During the daily Tafsir (interpretation) on the second day of Ramadan at the Hussainiyyah Baqiyyatullah, Zaria, Leader of the Shiite Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky expounded verse 186 of Surah al-Baqrah:
“And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided”.
Through traditions from the Infallible, specifically from Imam Jafar As-Sadiq (AS), Imam Ridha (AS) and Imam Ali (AS), Sheikh Zakzaky made clear the following summary of lessons:
Imam Sadiq was reported to have read the du’a (Prayer), “Amman yujibu madhdarrah iza da’a…” he was asked reason why people ask Allah and their prayers were not answered. He answered: “You are asking Whom you do not know, and you are asking for things you do not understand. Severe situation and complete submission to Allah (in situation of need) is the real du’a (Prayer). Constant du’a, without true knowledge of Allah (trust and submission to the will of Allah), is a sign of going astray. He who does not bring himself lower in the sight of Allah, submissive in the secret of his soul to the will of Allah, will judge Allah and consider his plea a du’a (that must be answered). Judging Allah or questioning His actions is confrontational (to Allah)”.
Steps to accepted Du’a (Prayer)
In Al- Kafi, Imam Sadiq (AS) was explaining Allah’ saying: “Call on Me, I will answer you…” some people said: “We call on Him and we do not see any response”. The Imam said: “Do you consider Allah as not fulfilling His promise?” They answered, “No”. The Imam then asked: “What made your Du’a not answered?” “We do not know?” Imam Ja’afar (AS) said: “I will tell you. He who obeys Allah in what He commands and he ask Allah in the form and manner of Du’a, Allah will surely grant his request”. He was then asked the form and manner of Du’a. The Imam (AS) itemized the following as format of Du’a:
-Start by expressing sincere gratitude and appreciation to Allah.
-Recount Allah’s blessings on you, and also express sincere gratitude for these blessings.
-Extend full salutation (Salawat) to the Holy Prophet (SAWA) and his Infallible Progeny (AS).
-Recall and confess your sins with remorse.
-Seek refuge from the evil of your sins.
Delay in fulfilling of Du’as (Prayer) is never neglect by Allah
It is reported from Imam Sadiq (AS), sometimes when a servant of Allah ask in Du’a, Allah commands the two Guarding Angels to approve the request but that the granting and actualizing of his wishes be withheld, because Allah wants to constantly hear the voice of plea from his servants. (As the servant continues asking for fulfillment of his wishes, Allah becomes happy and one day it might be fulfilled, or delayed till the Day of Judgment). For some servants, Allah commands the Angels to hurriedly answer their Du’as, for He does not want to hear their voices. A similar Hadith (narration) was reported from Jabir Bin Abdullah al-Ansari from the Holy Prophet (SAWA).
-It is not a sign of acceptance of Du’a, if Allah quickly answers the Du’a of a servant. Delay is not also a sign of neglect or rejection by Allah (Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, Page 488)
In Tafsir al-Qummi (by Ali Bin Ibrahim), Imam Sadiq (AS) was similarly reported to have read the Qur’anic verse, “Call on Me, and I will answer you…” they complained that their call (Du’a) were not answered. The Imam (AS) said: “- It is because you do not fulfill Allah’s covenant, for Allah says, ‘fulfill My covenant and I will fulfill yours’. If you had fulfilled His Covenant, He would have surely fulfilled His own covenant to you”.
Also in Al-Kafi, Imam Jafar Al-Sadiq (AS) was reported to have said: “If one of you wants his request to be granted by Allah, he must purify his source of earning livelihood”. (strive for Halal). He also said: “If one of you wants his request to be granted by Allah, should cut off any hope of fulfillment from anybody and place it wholly on Allah. If Allah knows this is truly from his heart, if he ask anything Allah will grant his request”.
Put your trust more on Allah
In al-Kafi (Vol. 2, Pg 488), Imam Ridha (AS) asked his disciple if he could be trusted to say unto him a word. The disciple hurriedly replied, “How could I not trust your words, O son of Messenger of Allah?” Imam Ridha (AS) then said: “Trust Allah more (than me), for you have with Allah a covenant. Did Allah not say, ‘And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me’. And Allah says, ‘‘Say: "O 'Ibadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (Surah al-Zumar)’” Allah also says, He promises forgiveness and blessings, when Shaitan (Satan) promises people the opposite. “Put your trust more on Allah than anyone else. Let nothing but good be in your heart, for Allah forgives…”
Be constant in Du’a (Prayer), never lose hope
In al-Kafi (Vol. 8, Pg 390) a long sermon by Ameerul Mu’mineen (AS) says: “Be constant with Allah the Almighty by constant Du’a, fear Him with utmost piety, strive closeness to Him with obedience, surely He is much closer and answers (Du’a). Allah says, ‘And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided’”.
In Nahju Balagha, Ameerul Mu’mineen (AS) in one of his letters says: “And Allah has placed on your hands key to the (store) of His treasures. You open the store to the treasures whenever you want with Du’a, and then shower yourself with his blessings. Let not delay in answering your request make you cut off hope from His blessings. The request might be delayed, because it is more in reward for the seeker and better (in many fold) than what the seeker has requested. For on many occasions the requested might not be granted, but (the seeker) you will be given a better option instantly or in due course (in this world or in the hereafter). Or He puts off an evil from you. For there are things you request that are (unknowingly) destructive to your religion. Let your request always be over good things that will last and its evil put away from you. For money does not last for you; and you do not last for it”.
Also in Nahjul Balagha, “If you have any request to Allah begins with salutation to the Prophet, and ask for your wish. For Allah does not answer one request and reject the other (salutation to the Prophet and one’s request)”. Example, Allahumma Salli Alaa Muhammad Wa Aali Muhammad, Waf’al li –Kaza, wa kaza… (if Allah can surely answer the prayer of the salutation-Salawat, He will surely answer the personal request alongside it)
In Tafsir al-Qummi (by Ali Bin Ibrahim): From Hammad who sought the consent of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq, that he always busy himself in prayers to his relatives and Ahl Wilayah. The Imam (AS) responded: “Allah the Almighty answers prayers for the absent and he who prays for believers, men and women, and those who love us. Allah has made prayer (five daily prayers) as an obligatory act in the best chosen blessed time. I urge you to supplicate at the end of each prayer”. (The period is a period for answering Du’a of a servant). Hammad said, the Imam (AS) prayed for him and those present.
In al-Kafi from Ahmad Bin Muhammad who said to Abul Hassan (AS) that he had been supplication to Allah over a request for years without his wishes fulfilled. This, he said, had brought doubt in his mind. The Imam (AS) said to him: “Beware of Shaitan, that he may overcome you that you lose hope (in Allah)”.
Aba Jafar (AS) used to say: “A believer may make a request that will be approved, but the fulfillment of the wish be delayed, for Allah wants to constantly hear his voice and plea. Allah has better option for a worldly request that was delayed for a servant, than the worldly request that was quickly answered. The intensity of a servant’s Du’a should be constant and on the same level in the periods of light and severe situations of need. Do not give up supplication, for Allah is with you. Strive for lawful earning and brotherliness. Beware of spying into people’s secrets. We Ahlul Bayt re-unite with those who cut off from us, we treat with kindness those who maltreat us. With these acts, we see a good ending from Allah… Will you trust me if I tell something? ‘How could I not trust your words, O son of Messenger of Allah?’ The Imam (AS) then said: “Trust Allah more than that. Did Allah not say, ‘And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me’. And Allah says, ‘Say: "O 'Ibadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (Surah al-Zumar)’”.
-Du’a is an ibadat.
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