Is It Permissible to Stop Supplicating for Worldly Matters?
Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad
Question
I am obedient in all my prayers and make dua after every prayer, but most of the duas are not granted. In some situations, things have only got worse than before. Is it okay If I don’t make dua for worldly matters (dunya) at all? I pray for the hereafter (akhira) but have stopped praying for dunya.
Answer
Thank you for your question. May Allah give you ease in your affairs and grant you the best of both worlds
Supplication
What you seek is permissible, and it is indeed a high rank to only care about the hereafter. But one does not stop supplicating for the dunya out of giving up, but rather out of an attachment to Allah and his Messenger. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) taught us to pray for both. Anas narrated, “The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to supplicate frequently:
”رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي اَلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي اَلْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ اَلنَّارِ.“
“O our Lord! Grant us good in this world, good in the hereafter and save us from the punishment of the fire!” [Muslim]
Abu Hurairah also narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to say:
”اَللَّهُمَّ أَصْلِحْ لِي دِينِي اَلَّذِي هُوَ عِصْمَةُ أَمْرِي, وَأَصْلِحْ لِي دُنْيَايَ اَلَّتِي فِيهَا مَعَاشِي, وَأَصْلِحْ لِي آخِرَتِي اَلَّتِي إِلَيْهَا مَعَادِي, وَاجْعَلْ اَلْحَيَاةَ زِيَادَةً لِي فِي كُلِّ خَيْرٍ, وَاجْعَلْ اَلْمَوْتَ رَاحَةً لِي مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ.“
“O Allah! Set right for me my religion, which is the safeguard of my affairs. And set right for me the affairs of the world wherein is my living. Decree the Hereafter to be good for me. And make this life, for me, (a source) of abundance for every good and make my death (a source) of comfort to me and protection against every evil.” [Ibid.]
Impatience
Instead of feeling that Allah is making matters worse for you when you ask for something, know that Allah will send you what is meant for you, and you must draw wisdom from whatever comes. This is true submission. Continue to supplicate and remember the prophetic advice about patience:
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “The supplication of every one of you is granted if he does not grow impatient and say: ‘I supplicated, but it was not granted.’” [Ibid.]
Please see these links as well:
- “This Dunya is Nothing To A True Believer”, by Shaykh Faid Mohammed Said
- The Unconditional Hope – Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
- The Best for Mankind, by Shaykh Faid Mohammed Said
- Chaos in My Life
May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria, for two years, where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin and completed her Master’s in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan, where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.
