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Non-Acceptance of Prayers
Source: Ain-al-Hayat, By: Allama Muhammad Baqir Majlisi
Although the Almighty has promised the creatures that their supplications would be answered, there are certain reasons for non-acceptance of some prayers.
Since He is Omnipotent and Omniscient, His will is dominant over all that happens. If the wishes of the people are in accord with His will, their prayers would most certainly be answered. For example, can a generous person, if asked, put a venomous snake in the hand of another person or give a bottle of poison that the other desires of consuming?
The generous person knows the consequences of such actions and his denying acquiescence would be in the best interest of the prospective recipient. Similarly, some people pray to Allah for grant of such wishes that, if fulfilled, they might harmful for them. But these people are ignorant of the harmful consequences of what they wish to have. Allah is all-knowing and has the best interest of the creatures in view. Someone might say, if Allah decides what is in the best interest of an individual, then what is the need of supplicating to Him. They think that we might as well leave everything to the wish of Allah.
The reply to such doubts is that there are three types of wishes of the people that come to the consideration of Allah:
There are certain wishes that are granted by Allah without ever asking for.
There are certain wishes that are not granted despite repeated supplications.
There are certain other wishes for granting of which one has to make supplications.
Since man, in most cases, cannot categories the wishes, he has to pray and supplicate to Allah for fulfillment of all his desires and wishes. Men should know that supplication itself is a very superior prayer.
The other reason for supplication is that everything is governed by certain norms. For example, offering mandatory prayers is a means of one’s salvation. True! But prayer too is subject to certain norms. If someone offers prayer without the mandatory ablution, his prayer would not be accepted although, as mentioned earlier, prayer is a means of salvation of the person. Similarly for supplication there are certain norms to be observed.
Unless a person supplicates with humility, tears (Giria), knowledge of Allah, regularity in prayers, abstention from bad deeds, fair means of sustenance, truthfulness in words and actions etc his wishes may not be granted. Therefore, for Allah to keep His promise to answer the prayers of his creatures, they have to abide by certain conditions.
The third reason is that Allah wants that the prayers are answered with some delay. Perhaps, immediate acceptance of the prayers of people is not in their best interests. Or perhaps Allah wants the creature to supplicate again, and again, in a tone of submission and capitulation so that his status in piety enhances. Certain other times the prayer is answered but there is delay in its taking effect. Prophet Musa (as)’s prayer for the destruction of Pharaoh took thirty years to fruition.
Reasons for Delayed Acceptance of Prayers
It is narrated through authentic sources that Ahmed bin Abi Nasr told to Imam Ar-Ridha’ (as), “O Imam! Several years passed that I have been supplicating, but my wish has not been granted till now. I am getting doubts in my mind because of this delay!”
The Imam (as) said: O Ahmed! Keep your heart free of the Satanic doubts! It is the Satan who makes you doubt Allah’s Munificence. My ancestor, Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (as), said,’ It is necessary for a mu’min to pray the same way during times of hardship as he does when times are good. When the wishes are granted, he should not stop supplication. He should not tire of supplicating. In the eyes of Allah, prayer has a superior status. It is necessary that you remain calm and patient in difficult times.
Ask for legitimate things from Allah. Don’t delay helping your kith and kin. Abstain from people’s differences and fights. Remember! We Ahl al Bayt keep cordial relations even with those who mean harm to us. By Allah! We pray for their welfare too! You should know that if a rich person gives some help to a needy person, the recipient becomes hopeful of getting more help from him. When Allah grants bounties to a person, he should remember that in return Allah wants him to meet certain norms.
Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (as) has said that the prayers of a mu’min are answered with some delay because Allah wants to hear His sincere creature again and again! The Imam (as) asked a person if he would believe if he (the Imam) made a promise to him? The man said, “O son of the Prophet (S)! How could it be that I don’t believe you!” The Imam (as) said, “You are ready to trust the word of a creature like you, will you not believe in the promises that Allah has made to you?” Then the Imam (as) added, “It is necessary that you believe in Allah’s promises. He has promised: My creatures ask you questions about me; tell them I am near them. I accept the prayer of one who prays. (2:186)
Then Allah says, “Don’t lose hope in Allah’s Mercies.” And said, “Allah promises you of great rewards and lots of bounties” It is imperative for you that you trust in Allah more than you can trust anyone else. When you have good thoughts in your heart, don’t give way to other doubts. Thus your sins will be pardoned.”
Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (as) has said, “Many a time Allah accepts people’s prayers but the benefits take time in reaching the supplicant. Allah instructs the two angels guardian over the person that the supplication has been accepted but he should not be given the benefits immediately that he continues to be suppliant for some more time. Allah will also mention to the angels that he likes the way the person supplicates.”
In another tradition the Imam (as) has said, “Man is always in a good state and rightly keeps expecting Allah’s bounties unless he loses faith in the Munificence of Allah and stop praying for His mercy. He should not be in a hurry to get his prayers answered!” The narrator asked, “O Imam (as)! What do you mean by the supplicant making hurry?” The Imam (as) replied, “When a supplicant complains that lot of time has elapsed ever since he initiated his supplication and the wish remains unfulfilled, then he is trying to hurry in the matter.”
Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (as) has narrated that one day Prophet Ibrahim (as) was surveying the environs of Mount Bait al Maqdis for a pasture. He heard the voice of a person calling. He proceeded in the direction of the sound. He found a person in the process of offering his prayers. The height of the person was about twelve yards. When the person was through with the prayer, Prophet Ibrahim (as) asked him, “To whom were you offering the prayers?”
The man replied, “I was offering my prayers to the Creator of the land and the skies.”
Prophet Ibrahim (as) asked, “Where be your dwelling?”
The man pointed to a hill in reply.
Prophet Ibrahim(as) said, “I too wish to visit your abode.”
He replied, “There is a river enroute that you cannot cross.”
Prophet Ibrahim (as) asked, “Then how do you go across?”
He said, “I can walk on the water.”
Prophet Ibrahim (as) said, “Perhaps Allah might endow to me the capability to walk on the water.”
Consequently both of them walked across the girth of the river.
Prophet Ibrahim (as) asked, “Tell me which is the greatest of all days?”
The man said, “The Day of Reckoning!”
Prophet Ibrahim (as) said, “Come! Let us both pray to Allah for Deliverance on that fateful day.”
The pious man said, “Why do you make me a partner in your prayer? I have been supplicating for the last three years and my wish has not been granted so far!”
Prophet Ibrahim (as) asked, “What is your wish?”
The man said, “One day I found a handsome lad grazing a flock. I asked him who owned the flock. The lad replied that the owner was Ibrahim Khalil-ur-Rahman. I prayed to Allah that if He had a Khalil (friend) on the earth, then He must give me the honor of setting eye on that revered personality. But my prayer has remained unanswered.”
Prophet Ibrahim (as) said, “Your wish has been fulfilled. I am Ibrahim Khalil Allah! The reason for the delay in answering your prayers was that Allah appreciated the way you modulated your supplication and He wanted to hear you making the call again and again. Your repeated supplication enhanced your status in the consideration of Allah.”
The fourth reason for Allah not answering the prayers of a supplicant is that the wish that granting the wish might be against the person’s own interest. Allah has the intention of rewarding him with something more useful. As, for example, someone approaches a generous person for a pecuniary help of a certain amount. The generous person, after due consideration, which might take some time, helps him with an amount ten times more than the man expected! Therefore it is not the rejection of the prayer but, in fact, it is an enhancement in the generosity.
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