The Prayers of the Impatient: Why Some Duʿās Are Delayed but Never Wasted

Prayers of impatient people are not answered

One of the manners of supplications is to avoid impatience regarding the fulfilment of supplication. A Ḥadīš says: There are three types of people whose prayers are not answered by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. (1) Those who pray for a sin. (2) Those who pray for breaking ties. (3) Those who want their prayers to be answered immediately and say ‘My prayer hasn’t been answered yet.’ (Attarghīb Wattarhīb, pp. 314, vol. 2, Ḥadīš 9)

This Ḥadīš makes it clear that one should not pray for unlawful things because such a prayer will not be answered. Similarly, the prayer that involves the violation of the rights of a relative is also prohibited. Further, one should not grow impatient with apparent delays in the fulfilment of his prayers as such prayers are not answered.

A’lā Ḥaḍrat, Imām-e-Aḥl-e-Sunnat Maulānā Šāḥ Aḥmad Razā Khān رَحْمَةُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہ has added a footnote to Aḥsan-ul-Wi‘ā li Ādāb-id-Du‘ā titled Zail-ul-Mudda‘ā li Aḥsan-il-Wi‘ā. In this footnote, he (in his own particular and unique manner) has given the following advice to people who are impatient regarding the fulfilment of their supplications.

Visiting officers again and again but…

Those who have to get any personal advantage from worldly officers are seen waiting for years hoping to be helped by them and wandering around their doorsteps morning and night. As for the officers, they don’t even look at them, don’t answer them, scold them and express resentment. In fact, it is nothing but the waste of time and money. Even after spending years wandering around the officers, they do not give up hope, and it looks as if it is still the first day.

And when it comes to making supplication in the court of Almighty Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, one rarely goes to Him, and even if somebody goes, he looks tired and worried, wants everything instantly; he spends a week reciting something and then starts complaining.

‘I recited this, but nothing happened.’ Such unwise people close the door of fulfilment themselves. The Prophet of Raḥmah, the Intercessor of Ummah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ has said:

يُسْتَجَابُ لِأَحَدِكُمْ مَا لَمْ يُعَجِّلْ يَقُولُ دَعَوْتُ فَلَمْ يُسْتَجَبْ لِي

Translation: Your prayers are answered as long as you don’t hurry, don’t say I prayed (but) my prayer wasn’t answered. (Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, pp. 200, vol. 4, Ḥadīš 6340)

Some even dare to deny the effect of supplications and invocations. In fact, they lose trust in the promises of bounties Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has made - وَالْعِيَاذُ بِاللّٰهِ الْكَرِيمِ الْجَوَّاد

These people should be told ‘O the shameless! O the undignified! Ponder calmly. If your friend asks you a thousand times to do something for him but you don’t, then you’ll hesitate to ask him to do something for you and say to yourself ‘I didn’t listen to him, how can I ask him for something’ but if you dare to ask him and he doesn’t do it, then you won’t complain and you’ll say to yourself ‘well, I also didn’t do what he asked.’ Now compare; how many of the commandments of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ do you obey? How shameful is it for you to disobey Him and then want Him to do what you ask?

O unwise person! Just look carefully at yourself from head to toe. There are millions of bounties in your body. When you sleep His innocent servants (angels) protect you. Despite committing sins you are blessed with safety and good health from head to toe, protection from calamities, easy digestion of food, discharge of excrement without difficulty, easy circulation of blood in your body, physical strength, eyesight, numerous bounties descend upon you constantly without having to ask or pray (for them). Then how can you dare to complain if some of your desires are not fulfilled? You don’t know what is beneficial to you? You don’t know that you were perhaps going to suffer a major calamity but it’s your (apparently unfulfilled) supplication that warded it off.

What do you know what reward is being stored for you. His promise is true, prayers are answered in three ways and every former one is better than the latter. If you lose faith then surely you will be doomed and the devil would take you to his side - وَالْعِيَاذُ بِاللّٰهِ سُبْحٰنَه وَتَعَالٰی (We seek Allah’s protection, He عَزَّوَجَلَّ is the Glorious).

O feeble soil! O impure water! Look at yourself and then look at the great privilege you have been granted. He عَزَّوَجَلَّ has permitted you to be present in His court, mention His Glorious name and beg Him. Millions of desires should be sacrificed on this enormous grace.

O impatient! Learn how to beg! Cling to His Glorious court, stay there and keep supplicating in the hope of being blessed. Engross yourself in the pleasure of begging and asking Him so much that you forget even your desires and wishes. Have a firm belief that you will not return from His court empty handed because مَنْ دَقَّ بَابَ الْكَرِيمِ اِفْتَتَحَ (When anyone knocks at the door of a generous person it opens for him) وَبِاللهِ التَّوْفِيق (And ability is granted by Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ). (Zail-ul-Mudda‘ā li Aḥsan-il-Wi‘ā, pp. 34-37)