What are the obstacles to the acceptance of supplication? And what are the times of acceptance as well?
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The questioner : He asks about the obstacles to the acceptance of supplication? And he also asks about the times of acceptance of supplication. We ask for your guidance on this?
The Shaykh : Yes. First, it is obligatory for us to know that supplication itself is an act of worship, and that it brings one near to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), because Allah the Exalted said:[Ghafir 40:60] And because when a person supplicates to his Lord, he is acknowledging his own deficiency and his Lord’s perfection. For this reason, he turns to Him (Glorified and Exalted is He) with supplication. This is a magnification of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and magnifying Allah (the Exalted) is an act of worship. It has come from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that supplication is worship. If that is the case, then a person achieves nearness to Allah (the Exalted) merely by his supplication. Then, when he supplicates, he achieves, along with the worship, either what he supplicated for—meaning he obtains his objective for which he asked Allah—or He averts from him an evil that is greater than the benefit obtained by his request. This includes the case where, if that request were to be granted to the person, it would be a trial for him. Or Allah stores up his reward for him on the Day of Resurrection. So whoever supplicates to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) is never disappointed. However, supplication has conditions, indeed it has etiquettes. Among them is that a person should believe, when supplicating, that he is in dire necessity to his Lord and in need of Him, and that he does not possess any benefit or harm for himself except what Allah wills.
And among them is that he should believe in the perfection of his Lord (Mighty and Majestic), the perfection of His mercy, His kindness, His favor, and His power. And among them is that he should be hopeful and expecting acceptance, not supplicating while doubting whether this thing will happen or not. Rather, he supplicates while being certain of the benefit.
And among them is that he should not transgress in his supplication. This is by asking Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) for what is not possible by Shari'ah or by divine decree. If he asks Allah for what is not possible by divine decree, this is not permissible, and it is a type of mockery of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Likewise, if he asks Allah for what is not possible by Shari'ah, it is a transgression in supplication and a type of mockery of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
And among them, meaning among the etiquettes, is that he should not supplicate for what is not lawful by Shari'ah. So he should not supplicate for a sin or for severing family ties.
And among the etiquettes is also that his food and clothing should not be from what is forbidden. That is, his food, clothing, sustenance, and dwelling should be lawful. For the forbidden prevents the acceptance of supplication, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: إن الله طيب لا يقبل إلا طيباً، وإن الله أمر المؤمنين بما أمر به المرسلين، فقال تعالى: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءامَنُوا كُلُوا مِنْ طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِلَّهِ إِنْ كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ وقال تعالى: يَا أَيُّهَا الرُّسُلُ كُلُوا مِنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَاعْمَلُوا صَالِحًا Indeed, Allah is Good and accepts only that which is good. And indeed, Allah commanded the believers with what He commanded the messengers. So He said: "O you who believe! Eat of the good things We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah if it is Him you worship." And He said: "O messengers! Eat of the good things and do righteous deeds." Then he mentioned the man who travels a long distance, disheveled and dusty, stretching his hands to the sky, saying, "O Lord! O Lord!" while his food is forbidden, his clothing is forbidden, and he is fed with what is forbidden. So how will he be answered? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) considered it unlikely that Allah would answer this man whose food was forbidden, whose clothing was forbidden, and who was fed with what is forbidden.
This last issue, meaning avoiding the forbidden, may be rare and difficult for many people. Who is safe from eating what is forbidden? Many people consume the wealth of people through falsehood, through deception, through trickery and forgery, or they diminish their job duties, or through other numerous causes that lead a person into the forbidden.
So these are among the etiquettes. All of these six are among the etiquettes of supplication. A person should observe them and strive to adhere to them.
As for the times of acceptance and the states in which acceptance is hoped for, among them is the last part of the night. The last third of the night is among the times of acceptance. It has been mass-transmitted from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that Allah the Exalted descends to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains, and He says:Sahih al-Bukhari 1145
And among them is the time between the adhan and the iqamah. For supplication between the adhan and the iqamah is not rejected. And among the supplication between the adhan and the iqamah is that you supplicate to Allah in the sunnah that is performed before the prayer. For the sunnah that is performed before the prayer contains supplication. It contains supplication in the prostration, and it contains supplication between the two prostrations, and it contains supplication in the tashahhud.
And among the states in which acceptance is hoped for is that a person should be in prostration. For supplication in the state of prostration is the closest to acceptance. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Bulugh al-Maram 2:179 Meaning, it is likely that you will be answered. And the Prophet (may peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan Abi Dawud 875Sahih (Al-Albani) A person should, after performing the obligatory dhikr in prostration, which is saying "Subhan Rabbi al-A'la", and completing that with what has been reported, such as "Subhanaka Allahumma Rabbana wa bihamdika Allahumma ighfir li", "Subbuhan Quddus Rabb al-Mala'ikah wa al-Ruh", he should increase his supplication in the state of prostration because it is closer to acceptance. But if he is an imam, he should not prolong it to the extent that it burdens the believers and goes beyond the sunnah that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do. Likewise, if he is a ma'mum, he should not lag behind the imam in the state of prostration in order to prolong the supplication. Yes, that is correct.
The questioner : Also, O honorable Shaykh, what about Laylat al-Qadr and the Day of 'Arafah?
The Shaykh : These are also among the times of acceptance. The evening of 'Arafah, and Laylat al-Qadr is better than a thousand months. It is like other nights regarding acceptance, meaning that the last part of the night in it is a time of acceptance. And it is better than a thousand months in the supplication in it and in the blessing that is obtained by it, as Allah the Exalted said:[Ad-Dukhan 44:3] Yes.
The questioner : When does Laylat al-Qadr begin, O honorable Shaykh? What is its beginning?
The Shaykh : It is in the last ten nights of Ramadan, and in the last seven nights of it, it is more likely and more likely. And on the night of the twenty-seventh, it is more likely and more likely as well. But it moves. It may be in the night of the twenty-third this year, and in the twenty-fifth in the second year, and in the twenty-seventh in the third, or in the twenty-fourth, or the twenty-sixth, or the twenty-eighth. Yes, that is correct.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. Thank you, O honorable Shaykh, for what you have clarified for us and for our brother listeners.
The Shaykh : Yes. First, it is obligatory for us to know that supplication itself is an act of worship, and that it brings one near to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), because Allah the Exalted said:
And your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَAnd among them is that he should believe in the perfection of his Lord (Mighty and Majestic), the perfection of His mercy, His kindness, His favor, and His power. And among them is that he should be hopeful and expecting acceptance, not supplicating while doubting whether this thing will happen or not. Rather, he supplicates while being certain of the benefit.
And among them is that he should not transgress in his supplication. This is by asking Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) for what is not possible by Shari'ah or by divine decree. If he asks Allah for what is not possible by divine decree, this is not permissible, and it is a type of mockery of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Likewise, if he asks Allah for what is not possible by Shari'ah, it is a transgression in supplication and a type of mockery of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
And among them, meaning among the etiquettes, is that he should not supplicate for what is not lawful by Shari'ah. So he should not supplicate for a sin or for severing family ties.
And among the etiquettes is also that his food and clothing should not be from what is forbidden. That is, his food, clothing, sustenance, and dwelling should be lawful. For the forbidden prevents the acceptance of supplication, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: إن الله طيب لا يقبل إلا طيباً، وإن الله أمر المؤمنين بما أمر به المرسلين، فقال تعالى: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءامَنُوا كُلُوا مِنْ طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِلَّهِ إِنْ كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ وقال تعالى: يَا أَيُّهَا الرُّسُلُ كُلُوا مِنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَاعْمَلُوا صَالِحًا Indeed, Allah is Good and accepts only that which is good. And indeed, Allah commanded the believers with what He commanded the messengers. So He said: "O you who believe! Eat of the good things We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah if it is Him you worship." And He said: "O messengers! Eat of the good things and do righteous deeds." Then he mentioned the man who travels a long distance, disheveled and dusty, stretching his hands to the sky, saying, "O Lord! O Lord!" while his food is forbidden, his clothing is forbidden, and he is fed with what is forbidden. So how will he be answered? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) considered it unlikely that Allah would answer this man whose food was forbidden, whose clothing was forbidden, and who was fed with what is forbidden.
This last issue, meaning avoiding the forbidden, may be rare and difficult for many people. Who is safe from eating what is forbidden? Many people consume the wealth of people through falsehood, through deception, through trickery and forgery, or they diminish their job duties, or through other numerous causes that lead a person into the forbidden.
So these are among the etiquettes. All of these six are among the etiquettes of supplication. A person should observe them and strive to adhere to them.
As for the times of acceptance and the states in which acceptance is hoped for, among them is the last part of the night. The last third of the night is among the times of acceptance. It has been mass-transmitted from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that Allah the Exalted descends to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains, and He says:
Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?
من يدعوني فأستجيب له؟ من يسألني فأعطيه؟ من يستغفرني فأغفر له؟And among them is the time between the adhan and the iqamah. For supplication between the adhan and the iqamah is not rejected. And among the supplication between the adhan and the iqamah is that you supplicate to Allah in the sunnah that is performed before the prayer. For the sunnah that is performed before the prayer contains supplication. It contains supplication in the prostration, and it contains supplication between the two prostrations, and it contains supplication in the tashahhud.
And among the states in which acceptance is hoped for is that a person should be in prostration. For supplication in the state of prostration is the closest to acceptance. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"I have been forbidden to recite the Qur'an while bowing or prostrating; so while in the bowing (position) glorify (the Perfection of) the Rabb (Lord), and while in the prostrating (position) be earnest in supplication, for it is fitting that your supplications may be answered."
ألا وإني نهيت أن أقرأ القرأن راكعاً أو ساجداً، فأما الركوع فعظّموا فيه الرب، وأما السجود فأكثروا من الدعاء فقمِن أن يستجاب لكمThe nearest a servant come to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself
أقرب ما يكون العبد من ربه وهو ساجدThe questioner : Also, O honorable Shaykh, what about Laylat al-Qadr and the Day of 'Arafah?
The Shaykh : These are also among the times of acceptance. The evening of 'Arafah, and Laylat al-Qadr is better than a thousand months. It is like other nights regarding acceptance, meaning that the last part of the night in it is a time of acceptance. And it is better than a thousand months in the supplication in it and in the blessing that is obtained by it, as Allah the Exalted said:
Indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍThe questioner : When does Laylat al-Qadr begin, O honorable Shaykh? What is its beginning?
The Shaykh : It is in the last ten nights of Ramadan, and in the last seven nights of it, it is more likely and more likely. And on the night of the twenty-seventh, it is more likely and more likely as well. But it moves. It may be in the night of the twenty-third this year, and in the twenty-fifth in the second year, and in the twenty-seventh in the third, or in the twenty-fourth, or the twenty-sixth, or the twenty-eighth. Yes, that is correct.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. Thank you, O honorable Shaykh, for what you have clarified for us and for our brother listeners.