What are the places and times for the acceptance of supplication, and does saying "O Lord" three times and "O Most Merciful of the merciful" three times result in the supplication being accepted?
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The questioner : R-M-K. We reviewed a question in a previous session, and this question remains. It says: "O honorable Shaykh, what are the places for the acceptance of supplication and its times? And does saying 'O Lord' three times and 'O Most Merciful of the merciful' three times result in the supplication being accepted?"
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 his Companions, and those who follow them in excellence until the Day of Judgment. Among the most important means for the acceptance of supplication is sincerity to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Allah the Exalted said:[Ghafir 40:14] Therefore, if a person is sincere in his supplication, especially in a state of distress, Allah will accept his supplication, even if he is a disbeliever, as Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) said: [Al-'Ankabut 29:65] So, this, namely sincerity and the manifestation of need for Allah (Mighty and Majestic), is among the greatest causes for acceptance.
Second, among these is that when a person supplicates to his Lord, he should not supplicate as a test, saying in his heart, "I will see if Allah accepts my supplication or not." Rather, when he supplicates to Allah, he supplicates to his Lord with certainty of acceptance, unless there is a barrier that prevents it due to the servant's action.
The third thing is that one should not transgress in supplication by asking for what is impossible or what is unlikely to be accepted. By "unlikely," I mean unlikely in terms of the Shari'ah. For example, if a person asks Allah the Exalted to combine opposites for him, this is forbidden and not permissible, because this is impossible rationally. Or if a person asks Allah the Exalted to grant him the marriage of Hind and her sister, this is also forbidden because it is prohibited by the Shari'ah, and so on. Therefore, the supplication must be without transgression.
Among the causes for the acceptance of supplication is that one performs the causes that attract acceptance, such as raising the hands, seeking nearness to Allah the Exalted through His Lordship, seeking nearness to Allah through faith and righteous deeds, and the like. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when he mentioned the man who stretches his hands to the sky, saying "O Lord, O Lord," while he has traveled a long distance, disheveled and dusty. This is among the causes for acceptance.
Among the causes for acceptance is that a person is in a time when acceptance is hoped for, such as the last part of the night. For Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) descends to the lowest heaven and says:Sahih al-Bukhari 1145
Among them is that a person is in prostration. For the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: And he said: Sunan Abi Dawud 875Sahih (Al-Albani)
But here is something important: eating haram is a barrier among the barriers to acceptance. As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said regarding 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 haram, his clothing is haram, and he is nourished with haram: So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) considered it unlikely that the man would be answered if he is nourished with haram food, drink, and clothing. This obligates the believer to be greatly cautious of eating what is forbidden and haram. Everything taken without right, whether it is theft, usurpation, increasing the price through deception, or increasing the price through riba (usury or interest), the important thing is that any wealth a person takes without right is haram. And if he is nourished with it, may Allah protect us from that, it is unlikely that his supplication will be accepted, even if he possesses the attributes that attract acceptance. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, O honorable Shaykh.
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 his Companions, and those who follow them in excellence until the Day of Judgment. Among the most important means for the acceptance of supplication is sincerity to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Allah the Exalted said:
So invoke Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion
فَادعُوا اللَّهَ مُخلِصينَ لَهُ الدّينَAnd when they board a ship, they supplicate Allah, sincere to Him in religion. But when He delivers them to the land, at once they associate others with Him
فَإِذا رَكِبوا فِي الفُلكِ دَعَوُا اللَّهَ مُخلِصينَ لَهُ الدّينَ فَلَمّا نَجّاهُم إِلَى البَرِّ إِذا هُم يُشرِكونَSecond, among these is that when a person supplicates to his Lord, he should not supplicate as a test, saying in his heart, "I will see if Allah accepts my supplication or not." Rather, when he supplicates to Allah, he supplicates to his Lord with certainty of acceptance, unless there is a barrier that prevents it due to the servant's action.
The third thing is that one should not transgress in supplication by asking for what is impossible or what is unlikely to be accepted. By "unlikely," I mean unlikely in terms of the Shari'ah. For example, if a person asks Allah the Exalted to combine opposites for him, this is forbidden and not permissible, because this is impossible rationally. Or if a person asks Allah the Exalted to grant him the marriage of Hind and her sister, this is also forbidden because it is prohibited by the Shari'ah, and so on. Therefore, the supplication must be without transgression.
Among the causes for the acceptance of supplication is that one performs the causes that attract acceptance, such as raising the hands, seeking nearness to Allah the Exalted through His Lordship, seeking nearness to Allah through faith and righteous deeds, and the like. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when he mentioned the man who stretches his hands to the sky, saying "O Lord, O Lord," while he has traveled a long distance, disheveled and dusty. This is among the causes for acceptance.
Among the causes for acceptance is that a person is in a time when acceptance is hoped for, such as the last part of the night. For Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) descends to the lowest heaven and 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 لهAmong them is that a person is in prostration. For the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said:
As for prostration, increase in it your supplication, for it is likely that it will be answered for you.
أما السجود فأكثروا فيه من الدعاء فقمِن أن يُستجاب لكمThe nearest a servant come to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself
أقرب ما يكون العبد من ربه وهو ساجدBut here is something important: eating haram is a barrier among the barriers to acceptance. As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said regarding 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 haram, his clothing is haram, and he is nourished with haram:
How then will it be answered?
فأنى يُستجاب لذلكThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good, O honorable Shaykh.