❀ Conditions and Causes for the Acceptance of Duʿāʾ: In Light of the Qur’ān and Sunnah ❀
Source: Fatāwā Arkān al-Islām
Question:
Why should a person continue making duʿāʾ when it is not being accepted, even though Allah ﷻ says:
﴿ٱدۡعُونِيٓ أَسۡتَجِبۡ لَكُمۡۚ﴾
“Call upon Me; I will respond to you.” (Sūrah al-Muʾmin: 60)
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʾAmma baʿd!
I supplicate to Allah ﷻ for myself and for all my Muslim brethren that He grants us correct ʿaqīdah and the ability to speak and act upon truth. Allah ﷻ says:
﴿وَقالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادعونى أَستَجِب لَكُم إِنَّ الَّذينَ يَستَكبِرونَ عَن عِبادَتى سَيَدخُلونَ جَهَنَّمَ داخِرينَ﴾
(Sūrah al-Muʾmin: 60)
“And your Lord says: Call upon Me; I will respond to you. Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell in humiliation.”
When a person sees that their duʿāʾ is not being answered, a perceived contradiction arises between this noble verse and their current state. One may wonder, "Allah ﷻ promises to answer duʿāʾ, and He never breaks His promise, so why isn't my duʿāʾ being answered?"
The answer lies in understanding that the acceptance of duʿāʾ is subject to several vital conditions, explained below:
✔ The duʿāʾ must be made with complete sincerity for the sake of Allah ﷻ.
✔ One must turn wholeheartedly to Allah during duʿāʾ and humble themselves with sincerity.
✔ There should be firm conviction that Allah ﷻ has full power to answer the duʿāʾ.
✔ Supplicate with hope, humility, and full confidence in Allah’s mercy and generosity.
✔ The one making duʿāʾ should be aware of their utter need and dependence on Allah.
✔ Firmly believe that only Allah ﷻ can remove hardship.
✔ If one considers duʿāʾ as just a routine or insignificant act, how can it truly be accepted?
✔ Consuming ḥarām food or earning through ḥarām means becomes an obstacle in duʿāʾ being accepted.
✔ The Prophet ﷺ said:
«اِنَّ اللّٰهَ طَيِّبٌ لَا يَقْبَلُ اِلاَّ طَيِّبًا...»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb az-Zakāh, Ḥadīth: 1015)
“Indeed Allah is pure and only accepts what is pure. Allah has commanded the believers with what He commanded the messengers, saying:
‘O Messengers, eat from the pure things and act righteously...’
‘O you who believe! Eat from the pure things We have provided you…’
Then the Prophet ﷺ mentioned a man who had travelled a long distance, disheveled and dusty, raising his hands to the sky, crying: ‘O Lord! O Lord!’—while his food is ḥarām, his drink is ḥarām, his clothing is ḥarām, and he has been nourished with ḥarām.
The Prophet ﷺ said: How then can such a person's duʿāʾ be accepted?”
The Prophet ﷺ explained that there are some outward causes that facilitate the acceptance of duʿāʾ:
✔ Raising the hands in supplication
✔ Using the noble name of Rabb (Lord) in duʿāʾ
✔ Being in a state of travel
But these alone are not sufficient if sincerity and lawful sustenance are missing.
✔ Allah ﷻ is above the heavens, over His Throne.
✔ Raising one’s hands in duʿāʾ is a means of acceptance.
As the ḥadīth says:
«اِنَّ اللّٰهَ حَيٌّ كَرِيْمٌ يَسْتَحْيِيْ مِنْ عَبْدِهِ إِذَا رَفَعَ إِلَيْهِ يَدَيْهِ أَنْ يَرُدَّهُمَا صِفْرًا»
(Musnad Aḥmad 5/438; Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī Ḥadīth: 3556; Sunan Ibn Mājah Ḥadīth: 3865)
“Verily, Allah is modest and generous. He feels shy to return the hands of His servant empty when he raises them to Him.”
✔ The term Rabb refers to the Creator, Sustainer, and Controller of all affairs.
✔ Most duʿāʾs in the Qur’ān begin with this name:
﴿رَبَّنا إِنَّنا سَمِعنا مُنادِيًا يُنادى لِلإيمـنِ...﴾
(Sūrah Āl ʿImrān: 193–195)
“Our Lord! Indeed, we heard a caller calling to faith... so forgive our sins, erase our misdeeds, and admit us among the righteous...”
These verses demonstrate that duʿāʾ with the name "Rabb" was accepted and rewarded.
✔ Supplication made during travel is more likely to be accepted.
✔ The Prophet ﷺ said:
«اَتَونِی شُعْثًا غُبْرًا ضَاحِينَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Ḥajj, Ḥadīth: 436)
“They come to Me disheveled and dusty, from every distant pass…”
This ḥadīth shows the value and virtue of sincere effort and hardship for the sake of Allah ﷻ.
✔ Even when all outward actions are present, ḥarām income or deeds can block acceptance.
✔ Sometimes Allah ﷻ averts a greater calamity in return for your duʿāʾ.
✔ At times, the reward of the duʿāʾ is reserved for the Hereafter.
✔ Allah ﷻ may grant a greater reward by not answering the duʿāʾ in this world.
✔ Haste in duʿāʾ is a reason for non-acceptance.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«يُسْتَجَابُ لِأَحَدِكُمْ مَا لَمْ يَعْجَلْ...»
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī Ḥadīth: 6340; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim Ḥadīth: 2735)
“The duʿāʾ of any one of you will be accepted so long as he is not hasty.”
The companions asked, "What does hastiness mean?"
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
“It is when one says: I made duʿāʾ again and again, but I haven’t seen it answered, and thus he gives up.”
✿ Conclusion:
May Allah ﷻ grant us sincerity, lawful sustenance, patience in duʿāʾ, and the ability to supplicate in the most beloved manner, fulfilling all necessary conditions.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
Source: Fatāwā Arkān al-Islām
❖ Essential Conditions for the Acceptance of Duʿāʾ
Question:
Why should a person continue making duʿāʾ when it is not being accepted, even though Allah ﷻ says:
﴿ٱدۡعُونِيٓ أَسۡتَجِبۡ لَكُمۡۚ﴾
“Call upon Me; I will respond to you.” (Sūrah al-Muʾmin: 60)
❖ Response:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʾAmma baʿd!
I supplicate to Allah ﷻ for myself and for all my Muslim brethren that He grants us correct ʿaqīdah and the ability to speak and act upon truth. Allah ﷻ says:
﴿وَقالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادعونى أَستَجِب لَكُم إِنَّ الَّذينَ يَستَكبِرونَ عَن عِبادَتى سَيَدخُلونَ جَهَنَّمَ داخِرينَ﴾
(Sūrah al-Muʾmin: 60)
“And your Lord says: Call upon Me; I will respond to you. Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell in humiliation.”
When a person sees that their duʿāʾ is not being answered, a perceived contradiction arises between this noble verse and their current state. One may wonder, "Allah ﷻ promises to answer duʿāʾ, and He never breaks His promise, so why isn't my duʿāʾ being answered?"
The answer lies in understanding that the acceptance of duʿāʾ is subject to several vital conditions, explained below:
✦ Conditions for the Acceptance of Duʿāʾ
➊ Sincerity (Ikhlāṣ)
✔ The duʿāʾ must be made with complete sincerity for the sake of Allah ﷻ.
✔ One must turn wholeheartedly to Allah during duʿāʾ and humble themselves with sincerity.
✔ There should be firm conviction that Allah ﷻ has full power to answer the duʿāʾ.
✔ Supplicate with hope, humility, and full confidence in Allah’s mercy and generosity.
➋ Feeling True Need Before Allah
✔ The one making duʿāʾ should be aware of their utter need and dependence on Allah.
✔ Firmly believe that only Allah ﷻ can remove hardship.
✔ If one considers duʿāʾ as just a routine or insignificant act, how can it truly be accepted?
➌ Avoiding the Ḥarām (Prohibited)
✔ Consuming ḥarām food or earning through ḥarām means becomes an obstacle in duʿāʾ being accepted.
✔ The Prophet ﷺ said:
«اِنَّ اللّٰهَ طَيِّبٌ لَا يَقْبَلُ اِلاَّ طَيِّبًا...»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb az-Zakāh, Ḥadīth: 1015)
“Indeed Allah is pure and only accepts what is pure. Allah has commanded the believers with what He commanded the messengers, saying:
‘O Messengers, eat from the pure things and act righteously...’
‘O you who believe! Eat from the pure things We have provided you…’
Then the Prophet ﷺ mentioned a man who had travelled a long distance, disheveled and dusty, raising his hands to the sky, crying: ‘O Lord! O Lord!’—while his food is ḥarām, his drink is ḥarām, his clothing is ḥarām, and he has been nourished with ḥarām.
The Prophet ﷺ said: How then can such a person's duʿāʾ be accepted?”
➍ Outward Causes May Not Suffice Without Inner Compliance
The Prophet ﷺ explained that there are some outward causes that facilitate the acceptance of duʿāʾ:
✔ Raising the hands in supplication
✔ Using the noble name of Rabb (Lord) in duʿāʾ
✔ Being in a state of travel
But these alone are not sufficient if sincerity and lawful sustenance are missing.
➎ Raising the Hands in Duʿāʾ
✔ Allah ﷻ is above the heavens, over His Throne.
✔ Raising one’s hands in duʿāʾ is a means of acceptance.
As the ḥadīth says:
«اِنَّ اللّٰهَ حَيٌّ كَرِيْمٌ يَسْتَحْيِيْ مِنْ عَبْدِهِ إِذَا رَفَعَ إِلَيْهِ يَدَيْهِ أَنْ يَرُدَّهُمَا صِفْرًا»
(Musnad Aḥmad 5/438; Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī Ḥadīth: 3556; Sunan Ibn Mājah Ḥadīth: 3865)
“Verily, Allah is modest and generous. He feels shy to return the hands of His servant empty when he raises them to Him.”
➏ Calling Upon Allah by His Name "Rabb"
✔ The term Rabb refers to the Creator, Sustainer, and Controller of all affairs.
✔ Most duʿāʾs in the Qur’ān begin with this name:
﴿رَبَّنا إِنَّنا سَمِعنا مُنادِيًا يُنادى لِلإيمـنِ...﴾
(Sūrah Āl ʿImrān: 193–195)
“Our Lord! Indeed, we heard a caller calling to faith... so forgive our sins, erase our misdeeds, and admit us among the righteous...”
These verses demonstrate that duʿāʾ with the name "Rabb" was accepted and rewarded.
➐ Supplicating During Travel
✔ Supplication made during travel is more likely to be accepted.
✔ The Prophet ﷺ said:
«اَتَونِی شُعْثًا غُبْرًا ضَاحِينَ مِنْ كُلِّ فَجٍّ عَمِيقٍ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb al-Ḥajj, Ḥadīth: 436)
“They come to Me disheveled and dusty, from every distant pass…”
This ḥadīth shows the value and virtue of sincere effort and hardship for the sake of Allah ﷻ.
➑ Despite These Causes, Duʿāʾ May Still Be Rejected
✔ Even when all outward actions are present, ḥarām income or deeds can block acceptance.
➒ Divine Wisdom Behind the Delay or Rejection of Duʿāʾ
✔ Sometimes Allah ﷻ averts a greater calamity in return for your duʿāʾ.
✔ At times, the reward of the duʿāʾ is reserved for the Hereafter.
✔ Allah ﷻ may grant a greater reward by not answering the duʿāʾ in this world.
➓ Avoiding Impatience in Duʿāʾ
✔ Haste in duʿāʾ is a reason for non-acceptance.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
«يُسْتَجَابُ لِأَحَدِكُمْ مَا لَمْ يَعْجَلْ...»
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī Ḥadīth: 6340; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim Ḥadīth: 2735)
“The duʿāʾ of any one of you will be accepted so long as he is not hasty.”
The companions asked, "What does hastiness mean?"
The Prophet ﷺ replied:
“It is when one says: I made duʿāʾ again and again, but I haven’t seen it answered, and thus he gives up.”
✿ Conclusion:
May Allah ﷻ grant us sincerity, lawful sustenance, patience in duʿāʾ, and the ability to supplicate in the most beloved manner, fulfilling all necessary conditions.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
