58
It gives us great hope to know that Allah Almighty hears our supplications and answers them. This indeed enlivens us
and puts our pains to rest.
‘Atā’ said: “Tāwūs (may Allah have mercy upon him) came to me and said: ‘O ‘Atā’, do not ever present your needs to those who close their doors in your face. Instead, you should seek their fulfillment from the One Whose door is open to you till the Day of Judgment. He asks you to supplicate Him and promises that He will answer your supplications.’”
{...So seek His forgiveness then turn to Him in repentance, for My Lord is Ever Near, All-Responsive.} [Surat Hūd: 61]
Our Lord, Exalted be He, is the All-Responsive. He answers the supplications of His servants and grants their requests, and He helps the distressed and gives the fearful security. He even responds to those who disbelieve in Him and have never recognized Him! He responds to their calls and removes harm from them out of His bounty and that perhaps they may believe.
Most people, however, forget the favors done to them and show ingratitude. Allah Almighty says: {When they board a ship, they supplicate Allah, devoting their faith sincerely to Him. But as soon as He rescues them to the land, they associate partners with Him.} [Surat al-‘Ankabūt: 65]
When people find all doors closed and things become really hard and distressful, and they find no refuge among other created beings, they innately turn to the Almighty Creator and seek His refuge and protection. They stand humble at His door: {...Then when you are afflicted with hardship, to Him alone you cry out for help.} [Surat an-Nahl: 53]
Out of His generosity, bounty, and benevolence, Allah Almighty loves to be asked at times of ease and at times of hardship. If a person knows his Lord at the time of ease, He will know him when he goes through a hardship. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) is authentically reported to have said: “Whoever likes Allah to respond to him during hardships and distress, should supplicate Him a lot during the times of ease.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; Hasan (sound)]
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal was asked: “How much is the distance between us and the Throne of the Most Compassionate?” He replied: “A sincere supplication from a sincere heart.”
The believer should avoid such causes that prevent his supplication from being answered. These include the following:
1. Lack of sincerity.
2. Lack of persistence and insistence in the supplication.
3. Not invoking Allah’s peace and blessings upon the Prophet.
4. Expecting a quick answer.
5. Consuming unlawful food or drink or wearing unlawful clothing.
6. Abandoning the duty of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil.
The Sunnah specifies certain times at which supplications are most likely to be accepted. These times include the following:
1. Between the Adhān and the Iqāmah (second call to prayer).
2. In the last part of the night.
3. During prostration.
4. The hour during Friday.
5. During travel.
6. Supplication of an oppressed person.
7. Supplication of a parent against his child.
There is much room in this regard, yet when you raise your hands in supplication, remember that this is a favor from the Almighty Lord upon you; He wants to give you. So, think well of Him and be firm in your request. Allah Almighty says: {Your Lord says, “Call upon Me; I will respond to you...} [Surat Ghāfir: 60]
‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Lift the multitudes of afflictions by supplication.”
Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Do not fail to supplicate, for indeed none is ruined while he supplicates.”
Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “Every supplication gets answered. Yet the answers do vary. Sometimes the answer comes in the form of what one has asked for, and at other times in the form of something else in its place.”
In You I seek refuge, and in whom else can I seek refuge other than You?! I am weak, my Lord; so strengthen me against my sins, which cannot be forgiven by anyone but You.
I supplicate You to forgive my sins, help me, and guide me. Indeed, no one resorts to You and ends up in disappointment.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “It is inappropriate for a servant to ask from other servants while he finds all what he wants with his Almighty Lord.”
O Allah, the All-Responsive, answer our supplications, strengthen us, and save us and our parents from Hellfire.