Duʿāʾ or supplication is an important type of worship since it plays a crucial role in Muslims’ lives, especially Muslim children, which this article aims to highlight, In Shāʾ Allāh. The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) emphasised this importance saying: “Duʿāʾ is worship.”^[1]

Islam encouraged parents to supplicate for their offspring, for Allāh said about His obedient slaves:

وَالَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا

“(They are) those who say: ‘Our Lord! Bless us with spouses and offspring who will be the joy of our hearts, and make us role models for righteous people.’”
[Al-Furqān, 25:74]

Ibn Kathīr (d. 774 AH) (رحمه الله) commented: “Those who ask Allāh to bring forth from their loins offspring who obey Him and worship Him alone.”^[2]

Therefore, Allāh encouraged parents in this verse to supplicate to have righteous children who will be leaders for other righteous people, consequently bringing joy to their parents’ hearts.

Allāh also said:

حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَبَلَغَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً قَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي فِي ذُرِّيَّتِي ۖ إِنِّي تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَإِنِّي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

In time, when the child reaches his prime at the age of forty, he prays: “My Lord! Inspire me to (always) be thankful for Your favours with which You blessed my parents and me, to do good pleasing deeds to You, and to instil righteousness in my offspring. I truly repent to You, and I truly submit (to Your Will).”
[Al-Aḥqāf, 46:15]

The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) added: “The supplication of the oppressed, the traveller, and a father for his child are three supplications that will be answered.”^[3]

Al-Manāwī (d. 1031 AH) (رحمه الله) explains:

The father truly has compassion for his offspring and prioritises them over himself. Therefore, when the father’s compassion was sincere, his supplication was answered.
The mother was not mentioned, although the importance of her rights indicates that her supplication is closer to being answered than the father’s supplication, because it is known that the answering of her supplication takes precedence over the answering of his supplication.^[4]

Therefore, parents must supplicate for their children’s guidance, their safety and their protection, their health, their general well-being, and their forgiveness, as parents should supplicate for their children to be knowledgeable, wealthy, and righteous.

In fact, children are allowed to ask their parents to supplicate for them. Yūsuf’s siblings said to their father, Yaʿqūb, as Allāh relayed:

قَالُوا يَا أَبَانَا اسْتَغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا خَاطِئِينَ ‎﴿٩٧﴾‏ قَالَ سَوْفَ أَسْتَغْفِرُ لَكُمْ رَبِّي ۖ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ ‎﴿٩٨﴾

“They said: ‘O our father! Pray for the forgiveness of our sins. We have certainly been sinful.’ He said: ‘I will pray to my Lord for your forgiveness. He (alone) is the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’”
[Yūsuf, 12:97-98]

Islam simultaneously discouraged parents from supplicating against their offspring, for Allāh said:

وَلَوْ يُعَجِّلُ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ الشَّرَّ اسْتِعْجَالَهُم بِالْخَيْرِ لَقُضِيَ إِلَيْهِمْ أَجَلُهُمْ

“If Allāh were to hasten evil befalling people, as they wish to hasten acquiring goodness, they would have certainly been doomed.”
[Yūnus, 10:11]

Ibn Kathīr (d. 774 AH) (رحمه الله) commented:

Allāh, Almighty, tells us about His discretion and His kindness to His servants. He does not answer them if they pray against themselves, their wealth, or their children when they are bored or angry. He knows that they do not intend that, so He does not answer them in this case out of kindness and mercy. However, He answers them, out of kindness and mercy, once they pray for goodness and blessings for themselves or their children. Mujāhid (d. 104 AH) (رحمه الله) said about this verse: “It is a person’s statement about his own money or about his child when he is angry: ‘O Allāh, do not bless them; (rather,) curse them’, (or ‘O Allāh, do not bless it; rather, curse it.)’ If Allāh responded to people quickly in this matter, as He responds to their good requests, He would have destroyed them.”^[5]

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) added: “Do not supplicate against yourselves, your children, your servants, or your property, lest you happen to do it at a time when Allāh is asked for something and grants your request.”^[6]

Consequently, Al-Fuḍayl ibn ʿĪyyāḍ (رحمه الله) refrained from supplicating against his disobedient son; rather, the Imām supplicated for his son saying: “O Allāh, You know that I tried to discipline my son; however, I was unsuccessful, so discipline him for me.”^[7]

Actually, supplicating against children may only worsen their condition. It was reported that a man visited ʿAbdullāh ibn Al-Mubarak (رحمه الله), complaining about his son’s poor behaviour, so Ibn Al-Mubarak (رحمه الله) asked: “Did you supplicate against him?” He responded: “Yes.” Ibn Al-Mubarak (رحمه الله) said: “You ruined him!”^[8]

Muslims are also encouraged to supplicate for other people’s offspring which tragically has probably now become an abandoned Prophetic practice. Abū Mūsá Al-Ashʿarī (رضي الله عنه) relayed: “When my son was born, I took him to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) named him Ibrāhīm, chewed some dates, placed the chewed dates in my son’s mouth, asked Allāh to bless my son, and then returned my son to me.”^[9]

Anas ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه) narrated: “Umm Sulaym (رضي الله عنها) had a son, so Abū Ṭalḥah (رضي الله عنه) took him to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) chewed some dates, placed the chewed dates in the baby’s mouth, supplicated for the baby, and named the baby ʿAbdullāh.”^[10]

ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها) reported: “Babies were brought to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) so he could supplicate for them.”^[11]

ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها) added: “Babies were brought to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) so he could do taḥnīk^[12] and ask Allāh to bless them.”^[13]

Not only do these Aḥādīth establish that supplicating for other people’s babies is a Sunnah, but they also prove that asking pious individuals to supplicate for them is allowed. Therefore, if a Muslim is handed a baby or is in the presence of one, he should ask Allāh to bless the baby, to grant the baby good health, to continuously provide for the baby, to continuously protect the baby, and to keep the baby steadfast throughout his entire life.

Ibn Baṭṭāl (d. 449 AH) (رحمه الله) stated: “These Aḥādīth prove that asking pious individuals to supplicate for your children, hoping that their supplications will be answered, is allowed.”^[14]

Many Ṣūfīs, seeking to gain blessings from their ṣufī masters whom they perceive to be pious and god fearing, take their babies to them so that they can do taḥnīk feeding the children food which they themselves chewed. This practice is wrong since these individuals are not blessed like the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Also, the Companions only took their children to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) to do this, even though other more pious Companions who were also capable of doing this lived amongst them which proves that seeking this type of blessing should only be sought from the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم).

Shaykh ʿAbd al-Muḥsin Al-ʿAbbād (حفظه الله) elaborates:

A baby should not be taken to a righteous person to do taḥnīk hoping for his blessings. This practice is unknown. It was established that the Companions would touch the Messenger’s hair, sweat, saliva, clothes, and anything else his body touched seeking blessing because (those objects) were blessed; however, this is specific to him. Therefore, doing this with anyone else is impermissible. The Companions never did this to Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, ʿUthmān, nor ʿAlī (رضي الله عنهم)—who were the best Companions—which proves visiting anyone else besides them for this purpose is even more wrong.^[15]

Supplicating for other people’s offspring also include supplicating for their young children which is also an established Sunnah, for the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) would place Ḥasan and Ḥusayn (رضي الله عنهما) on his lap then say: “O Allāh, I love them, so please love them.”^[16] On other occasions, Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) would place Ḥasan and Usāmah ibn Zayd (رضي الله عنهما) on his lap then make the same supplication^[17].

Other very young Companions recalled similar occurrences. ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنه) narrated: “‘The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) embraced me saying: ‘Teach him wisdom [i.e. the understanding of the Qurʾān].’”^[18]

Anas ibn Mālik (رضي الله عنه) reported: “Umm Sulaym (رضي الله عنها) said to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم): ‘Anas is your servant.’ The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) responded: ‘O Allāh, increase his wealth and his offspring, and bless whatever you have given him.’”^[19]

In fact, the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) would frequently pass his hand over the heads of the young boys while supplicating for them, establishing his compassion and his love for children. ʿAbdullāh ibn Hishām (رضي الله عنه) relayed: “My mother, Zainab bint Ḥumaid (رضي الله عنها), took me to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) saying: ‘O Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم)! Take the pledge of allegiance from him.’ The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: ‘He is still too young for the pledge’ then passed his hand on my head asking Allāh to bless me.”^[20]

Al-Sāʾib ibn Yazīd (رضي الله عنه) narrated: “My aunt took me to Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) saying: ‘O Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم)! My nephew is ill.’ The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) touched my head with his hand and asked Allāh to bless me.”^[21]

Consequently, Imām Al-Bukhārī dedicated a chapter in his book about the practice of supplicating and passing the hand over a child’s head titled: “Supplicating for Children and Wiping Their Heads.” Therefore, implementing this practice can aid a Muslim to become more compassionate. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) also established this fact verbally saying: “Be merciful to the child, wipe his head, and feed him from your food so your heart will be softened and you will fulfil your needs.”^[22]

Supplication plays a pivotal role in children’s lives as it can aid in their prosperity. As a result, many of the Prophets, including Prophet Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم), and other righteous individuals, supplicated for children, especially their own children. For instance, when Nūh’s son disobeyed Allāh’s command, Nūh (عليه السلام)—hoping for his son’s forgiveness from Allāh—said:

رَبِّ إِنَّ ابْنِي مِنْ أَهْلِي وَإِنَّ وَعْدَكَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنتَ أَحْكَمُ الْحَاكِمِينَ

“My Lord! My son (also) belongs to my family. However, Your promise is true, and You are the most just of all judges!”
[Hūd, 11:45]

Ibrāhīm (عليه السلام) said:

رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ

“My Lord, bless me with righteous offspring.”
[Al-Ṣāfāt, 37:100]

He also said:

رَبَّنَا وَابْعَثْ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِكَ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

“Our Lord, raise a messenger from among them who will recite Your revelations to them, teach them the Book and wisdom, and purify them. Indeed, You (alone) are the Almighty, All-Wise.”
[Al-Baqarah, 2:129]

Consequently, Allāh’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) mentioned: “My (prophethood resulted from) the supplication of my father Ibrāhīm.”^[23]

Ibrāhīm (عليه السلام) also said:

وَاجْنُبْنِي وَبَنِيَّ أَن نَّعْبُدَ الْأَصْنَامَ

“Prevent (us) [I.e. my children and me] from worshiping idols.”
[Ibrāhīm, 14:35]

Zakariyyá (عليه السلام) said:

رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِن لَّدُنكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِ

“My Lord, grant me righteous offspring. You certainly hear (all) supplications.”
[Āl ʿImrān, 3:38]

Zakariyyá (عليه السلام) further supplicated saying:

فَهَبْ لِي مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّا ‎﴿٥﴾‏ يَرِثُنِي وَيَرِثُ مِنْ آلِ يَعْقُوبَ ۖ وَاجْعَلْهُ رَبِّ رَضِيًّا ﴿٦﴾‏

“Grant me an heir who will inherit (prophethood) from Yaʿqūb’s family and from me, and make him, O Lord, pleasing to You.”
[Maryam, 19:5-6]

ʿImrān’s wife said, as Allāh relayed:

فَلَمَّا وَضَعَتْهَا قَالَتْ رَبِّ إِنِّي وَضَعْتُهَا أُنثَىٰ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا وَضَعَتْ وَلَيْسَ الذَّكَرُ كَالْأُنثَىٰ ۖ وَإِنِّي سَمَّيْتُهَا مَرْيَمَ وَإِنِّي أُعِيذُهَا بِكَ وَذُرِّيَّتَهَا مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ

When she delivered, she said: “My Lord! I gave birth to a girl, and Allāh fully knew what she delivered, and the male is unlike the female. I named her Maryam, and I ask You to protect her and her offspring from Shayṭān, the accursed.”
[Āl ʿImrān, 3:36]

Therefore, supplication plays a crucial role in the lives of Muslims, especially Muslim children. Consequently, Ibn Al-Qayyim (d. 751 AH) (رحمه الله) mentioned: “If tawfīq is the source of all goodness, and it is in Allāh’s hand, not in the hand of the servant, then its key is supplication, needing Allāh, sincerely resorting to Him, desiring Him, and fearing Him.”^[24]

Therefore, supplicating for young Muslims is crucial since it aids in their prosperity. As a result, it is an established Islamic tradition and a practice of the Prophets. Therefore, Muslims should hasten to adopt it.