If you’ve been making a prayer…

If you’ve been making a prayer for years, for decades even... and what you want doesn’t seem to be getting any closer… don’t lose hope. In fact, say alhamdulilah. Why?

Allah is Al-Mujib - He has guaranteed a response. He Himself has invited us: ‘Call upon Me; I will respond to you.’ (40:60) You might bristle at this. "What do you mean 'guaranteed'? I've seen nothing!"

Allah is al-Rahman al-Rahim - the One who has the most intense compassion, care, and love for you. Part of His mercy is that He wants to ward away harm and bring you what benefits you, in this life and, more crucially, in the next. Every moment you spend asking Him with sincerity, with conviction, with hope; and all the effort that you put in, the sins and mistakes that you avoid - these are never lost.

Your du’a does something. Either Allah will speedily answer your du’a or He will save it for you until the Hereafter, or He will avert something bad from happening (Ahmad).

So you have no idea what your du’a is doing in the unseen. You don't know what is being moved because of your calling your Lord. Perhaps you cannot see how much closer you are to that which you ask for. Allah hears you.

You don’t even know how many calamities were removed from you because of that consistent supplication. You dodged bullets you did not know existed, simply because you were consistent in your asking Allah.

You don’t know what Allah is giving you as a replacement for what you asked for, simply because what you asked for is destructive for you. Allah is Hayyiy Kareem - Full of Grace and most Generous. There is no way you will raise your hands, asking Him for something, and He turns them away empty (Tirmidhi). A dignified, generous human being wouldn't, so why do you think that the Most Generous will leave you with nothing?

And perhaps Allah loves you so much that it’s best to leave the exact thing that you wanted for Paradise. This might be painful to hear now. You might be tired. But your perseverance will be a cause of elevation for you, and your supplication will be a source of ecstatic joy and relief on the Day of Judgment. On that day, you will say, "I understand. And I am so thankful."

Keep asking. Keep knocking on His door. He is al-Fattah and He will eventually open the door that is perfect for you.