Understanding The Prophet's Life
From Issue: 714 [Read full issue]
Simple Request
The ultimate goal of every believer should be to earn the pleasure of Allah, and, through it, Paradise. So if this really is the goal of the believer, he should ask for it in every single dua that he makes, day and night, morning and evening. And if a person finds that he does not ask frequently for Paradise, then he must ask himself how important it is to him, and re-evaluate the priorities that he has made for himself.
Once the Prophet, peace be upon him, asked a Bedouin which duas he recited in his prayer? The Bedouin responded: "I say may tashahhud, and then I ask Allah for Paradise, and seek His refuge from the Fire of Hell. For verily, by Allah, I am not able to comprehend (and memorise) your humming or the humming of Muadh!" So the Prophet responded, bemusedly: "And around these two requests we hum!"
So this poor Bedouin, who used to pray behind the Prophet and Muadh ibn Jabal, admitted that he did not know the 'complicated' duas that the Prophet used to recite, and, therefore, was forced to ask something very simple. The Prophet responded that all of these 'complicated' duas that he used to make were, in reality, summarised in his simple request for Paradise, and seeking refuge from the Fire of Hell.
Compiled From:
"Dua: The Weapon of the Believer"- Yasir Qadhi, pp. 218, 219