers the phrase and ends up saying:
“من میخوام اینو به من بدی” (transliteration: Man mikham in-o be man bedi)”
- translation: “I want you to give me this.”
He has no idea what he’s just said. To him, it’s just a string of foreign syllables. But to the shopkeeper, who understands the language perfectly, it sounds rude or presumptuous. The shopkeeper laughs and walks away, ignoring him.
The real tragedy? The shopkeeper spoke fluent English. Had the man simply spoken from his heart, in a language he understood, a genuine and respectful exchange could have taken place.
Supplication Is an Intimate Conversation
Dua is no different.
There is no language that God doesn’t know; He has - and we have previously said this - He sent apostles down to humanity who spoke in the language of their people.
Prophet Muhammad was sent by God as the “Mercy to Humanity”; do we really believe that God is only ready to listen to us in Arabic? Does logic and the historical lessons we have from God, in Quran, do we really believe that?
Dua is a means for us - every one of us, the good, the bad and the ugly - to speak to God, to pour our hearts out to God, to speak to the One who truly listens, and who knows us better than we know ourselves.
If we, in our ignorance, choose to speak in a language we don’t understand to God, then we are like the customer in the analogy earlier, we are making our lives more complicated; because the reality is that the same way the shopkeeper spoke fluent English; God speaks fluent humanity - every version of humanity, every type of humanity; because God is the Creator of Humanity; indeed, He is the Creator of everything and He has complete authority and power over everything:
تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Blessed is He in whose hands is all sovereignty, and He has power over all things.
- Quran, Surah al-Mulk (the Chapter of Sovereignty) #67, Verse 1
And of course, in the well known Ayat al-Kursi (the Chapter of the Throne), we are taught:
اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ
God—there is no god except Him—is the Living One, the All-sustainer. Neither drowsiness befalls Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that may intercede with Him except with His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they do not comprehend anything of His knowledge except what He wishes. His seat embraces the heavens and the earth and He is not wearied by their preservation, and He is the All-exalted, the All-supreme.
- Quran, Surah al-Baqarah (the Chapter of the Cow) #2, Verse 255
Therefore, we should speak to God, in a way that we are aware of what we are saying; that we can genuinely pour our proverbial hearts out to Him, that we can cry to Him, that we can truly confess all that we have done, and so that we can love Him.
Dua is a deeply intimate act—a communication between the soul and its Creator. The language of the heart transcends tongue and dialect. Just as one in love needs no dictionary to express that love—even without shared language, the emotion is clear—so too does the sincere supplicant not require a specific tongue to reach God.
What matters is that the heart speaks. For when the heart is absent, even the most eloquent phrases fall silent before the Divine.
The Danger of Rushing Dua
There is more: dua should never be rushed. It is not a speed-reading contest, where the one who finishes fastest earns the most reward. To treat it that way is to strip it of its soul.
Speaking to the Beloved, Not Checking a Box
Reflect for a moment. When you are in love, and you finally have a moment to speak with your beloved, do you rush through your words? Or do you choose them with care—each phrase, each expression, weighed and deliberate? You speak with sincerity, with longing, with reverence. Every word is chosen not just to communicate, but to convey the depth of your emotion.
Language becomes secondary. What matters is that what you say truly reflects your heart—your yearning, your awe, your devotion. Nothing about that conversation is hurried. Everything is intentional.
Remembering Who You Are Speaking To
So when you turn to God, the Ultimate Beloved, how can you allow yourself to recite hurriedly and mechanically? Even if your relationship with Him is built on fear (ubudiyyat al-khawf—the servitude of fear), or on hope for reward (ubudiyyat at-tama—the servitude of desire), or on pure love (ubudiyyat al-ḥubb—the servitude of love), it demands presence, reflection, and intention.
To rush is to forget whom you are speaking to.
The Honest Mirror: How Dua Unveils the Soul
Dua, when performed with presence and sincerity, becomes more than just a plea—it becomes a mirror. But unlike the polished mirrors of this world that only reflect appearances, this is an honest mirror. It reveals what lies beneath the surface: your intentions, your fears, your desires, your contradictions. Every word you utter—if it is truly from the heart—echoes back not just to God, but to yourself. It is in these sacred moments of raw supplication that you begin to see yourself not as you wish to be, but as you are. And it is through this unveiling that the soul finds its path to healing, to growth, and to God.
When you read a supplication like Dua Kumayl, and it speaks of transgression, loss, hope, and yearning—when it says:
ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي وَتَجَرَّأْتُ بِجَهْلِي وَسَكَنتُ إِلَى قَدِيمِ ذِكْرِكَ لِي وَمَنِّكَ عَلَيَّ
[My Lord] I have wronged (oppressed) myself. And I have been audacious (reckless) in my ignorance. And I have depended upon Your ancient remembrance of me and Your favour toward me.
— Dua Kumayl
—what matters is not merely the recitation, but whether you see yourself in those words. The supplication opens a window into your condition, but only if you dare to look through it.
To engage with dua sincerely is to become vulnerable before your Lord, to admit your poverty, your flaws, your desperation—and still reach out to Him, trusting that He listens.
The Qur’an echoes this idea of vulnerability leading to sincerity:
أَمَّن يُجِيبُ الْمُضْطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكْشِفُ السُّوءَ وَيَجْعَلُكُمْ خُلَفَاءَ الْأَرْضِ ۗ أَإِلَٰهٌ مَّعَ اللَّهِ ۚ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ
Is He [not best] who answers the call of the distressed [person] when he invokes Him and removes his distress, and makes you successors on the earth...? What! Is there a god besides Allah? Little is the admonition that you take.
— Surah al-Naml (the Chapter of the Ant) #27, Verse #62
Further more He says:
قُلِ اللَّهُ يُنَجِّيكُم مِّنْهَا وَمِن كُلِّ كَرْبٍ ثُمَّ أَنتُمْ تُشْرِكُونَ
Say: It is God that rescues you from it and from every distress, yet afterwards you still associate [others with Him].
— Surah al-An’am (the Chapter of the Cattle) #6, Verse 64
And Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:
مَا الْمُؤْمِنُ مُؤْمِنًا حَتَّى يَكُونَ خَائِفًا رَاجِيًا، وَلَا يَكُونُ خَائِفًا رَاجِيًا حَتَّى يَكُونَ عَامِلًا لِمَا يَخَافُ وَيَرْجُو
A believer is not truly a believer until he lives between fear and hope. And he cannot do that unless he acts upon that which he fears and hopes for.
— Al-Kulayni, Al-Kafi, Volume 2, p. 67, Hadeeth #1
True dua, true supplication, then, is a delicate balance: between confession and hope, between brokenness and trust. It is a mirror that demands not only to be looked into, but to be responded to.
Supplication as a Path to Knowing God—and Yourself
Therefore, we can see, that in the first instance, a major benefit of supplication - real supplication - not the ‘express train’ supplication, not the supplication that is without meaning, not the supplication that is without reflection - but true supplication - is that a person develops an intimacy with God, starts to embark on the journey to know themselves, and therefore, they ultimately move towards knowing their Lord.
قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (ع): مَنْ عَرَفَ نَفْسَهُ فَقَدْ عَرَفَ رَبَّهُ
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said: Whoever knows himself has indeed known his Lord.
- Imam as-Sadiq, Misbah ash-Sharia (the Lantern of the Path)
- Imam Khomeini, Forty Hadeeth: An Exposition, Hadeeth #1 - The Jihad (Struggle) of the Self
- Ibn al-Arabi, Futuhaat al-Makkiyyah (The Makkah Revelations), Chapter 68 Asrar al-Taharah (The Mysteries of Purification)
The Role of Self-Knowledge in Divine Servitude
This is an extremely important part of the believer’s self-building; to develop oneself such that we can truly become those who are in the servitude of God.
Mystics and scholars such as Shaykh al-Akbar ibn al-Arabi, and Imam Khomeini have spoken greatly about the benefits of this.
Ibn al-Arabi, as an example, discusses the notion of self-awareness, or self-knowledge as a pathway to understanding God, and he makes an intrinsic link between knowing oneself and knowing God; the necessity for the wayfarer to know themselves, in order to truly know God.
Imam Khomeini in his exposition of Forty Hadeeth, in the very first hadeeth on the struggle of the self writes:
The key to the knowledge of God is self-knowledge. When man realises his own limitations, poverty, and dependence, he becomes aware of the Absolute Richness, Independence, and Perfection of God.
- Imam Khomeini, Forty Hadeeth: An Exposition, Hadeeth #1 - The Jihad (Struggle) of the Self
Created for Worship, Built for Love
Therefore, this idea of developing self-awareness by way of actually understanding, reflecting on and living the supplications, and understanding our place with respect to God, is without a doubt a monumental benefit of supplicating.
This can also be understood by our primary purpose upon this temporal domain, which God has indicated clearly in the Quran as being:
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ
I did not create the jinn and humans, except that they should worship Me.
- Quran, Surah adh-Dhariyaat (the Chapter of the Winnowing Winds) #51, Verse 56
Our as we have discussed previously, worship is essentially love; therefore, the purpose of humanity (and the jinn, but we will discuss them in a future session), is to love God.
In order to love, one must first know oneself, in order to know that they must indeed love, that entity that is the source, that is their entire reason for existing.
The Consequence of Unawareness
A person who doesn’t realise that their entire existence is dependent and because of God’s magnanimity, will not be able to love God as He deserves to be loved, and ultimately this means that they will not be able to truly worship God.
They might perform some menial check-box ticking exercises; but this is not what true worship - true love - is about.
I should hasten to add, however, that this - as we have said - is a journey; from the idea of loving God, worshiping God out of fear, to that of loving God out of desire, want and need, to loving Him because He is the only one worthy of being loved.
This is a path, that the human being is build to traverse, the time we spend within this temporal realm, which really is a prison for the lover of God, is a time that we must build ourselves. For if we do not, if we do not worship - love - God truly - then truly we are in a state of loss.
The Quranic Warning: Don’t Waste the Journey
God tells us - warns us even - in Surah al-Asr (the Chapter of Time) in the Quran:
وَالْعَصْرِ
إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ
إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ By the (passage of) Time,
Truly humanity is in a state of (abject) loss!
Except those who believe, and do good (righteous) deeds (activities), and who enjoin each other towards the Truth, and enjoin each other towards Patience- Quran, Surah al-Asr (the Chapter of Time) #103, Verses 1 to 3
So to derive this great benefit, we must work on ourselves and develop this within ourselves. We must understand, that amongst the many benefits of supplication, is that we develop a great awareness of ourselves, which is a prerequisite for developing a greater awareness - and ultimately a great love - for God.
Conclusion
A Prayer for Self-Awareness and Divine Intimacy
We ask and implore Him, to grant us the tawfeeq, the ability, to be able to truly become aware of ourselves, that we become aware of Him, that we can love Him, and serve Him as per our covenant with Him.
Understanding ourselves, requires us to truly introspect, to look into ourselves deeply, and see ourselves for what we are. God, already knows, it is we who seek to hide behind our fake facades and illusions.
The Futility of Hiding from God
Nothing is ever hidden from God, nor can it be hidden, therefore, when we build an illusion within which we live, perhaps a false sense of God awareness, perhaps a false sense of piety, a false sense of self awareness; we are but fooling ourselves.
After all God in the Quran says clearly:
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ ۖ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ
Certainly We have created man and We know to what his soul tempts him, and We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.
- Quran, Surah Qaf (the Chapter of the letter Qaf) #50, Verse 16
Further more; God says that He is fully aware of whatever we say, be it said openly or in secret:
وَأَسِرُّوا قَوْلَكُمْ أَوِ اجْهَرُوا بِهِ ۖ إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ
(Whether you) speak secretly, or do so openly, indeed He knows well what is in the breasts.
- Quran, Surah al-Mulk (the Chapter of Sovereignty) #67, Verse 13
And indeed, He knows that which is concealed in our breasts (hearts):
يُولِجُ اللَّيْلَ فِي النَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ النَّهَارَ فِي اللَّيْلِ ۚ وَهُوَ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ
He makes the night pass into the day and makes the day pass into the night, and He knows best what is in the breasts.
- Quran, Surah al-Hadid (the Chapter of Iron) #57, Verse 6
Indeed, even our will, is fully known to God, there is nothing about us, that He does not know; this is linked entirely to His existential will:
إِنَّ هَٰذِهِ تَذْكِرَةٌ ۖ فَمَن شَاءَ اتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِ سَبِيلًا
وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًاThis is indeed a reminder. So let anyone who wishes take the way toward his Lord.
But you will not wish unless it is willed by Allah. Indeed Allah is all-knowing, all-wise.- Quran, Surah al-Insaan (the Chapter of Humanity) #76, Verses 29 to 30
Insights from the Tradition: Shaykh al-Saduq and Imam al-Baqir
One of the greatest scholars in Islamic history, Shaykh as-Saduq (Abu Jaʿfar Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Babawayh al-Qummi), was, according to tradition, born as a result of a dua to God made by Imam al-Mahdi, after his father requested intercession for offspring.
Shaykh as-Saduq authored many foundational works, including:
Kitab Man La Yahdharuhu al-Faqih (The Book for Him Who Does Not Have a Jurist Present) - which is one of the four primary hadith books in Shiʿism,
ʿUyun Akhbar al-Ridha (The Principal Traditions Concerning Imam al-Ridha) - which is a biographical and hadith collection on Imam al-Ridha, and
Kitab al-Tawheed (The Book of Monotheism) - which is a book that focuses entirely on God’s nature, His attributes, Monotheism and subjects related to it, including rejecting anthropomorphism and expounding the meaning of his divine attributes, and God’s transcendence above time, space, motion and change.
In the latter, he narrates a hadeeth from Imam al-Baqir:
قال الإمام الباقر (عليه السلام)
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ النَّفْسُ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُوَسْوِسَ، وَهُوَ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ نَفْسِهَاImam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) said:
“God knows what the soul whispers even before it whispers, and He is nearer to it than its own self.”- Shaykh as-Saduq, Kitab al-Tawheed, Chapter 29 (On the Soul), Hadeeth #2
Turning Inward to Turn Toward Him
There is no use in attempting to hide from God—it is both futile and impossible. The true servant, therefore, should strive tirelessly to become self-aware, to improve inwardly, and to cultivate a real intimacy with their Lord.
Each of us holds within a light—born of our fitrah (innate nature). But this inner light must connect to the Light of God. If deprived of that divine light, our fitrah withers and fades. We must therefore search, strive, and struggle—engaging in the spiritual jihad al-nafs (jihad al-akbar - the greater struggle) —so that the light within us may be linked to His eternal Light, a Light that always shines… if only our hearts were not blind to it.
The Transformative Power of Supplication
Among the most profound effects of dua as explored in this session, is the cultivation of self-awareness—an awareness that leads to God-awareness. If we truly supplicate—earnestly, sincerely, and with effort—we begin to fall into Him, to fall in love with Him.
A Closing Hope
In the coming sessions, we shall continue our journey into the depths of The Art of Supplication—in hopes that we may truly nurture the love for Him that He already holds for us.
We have thus far discussed one of the six benefits of supplication; in the coming sessions we will dive deeper - God willing - into the remaining five, that with His grace, kindness, compassion and love, we will be able to improve ourselves and truly become from His righteous servants:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوا وَّالَّذِينَ هُم مُّحْسِنُونَ
Indeed, God is with those who are mindful of Him and those who do good.
- Quran, Surah an-Nahl (the Chapter of the Bee) #16, Verse 128
That we become those who He defends and protects:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُدَافِعُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ خَوَّانٍ كَفُورٍ
God defends those who believe. God does not love any ungrateful traitor.
- Quran, Surah al-Hajj (the Chapter of the Pilgrimage) #22, Verse 38
And that He bring us out of our darkness, and into His Light:
اللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ ۖ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَوْلِيَاؤُهُمُ الطَّاغُوتُ يُخْرِجُونَهُم مِّنَ النُّورِ إِلَى الظُّلُمَاتِ ۗ أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
God is the wali (guardian) of the faithful: He brings them out of darkness into light. As for the faithless, their awliya are the fake deities, who drive them out of light into darkness. They shall be the inmates of the Fire, and they will remain in it [forever].
- Quran, Surah al-Baqarah (the Chapter of the Cow) #2, Verse 257
In the next session, we will - God willing - delve into how Supplication (dua) softens the hearts, and makes us ore God focused and less outcome focused.
This will help us with the issue of certainty - which we will also cover - and, God willing, allow us to follow the teaching of Imam as-Sadiq, where he has said:
قال الإمام الصادق (عليه السلام)
واللهِ ما يَبتهِلُ عبدٌ إلى الله عزّ وجلّ إلا استجاب له، فإمّا أن يُعجّل له في الدنيا، أو يُدّخر له في الآخرةImam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:
“By God, no servant sincerely implores God Almighty without receiving a response—either it is hastened for him in this world, or stored for him in the Hereafter.”- Al-Kulayni, Al-Kafi, Volume 2, Page 471, Kitab al-Dua (the Book of Supplication), Chapter On those who’s supplication is accepted
May His grace ensure that His love is not left unrequited, that we understand Him, and what we say to Him, and may we fall into His loving embrace, just as a lover falls into the open arms of the beloved.
And from Him alone is all ability and He has authority over all things.
Whispers Beneath the Throne
On the Journey from Self-Knowledge to Divine Intimacy
In the Name of God, the Infinitely Compassionate, the Ever-Merciful.
All praise belongs to You, O God—
Originator of the heavens and the earth,
Who kindled the lamps of guidance in the hearts of the faithful,
Who gave form to creation and placed within it the longing to return to You.
Blessings be upon Muhammad, Your most beloved,
And upon his purified family—
The trees of prophecy, the lamps in the darkness,
The guides of those who seek and the refuge of those who fall.
O God—
O Knower of the hidden, O Seer of the soul, O Nearer to me than my own self:
Lift the veil from the eyes of our hearts,
Reveal to us the faults we have buried beneath pride,
Show us the truth of our neediness,
And make us witnesses to the poverty that clings to our very being.
Place in our chests a mirror of sincerity,
That we may see ourselves as we are—
Not as we wish to appear,
And through that mirror, let us behold the majesty of Your Lordship.
Let the knowledge of ourselves lead us to the knowledge of You,
And the knowledge of You lead us to Your love—
A love not born of fear or the pursuit of reward,
But a love that flows because You are worthy of it,
Because You are its source, its goal, and its meaning.
So make us lovers, O God,
Lovers who do not ask for anything but closeness to You.
Let our supplication not be the words of the tongue,
But the cry of the soul that longs for Your embrace.
Send Your choicest blessings upon Muhammad,
and the family of Muhammad—
The ship of salvation, the light in every darkness.
Hasten the appearance of Your awaited servant,
The proof of Your justice and the embodiment of Your mercy—
Our master, the son of Hasan.
Strengthen his hand, widen his path, raise his banner.
Make us among his helpers,
Those who purify themselves to carry his light,
And protect, O Lord, the righteous among Your servants,
And shelter the oppressed beneath the canopy of Your justice.
Break the necks of the tyrants,
And extinguish the fires of injustice with the rain of Your mercy.
O Lord—
We are the ones who forget, yet You remember.
We are the ones who fail, yet You forgive.
We are the ones who turn away,
And still—You call us back.
To You belongs all praise,
In every state and every breath,
O Lord of the worlds.