Since the praise of Allah, Who is being sought for help, was mentioned, it was appropriate that one follows the praise by asking for his need. We stated that Allah said,

آ«ظپظژظ†ظگطµظ’ظپظڈظ‡ظژط§ ظ„ظگظٹ ظˆظژظ†ظگطµظ’ظپظڈظ‡ظژط§ ظ„ظگط¹ظژط¨ظ’ط¯ظگظٹطŒ ظˆظژظ„ظگط¹ظژط¨ظ’ط¯ظگظٹ ظ…ظژط§ ط³ظژط£ظژظ„ظژآ»

(One half for Myself and one half for My servant, and My servant shall have what he asked.)

This is the best method for seeking help, by first praising the one whom help is sought from and then asking for His aid, and help for one's self, and for his Muslim brethren by saying.

﴿ط§ظ‡ظ’ط¯ظگظ†ظژط§ ط§ظ„طµظ‘ظگط±ظژط§ط·ظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ…ظڈط³ظ’طھظژظ‚ظگظٹظ…ظژ ﴾

(6. Guide us to the straight path.)

This method is more appropriate and efficient in bringing about a positive answer to the pleas, and this is why Allah recommended this better method.

Asking for help may take the form of conveying the condition of the person who is seeking help. For instance, the Prophet Moses said,

﴿ط±ظژط¨ظ‘ظگ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظگظ‰ ظ„ظگظ…ظژط¢ ط£ظژظ†ط²ظژظ„ظ’طھظژ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ‰ظ‘ظژ ظ…ظگظ†ظ’ ط®ظژظٹظ’ط±ظچ ظپظژظ‚ظگظٹط±ظŒ﴾

(My Lord! Truly, I am in need of whatever good that You bestow on me!) (28:24).

Also, one may first mention the attributes of whoever is being asked, such as what Dhun-Nun said,

﴿ظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ€ظ‡ظژ ط¥ظگظ„ط§ظ‘ظژ ط£ظژظ†طھظژ ط³ظڈط¨ظ’ط­ظژظ€ظ†ظژظƒظژ ط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظگظ‰ ظƒظڈظ†طھظڈ ظ…ظگظ†ظژ ط§ظ„ط¸ظ‘ظژظ€ظ„ظگظ…ظگظٹظ†ظژ﴾

(La ilaha illa Anta (none has the right to be worshipped but You (O Allah)), Glorified (and Exalted) be You (above all that they associate with You)! Truly, I have been of the wrongdoers) (21:87).

Further, one may praise Him without mentioning what he needs. The Meaning of Guidance mentioned in the Surah

The guidance mentioned in the Surah implies being directed and guided to success. Allah said,

﴿ط§ظ‡ظ’ط¯ظگظ†ظژط§ ط§ظ„طµظ‘ظگط±ظژط§ط·ظژ ط§ظ„ظ’ظ…ظڈط³ظ’طھظژظ‚ظگظٹظ…ظژ ﴾

(Guide us to the straight path) meaning guide, direct, lead and grant us the correct guidance. Also,

﴿ظˆظژظ‡ظژط¯ظژظٹظ’ظ†ظژظ€ظ‡ظڈ ط§ظ„ظ†ظ‘ظژط¬ظ’ط¯ظژظٹظ†ظگ ﴾

(And shown him the two ways (good and evil)) (90:10), means, `We explained to him the paths of good and evil.' Also, Allah said,

﴿ط§ط¬ظ’طھظژط¨ظژظ€ظ‡ظڈ ظˆظژظ‡ظژط¯ظژط§ظ‡ظڈ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ‰ طµظگط±ظژط·ظچ ظ…ظ‘ظڈط³ظ’طھظژظ‚ظگظٹظ…ظچ﴾

(He (Allah) chose him (as an intimate friend) and guided him to a straight path) (16:121), and,

﴿ظپظژط§ظ‡ظ’ط¯ظڈظˆظ‡ظڈظ…ظ’ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ‰ طµظگط±ظژط·ظگ ط§ظ„ظ’ط¬ظژط­ظگظٹظ…ظگ﴾

(And lead them on to the way of flaming Fire (Hell)) (37:23). Similarly, Allah said,

﴿ظˆظژط¥ظگظ†ظ‘ظژظƒظژ ظ„ظژطھظژظ‡ظ’ط¯ظگظ‰ ط¥ظگظ„ظژظ‰ طµظگط±ظژط·ظچ ظ…ظ‘ظڈط³ظ’طھظژظ‚ظگظٹظ…ظچ﴾

(And verily, you (O Muhammad ) are indeed guiding (mankind) to the straight path) (42:52), and,

﴿ط§ظ„ظ’ط­ظژظ…ظ’ط¯ظڈ ظ„ظگظ„ظ‘ظژظ‡ظگ ط§ظ„ظ‘ظژط°ظگظ‰ ظ‡ظژط¯ظژط§ظ†ظژط§ ظ„ظگظ‡ظژظ€ط°ظژط§﴾

(All praise and thanks be to Allah, Who has guided us to this) (7:43), meaning, guided us and directed us and qualified us for this end - Paradise.