Question:

Some Muslims are of the opinion that the Arabic term “Duʿāʾ” (دعاء) only means “worship” and should only be addressed to God and never to human beings, does this correspond to the language use of Qurʾān?

Answer:

In the 38th verse of the 3rd chapter “Āl ʿImrān” it says:

هنالك دعا زكريا ربه قال رب هب لي من لدنك ذرية طيبة إنك سميع الدعاء

“There called ( Daʿā ) Zakaria his Lord. He said: “Lord, give me a good offspring from You. You are the hearer of the call (Duʿāʾ).”

In the 5th & 6th verse of chapter 71, “Nūḥ” it says:

قال رب إني دعوت قومي ليلا ونهارا فلم يزدهم دعائي إلا فرارا

“He said: ” O Lord, i called (Daʿā) my people day and night, but my call (Duʿāʾ) only strengthened them in their flight.”

Aṭ-Ṭabarī writes on page 291 in the 23rd volume of his Tafsīr:

فلم يزدهم دعائي إياهم إلى ما دعوتهم إليه من الحقّ الذي أرسلتني به لهم إلا فرارا

“My call (Duʿāʾ) to them for what i called (Daʿā) them in truth , with which You sent me to them, only strengthened them in their flight for it.”

Aṭ-Ṭabarsī writes on page 101 in the 10th volume of Majmaʿ-ul-Bayān:

لم يزدادوا بدعائي إياهم إلا فرارا من قبوله

“My call (Duʿāʾ) to them only strengthened them in their flight from his acceptance.”

Comment:

The point is not how the term “Duʿāʾ” (دعاء) is to be understood, but that in the language of the Qurʾān it is not only used for God.