In the Qur'an, Allah says: "When My servants ask about Me, I am indeed close to them. I listen to the prayer of every supplicant, when he calls on Me. Let them also, with a will, listen to My call, and believe in Me, so that they may walk in the right way" (Qur'an 2:186).
The word du'a in Arabic means "calling" - the act of remembering Allah and calling upon Him.
Aside from the daily prayers, Muslims are encouraged to call upon Allah for forgiveness, guidance, and strength throughout the day. Muslims can make these personal supplications or prayers (du'a) in their own words, in any language, but there are also recommended examples from the Qur'an and Sunnah. Some samples are found in the pages linked below.
See more: Books of Du'a