Can I make duaa in my Salaah during sujood in my own language?

by Asma bint Shameem

🌿 ANSWER🌿

For sure, we are the closest to Allaah in salah in the position of sajdah, as per the hadeeth of the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam.

💎 He said:

“The closest that a person is to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so say a great deal of duaa’.” (Muslim)

▪So we are encouraged to make lots of duaa in the sajdah.

▪And if we know Arabic, we should definitely make duaa in Arabic, of course.

▪BUT, if we're like the majority of the Ummah, and don't know Arabic, it's allowed to make duaa in ANY language in the salah while prostrating or in any position where duaa is allowed, according to the stronger scholarly opinion.

How can it be that we're not allowed to ask Allaah or beseech Him just because we're not Arab?

It goes against the very Mercy of Allaah Subhaanahu Wa Ta'ala.

Allaah is the Most Merciful and He's the One Who created all languages.

Would He deprive someone of the blessing of making duaa just because they don't know Arabic?

Of course that cannot be!

He knows all languages and He hears all people making duaa to Him.

And He responds to all of them.

After all, isn't He's as-Samee', the All-Hearing, and al-Mujeeb, the One Who responds?

Surely, He wouldn't deprive us!

Ibn Taymiyah said:

“It is permissible to make du’aa’ in Arabic and in languages other than Arabic. Allaah knows the intention of the supplicant and what he wants, no matter what language he speaks, because He hears all the voices in all different languages, asking for all kinds of needs.”

(Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 22/488-489)

▪So go ahead and ask Him in your own language, in all the positions wherever duaa is permitted and in ALL of your Salaah.

🔺 What about the FARDH Salaah❓

It’s allowed to make duaa in any language EVEN in the fardh Salaah if you don’t know Arabic

That’s because there’s NO PROOF in the Sharee’ah that prevents us from making duaa in our own language in the fardh Salaah.

The hadeeth that encourages us to make duaa in the sujood is GENERAL and does NOT specify making duaa only in Sunnah or Nafl.

So we cannot limit something in the Sharee’ah unless there’s proof.

Someone asked Shaikh Assim

al -Hakeem about making duaa in the fardh Salaah In your own language.

He said:

“No problem as long as you don’t know it in Arabic.”

▪Another point to think about is, the duaa that has more chances of being accepted is that which comes from the HEART.

If we don't really understand what we're saying, it's not going to have that intensity, that power, that sincerity....

Those tears won't come if we don't know what we're saying.

▪DO however, try and LEARN the duaas in Arabic that are from the Qur'aan and authentic Sunnah, in the meantime.

▪How to make the duaa?

1. Say the prescribed tasbeeh of sajdah, meaning Subhaana Rabbi al-Aa’laa.

2. Then make your duaa and do so with an attentive heart and full concentration, humbly.

3. Have confidence and good hopes with Allaah that He listened to you.

And Allaah knows best