Starting and ending du’aa’ with blessings upon the Prophet

Question

Praise be to Allah.

It is mustahabb for the worshipper to begin his du’aa’ with
praise of Allaah, then to send blessings upon the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), then to ask for whatever he wishes,
because of the hadeeth narrated by Abu Dawood (1481) and al-Tirmidhi (3477)
from Faddaalah ibn ‘Ubayd (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) heard a
man making du’aa’ in his prayer without glorifying Allaah or sending
blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said, ‘This man is in a hurry.’ He called him and said to him or to someone
else, ‘When anyone of you makes du’aa’, let him start by glorifying his Lord
and praising Him, then let him send blessings upon the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then let him pray for whatever he
wants.’” (This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi
Dawood, 1314).

Al-Bayhaqi narrated in Shu’ab al-Eemaan that ‘Ali (may
Allaah be pleased with him) said: “Every du’aa’ is not responded to until
one sends blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him).” This was narrated by Baqiy ibn Mukhallid from ‘Ali in a marfoo’
report, i.e., it was attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him). (This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 4523)

‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “Du’aa’ is
detained between the heavens and the earth and no part of it is taken up
until you send blessings upon your Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him).” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 486; classed as hasan by
al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 403).

Imaam al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in
al-Adhkaar, p 176: “The scholars are agreed that it is mustahabb to
start one’s du’aa’ by praising Allaah, then sending blessings upon the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and to
end the du’aa’ in the same manner. There are many marfoo’ reports on this
subject (i.e., reports which are attributed to the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him)).”

Note that sending blessings on the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) take three forms:

1 – Sending blessings upon him before making du’aa’, and
after praising Allaah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: “When anyone of you makes du’aa’, let him start by
glorifying his Lord and praising Him, then let him send blessings upon the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then let him pray
for whatever he wants.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 3477; classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 1314)

2 – Sending blessings upon him at the beginning of the
du’aa’, in the middle and at the end.

3 – Sending blessings upon him at the beginning and at the
end, and one’s personal request may be made in between.

(Adapted from the words of Ibn al-Qayyim in Jila’
al-Afhaam, p. 531).

Based on the above, what you are doing is valid and is in accordance with the Sunnah.

And Allaah knows best.