Ayatollah Khamenei About Dua And Supplications

Ayatollah Khamenei

Multidimensional blessings

Dua brings one closer to God. It makes knowledge effective and permanent in the heart. It strengthens faith, and this is all besides what is asked for in the Dua, which is a supplication to God and is, God willing, fulfilled. So, Dua has multidimensional blessings. That is why the Holy Quran repeatedly speaks about Dua, and supplications by pious servants of God. This is all a lesson for us.

Statements from a Friday prayer sermon in Tehran; December 25, 1998

If we are into supplication and dua

Value time. Plead to God beseechingly and earnestly, for great requests: those of the Islamic Ummah, those of the Islamic country, those of your nation, and your personal needs. Then, make a promise that you will make whatever effort required to achieve that request and that you are willing to strive for the sake of God… Appreciate the opportunities to make Duas. God will answer these prayers and fulfill the requests. Many of our society’s material necessities will be definitely fulfilled, provided that it is a society of piety, Dua, and morality.

Statements from a Friday prayer sermon in Tehran; December 25, 1998

A bad sign

There is a hadith, and I am not sure if it is narrated from the infallible Imams or someone else, but anyway it is a wise saying that holds: “I fear losing the chance to make dua more than I fear my dua’s rejection.” Sometimes we miss the motivation for Dua. This is a bad sign. If we are not motivated when praying, it is not a good sign. Of course, it can be remedied. We can regain the motivation for Dua from God, by paying attention, by pleading beseechingly and earnestly.

Statements from a Friday prayer sermon in Tehran; February 17, 1995

Say whatever your broken desires to say

It is narrated in ahadith that when praying, do not consider your request as big. That is, ask for whatever you want from God. Do not think that it may be too much, and you should ask for less in order to get an answer. We are forbidden from considering our requests too much. That is, not to consider your request and what you wish for too much before God. Ask God for great things and God will answer your requests. Do not get disappointed from praying. Do not close this path, and do not lose this means that God has provided his servants with. We are of course advised in Hadith not to precipitate in Dua. If you asked for something and your request was not fulfilled, do not consider that your prayer was not answered. Everything will come to its fate in its time.

Statements from a Friday prayer sermon in Tehran; February 25, 2013

supreme leader of iran

Be ambitious

Be ambitious when making Dua. Ask for great things. Ask for prosperity in this world and the hereafter, and do not consider it too great or too much. No, for God these are trivial. What matters is that you ask sincerely and under these conditions. God will fulfill this kind of request. Sometimes you would not even know that what happens is the answer to your prayers. You may be totally unaware.

Statements from a Friday prayer sermon in Tehran; October 21, 2005

The most readily available benefit

Dua is not only for a time of plight. You should always pray. Some might think that they are only supposed to pray at times of difficulty and plight. No, even during normal times of life, one should pray and keep the relation with God intact. The euphemism used in Hadith is that your voice should become familiar to the angels. Dua is always necessary … The greatest benefit of Dua is its most readily available one which directly affects the person praying. That is the creation of a relation with God and the feeling of love and enthusiasm to get close to God. This is the most readily available benefit of Dua which benefits you. Your requests in Dua being satisfied is another matter.

Statements from a Friday prayer sermon in Tehran; October 21, 2005

The chance of one’s duas being accepted

Duas do not have to contradict natural laws and go against them. Dua is accepted and your request is satisfied within the framework of natural laws. It is the power of God to unify the laws and arrange them in a way that fulfills your request … Although, there are examples of laws being overshadowed by Dua. But this does not mean that if your prayers contradict other divine laws and are not accompanied by action, and the prayers are even void of attention, they will be satisfied. No; praying needs to be with asking from God, and requires pleading. This kind of Dua will be answered. If this kind of Dua is accompanied by action and effort, then this Dua has a better chance of being accepted. If prayer is repeated several times without being answered, you should not get disappointed. Especially in important matters, and in particular when it is about the fate of man, the country, or nations. Because sometimes, great projects naturally need more time to be realized.

Statements from a Friday prayer sermon in Tehran; December 25, 1998

Ask again and again

One of the required conditions for acceptance of duas is that we express them with attention. Sometimes, people might repeatedly say—with no real attention to the meaning –phrases like ‘Oh God forgive us’, ‘Oh God expand our share from your blessings’, and ‘Oh God help us pay our debts’. A person might say duas like that for ten years, but their duas won’t be accepted. You should supplicate to God and implore. You should beseech to God earnestly. Ask again and again. In this manner, God, the Exalted, will surely accept the duas and realize them.

Statements made during a Friday prayers sermon in Tehran February 17, 1995

You can also read an article about ayatollah Khamenei's opinion about dua and supplication in Persian Here on our website