Salaam!

September 5th: Chapter 11 - The Wisdom Behind a Delayed Response

A very important chapter so PAY ATTENTION!

It is indeed a great trial for a muslim to make du'a, sincerely continually for a long period of time, and yet see no sign of response.

Here, a person's iman in Allah is truly tested and here is the opportunity that Shaytan uses to try to sow his whispers, and plants his doubt in a believer's heart.

In this way a person might start thinking evil thoughts about his Creator, or start doubting the wisdom of the Divine Decree.

So whoever falls into this, should immediately seek Allah's refuge from Shaytan and turn to Allah sincerely, making yet another du'a: that he be saved from Shaytan's evil plots, and that he be granted patience to withstand the test that he is undergoing.

At the same time, he should realise the great blessings that Allah has given to mankind when He guaranteed a response to all du'as, as long as the du'a conforms to all the necessary etiquettes, and there are no prohibiting factors found in the one making it.

So even when one's du'a is apparently not responded to, he should realise that the actual response might not be what he presumes, and it is in fact possible that his du'a has already been answered, without his even knowing it!

A muslim should understand that there are many wisdoms behind the delayed response of a du'a, whether he realises it or not.

All of Allah's decrees are wise, and although it is not possible that we fully and truly comprehend all the Divine Wisdom behind an act, it is possible that we can extract some of the benefits of a Decree. The following points have been mentioned by some scholars:

1. Allah is the Malik

Allah says in the Quran "He is not questioned regarding what He does, but rather they will be questioned (regarding what they do).

"And Allah judges, and there is none that can change His Judgement. And He is the Ever-Swift in Reckoning.

So the muslim does not question the Will of Allah, rather he accepts it, and is pleased with it.

2. Man Does Not Have a Right Over His Creator

The one making du'a should know that he does not have a right over his Creator that his du'a be responsed to, but that it is answered only through the Mercy of Allah.

Additionally, one should be wise enough to contemplate his own many shortcomings and faults with regards to the rights that Allah has over him. This will make him appreciate that he doesnt have ANY right over Allah.

Ibn al-Qayyim wrote: So one of the greatest matters of benefit to the heart is that it looks into the rights that Allah has over His slaves, because this will cause him to look at his own self in a despicable and lowly manner.

It will make him avoid self conceit and vanity concerning his actions, and instead open for him the door to humility and meekness.

He will be submissive before his Lord, and give up hope of his own self, for he will realise that success will only come about through the Mercy of Allah and His Blessings.

For His right (upon the soul) is that He be obeyed, and not disobeyed, and remembered and not forgotton, and thanked and not rejected. So whoever looks into into this right that his Lord has upon him, then he will know - a most certain knowledge- that he is not fulfilling the rights of his Lord in a way that he should, and that nothing can save him except divine aid and forgiveness.

So if he were to rely upon his own actions, he would be destroyed! So this is what those who have knowledge of Allah look upon, and this is what has caused them to give up hope of attaining any good from themselves, and made them put all of their hope in the Mercy of and Forgivenss of Allah.

But if you were to look upon the status of the majority of people, you will find them to be the exact opposite of this! They examine the 'rights' that they have upon Allah, and they the rights that Allah has upon them. And because of this, they have cut themselves off from Allah, and their hearts have been sealed up from recognising Him, or loving Him, or being eager to meet him. and this is the height of ignorance that a man can have with regards to his Lord, and even to himself.

3. A Delay in Response is a Trial

When the response is delayed, this is a type of test that is afflicted upon the servant. This necessitates his being patient during this trial. So a person should realise that, just like his entire life is a trial, so too is this delayed response. It is just one of the many trials that he has to face if he eventually wishes to enter Paradise and please his Creator. As Allah says "And We test you, with good and evil, as a fitnah. And to Us you will return."

So both good and evil is a test for us to see whether we are patient when afflicted with evil and whether we use the good that we have been given properly.

4. Allah is the Most Wise

Of Allah's many beautiful Names is al-Hakim, or The Most Wise. So to Allah belongs the greatest wisdom; all of His Decrees are Wise. When He gives, He gives with Wisdom, and when He prevents, He prevents with Wisdom.

So it is possible that what a person desires is not wise for him to have and because of this, he is not granted it, or it is delayed until such a time that it is suitable for him.

So the believer accepts the Divine Wisdom of Allah, and does not cause a delay in response to swerve him from the true iman in Allah.