Questions and Answers

Du’aa’ for guidance of someone close

 

Q: What would be a good du'a or ayah to recite if you want Allah to open the heart of someone very close to you to Islam?

 

A: The best thing to do in this situation is to pray for guidance for that person. This is what the Prophet (SWS) did:

 

Abu Hurayrah reported that Tufayl ibn ‘Amr al-Dawsi and his companions came to the Prophet  (SWS) and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, Daws have rebelled and disobeyed, so pray to Allaah against them.” People said, “Now Daws are doomed!” He said, “O Allaah, guide Daws and bring them here.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 2937).

 

Abu Hurayrah said: “I was calling my mother to Islam, when she was still a mushrik(disbeliever). One day I called her to Islam and she said something about the Messenger of Allaah  (SWS) that upset me. I came to the Messenger of Allaah (SWS), weeping, and said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah, I was calling my mother to Islam and she refused. Today I called her and she said something about you that upset me. Pray to Allaah to guide the mother of Abu Hurayrah.’ So the Messenger of Allaah  (SWS) said: ‘O Allaah, guide the mother of Abu Hurayrah.’ I left, feeling hopeful because of the Prophet’s prayer. When I got home, as I came near to the door I saw it was ajar. My mother heard my footsteps and said, ‘Stay where you are, Abu Hurayrah!’ I could hear the sound of water. She washed herself, got dressed and put on her khimaar (head covering). Then she opened the door and said, ‘O Abu Hurayrah, I bear witness that there is no god except Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.’ I went back to the Messenger of Allaah  (SWS), weeping with joy, and said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, good news! Allaah has answered your prayer and has guided the mother of Abu Hurayrah.’ He praised and thanked Allaah, and said, ‘That is good.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, pray to Allaah to make my mother and me dear to His believing slaves, and to make them dear to us.’ The Messenger of Allaah  (SWS) said, ‘O Allaah, make this slave of Yours (meaning Abu Hurayrah) and his mother dear to Your believing slaves, and make the believers dear to them.’ There is no believer who hears of me or sees me, but he loves me.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 4546).

 

Jaabir said: “They said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, we have suffered much from the arrows of Thaqeef (this was when they were fighting, before they became Muslim), so pray to Allaah against them.’ He said, ‘O Allaah, guide Thaqeef.’” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi no. 3877).

 

These stories show that all you can do to guide a person is to invite him to Islam in the most humble and kind manners and then to make douaa (supplication) that Allah guides him to the right path, because it is Allah only who has the keys to all the hearts.