Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

assalama alaikum

thanks for this wonderful service god bless u.

i just wanted to ask you that i read in this islamic book once that when u do a dua it is grossly disrespectful to cross ur legs. is this tru? i havent read that anywhere else. i do realise that the correct way is to sit with ur legs in the position u sit while reading namaz, but is it really grossly disrespectful to do ur dua like that?

thank you very much

kind regards

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Dua with crossed legs

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

There is nothing in the authentic Sunnah which would suggest that the Messenger of Allah (saws) discouraged the believers to sit cross-legged or forbade them to supplicate their Lord in that position. What is emphasized time and again in the Quran and Sunnah is the condition of one’s heart when supplicating their Merciful Lord: that the believers implore Allah Subhanah in absolute awe, and humility, and fear, and hope.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraf verse 55: Call on your Lord with humility and in private: for Allah loveth not those who trespass beyond bounds.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 186: And if My servants ask you, O Prophet, concerning Me, tell them that I am quite near to them. I hear and answer the prayer of the suppliant, when he calls on Me. So let them respond to My call and believe in Me. (Convey this to them), perhaps they may be guided aright!

Abu Hurairah reported, "The Prophet (saws) said, "Nothing is more dear to Allah than one's supplication to Him.''

Narrated by Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah.

Salman reported that the Prophet (saws), said, "Your Lord, the Blessed and the Exalted One, is Modest and Generous, and He loathes to turn away His servant empty-handed when he raises his hands to Him in supplication."

Narrated by Ahmad and Ibn Hibban.

Abdallah b. 'Umar reported that the Prophet (saws) said, "Hearts are like vessels, some more attentive and capacious than others. When you supplicate Allah you should be certain of being answered, and know that Allah does not answer a supplication that comes from a careless and inattentive heart."

Narrated by Ahmad

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (saws) said, "Your supplication will be answered if you are not impatient, and if you do not say, 'I supplicated but my supplication was not heard'."

Narrated by Malik.

There is absolutely no harm in supplicating Allah Subhanah in whatever position one wills; whether he is standing, sitting, or lying down on his sides. The Messenger of Allah (saws) advised that the absolute best position when a believing slave is closest to his Lord is when one is in the state of prostration; thus one should make as much supplication as possible in that position.

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (saws) said, "The servant is nearest to his Lord when he is prostrating to Him, so make supplication in this state."

Related by Muslim.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) also guided the believers to some of the best times and locations whens one’s supplications are answered: the day of 'Arafah, the month of Ramadan, on Fridays, the last part of the night, at dawn, during prostration, at the time of rainfall, between the adhan and iqamah, at the time of encounter of armies, at times of panic, and when one's heart is soft and tender.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan