Assalam 'Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
There are many conditions of du’a, including the following:
1 – You should call upon no one except Allaah.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If you ask, then ask of Allaah, and if you seek help, then seek the help of Allaah.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2516; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’.
This is what is meant by the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “And the mosques are for Allaah (Alone), so invoke not anyone along with Allaah” ( Surah al-Jinn, Verse 18)
This is the most important condition of du’a, without which no du’a will be accepted and no good deed taken up. There are some people who make du’a to the dead and regard them as intermediaries between them and Allaah. They claim that these righteous people will bring them closer to Allaah and intercede for them with Him, and they claim that their sins are so great that they have no status before Allaah, and that is why they set up these intermediaries and pray to them instead of Allaah. But Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) 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 (without any mediator or intercessor)” (Surah al-Baqarah, Verse 186)
2 – You should seek to draw close to Allaah in one of the ways that are prescribed in sharee’ah.
3 – You should avoid seeking a quick response, for this is one of the problems that may prevent the du’aa’ from being accepted.
In the hadeeth it says: “One of you may be answered so long as he is not hasty and says, ‘I said du’aa’ but I got no response.’” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6340; Muslim, 2735.
