We receive many calls from people saying that they make dua and read their Salaah, read Ishraaq, Chasht and Salaatul Haajaat and even awaken for Tuhajjid, but then say that despite all this, Allah Ta'ala still does not want to hear their duas (Na-oozo-bil-lahi-min-zaalik)... as if Allah Ta'ala is obliged to do so.

Moulana Jalaluddin Rumi (R.A.) has said: "Sometimes Allah delays in answering the prayers so that one may continue to call on Him earnestly and crying in humility. While this is done, He is Aware thereof and He greatly approves thereof.”

Delay in acceptance of one's duas is not a sign that Allah Ta'ala has rejected the dua. On the contrary, it is a sign of the pleasure of Allah; that His servant has recognized Him to be the only one who can fulfill all his needs. In fact, the person who sincerely asks of Allah, not despairing and losing hope in Allah, Allah enshrouds him in His Mercy.

Nabi Yacoob (A.S.) made dua that he be reunited with his missing son, Hazrat Yusuf (A.S.). After 40 years, this dua of Hazrat Yacoob (A.S.) was answered.Thus, Allah Ta'ala, knows best when and in what manner to answer a person's duas. Therefore Nabi e has explained:

"Any Muslim who makes a dua and his dua does not contain a request for anything sinful or anything regarding the severance of family ties, Allah grants him one of three things most assuredly, namely,

3. ) Allah wards away some calamity from him in lieu of the object asked for.”

Our condition is that we make dua to just get over the problems we are faced with. There is that restlessness at heart because we are waiting for the problem to make a quick exit from our lives so that we may revert to our old lifestyle. To cite an example: many students are to be found in the Musjids at the time of their examinations ... the dua, Ibaadah is merely done in order that we overcome the difficulty or problem at hand.