How Do I Persuade Allah to Answer My Prayer?
Answered by Ustadha Raidah Shah Idil
Question: Assalam aleykum,
I’ve been trying to fulfill my individual prayer for almost a year but it looks like Allah isn’t responding. How can I persuade Him? I have even cried in one of my prayers. Will Allah forgive all types of sins?
Answer: Assalamualaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
I pray this finds you well. May Allah reward you for reaching out to us. Please forgive me for the delay.
Persuading Allah
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (upon him be blessings and peace) said: “It is necessary that you do not become hasty.” It was said: “What does being hasty mean, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “When one says: ‘I supplicated to Allah but Allah did not answer me.'” [Sunan Ibn Majah]
Dear questioner, Allah is listening to your duas. His response may not be what you want it to be, but trust in Him. Have faith that you may not be getting what you want from Him, but you are getting what you need.
It can be heartbreaking to be attached to something or someone that is not written for you. Make space for that longing and sadness in your heart. Instead of focusing on ‘persuading’ Allah, persuade yourself to come to peace with what He has unfolded for you. He is the Creator, and we are His creation. Either we submit to his Decree with grace and patience, or we struggle to accept whatever we cannot change.
Forgiveness
Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (upon him be blessings and peace) said, “Allah, the Exalted, has said: ‘O son of Adam, I forgive you as long as you pray to Me and hope for My forgiveness, whatever sins you have committed. O son of ‘Adam, I do not care if your sins reach the height of the heaven, then you ask for my forgiveness, I would forgive you. O son of ‘Adam, if you come to Me with an earth load of sins, and meet Me associating nothing to Me, I would match it with an earthload of forgiveness.”‘ [Tirmidhi].
Allah forgives all sins except for disbelief in Him. Please refer to this article: Forgiving Major Sins and the Hadith of the Prostitute Who Gives Water to the Thirsty Dog
I pray that Allah grants you trust and contentment in Him.
Please see:
A Reader on Tawba (Repentance)
A Reader on Patience and Reliance on Allah
[Ustadha] Raidah Shah Idil
Checked & Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadha Raidah Shah Idil has spent almost two years in Amman, Jordan, where she learned Shafi’i’ fiqh, Arabic, Seerah, Aqeedah, Tasawwuf, Tafsir and Tajweed. She continues to study with her Teachers in Malaysia and online through SeekersHub Global. She graduated with a Psychology and English degree from University of New South Wales, was a volunteer hospital chaplain for 5 years and has completed a Diploma of Counselling from the Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors. She lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with her husband, daughter, and mother-in-law.
