How Do I Stop Getting Distracted by How Imperfect My Duas Are?
Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad
Question
I know we should concentrate on our duas while making them. But what if our mind gets diverted while making dua (especially to thoughts about how my dua is imperfect)? Sometimes I remain mentally stuck on my previous dua while reciting the current one; then, I get anxious about it because I didn’t concentrate on it.
Answer
Thank you for your question. May Allah reward you for worrying about the quality of your worship.
Ignore
You should not give it a second thought. Your duas are coming through your lips and from your heart; that is all that matters. Any doubts you feel are from the Devil, you should ignore them at all costs. The Shaytan wants you to get anxious about how you supplicate so that you stop making dua altogether. Don’t fall for his age-old tricks; keep up what you are doing. Before you start supplicating, say, “A’udhu biLlahi min ash-Shaytanir-rajeem”.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Supplication itself is worship.” Then he recited: “And Your Lord said: ‘Call upon me, I will respond to you. Verily, those who scorn My worship, they will surely enter Hell humiliated.’” [Tirimidhi]
Please see the many answers in these readers as well:
May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin and completed her Master’s in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.
