What is the ruling on making du'a' by saying: "May Allah reward you, if Allah wills," or "May Allah guide you, if Allah wills"?
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The questioner : He says: What is the ruling on making du'a' in this form: "May Allah reward you with good, if Allah wills," or "May Allah guide you, if Allah wills"?
The Shaykh : It is better for a person, when he makes du'a', to be decisive and say, "May Allah reward you with good. May Allah guide you. May Allah lead you to the right path," without saying "if Allah wills." As for saying "if You will," that is forbidden, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 2679b. Does anyone want to compel Allah so that we say, "If You will, O our Lord, forgive us and have mercy on us, and if You will, do not"? No. There is no compulsion. So do not say: "O Allah, forgive me if You will. O Allah, have mercy on me if You will." As for "if Allah wills," it is less severe. For this reason, it came in the authentic hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say to the sick person: Sahih al-Bukhari 5662. So there is a distinction in these phrases: "O Allah, forgive me if You will," "May Allah forgive you if Allah wills," and "May Allah forgive you" without "if Allah wills." Which is better? "May Allah forgive you" without "if Allah wills." "May Allah forgive you if Allah wills" means it falls between being disliked and being forbidden. "O Allah, forgive me if You will" is forbidden. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : It is better for a person, when he makes du'a', to be decisive and say, "May Allah reward you with good. May Allah guide you. May Allah lead you to the right path," without saying "if Allah wills." As for saying "if You will," that is forbidden, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
None of you should say to Allah (like this): O Allah, grant me mercy, if thou so likest. The supplication (of his) should (be permeated with) conviction (that it would be accepted by the Lord), for Allah is the Doer of (everything) He likes to do, and there is none to force Him (to do or not to do this or that).
لا يقل أحدكم اللهم اغفر لي إن شئت اللهم ارحمني إن شئت فإن الله لا مكره لهDon't worry, Allah willing, (your sickness will be) an expiation for your sins.
لا بأس طهور إن شاء اللهThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good.