Amir al-Mu’minin (as):
أَحَبُّ الأَعْمَالِ إلَى اللهِ تَعَالَى فِي الأَرْضِ الدُّعَاءُ.
“The most desirable deed on all the earth is supplication to Allah
Allah’s benevolence toward His creatures is extended and comprehensive, especially for mankind. Allah’s presence is not an abode of hopelessness or stinginess. His generosity and forgiveness is endless. Allah addressed Prophet David (as):
“Say to My servants: Why don’t you befriend me, since I deserve friendship? I am a God of no miserliness, there’s no ignorance in My Omniscience, no incapacity in My Forbearance, and no alternation in My Attributes or My Speech. My Mercy and Forgiveness is constant. I am the friend of him who befriends me, and I accompany him who invokes on Me in his solitude. O David! He who seeks Me finds Me; and he who finds Me deserves not to lose Me. O David! Blessing is from Me but My servants thank others; I ward off calamity but they seek it from others. Their safe haven is My Presence, but they seek refuge from others, though finally they return to Me.”
A surplus of such meaningful texts in Islamic books, along with Qur’anic verses, give good tidings to the servants to be hopeful of God’s Mercy. The servants should, therefore, pray and ask their prerequisites from God. That’s why the traditions narrated by the Ahl Al-Bayt (as) have all stressed the importance of du’a’. It is narrated from the holy Prophet of Islam (S):
إنَّ الدُّعَاءَ هُوَ العِبَادَةُ.
Du’a’ is indeed a worship.[1]
الدُّعَاءُ مُخُّ العِبَادَةِ.
Du’a’ is the core of worship.[2]
Imam al-Baqir (as) stated:
أفْضَلُ العِبَادَةِ الدُّعَاءُ.
The most preferable of worships is du’a.’[3]
The Imam (as) also narrates:
مَا مِنْ شَيْءٍ أفْضَلُ عِنْدَ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنْ أنْ يُسْأَلَ وَيُطْلَبَ مِمَّا عِنْدَهُ، وَمَا أحَدٌ أبْغَضُ إلَى اللهِ مِمَّنْ يَسْتَكْبِرُ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ وَلاَ يَسْأَلُ مَا عِنْدَهُ.
Nothing is dearer to Allah than asking Him for His blessings. And no one is more destitute before Allah than one who is arrogant of supplicating in His Presence.[4]
The following is narrated from Amir al-Mu’minin (as):
أَحَبُّ الأَعْمَالِ إلَى اللهِ تَعَالَى فِي الأَرْضِ الدُّعَاءُ.
“The most desirable deed on all the earth to Allah is supplication.”[5]
الدُّعَاءُ مَفَاتِيحُ النَّجَاحِ، وَمَقَالِيدُ الفَلاَحِ، وَخَيْرُ الدُّعَاءِ مَا صَدَرَ عَنْ صَدْرٍ نَقِيٍّ وَقَلْبٍ تَقِيٍّ، وَفِي الْمُنَاجَاةِ سَبَبُ النَّجَاةِ، وَبِالإخْلاَصِ يَكُونُ الخَلاَصُ، فَإذَا اشْتَدَّ الْفَزَعُ فَإلَى اللهِ المَفْزَعُ.
Du’a’ is the key to success. The best du’a’ is the one uttered from a purified soul and heart. The means to salvation is sincerity in du’a’. When the problems cause restlessness, the solution is seeking refuge in God’s Presence. [6]
It is narrated from Imam Sadiq (as):
إذَا نَزَلَ الْبَلاءُ فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِالدُّعَاءِ وَالتَّضَرُّعِ إلَى اللهِ.
When a calamity is descended, come in Allah’s presence with du’a’ and lamentation. [7]
عَلَيْكَ بِالدُّعَاءِ، فَإنَّ فِيهِ شِفَاءً مِنْ كُلِّ دَاءٍ.
Du’a’ is necessity for you, since it is the solution to every problem. [8]
Notes:
1. Mahajjat Al-Bayza’: 2/282, Kitab Al-Azkar wa Al-Da’awat, Chapter 2.
2. Ibid.
3. Mahajjat Al-Bayza’: 2/283, Kitab Al-Azkar wa Al-Da’awat, Chapter 2.
4. Al-Kafi: 2/466, the chapter on fazl Al-Do’a…, Tradition 2.
5. Al-Kafi: 2/467, the chapter on fazl Al-Do’a…, Tradition 8.
6. Al-Kafi: 2/468, Chapter Inna al-do’a silah al-mu’min, tradition 2; Mahajja al-bayza’: 2/284, Bab al-thani fi adab al-do’a…
7. Al-Kafi: 2/471, Bab Ilham al-do’a, tradition 2; Mahajja al-Bayza’: 2/284, Bab al-thani fi adab al-do’a…
8. Al-Kafi: 2/470, bab Inna al-do’a shifa’ min kolli da’, tradition 1; mahajja al-bayza’: 2/285, bab al-thani fi adab al-do’a…
Source: http://www.al-islam.org