Making Du`a for the Umma of the Beloved of Allah (peace and blessings unlimited be upon him, his family, companions, and followers)Ma`ruf al-Karkhi, one of the righteous imams of the early Muslims (salaf), said,

Whoever says,

Allahumma aslih Ummata Muhammad
Allahumma farrij `an Ummati Muhammad
Allahumma Rham Ummata Muhammad
[salla Allahu `alayhi wa sallam]

(O Allah, improve the state of the Umma of Muhammad
O Allah, grant ease to the Umma of Muhammad
O Allah, have mercy on the Umma of Muhammad),

ten times every day will be written down as one of the highest of elect believers (abdal). [Abu Nu`aym, Hilyat al-Awliya , 8.366]

اللهم أصلح أمة محمد اللهم فرج عن أمة محمد أللهم ارحم أمة محمد

Why? The Prophet of Mercy (peace and blessings be upon him) said,

Have mercy on those on earth, and the Lord of the Skies will have mercy on you. [Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, and Bukhari in his al-Adab al-Mufrad from Abd Allah ibn Amr (Allah be pleased with him)]