Why is My Supplication Not Answered

By the Noble Scholar, Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Saalih al-’Uthaymeen [1]


Q]: ‘Allaah says:

‘‘And your Lord says: Call upon Me and I will, respond to your supplication.’’ [Soorah Ghaafir 40:60]

So why is it that a person’s du’aa (supplication) is sometimes unanswered?’

[A]: ‘‘All praise is due to Allaah, Lord of the worlds. May the Prayers and Peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his Family and his Companions. I ask Allaah for the ability to be correct in belief, speech and actions, for myself and for my brothers.

Allaah says:

‘‘And your Lord says: Call upon Me and I will respond to your supplication. Verily those who are too arrogant to worship Me will, enter Hell in humiliation.’’ [Soorah Ghaafir 40:60]

The questioner stated that he did indeed make du’aa (supplication) to Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic - but it was not answered by Allaah. So he is in doubt with respect to this noble aayah (verse), in which Allaah promises to answer the one who supplicates to Him, and indeed Allaah - the Most Perfect - never breaks His promise.

So the clarification of this is that there are certain conditions that need to be fulfilled in order for a supplication to be answered. These conditions are:

Firstly: Sincerity to Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic. That is to say, one must be sincere in his du’aa (supplication), so he turns to Allaah - the One free from all imperfections with an attentive heart, being truthful in his turning to Him, knowing that Allaah - the Most Perfect, the Most High - is capable of answering his du’aa (supplication) and hoping that the du’aa will be answered.

Secondly: During du’aa, the caller should feel that he is in need of Allaah - the Most Perfect, the Most High – in fact in dire need; and that only Allaah alone answers the supplication of the one in distress and the One who removes evil.

Thirdly: That the one making du’aa should refrain from haraam (unlawful) matters, as this acts as a barrier between the person and his du’aa (supplication) being answered - as has been established in the authentic hadeeth, from the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) who said: ‘‘Indeed Allaah - the Most High -is good and accepts only that which is good. Allaah has ordered the Believers to do that which He commanded the Messengers. Allaah - the Most High -has said:

‘‘O you Messengers! Eat of the good things and do righteous actions.’’ [Sooratul-Mu‘minoon 3:51]

And Allaah - the Most High - says:

‘‘O you who Believe! Eat of the good things wherewith We have provided you.’’ [Sooratul-Baqarah 2:172]

Then he mentioned (the case of) a man who, having journeyed far is dishevelled and dusty and who spreads out his bands to the sky (saying): ‘O Lord! O Lord,’ whilst his food is unlawful, his drink unlawful and he is nourished unlawfully. So how can he be answered!’ [2] So the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) explained the un-likelihood that this person’s du’aa would be answered, even after fulfilling the apparent factors which aid the du’aa being answered. The apparent factors being:

[i]: Raising ones’ hands towards the sky, meaning towards Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic - since Allaah is above the heavens, above His ’Arsh (Throne). Extending the hands out towards Allaah -the Mighty and Majestic - is amongst the causes of du’aa being responded to, as is shown in the narration from the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) that he said: ‘‘Indeed your Lord is Alive, Most generous. He feels shy that when his servant raises his bands towards Him, calling upon Him, that He should return him empty, having nothing.’’[3]

[ii]: This man called upon Allaah - the Most High - using the name Rabb (Lord). Seeking tawassul (the means of nearness to Allaah) with this name is also regarded as one of the causes for du’aa to be responded to, since the Rabb is the Creator, the Owner, the Governor of all affairs - and the reigns of the Heavens and the earth are in His Hands. Due to this, you will find that most of the supplications made in the Noble Qur‘aan are by this name:

‘‘Our Lord! We have heard the call of one calling us to faith: ‘Believe you in the Lord,’ and we have believed. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins, and remit from us our evil deeds, and take to Yourself our souls in the company of the righteous. Our Lord! Grant us what You did promise unto us through Your Messengers, and do not disgrace us on the Day of judgement, for You never break Your promise. And their Lord has accepted of them, and answered them: Never will I suffer to be lost the work of any of you, whether male or female.’’ [Soorah Aal-'lmraan 3:193-195]

So tawassul (seeking the means of nearness to Allaah) by this name is one of the causes for the du’aa to be responded to.

[iii]: This man was a traveller, and journeying is often a cause for du’aa to be responded to, because a person feels more in need of Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic - when travelling, than when a person is resident with his family. He was dusty and dishevelled, seeming very insignificant in himself, as if the most important thing to him was to implore Allaah and to call upon Him - in any condition he may be - whether dusty and dishevelled, or in ease and oppulance. Being dusty and dishevelled is also instrumental, like in the hadeeth attributed to the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) in which he said: Indeed Allaah boasts to the people of the Heaven about the people standing at ’Arafah, saying: ‘‘Look at My servants who have come to Me dusty and dishevelled.’’ [4] However, these factors did not bring about anything, because his food, his nourishment and his clothing were all haraam (unlawful). So the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) remarked: ‘‘So how can he be answered!’’

Therefore, if these conditions are not satisfied, then the question concerning the du’aa (supplication) being answered will seem distant. However, if the conditions are satisfied and the one supplicating is still not answered, then this is due to a wisdom which Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic - knows, and the one supplicating does not know what this wisdom is; and maybe that you like a thing and it is bad for you.

So when these conditions are fulfilled and the one supplicating is not answered, then either he has been protected from an evil which is greater than what he has asked for, or Allaah stores it for him until the Day of Resurrection, and he then gets a greater reward. This is so, because the one who makes du’aa - calling upon Allaah alone, fulfilling the conditions and not being answered, but rather being saved from a greater evil - is in the position of having carried out the causes yet has been prevented from being answered, and therefore has a two-fold reward. One reward for making du’aa (supplication), and another reward for bearing the trial of not being answered. So that which is greater and more complete is stored for him with Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic.

Also of importance is that the one supplicating should not express dissatisfaction if his du’aa is apparently not being answered, for this action in itself is a reason for the du’aa not being answered - as the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘‘A servants du’aa continues to be answered as long as be does not ask for anything sinful or breaking the ties of relations, and as long as be does not become impatient.’’ It was said: How does one become impatient O Messenger of Allaah? He said: ‘‘He says: I have supplicated, I have supplicated, yet it has not been answered.’’ [5] He therefore becomes dispondant and abandons supplicating. So it is not befitting that the one supplicating should become impatient about being answered, then become disappointed and dispondant, and thereby abandon making du’aa. Rather, one should call upon Allaah, since every du’aa you make to Allaah is an act of worship, which brings you closer to Him and increases your reward.

So my brother, you should take to making du’aa (supplication) in all affairs, be it general or specific, in difficulty or in ease. And if it was that supplication was only a means of worshipping Allaah - the One free from all imperfections, the Most High - then that would be sufficient. So it is more befitting that a person strives in this - and with Allaah lies the success and the ability.’’

Footnotes:
[1] Majmoo’ul-Fataawaa war-Rasaa‘il (no. 155)
[2] Related by Muslim (no. 1015) from Aboo Hurayrah (radiyallaahu ’anhu)
[3] Saheeh: Related by Ahmad (5/438) and Aboo Daawood (no. 1488). It was authenticated by al-Haafidh Ibn Hajar in Fathul-Baaree (11/143).
[4] Saheeh: Related by Ibn Hibbaan (no. 1006), from ’Abdullaah Ibn ’Amr (radiyallaahu ’anhu). It was authenticated by Shaykh al-Albaanee in Saheehul-Jaami’ (no. 1868).
[5] Related by al-Bukhaaree (11/140) and Muslim (no. 2735), from Aboo Hurayrah (radiyallaahu ’anhu)

Miscarriage of Justice

Salamu alaykum,

It's been weighing heavy on my mind, this miscarriage of justice.
There's a muslim friend of mine who has been married a little over 2 years and unfortunately I've lost count on the number of miscarriages she has had to
endure in the last two years. I know it is more than 4 but the pain must
feel like 400.

This last miscarriage shocked me to the core. She was going through some difficulty and I made dua for Allah to bless her with a healthy baby and then she tells me that she can't get pregnant because she is taking birth control. After the last several miscarriages the doctor told her to give her womb a chance to heal before trying again so she went on contraceptives. So she was on these and I said well yes you can just be late or miss a day. She said no she's getting the injectable once a month so there is no missing.

Lo an behold a month or so later she pops up pregnant! I was so happy thinking my dua for her had been answered. The pregnancy was hard she couldn't keep down any food and everything she ate she vomitted for 3 months then month 4 comes and she starts to bleed and the vomitting ends. She of course had quit her job as soon as she found out she was pregnant and was on semi bedrest and not doing anything for fear of unsettling the baby and having another miscarriage. So then when the bleeding started the vomitting stopped and the baby was expelled. It was a boy this time and she named him Yahyah. She gave him a good name and buried him then she made the dua Inna lilahe wa inna lilayhe rajioon. Allahuma jurney fee maseebati.... From Allah we belong and to Him Do We return. O Allah give me something better than what I had lost.

During the miscarriage she almost bled to death and had to have a transfusion with 4 pints of blood! This was during the first week of Ramadaan. And now of course she is hanging in there - she doesn't complain - she's never complained - she's been one of the patient - one of the steadfast - but she's tired of burying children and of course can't bear to get pregnant again with hope and then have it turn to despair.

I tell her all of the dua and the hope of her dead children being a way for her to enter jannah. I talk to her about getting checked out by a fertility specialist and well they've found nothing wrong. This is her test from Allah and May Allah grant her ease. She is also tested seeing me having 5 children and getting pregnant while making dua not to as I am overwhelmed with children and don't know what to do with it. I wish it were halal for me to use my uterus as a vessel to carry the baby for her but Allah has a plan for her. She who is so good with children who helped to raise her siblings who were seperated from their mom. She who waited to get married until she felt her brothers and sisters could be apart from her and not rely on her care as she knew when marrying a husband might take her away from them.

Please if reading this make dua for my friend. She has many children waiting for her in jannah but she would like to have one to raise down here. I want that for her so much and I will pray during these last 10 nights in sujood that Allah will bless her with a beautiful blessing and give her a child who will be a blessing to the ummah of Muhammad who will strive hard in Allah's cause, and be everything that a muslim mom would want. Ameen. Allahumma Ameen.

Allah does answer the dua of the believer if they are patient and don't despair.

Surviving Infertility Through Hope And Patience

Surviving Infertility Through Hope And Patience
by Siddiqua Hassan Haswarey


"Know you (all) that the life of this world is but play and amusement pomp and mutual boasting and multiplying (in rivalry) among yourselves riches and children: Here is a similitude:

How the rain and the growth from which it brings forth delight (the hearts of) the tillers; soon it withers; they will see it grow yellow; then it becomes dry and crumbles away. But in the Hereafter is a Penalty severe (for the devotees of wrong) and Forgiveness from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure (for the devotees of Allah). And what is the life of this world but goods and chattels of deception?" (Surat Al-Hadeed: Verse 20)

Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) works in mysterious ways indeed. One of the functions of creating man and woman was procreation, for the preservation and continuity of the human race. This is also one of the reasons why we as humans naturally desire to have children, to such an extent that every one of us actually yearns for parenthood at some point in our lives. Children are a blessing from Allah in this dunya just as wealth or status; being a parent is one of the greatest of blessings bestowed upon a person, whether Muslim or non-Muslim.

It was narrated by Ayesha (radhi Allahu anha) that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: The children of a man come from what he earns; rather they are his pleasantest earning; so enjoy from their property. (Abu Dawood Hadith)

For a couple, the process of caring for a child from the time it has been decreed to be born, then the mother carrying the child in her womb, until the time when he or she is old enough to stand as an independent adult, holds some of the most beautiful experiences in life. The memories can be the best that the parents will carry along with themselves as they grow old and feeble, and surely the joy of bearing and raising a child is one of the greatest mercies and blessings of Allah (Tabaarak wa Ta'ala) upon us. Unfortunately, there are some who are chosen to be amongst those who will not feel the joy and happiness that goes into bearing or raising children.

Psychological Impact

Dealing with the harsh reality of not being able to be a mother or father is one of the most difficult challenges in an infertile couple's life together. After all, none of us ask to be in the trying situations we often find ourselves in. Its only natural to have expectations of being a parent once one is married, even to look forward to the joy contained in something as simple as cradling your own child in your arms. But it can be different when it does not work out and finally after years of trying, you realize that being a parent may never turn out to be a reality.

Infertility affects both parents psychologically. Neither one is exempt from the anxiety and the pain. Both go through times when they feel a loss in their normal functions as a man or a woman; times when they feel somehow inadequate. Times when others with children deliberately point out that you have no children even after being married for a couple of years. Times when the couple feels almost like they are being punished for some fault of theirs, something they may have done to bring on the wrath of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) upon themselves. Times when the infertile spouse feels guilty of having let down his or her companion, because they feel they have been unsuccessful in doing their part when it comes to bearing children. Even times when they feel that they may not have been fit to be a parent and therefore have been chosen by Allah to be a childless couple. Worse yet, are the times when they stop believing in the mercy and love of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala), worst yet…. because when we as Muslims stop believing in Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala), in His Mercy, and in His Kindness and His Love, our existence is as good as void.

Being an infertile couple can be very stressful on the marriage as well, especially so when the communication between spouses breaks down due to the disappointments. If the bonds of love are weak, one blames the other, in turn hurting and scarring, when it is only Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) who has the might to grant as He (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) wishes, and there is nothing that can be done by any of us to change His decree.

There are also those couples that are destined to lose their children in premature births or miscarriages, leaving a deeper scar upon the mother, a situation that cannot be comprehended by one who hasn't felt a similar pain. Miscarriages leave the mother haunted with the fears of another loss each time she is expecting; dealing with that situation can be very trying.

Building One's Strength on the Higher Aspects of Life

When we are created our primary purpose is worship and obedience to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala). Enjoyment of the various pleasures of this dunya is only part of the package. As people in Islam, we should build our strengths on the fact that we have a sacred bond with Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) as our Creator, and that we will always remain His bondmen and bondmaids until the very end of time.

We are Muslims with or without our spouses, our children even our parents, because when Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) created us, individually and as a race, He created us first and foremost with our submission unto Himself in purpose. And irrespective of the fact of whether we do fit into this society and follow the normal family pattern, we will remain His slaves, forever worshipping and cherishing Allah, and respecting the sanctity of the relationship.

We must build our lives on the strengths where we not only accept and fully comprehend the sanctity of our relationship with Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) as our Creator but also by constantly reminding ourselves of the reality that this life is ephemeral. We must understand that what really matters is how we fare in this dunya as Muslims, as we will surely be accountable for our actions. We should know that just as Allah gave us life, He (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) can and will take it away as well.

"O you who believe! Let not your riches or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. If any act thus, the loss is their own."
{Surah Al-Munafiqun: Verse-9}

Remind yourselves of how even amongst the the mothers of the faithful, the wives of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), were women who were not destined to bear children to Rasullallah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and they surely must have felt the pain. But the greatest of Muslimahs build their strengths on acceptance of their fate as the reality of Allah's will, on hopes of being amongst the fortuned dwellers of eternal paradise, through their sincere submission. They built their hopes and desires in the joy that they would feel as the dwellers of paradise where they would be granted what ever their hearts desired, even if their hearts desired children. In the joy that they would feel as the loved bondmaids of Allah, being amongst those who will (InshaAllah) be destined to gaze upon His (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala)'s beautiful face.

Allah has promised to not burden us with more than our souls can bear and there is relief in these words of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) because this is not only a promise but also a constant reminder that the burden can be dealt with and it can be overcome, InshaAllah. Indeed, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) is All Just.

"On no soul do We place a burden greater than it can bear: before Us is a record which clearly shows the truth: they will never be wronged."
{Surat Al-Mu'minun: Verse 62}

Asking help of Allah in constant supplication

And your Lord says: "Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer): But those who are too arrogant to serve Me will surely find themselves in Hell in humiliation!"
{Surat Al-Mu'min: Verse 60}

It was narrated by An-Nu'man ibn Bashir that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "Supplication (du'a') is itself the worship." (He then recited:) "And your Lord said: Call on Me, I will answer you." (Abu-Dawood Hadith)

Ask Allah for what your heart desires, ask of Him from the depth of your heart and InshaAllah, He (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) is All Merciful, All Compassionate and All Just and He will answer. Ask Him for acceptance to be placed in your heart for what is to come, along with a home in paradise.

"Is it not He who responds to the distressed one when he calls Him (better than your gods.)" {Surat An-Naml: Verse 62}

Allah has promised to answer our every prayer to Him, even if delayed. He has also promised us a reward for every prayer in the hereafter. Also, know that what Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) grants may not necessarily be what we desire but what we are given is the best for us, as Allah is All-Aware of what the future holds.

For Allah has said in His book,

"And it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allaah knows, and you do not know."
{Surat Al-Baqarah: Verse 216}

Tribulations with a Reason

Each of us is afflicted with trials of different degrees, some more trying than others. The reasons for these afflictions vary from reaping the fruits of our own evildoing, to the need to learn a certain significant lesson, in turn making us richer in wisdom. We may even be afflicted with trials just so our souls can be cleansed of the sins that we have accumulated through time. And certainly, the inability to bear offspring is a trial in this dunya.

It was narrated by Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "A Muslim male or female, remains subject to trials (in this world) in respect of self, children and property till he or she faces Allah, the Exalted, (on the Day of Judgment) in a state in which all his or her sins have been remitted." (Al-Tirmidhi Hadith)

It was narrated by Muhammad ibn Khalid as-Sulami that As-Sulami's grandfather, who was a Companion of the Apostle of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: I heard the Apostle of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) say: "When Allah has previously decreed for a servant a rank which he has not attained by his action, He afflicts him in his body, or his property or his children." (Abu Dawood Hadith)

There is Relief After Every Hardship

From the immense blessings and mercy of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) is also that after every hardship there is relief, even if not in the form we asked of Him, for Allah (Tabaarak wa Ta'ala) has said in His book,

"So verily with every difficulty there is relief:
Verily with every difficulty there is relief. "
{Surat Ash-Sharh: Verse 5-6}

Explanation of the verse:

"that is, there is one hardship with two relieves and one hardship cannot overcome two relieves." (commentary, Noble Qur'an)
Allah informs us that with difficulty there is ease and then, He (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) reaffirms this information (by repeating it). (Tafseer Ibn Katheer)
Indeed, His (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) reaffirmation of that statement is glad tidings for the believer, because it only means we will not be forsaken, and what other news can be more reassuring.
Patience and hope

Patience and hope for Allah's mercy are just as crucial as is acceptance of our fate. Khadijah (radhi Allahu anha), the first wife of Rasullallah, married him when she was 40 years of age. According to science today, women are less fertile even more likely not able to bear children after 40 years of age. It is interesting though how Khadijah (radhi Allahu anha) bore all her children after 40 years of age, and in that she gave birth to six children, of whom four daughters lived until adulthood. Even if she bore her children one after the other, she still gave birth to her children over a period of ten years after she got married, Allahu Alam! (This is a personal estimation and analysis on my part). Interestingly, she may have had children until she was 50 years or even over. Allahu Alam wa `Alaa! The point being, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) is aware of what is to come, even if a doctor may judge otherwise and this is where hope and patience play a major role.

"And those who are patient, we will certainly pay them a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do." {Surat Al-An' am: Verse 96}

The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) also said: "The extent of the reward will be in accordance with the extent of the trial. If Allaah loves a people, He tries them, and whoever is content will have contentment, and whoever is angry will have anger." (At-Tirmidhi Hadith).

Even those who lose their children are given glad tidings in the aakhirah (hereafter) as a reward for their patience in this life, as mentioned in the following ahadith….

It was narrated by Anas bin Malik that Allah's Apostle (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said, "Any Muslim whose three children died before the age of puberty will be granted Paradise by Allah because of His mercy to them." (Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith)

Abu Hassan said to Abu Hurayrah: My two children have died. Would you narrate to me anything from Allah's Apostle (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) a hadith, which would soothe our hearts in our bereavements? He said: Yes. Small children are the fowls of Paradise. If one of them meets his father (or he said his parents) he would take hold of his cloth, or he said with his hand as I take hold of the hem of your cloth (with my hand). And he (the child) would not take off (his hand) from it until Allah causes his father to enter Paradise. (Sahih Muslim Hadith)

It was narrated by Abu Said, that a woman came to Allah's Apostle (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Men (only) benefit by your teachings, so please devote to us from (some of) your time, a day on which we may come to you so that you may teach us of what Allah has taught you." Allah's Apostle (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said, "Gather on such-and-such a day at such-and-such a place." They gathered and Allah's Apostle (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) came to them and taught them of what Allah had taught him. He then said, "No woman among you who has lost her three children (died) but that they will screen her from the Fire." A woman among them said, "O Allah's Apostle! If she lost two children?" She repeated her question twice, whereupon the Prophet said, "Even two, even two, even two!" (Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith)

Hope in the hereafter

No single human can guarantee himself a single breath of air even a second beyond his present being, and no single human can guarantee himself Paradise in the after life or even mercy from Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala), nor can anyone of us guarantee himself the length of his life span, nor can he say if he will ever be a parent.

Freeing ourselves from the materialism of this dunya will help us bond stronger with Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala), constantly reminding us that nothing will last, and if we build too many high materialistic hopes and dreams on this life, as if to live for ever and ever, all of our hopes and dreams will only be in vain and no one but our own selves will be the losers.

Indeed, being able to bear children is a great blessing, but for those whom Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta'ala) has withheld this particular blessing, He has prepared much more in the hereafter in eternity - and this is the glad-tidings from Allah.

O Allah! Help me, but do not help against me; and grant me victory, but not against me; and plan for me, but not against me; and guide me and facilitate my guidance; grant me victory over those who transgress against me, Aameen. Allahumma Aameen.

Subhanaka `Allahumma wa bihamdika, wa `ash-hadu `an laa `Illaaha `illaa `anta, `astaghfiruka wa `atoobu `ilayka. (Glorified are You O' Allah and I am in Your praise, I testify that there is no deity except You, I ask Your forgiveness and repent unto You).

Siddiqua Hassan Haswarey