Dua, Whispered in Darkness or Cried in Pain Is a Universal Language Across All Religions

 

By Arman Neyazi, New Age Islam

18 December 2025

All the religions (peoples and tribes) have different traditions, ways of prayer. We pray and recite His blessings in different languages and forms according to our religious teachings and cultural ethos, but our purpose is the same. And that is to ask God His forgiveness for our sins and grant us His blessings.

Main Points:

1.    Islam: Dua is not only a request; it is an acknowledgment of our dependence and His unlimited power.

2.    Christianity: In the Bible, prayer is a central act of devotion

3.    Judaism: Prayer in Judaism is called Tefillah, rooted in the heart.

4.    Hinduism: In Hindu tradition, prayer (Prārthanā) includes mantras, devotion (Bhakti), and meditation

5.    Buddhism: Though Buddhism is non-theistic, prayer is deeply rooted in compassion and intention

6.    Sikhism: The Sikh prayer Ardas is a beautiful expression of surrender and remembrance of God’s grace.

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Since the creation of the world, when humanity came into being in the form of Hazrat Adam (as) and Hazrat Hawwa (as), known as Adam and Eve in English, we, the human beings, have supplicated to our creator for ease and comfort in our lives. Hazrat Adam (a.s) supplicated as below:

Dua of Hazrat Adam (a.s)

رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ

ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ

Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.

Thus the first man on earth accepted his fault and asked for His mercy and forgiveness. This established a norm for Adam and Hawwa’s generations not to hesitate and bow to the Creator of the universe for His forgiveness and blessings.

 It, therefore, can be said that because of the supplications, the process of human beings' mental, physical, social, cultural, and economic development started. And today we are where we are.

Dua or supplications are the only way of expressing the wishes that we have in our lives. These are not always expressed in words but also in feelings. When human beings wish from the core of their hearts to have something that is missing from their lives, it is in fact ‘asking from God ‘ to help them achieve their wishes.

No one in the world has the satisfaction of fulfilment. Everybody feels a lack of something or the other. No one is satisfied with what he has. Everybody is striving to achieve more, whether they are the most powerful politician, the richest in the world, a celebrated scientist, or a celebrated scholar. The wish of achieving more makes him bow to supplicate to his Lord.

 Supplication In Some Religions Is Called ‘Prayer’ And In Others Dua

Knowingly or unknowingly, everyone supplicates, that is, prays, raises one's hands to ask their creator’s help. Theists and atheists all bow before the creator in one way or another. All need God's grace and ask for His blessings either in words or in feelings. Ideologues of atheism may be shy of accepting it as it hurts their ideology, but the fact remains that everybody does supplicate, and God listens to them as God does not discriminate between His creation.

Dua: A Universal Call to Divine Across the Religions

Humanity‘s call for help in dire circumstances is not limited to Islam. It is not limited to Islamic tradition.  Every human being in this world is a creation of God. Allah Ta'ala says, He has created us alike and divided us into different religions (peoples and tribes) so we could understand and respect each other. Allah the Most Gracious and the Most Kind Himself says,

O humanity! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may ˹get to˺ know one another (Quran 49-13)

Above mentioned verse clarifies for what purpose we are divided although we are one

All the religions (peoples and tribes) have different traditions, ways of prayer. We pray and recite His blessings in different languages and forms according to our religious teachings and cultural ethos, but our purpose is the same. And that is to ask God His forgiveness for our sins and grant us His blessings.

Following verses, Ahadith and Shlokas of the religious books describe the importance of Dua.

Islam

Quranic Verses on Dua

Allah Ta’ala invites us to call upon Him with love and certainty:

“Call upon Me; I will respond to you.” (Qur’an 40:60)

“And when My servants ask you concerning Me—indeed, I am near. I respond to the call of the caller when he calls upon Me.” (Qur’an 2:186)

“Your Lord has said: Ask of Me, and I shall give you.” (Qur’an 14:34)

Dua is not only a request; it is an acknowledgment of our dependence and His unlimited power.

Prophetic Traditions

Nu'man bin Bashir (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said,

"‏الدعاء هو العبادة‏"‏”

"Du'a (supplication) is worship." [Abu Dawud].

Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) liked comprehensive supplications

(Abu Dawud)

يستحب الجوامع من الدعاء

Christianity

In the Bible, prayer is a central act of devotion:

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find.” (Matthew 7:7)

Christians pray through supplication, confession, and praise. The Lord’s Prayer is a profound example of surrender and trust.

Judaism

Prayer in Judaism is called Tefillah, rooted in the heart. The Psalms are full of emotional pleas:

“The Lord is near to all who call on Him.” (Psalm 145:18)

Jews pray three times daily, emphasizing gratitude, humility, and connection.

Hinduism

In Hindu tradition, prayer (Prārthanā) includes mantras, devotion (Bhakti), and meditation.

A common Hindu sentiment is:

“Where there is faith, there is God.”

Mantras like the Gayatri Mantra are recited for purity, guidance, and divine light.

Buddhism

Though Buddhism is non-theistic, prayer is deeply rooted in compassion and intention.

Buddhists use chants to cultivate peace and loving-kindness:

“May all beings be happy. May all beings be free from suffering.”

Prayer is a spiritual practice that transforms the heart.

Sikhism

The Sikh prayer Ardas is a beautiful expression of surrender and remembrance of God’s grace. It is recited daily by millions and represents unity, humility, and hope.

Some Prophetic Duas that need to be mentioned:

The Dua of Musa (AS):

رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنْزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ

‘My Lord, indeed I am, for whatever good You would send down to me, in need.’ (Surah Al-Qasas, 24)

The Dua of Yunus (AS):

لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِين

There is no god but You, glory be to You, indeed I was among the wrongdoers. (Surah Al-Anbiya, 87)

 The Dua of Nuh (AS):

أَنِّي مَغْلُوبٌ فَانْتَصِرْ

‘I am helpless, so help ˹me˺!’ (Surah Al-Qamar, 10)

The Dua of Ayub (AS):

أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنْتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

‘I have been touched with adversity, and You are the Most Merciful of the merciful.’ (Surah Al-Anbiya, 83

The Dua of Muhammad (SAW):

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ الْهَمِّ والْحُـزْنِ وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ

‘O Allah, I take refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts, and from being overpowered by men.’ (Sunan an-Nasa’I 5449

We, the human beings, bow in front of our Creator for our individual needs but today let us all supplicate for the crying humanity, together.

And Allah knows the Best.

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Arman Neyazi is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com.

 

URL:    https://newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/dua-islam-christianity-hinduism-religions/d/138055

 

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