Bismi’Llāhi ir-Raḥmān ir-Raḥīm
In the Name of God, the Universally Merciful, the Singularly Compassionate
The Beloved ﷻ loves for His ﷻ creation to turn to Him ﷻ from that place of sincere need, brokenness, and humility — the pure tender center of the heart. So, turn to Him ﷻ with all of your needs so that He ﷻ might give to you from His Bounty ﷻ. Ask, but choose wisely. Have sincere intention and, ideally, a clear sense of how what you are asking for will bring you closer to Allāh ﷻ. Limit your requests to what is pure (halāl) and good (tayyib). Do not ask casually, but rather with profound attentiveness, sincerity, and humility. The Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ said, “Make supplication to God ﷻ in a state wherein you are certain that your supplication will be answered, and know that God ﷻ does not respond to a supplication that comes from a negligent, inattentive heart.”
Once you have asked, hold fast to patience in waiting for a response. Trust that your supplication will be answered in Allāh’s ﷻ time and wisdom. If you are impatient, your supplication is compromised, and you are likely to lose hope in the effectiveness of supplication. If it appears as though you did not receive a response to your supplication, be patient and resigned of the outcome. Sometimes, the absence of a response is in fact the response. For example, if you ask for something that is not good for you, Allāh’s Mercy ﷻ toward you is in the very denial of that which would burden your soul and lead you astray into greater tribulation and distress. In time, you will become increasingly aware of the things you desire that are not good for you and then lose interest in them, insha’Llāh. Then, you will be drawn more to those things that are pleasing to your Lord ﷻ.
Finally, it is also beneficial to seek His Assistance ﷻ and response through something beloved to Him ﷻ. You can approach through the mention of His Names or Attributes ﷻ, or a blessed occasion. You can also ask someone to supplicate Allāh ﷻ on your behalf —especially those beloved to Him ﷻ— whose prayers are more likely to be heard because of their nearness to Him ﷻ. And Allāh ﷻ knows best.
© Ḥakīm Ilyās Kāshānī
