Addiction = Compulsive physiological and psychological need for a habit-forming substance.
It’s scary to think that something, anything, whether it be alcohol, gambling, or cigarettes could become an enslaving habit. All it takes is that first sip, rolling of the dice, or a single puff, and before you know it you’re addicted.
I was in Michigan this past weekend at my parents house. I noticed a sudden deterioration in my father’s health. At 48 years of age he is having a bit more trouble breathing than the average healthy 48 year old. Why? Because he smokes. Only god knows how long he has been smoking, but all I can say is its been a very long time and it’s catching up to him. I worry. I worry a lot for him. I have tried everything in the book to try to make him stop, I have been doing so since I was 10 years old. Then I realize that the best and only thing I can do for my dad is to make plenty of d’ua to Allah SWT. For indeed He is the All Knower, the All Powerful.
I know it’s easier said than done. Not only are you psychologically dependent on it, you’re also chemically dependent on it. But in either case there are ways to stop. I hear stories of people’s life taken away by lung cancer, emphysema, COPD, etc. And these people were all young and smoked. I wish there was something I could do to make my father understand that he is no different, it could take his life as well. There are times I have caught him wheezing and having a hard time breathing, and still it makes no difference to him. Who ever thought that something so small could literally take over your life. Something must be done before it’s too late.
It scares me. Scares me that I may lose my father over a filthy cigarette.
***
I have been making du’a for my dad to stop smoking ever since I wrote the above post. At that point I had become so worried about my father and his health. I knew the only thing that would make any difference was a daughter’s du’a for her father!
Subhanallah, Allah SWT has answered my prayers. Alhumdulilah it has been about 3-4 months since my dad has quit smoking-Mashallah. Not only has he stopped smoking, but by the taufiq of Allah SWT my father has also become closer to the deen. He calls himself a born again Muslim 
. Inshallah may Allah strengthen my father in his efforts.
We need to remember that dua is the weapon of the believer. It is an act of worship and shows our dependence on Allah SWT. Don’t think that something is too small to ask for because Allah is vast in His blessings and has more than enough to give, so ask for everything and anything with du’a!
Often we go to our best friend or perhaps our Mom or Dad to relieve ourselves of the worries and concerns pertaining to our lives. The most they do for us is give us advise and console us. Take a moment and think of someone you can share your secrets and deepest worries with, someone who has the ultimate power to give you what you want…it is none other than Allah.
Making du’a or having a ‘conversation’ with Allah is the most liberating experience. Try it! Take the opportunity when you are alone to speak to Allah from the heart. Experience the connection with Allah!
April 4th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Du’a: The Weapon of the Believer
r47-dua-weapon.jpgRight now I’m in the middle of reading Sheikh Yasir Qadhi’s book Du’aa: The Weapon of the Believer. Masha’Allah, it’s an amazing book with a great deal to benefit from! I’ve learnt a great deal of fascinating ‘tips and tricks’ on how to perfect my du’aa and increase the factors that’ll lead it to be accepted (insha’Allah!)… and I’d like to share some of it with you.
May Allah reward Sheikh Yasir for his efforts, ameen!
What to do when making du’aa:
* Focus on the du’aa, concentrate on the fact that you’re “talking” to Allah, and make sure that your heart is really into it.
* Supplicate during one of the times of response.
* Have a meek heart, full ofhumbleness, softness, an awareness of our smallness in the Presence of Allah.
* Face the qiblah (direction of the Ka’bah).
* Be in a state of wudhu.
* Raise your hands to Allah.
* Start the du’aa with praise to Allah, exalting and glorifying Him, using His most perfect Names and Attributes (al-Asmaa’ al-Husnaa’)
* Follow it up with salutations to the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam).
* Repent and beg of Allah’s forgiveness for past sins.
* Finally make your du’aa, being persistent in asking of Him what you wish, calling upon Him in a state of fear and hope, performing tawassul (as defined and outlined within the Shari’ah).
Examples of Tawassul:
* Through Allah’s Names and Attributes - calling upon Him with them, knowing and understanding their meanings.
* Mentioning one’s state - e.g. I am ill; I am old; I am in despair; I am poor; I am heartbroken, etc.
* Through good deeds - remember the Hadith of the three men in the cave, who made du’aa and mentioned their deeds (preferring parents over rest of family; fearing Allah and abstaining from zina; giving the labourer his invested wages)?
Note: Please read the book for further details!
Some of the Times of Response:
* After performing wudhu’.
).
* When the adhaan is called; between the adhaan and iqaamah
* During the salaah: After takbiratul-Ihraam; during the ruku’; after standing up from ruku’; during the sujuud (the moments when we are closer to Allah than we’ll ever be!); sitting between the two sajdahs, before the end of the salaah - i.e. after you’ve finished the tashahhud and before the tasleem.
* After the salaah.
* When the rain falls (this is perfect for those of us living in very rainy countries!
Other Points of Interest:
“One of the strongest factors that aids a person’s du’aa in being accepted is that he expects, in fact, being certain, that Allah will of a surety respond to his du’aa. When he expects the best from Allah, then Allah treats him in the way that he expects, and this is from the Perfection of Allah’s Nature, and an indication of His Beautiful Names.”
“Just ponder over the meanings of this one Hadith in order to get a glimpse of the vast treasures of the One whom you ask, for the Prophet (SAW) said that Allah Said:
O My servants! If the first of, and the last of you; if the jinno f you and the men of you, were to stand on one plain and ask Me, and I gave every single person what he wanted, then all of that would not decrease from My Kingdom, except like a needle (decreases the amount of water) when it is placed in the ocean (and then taken out).”
* Do good deeds! The more you obey Allah, fulfilling the obligatory commandments and striving to do voluntary acts of worship, the higher your chance of getting your du’aa accepted!
* A delay in the response of your du’aa can actually be a means of drawing closer to Allah, if you take the correct understanding and act upon it; i.e. you don’t give up in frustration saying, “Oh, my du’aa will never be answered!” - rather you realize that Allah withholds what it is you’re asking for out of His Divine Knowledge, Wisdom, and Justice - it may be that a thing you like is bad for you, and a thing that you hate is good for you.
http://muslimmatters.org/2007/05/09/dua-the-weapon-of-the-believer/#more-264
These are the lectures for the book
(excellent lectures taken from http://www.audioislam.com/index.php?post_category)
Dua the Weapon of the Believer - Part 01 Yasir Qadhi English Download
Dua the Weapon of the Believer - Part 02 Yasir Qadhi English Download
Dua the Weapon of the Believer - Part 03 Yasir Qadhi English Download
Dua the Weapon of the Believer - Part 04 Yasir Qadhi English Download
Dua the Weapon of the Believer - Part 05 Yasir Qadhi English Download
Dua the Weapon of the Believer - Part 06 Yasir Qadhi English Download
Dua the Weapon of the Believer - Part 07 Yasir Qadhi English Download
Dua the Weapon of the Believer - Part 08 Yasir Qadhi English Download
Dua the Weapon of the Believer - Part 09 Yasir Qadhi English Download
April 4th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Us salaam alaikum Sister Samina!
Mashallah! This is really useful information, May Allah reward you for taking the time out to post this comment. Inshallah many will benefit from it!
P.S. I have been wanting to read Sh. Yasir Qadhi’s Du’a Weapon of the Believer for the longest time, inshallah I may get started with it during our next Al Huda break
April 7th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Masha’Allah Farah! That’s great news to hear about your dad quitting. May Allah make it easy for him to continue to stay away from smoking *and* come closer to Him, ameen!
April 8th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
masha’Allah, that’s great news. may Allah make your family the best of Muslims, ameen.
as a side note, I’ve taken on the habit of making dua’ for things that seem unrealistic to me but that i really want, and alhmadulillah I’ve seen the beginnings of them being answered. remember Allah has the Power to do anything and you can’t lose anything by asking! =)