[4] The Art of Supplication - Why Supplications Are Not Answered

A series of discussions based on the book Uddat al-Dai wa Najah as-Saee - The Provision of the Supplicant, and the Triumph of the Seeker by Ibn Fahd al-Hilli on the subject of Supplication and Prayer.

In His Name, the Most High

This is the fourth part in our series discussing supplications (dua) and the supplicant and the etiquette of supplicating.

As with other series of discussions we have had, it is strongly recommended that the previous parts are read, before continuing with this one, so as to avoid any confusion or misunderstanding within the subject matter.

The nature of the subject matter, and the style of discussion requires that each part build upon the ones that came before, so it is very strongly recommended that the reader, read the previous parts, prior to consuming this one.

The previous parts in this series can be found here:

The Art of Supplication - Index

Video of the Majlis (Sermon/Lecture)

This write up is a companion to the video majlis (sermon/lecture) found below:

Recap

In our previous sessions, we established the foundation of supplication (dua) not as a mere plea or ritual, but as a profound, personal, and ongoing dialogue with God—a dialogue that encompasses yearning, affection, lamentation, trust, and surrender.

We explored how supplication manifests itself:

Supplication transcends the realm of ibadah (worship) and constitutes the very essence of worship, as the Prophet and the Imams have imparted upon us.

It serves as both a rational imperative and a spiritual lifeline, enabling us to connect with the Divine in both ease and adversity.

Dua possesses the power to alter decreed outcomes, repel calamities, and illuminate the darkness of existence.

It embodies the essence of love and remembrance, akin to the constant communication between lovers and their beloved.

In this third session, we delved into the art of fostering supplication—both within ourselves and in others.

We discovered that:

Supplication is an intellectual imperative: even those who are not currently beset by afflictions must seek God’s intervention to avert future hardships.

Imam Ali reminds us that the individual free from trials is no less in need of dua than the one engulfed in them.

Dua emerges as the instrument of the believer—a shield and a sword against worldly tribulations and the inner struggles of the soul.

Even decreed hardships can be vanquished through sincere, continuous supplication, as elucidated by Imam as-Sadiq.

We also examined practical methods:

For our own well-being: Reckon that God invites us to address Him without reservations, and that no formality or linguistic barrier stands in our way. Engage in sincere and regular communication with Him—whether formally or informally—as you would with the one who comprehends and cherishes you most.

For others: Particularly those who are spiritually diminished or grappling with challenges—listen to them without judgment, offer gentle reminders, and assist them in reconnecting with God with compassion and wisdom. Remind them that while you may not possess the capacity to resolve their problems, God can—and will.

Concluding our discussion, we concluded with a heartfelt prayer of gratitude, invoking God to:

Endow us with the capacity to open our hearts to Him.

Ensure that our final state surpasses our initial state.

Strengthen our faith, maintain gratitude in ease, endure hardship patiently, and perpetually surrender to His will.

With that recap done, we should be in good stead to move onto our session for this week; where we will be discussing the important question of why sometimes our dua are not answered - or at least we feel that is the case.

So with full confidence in Him, and certainty that He only ever acts in our best interests, let us proceed to understand and learn, and we implore Him to guide us, to teach us, to grant us patience and fortitude, and keep us always moving in His way.

In His most sublime name, we continue …

Introduction

A person may sometimes feel they have supplicated for an exceptionally long while, they have been ardent in their supplication, they have implored God, and cried tears through the night for a particular prayer, a particular dua, a particular supplication to be answered.

For a particular thing - that which they are asking, begging and imploring God for - to happen.

Perhaps they are praying for a loved one who is unwell, and their loved one continues to lay on their sick bed, seemingly not improving, with doctors giving sad and gloomy prognoses.

Perhaps they are a young man praying to get married to a particular lady, yet somehow she doesn’t even see him, nor do her parents, and his parents continue to insist he marry another.

Perhaps it is a person illegally incarcerated within the Wilayah of Taghut, a speaker of truth to power, and He prays ardently, that God release him from this prison, this incarceration

These are but three examples, yet for all three of them, we find that the protagonists all feel that their prayers are being left unheard, unanswered, they may even - incorrectly - feel that God has abandoned them, that God perhaps “doesn’t love them”.

What are the reasons for this? Is it in fact true that “God doesn’t love them”? Is it because they have committed a certain sin, that their supplication doesn’t appear to reach God?

In this session, we will try to shed some light on this, and understand, both why sometimes it appears that supplications are left seemingly unanswered, but also what our thinking should be in such situations.

Why Supplications Are Not Answered?

So, this now leads to the question, why does it feel sometimes, that our supplications, our dua, are not answered? Why is it that a person might pray for years for something, but that they will find that nothing is changing, that which they yearn for, that they beg God for, seems to never come to pass.

Is it that God is ignoring them? Is it that God is going against His word, where in Quran He has clearly said:

وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ٱدْعُونِىٓ أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ ۚ
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِى سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ

Your Lord has said, ‘Call Me, and I will hear you!’ Indeed those who are disdainful of My worship will enter hell in utter humiliation

- Quran, Surah al-Ghafir (the Chapter of the Forgiver) #40, Verse 60

So is God going against what He has promised?

Far from it, such is not the way of God, if He says something, then He never goes against it, His word is Truth, He never breaks His promise:

وَعْدَ اللَّهِ ۖ لَا يُخْلِفُ اللَّهُ وَعْدَهُ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

The promise of God—God never breaks His promise, but most people do not know.

- Quran, Surah ar-Rum (the Chapter of the Romans) #30, Verse 6

So, we know that God has said that humanity should call Him, the reference in the verse is not just to certain types of people, but rather to humanity as a whole, this is further evidenced by verse 61 of the Chapter of the Forgiver:

اللَّهُ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ لِتَسْكُنُوا فِيهِ وَالنَّهَارَ مُبْصِرًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ

It is God who made the night for you, that you may rest in it, and the day to provide visibility. Indeed God is gracious to mankind, but most people do not give thanks.

- Quran, Surah al-Ghafir (the Chapter of the Forgiver) #40, Verse 61

Since over here, we can see that the verse clearly says ‘Indeed God is gracious to mankind’, this tells us that even the previous verse is speaking to mankind, to all of humanity.

Therefore, God has said to us, to every human being, to all His creation indeed, that we should call upon Him, and that He will certainly respond, after all we know that ‘God never breaks His promise’.

So, what is happening here? Why do our prayers, our calling out to God, feel as if they are falling on deaf ears?

Well, there are many reasons that are cited in the books of hadeeth and also within the Quran that may help to explain this; and there are also examples within our regular lives - perhaps not so common in this age of ‘instant gratification’ but nevertheless notions and examples that might help us to understand this.

But first, we must acknowledge, that when it appears - and I use the term ‘appears’ deliberately - that God is ‘not answering’ our prayers, that in and of itself, is also an answer to our prayers.

So, why does it appear that something a person is asking God for, seemingly is not being granted?

Prophet Yunus (Jonah)’s Realisation

An important part, an important requirement we might say, in the acceptance of any prayer, any supplication, is the realisation of one’s own position and the genuine submission to the will of God, the Mighty, the Wise.

We can learn of this, from the tale of Prophet Yunus (Jonah), as taught in the Quran:

وَإِنَّ يُونُسَ لَمِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
إِذْ أَبَقَ إِلَى الْفُلْكِ الْمَشْحُونِ
فَسَاهَمَ فَكَانَ مِنَ الْمُدْحَضِينَ
فَالْتَقَمَهُ الْحُوتُ وَهُوَ مُلِيمٌ
فَلَوْلَا أَنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُسَبِّحِينَ
لَلَبِثَ فِي بَطْنِهِ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ

And Yunus (Jonah) was one of the messengers.
When he absconded toward the laden ship, he drew lots with them and was the one to be condemned [as one to be thrown overboard].
Then the fish swallowed him while he was blameworthy.
Had he not been one of those who celebrate God’s glory, he would have surely remained in its belly till the day they will be resurrected.

- Quran, Surah as-Saffat (the Chapter of those Who Line Up) #37, Verses 139 to 144

The verse:

Clearly implies that his dua, his supplication was not immediately accepted, however, it was accepted, when he sincerely - and this is the key - accepted his mistake, his sin so to speak, though, I hasten to add that the issue of sin and the Prophets of God is a more nuanced one, and one that we will discuss in future sessions, God willing.

It was once he accepted his error, and repented, and then praised God profusely with recognition that his prayer was accepted, as again indicated in Quran:

وَذَا النُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَاضِبًا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ أَن لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَنَجَّيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْغَمِّ ۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُنجِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

And [remember] the Man of the Fish (Yunus (Jonah)), when he left in a rage, thinking that We would not put him to hardship. Then he cried out in the darkness, ‘There is no god except You! You are immaculate! I have indeed been among the wrongdoers!’

So We answered his prayer and delivered him from the agony; and thus do We deliver the faithful.

- Quran, Surah al-Anbiya (the Chapter of the Prophets) #21, Verses 87 to 88

So, from here, we can determine that the prayer of Jonah was accepted only after a certain sequence of events, a turning point within his heart, when He realised his error, his sin, his mistake, and then made amends, attempted to atone for them.

That is when God accepted and granted his prayer.

This teaches us, that amongst the reasons a prayer may not be accepted, would be that a person might pray ardently, diligently, but they have not yet accepted their own errors, their own sins.

Consider, for example, a person who prays for his business to become successful. However, that same person, obtains his supplies by way of bribery - as an example, or he engages in profiteering.

Musaddaf and Profiteering

I am reminded here of an event taught by the late Martyr Ayatullah Murtaza Motahhari, in his famous ‘Anecdotes of the Ahl al-Bayt’, in the section on ‘Financial Matters’:

Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq entrusted his servant, Musaddaf, with 1,000 dinars to invest in trade.

Musaddaf joined a caravan to Egypt, and upon learning that certain goods were in high demand there, the traders agreed to sell only at double the purchase price, effectively engaging in profiteering.

They sold their goods at this inflated price, and upon returning, Musaddaf presented the Imam with two pouches: one containing the original capital and the other the profit.

The Imam inquired about the nature of the profit, and upon learning of the exploitative pricing strategy, he expressed his disapproval:

“You mean you united together to black market your goods? Glory be to God! You black market your goods and expect me to enjoy its profit. I’m afraid, I cannot accept such money.”

He then returned the profit, stating:

“This is my hard-earned lawful money. Pick up the other pouch. I refuse to have anything to do with it.”

He further remarked:

“Musaddaf! It is much easier to wield the sword than earn lawful money.”

So, over here, you have a person, who has committed a sin, who has made a serious mistake.

Lessons from Prophet Yunus (Jonah)

Such was the case of Prophet Yunus (Jonah), and hence his trial, and the lesson for us.

He had absconded, without permission from God, he was tested thusly, because - as discussed in Tafsir al-Qummi by Shaykh Ali ibn Ibrahim al-Qummi, one of the great scholars of Islam, born in the 3rd Century of the Lunar Hijrah calendar, and he died in 307 of the same Lunar Hijrah, which is around the 919 of the common era.

He was active during the lifetimes of Imam al-Jawad, the ninth Imam of the Muslims, Imam al-Hadi, the tenth Imam of the Muslims, and Imam al-Askari, the eleventh Imam of the Muslims, and also during the early part of the lesser occultation of Imam al-Hujjah, may our souls be his ransom, and may God hasten his return.

So, Shaykh al-Qummi, says in his tafsir of the verses of Surah al-Anbiya cited above, that:

1. Prophet Yunus (Jonah) was tested because he left his people too early; before he was given leave by God to leave; and while his people still needed his guidance

2. He remained in the belly of the whale (fish), for a long while, and he glorified God for an extended period, before his dua was accepted.

3. The intensity of his trial, was in order to teach the important lesson of humility in the face of a divine trial.

Indeed, Allamah Tabatabai in his commentary al-Mizan, when discussing these verses, emphasises that:

1. The acceptance of prayer, came only after full submission

2. God’s delay in accepting his prayer, was not a rejection, rather it was part of a spiritual refinement, a key part of the way that God educates and teaches.

Allamah says explicitly that:

“His deliverance came because of his remembrance and turning back to God with full consciousness of his own deficiency.”

Furthermore, in a hadeeth (tradition, narration) attributed to Imam as-Sadiq, we are taught:

قال الإمام الصادق (عليه السلام)
“ما دعا عبد بدعاء يونس إلا استُجيب له.”

No one supplicates with the du‘a of Yunus except that Allah answers — but he must call with certainty and sincerity.

- Al-Kulayni, Al-Kafi, Kitab al-Dua (the Book of Supplication), Chapter of the Supplication of Yunus

So, the we can learn from this, that amongst the requirements for a prayer to be accepted, is that we must be humble, we must acknowledge our errors and our mistakes, and when we call upon God, we must be sincere and honest, we must when turning to God, be fully aware of our own short-comings, our own deficiencies.

Accepting of our shortcomings and mistakes, as well as approaching God with humility and self-awareness, is a key component that is required for the acceptance - the real and true acceptance - of supplications.

The Trials of Prophet Ayyoub (Job)

In the Quran we are also taught of the trial of Prophet Ayyoub, where he too supplicated to God, and while his prayer was ultimately answered, he went through much difficulty; and it took much time for his prayer to be realised.

This too, will help us understand why sometimes, we might feel that our prayers, our supplications are seemingly not being answered:

وَاذْكُرْ عَبْدَنَا أَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الشَّيْطَانُ بِنُصْبٍ وَعَذَابٍ
ارْكُضْ بِرِجْلِكَ ۖ هَٰذَا مُغْتَسَلٌ بَارِدٌ وَشَرَابٌ
وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُم مَّعَهُمْ رَحْمَةً مِّنَّا وَذِكْرَىٰ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ
وَخُذْ بِيَدِكَ ضِغْثًا فَاضْرِب بِّهِ وَلَا تَحْنَثْ ۗ إِنَّا وَجَدْنَاهُ صَابِرًا ۚ نِّعْمَ الْعَبْدُ ۖ إِنَّهُ أَوَّابٌ

And mention Our servant Job, when he called out to his Lord, “Satan has afflicted me with hardship and pain.”
“Stamp with your foot—here is cool water to wash with, and to drink.”
And We restored his family for him, and their like with them; as a mercy from Us, and a lesson for those who possess insight.
“Take with your hand a bundle, and strike with it, and do not break your oath.” We found him patient. What an excellent servant! He was obedient.

- Quran, Surah as-Sad (the Chapter of the Letter Sad) #38, Verses 41 to 44

Further more, in the Chapter of the Prophets, God says regarding Prophet Ayyoub:

وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ
فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ فَكَشَفْنَا مَا بِهِ مِن ضُرٍّ ۖ وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُم مَّعَهُمْ رَحْمَةً مِّنْ عِندِنَا وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْعَابِدِينَ

And Job, when he cried out to his Lord: “Great harm has afflicted me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful.”
So We answered him, lifted his suffering, and restored his family to him, and their like with them—a mercy from Us, and a reminder for the worshipers.

- Quran, Surah al-Anbiya (the Chapter of the Prophets) #21, Verses 83 to 84

So, while over here, the Quran doesn’t explicitly say ‘why’ the response to the prayer of Prophet Ayyoub was delayed; the manner in which the Quran speaks, suggests a process. Prophet Ayyoub remained suffering for an extended period of time, continually patient and content with the decree and will of God, before he was relieved.

In al-Mizan, Allamah Tabatabai says, when discussing the tafseer of these verses, and the story of Prophet Ayyoub generally, that:

1. Prophet Ayyoub’s prayer was not initially for relief, but rather it was an expression of recognition of God’s mercy.

2. When he finally did supplicate, specifically, for healing, it was not a complaint, but rather a humble request, filled with submission and maturity and awareness of God.

3. The delay in response, was part of the Divine wisdom, in order to:

   1. Refine his soul

   2. Elevate his rank, spiritually

   3. Set an example of steadfastness in hardship

A hadeeth from Imam as-Sadiq, found in Bihar al-Anwar says:

قال الإمام جعفر الصادق (عليه السلام)
إن الله ابتلى أيوب عليه السلام سبع سنين، فلم يشكُ إلى الله عز وجل، ولم يقل: اللهم اكشف عني، بل كان يقول: يا رب، أنت أعلم بحالي، فلما انقضت المدة، أوحى الله إليه: قد وجدناك صابراً، فاكشف عنك البلاء

Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:

“God tested Ayyoub (peace be upon him) for seven years, and he did not complain to Allah Almighty, nor did he say:

‘O Allah, remove this from me.’

Rather, he would say:

‘O Lord, You are more knowledgeable of my condition.’

When the period concluded, God revealed to him:

‘We have found you patient, so We will remove the affliction from you.’”

- Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Volume 12, Page 339

So, the lessons we can garner from Prophet Ayyoub, is two-fold, firstly that sometimes a hardship is a means of purification, and this we discussed previously when we spoke of the ‘Period of Purification’, where sometimes, difficulties and hardships, are in reality a blessing, as they purify the believer, and strengthen his or her reliance on God.

We can also learn, that when we supplicate, when we ask God, we should be explicit, but also we should be humble, and realise that God is better aware of that which is better for us than we are.

The Yearning of Prophet Zakariah (Zechariah)

Again, we can garner much about why a prayer is sometimes delayed in being answer, and in such cases it can appear, while it is not accepted, during the delay, that it is not being answered, or that - God forbid - God is not listening to our prayer.

So, we can see, the prayer of Prophet Zakariah is truly beautiful. It is known that despite his advanced age, and that his wife had become barren, he made this most heartfelt of dua:

هُنَالِكَ دَعَا زَكَرِيَّا رَبَّهُ ۖ قَالَ رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِن لَّدُنكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِ

Thereupon Zechariah prayed to his Lord; he said, “My Lord, bestow on me good offspring from Your presence; You are the Hearer of Prayers.”

- Quran, Surah Aal-i-Imraan (the Chapter of the Family of Imraan) #3, Verse 38

Following this, he again beseeched God:

ذِكْرُ رَحْمَتِ رَبِّكَ عَبْدَهُ زَكَرِيَّا
إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ نِدَاءً خَفِيًّا
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي وَهَنَ الْعَظْمُ مِنِّي وَاشْتَعَلَ الرَّأْسُ شَيْبًا وَلَمْ أَكُن بِدُعَائِكَ رَبِّ شَقِيًّا
وَإِنِّي خِفْتُ الْمَوَالِيَ مِن وَرَائِي وَكَانَتِ امْرَأَتِي عَاقِرًا فَهَبْ لِي مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّا
يَرِثُنِي وَيَرِثُ مِنْ آلِ يَعْقُوبَ ۖ وَاجْعَلْهُ رَبِّ رَضِيًّا

A mention of the mercy of your Lord towards His servant Zechariah.
When he called on his Lord, a call in seclusion.
He said, “My Lord, my bones have become feeble, and my hair is aflame with grey, and never, Lord, have I been disappointed in my prayer to you.
“And I fear for my dependents after me, and my wife is barren. So grant me, from Yourself, an heir.
To inherit me, and inherit from the House of Jacob, and make him, my Lord, pleasing.”

- Quran, Surah al-Maryam (the Chapter of Mary) #19, Verses 2 to 6

Eventually, God accepted his supplication:

وَزَكَرِيَّا إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ رَبِّ لَا تَذَرْنِي فَرْدًا وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْوَارِثِينَ
فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ وَوَهَبْنَا لَهُ يَحْيَىٰ وَأَصْلَحْنَا لَهُ زَوْجَهُ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَيَدْعُونَنَا رَغَبًا وَرَهَبًا ۖ وَكَانُوا لَنَا خَاشِعِينَ

And Zechariah, when he called out to his Lord, “My Lord, do not leave me alone, even though you are the Best of heirs.”
So We answered him, and gave him John. And We cured his wife for him. They used to vie in doing righteous deeds, and used to call on Us in love and awe, and they used to humble themselves to Us.

- Quran, Surah al-Anbiya (the Chapter of the Prophets) #21, Verses 89 to 90

So there are a few important points we can garner from this, a few reasons why his prayer for eventually answered:

1. He was persistent and hopeful

2. He called with sincerity, and humility

3. God waited, and would wait, until the time was right

Indeed, Allamah Tabatabai says in al-Mizan, that the prayer of Zakariyyah was not delayed as a punishment, but rather, because God was preparing a greater sign; the miraculous birth of a child to an old and barren couple.

Furthermore, this lesson, serves to set the stage for the even more miraculous birth of Prophet Isa (Jesus), to the blessed Sayyedah Maryam (Saint Mary), while she was still a virgin, and had never been unchaste.

Indeed, Imam as-Sadiq has said:

قال الإمام جعفر الصادق (عليه السلام)
“سأل زكريا ربه شوقًا لا شكًا، فكانت إلحاحه عبادة لا استعجالًا.”

Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:

“Zakariyyah asked his Lord with longing, not with doubt. His persistence was an act of worship, not impatience.”

- Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Volume 14, Page 177

So this, also gives us important lessons, on why our supplications might appear to be delayed, or ‘not answered’ - which if not understood correctly, can lead to despondency, which is from the major sins.

The story of Prophet Zakariyyah teaches us, clearly that he never held a negative opinion of God, he was never disappointed in God, and continued to be humble, and to love God.

Indeed, God may wait until the heart of his servant is ready, or until a given dua, a given supplication, aligns with His wisdom and His timing, but the key is that the servant, the true servant of God, never becomes disappointed or dejected when they feel they are praying, but nothing is happening, that - God forbid - they start to think negative, that God is not listening.

These too, are important point for us to consider and reflect upon.

Prophet Yusuf (Joseph)’s Delay in Release from Prison

While Prophet Yusuf had been incarcerated, the entire story is lengthy, and covering his incarceration and such is outside the scope of this discussion, but, God willing, we will cover this in future sessions, as from the life of Prophet Yusuf, his brothers, and his father are many lessons for those who seek knowledge, understanding and closeness to God:

لَّقَدْ كَانَ فِي يُوسُفَ وَإِخْوَتِهِ آيَاتٌ لِّلسَّائِلِينَ

In Joseph and his brothers are lessons for the seekers.

- Quran, Surah Yusuf (the Chapter of Joseph) #12, Verse 7

However, we are concerned in this discussion, to a dialogue had by Prophet Yusuf, that on account of his reliance - even in a very minimal manner - on other than God, this led to his incarceration being extended:

وَقَالَ لِلَّذِي ظَنَّ أَنَّهُ نَاجٍ مِّنْهُمَا اذْكُرْنِي عِندَ رَبِّكَ فَأَنسَاهُ الشَّيْطَانُ ذِكْرَ رَبِّهِ فَلَبِثَ فِي السِّجْنِ بِضْعَ سِنِينَ

And he said to the one he thought would be released, “Mention me to your master.” But Satan caused him to forget mentioning him to his master, so he remained in prison for several years.

- Quran, Surah Yusuf (the Chapter of Joseph) #12, Verse 42

The case here, is that following Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) interpreting the dream of two of his fellow prisoners, to the one that is destined to be released; he says:

But, he had at this point placed hope in other than God, and this is what is said by Imam as-Sadiq:

قال الإمام جعفر الصادق (عليه السلام)
لما قال يوسف للذي ظن أنه ناجٍ منهما: اذكرني عند ربك، أوحى الله إليه: يا يوسف، من جعلك أحسن الظن بي، فقلت للعبد: اذكرني عند ربك؟ أما والله لأحبسنك في السجن بضع سنين

Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:

“When Yusuf said to the one he thought would be saved:

‘Mention me to your master,’

God revealed to him:

‘O Yusuf, who made you have such good expectations of Me that you said to the servant: ‘Mention me to your master’? By Allah, I will surely keep you imprisoned for several years.’”

- Al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, Volume 12, Page 254

Indeed, in both Tafsir al-Qummi and al-Mizan, by Allamah Tabatabai, both emphasise, when discussing this episode in the life of Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) that:

1. While the request made by Prophet Yusuf to the prisoner to be released, was not in and of itself sinful, it did, however, reflect a very subtle reliance on someone other than God.

2. As a Prophet, even such small lapses in reliance, are held to a very high standard

3. His delayed freedom, the delay in the acceptance of his prayer to be released, was a divine lesson to teach, that the reliance should only be upon God.

The Decorum and Etiquette of Calling to God

So, now, after learning from the lives of these great Prophets of God, we can understand that there are criteria that we must follow; indeed, there is also a hadeeth from Imam as-Sadiq which says:

قال الإمام جعفر الصادق (عليه السلام)
إذا أردت أن تدعو فمجد الله عز وجل، وأثن عليه، واذكر نعمه، فاحمده، ثم صل على النبي صلى الله عليه وآله، ثم اعترف بذنبك، ثم سل حاجتك

Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:

“When you intend to supplicate, first glorify God, praise Him, and mention His blessings—thus thank Him. Then send blessings upon the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). After that, confess your sins, and then ask for your need.”

- Al-Hilli, Uddat ad-Dai wa Najah as-Saee, Chapter of the Etiquette of Supplication (Adab ad-Dua)

So there is a protocol, and indeed, according to the teachers of ethics and spirituality; this protocol should be adhered to even when making a request from God in an informal manner.

This is of course different to just ‘speaking’ or ‘calling’ out to God, that can be done in any manner; but to keep in one’s mind ones position with regard to God, even when speaking informally to Him, this is also important.

I should hasten to state here, that this doesn’t mean that we should operate in a manner where we are always apprehensive of God, or frightened to speak to Him, not at all, quite the contrary.

Indeed, if someone understands their position regarding their beloved; they will operate with a degree of decorum and respect when speaking to them.

Even when speaking informally, we must appreciate, we must accept, that we are engaged in dialogue, with God, the Creator, the one without whom our very existence is impossible, so a certain decorum must be maintained.

Much like when you go and speak to your parents, or to your teacher - though I appreciate that in the world these days, showing respect to parents, elders and teachers and the like is tragically a dying art, but that nevertheless, doesn’t mean it is not something that is correct to do.

Sadly, society and people are easily swayed by the machinations of Satan and the carnal self.

So, over here Imam Sadiq has given us the formula, the protocol to follow, when we speak to God, which summarised can be understood as:

1. To glorify Him

2. To praise Him

3. To mention His many blessings upon us

4. To thank Him for His many blessings upon us

5. To send blessings on Prophet Muhammad and his family

6. To confess our sins, our errors, our mistakes, our blunders and all that we may have done that would distance ourselves from God, things that we have done that are against what He expects from us - and this in itself is another discussion, which God willing, we will have as part of this series.

7. Then finally, after all that, we then ask for our needs.

“I Follow the Etiquette of Dua, but it Still Remains Unanswered, Why?”

However, sometimes, we might feel, that we have done this, we have followed the etiquette, and yet our prayers are still left unanswered; why is that?

Indeed, perhaps a person didn’t know of the etiquette, and they then learn, but even when they follow said etiquette, they still find that their prayers are still seemingly falling upon deaf ears.

Why is that? Why does God sometimes appear - even after doing things as best as we can - to not answer?

Well, this again, Quran tells us:

وَلَوْ يُعَجِّلُ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ الشَّرَّ اسْتِعْجَالَهُم بِالْخَيْرِ لَقُضِيَ إِلَيْهِمْ أَجَلُهُمْ ۖ فَنَذَرُ الَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ لِقَاءَنَا فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ

If God were to accelerate the ill for the people, as they wish to accelerate the good, their term would have been fulfilled. But We leave those who do not expect Our encounter to blunder in their excesses.

- Quran, Surah Yunus (the Chapter of Jonah) #10, Verse 11

When looking at how Allamah Tabatabai discusses this verse, we can see a number of important points that help us to understand this.

1. The idea of human impatience and misjudgement. Humans sometimes can act hastily, desiring immediate gratification, immediate results, without understanding the consequences.
   
   They may pray for an outcome that they deem as beneficial, but that could be hugely detrimental.

2. God’s mercy in not hastening punishment upon those who wrong themselves.
   
   If God was to respond immediately to every dua for evil or harm, then people would be destroyed very swiftly - further more, even ethically there are issue with praying for harm or evil to befall someone, but we will defer that discussion for a future session.

3. When a person is neglectful of God, when their belief in the hereafter is weak, when they do not anticipate meeting God, they are left to persist in their transgressions.
   
   They are left to their own devices, as we had previously discussed when discussing the Wilayah of Taghut.
   
   Such a person has a great disregard for the consequences of their actions, and this leads them to continuing in their pathway of error.
   
   This then, emphasises the importance of being mindful and aware of the hereafter, of the next day, and of the meeting with God, as a component of dua, as a component of supplicating to God.
   
   Being neglectful of God, as we had discussed, will lead God to ‘leave such a person to their own devices’. Which would lead to their own destruction. And this is when a person has given their loyalty, their allegiance to the Wilayah of Taghut, and have actively removed themselves - or attempted to remove themselves from, as removal from the Wilayah of God is in reality impossible - but God will then ‘leave them to their own devices’.

4. Sometimes a delay in the answering of supplications, especially those that are made in haste, or in the ‘heat of the moment’ as it is said. Dua’s that are made without understanding and reflection, are part of a divine test.
   
   This encourages a person to re-evaluate their intentions, to reflect on and strengthen their sincerity when supplicating, when asking God for something, and this again is a means to prevent a situation where God answering a prayer, would ultimately end up harming the person.
   
   Because God does not harm anyone, but they only harm themselves:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَظْلِمُ النَّاسَ شَيْئًا وَلَٰكِنَّ النَّاسَ أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ

God does not wrong the people in the least, but the people wrong their own selves.

- Quran, Surah Yunus (the Chapter of Jonah) #10, Verse 44

You May Dislike Something that is Good for you, and Like Something that is Bad for you

Finally, there might be something you want, that is bad for you, and something that you don’t want that is actually good for you.

A common example used is that of medicine. If a person is unwell, and they are asked by the righteous physician to take a particular herb, or preparation, it might taste repugnant, and be something that a person would be repulsed by and would not want to take; however, them not taking it would be harmful to their health, therefore, to remain healthy, they must take it.

Quran teaches us:

كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْهٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

Fighting is ordained for you, even though you dislike it. But it may be that you dislike something while it is good for you, and it may be that you like something while it is bad for you. God knows, and you do not know.

- Quran, Surah al-Baqarah (the Chapter of the Cow) #2, Verse 216

In this verse, God is speaking about the notion of fighting, of making resistance against injustice. This is something that is contrary to the easy-going nature of humanity; yet like praying, like fasting, God has indeed ordained fighting for humanity.

And on the subject of fighting, as we have discussed when discussing the notion of ‘Migrating to the Wilayah of God’, when faced with taghut, with satanic entities and forces, there is a need to make a sacred resistance; this doesn’t have to necessarily have to be by way of violence; but rather it can be by way of education.

He then further says - and this next part can apply to both fighting, or indeed to anything - that you might dislike a thing, but it is good for you, and you might like something but it is bad for you.

Indeed, many a time, especially in the times we live in, where things like abortion, pre-martial relationships, divorce and such societal ills, are tragically become more and more common, we can see; that, and we have said this earlier; if God was to instantly respond and answer a persons’ - perhaps ill advised - prayer, then this can be devastating.

Consider, God forbid, a couple that has an argument about something. In the heat of the moment, when tempers are raised and emotions are high, if either the husband or the wife, or another family member who is observing this, and feels helpless, makes a prayer to God saying - for example:

“Oh God, please end this marriage”

If God was to immediately respond and do that; the consequences would be grave. The marriage would be destroyed, a home would be devastated; and it would be all because of one prayer of one person.

This is not the way that God operates.

As we have said previously, God does not harm the people; they only harm themselves. Indeed to make such a prayer for another is in and of itself highly problematic; and we will cover such types of negative dua or supplications or prayers in a future session in this series, God willing.

Indeed, Imam Ali is know to have said:

قال الإمام علي (عليه السلام)
كم من راغب في أمر، فلما ظفر به، تمنى أن لم يكن ظفر به

How often does a person desire something, but when he obtains it, he wishes he had never achieved it.

- Al-Hilli, Uddat ad-Dai wa Najah as-Saee, Chapter of the Etiquette of Supplication (Adab ad-Dua)

And this covers this situation, where sometimes a person may pray for something that is bad for them, and when they receive it, either granted to them directly by God, or by circumstance (that is another discussion for another session, God willing), they become upset, and wish they had never gotten that.

Just like in our example of a marital squabble mentioned earlier.

Conclusion

So many a time, God will delay the answering of a prayer for a few reasons as we have discussed here, therefore, in order for our supplications, our prayers to be accepted, we must abide by the best practices, the best ways; and always keep a positive opinion of God, never be neglectful of God, or take Him for granted:

1. We must first accept our mistakes, our sins, our short-comings, and work to never repeat them, to improve.

2. We must approach God with humility and awareness of who He is.

3. We must also be aware of our own selves, we must realise our own positions, and be always reflecting upon that so as to improve ourselves and move ourselves ever-closer to God

4. We must be explicit in our supplication, we must ask for that which we desire, but always be aware that God is better aware of what is good for us, and what is bad for us, that sometimes that which we desire could be bad for us.
   
   So being explicit here doesn’t necessarily mean; that a person - for example - pray for, for example (and I’m using deliberately simple and trivial examples for the sake of both brevity and ease of understanding):
   
   ”Oh God, please get me such and such car, or house, etc”
   
   Rather, it would be better to ask God thusly:
   
   ”Oh God, I desire a clean and decent place to live, where I can worship and serve You, and work to help the people, You know better than me, what such a place is, so You help me to find such a place, and You are the best of helpers”
   
   Something like that encapsulates the same request, however, it manages our own expectations, that perhaps the house or car that we desire might be problematic, perhaps it is manufactured by those who also manufacture weapons that murder innocents in Gaza, perhaps the house that you have seen has a hidden problem that perhaps you are unaware of.
   
   This way; by asking God to cover the actual need, rather than the specific need - as was discussed when we spoke of Prophet Zakariyya - this is better, and more useful in terms of supplication, and talking to God.
   
   After all God is the one who knows better than we do, and indeed knows us better than we do, and He never works against our best interests, and He is always kind, gentle, merciful and loving to His creation.

5. We should never hold a negative opinion of God, meaning that if something doesn’t go our way; then we should be thankful regardless; as a thing not going our way, means that God has potentially saved us from from something that would harm us, and further more, He will set us up for something better.
   
   We learned this from the story of Prophet Ayyoub, where he always kept a positive opinion of God, no matter the trials and calamities that were visited upon him.

6. We must always be hopeful that He will answer our prayers; and perhaps in ways that we do not always understand. And this is linked to the previous point of always retaining a positive opinion of God.
   
   God will always listen, and as has been mentioned earlier, sometimes God not granting a particular desire of ours, might well be a granting in and of itself.
   
   We should always have hope that God will always be good to us, that He will always be kind, merciful and loving to us, as He has been in the past, so He will be in the present.
   
   A person who suffers what appears to be a setback, for example, a person prays to God to ensure he keeps his job. But then all of a sudden, he loses his job.
   
   Such a person should always be aware, that while he was praying to God that God should keep him in his job, God knew better, and will give him a better job.
   
   Perhaps where he was working was involved with genocide and supporting genocide, for example, in Gaza; or it was an organisation that was usurping the rights of the people?
   
   He might want to stay in such a job, because humans are generally change averse, and don’t like change - at least the modern human is akin to this - but staying in such a job, would mean that he would become a party to the crimes of the organisation he works for.
   
   Therefore, since he was sincere, and he prayed to God to protect him - which he thought would come about by way of him keeping this job - God chose to answer his prayer, but not as he expected.
   
   Rather, God chose to remove him from that job with a genocide-supporting organisation, and He will provide for him a job at a place that is honourable.
   
   Of course, that doesn’t mean God will make that happen silently, and he will immediately be given a job with a new company - though of course God can do that - rather, God in removing him from the job with the genocidal company - put him in a place where he is compelled to find a job - or start a business, etc - in a place that is better.
   
   This itself bears reflection and thinking about.

7. Whenever we pray, we should have that strong reliance that God will answer our prayers. Perhaps that answer will be as mentioned in the previous point; in a manner that doesn’t explicitly fit what we were ‘expecting’ - but that rather is better than what we expected.
   
   We must always ensure that whatever we pray for; we pray with full certainty, and reliance on God, that God is the one who knows better; and that He will reply.
   
   That He does hear the call of those who call upon Him, and He is never neglectful of His creation.

8. And as has been said, sometimes we pray for a thing that is not in our best interests; and God will not wish us to have injustice done to ourselves, and God certainly will not do injustice to ourselves.
   
   Therefore, sometimes he may delay answering a prayer, to allow us time to reflect and to reconsider.

This is but scratching the surface of why our supplications, we feel, are sometimes not answered, and also how we can work to improve ourselves; to be more diligent and honourable in our supplications.

To rely firmly on God, and to know that He will always do that which is best for us.

Much like an honourable parent, will never give their child a toy or anything they want, that is harmful to them.

In the next session, we will examine the advantages and benefits of supplication, but for now, this brings our session for today to a close.

And from Him alone is all ability and He has authority over all things.

Whispers Beneath the Throne

On Trusting God, and Asking for the Best Outcomes

Starting the Supplication

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

O my Lord, shower Your blessings upon Muhammad,
and the Pure Family of Muhammad.

Praise and Gratitude

O God,
I begin by praising You—
Though my praise is unworthy of Your majesty,
and my words fall short before Your endless grace.

You are the Light of those who seek light,
the Refuge of those who are cast adrift,
the Anchor for hearts trembling with doubt,
and the Shelter for every soul lost in the tempest of this world.

You are the One who opens every closed door,
who hears the whisper of every silent tongue,
who gives before He is asked,
and who forgives even before the sin is confessed.

What tongue can count Your blessings?

What eye can see the extent of Your mercy?

What heart can contain even a droplet of Your love?

O My Lord,
You fashioned me from dust,
You fed me when I knew not hunger,
You clothed me before I knew shame,
You guided me when I knew not my left from my right.

Acknowledging His Mercy and Asking Forgiveness

And though I have stumbled through the shadows of heedlessness,
and burdened my soul with sins—small and great,
open and hidden,
yet You have not withheld Your breeze from my lungs,
nor the warmth of Your sun from my skin,
nor the covering of Your mercy from my shame.

So I ask You—
by Your forbearance that is never exhausted,
by Your mercy that embraces all things,
by Your knowledge that precedes every action and intention—
forgive me.

Forgive me,
not because I am worthy of forgiveness,
but because You are worthy of being asked.

Forgive me,
not because my tears earn Your compassion,
but because compassion is Yours even before the tears.

Forgive the sins that cloud my certainty,
and cleanse the stains that dim the mirror of my heart.

On Trust and Surrendering to His Wisdom

My Master,
I come to You not because I know what is best for me,
but because You know what I do not.

Often I ask You for what I think is good,
but You, in Your mercy, deny me—
and in that denial is the cure for a wound I do not yet feel.

And at times I beg You to remove a trial,
but You keep it near—
because in its thorns is the fragrance of my awakening.

So teach me to trust You when I do not understand,
to surrender when my will rebels,
to be content with what You choose,
even if it breaks my plans and humbles my pride.

Make me among those who seek only what You deem good,
who leave the pen of their destiny in Your hand,
and who rest their forehead upon the earth in full submission to Your decree.

Asking for the Best of Outcomes

O Lord of Majesty and Generosity,
I ask You,
by the right of Muhammad, Your beloved,
and the light of his family, the purified ones—
grant me the best of outcomes,
in all affairs—great and small.

If You know that a matter is good for me in my religion,
my livelihood, and the end of my journey—then make it easy and bless it.

And if You know it to be harmful for me in any way—
then turn it away from me,
and turn me away from it,
and make me content with Your decision.

Replace every loss with something better,
every delay with perfect timing,
every sorrow with lasting joy,
and every unanswered prayer with what I would have asked for—if only I knew.

Sending Salutations on Prophet Muhammad

O God,
send Your complete blessings upon Muhammad,
the seal of Your prophets,
and upon his pure, purified family—
those who carried the lantern of guidance through the darkness of time.

Let my soul be aligned with their light,
my heart bound to their truth,
and my prayer accepted through their intercession.

For they are the ships of salvation,
the anchors in the storm,
and the bridge to You for the lost ones like me.

Closing

O my Lord,
do not entrust me to myself for the blink of an eye,
nor leave me to my own judgment for even the length of a breath.

You are my hope when hopes are shattered,
my Helper when all helpers fail.

You are sufficient for me,
and what a sufficient Lord You are.

And my Lord, shower Your blessings upon Muhammad,
and the Pure Family of Muhammad.

And All praise belongs to You, My Lord,
Oh Lord Sustainer of the Universes

Amen, O My Master, My Lord, My God.

Amen, Oh You who always responds to the one that calls You!