7:55 Al-A'raaf (The Heights)

الدعاء يدخل فيه دعاء المسألة، ودعاء العبادة، فأمر بدعائه { تَضَرُّعًا } أي: إلحاحا في المسألة، ودُءُوبا في العبادة، { وَخُفْيَةً } أي: لا جهرا وعلانية، يخاف منه الرياء، بل خفية وإخلاصا للّه تعالى. { إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ } أي: المتجاوزين للحد في كل الأمور، ومن الاعتداء كون العبد يسأل اللّه مسائل لا تصلح له، أو يتنطع في السؤال، أو يبالغ في رفع صوته بالدعاء، فكل هذا داخل في الاعتداء المنهي عنه.

رشد تبارك وتعالى عباده إلى دعائه الذي هو صلاحهم في دنياهم وأخراهم فقال "ادعوا ربكم تضرعا وخفية" قيل معناه تذللا واستكانة كقوله "واذكر ربك في نفسك" الآية. وفي الصحيحين عن أبي موسى الأشعري قال: رفع الناس أصواتهم بالدعاء فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم "أيها الناس اربعوا على أنفسكم فإنكم لا تدعون أصم ولا غائبا إن لذي تدعون سميع قريب "الحديث وقال ابن جريج عن عطاء الخراساني عن ابن عباس في قوله "تضرعا وخفية" قال السر وقال ابن جرير تضرعا تذللا واستكانة لطاعته وخفية يقول بخشوع قلوبكم وصحة اليقين وحدانيته وربوبيته فيما بينكم وبينه لا جهارا مراءاة وقال عبد الله بن المبارك عن مبارك بن فضالة عن الحسن قال إن كان الرجل لقد جمع القرآن وما يشعر به الناس وإن كان الرجل لقد فقه الفقه الكثير وما يشعر به الناس وإن كان الرجل ليصلي الصلاة الطويلة في بيته وعنده الزوار وما يشعرون به ولقد أدركنا أقواما ما كان على الأرض من عمل يقدرون أن يعملوه في السر فيكون علانية أبدا لقد كان المسلمون يجتهدون في الدعاء وما يسمع لهم صوت إن كان إلا همسا بينهم وبين ربهم وذلك أن الله تعالى يقول "ادعوا ربكم تضرعا وخفية" وذلك أن الله ذكر عبدا صالحا رضي فعله فقال "إذ نادى ربه نداء خفيا" وقال ابن جريج يكره رفع الصوت والنداء والصياح في الدعاء ويؤمر بالتضرع والإستكانة ثم روي عن عطاء الخراساني عن ابن عباس في قوله "إنه لا يحب المعتدين" في الدعاء ولا في غيره وقال أبو مجلز "إنه لا يحب المعتدين" لا يسأل منازل الأنبياء وقال أحمد حدثنا عبد الرحمن بن مهدي حدثنا شعبة عن زياد بن مخراق سمعت أبا نعامة عن مولى لسعد أن سعدا سمع ابنا له يدعو وهو يقول اللهم إني أسألك الجنة ونعيمها وإستبرقها ونحوا من هذا وأعوذ بك من النار وسلاسلها وأغلالها فقال لقد سألت الله خيرا كثيرا وتعوذت به من شر كثير وإني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول "إنه سيكون قوم يعتدون في الدعاء" - وفي لفظ - "يعتدون في الطهور والدعاء "- وقرأ هذه الآية "ادعوا ربكم تضرعا" الآية - وإن بحسبك أن تقول اللهم إني أسألك الجنة وما قرب إليها من قول أو عمل وأعوذ بك من النار وما قرب إليها من قول أو عمل" ورواه أبو داود من حديث شعبة عن زياد بن مخراق عن أبي نعامة عن مولى لسعد عن سعد فذكره والله أعلم وقال الإمام أحمد حدثنا عفان حدثنا حماد بن سلمة أخبرنا الحريري عن أبي نعامة أن عبد الله بن مغفل سمع ابنه يقول اللهم إني أسألك القصر الأبيض عن يمين الجنة إذا دخلتها فقال يا بني سل الله الجنة وعذبه من النار فإني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول "يكون قوم يعتدون في الدعاء والطهور". وهكذا رواه ابن ماجه عن أبي بكر بن أبي شيبة عن عفان به وأخرجه أبو داود عن موسى بن إسماعيل عن حماد بن سلمة عن سعيد بن إياس الحريري عن أبي نعامة واسمه قيس بن عباية الحنفي البصري وهو إسناد حسن لا بأس به والله أعلم.

Encouraging supplicating to Allah

Allah commands His servants to supplicate to Him, for this will ensure their welfare in this life and the Hereafter. Allah said,

ادْعُواْ رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةً

(Invoke your Lord Tadarru`an and Khufyah) meaning, in humbleness and humility. Allah said in a similar Ayah,

وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ

(And remember your Lord within yourself) 7:205 It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari said, "The people raised their voices with supplications but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

«أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ارْبَعُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِكُمْ فَإِنَّكُمْ لَا تَدْعُونَ أَصَمَّ وَلَا غَائِبًا إِنَّ الَّذِي تَدْعُونَ سَمِيعٌ قَرِيب»

(O people! Take it easy on yourselves. Verily, you are not calling one who is deaf or absent, rather, the One you are calling is All-Hearer, Near (to His servants by His knowledge).) Ibn Jarir said that,

تَضَرُّعًا

(Tadarru`an), means obeying Him in humility and humbleness,

وَخُفْيَةً

(and Khufyah), with the humbleness in your hearts and certainty of His Oneness and Lordship not supplicating loudly to show off.

Forbidding Aggression in Supplications

It was reported that `Ata' Al-Khurasani narrated from Ibn `Abbas, who said about Allah's statement,

إِنَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ

(He likes not the aggressors) "In the Du`a' and otherwise." Abu Mijlaz commented on,

إِنَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ

(He likes not the aggressors), "Such (aggression) as asking to reach the grade of the Prophets." Imam Ahmad narrated that Abu Ni`amah said that `Abdullah bin Mughaffal heard his son supplicating, "O Allah! I ask you for the white castle on the right side of Paradise, if I enter it." So `Abdullah said, "O my son! Ask Allah for Paradise and seek refuge with Him from the Fire, for I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying,

«يَكُونُ قَوْمٌ يَعْتَدُونَ فِي الدُّعَاءِ وَالطَّهُور»

(There will come some people who transgress in supplication and purification)" Ibn Majah and Abu Dawud recorded this Hadith with a good chain that there is no harm in, and Allah knows best.

The Prohibition of causing Mischief in the Land

Allah said next,

وَلاَ تُفْسِدُواْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَـحِهَا

(And do not do mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order) 5:56. Allah prohibits causing mischief on the earth, especially after it has been set in order. When the affairs are in order and then mischief occurs, it will cause maximum harm to the people; thus Allah forbids causing mischief and ordained worshipping Him, supplicating to Him, begging Him and being humble to Him. Allah said,

وَادْعُوهُ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا

(and invoke Him with fear and hope) fearing what He has of severe torment and hoping in what He has of tremendous reward. Allah then said,

إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

(Surely, Allah's mercy is (ever) near unto the good-doers) meaning, His mercy is for the good-doers who obey His commands and avoid what He prohibited. Allah said in another Ayah,

وَرَحْمَتِى وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ فَسَأَكْتُبُهَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ

(And My mercy envelopes all things. That (mercy) I shall ordain for those who who have Taqwa.) 7:156. Matar Al-Warraq said, "Earn Allah's promise by obeying Him, for He ordained that His mercy is near to the good-doers. " Ibn Abi Hatim collected this statement.

Call upon your Lord humbly tadarru‘an is a circumstantial qualifier in subservience and quietly in secret. Truly He loves not the aggressors who are braggarts and loud-mouthed in their supplications.

Commentary

Mentioned in previous verses were particular manifestations of the perfect power of Allah Ta` ala, and His major blessings. The present verses lead us to consider: When He is the Master of perfect power, the sender of all blessings, and the Lord of all the worlds, it naturally follows that He should be the One to be called upon and prayed to under all circumstances, whether in distress or in need. The attitude of by-passing Him and turning towards some other direction is ignorance and failure.

Along with it, identified in these verses are some rules of etiquette to be followed when making Du'a' (prayer, supplication). If due consideration is given to these rules, the hope that a prayer will be answered increases.

The Meaning and Etiquette of Du` a and Dhikr

The word: دُعَاء (Du'a' ), in the Arabic language, means to call upon someone to remove one's need. It is also used to remember in the absolute sense. Both meanings can be taken here. The verse says: اُدعُوا رَبَّکُم (Supplicate to your Lord) that is, call your Rabb for your needs, or remember your Rabb and worship Him.

In the first case, it would mean: Ask Allah alone for what you need. In the second case, the sense would be: Do your Dhikr and ` Ibadah for Him alone. Both these explanations have been reported from Tafsir authorities among the early righteous elders.

After that, it was said: تَضَرُّ‌عًا وَخُفْيَةً (humbly and secretly). The word: تَضَرُّ‌عً (tadarru`) means realization of inability, humility, and submission in a refined spirit of self-abasement (not found in the English language and its modern, secular, cultural context). And the word: خُفْيَةً (khufyah) means secret, secluded, or private (as opposed to open and public - as used in English too, but with no relevance to the dominant sense of secret in English bearing on the mysterious, the occult, and the whole field of espionage).

In the frame of these two words, described there are two important rules of etiquette which govern Du` a' and Dhikr. First of all, in order that Du'a' be answered, it is necessary that one appears before Allah Ta` ala as weak, helpless and simply unable to hold on his own, modest and humble, and submits to Him with a total negation of what is supposed to be pride, dignity, honour, ego, or self-view - and then makes Du'a'. Du'a' is a thing of the soul which requires that its words match the feebleness and humbleness of the maker of Du` a', that the manner of saying it remains a mirror of modesty, and that this overall humility should ooze forth from the very physical approach to this making of Du'a'. Given this anatomy and profile of Du'a', the common practice of making Du` a' these days cannot really be called the making of Du'a'. It would, rather, be the reading of it. What happens most of the time is that we do not know what we are saying and it has become a routine as we notice in common Masajid. Imams would usually say, rather read, some words of Du` a' in the Arabic language which they have memorized and do this at the end of Salah. Most of the time, in some areas, the Imams themselves do not know the meaning and sense of what they say - and even if they do know it, at least the less-knowing participants of the congregation are virtually unaware of what is being said. They would almost mechanically go on saying 'Amin, 'Amin' after the words read by the Imam without having any clue as to what was being said there. The outcome of all this stage demonstration is the vocalization of some words. Du` a' has a reality of its own which is just not there. Then, this is an entirely different matter that Allah Ta` ala, in His infinite mercy, may accept these very lifeless words and give them the effect of answered prayers. But, it is necessary that everyone un-derstands that Du` a' is not ` read.' It is ` asked.' Therefore, it is crucial that one asks as one should, properly, as due.

Then, there is another aspect of Du'a-'. If a person does know the meanings of the words of his Du` a' - and even understands what he is saying - still, if it is not accompanied by proper approach, manner and physical bearing, the Du` a' stands reduced to a bland claim to which no created servant of Allah is entitled.

So, given in the first word was the spirit of Du'a' which requires that one shows his humility and prays to Allah for what he needs. Then, in the second word, the instruction given is that the asking in Du` a' for what one needs should be done secretly and in a lowered voice which is superior in merit and more likely to be answered. The reason is that making Du` a' in a raised voice is not free of three possible drawbacks. Firstly, it is difficult to maintain modesty and humility in doing so. Secondly, there is the danger of hypocrisy and desire for recognition creeping in through this mode. Thirdly, the manner in which this Du'a is made only goes to show that the person making it almost does not know that Allah Ta` ala is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. He knows what we show on the outside and also that which we conceal inside. He hears everything said quietly or loudly. Therefore, when the voice of the Companions reached a loud pitch during Du'a' made on the occasion of the Battle of Khaybar, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: ` You are not calling someone deaf or absent that you say it in such a loud voice. Instead, your addressee is someone Hearing, Near, that is, Allah Ta` ala (so, to raise your voice is redundant). Allah Jalla Sha'nuhu has Himself mentioned the Du` a' of a righteous person in these words: إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَ‌بَّهُ نِدَاءً خَفِيًّا ﴿3﴾ (When he called his Rabb calling in a lowered voice - 19:3).' This tells us that the state of Du` a' liked by Allah Ta` a1a is that it be asked of Him in a lowered and subdued voice.

Sayyidna Hasan al-Basri (رح) says: There is a difference of seventy degrees in making Du` a' openly and loudly when matched by the one made in a lowered voice. It was the habit of early righteous elders that they would exert to their maximum in Dhikr and Du'a which kept them busy most of the time, but their voice was not heard by anyone. In fact, their supplications would remain between them and their Rabb. Many of them would memorize the whole Qur'an and keep engaged in reciting it, but others would not know about it. Then, there would be others engaged in their pursuit of advanced religious knowl-edge, but they would never go about telling others that they were doing so. There would be many others who would return from their homes after having long sessions of Salah but no one would come to know anything about that. He also said that he had seen such blessed people who would never perform ` Ibadat, which they could do in private, out in the open where people could see them - and their voices during Du'a' would be very low. (Ibn Kathir, Mazhari)

Ibn Jurayj has said that raising voices in Du` a' and making it noisy is Makruh (reprehensible). In his Ahkam al-Qur'an, Imam Abu Bakr al-Jassas (رح) has said: This verse tells us that making Du'a' in a lowered voice is more merit-worthy than making it in a raised voice. It has been reported likewise from Hadrat Hasan Basri (رح) and Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ . This verse also tells us that the 'Amin' said at the end of Surah al-Fatihah should also be said in a lowered voice, which is more merit-worthy, because 'Amin' ( Amen : so be it) is also a Du'a-'.

May Allah Ta` ala guide Imams of Masajid in our time who seem to have forgotten this teaching of the Qur'an and Sunnah and the instructions of early righteous elders in this matter. After every Salah, what follows as Du` a' has become an artificial procedure. Some words are read out loudly which, besides being contrary to the etiquette and rules of Du` a', become the source of disturbing the Salah of those who joined the congregation after it had started and were busy completing the missed part after the Imam had finished. The overwhelming influence of custom has made them incapable of noticing its drawbacks. On a particular occasion where the purpose is to have a whole group make a particular Du'a', one person may say the words of Du` a' in a reasonably audible voice and others say 'Amin' after it, then, it does not matter. However, the condition is that this activity does not become the source of disturbance in the Salah and ` Ibadah of others - and that this does not become a matter of habit and custom whereby common people start believing in it as the standard method of making Du` a', as happening so commonly these days.

What has been said above concerned the making of Du` a' for one's needs. If Du'a-' is taken in the sense of Dhikr (remembrance) and ` Ibadah (worship) at his place, then, according to the established position of early ` Ulama, low-voiced Dhikr is more merit-worthy than loud Dhikr. As for the practice of Shaykhs in the Chistiah Order who recommend loud Dhikr for beginners, they do so in view of the spiritual condition of the seeker, as a measure of treatment, so that by voicing it any lack of alertness would go away and the heart would learn to become attuned to the Dhikr of Allah - otherwise, raising the voice in Dhikr, as such, is not desirable even with them, though it is permissible, and its justification stands proved from Hadith as well, of course, subject to the condition that, in it, there be no hypocrisy or the desire to show off (riya' ).

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ibn Hibban, Al-Baihaqi and others have reported from a narration by Sayyidna Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas ؓ that the Holy Prophet ﷺ said:

خَیرُ الذِّکرِ الخَفِیُّ وخَیرُ الرِّزقِ مَا یَکفِی

'The best Dhikr is hidden and the best sustenance is what be-comes ' sufficient.'

However, under particular conditions and timings, a voiced Dhikr is actually more desirable and merit-worthy. Details of these timings and conditions have been explained by the Holy Prophet ﷺ through his word and deed, for example, calling Adhan and Iqamah with a raised voice, reciting the Qur'an during the voiced prayers with a raised voice, saying the Takbirs of Salah the Takbirs of Tashriq, the Talbiyah in Hajj etc., with a raised voice. Therefore, Muslim jurists, may Allah have mercy on them all, have reached the decision that in particular conditions and places where the Holy Prophet ﷺ has, by word or deed, taught us to raise the voice, voices must be raised. Under conditions and situations other than these, voiceless Dhikr is most preferable and beneficial.

At the end of the verse, it was said: إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ (Surely, He does not like those who cross the limits). The word: الْمُعْتَدِينَ (al-mu` tadin) is a derivation from I` tida' which means to cross the limits. The sense is that Allah Ta` ala does not like those who cross the limits, exactly as given in the translation. This crossing of limits, whether in Du` a' or some other activity, has the same outcome - that Allah Ta` ala does not like that. In fact, if looked at closely, the religion of Islam is the very name of observing limits and restrictions and electing to submit and obey. Take the example of Salah، Sawm, Hajj, Zakah and all dealings and transactions, when limits set by the Shari` ah of Islam are crossed in them, they do not remain acts of worship anymore - instead, they become sin.

Crossing the limits in Du` a' may take several forms. Firstly, that literal formalities, such as rhyming and other stylistic devices, are employed in Du` a' which may spoil its essential ingredients of humility and submission. Secondly, that unnecessary restrictions are intro-duced in Du` a - as it appears in Hadith that Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn Mughaffal ؓ saw that his son was making Du` a' in the following words: ` 0 Allah, I seek from You the palace in Paradise which is white in colour and located on the right hand side.' He stopped him and said: ` Making such restrictions in Du` a is crossing the limit, which has been prohibited in the Qur'an and Hadith.' (Mazhari from a narration of Ibn Majah and others)

The third form of crossing the limits is that someone makes a Du` a' wishing ill of Muslims in general, or asks from Allah something which is harmful for them. Similarly, it is also a form of crossing the limits - as mentioned here - that Du` a' be made in a raised voice without the need to do so. (Tafsir Mazhari, Ahkam al-Qur'an)

Supplicate your Lord in pleading and secret. MuṣṬafā said, “Supplication is worship.” Supplication is calling or asking. If it is calling, it is the same as laudation, and if it is asking, it is fitting for the servant. Both are worship and the means to salvation. YaḤyā Muʿādh said, “Worshiping God is a storehouse, the key to the storehouse is supplication, and the teeth of the key are lawful morsels.” The precondition of supplication is pleading, weeping, and throwing oneself in lowliness on the Exalted Threshold. This is why He says, “in pleading and secret.” It has come in a report that Adam mourned and pleaded over that slip of his for one hundred years. Finally Gabriel said, “Lord God, You Yourself see Adam's pleading, You hear his weeping. Is there any way for You to ac- cept his apology and place a balm on his wound?” The command came, “O Gabriel! Leave Adam to Me, for if I had not known this pleading and weeping from him, I would not have decreed the slip for him. Indeed I decreed the slip for him because I knew that when he became helpless, he would loosen the tongue of supplication and pleading, and I love that the servant should lament and weep for Me. 'The sinner's sobs are more beloved to Me than the glorifier's murmur.'” The like of this verse is “Your Lord has said, 'Supplicate Me; I will respond to you' [40:60]. He says, “Call on Me so that I may respond to you; know Me, so that I may forgive you; ask from Me, so that I may give to you.” In another place He says, “He who responds to the distressed when he supplicates Him [27:62]. That hapless and helpless man, having lost the capacity to bear the trial-who will answer his call if not I? Who will hear his supplication if not I? Who will come to the aid of his helplessness if not I?” The distressed is someone who has no handhold and gazes on his own days given to the wind. He sees that his hands are empty of all the means of approach and acts of obedience. The supplica- tion of such a person is like an arrow that goes straight to the target. Among the preconditions for supplication, one is lawful morsels.