بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
It is an established ruling that a person may supplicate to Allah in his own words once he follows the etiquettes mentioned in the hadiths of the Nabi (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ). All the muhaddithun also agree that weak narrations may be used in Fadhaail A’maal.
Many muhaddithun, like Ibn Abi Hatim in his ‘Al-E’lal’ and Haakim in ‘Al-Mustadrak’ and others (رحمهم الله), have explicitly mentioned that Duas which have weak chains of narrations may also be read and recited.
Scholars, like Tabarani, Nawawi, Ibn Taimiyah, Ibn Qaiyyim Jawziyah and many other (رحمهم الله) who complied Dua books from the hadith also mentioned many weak narrations in their books.
There are some who like to falsely ascribe to the great muhaddith of this Ummah, Hafiz Ibn Hajr Asqalaani (رحمه الله) that he did not allow practicing on weak hadith in Fadhaail. Below is one of the many quotes of his which dispels this fallacy.
Imam Nawawi (رحمه الله) said in his ‘Al-Azkaar’ under the chapter ‘Desirable Azkaar on the Day and Night of Jumu’ah and Duas’:
“We have narrated in the Book of Ibn Sunni (رحمه الله) from Aishah (رضي الله عنها) that she said that the Messenger of Allah (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ), “Whosoever recites after the Jumuah salah قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ, وَقُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ, and قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ seven times, Allah (azza wa jall) will protect him from evil until the next Jumuah.” [Azkaar of Nawawi Pg.259 #442]
When referencing this hadith Hafiz Ibn Hajr (رحمه الله) said in ‘Nataaijul Afkaar’:
“Its chain is weak. It is befitting that (this) is confined after those zikrs, which were narrated in authentic narrations. It has a shaahid (supporting hadith) from the mursal of Makhul, collected by Saeed ibn Mansoor in ‘As-Sunan’ from Faraj ibn Fadhalah. Faraj is weak as well.”
[See: Nataaijul Afkaar Vol.5 Pg.61 Majlis #427, Futoohaat Rabbaniyyah Vol.4 Pg.232-3, Faidhul Qadir Vol.6 Pg.203-4, At-Tanwir by San’ani Vol10 Pg.361]
Even though Hafiz Ibn Hajr (رحمه الله) considered the narration to be weak he still encouraged reciting it. However, he gives some good advice that one should recite the authentic Duas and Azkaar first and then recite the weak ones.
And Allah knows best.
