Why Does It Seem That Allah Never Answers My Prayers?
Answered by Shaykh Rami Nsour
Question:Jazak-Allah for your reply to my question from this link: Not Fasting in Ramadan to Study for an Important Exam. I had a follow-up question/s. I wanted to ask in relation to what was mentioned regarding barakah, such as: “as Muslims we believe that we can do less and Allah puts blessings to fill whatever deficiency may outwardly be in our effort.”
Is there a guarantee that by still fasting Allah will give me the barakah necessary to succeed and do well even with less studying time and effort? Am I supposed to assume Allah will grant it to me without doubt by fasting? Maybe I just have doubt and uncertainty on whether Allah will give me any of the benefits, based on past experiences in my life. I’ve tried to get various benefits promised in the Quran or Hadiths and Allah knows best, I don’t know if I should say for sure, but I think maybe very likely I did not always get those benefits promised in the deen such as:
1) the healing/curing effect of al-fatiha
2) Allah accepting and granting my wish when I pray to Allah for the grant of a wish with the dua of Prophet Yunus (as).
3) I think the hadith is in Abu Dawud that says something like: whoever holds firm to istighfar, Allah will make a way out for them from every tight situation; from every worry & anxiety Allah will give them tranquility, coolness and calmness; and will provide for them from where they know not. Even this I have tried to get and (Allah knows best) I think I did not always get those either.
These are just 3 examples, I can probably list more but I’ll leave it at that. I try to have taqwa, I try to do tawba regularly. Shaytan might put thoughts in my head like “why do you still try to get these promised benefits when Allah rejected and ignored you so many times” or “why should you even believe this religion to be truth when you’ve done things to get the promised benefits and they are not even true, they don’t work, these are all just bogus lies”. Please offer some advice or insight into this matter.
Answer:
Fear and Prayer
Allah says, “Whoever has fear (taqwa) of Allah, He will give him a way out” (Quran 65:2) and says, “Call on me I will respond” (Quran 40:60). We believe this to be true and thus if you have fear of Allah and you call on Him, He will give you a way out and will answer your prayers. The thing is, how and when will that be? We are told He will answer us, but we are not told that He will show us how that will occur or when.
How a Prayer May be Answered
You may be spared many tribulations in your life due to a supplication. Imagine you were on the highway and there was something that could have caused a serious accident but it passed you by without you ever knowing it was headed your way. It was a prayer that you made, or leaving a sin that saved you. If you had been hit, you may have had serious financial problems or health problems. All that passed you by but you didn’t see how your prayer was the answer.
Be Firm
Stay firm in your practice of the faith and in your supplication. Do not give into the shaytan and despair from what Allah can do for you. If you are experiencing hardship, this is the time that the shaytan will try to make you slip by having you question the Power of Allah and His Justice.
