Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, says: (Call upon Me, and I will respond to you). O honorable Shaykh, we supplicate a lot and we call upon Allah, but He has not responded to us. What do you think are the reasons for that?
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The questioner : Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says: O honorable Shaykh, we supplicate a lot and we call upon Allah, but He has not responded to our supplication. What do you think are the reasons for that?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. And I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. And I ask Allah the Exalted for myself and my Muslim brothers success in correctness in belief, speech, and action.
Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says:[Ghafir 40:60] The questioner says that he called upon Allah, Mighty and Majestic, but Allah did not respond to him. This reality poses a difficulty in light of this noble verse in which Allah the Exalted promised that He will respond to whoever calls upon Him. And Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, does not break His promise.
The answer to this is that there are conditions for the response that must be met, and they are: Sincerity to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, by the person being sincere in his supplication, turning to Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, with a present and sincere heart in seeking refuge in Him, knowing that He, Mighty and Majestic, is capable of responding to the supplication, and hoping for the response from Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He.
The second condition is that the person should feel, while supplicating, that he is in the greatest need, indeed in the greatest necessity, for Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, and that Allah the Exalted alone is the One who responds to the call of the distressed when he calls upon Him and removes the evil. As for calling upon Allah, Mighty and Majestic, while feeling that one is self-sufficient regarding Allah the Exalted and not in necessity for Him, but only asking as a mere habit, then this is not likely to be responded to. Indeed, this is not likely to be responded to.
The third condition is that one should avoid eating what is forbidden. For eating what is forbidden is a barrier between the person and the response, as it is established in the authentic hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: إن الله طيب لا يقبل إلا طيباً وإن الله أمر المؤمنين بما أمر به المرسلين فقال تعالى : يا أيها الذين آمنوا كلوا من طيبات ما رزقناكم واشكروا لله إن كنتم إياه تعبدون وقال تعالى : يا أيها الرسل كلوا من الطيبات واعملوا صالحاً ثم ذكر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم الرجل يطيل السفر يمد يديه إلى السماء يا رب يا رب ومطعمه حرام وملبسه حرام وغذي بالحرام قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم : فأنى يستجاب لذلك Indeed, Allah is Good and accepts only that which is good. And Allah commanded the believers with what He commanded the messengers, saying: "O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah if it is Him you worship." And He said: "O messengers, eat from the good things and do righteous deeds." Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned the man who lengthens his journey, extends his hands to the sky, saying "O Lord, O Lord," while his food is forbidden, his clothing is forbidden, and he is nourished with what is forbidden. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "How will he be responded to?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) considered it unlikely that this man would be responded to, who performed the apparent causes by which the response is sought, which are:
Raising the hands to the sky, meaning to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, because He is in the sky above the Throne. Extending the hand to Allah the Exalted is among the causes of the response, as came in the hadith narrated by Ahmad in the Musnad:Bulugh al-Maram 16:117.
Second: This man called upon Allah the Exalted by the name of the Lord, saying "O Lord, O Lord." Seeking nearness to Allah the Exalted by this name is among the causes of the response, because the Lord is the Creator, the Owner, and the Manager of all affairs, and in His hand are the reins of the heavens and the earth. For this reason, you will find that most of the supplication mentioned in the Qur'an is with this name:[Ali 'Imran 3:193-195] to the end of the verses. So seeking nearness to Allah the Exalted by this name is among the causes of the response.
Third: This man was a traveler, and travel is generally among the causes of the response, because a person in travel feels the need for Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and the necessity for Him more than if he were residing with his family. He was disheveled and dusty, as if he did not care about himself, as if the most important thing for him was to seek refuge in Allah and call upon Him in whatever state he was in, whether he was disheveled and dusty or luxurious.
Being disheveled and dusty has an effect on the response, as in the hadith narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): These four causes for the response of the supplication did not avail anything because his food was forbidden, his clothing was forbidden, and he was nourished with what is forbidden. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: These conditions for the response of the supplication, if they are not met, then the response appears distant.
If they are met and Allah does not respond to the supplicant, then that is either for a wisdom that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, knows, and that supplicant does not know.[Al-Baqarah 2:216] And if these conditions are met and Allah, Mighty and Majestic, does not respond, then:
Either He will remove from him an evil that is greater, or He will store it for him on the Day of Resurrection and give him the reward more and more. Because this supplicant who supplicated with the conditions met and was not responded to, and no greater evil was averted from him, has performed the causes and the response was withheld for a wisdom. So he is given the reward twice: once for his supplication and once for his affliction of not being responded to. So what is greater and more complete is stored for him with Allah, Mighty and Majestic.
Then, it is also important that a person not hasten for the response, for this is also among the causes of withholding the response, as came in the hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): So it is not befitting for a person to seek the response and then become discouraged from supplication and leave off supplication. Rather, he should persist in supplication, for every supplication you call upon Allah, Mighty and Majestic, with is an act of worship that brings you closer to Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, and increases your reward. So you, my brother, should call upon Allah the Exalted in all your general and private matters, the severe and the easy. Even if the only thing about supplication were that it is an act of worship for Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, it would be worthy for a person to strive for it.
Call upon Me, and I will respond to you
ادعوني أستجب لكمThe Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. And I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. And I ask Allah the Exalted for myself and my Muslim brothers success in correctness in belief, speech, and action.
Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says:
And your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.
وقال ربكم ادعوني أستجب لكم إن الذين يستكبرون عن عبادتي سيدخون جهنم داخرينThe answer to this is that there are conditions for the response that must be met, and they are: Sincerity to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, by the person being sincere in his supplication, turning to Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, with a present and sincere heart in seeking refuge in Him, knowing that He, Mighty and Majestic, is capable of responding to the supplication, and hoping for the response from Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He.
The second condition is that the person should feel, while supplicating, that he is in the greatest need, indeed in the greatest necessity, for Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, and that Allah the Exalted alone is the One who responds to the call of the distressed when he calls upon Him and removes the evil. As for calling upon Allah, Mighty and Majestic, while feeling that one is self-sufficient regarding Allah the Exalted and not in necessity for Him, but only asking as a mere habit, then this is not likely to be responded to. Indeed, this is not likely to be responded to.
The third condition is that one should avoid eating what is forbidden. For eating what is forbidden is a barrier between the person and the response, as it is established in the authentic hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: إن الله طيب لا يقبل إلا طيباً وإن الله أمر المؤمنين بما أمر به المرسلين فقال تعالى : يا أيها الذين آمنوا كلوا من طيبات ما رزقناكم واشكروا لله إن كنتم إياه تعبدون وقال تعالى : يا أيها الرسل كلوا من الطيبات واعملوا صالحاً ثم ذكر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم الرجل يطيل السفر يمد يديه إلى السماء يا رب يا رب ومطعمه حرام وملبسه حرام وغذي بالحرام قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم : فأنى يستجاب لذلك Indeed, Allah is Good and accepts only that which is good. And Allah commanded the believers with what He commanded the messengers, saying: "O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah if it is Him you worship." And He said: "O messengers, eat from the good things and do righteous deeds." Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned the man who lengthens his journey, extends his hands to the sky, saying "O Lord, O Lord," while his food is forbidden, his clothing is forbidden, and he is nourished with what is forbidden. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "How will he be responded to?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) considered it unlikely that this man would be responded to, who performed the apparent causes by which the response is sought, which are:
Raising the hands to the sky, meaning to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, because He is in the sky above the Throne. Extending the hand to Allah the Exalted is among the causes of the response, as came in the hadith narrated by Ahmad in the Musnad:
Your Rabb (Lord of the Universe) is Modest and Generous, and would never turn the hands of a slave without gain when he raises them to Him (in supplication).
إن الله حيي كريم يستحي من عبده إذا رفع إليه يديه أن يردهما صفراًSecond: This man called upon Allah the Exalted by the name of the Lord, saying "O Lord, O Lord." Seeking nearness to Allah the Exalted by this name is among the causes of the response, because the Lord is the Creator, the Owner, and the Manager of all affairs, and in His hand are the reins of the heavens and the earth. For this reason, you will find that most of the supplication mentioned in the Qur'an is with this name:
(193) Our Lord, indeed we have heard a caller calling to faith, [saying], 'Believe in your Lord,' and we have believed. Our Lord, so forgive us our sins and remove from us our misdeeds and cause us to die with the righteous. (194) Our Lord, and grant us what You promised us through Your messengers and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, You do not fail in [Your] promise." (195) And their Lord responded to them, "Never will I allow to be lost the work of [any] worker among you, whether male or female; you are of one another
ربنا إننا سمعنا منادياً ينادي للإيمان أن آمنوا بربكم فآمنا ربنا فاغفر لنا ذنوبنا وكفر عنا سيئاتنا وتوفنا مع الأبرار ربنا وآتنا ما وعدتنا على رسلك ولا تخزنا يوم القيامة إنك لا تخلف الميعاد ، فاتجاب لهم ربهم أني لا أضيع عمل عامل منكم من ذكر أو أنثى بعضكم من بعضThird: This man was a traveler, and travel is generally among the causes of the response, because a person in travel feels the need for Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and the necessity for Him more than if he were residing with his family. He was disheveled and dusty, as if he did not care about himself, as if the most important thing for him was to seek refuge in Allah and call upon Him in whatever state he was in, whether he was disheveled and dusty or luxurious.
Being disheveled and dusty has an effect on the response, as in the hadith narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Allah the Exalted descends to the lowest heaven on the evening of 'Arafah and boasts to the angels about those standing there, saying: They have come to me disheveled and dusty, traveling from every deep valley.
أن الله تعالى ينزل إلى السماء الدنيا عشية عرفة يباهي الملائكة بالواقفين فيها يقول : أتوني شعثاً غبراً ضاحين من كل فج عميقHow then will it be answered?
فأنى يستجاب لذلكIf they are met and Allah does not respond to the supplicant, then that is either for a wisdom that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, knows, and that supplicant does not know.
and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you
فعسى أن تحبوا شيئاً وهو شر لكمEither He will remove from him an evil that is greater, or He will store it for him on the Day of Resurrection and give him the reward more and more. Because this supplicant who supplicated with the conditions met and was not responded to, and no greater evil was averted from him, has performed the causes and the response was withheld for a wisdom. So he is given the reward twice: once for his supplication and once for his affliction of not being responded to. So what is greater and more complete is stored for him with Allah, Mighty and Majestic.
Then, it is also important that a person not hasten for the response, for this is also among the causes of withholding the response, as came in the hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):