[5] When Dua Feels Unanswered: Lessons from Ibn al-Qayyim on Patience, Timing, and the Etiquette of Supplication

Hope Is Half the Cure

Ibn al-Qayyim states that hope in Allah is half the cure for any affliction, physical or internal, and that despair closes half the door to recovery. His point to the questioner: the belief that there is no way out is incorrect. Allah has not sent down an illness without also sending down its cure, a claim he supports with multiple hadith. He adds that not everyone is aware of the cure, some know it, some don’t.

With that established, he moves to the actual remedies, of which two have been covered so far:

1. The Qur’an is described as the greatest means of relief, supported with verses and hadith.
2. Dua is a major means of escaping calamity. He explains why some duas are accepted and others are not, citing a heedless heart and unlawful sustenance (food, drink, clothing obtained through haram means) as key reasons.

Today’s session continues on dua.

The Value of Asking

Ibn al-Qayyim first establishes what dua is: the furthest-reaching of the remedies, involving repeated, pleading address to Allah, useful for both external and internal difficulties.

He cites a hadith stating that whoever seeks a cure through dua to Allah is healed, and another instructing that one should not grow weary or hesitant in dua, since sincere pleading carries no barrier to acceptance.

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said Allah loves the one who asks of Him. A further point is drawn from another text: “O children of Adam, do not seek your needs from other people seek them from the One whose door is never closed.” A person may become irritated when repeatedly asked for something; Allah does not.

Ibn al-Qayyim then states that among life’s trials, only a few have a “certain” medicine one whose effect is guaranteed. He identifies the first factor determining whether a dua is effective or not: impatience.

Barrier One: Hastiness

وَأَھْمَلَھُ. وَیَدَعُ الدُّ عَاءَ، وَھُوَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ مَنْ بَذَرَ بَذْرًا أَوْ غَرَسَ غَرْسًا، فَجَعَلَ یَتَعَاھَدُهُ وَیَسْقِیھِ، فَلَمَّ ا اسْتَبْطَأَ كَمَالَھُ وَإِدْرَاكَھُ تَرَكَھُ فَصْلٌ مِنْ آفَاتِ الدُّ عَاءِ وَمِنَ اآلْفَاتِ الَّ تِي تَمْنَعُ تَرَتُّ بَ أَثَرِ الدُّ عَاءِ عَلَیْھِ: أَنْ یَسْتَعْجِلَ الْعَبْدُ، وَیَسْتَبْطِئَ اإلِْجَابَةَ، فَیَسْتَحْسِرُ

“A chapter on the afflictions of dua. Among the afflictions that prevent the effect of dua from being realized: that the servant hastens and considers the response slow in coming, so he despairs and abandons the dua. He is like one who sows a seed or plants a sapling, tends it and waters it, but when its completion and full growth are slow in coming, he abandons it and neglects it.”

Ibn al-Qayyim’s example: a farmer plants seeds and waters them, but stops when growth doesn’t come quickly enough, and the seeds are lost as a result. Had he continued watering with patience, the seeds would have grown. The same applies to a person who supplicates two or three times, concludes it isn’t working, and stops the earlier duas are effectively wasted along with the abandoned one.

He supports this with three hadith:

Sahih al-Bukhari (Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him):

دَعَوْتُ فَلَمْ یُسْتَجَبْ لِي«. وَفِي الْبُخَارِيِّ مِنْ حَدِیثِ أَبِي ھُرَیْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ هللاَّ ِ - صَلَّ ى هللاَّ ُ عَلَیْھِ وَسَلَّ مَ - قَالَ: »یُسْتَجَابُ ألَِحَدِكُمْ مَا لَمْ یَعْجَلْ، یَقُولُ:

“The supplication of one of you continues to be answered so long as he does not grow hasty, saying: ‘I supplicated and it was not answered for me.’”

Sahih Muslim:

االِسْتِعْجَالُ؟ قَالَ یَقُولُ: قَدْ دَعَوْتُ، وَقَدْ دَعَوْتُ، فَلَمْ أَرَ یُسْتَجَابُ لِي، فَیَسْتَحْسِرُ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ وَیَدَعُ الدُّ عَاءَ« وَفِي صَحِیحِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْھُ: »الَ یَزَالُ یُسْتَجَابُ لِلْعَبْدِ، مَا لَمْ یَدْعُ بِإِثْمٍ أَوْ قَطِیعَةِ رَحِمٍ، مَا لَمْ یَسْتَعْجِلْ، قِیلَ: یَا رَسُولَ هللاَّ ِ مَا

“The servant continues to be answered so long as he does not supplicate for sin or the severing of family ties, and so long as he does not hasten.” Asked what hastening means, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “That one says: I have supplicated and supplicated, and I have not seen it answered for me so he despairs at that and abandons the dua.”

The Companions understood without needing to ask that a sinful request, or one made with a heedless heart, would not be accepted. What they asked about specifically was hastening hence the question, answered the same way in this hadith and confirmed again in:

Musnad Ahmad (Anas, may Allah be pleased with him):

رَسُولَ هللاَّ ِ كَیْفَ یَسْتَعْجِلُ؟ قَالَ: یَقُولُ قَدْ دَعَوْتُ رَبِّ ي فَلَمْ یَسْتَجِبْ لِي«. وَفِي مُسْنَدِ أَحْمَدَ مِنْ حَدِیثِ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ هللاَّ ِ - صَلَّ ى هللاَّ ُ عَلَیْھِ وَسَلَّ مَ: »الَ یَزَالُ الْعَبْدُ بِخَیْرٍ مَا لَمْ یَسْتَعْجِلْ، قَالُوا: یَا

“The servant remains upon good so long as he does not hasten.” Asked how one hastens, he said: “He says: I supplicated my Lord and He did not answer me.”

The scholars note that hastening applies whether the complaint is voiced to others or simply held internally as a private conviction both are included. The practical implication is to avoid letting the thought “I asked and He did not answer” settle in the heart at all.

Barrier Two: Absence of Heart and Wrong Timing

Ibn al-Qayyim next explains that dua is most effective when two conditions are combined: presence of heart, and one of six specific times at which Allah has indicated He accepts supplication.

Presence of heart means the heart is engaged, not just the tongue. He gives an example: a person asking Allah for piety often shows less intensity than the same person asking about financial hardship or unemployment, even though both are dua. The instruction is that the same intensity should apply regardless of whether the request concerns worldly or spiritual matters.

صُعُودِ اإلِْمَامِ یَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ حَتَّ ى تُقْضَى الصَّ الَةُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْیَوْمِ، وَآخِرُ سَاعَةٍ بَعْدَ الْعَصْرِ. اإلِْجَابَةِ السِّ تَّ ةِ، وَھِيَ: الثُّ لُثُ األَْخِیرُ مِنَ اللَّ یْلِ، وَعِنْدَ األَْذَانِ، وَبَیْنَ األَْذَانِ وَاإلِْقَامَةِ، وَأَدْبَارُ الصَّ لَوَاتِ الْمَكْتُوبَاتِ، وَعِنْدَ فَصْلٌ أَوْقَاتُ اإلِْجَابَةِ وَإِذَا جَمَعَ مَعَ الدُّ عَاءِ حُضُورَ الْقَلْبِ وَجَمْعِیَّ تَھُ بِكُلِّ یَّ تِھِ عَلَى الْمَطْلُوبِ، وَصَادَفَ وَقْتًا مِنْ أَوْقَاتِ

“A chapter: the times of response. When presence of heart is joined to the dua, its complete gathering upon what is sought, and it coincides with one of the six times of response, which are: the last third of the night, at the Adhan, between the Adhan and the Iqamah, after the obligatory prayers, when the Imam ascends the pulpit on Friday until that day’s prayer concludes, and the last hour after ‘Asr…”

The Six Times

1. The last third of the night (Tahajjud time). Based on the hadith describing Allah’s descent to the lowest heaven in this period, when sleep is set aside, hearts are sincere, and voices are low: “Who calls upon Me, that I may answer him? Who asks of Me, that I may give him? Who seeks My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?”

2. At the time of the Adhan. Tied to a hadith about affirming the shahadah upon hearing the mu’adhin.

3. Between the Adhan and the Iqamah.

4. After the obligatory prayers. Scholars differ on whether this refers to the moment right before the salam or after it, once dhikr is complete; both views are held. Raising the hands specifically at this point is not established from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, though dua at this time is. Collective supplication out loud after the prayer is not established by the Sunnah and is considered contrary to it this is meant as an individual practice.

5. When the Imam ascends the pulpit on Friday, until the prayer concludes.

6. The final hour of Friday, from ‘Asr until Maghrib, with some scholars narrowing this further to the last hour or two before Maghrib. This period is referred to by some scholars as Sa’at al-Istijabah (the Hour of Response).

Accounts Regarding the Friday Hour

Ibn Hajar records in Fath al-Bari an account of a woman who would send her child out to check the time so she would know when the final hour before Maghrib had arrived, in order to devote it to dua, hands raised, without speaking to anyone.

Sayyid Sahl al-Tustari (may Allah have mercy on him) would pray ‘Asr on Friday, then sit alone in dua, without speaking to anyone, until Maghrib.

An account recorded by Ibn ‘kathir describes a hadith scholar who lost his eyesight; his students supplicated for him after Friday ‘Asr, and his sight was restored.

The lecturer states he personally observed this practice among scholars in Madinah Munawwarah,who would spend three to four hours after ‘Asr on Fridays behind the pillars of the Prophet’s Mosque, sitting, standing, or leaning against a wall with hands raised until Maghrib. The same practice was observed among students. The point made is that this hour is available in the present era as it was to the Sahaba, the Tabi’un, and the Imams, and should not be left unused.

Conditions and Etiquette of Dua

األَْدْعِیَةَ الَّ تِي أَخْبَرَ النَّ بِيُّ - صَلَّ ى هللاَّ ُ عَلَیْھِ وَسَلَّ مَ - أَنَّ ھَا مَظَنَّ ةُ اإلِْجَابَةِ، أَوْ أَنَّ ھَا مُتَضَمِّ نَةٌ لِالِ سْمِ األَْعْظَمِ. وَتَوَسَّ لَ إِلَیْھِ بِأَسْمَائِھِ وَصِفَاتِھِ وَتَوْحِیدِهِ. وَقَدَّ مَ بَیْنَ یَدَيْ دُعَائِھِ صَدَقَةً، فَإِنَّ ھَذَا الدُّ عَاءَ الَ یَكَادُ یُرَدُّ أَبَدًا، وَالَ سِیَّ مَا إِنْ صَادَفَ -. ثُمَّ قَدَّ مَ بَیْنَ یَدَيْ حَاجَتِھِ التَّ وْبَةَ وَاالِسْتِغْفَارَ. ثُمَّ دَخَلَ عَلَى هللاَّ ِ، وَأَلَحَّ عَلَیْھِ فِي الْمَسْأَلَةِ، وَتَمَلَّ قَھُ وَدَعَاهُ رَغْبَةً وَرَھْبَةً. طَھَارَةٍ. وَرَفَعَ یَدَیْھِ إِلَى هللاَّ ِ. وَبَدَأَ بِحَمْدِ هللاَّ ِ وَالثَّ نَاءِ عَلَیْھِ. ثُمَّ ثَنَّ ى بِالصَّ الَةِ عَلَى مُحَمَّ دٍ عَبْدِهِ وَرَسُولِھِ - صَلَّ ى هللاَّ ُ عَلَیْھِ وَسَلَّ مَ وَصَادَفَ خُشُوعًا فِي الْقَلْبِ، وَانْكِسَارًا بَیْنَ یَدَيِ الرَّ بِّ ، وَذُالًّ لَھُ، وَتَضَرُّ عًا، وَرِقَّ ةً. وَاسْتَقْبَلَ الدَّ اعِي الْقِبْلَةَ. وَكَانَ عَلَى

“…and it coincides with humility in the heart, brokenness before the Lord, lowliness before Him, pleading, and tenderness. The supplicant faces the Qiblah, is in a state of purity, raises his hands to Allah, begins with praise of Allah and lauding Him, then follows with sending blessings upon Muhammad, His servant and Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, then precedes his request with repentance and seeking forgiveness, then enters upon Allah, persists in the request, pleads and calls upon Him out of both desire and fear, and seeks nearness to Him through His Names, His Attributes,

and His Oneness and precedes his dua with charity. Such a dua is scarcely ever rejected, especially if it coincides with the supplications the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said were likely to be answered, or which contain the Greatest Name.”

The sequence, as laid out:

• Balance between fear and hope. Ibn al-Qayyim elsewhere describes these as the two wings of the believer imbalance between them affects the outcome the way an imbalance between a bird’s wings would.
• Face the Qiblah, in a state of purity (wudu).
• Raise the hands. Noted as an act that is honorable when directed to Allah, in contrast to how it is regarded when directed at another person.
• Begin with praise of Allah, in Arabic if possible, otherwise in one’s own language.
• Send blessings on the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
• Seek forgiveness before making the request.
• State the request with persistence and repetition, invoking Allah’s Names relevant to the specific need for example, Ya Razzāq (O Provider) when asking for provision, or Ya Hādī (O Guide) when asking for guidance. This is described as tawassul through Allah’s Names, Attributes, and Oneness.
• Give charity after the dua. Referenced as a practice associated with duas that are “scarcely ever rejected.”

Closing Notes

The lecturer indicates the next session will address:

• The Ism al-A’zam (the Greatest Name of Allah), and its connection to duas that are answered.
• The relationship between dua and divine decree (qadar) the objection that if an outcome is already decreed, dua makes no difference to it. Ibn al-Qayyim addresses this directly, connecting it back to the original questioner’s situation of having exhausted apparent means without relief.

The session closes with a recommendation of the book, available in Arabic, Urdu, and English, described as something to be revisited regularly rather than read once.