How to make Dua: Tip #30

To Pray with concise Du’a

The meaning of concise here is to be brief but to contain many meanings, and ask for general benefits, and seek refuge in general evils.
Concise’ duas are those which are brief, yet contain many meanings, and ask for general benefits, and seek refuge in general evils. The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] used to pray frequently with concise duas, and he was the one who had been given the most eloquent and concise of words. It was as if he were asking for all the good possible of both worlds, and seeking refuge in all evils, in the briefest and most eloquent of phrases, so that the people who heard him could memorise his duas easily, and understand what he said.

‘A’ishah narrated that the Prophet “…used to love concise duas, and he would leave all duas besides those”. [Abu Dawud, Ahmad, Ibn Hibban from ‘A’ishah, Sahih al-Jami #4949]

Al-Khattabi states: “So let him (i.e. the worshipper) choose for his dua the appropriate words, and let him praise his Lord using the best praises, and the noblest of them ,and the most comprehensive in meaning. For dua is a secret conversation between the slave and the Master of all masters, whom no one resembles, nor does He have an equal!” [Sha’n al-Dua p.15]

An example of a comprehensive and concise dua is one which the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him] used to pray with: “O Allah! I seek refuge in you from the evil of what I have done, and the evil that I have not done!” [Muslim from Abu Dharr, and Abu Dawud and al-Nasa’i from ‘A’ishah, Sahih al-Jami #1293]

Another example is the famous dua of the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him]: “O Allah, Our Lord! Grant us the good in this world, and the good in the Hereafter, and save us from the punishment of Hell!” [al-Bukhari and Muslim]