Q: When Allah does not respond to my Du`a' (supplication), I get angry and speak badly, wronging myself and Allah, by saying, for example, "O Lord! Why do You not respond to my Du`a'?" and such statements. I hope you would guide me regarding this matter. If a person feels that their Du`a' is not answered, what should they do?
All Muslims, males and females, including you, must bring themselves to account if there is a delay in responding to their Du`a'. Allah is AllWise and Knowledgeable and He may be delaying the response to their Du`a' because of immense wisdom so that His Servants will increase their entreatment of Him, their humbleness before His Glory, their persistence in asking for their needs, and their submission to Him. By doing this, they will obtain great benefits, their hearts will be purified, and they will hasten to their Lord. This is more beneficial than their need.
Also, Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) may delay the response to your Du`a' because of your sins, such as having illgotten gains, being undutiful to your parents, or committing other kinds of evil deeds. Therefore, a person making Du`a' must judge their deeds and hasten to make Tawbah (repentance), hoping that Allah will accept their Tawbah and answer their Du`a'.
Allah may delay the response to Du`a' for other wisdoms only known by Allah (Glorified be He), as stated in the following Sahih (authentic) Hadith: No Servant supplicates to Allah with a Du`a' that is free from sin and from that which severs ties of kinship but that Allah will give them one of three things: a direct response to their Du`a', their Du`a' may be saved for them in
the Hereafter, or they may be saved from a kind of trouble equal to it (to their effort in Du`a'). They (the Companions) said: Then we shall increase our supplication, O Messenger of Allah? He (peace be upon him) said: Allah is more plentiful (in responding).
Thus, if there is a delay in responding to your Du`a', do not blame your Lord and say, for example, "Why Lord?" Rather, you must judge your deeds and bring yourself to account. Verily, your Lord is AllWise and Knowledgeable. Look at yourself, for there may be sins that delay the answer to your Du`a' and the response may be delayed for another reason which is, definitely, better for you.
It is not permissible for you to blame your Lord and speak of Him inappropriately. Rather, you must blame yourself and examine your deeds and behavior to fix them and obey your Lord's Commands by avoiding His Prohibitions and not transgressing His Limits.
Bear in mind that Allah (Glorified be He) may delay His response to your Du`a' for a long period, as He delayed the response to the Du`a' of Ya`qub, concerning the return of his son Yusuf, and delayed the response to the Du`a' of Ayyub (peace be upon him) to cure him; although both of them were honorable prophets.
Allah may give the person who supplicates to Him something better than what they ask for. Likewise, He may save them from a kind of trouble better than what they ask for, as stated in the Hadith reported from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) who said: No Servant supplicates to Allah with a Du`a' that is free from sin and from that which severs ties of kinship but that Allah will give them one of three things: a direct response to their Du`a', their Du`a' may be saved for them in the Hereafter, or they may be saved from a kind of trouble equal to it (to their effort in Du`a'). They (the Companions) said: Then we shall increase our supplication, O Messenger of Allah? He (peace be upon him) said: Allah is more plentiful (in responding).
Thus, the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated in this Hadith that Allah (Glorified be He) may delay response until the Hereafter and may respond to the Du`a' in the world for an immense wisdom because this is more beneficial for His Servant. Allah may also delay it to save them from a serious evil and this will be better than responding to their Du`a'.
You must think good of Allah and persist in your Du`a', for
this will bring you much good. You should blame yourself, judge your deeds, and obey your Lord. You must know that He is AllWise and Knowledgeable; and may delay or not delay response for wisdom and may give you a better substitute in return because of what was mentioned above and due to the Sahih Hadith in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Your Du`a' is answered unless you become impatient saying, 'I supplicated and supplicated but I did not find it being responded to,' and then you become frustrated and give up Du`a'.
Accordingly, you must not feel frustrated and give up Du`a'. In fact, you must persist in your Du`a' and increase it. Bring yourself to account and beware of sins and evil deeds which serve as obstacles to your Du`a' being responded to. Moreover, you are permitted to seek the times during which Du`a' is answered; such as the period between announcing the Adhan (call to Prayer) and the Iqamah (call to start the Prayer), at the end of Salah (Prayer) before Taslim (salutation of peace ending the Prayer), in Sujud (prostration), when the Khatib (preacher) ascends the Minbar (pulpit) on Friday until the Salah is finished, and after the `Asr (Afternoon) Prayer until sunset on Fridays for any person who awaits for the Maghrib (Sunset) Prayer in a state of Wudu' (ablution). These are all times during which Du`a' is answered. You must make your heart ready for Du`a' and think good of Allah, because the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) says: I am as My Servant thinks of Me and I am with them whenever they
supplicate to Me. (Related by Muslim in his Sahih Book of Hadith)May Allah grant us success!