Duaa for others

I was reading a book for a course the other day called, ‘For the Good of the Earth and Sun’ by Georgia Heard, and on the first pages as all authors do, she acknowledges her thanks to all the people who helped her.
What struck me though was the way she did it, and it got me thinking about how I don’t do that enough! What is it that she does?

She says that every night as a child before going to bed, she would kneel down and in her prayers, she ‘made sure not to leave anyone out, so no one’s feelings would be hurt.’

I was deeply moved by her feelings and her love for others. I thought to myself, she does this out of love...but what about us? What about Muslims who know of the hadith of the Prophet Mohammed SAWS which says:

In Saheeh Muslim and Sunan Ibn Majah, it is narrated that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said, 'The Dua of a person for his Muslim brother in his absence will be answered. At his head there is an angel, and every time he prays for him for something good, the angel who has been appointed to be with him, says, 'Ameen, may you have likewise.' (62)

By praying for others, we learn to empathise with them, grow our love for them, and always have them in our minds AND we also get rewarded by being granted the ijaba of duaa for ourselves and them.

A friend once told me that she splits her Rakaas by who she does duaa for. Her first Rakaa is for herself (it is Sunnah to start with yourself in duaa), the second Rakaa is for her parents, the third for her husband and children and so on..

Now that is something I have to remind myself everytime I do duaa: to remember as many other people as I can. Now don't forget me in your duaas too :)