On Unanswered Prayers...

“I have seen many people’s supplications go unanswered even though they applied all these eight criterias with piousness and even the other steps raised. So what is the reason now for not getting their supplications answered?” 

Since we haven’t yet covered the details answering the question above we will move on and answer the question accordingly, inshaAllah. 

In order to understand the result of our supplication we will have to separate it into three situations (maslahat): 

1. Allah will give whether we ask for it or not 

This situation indicates one of God’s Attributes – Allah’s Rahma (Compassion). Here we are talking about things that we usually never thank for, such as our good health (which He as given us), a normal working aql (intellect), good parents, good upbringing, etc. 

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2. He will not give whether we ask or not. 

What does this mean? Since Allah is All-Knowing, He knows that what the pleading person is asking for is not meant for him and because it isn’t good for him Allah will not answer this supplication. This is a part of the question that was raised by the brother. 

An example on this could be an individual who supplicates to Allah to become a leader to help people and restore justice and eradicate corruption in a society. This is a typical example on how Allah usually doesn’t realize one’s dua. 

Now this person might conclude that God isn’t Compassionate. Wrong, He is always Compassionate. The fact is that He Compassionate, All-Knowing and owns knowledge about the Unseen (ilm al-Ghayb). Thus, if He doesn’t grant that pleading servant (what he is asking for) then it is due to the fact that this person might become a worse person than what he already is; making him a dictator for instance after having attained power and money. This is why a person has to have qina’a(contentment) and be thankful for what he is and has at all time. 

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3. He will give only if we ask. 

What’s meant with this third category is that there are things that Allah only gives after a certain time. Attributes such as qina’a (contentment) and sabr (patience) are very important for the pleading person at all time. 

Contentment lead to the fact that people becomes contented with what they already possess in this life, concentrate on their aims in life and at the same time occasionally ask for things that are meant to be taken with to the next life, such as becoming a more spiritual person, finding and helping those who are truly poor, etc. 

To be patient is extremely important, since impatient and begging repeatedly for something might be given by Allah but later seen as a loss by the servant. A typical example, which is included in this category, can occur within the business field. For example, someone is looking for a house to buy but he ends up not being able to buy one because of many financial problems  hinder him from doing so. He prays to God that he’ll be able to buy this house but as long as such obstacles remain he won’t be able to buy it. After a couple of weeks, while the obstacles still remain, news reaches him that the prices of all the houses in that area have diminished thus now he can buy the house much cheaper. This typical example occurs in our society and is also the answer to the question (above) that was brought forth to me by the brother.  Hence, Allah knows best when is the best time for our supplications to be realized, since He and only He possesses ilm al-ghayb (science of the Unseen, including the future).    

This is emphasized in the Holy Quran: 

Fighting is enjoined on you, and it is an object of dislike to you; and it may be that you dislike a thing while it is good for you, and it may be that you love a thing while it is evil for you, and Allah knows, while you do not know.

(Surah Al-Baqarah (Chapter 2 – The Cow) verse 216)

 

As a conclusion it is worth mentioning that some people prefer not to ask God for anything simply because they feel that they are satisfied with their life. This is wrong! Everyone has to ask (Allah) for something. Allah has given us this right even though we are his servants. It doesn’t have to be something from this world. For example, one could ask Allah to be given a healthy life or to die old and painless. An important fact concerning dua is that every time one makes dua one actually gets rewarded for it and that good deed gets registered into one’s book of deeds (which will be opened on the Judgment Day). 

Thus, during every supplication, do not forget to praise and glorify Allah (SWT), send blessings to the last Prophet Mohammad (SAAS) and his holy Household (AS), confess your sins and show sincere grief over them. Besides that, before asking anything for oneself one should pray for others, such as one’s family members, neighbor, relatives, friends, etc. In such a manner one’s supplication often gets answered faster. 

God is closer to us than our jugular vein (50:16). He hears everything, sees everything and read off the brain’s and heart’s secrets. Not a single secret can be hidden from our Creator. Thinking about a certain thing is enough for Allah to become aware of it, yet He loves the servant that asks for His help by uttering himself to Him.

Hence, don’t forget the conditions that our beloved Imam Ali (AS) has given us to maximize the purification of our heart and soul and consequently make our supplications become realized by being kept guided in His Straight and True Path, inshaAllah.

Full Article here