[Quote] Sending Salaah on the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) When Supplicating

Umar ibn al-Khattaab, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, “A supplication is suspended between the heavens and the earth, none of it ascending—until you send salaah on your Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم).”

Saheeh at-Tirmidhi, 403.

The Shaikh of Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, “Sending salaah on the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) before supplicating, in the middle of it and at the end is one of the strongest means by which it is hoped that all of the supplication will be accepted.”

Iqtidaa’us-Siraatil-Mustaqeem, p. 675.

[Quote] You should start with yourself first when supplicating

It is befitting for the individual that when he supplicates (makes du'ā') he starts with himself first. Mūsā, may peace be upon him, said: ​

{O my Lord! Forgive me and my brother} [Sūrah Al-A'rāf 7:151]

Nūh, may peace be upon him, said:

 {My Lord! Forgive me, and my parents} [Sūrah Nūh 71:28]

Thus having given priority to himself over his parents. And the Prophet, may peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Start with yourself". Starting with oneself is more appropriate when it comes to supplicating.

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih Al-'Uthaymeen, may Allah have mercy upon him

Translated by Salafi-Dawah.com.
Source: Explanation of the Alfiyyah of Ibn Mālik 1/43.

 قـال الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين رحمه الله "ينبغي للإنسان إذا دعا أن يبدأ بنفسه أولا -قال موسى عليه السلام {رب اغفر لي وﻷخي} -وقال نوح عليه السلام {ربنا اغفر لي ولوالدي} فقدم نفسه على والديه -وقال النبي عليه الصلاة والسلام {إبدأ بنفسك} والبداءة بالنفس هي الأولى في الدعاء [شرح ألفيّة ابن مالك ٤٣/١]

[Quote] Be aware of the supplication of the oppressed, O you who follows up the mistakes of the people!

The great scholar and Imam Ibn-ul-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

"Beware, O you who follows up the faults and mistakes of those who differ with you, not to get hit by their supplication, for there is indeed no barrier between the supplication of the oppressed and Allah.

And take a lesson from what happened to the people who came before. Verily he is successful who takes heed by way of others.

​And here (for instance) we have Muhammad Ibn Abī-l-Faraj Al-Kitānī about whom was said that: "He used to follow up the mistakes of the scholars, and so they supplicated against him, and as a consequence he never became successful."

Translated by Salafi-Dawah.com.
Source: Madārij As-Sālikīn 1/197.

 قال إبن القيم رحمه الله تعالى

 واحذر أيها المتتبع لعثرات وعورات مخالفيك من أن تصيبك دعوتهم فإن دعوة المظلوم ليس بينها وبين الله حجاب واعتبر بما حصل لمن سبق فإن السعيد من وعظ بغيره فهذا محمد بن أبي الفرج الكتاني قيل فيه: إنه كان يتتبع عورات الشيوخ فدعوا عليه فلم يفلح 

 [مدارج السالكين ١/١٩٧]