A Muslim child can help someone from their own bedroom. The Prophet ﷺ said the dua a Muslim makes for his brother in his absence is answered, and that an angel stands by saying 'and the same for you'. He told us the dua of a parent, a traveller and a wronged person is answered, and described the believers as one body — when one part hurts, the rest feel it. This module teaches children to hold names in their dua: parents, teachers, friends who are ill, Muslims far away, and people who were unkind to them.
Lesson 1 · The best kind · ages 8-11
Dua behind their back
The Prophet ﷺ said the dua a Muslim makes for his brother when he is not there is answered.
1The hadith
The Prophet ﷺ said the supplication of a Muslim for his brother in his absence will be answered.
2Nobody has to know
This dua works best when the person never hears about it — pure sincerity, no showing off.
3Use names
Say the person's actual name in your dua. It makes the dua real, not a habit.
4Even for people who upset you
Making dua for someone who was unkind is a strong way to cool your own heart.
5Believers ask for each other
Allah teaches us to ask forgiveness for ourselves and for the believing men and women.
Fa'lam annahoo laaa ilaaha illal laahu wastaghfir lizambika wa lilmu'mineena walmu'minaat; wallaahu ya'lamu mutaqallabakum wa maswaakum
“So know, [O Muhammad], that there is no deity except Allah and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women. And Allah knows of your movement and your resting place.”
Wallazeena jaaa'oo min ba'dihim yaqooloona Rabbanagh fir lanaa wa li ikhwaani nal lazeena sabqoonaa bil eemaani wa laa taj'al fee quloobinaa ghillalil lazeena aamanoo rabbannaaa innaka Ra'oofur Raheem
“And [there is a share for] those who came after them, saying, "Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts [any] resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful."”
“The supplication of a Muslim for his brother in his absence will certainly be answered.”
Sunan Abi Dawud 1534
Do this before next time
Make dua tonight for one friend by name, and do not tell them.
Lesson 2 · The angel's reply · ages 5-7
And the same for you
When you make dua for someone else, an angel says: and the same for you.
1The hadith
Abu Darda reported the Prophet ﷺ said that when a Muslim makes dua for his brother in his absence, an angel appointed for it says: 'Ameen, and may you have the like.'
2Dua is not a queue
Praying for others does not take anything away from you — you get it too.
3Start with parents
Ask Allah to have mercy on your parents as they raised you.
4Add one name a day
A teacher, a cousin, a sick classmate, a Muslim country in the news.
5Ameen means it
Saying ameen to someone's dua is a way of joining it.
Rabbanagh fir lee wa liwaalidaiya wa lilmu'mineena Yawma yaqoomul hisaab
“Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers the Day the account is established."”
“There is no believing servant who supplicates for his brother in his absence where the angel does not say: the same be for you.”
Sahih Muslim 2732a
Do this before next time
Make dua for your parents by name after your next salah.
Lesson 3 · Who to be careful with · ages 12-15
Three answered duas
The dua of a parent, a traveller, and someone who has been wronged is answered without doubt.
1The hadith
Abu Hurayra reported the Prophet ﷺ said three supplications are answered with no doubt: the dua of the oppressed, the dua of the traveller, and the dua of a parent for their child.
2Be careful whom you hurt
If you wrong someone, their dua against you is answered. That is a reason to apologise fast.
3Ask travellers to pray
When a relative sets off on a journey, ask them to make dua for you.
4Your parents' dua
Keeping parents happy means their answered dua is working for you, not against you.
5Make dua for the oppressed
Muslims suffering anywhere deserve a place in your dua every day.
Wa izaa sa alaka 'ibaadee 'annnee fa innee qareebun ujeebu da'wataddaa'i izaa da'aani falyastajeeboo lee walyu minoo beela 'allahum yarshudoon
“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.”
Wa qaala Rabbukumud 'ooneee astajib lakum; innal lazeena yastakbiroona an 'ibaadatee sa yadkhuloona jahannama daakhireen
“And your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.”
“Three supplications are answered, there is no doubt about them: the supplication of the oppressed, the supplication of the traveller, and the supplication of the parent for his child.”
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1905
Do this before next time
Apologise properly to anyone you have wronged, then make dua for them.
Lesson 4 · When one part hurts · ages 8-11
We are one body
The believers are like one body: when any part is in pain, the whole body feels it.
1The hadith
Nu'man ibn Bashir reported the Prophet ﷺ said the believers in their mutual kindness, mercy and compassion are like one body — when a limb suffers, the whole body responds with sleeplessness and fever.
2News is a call to dua
When you hear Muslims are suffering, the first response of a child is dua, then help.
3Feel it, don't scroll past
Ihsan means not becoming numb to other people's pain.
4Then do something
Dua plus sadaqah, plus a kind word to someone nearby who is struggling.
5One ummah
Allah calls the believers one community and tells us to hold together.
Wa'tasimoo bi Hablil laahi jamee'anw wa laa tafarraqoo; wazkuroo ni'matal laahi alaikum iz kuntum a'daaa'an fa allafa baina quloobikum fa asbah tum bini'matiheee ikhwaananw wa kuntum 'alaa shafaa hufratim minan Naari fa anqazakum minhaa; kazaalika yubaiyinul laahu lakum aayaatihee la'allakum tahtadoon
“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.”
“The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever.”
Sahih Muslim 2586a
Do this before next time
Choose one group of Muslims in difficulty and make dua for them every day this week.
Lesson 5 · Seven times · ages 12-15
Dua for someone ill
The Prophet ﷺ taught a dua to say seven times beside someone who is ill.
1The hadith
Ibn Abbas reported the Prophet ﷺ said whoever visits a sick person whose time has not come and says this dua seven times, Allah will cure him of that illness.
2The words
'As'alullah al-'Azim, Rabb al-'Arsh il-'Azim, an yashfiyak' — I ask Allah the Great, Lord of the Mighty Throne, to cure you.
3Say it seven times
The hadith specifies seven; children can count on their fingers.
4Visit properly
Sit calmly, keep the visit short, do not tire the person out.
5Allah is the healer
Medicine is a means; the shifa comes from Allah alone.
“O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.”
“If anyone visits a sick person whose time (of death) has not come and says with him seven times: I ask Allah, the Mighty, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, to heal you, Allah will heal him from that disease.”
Sunan Abi Dawud 3106
Do this before next time
Say the shifa dua seven times for someone you know who is unwell.
Every ayah on this page comes from the Tanzil Uthmani text of the Qur'an with the Sahih International translation, and every hadith carries its collection and number so you can check it yourself. Back to the learning path
