When is dua answered? Times and causes

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that the closer a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating, for he puts the highest and noblest part of his body on the ground in submission and humility to Allah Almighty.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered us to increase supplication while prostrating. Thus, we become submissive to Allah both by words and action.

Benefits

• Acts of piety draw a servant closer to Allah Almighty.
• It is recommended to supplicate a lot during prostration, for supplication is likely to be answered in this position.

Read on HadeethEnc.com

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that the Almighty Lord becomes closest to the servant in the last third of the night. So, if you, O believer, find the success and ability to be among those who worship, pray, remember, and repent at this time, indeed it is something that should be seized and diligently achieved.

Benefits

• A Muslim is urged to remember Allah in the latter part of the night.
• Times vary in their excellence with regard to Dhikr, supplication, and prayer.
• Regarding the difference between his statement "the nearest the Lord to a servant" and his statement "the nearest a servant to his Lord is when he is prostrating", Mirak said: What is meant here is to identify the time when the Lord is closest to the servant, which is the middle of the night; whereas the purpose here is to demonstrate the state in which the servant becomes closest to the Lord, and that is the state of prostration.

Read on HadeethEnc.com

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out the merit of supplication between the Adhān and the Iqāmah and that it is not rejected and is worthy to be answered, so supplicate Allah during such a time.

Benefits

• The merit of this time in terms of supplication.
• If the supplicator adopts the proper manners of supplication, seeks its superior places and times, refrains from disobeying Allah, is cautious about falling into suspicious matters and doubt, and has good expectations of Allah, then his supplication is worthy of being answered, Allah willing.
• Al-Munāwi said about answering supplications: This means: After one fulfills all of the conditions, pillars, and manners of supplication, and if he fails to fulfill anything thereof, then he should blame none but himself.
• Answering the supplication: Either one's supplication is promptly fulfilled, or an evil similar to it is diverted from him, or it is stored for him in the Hereafter, and all this depends on the wisdom and mercy of Allah.

Read on HadeethEnc.com

This Hadīth clarifies the virtue of Jihad, as Allah, the Exalted, answers the supplication of the Mujāhid when he is engaged in the battle. It also clarifies the virtue of the call to prayer as Allah, the Exalted, answers the supplication of the Muslim when the Adhān is announced and until the Iqāmah is announced.

Read on HadeethEnc.com

There are three types of supplications that Allah will answer without a doubt. They are the supplication of one who has been wronged, even if the person who has been wronged is a disbeliever and was oppressed. If he supplicates to Allah, Allah will answer his supplication. The second is the supplication of a traveler, if he supplicates to Allah, the Exalted, during his journey. The third one is the supplication of a parent – a father or mother – whether for or against their child.

Read on HadeethEnc.com

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that a Muslim's supplication for his fellow Muslim in his absence is answered because it demonstrates greater sincerity. At the head of the supplicator is an appointed angel who says whenever he invokes good for his brother: Amen, and may you receive the same.

Benefits

• Encouraging believers to show kindness to one another, even with supplication.
• Supplicating for others in their absence is an indication of sincere faith and true brotherhood.
• Restricting supplication for others to their absence, because this demonstrates greater sincerity and presence of heart.
• One of the reasons for supplications being answered is when a Muslim prays for his fellow Muslim in his absence.
• An-Nawawi said: The merit of supplicating for a fellow Muslim in his absence—even if one prays for a group of Muslims, this merit is attained. And if one supplicates for the entire Muslim community, it is evident that this merit is also attained. Some of the righteous predecessors, when they wished to supplicate for themselves, would supplicate for their Muslim brother with the same supplication, because it is answered, and they receive the same.
• Clarifying some of the tasks of angels—among them are those whom Allah has entrusted with this specific task.

Read on HadeethEnc.com

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that supplication is worship. So, it should be purely directed to Allah, whether supplication is that of request, as the supplicant asks Allah Almighty to bring him what is beneficial and avert from him what is harmful in this world and in the Hereafter, or supplication of worship, involving such words and deeds, inward and outward, that are beloved and pleasing to Allah, acts of worship performed within the heart or through one's body or money.

Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) cited as evidence the verse that reads: {Call upon Me; I will respond to you. Those who are too proud to worship Me will enter Hell, utterly debased.}

Benefits

• Supplication is the basis of worship and may not be directed to other than Allah.
• Supplication comprises the true meaning of servitude to Allah, the servant's recognition of the self-sufficiency and power of his Lord, and the servant's need of Him.
• The Hadīth contains a stern warning to those who are too proud to worship Allah and refrain from supplicating Him: that such people will enter Hellfire, utterly debased and humiliated.

Read on HadeethEnc.com

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that no act of worship is more virtuous in the sight of Allah Almighty than supplication. This is because supplication comprises recognition of Allah's self-sufficiency and the servant's helplessness and need of his Lord.

Benefits

• The Hadīth demonstrates the merit of supplication and that when a servant supplicates his Lord, he thus extols Him and acknowledges that He is Self-Sufficient, Hearing, Generous, Powerful, and Near, for supplication would not be directed to one who is needy, deaf, stingy, merciless, powerless, or distant - and the list of the attributes of Allah's excellence and majesty are numerous.

Read on HadeethEnc.com

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that Allah is Good, Holy, Exalted far above deficiencies and shortcomings, and possesses the attributes of perfection. He accepts only the deeds, statements, and beliefs that are good, i.e., those that are sincerely devoted to Allah and that comply with the Prophet's guidance. No attempt should be made to get closer to Allah except through this. One of the greatest means to make the believer's deeds good is to eat good and lawfully earned food, and this, consequently, purifies his deeds. For this reason, Allah has commanded the believers with what He commanded the messengers about consuming what is lawful and offering righteous deeds, as He says: {O messengers, eat from the lawful things and act righteously, for I am All-Knowing of what you do.} [Surat al-Mu’minūn: 51]  And He says: {O you who believe, eat of the good things We have provided for you.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 172]

Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned against consuming what is unlawful, which invalidates deeds and makes them unacceptable despite utilizing the apparent means of acceptance, such as:

First: Traveling for a long period to perform acts of obedience like Hajj, Jihad, maintaining kinship ties, etc.

Second: Having disheveled hair because of not combing it, with the changed color of his skin and clothes because of dust, so, he is helpless.

Third: Raising his hands to the sky in supplication.

Fourth: Imploring Allah with His names persistently: O Lord, O Lord!

Despite the existence of all these means of answering the supplication, he receives no response because his food, drink, and clothes are unlawful, and he is nourished by the unlawful. It is very unlikely for someone with such a description to have his supplication answered, and how could it be answered?!

Benefits

• Allah Almighty is perfect in His essence, attributes, actions, and rulings.
• We are commanded to sincerely devote our deeds to Allah Almighty and to follow the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
• Using encouraging methods, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah has commanded the believers with what he commanded the messengers." So, when the believer realizes that the messengers were commanded to do such things, he becomes motivated and encouraged to comply.
• Consuming what is unlawful is one of the reasons for not answering supplications.
• The means of answering supplications include five things: 1. Going on long journeys, given the state of despondency, which is one of the major reasons for having a supplication answered. 2. The state of dire need. 3. Stretching the hands toward the sky. 4. Invoking Allah persistently by mentioning His Lordship repeatedly, as it is one of the greatest means of seeking a response for supplications. 5. Eating and drinking what is lawful.
• Consuming that which is good and lawful is among the means that help one perform righteous deeds.
• Al-Qādi said: Good is the opposite of evil. When "good" is used to describe Allah Almighty, it means that He is exalted and extolled far above deficiencies and shortcomings. However, when "good" is used as a general description of the slave, it means that he is free of vices and evil deeds and possesses the opposite of that. When "good," on the other hand, is used to describe properties, it means that such properties are lawful and of the best type.

Read on HadeethEnc.com