Dua is the weapon of a believer. It will protect you from the evils of enemies. Du'a is the shield of a believer. It will increase your sustenance. Du'a is more forceful than a sword. Du'a replaces what has been destined and also creates that what has not been destined. Du'a is a form of ibaadat. Du'a removes both the present suffering and that which will come down later. Du'a and sufferings challenge each other until the Day of Judgment, and Du'a comes out victorious. Dua is so powerful that only Dua and nothing other than Du'a itself has the power to create and alter fate!
If God’s servant keeps his mouth shut and does not ask anything from Him, nothing will be given to him. Therefore ask God for what you need so that He will give it to you. Whoever knocks on a door persistently will be allowed in. If you keep on knocking the door of Divine Mercy, sooner or later it will be opened for you.
Never get tired of Du'a, for Allah Ta'ala has attached much value to it. Allah Ta'ala says "Let My servants know that I have the power to grant My servants’ wishes."
If God grants someone a chance of making Du'a, He will not deprive him of answer. A believer’s Du'a will increase his good deeds and rewards him in the Hereafter as his other good deeds are rewarded.
A believer who makes Du'a receives one of three things:
1. Either he will quickly have his Dua answered,
2. or he will get in the Hereafter,
3. or something bad will be prevented from him equal to the value of his Du'a.
Everything has a proper discipline to it, and so does Du'a. Du'as are not answered when requirements of Du'a have not been fulfilled. Whoever obeys Allah’s order and offers his Du'a properly, they will be answered. Praise Allah Almighty. Remember Him and thank Him for His blessings. Send greetings to the Holy Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wa salam). Pray your Salat regularly. Recite Qur’an regurarly. Seek Tauba. Attain Taqwa. That is the right way for Du'a. Du'a which is not made properly does not even ascend towards Allah.
It may be that you dislike a thing while it is good for you, and it may be that you love a thing while it is evil for you. At such times, refer to He who knows the best, and that is Allah. Allah knows, while we do not know. So we must make Du'a to Allah, then be patient, have faith in His unquestionable decision and trust His absolute wisdom. Never have this impression that Allah Almighty has opened the door of making Dua but has closed the door of answering it. Sometimes Allah delays answering the Du'a to give a greater reward and a further blessing. What a catastrophe it would be if Allah answered every prayer at the snap of your fingers. Do you know what would happen? Allah would become your servant, not your Master. Suddenly Allah would be working for you, instead of you working for Allah. Remember, Allah's delay is not Allah's denial. Allah's timing is perfect. Patience and trust is needed.
If I were to summarize the whole concept of Du'a into one single statement, it would be this:
Du'a is a form of Ibaadat, such a powerful Ibaadat that it can create and alter Qismat, and that Allah is generous and if His servant raises his hands towards Him, He feels reluctant not to accept it.