This post was written originally on November 5, 2017 and has been republished.
This is a question I hear many people ask (not only to me, but to one another, or to a Shaikh, Mufti, etc.)
In fact, I was doing some searches on Google regarding duas, and this was one of the first things that I would see – questions about why duas weren’t getting fulfilled, or what to do to get the duas manifested.
Here is the reality…
Ready to hear why your dua may or may not be accepted?
The truth is that we do not know whether our duas have been accepted or not. We have no knowledge of the Unseen, of the ghayb. We have no knowledge of Allah SWT’s thoughts and whether He has fulfilled our duas or how long it will take for our duas to be fulfilled.
We don’t know anything, really. We are human after all and we do not have that kind of knowledge.
So why do we assume that just because a dua is taking too long to manifest, it’s not happening? Or it is not being accepted or answered?
Why do we assume that what we are asking for is not something that is being granted to us?
We don’t know that, so we shouldn’t assume. The only thing we should assume is our duas are accepted the moment it leaves our lips.
In fact, I want you to look at this in another way.
It is known that duas are answered in the following ways:
- Yes, immediately
- Yes, but after some time
- Yes, but to protect you from a calamity that would otherwise befall on you
- Yes, but not in this world, in the hereafter.
Do you see what I just did? I said YES, because duas are ALWAYS accepted. Allah SWT does NOT reject duas.
Some people are blessed immensely by Allah SWT that every dua of theirs is fulfilled. Some people are blessed that their duas are fulfilled both in this world and in the hereafter. Everyone is blessed to be able to make dua, and everyone is blessed to receive an answer for it in one way or the other.
If you have been praying for something for ten years, and you’re telling yourself, “I’m going to give up because Allah SWT hasn’t answered me and it’s been ten years” then you have sadly given up on Allah SWT. You have given up all certainty (yaqeen) and tawakkul that Allah SWT has your back.
Perhaps the time hasn’t come yet. Allah SWT knows when the time comes for duas to manifest. We do not have that kind of knowledge.
Allah SWT, the Most High, is the one who knows which duas to answer immediately, and which ones He will take his time to answer. Maybe we are the ones who have to work on ourselves in order for us to have our duas fulfilled.
Let me give you a few examples:
I had always wanted a new car – I had a car but it was quite old and outdated. I wanted a new car and I would pray about it, wish about it in my heart all the time. This took me over 10 years, and finally in 2014, I was able to go and choose the car I liked with the given budget that my uncle told me he could help me with, and got a new car for myself. It had all the bells and whistles I wanted, and more. But it took years and years for this to happen.
It was all timing. I had gone through the frustration of “When will this dua manifest!!?” But I didn’t give up hope. I knew I would get a new car one day. I had to learn to appreciate what I had at the time, and then somehow, through a huge miracle, my uncle (who wouldn’t even open his pocketbook for anyone, let alone help anyone either) said he would help me financially with getting the car. This was Allah SWT’s doing – the tawakkul and the fact that Allah SWT is in control of the hearts of mankind – that made this miracle happen.
Another dua manifestation example:
I had been making dua for a new MacBook because my old one had started to wear down on me. The keyboard wasn’t working properly and I was having issues with it becoming so slow. I needed a new laptop for school because otherwise, how would I be able to do my assignments and complete homework? I started my Master’s program earlier in the year so I wanted to make sure I wasn’t falling behind because my laptop wasn’t working properly.
I made dua to Allah SWT that He provide me with the means to purchase a new MacBook. I wanted one that had ALL the specs on it, and it would cost $3,000, which I didn’t have.
So after making dua for the new laptop for a while, one day, as I was doing homework, I had this sudden urge out of nowhere to go and get myself a laptop. I had the money for it, not quite $3,000, but enough to go and buy a smaller MacBook (not the MacBook I wanted).
I told my mom about my sudden urge to go and purchase the laptop, and she said, “It’s coming from Allah SWT, so go and see.” I said I wasn’t sure if I had enough money for it, but I would go to the Apple store and see what I could afford.
A couple of hours later, I got the exact laptop I had wanted, the MacBook Pro, with a student discount (YES!), and walked out of there with it fully paid for. It did not cost me $3,000. Sure, I didn’t get the bigger hard drive I wanted (which was why it would have cost $3,000), but really, that wasn’t a big deal for me because I was able to afford the MacBook Pro with the TouchPad and everything else I wanted, and it was at a reasonable price.
How long did this dua take to manifest? Give or take, around 2 months after my asking for it in duas.
The timing of this one was amazing. This is how Allah SWT works. You will get a sudden urge to take action on something, and the next thing you know, you have received what you were asking for. Alhamdulillah all the way!
I’m so glad that I was able to get a new laptop, because I am able to write these inspirational blogs for all of you and spread dawah about duas.
The point in these two examples is that we don’t know whether Allah SWT has answered our duas or not. We shouldn’t give up and we shouldn’t be frustrated with the timing of the manifestation of our duas.
Look, It took me ten years to get a new car that I love. It took me two months from the moment of making dua to get a new MacBook.
Timing is in the Hands of Allah SWT. Not in us. And therefore, we shouldn’t believe that our prayers have been rejected, or give up. It can take years and years but duas do manifest. We have to make ourselves deserving of them as well. This means, we have to work on ourselves in order to receive what we are asking for.
Working on ourselves means, boosting our Iman, doing good as much as possible, and being good to our fellow Muslim brothers and sisters.
We must work on our salaah, praying our obligatory and superogratory (nawafl) prayers, and do dhikr of Allah SWT each day. We must avoid doing what is haram, and eat, drink and make money that is halal.
Of course we also have to work on our own personal development by taking care of ourselves, and others around us, and showing up as a leader everyday by being good examples of not just a good muslim, but as a good human being.
This is how we work on ourselves.
So for those of you who say “We have been praying for so long but haven’t seen our duas manifest” and think that Allah SWT hasn’t answered you, do not despair. Allah SWT has answered your duas – in what ways, how it will happen, I do not know and neither do you. This is knowledge that belongs only to Allah SWT. This is knowledge that is kept hidden from us and for good reason.
The more connected you are with Allah SWT, the more you will find the smaller manifestations happening, which will ultimately lead you to your main duas being fulfilled as a result. So, make your connection with Allah SWT as the main goal, and watch how Allah SWT will create miracles in your life, and how your duas will get manifested, inshallah!
Always know this – the way your duas are fulfilled can be completely unexpected, and beautiful. Always be in gratitude that no matter what ways your duas are being manifested, they are being answered. Timing is not in our hands, but in the hands of Allah SWT. Have tawakkul, yaqeen and, detach from the outcome so you have complete trust in Allah SWT’s plans for you.
-Dr. Aasiyah N. Ghazi