Request a du'a for your parents at Al-Aqsa, living or deceased. How to word it, what is received, and the Quran and hadith behind it.
Few requests are as common, and few carry as much feeling, as a du'a for a mother and father. Many people ask because they live far from their parents and cannot sit beside them. Others ask because their parents are no longer alive, and a du'a is what remains in their hands.
This page covers both. It explains how to request a du'a for your parents to be made at Al-Aqsa Mosque, by name. The words of the du'as for parents and family, with sources, are in our guide Du'a for Family. Learn those there and say them every day. This page is for when you want one made for them as well.
Living parents
If your parents are alive, the intention usually falls into one of these:
health in old age, or in a particular illness;
ease in a hard season, a loss, a move, a worry about money;
a good ending to life, with faith intact;
gratitude, and a chance to repay them with kindness.
You can write it for either parent, or both. The names form takes each person separately, so a mother and a father can have different intentions.
Deceased parents
The names form includes a "for the deceased" option. A du'a for a parent who has passed is a recognised form of continuing kindness. The Prophet ﷺ said that when a person dies, their deeds end except for three, one of which is a righteous child who prays for them (Sahih Muslim 1631):
«إِذَا مَاتَ الإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ ثَلاَثَةٍ: إِلاَّ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ، أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ، أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ»
For the deceased, the intention is mercy, forgiveness, and a wide place in the next life. It is for the living to pray for them. We do not ask the dead for anything.
How the request goes
1. Choose a package on the prayer page.
2. Pay via Stripe or PayPal.
3. In the names form, write each parent's name and intention, and tick the "for the deceased" option where it applies.
4. The du'a is made by name at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
5. The video is sent by email, usually within 48 to 72 hours.
If you change your mind, contact us before work on the order begins; a cancellation or full refund can be reviewed. See the refund policy.
Choosing the words
Use the name the family uses. These examples show the range:
For my mother, Aisha, 74, living alone since my father died. Health, a peaceful heart, and company when I cannot be there.
For my father, Khaled. Healing from his heart surgery and a long life of obedience to Allah.
For my late father, Mahmoud. Mercy, forgiveness, and a spacious grave.
For both my parents. Thank you for raising me. Please let them be pleased with me and let Allah be pleased with them.
You do not have to be perfect with the wording. What shows in a request for parents is warmth, and the best intentions use it. If you have a strained relationship, a sentence such as "ease between us and forgiveness for what has passed" is entirely appropriate.
What this does and does not do
You receive a video of the du'a made by name at Al-Aqsa. It is a gift for them and for you. It is not a replacement for visiting, calling, or caring for them in person, and it does not promise any outcome. Answering is with Allah alone.
Texts to ground the request
The Quran's own du'a for parents (17:24):
«وَقُل رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا»
Gratitude, and a righteous line (46:15), a du'a that begins by thanking Allah for the blessings He gave you and your parents.
Ibrahim (peace be upon him) asked: «رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ» (14:41).
Asking others, and absence. A Muslim's du'a for his brother in his absence is answered (Muslim 2733). A request made on a parent's behalf follows the same logic. The wider practice of asking a living person to make du'a appears in Muslim 2542 (Uways al-Qarni), a man whom the Prophet ﷺ described as devoted to his mother.
More of these, including the du'as for children, are in the family guide.
A du'a that includes thanks
Allah links gratitude to Him with gratitude to parents: «أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ» (Quran 31:14). A request for parents can honour that by including a line of thanks in the intention, which many people find easier to say in a short note than aloud.
Anniversaries are common times to ask. Some families request on a parent's birthday, others on the anniversary of a death. There is no rule on this, and no special day is claimed. Any day is suitable.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can I request for my parents if they do not know?
Yes. Du'a for someone in their absence is established in Muslim 2733. You can share the video later.
Can I request for a parent who has died?
Yes. Use the "for the deceased" option in the names form. The intention is mercy and forgiveness.
Can I include both parents in one request?
Yes, each name and intention is entered separately.
Is it appropriate if I have a difficult relationship with my parent?
Yes. The Quran tells believers to keep good companionship with parents (31:15) even where they disagree in belief. A request for mercy and reconciliation is fitting.
Where do I find du'a for parents to say myself?
In [Du'a for Family](/blog/dua-for-family), with sources.
When will I receive the video?
Usually within 48 to 72 hours, by email.
Request a Du'a for Your Parents, Made by Name at Al-Aqsa
The du'a is made by name at Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the video usually arrives by email within 48-72 hours.
Request a Du'a for Parents