What are the best times to make dua?

The short answer

Allah hears dua at every moment, but the Sunnah names special times: the last third of the night, while in sujud (prostration), between the adhan and iqamah, a special hour on Friday, and the dua of a father, a traveller and someone who has been wronged.

Evidence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Explanation

The last third of the night. "Our Lord... comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: 'Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation?'" 1. Waking a little before Fajr, even for a few minutes, puts you in that moment.

In sujud. "The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself, so make supplication (in this state)" 2. You can make personal dua in the prostrations of voluntary prayers, or after the fixed words of the obligatory ones.

Between the adhan and the iqamah. "The supplication made between the adhan and the iqamah is not rejected" 3. Instead of waiting on your phone, use those minutes.

An hour on Friday. The Prophet ﷺ said there is an hour on Friday in which a Muslim who is praying and asks Allah for something will be given it, and he gestured to show how short it is 4.

Special people. Three supplications are answered "there being no doubt about them": that of a father, a traveller and one who has been wronged 5. The Prophet ﷺ warned, "be afraid of the curse of an oppressed person because there is no screen between his invocation and Allah" 6, which is also a reminder never to wrong anyone.

Ramadan. The verse "I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant" comes right in the middle of the verses about fasting 7, which is why scholars encourage much dua during Ramadan days and nights.

These times are opportunities, not limits. The door is open whenever you call.

The evidence

  1. 1
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 1145
    Sahih Bukhari

    In the last third of the night Allah asks who will call on Him so that He may answer.

    Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: "Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، وَأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الأَغَرِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ يَنْزِلُ رَبُّنَا تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا حِينَ يَبْقَى ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ الآخِرُ يَقُولُ مَنْ يَدْعُونِي فَأَسْتَجِيبَ لَهُ مَنْ يَسْأَلُنِي فَأُعْطِيَهُ مَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُنِي فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ ‏"‏‏.‏

  2. 2
    Hadith Sahih Muslim 482
    Sahih Muslim

    The servant is nearest to his Lord in prostration, so make much dua there.

    Abu Huraira reported:The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself, so make supplication (in this state)

    العربية

    وَحَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ مَعْرُوفٍ، وَعَمْرُو بْنُ سَوَّادٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْحَارِثِ، عَنْ عُمَارَةَ بْنِ غَزِيَّةَ، عَنْ سُمَىٍّ، مَوْلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا صَالِحٍ، ذَكْوَانَ يُحَدِّثُ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الْعَبْدُ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَهُوَ سَاجِدٌ فَأَكْثِرُوا الدُّعَاءَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  3. 3
    Hadith Sunan Abi Dawud 521
    Sahih graded by Al-Albani

    Dua between the adhan and the iqamah is not rejected.

    Narrated Anas ibn Malik: The supplication made between the adhan and the iqamah is not rejected

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ زَيْدٍ الْعَمِّيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي إِيَاسٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ لاَ يُرَدُّ الدُّعَاءُ بَيْنَ الأَذَانِ وَالإِقَامَةِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  4. 4
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 935
    Sahih Bukhari

    There is a short hour on Friday in which a praying Muslim's request is granted.

    Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) talked about Friday and said, "There is an hour (opportune time) on Friday and if a Muslim gets it while praying and asks something from Allah, then Allah will definitely meet his demand." And he (the Prophet) pointed out the shortness of that time with his hands

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَكَرَ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ فِيهِ سَاعَةٌ لاَ يُوَافِقُهَا عَبْدٌ مُسْلِمٌ، وَهْوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي، يَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى شَيْئًا إِلاَّ أَعْطَاهُ إِيَّاهُ ‏"‏‏.‏ وَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ يُقَلِّلُهَا‏.‏

  5. 5
    Hadith Sunan Abi Dawud 1536
    Hasan graded by Al-Albani

    The dua of a father, a traveller and one who is wronged are answered.

    Narrated AbuHurayrah: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Three supplications are answered, there being no doubt about them; that of a father, that of a traveller and that of one who has been wronged

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا مُسْلِمُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ الدَّسْتَوَائِيُّ، عَنْ يَحْيَى، عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ ثَلاَثُ دَعَوَاتٍ مُسْتَجَابَاتٌ لاَ شَكَّ فِيهِنَّ دَعْوَةُ الْوَالِدِ وَدَعْوَةُ الْمُسَافِرِ وَدَعْوَةُ الْمَظْلُومِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  6. 6
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 1496
    Sahih Bukhari

    There is no screen between the invocation of the oppressed and Allah.

    Narrated Abu Ma`bad:(the slave of Ibn `Abbas) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to Mu`adh when he sent him to Yemen, "You will go to the people of the Scripture. So, when you reach there, invite them to testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and that Muhammad is His Apostle. And if they obey you in that, tell them that Allah has enjoined on them five prayers in each day and night. And if they obey you in that tell them that Allah has made it obligatory on them to pay the Zakat which will be taken from the rich among them and given to the poor among them. If they obey you in that, then avoid taking the best of their possessions, and be afraid of the curse of an oppressed person because there is no screen between his invocation and Allah

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا زَكَرِيَّاءُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ صَيْفِيٍّ، عَنْ أَبِي مَعْبَدٍ، مَوْلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِمُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ حِينَ بَعَثَهُ إِلَى الْيَمَنِ ‏ "‏ إِنَّكَ سَتَأْتِي قَوْمًا أَهْلَ كِتَابٍ، فَإِذَا جِئْتَهُمْ فَادْعُهُمْ إِلَى أَنْ يَشْهَدُوا أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، فَإِنْ هُمْ أَطَاعُوا لَكَ بِذَلِكَ، فَأَخْبِرْهُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ فَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ خَمْسَ صَلَوَاتٍ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ، فَإِنْ هُمْ أَطَاعُوا لَكَ بِذَلِكَ فَأَخْبِرْهُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ فَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُؤْخَذُ مِنْ أَغْنِيَائِهِمْ فَتُرَدُّ عَلَى فُقَرَائِهِمْ، فَإِنْ هُمْ أَطَاعُوا لَكَ بِذَلِكَ فَإِيَّاكَ وَكَرَائِمَ أَمْوَالِهِمْ، وَاتَّقِ دَعْوَةَ الْمَظْلُومِ، فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ اللَّهِ حِجَابٌ ‏"‏‏.‏

  7. 7
    Quran Al-Baqara · 2:186

    Allah is near and answers the caller - a verse set among the verses of fasting.

    وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌۖ أُجِيبُ دَعۡوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِۖ فَلۡيَسۡتَجِيبُواْ لِي وَلۡيُؤۡمِنُواْ بِي لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡشُدُونَ ۝١٨٦

    And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided

This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24

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