The Ways Allah Responds to Prayers

There is nothing more beloved to Allah than du'a (prayer).

Volume 4: Chapter 1: Number 3370

At-Tirmidzi. (2008). Sunan Al-Tirmithi. Translated by Haytham Kreidly.

We tend to judge if our prayers are "answered" by whether we get what we asked for. Ask for a spouse, get a spouse, means it's answered. Ask for a job, get a job means it's heard. But what if we haven't gotten it yet? That's when the doubts start. The thing is, Allah's ways of answering prayers are so much broader than just giving us exactly what we ask for.

Three Ways Allah Answers Prayers No Muslim supplicates to Allah with a prayer except that Allah will surely grant it to him, or He will avert from him an evil equivalent to it.This applies as long as he does not pray for sin or for severing family ties."Then someone said, "In that case, we shall increase our prayers." The Prophet replied, "Allah gives even more (than what you ask for)."

Don't Be Impatient in Prayer A servant's prayer will be answered as long as he does not pray for something sinful or to sever family ties, and as long as he is not hasty." It was asked: "O Messenger of Allah, what does being hasty mean?"He replied: "It is when he says: 'I have prayed and prayed, but I have not found my prayer answered.' Then he becomes frustrated and abandons prayer."

In Surah Al-Baqarah: 186, Allah says: " When My servants ask you ˹O Prophet˺ about Me: I am truly near. I respond to one’s prayer when they call upon Me. So let them respond ˹with obedience˺ to Me and believe in Me, perhaps they will be guided ˹to the Right Way˺."