Du’a or Dua (as it is commonly written) a prayer of asking or request in Islam. It is an Arabic word meaning ‘to call out’ or to summon. It is regarded as the second greatest acts of worship in Islam.
The Qur’an quotes Allah’s commands related to Dua:
“Call on Me; I will answer you!”
Prophet Muhammad spoke of it as the most noble act of a Muslim. He called it the ‘best form of worship’.
Kinds of Dua:
There are essentially two types of supplication or Dua – a Du’a al-mas’alah (Dua of Asking) and a Du’a al-ibadah (Dua of Worship).
A dua is called Du’a al-mas’alah (Dua of Asking) when the supplicant asks Allah for something. It may be a need or a request to remove some danger.
One best example is: Rabbi la tadharni fardaw wa-anta Khairul Waritheen
O my Lord! Leave me not without offspring, though thou art the best of inheritors
A dua is called Du’a al-ibadah (Dua of Worship) when the supplicant worships Allah in his prayer. Usually even some Duas of asking are also considered Duas of Worship because even Dua of Asking engages in worship of the Almighty. But dua of worship is best described when the prayer offered does not include any request for a fulfillment of need.
Example: Bismillahi, al-ladhi, La illaha illa huwa
In the Name of Allah. There is no God but He.
In general, the term Subhan’Allah can mean ‘Glorious is Allah’ or ‘Exalted is Allah’. But the meaning of the word goes deeper and is insightful than that.
Mohammed bin AbeeBakr Abdulqader al-Razee, in his classic book “Mukhtar al-Sihah” explains the meaning of the word like this -
The meaning of subhanallah is making Allah pure, and it is bound to its original word (sabh, meaning void) as if he said, I verily absolve Allah from all evil.
Like he said, the origin for the word is sabh, voidness, or tasbeeh, making something void.
This would render the term Subhan’allah to mean Allah is void. However the word means more than that. Subhan’allah means ‘Allah is void of all evil’, where ‘of all evil’ is left unsaid but always understood by devout Muslims.
And this is the way Subhan’alla is used in the Quran. For example it says; “Subhanallah amma yasiffon – Void is Allah from that (evil) which they ascribe (to Him)”.
Some devout muslims also tend to look at the root word ’sabh’ to mean ‘immersed in’. Hence Subhan’allah could also mean immersed in the almighty, being a part of Him.
The word is most commonly used by Muslims during their salat (prayer) and during khutba (sermons).
Chant or typing Subhan’allah has immense benefits. But one must type while simultaneously meditating upon the word and its deep meaning. Such a recital or typing will bring purity of thought, one-pointed concentration as well as increases ones understanding of Him. It also cleanses one’s soul and removes evil from the heart.
Choose a chant that is comfortable for you.
Make sure you understand what the chant means.
If the chant is the name of a God, contemplate on the form of the God while you type.
Type a minumum number of times (say 20 times) per sitting.
Medidate over the meaning of the chant every time you type.
Typing chants just before you begin your work, study or other important tasks can be beneficial.
Be steady and consistent in your daily sittings. Hurrying can demotivate you over a period of time.
Observe silence during your chants. Or you can repeat the chant orally while typing.
Spread the good word. Share chants with family and friends.
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