Asking Allah and Patience in Expectation

📖Sunan al-Tirmidhī 3571
Ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Ask Allah for His favor as Allah Almighty loves to be asked. Among the best acts of worship is to patiently wait in expectation of relief.”

Explanation

This hadith emphasizes two key aspects of a believer’s relationship with Allah:

1. Asking Allah (Dua) is an act of recognition, not begging

• Making dua is not showing weakness; it is acknowledging that there is a Creator, greater than everything, who has power over all things.
• By asking, a person accepts Allah’s authority and greatness, understanding that all provisions, guidance, and relief come from Him.
• It is a form of worship because it reinforces reliance on Allah and humility before Him.

2. Patience while awaiting relief

• Allah encourages believers to ask while expecting relief patiently, trusting His timing.
• Patience during trials is itself a highly rewarded act of worship; it shows trust in Allah’s wisdom.
• Relief may come immediately, slowly, or in a different form, but the act of patiently awaiting it strengthens faith and reliance on Allah.

📖Sunan al-Tirmidhī 3371
Anas ibn Malik reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Supplication is the essence of worship.

Quranic Context

📖Quran 2:186
And when My servants ask you 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 guided.

📖Quran 40:60
And your Lord says, “Call upon Me; I will respond to you.” Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.

📖Quran 2:153
O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.

📖Quran 14:39
Praise be to Allah, Who has guided us to this; never could we have been guided if Allah had not guided us. The messengers of our Lord had indeed come with the truth.

This hadith shows that asking Allah is not weakness, but recognition of His supreme authority, and waiting patiently is part of trusting and obeying Him. Both acts – dua and patient expectation – are among the best forms of worship.

Understanding the Purpose of Prayer and Allah’s Wisdom in Answering

The purpose and importance of prayer, emphasizing that it is first and foremost for our own benefit. Prayer is a way to seek guidance, mercy, and blessings from Allah. However, it’s important to remember that the outcome of our prayers is within Allah’s knowledge, and sometimes we may not get what we expect. For instance, if we pray for the well-being of a child, but it is written that the child will pass away at a certain time, we must accept that Allah’s plan is beyond our understanding. Our prayers are not wasted; even if they are not answered in the way we desire, we are rewarded for seeking Allah’s help. As stated in a hadith, sometimes prayers are delayed, or something better is stored for us in the Hereafter. This teaches us to trust in Allah’s wisdom and to accept that His decisions are always in our best interest, even when we do not understand them fully.

Sahih Muslim 2735 a
Abu Huraira reported that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: The supplication of every one of you is granted if he does not grow impatient and says: I supplicated but it was not granted.

• A person can pray his entire life, as it is stated that the supplication of every one of you is granted. However, it is important to understand the condition in the Qur’an and Hadith that God has already written our fate. For instance, if I pray to God to become a doctor, but it is not part of my destiny, I am asking for something that isn’t meant for me. But I trust that I do not know my destiny – only God knows. Therefore, my prayer is not in vain; rather, it will be preserved for the hereafter or replaced with something better in this world. Yet, God will not grant my desire to be a doctor if it is not part of what has been decreed for me.

Surah At-Tawbah (9:51)
Say, ‘Never will we be struck except by what Allah has decreed for us; He is our protector.’ And upon Allah let the believers rely.

Destiny, Prayer, and God’s Will — A Reflection on Fate and Faith

For non-Muslims, even if they do not ask God, they will receive what is mentioned in the Qur’an because their fate has already been written about what they will get in their life. But for Muslims, if they deny God, they will find exactly what is in their destiny, but the punishment for disbelievers, especially, will be a depressed life. They will get everything even if they didn’t ask because it’s part of the destiny, yet God will give them more so they will commit more sin because they rejected God. For Muslims, we ask and glorify God for everything, but even if we don’t ask, it will still happen.

Quran 20:124
And whoever turns away from My remembrance – indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind.”

• This verse refers to those who knowingly reject Allah’s guidance and deliberately avoid His remembrance. It is not about forgetfulness or ignorance; it is about a conscious turning away from God, His message, and the act of seeking Him. Such a person essentially refuses to acknowledge Allah as the Creator and Sustainer, which results in a life of spiritual emptiness and, ultimately, punishment in the Hereafter.

Quran 2:212
Beautified for those who disbelieve is the life of this world, and they ridicule those who believe –

Quran 3:178
And those who disbelieve are not to think they are causing Us failure. Indeed, they will never cause Us failure. And let them not think that when We extend to them good things in this world, it is because of their good deeds. We only extend to them so that they may increase in sin, and for them is a humiliating punishment.

It’s also important to note that some people knowingly reject the verses meant for them, but there are others who may not know exactly the message. It is not possible to declare anything about them; it is up to God to judge because we do not know exactly who knows and who doesn’t, or what is in their heart.