Delay in the Acceptance of Prayer

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي الْحَسَنِ ع‌[1] جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنِّي قَدْ سَأَلْتُ اللَّهَ حَاجَةً مُنْذُ كَذَا وَ كَذَا سَنَةً وَ قَدْ دَخَلَ قَلْبِي مِنْ إِبْطَائِهَا شَيْ‌ءٌ فَقَالَ يَا أَحْمَدُ إِيَّاكَ وَ الشَّيْطَانَ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ عَلَيْكَ سَبِيلٌ حَتَّى يُقَنِّطَكَ إِنَّ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ص‌[2] كَانَ يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ يَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ حَاجَةً فَيُؤَخِّرُ عَنْهُ تَعْجِيلَ إِجَابَتِهِ حُبّاً لِصَوْتِهِ

“Once I said to abu al-Hassan (al-Rida) (a.s.) ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, I have been praying to Allah for help in something from the year so and so and because of delay something is happing in my heart.’ The Imam said, ‘O Ahmad, beware of Satan! Do not allow him to find a way in you to despair

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع رُبَّمَا دَعَا الرَّجُلُ بِالدُّعَاءِ فَاسْتُجِيبَ لَهُ‌[4] ثُمَّ أُخِّرَ ذَلِكَ إِلَى حِينٍ قَالَ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ قُلْتُ وَ لِمَ ذَاكَ لِيَزْدَادَ مِنَ الدُّعَاءِ قَالَ نَعَمْ.

“Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘Is it possible that at one time a man supplicates and it is accepted and then is delayed for a period of time?’ The narrator has said that the Imam then said, ‘Yes, it can happen.’ I then asked, ‘Why is that? Is it because so he will increase his supplication and pleading?’ The Imam

إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَيَدْعُو فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لِلْمَلَكَيْنِ قَدِ اسْتَجَبْتُ لَهُ وَ لَكِنِ احْبِسُوهُ بِحَاجَتِهِ فَإِنِّي أُحِبُّ أَنْ أَسْمَعَ صَوْتَهُ وَ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَيَدْعُو فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى عَجِّلُوا لَهُ حَاجَتَهُ فَإِنِّي أُبْغِضُ صَوْتَهُ.

“When a servant prays, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, says to the two angels, ‘I have accepted his prayer, but keep it on hold; I love to hear his voice.’ It may also happen that a servant prays, but Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, says, ‘Hurry up and help him quickly; I hate his voice.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ يُسْتَجَابُ لِلرَّجُلِ الدُّعَاءُ ثُمَّ يُؤَخَّرُ قَالَ نَعَمْ عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً.

“Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘Can a man’s prayer that is accepted be kept on hold and delayed?’ The Imam said, ‘Yes, it can remain on hold for up to twenty years.’”

كَانَ بَيْنَ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- قَدْ أُجِيبَتْ دَعْوَتُكُما[5] وَ بَيْنَ أَخْذِ فِرْعَوْنَ أَرْبَعِينَ عَاماً.

“Between the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘Your prayer is accepted,’ (10:89) and the time the Pharaoh was seized there was a forty-year timespan.’”

سَمِعْتُ‌ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ لَيَدْعُو فَيُؤَخَّرُ إِجَابَتُهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ[1].

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘A believing person prays and its (the prayer’s) acceptance may be delayed up to the next Friday [Day of Judgment].”’

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ الْوَلِيَّ لِلَّهِ يَدْعُو اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي الْأَمْرِ يَنُوبُهُ‌[2] فَيَقُولُ لِلْمَلَكِ الْمُوَكَّلِ بِهِ اقْضِ لِعَبْدِي حَاجَتَهُ وَ لَا تُعَجِّلْهَا فَإِنِّي أَشْتَهِي أَنْ أَسْمَعَ نِدَاءَهُ وَ صَوْتَهُ وَ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ الْعَدُوَّ لِلَّهِ لَيَدْعُو اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي الْأَمْرِ يَنُوبُهُ فَيُقَالُ لِلْمَلَكِ الْمُوَكَّلِ بِهِ اقْضِ لِعَبْدِي حَاجَت

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘A servant who is a friend of Allah may pray to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, for a matter in his intention and Allah says to the angel guarding him, “Provide help to My servant but keep it on hold and do not hurry; I desire to hear his call and voice.” On the other hand a se

لَا يَزَالُ الْمُؤْمِنُ بِخَيْرٍ وَ رَجَاءٍ رَحْمَةً مِنَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مَا لَمْ يَسْتَعْجِلْ فَيَقْنَطَ وَ يَتْرُكَ الدُّعَاءَ قُلْتُ لَهُ كَيْفَ يَسْتَعْجِلُ قَالَ يَقُولُ قَدْ دَعَوْتُ مُنْذُ كَذَا وَ كَذَا وَ مَا أَرَى الْإِجَابَةَ[4].

“A believing person is fine and hopeful through the favors of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, as long as he does not rush to despair and give up prayer.’ I (the narrator) then asked the Imam (a.s.) ‘How can he rush?’ The Imam said, ‘He may say, “I have been praying for such and such period of time and I do not

إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ لَيَدْعُو اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي حَاجَتِهِ فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَخِّرُوا إِجَابَتَهُ شَوْقاً إِلَى صَوْتِهِ وَ دُعَائِهِ فَإِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَبْدِي دَعَوْتَنِي فَأَخَّرْتُ إِجَابَتَكَ وَ ثَوَابُكَ كَذَا وَ كَذَا وَ دَعَوْتَنِي‌ فِي كَذَا وَ كَذَا فَأَخَّرْتُ إِجَابَتَكَ وَ ثَوَابُكَ كَذَا وَ كَذَا قَالَ فَيَتَمَنَّى الْمُؤْمِنُ أَنَّهُ لَم

“A believing person may pray to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, for help and Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, will say, ‘Hold back the answer to his prayer for the desire in his voice and prayer.’ When it will be the Day of Judgment Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, will say, ‘My servant, you pr