The Conditions and Manners of Supplication

Question :

What prevents a supplication from being answered? And that are the times when, if we supplicate, we will be answered?

Answer:

First, we should know that supplication is worship - it brings us closer to Allâh. This is because when we supplicate to Allâh, we are admitting not only our shortcomings, but also Allah's perfection. Furthermore, when we supplicate, we are glorifying Allâh.

It has been reported that the Messenger of Allah said that supplication is worship, so if this is the case, a person comes closer to Allâh when he supplicates. After he has supplicated seeking closeness to Allah, either his supplication will be answered, he will be saved from an evil greater than the benefit he would have derived had his supplication been answered, or his reward will be saved for him until the Day of Judgement.

Allah Almighty never lets down a person who supplicates to him; however, supplication has certain conditions that must be met and certain manners that must be followed. The one who supplicates, for example, must believe while supplicating that he is in need of his Lord, that he himself has no ability to benefit or harm himself except by the will of Allâh. He must believe in his Lord's perfect mercy, beneficence, generosity and will. He must not doubt that he will be answered; rather, he should be hopeful and confident about receiving some benefit.

Another condition is not to transgress in the supplication by asking Allah for what is not permissible.

Among the etiquette of supplication is that one should not supplicate for what is not lawful, so he does not supplicate for a sin nor the severance of kinship.

Likewise making sure that ones food and clothing are not from what is unlawful, because the unlawful prevents the supplica- tion from being answered, for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said :

"Indeed, Allah is Tayyib (good), and he does not accept other than what is Tayyib".

Among the times in which one should be optimistic that the supplication would be answered are the last third of the night, or later, and the time between the call to the prayer and the Iqamah.

In terms of situation or posture, one is more likely to have one's supplication answered while prostrating, since the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"The closest one is to his Lord is when he is prostrating."