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And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way. Noble Qur'an (2:186)

And your Lord says: "Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer): but those who are too arrogant to serve Me will surely find themselves in Hell - in humiliation!" Noble Qur'an (40:60)

I have heard a story about a believer who was passing through a place when he was surrounded by people from the area who asked him why in the Qur'an Allah (swt) says: "Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer)"; yet despite their calling upon Allah, their prayers were not answered. He replied: "The reason is because your hearts have died due to ten things so that your supplications have no sincerity as your hearts are not pure and free of contamination."

They asked: "What are those ten issues?" He replied:

• First and foremost you have accepted Allah (SWT) but have not repaid His claim.
• You have recited the Noble Qur'an but have not practiced it.
• You profess your love of the Holy Prophet of Islam (saw), but are opposed to his household (as).
• You claim to have enmity with Shaitan (Satan) but in practice you are in agreement with him.
• You say that you are fond of heaven but in order to enter heaven you have not done anything.
• You said that you were afraid of the Hell Fire, but have thrown your bodies in to it.
• You were busy slandering and criticizing people but were ignorant of your own shortcomings and faults.
• You said that you didn't like the world but are greedily following it.
• You confess to the reality of death but don't prepare yourself for it.
• You have buried the dead but haven't taken a lesson or guidance from it.

These are the 10 practices (Ten Reasons) which cause prayers to remain unanswered.

Food for thought...

In need of your dua's.