Dear Sir,
I am unable to conceive children due to sterility are there any specific
dua’a to be said in such a case ?
Praise be to Allaah.
You may pray the duaa of Zakariya (peace be upon him), who
said:
Rabbi laa tadharni fardan wa anta khayr ul-waaritheen (O
my Lord! Leave me not single (childless), though You are the Best of the
inheritors). This is a beautiful duaa which is very appropriate in this
case. Also suitable is another prayer of Zakariya: Rabbi hab li min ladunka
dhurriyyatan tayyibatan innaka samee al-duaa (O my Lord! Grant me
from You a good offspring. You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation).
The story of Zakariya contains valuable lessons for us. Allaah has told
us this story in several places in the Quraan. For example, in Soorat Aal
Imraan, where He tells us about Maryam (peace be upon her) He says (interpretation
of the meaning):
So her Lord (Allaah) accepted her [Maryam] with goodly
acceptance. He made her grow in a good manner and put her under the care of Zakariya.
Every time he entered al-mihrab [a praying place or private room] to (visit) her, he found
her supplied with sustenance. He said, O Maryam! From where have you got this?
She said, This is from Allaah. Verily, Allaah provides sustenance to whom He
wills, without limit.
At that time Zakariya invoked his Lord, saying: O my Lord! Grant
me from You a good offspring. You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation.
Then the angels called him, while he was standing in prayer in
al-mihrab, (saying): Allaah gives you glad tidings of Yahya, confirming (believing
in) the Word from Allaah [i.e., the creation of Eesaa], noble, keeping away from
sexual relations with women, a Prophet, from among the righteous.
He said, O my Lord! How can I have a son when I am very old and
my wife is barren? Allaah said: Thus Allaah does what He wills.
He said: O my Lord! Make a sign for me. Allaah said:
Your sign is that you shall not speak to mankind for three days except with signals.
And remember your Lord much, and glorify (Him) in the afternoon and in the
morning.[Aal Imraan 3:37-41]
In Soorat Maryam, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
(This is) a mention of the mercy of your Lord to His slave
Zakariya.
When he called out to his Lord (Allaah) a call in secret,
Saying, My Lord! Indeed my bones have grown feeble, and grey hair
has spread on my head, and I have never been unblest in my invocation to You, O my Lord!
And verily! I fear my relatives after me, since my wife is barren. So
give me from Yourself an heir, –
Who shall inherit me, and inherit (also) the posterity of Yaqoob
[inheritance of religious knowledge and Prophethood]. And make him, my Lord, one with whom
You are well-pleased!
(Allaah said): O Zakariya! Verily, We give you the glad tidings
of a son. His name will be Yahya. We have given that name to none before (him).
He said, My Lord! How can I have a son, when my wife is barren,
and I have reached the extreme old age?
He said, So (it will be). Your Lord says: It is easy for Me,
Certainly, I have created you before, when you had been nothing!
[Zakariya] said: My Lord! Appoint for me a sign. He said,
Your sign is that you shall not speak unto mankind for three nights, though having
no bodily defect.
Then he came out to his people from al-mihrab [a praying-place or
private room] and told them by signs to glorify Allaahs Praises in the morning and
in the afternoon.[Maryam 19:2-11]
In Soorat al-Anbiya, Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
And (remember) Zakariya, when he cried to his Lord: O my
Lord! Leave me not single (childless), though You are the Best of the inheritors.
So We answered his call, and We bestowed upon him Yahya, and cured his
wife (to bear a child) for him. Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they
used to call on Us with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves before Us.
[al-Anbiya 21:89-90]
Thinking about the story of Zakariya (peace be upon him) is very
beneficial for anyone who is infertile. One may also ponder the story of Ibraaheem and his
wife Saarah, whom Allaah rewarded for their patience with Ishaaq when Ibraaheem was very
old. He was also given another son, Ismaaeel. Allaah tells us that His khaleel
(friend) said (interpretation of the meaning):
All praises and thanks be to Allaah, Who has given me in old
age Ismaaeel and Ishaaq. Verily! My Lord is indeed the All-Hearer of
invocations.[Ibraaheem 14:39]
In all situations, the Muslim should accept and be content with the
decree of Allaah, even if he is to remain infertile for the rest of his life. It could be
that his patience may be better for him than a child. Everything that Allaah decrees has
wisdom and a reason behind it, and everything is subject to His Will and Command. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
To Allaah belongs the kingdom of the heaven and the earth. He
creates what He wills. He bestows female (offspring) upon whom He wills, and bestows male
(offspring) upon whom He wills.
Or He bestows both males and females, and He renders barren whom He
wills. Verily, He is the All-Knower and is Able to do all things.
[al-Shoora 42:49-50]
May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.
