Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

dear sirs

salam

could you pls. let me know is it compulsory to recite darood shareef 3/5/7/11 times before and after , while saying dua`a (supplication) ?

your answer will be hightly appreciated. thanks alot.

a sister

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Answer:

Durood in dua supplication

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 186:

And if My servants ask you, O Prophet, concerning Me, tell them that I am quite near to them. I hear and answer the prayer of the suppliant, when he calls on Me. So let them respond to My call and believe in Me. (Convey this to them), perhaps they may be guided aright!

There is absolutely no condition or obligation on the believers that they ‘have to’ send ‘durood’ on the Noble Prophet (saws) everytime or before or after they call upon their Merciful Lord in supplication; but if one does so it will obviously be considered a better way of making supplication.

The recitation of the ‘durood’ and the making of a supplication by calling upon their Lord have no relation to each other; one may make as many supplications as one likes to His Lord Most Gracious, and may recite as many ‘duroods’ as one likes on the Noble Prophet; for indeed the ‘durood’ is nothing more than a supplication to Allah Subhanah for the Prophet (saws) and his family. It would only befit a believer who wishes to make a supplication for himself, that he should also make a supplication to His Lord to honor and bless the Prophet (saws) who taught us this beautiful ‘deen’ or way of life called Islam.

But there is absolutely nothing in the authentic and established Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) regarding the recitation of the ‘durood’ 3/5/7/11 times with or after every supplication! If while making supplication for himself one does not recite the ‘durood’ for any reason, his supplication will still be valid and accepted by the Lord if He Wills; but if while making supplication for himself, a believer also makes supplication and recites the ‘durood’ for the Noble Prophet (saws), he would earn himself a much bigger reward, Insha Allah.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan