332 If a student of knowledge sits in the last third of the night supplicating to Allah the Exalted to make him a scholar, will he become a scholar?

Question : If someone were to say that he seeks knowledge but does not know whether it is decreed for him to be a scholar or not, is that so? Yes, very well. So if he humbles himself to Allah the Exalted in the last third of the night, asking Him to make him a scholar, will Allah change what He has decreed for him and make him a scholar? Yes.

Answer : Know, and this is for everyone, that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, has decreed in eternity what will happen. This man will be a scholar, and preceding his becoming a scholar is that he will make this supplication, asking Allah to make him a scholar. It is necessary that the matter happens this way; that is, it is not possible for the seeking of knowledge from Allah the Exalted to be unanswered, and it is not possible for knowledge to be withheld if one asks for it. But is this known to us or not known?
It is not known. We only know that if he supplicates and it is answered, then Allah had decreed for him in eternity that he would supplicate to Allah to be a scholar, and that he would be a scholar. Is that clear or not clear? Praise be to Allah. You ask Allah to be a scholar, and if Allah wills, He will grant you what you ask of Him, for you and your brothers. And we hope that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, will please our eyes with all of us through beneficial knowledge, righteous deeds, and calling to Allah with insight. And may He grant you a son whom you name Jabir. Very well.