Obstacles to the Answering of Supplication

Question:
The listener: Aisha Jum'a from Sudan says, O Shaykh: A person who supplicates and feels that he is not answered, is this a bad person, and therefore Allah does not answer his supplication?

Answer:
He must examine himself. There may be sins in him that prevent the answering of the supplication. He may be consuming haram food, or committing sins. He should examine himself, strive against them, repent to Allah from his sins, and avoid consuming haram so that he may be answered. If a person supplicates and is not answered, let him examine himself, and let him not be distressed or despair. Rather, let him persist in supplication, increase in supplication, and examine himself. If he is committing any of the sins, let him leave them. If he is consuming any of the haram, such as riba or otherwise, let him avoid it. Let him avoid what Allah has forbidden for him. Along with this, let him have good opinion of Allah, strive in supplication, and persist in supplication.

The presenter: May Allah reward you, O Shaykh, and bless you.