All You Need to Do is Ask
How to Achieve Tranquility of the Heart Series: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part XIV | Part XV | Part XVI | Part XVII | Part XVIII | Part XIX | Part XX
“Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him…” (Qur’an, 27:62)
For whatever problem we have, whatever difficulty we find ourselves in, we have the most powerful weapon to ward off the pain that plagues us. It is the weapon of du`a’. We know with certainty that Allah is Al-Mujeeb (The Responsive). We have read many articles telling us about the importance of du`a’, but in order for our du`a’ to be truly meaningful, we must accompany that du`a’ with a certain brokenness in the heart. This brokenness is the feeling of utter need, submission and surrender to Allah, and realizing that truly it is only He who can get us out of our state. In a beautiful hadith qudsi, Allah says:
“O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another.
O My servants, all of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek guidance of Me and I shall guide you,
O My servants, all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek food of Me and I shall feed you.
O My servants, all of you are naked except for those I have clothed, so seek clothing of Me and I shall clothe you.
O My servants, you sin by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness of Me and I shall forgive you.
O My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and will not attain benefitting Me so as to benefit Me.
O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as pious as the most pious heart of any one man of you, that would not increase My kingdom in anything.
O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of any one man of you, that would not decrease My kingdom in anything.
O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have, any more that a needle decreases the sea if put into it.
O My servants, it is but your deeds that I reckon up for you and then recompense you for, so let him who finds good, praise Allah, and let him who finds other than that, blame no one but himself.” (Muslim)
Subhan’Allah (exalted is Allah), this hadith requires us to read it more than once to truly grasp its meaning. In essence, Allah is telling us that everything is from Him – He possesses this whole world and all that is in it, therefore we should seek all of our needs from Him.
Allah has named Himself Al-Mujeeb, which means the One who responds. Just as we are certain that the Qur’an is true, we must be certain that Allah, Al-Mujeeb, will answer our call. We should never think that Allah will not answer, because by feeling so, we are denying this attribute (siffat) of Allah. Whenever we are feeling down, we should not hesitate to ask Him over and over again, and to go into sujood (prostration) and plead because that is the closest that we are to Him. If we realize this, the doors of mercy have been opened for us, because the Prophet ﷺ said, “For whoever the door of du`a’ opened, for him the doors of mercy are opened.” (Tirmidhi).
Your du`a’ is deposited with Allah, and as was narrated from the Prophet ﷺ, your du`a’ does something. Either Allah will speedily answer your du`a’ or He will save it for you until the Hereafter, or He will avert something bad equal to the value of the du`a’ (Ahmad). So we should never leave du`a’. The Prophet ﷺ told us, “Do not stop making du`a’, because nobody who makes du`a’ is forsaken.” (Hakim)
Insha’Allah, you will be answered. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Verily your Lord is Generous and Shy. If His servant raises his hands to Him (in supplication) He becomes shy to return them empty.” (Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi)
Remember: our Lord is not forgetful. Sometimes you might even forget that you once made du`a’ for something, but He might give it to you years later.
No answer?
We must always have certainty that Allah answers. But sometimes doubt enters one’s heart: “…But I asked, I made du`a’... and I don’t see anything?” Firstly, just as we know that Allah is Al-Mujeeb, we must also know He is Al-Hakeem (the Most Wise).
He may delay answering your prayer for a number of reasons; one is to test your trust in Him. We all say we believe Allah is the Al-Mujeeb when everything lands at our feet, but what about when we don’t immediately see the fruits of our du`a’? I knew a woman who was telling the story of how her husband did not pray. When she married him, she didn’t know, and as the marriage progressed she discovered that he was skeptical of religion as well. So she would wake up every night for qiyam al-layl (the night prayer) and plead with Allah to guide Him. Do you know how long she prayed for? Two years. And she says it was so unexpected; he came home from a business trip with a complete change of heart. It turns out that on the plane he was seated next to a great sheikh who began talking to him. And that is how he changed.
Another reason is that Allah knows when it is best to answer. Perhaps you are asking for a job and He could give you a job at this very moment, but He will delay it because He knows that in a couple of months, a better job will come along. Perhaps what you are asking for is not good for you, or He will give you something better in the Hereafter.
Allah also may delay the answer to make us work harder so we are prepared for it. If we look at Palestine, we may think, “Wow, the Muslim Ummah prays so much and we don’t see anything changing.” But in truth, although the majority of the Ummah prays intensely during Ramadan, many do not make du`a’ with true pleading. It is almost an afterthought. And if we do (such as when we see the carnage that happened in Gaza) we do not follow up our words by utilizing the means to change the situation; we forget (as is happening now). There are some genuine people who work for change, but they are a minority. So we need to be patient because we need to know that Allah is training the Ummah. The answer is being delayed so that we become worthy of this task.
There is a beautiful hadith qudsi which states that Allah sometimes delays the answer because He loves hearing the sound of His servant (At-Tabari). Many of us would ask and then when we get what we want we stop going to Allah; but imagine that when the answer is delayed, Allah loves to hear YOUR voice again as you call Him. Wow.
Allah does not place a burden on us greater than we can bear. If the answer to your du`a’ has been delayed, it’s because Allah KNOWS you can handle it. He tests those whom He loves, so keep asking and remember that Allah makes with hardship ease. And remember, as with tawakkul, we need to exert effort as well.
Four conditions
Ibn Al-Qayyim said he who fulfills the following conditions should know that Allah will surely answer his du`a’:
- Have certainty that Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala will answer your du`a’. The Prophet ﷺ said, ”Ask Allah with certainty that He will answer your prayers.” (Tirmidhi)
- Show submissiveness and devotion during your du`a’. The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Know that Allah will not accept the supplication from an absent heart.’ (Tirmidhi)
- Be patient and do not hasten for an answer. The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘The du`a’ of any worshipper will continue to be responded to, as long as… he is not hasty’ i.e. as long as he doesn’t lose patience. [Muslim]
- Continue to gain a lawful means of living. The Prophet ﷺ narrated a story about a man asking Allah, saying “O Lord! O Lord!” but his food was unlawful, his drink was unlawful, his clothing was unlawful, and he was nourished unlawfully; so how can he be answered?!” (Muslim)
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The more you ask Allah, the more beloved you become…
~…And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him~
“When my servants ask you concerning me, (tell them) I am indeed close (to them). I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calls on me.”
And let there not be anyone who says: “… my Lord won’t answer my prayer, because of this and that.. or because of so and so..”. No! Indeed Allah is the Most Generous King— Is there anyone who met a king, and praised and glorified him, and then asked; yet the request was not granted?
So what about Allah, the King of the Heavens and the Earth – who has total control over your life, your wealth and your future. Why would He not grant you your request? Indeed, our beloved Prophet had said: “Verily your Lord is the One modest and Generous, and when His servant raises his hands to Him in supplication, He is diffident (in some wordings, shy or hesitant) from returning them empty.”
Mashallah, this has been a phenomenal series thus far. Jazakhallah.
Thank you so much for this. It came at a particular tough time for me!
I loved this article – it is one of my favorite ones. Is qiyam al layl the same as tahajjud prayer?
Qiyaam al layl and tahajjud both refer to the voluntary prayer that we pray at night but there is small technical difference:
Qiyaam: Voluntary prayers you pray in the night. Some scholars even say that this is any voluntary act of worship, such as reading qur’an in the night.
Tahajjud: Some scholars limit it to prayers that are offered at night after sleeping.
Alhamdulillah. Masha’Allah for this WONDERFUL article. I simply love this series. Please keep them up, they bring tears to my eyes.
I do have a question, though.
About this part …
“O My servants, it is but your deeds that I reckon up for you and then recompense you for, so let him who finds good, praise Allah, and let him who finds other than that, blame no one but himself.”
So if the dua is not answered, are we to blame? I’m sorry if I misunderstood the last part, but it does bring back a verse which said something similar …
“And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much” [42:30]
So the dilemma is that there is this great dread of the punishment of sins that will come later(I’m not necessarily talking about major sins). Also, when we are already forgiven, are we still inflicted with hardships are punishment?
Thanks in advance!
Salaam alaikm Sr. Dawn
I believe the part of the hadith that you mentioned is referring to your deeds- so if you look at your deeds and you see a lot of good, you should thank Allah for them. And if you [meaning generic you, not you Dawn lol] look at your deeds and see bad, then you should only blame yourself.
There is a beautiful lecture by Sh Hamza Yusuf in which he talks about the benefits of tribulations, I think it is probably on youtube. Sometimes it is to purify us of sins, but sometimes it is to raise our station with Allah. The Prophet (pbuh) was tested so much but he had no sins! So his tests were for another purpose. Maybe this post might help:
http://www.suhaibwebb.com/relationships/withthedivine/why-am-i-tested/
JazakiAllah khair for your question and please remember me in your du’as!
Jinan
has anyone else experienced a nonmuslim/non-practising muslim become a good muslim as a result of their dua’s/prayers like the woman mentioned in the article of her husband coming to Islam when he was skeptical of religion? I ask bec I have been praying not only after salah, but at other times too to Allah to bring someone I like very much to Islam on how own with Allah’s guidance/hidaayaa and my duas
Salaam
I have personal experience with this as one of my close relatives was skeptical and he now prays, gives zakaat and everything. He occasionally has his doubts, but alhamdillah we deal with those as they come. That said I have another relative who still does not pray despite his mother praying for him for so long. I think for this we need to think of the verse:
“Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.” [Surat al-Qasas, 28:56]
The Prophet’s (pbuh) uncle did not accept Islam, despite the Prophet’s (pbuh) da’wa. Our responsibility is to make du’a, have trust in Allah, and do our part in explaining/living Islam, but ultimately trusting in Allah’s will. There is a beautiful statement of Ibn Ata’illah:
“Do not despair when in spite of intense supplication, there is a delay in receiving the expected gift. He has guaranteed that He will respond in what He chooses for you, and not what you choose for yourself, and at the time He chooses – not the time you desire.”
Hope this helps inshAllah
Jinan
Thanks Jinan – but these relatives WERE muslim to start with – my case is not a muslim guy (he is a Sikh, who hate muslims because of the bad history and blood shed b/w muslims and sikhs/hindus over 60 years ago and 2 generations later they still hold grudges) Jews and Christians I my opinion revert to Islam more often than non-Abrahamic faiths. Wish people would forget bad things done by other generations and learn to live and like each other for the individual selves
Salaam Sr Seema
Allahu a’lam, but i would say the same applies. Guidance is from Allah- sometimes people with the worst opinion of Islam end up accepting it, and others never do. I actually once met an Indian convert sister, who told us of how she converted. She said she used to hate Muslims, and whenever she would encounter them she would engage in heated debates (I’m sure it has to do with inter-religious history of tension/killing in India). She was telling us to never think that our da’wa doesn’t matter, because although she seemed to be hateful and stubborn during the ‘debates’, she would always think about what was said later. SubhanAllah, she ended up accepting Islam.
Guidance is from Allah- we have to be smart in our da’wa depending on people’s circumstance, background and experience but as Allah has told us “you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills.” We use our means but rely on Allah.
Keep up the du’a- that may be a means for the person accepting inshAllah! Allah is both al-Mujeeb and al-Hakeem- we need to trust that He will respond because this is His attribute (that of responding to du’as), but if we don’t see an answer, we know that Allah is al-Hakeem (the Most Wise) and there is Wisdom that may not be apparent to us. Moreover, the hadith of the Prophet (pbuh) tells us that Allah never returns the servant’s hands away with nothing, so be sure that you will get something even if it is not exactly as you ask. I had a friend who gave a Qur’an to a Catholic friend of his and his hope was that she would accept Islam, especially as she had heard him recite Qur’an and loved the sound of it. She didn’t accept Islam but gave the Qur’an to her cousin who ended up accepting Islam. SubhanAllah.
I meant on his own…and I have been asking Allah for the past 2 years also, but in sajda and in the middle of the night when I wake up from sleep and cannot go back to sleep for Allah to bring this guy hidaayah
Seema, Allah SWT does not control the “free will” of human beings. If this man is not interested in Islam, Allah SWT cannot force him to do an complete turnaround. At best, Allah SWT may put circumstances in front of him that may or may not cause him to re-think his position.
Similarly — and this is what I have a hard time with — there are certain laws of nature that will always hold true. For example, most women begin menopause in their mid-40′s and stop producing eggs. Once the body stops producing eggs, it cannot be fertilized by a sperm — and thus a woman can no longer become pregnant.
People always tell me, oh don’t worry you will get married and have children some day. But the reality is I am now in my 40s and have never been approached for marriage. This means that probably my prayers will not be answered.
The Quran and Sunnah are meant as a guide to us in this life. Hence, in this life, Allah SWT may answer our prayers if He chooses. Yes, if He chooses. If He does not choose, then He may avert a calamity for us, or as the author states, we may obtain our hearts desire in paradise.
Maybe it is time to be content that you made your dua, and to let it go and leave it in God’s hands? That is what I am trying to do. Indeed, living my life alone is a very terrifying prospect, but it may be that I have to accept that I will have a better life in the Hereafter.
Allah is very near.Eleven years ago,I was applying for dormitory in Al Azhar University.I needed a 30-Piasters stamp,but all post offices were closed or run out of stamps .So,I have to travel to Cairo the next day because of a Stamp.That would cost me at lest 7 Pounds.I asked Allah to help me.As soon as I finished my Du’a,Someone ;I don’t know,came and asked me,”Do you need any stamps?”He had a lot of stamps he didn’t need.May Allah help us and admit us to Paradise!
Ma Sha Allah, this was a beautiful reminder. This is a characteristic that I am seeking to perfect now. May Allah swt answer all of our prayers and grant u proper gidance, unity and Jannat Al Firdaus, ameen. fee aman Allah. Ma Salam
Salaam,
Thank you very much for your article, as always the series somehow manages to add and enhance our understanding of a topic. My questions is this; one member of my family is constantly going through a lot of problems and it seems to be coming at the same time from all different directions. I remind them of duaa but I am finding that this is becoming repetitive (even though I try my best to be creative in my analogy and thoughts). However, I think the real issue is of closeness and tawakkul of Allah. I think because of their deficiency in this matter (I make this comment because I know this person very well) that they are not truly able to appreciate duaa. So how do I get them to gain closer to Allah without being so obvious (sprituality can be a sensitive discussion in certain families, and that is why I usually tend to avoid such duscussions and rather focus on being the change that I want to see in the world.)
I am really sorry for being quite vague but I hope you can give me some advice on how I can utilise my efforts i.e. on top of duaa should I do something else.
W alaikm isalam w rahmat Allah
JazakAllah khair for your comment. I’m not sure I am equipped to answer your question simply because i don’t know the person you are talking about, and subhanAllah people are touched by different things. I would obviously recommend for you to make du’a for them, and engage them in conversations on how you see tawakul and closeness to Allah manifest in your own life. I’ve found that this opens the doors to the conversation- either the person will be inspired by your experience, or they will be skeptical and ask questions which means you can start engaging them in these concepts. Allah knows best.
Walaikum as salam,
I can actually relate to your situation as I’m facing something similar in my family as well. And as you’ve pointed out, spirituality isn’t an easy topic to discuss, especially when the person isn’t one who appreciates that aspect of life.
First of all, remember this:
“And Remind for verily a reminder benefits the believer”(Quran 51:55).
I know that’s one thing you’ve already been doing but the reason why I’m putting this verse up here is to remind myself and everyone here that at the end of the day, reminding is all we can do. It is only Allah who can change the hearts and make someone inclined to do something. Our job is to remind.
Personally, I try to leave subtle hints. Like leave an article about dua and Allah’s mercy lying around hoping that they’ll reach out for it out of curiosity, put on a talk by some Sheikh or some Quran recitation in a volume they couldn’t ignore. Other than that, try telling them your personal experiences with trials and how dua made all the difference and how thankful you are to the Almighty for answering your duas (let them know that you’re just sharing your experiences with them, you don’t want them to think you’re trying to change their mind or something). Another thing to keep in mind is your relationship to this person. For example, if this person is your parent or someone older than yourself, it’s going to be tricky and you have to be careful how you conduct the conversation. (Parents sometimes feel intimidated when their children try to explain things to them. Some people know that their actions/thoughts are wrong and guilt overcomes them when someone starts a discussion with them, but they’re just too stubborn to admit that they were wrong, so they react rudely or in some cases violently towards their children.)
I’d say you’re pretty much on the right track in trying to get this loved one of yours into appreciating duas. And the good thing is that you’re also focusing on “being the change you’d like to see in the world principle”. So inshaAllah, when this person sees how you’re benefiting by making duas an important part of your life and by nurturing your relationship with Allah, he/she will come to realize the importance of this relationship. Just remember that this kind of realization can take time but keep on making dua that Allah guides them towards His path . Hope this helps.
Just beautiful!
Once again Sr. Jinan, wonderful article. Recently, during some difficult times before a big exam – along with hard work of course, both my mother and I were praying for my success at the exam. At times, I was feeling as if I wasn’t going to have any chance of succeeding/passing. Yet, with that continued persistence in both work and prayer, Allahu Akbar, our prayers were answered – each time happens, my Imaan increases, yet the amazement also never stops, how Merciful he is, despite our faults and mistakes, He Answers us. It is truly beautiful to witness in one’s life – again and again. It truly brings one closer to one’s Creator. I think this sentiment is reflected by the first two comments.
Jazak’Allahu Khairan as always dear sister.
Simply amazing…another article which made a ‘boom’ sound in my heart and loved the almighty even more and more…indeed he is the al knower and al hearer..the most wise…
I would like to ask that if someone wants something in life and makes dua for it for a very long period of time e.g. two years and the wish/desire/need for it is still stronger and the option or the thing itself hasnt been taken away (i.e. the option is still there)…what does this mean? Obviously for a halal matter.
I once read that if there is an inspiration for dua Allah will accept it also and how Allah likes to hear the voice of a supplicant and thus the prayer is delayed.
But if one prays for something for so long and it is still not granted…why wouldn’t Allah take the option away or the need for having it away and fulfil the need somehow else or through something else…?
Truly – without a doubt – if Allah’s promise is true that if one makes dua e.g. at the time of breaking the fast, during Hajj, Tahajjud namaz or even during rain then the dua is accepted.
I am really so confused about this matter… normally from my experience when I want something and I make dua for it, its either accepted or taken away from me but in this case, it has been nearly over two years and I am really unsure what else to do except continue praying and making so much dua. I don’t feel like giving up
2.) Apart from trying one’s best (Allah only helps others once they help themselves), and making dua…is there absolutely anything else in the whole world you can do to achieve something/make something happen? Or is it just trying ones best and making dua??