Supplications are Answered during Ramadhaan’s Last Ten Days-III

whatever one asks, allaah the almighty gives him more. it was narrated on the authority of abu sa‘eed that the prophet, , said: “‘no muslim supplicates allaah with a supplication that contains neither sin nor severing kinship ties, except that allaah gives him one of three things: he either answers his supplication, or saves it for him in the hereafter or diverts an equal amount of evil from him.’ they said, ‘so we shall ask allaah a lot.’ the prophet said: ‘allaah has more.’” [ahmad]

supplication drives away predestined afflictions as the prophet, , said: “nothing drives away predestined affliction but supplication, and nothing extends one’s life but righteousness.” [at-tirmithi]

in another hadeeth, the prophet, , said: “supplication is beneficial regarding the affliction that has already occurred and that which has not yet occurred, so adhere to it, o slaves of allaah.” [ahmad] 

supplication entails submission to allaah the almighty. ibn rajab said, “some of those who fear allaah used to sit at night, keeping silent, lowering their head, and raising their hands like a beggar. this condition shows how deep the need for allaah is. the more sincere, humble and needy we are in our supplication, the more likely our supplications will be answered.” al-awzaa‘i stated that it was said, "the best manner of supplication is insistence and begging allaah." 

abu hurayrah narrated that the prophet, , said: “whoever likes allaah to respond to him in times of hardship, let him make much supplication in times of prosperity.” [at-tirmithi]

salmaan narrated that the prophet, , said: “allaah is modest and generous, and is shy to turn away empty the hands of his slave when he raises them to him.” [abu daawood and at-tirmithi]

there may be a person who is considered insignificant because he is poor and weak, but he may be dear to allaah the almighty, and he does not ever neglect his supplications, as the prophet, , said: “there may be a man with dishevelled hair, driven away from the doors (but he is so pious) that if he were to swear in the name of allaah, he would definitely fulfill that.” [muslim]  

it is wrong to leave supplication because one feels that allaah the almighty does not respond to him. the messenger of allaah, , said: “the supplication of everyone of you is granted if he does not grow impatient and say, ‘i supplicated but it was not granted.’” [al-bukhaari and muslim]  

muwarriq al-‘ijli said, "i was never filled with anger, and i asked allaah for a need twenty years ago but he did not respond, yet i did not cease supplicating him.”  

our righteous predecessors used to prolong their supplication. imaam maalik said, "‘aamir ibn ‘abdullaah ibn az-zubayr may begin to supplicate allaah after he finished the ‘ishaa’ prayer and did not finish it till fajr.”

moosa ibn ja‘far ibn muhammad entered the mosque of the prophet, , then he prostrated in the first part of the night and he kept saying till fajr, "my sins are great so i beg your pardon, o you who is worthy of fear and qualified for [granting] forgiveness.”   

muslims should follow the practice of the prophets in supplication. imaam maalik was asked about the one who says 'o master', in supplication. he said, "i prefer the prophets’ supplication: o our lord.”  

even though supplication is prescribed at all times, it is more likely to be accepted during the last ten days of ramadhaan.  thus, strive to attain piety during these days of blessing, for the prophet, , used to avoid sexual intercourse with his wives (even though it is permissible), to pray the whole night and to wake his family in order to pray during the night during those virtuous days. he used to spend all the last ten nights in worshipping allaah the almighty, because it includes the night of al-qadr, prayers in which are worth praying more than the whole year for its virtue, so why not seek patience in order to witness  it? they are just a few nights.