---
title: "What Is Dua? Personal Prayer in Islam | Islam Is Mercy"
description: "Dua is personal prayer — speaking to God in your own words, in any language, at any time, asking for help, guidance or forgiveness."
lang: en
url: https://islamismercy.com/en/glossary/dua/
---

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3.  What Is Dua? Personal Prayer in Islam

# What Is Dua? Personal Prayer in Islam

Written by **Islam Is Mercy Editorial Team**· 1 min readAwaiting scholar review

## The short answer

Dua means calling upon God: personal, heartfelt prayer in your own words. Unlike the set daily prayer (salah), dua can be made at any time, in any language and about anything, and Muslims believe God hears every sincere call.

## On this page

1.  Meaning
2.  How Muslims use it
3.  Example

**Dua** (Arabic: دعاء) is pronounced *du-AA*. It literally means “calling” or “invoking”.

## Meaning

*Dua* is the personal prayer of a believer: asking God for help, guidance, health, forgiveness, or simply pouring out what is in your heart. It is different from *salah*, the set daily prayer with fixed movements and words. *Salah* has a set form and times; *dua* can be made anywhere, at any moment, and in any language.

In Islam there is no priest or saint standing between a person and God. Anyone can speak to Him directly, and the Qur’an promises that He is close:

> وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِى عَنِّى فَإِنِّى قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لِى وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِى لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ ﴿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.

[Qur'an, Al-Baqara 2:186](https://quran.com/2?startingVerse=186&translations=20)Saheeh International

Muslims understand that God answers every sincere dua in the way He knows is best — by granting it, by giving something better, or by turning away a harm.

## How Muslims use it

Many Muslims raise their open palms when making *dua*. They often begin by praising God and sending blessings on the Prophet ﷺ, then ask for what they need. There are beautiful prayers taught in the Qur’an and by the Prophet ﷺ that Muslims memorise, but simple words in your own language are just as welcome. Muslims also pray for others — family, friends, the sick and the whole of humanity.

## Example

*“Please make dua for my mother — she’s in hospital.”*

To learn about the set daily prayer, read [How to Pray](https://islamismercy.com/en/become-muslim/how-to-pray/), and for the God Muslims call upon, see [Who Is Allah?](https://islamismercy.com/en/start/who-is-allah/)

## Key takeaways

-   Dua is personal prayer — talking to God directly, in your own words.
-   It can be made at any time, in any language, with no intermediary.
-   Muslims believe God is near and answers those who call on Him.

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## Sources

-   [Qur'an, Al-Baqara 2:186](https://quran.com/2?startingVerse=186&translations=20)

## Talk to a Muslim

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## Keep reading

[Glossary

### Salah — The Muslim Prayer

Salah is the ritual prayer Muslims perform five times a day, facing Makkah. It is the second of the Five Pillars of Islam.

Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/glossary/salah/)[Start Here

### Who Is Allah?

Allah is the Arabic word for the one God, Creator of everything. Learn how the Qur'an describes Him, His beautiful names, and why Arab Christians say Allah too.

Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/start/who-is-allah/)[Becoming Muslim

### How to Pray: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

A simple, step-by-step guide to the Muslim prayer (salah) for beginners — from ablution to the final greeting — sticking to what Muslims agree on.

Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/become-muslim/how-to-pray/)