How do you make dua properly?

The four schools agree on this.

Explanation

The Prophet ﷺ heard a man make dua in his prayer without praising Allah or sending blessings on him and said: "This man was hasty." Then he taught that one should begin by praising Allah, then send blessings on the Prophet, then ask for whatever one wishes. He also said dua is answered as long as you do not become impatient and give up.

1. Make wudu if you can and face the qibla.
2. Raise your hands, palms up.
3. Praise Allah, for example with His beautiful names or "Alhamdulillah".
4. Send salawat, such as Durood Ibrahim.
5. Ask for your needs, in Arabic or in English, for this life and the next, for yourself and others.
6. End with salawat and Ameen.

Times when dua is most hoped to be answered:

• The last third of the night, when Allah asks who is calling on Him (see tahajjud).
• Between the adhan and the iqamah (see the dua after adhan).
• In sujood of voluntary prayers, and before the salam.
• While fasting, while travelling, when it rains, and in the last hour of Friday.

What holds dua back: haram income, asking for something sinful or for cutting family ties, and giving up because the answer has not come yet. An answer may come as what you asked, as harm kept away, or as reward saved for the Hereafter.

The evidence

Where the ruling is recorded

• Nur al-Idah with Maraqi al-Falah, Chapter on the adhkar after the prayer. The manners of dua: praise, salawat, raised hands, and ending with Ameen.
• Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Salah, chapter on the description of prayer, discussion of dua after the salam. The manners of dua and what is disliked in it.

This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.