Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Doubts and supplications

My problem is any thing i see stained white or red on clothes we buy or when we visit common seats of public places or people wearing clothes specially non muslims who never takes bath after sex, i get scared to be in such evvironment. I get feelings that i too became dirty and that germs of stain might infect us, thinking this, my concentration of routine work and prayers becomes week sometimes gets upsets and asks Allah please take me out of this doubts i am praying asking Allah since years this doubts are not going. Is Allah not listening my dua`a? when will i be living normal like others who never thinks such a way i do. (AIDS are now spreading like fire i am afraid of such things). please guide me to improve my life.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement.The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Doubts and supplications

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His  forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

A believer, who truly believes in Allah and the Last Day, should be affirmed in his belief that no harm and no calamity can touch him, unless it is the Will of Allah Subhanah. If the whole world got together and tried to inflict some harm upon you; they would not be able to do so, unless Allah permits it. And if the whole world got together and tried to give you some benefit, they would not be able to do so, unless Allah Wills it! Thus, a believer must always put his/her trust in Allah Subhanah Alone.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 10 Surah Yunus verses 106-107:

If Allah afflicts you with a calamity, there is none to remove it, but He Himself. Likewise, if Allah wills to bestow a favor on you, there is none to withhold Allah’s bounty. He bestows His bounty on anyone of His servants He wills. And He is The Forgiving, The Merciful.

What we can gauge from your short note is that Shaitaan is trying to whisper these misgivings and suspicions in your heart! Shaitaan’s prime duty is to keep a believer from remembering his Lord, and he does this whispering doubts and putting suspicions in our hearts. What you need to do, is the next time any of these doubts arise in your heart, do not give them any importance; and put your trust in Allah Alone. And whenever these doubts arise, immediately seek the refuge of Allah from the accursed Shaitaan by saying: “Aoodobillahi minas Shaitaan ir-rajeem” (I take refuge in Allah from Shaitaan, the cursed). And constantly seek protection from Allah, and pray the ‘aayat-ul-qursi’ (Surah Baqarah verse 255), and seek refuge in Allah and pray the ‘two-qulls’ (Surah Falaq and Surah Naas). Allah will, Insha Allah, protect you from these whisperings of Shaitaan, and doubts, and suspicions.

Ref: The doubts of things being always impure

In Islam, the determination of impurity is not on doubts; but rather on belief. Everything will be considered pure, unless one has absolute conviction that an impurity has touched it. Thus every cloth, every seat, every couch, every thing… will be considered pure, unless you have seen or have conviction that something impure has touched it! If you have a doubt that something is impure, then one should not act on these doubts; but rather act only if one is absolutely convinced that the thing is impure.

For example; if you have wudu for your zuhr prayers, and prayed it. Then at the time of asr, you are in doubt whether or not your wudu is still valid. One should consider his wudu valid, and stand for asr prayers… because your doing the wudu was a surety… your breaking of wudu was in doubt. And in Islam, the principle is that conviction is superior than doubt! Thus, one should act on surety and conviction; not on the doubt!

Your Question: Is Allah not listening my dua`a?

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 186:

And if My servants ask you, O Prophet, concerning Me, tell them that I am quite near to them. I hear and answer the prayer of the suppliant, when he calls on Me. So let them respond to My call and believe in Me. (Convey this to them), perhaps they may be guided aright!

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2257 Narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri

The Prophet (saws) said, "Any Muslim who makes a supplication containing nothing which is sinful or which involves breaking ties of relationship will be given for it by Allah one of three things: He will give him swift answer, or store it up for him in the next world, or turn away from him an equivalent amount of evil." Those who heard it said they would then make many supplications and he replied that Allah was more ready to answer than they were to ask.

Nu'man b. Bashir reported that the Prophet (saws), said, "Verily supplication is worship."

Abu Hurairah reported, "The Prophet (saws) said, "Nothing is more dear to Allah than one's supplication to Him.''

Ibn Mas'ud reported that the Prophet (saws), said, "If any servant of Allah afflicted with distress or grief makes this supplication, his supplication will be accepted: 'O Allah, I am Your servant, son of Your servant, son of your maidservant. My forehead is in Your hand. Your command conceming me prevails, and Your decision concerning me is just. I call upon You by every one of the beautiful names by which You have described Yourself, or which You have revealed in Your book, or have taught anyone of Your creatures, or which You have chosen to keep in the knowledge of the unseen with You, to make the Qur'an the delight of my heart, the light of my breast, and remover of my griefs, sorrows, and afflictions'." A supplication in these words will be answered. Allah will remove one's affliction and replace it with joy and happiness.

Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (saws) said, "Your supplication will be answered if you are not impatient, and if you do not say, 'I supplicated but my supplication was not heard'."

Salman reported that the Prophet (saws), said, "Your Lord, the Blessed and the Exalted One, is Modest and Generous, and He loathes to turn away His servant empty-handed when he raises his hands to Him in supplication."

Abdallah b. 'Umar reported that the Prophet (saws) said, "Hearts are like vessels, some more attentive and capacious than others. When you supplicate Allah you should be certain of being answered, and know that Allah does not answer a supplication that comes from a careless and inattentive heart."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2248 Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "There are three whose supplication is not rejected: one who has just ended a fast, a just imam, and one who has been wronged, whose supplication is raised by Allah above the clouds and for which the gates of Heaven are opened. The Lord says, 'I swear by My might that I shall certainly help you, though it be after some time.'"

In light of the above aayah and the various narrations from the Messenger of Allah (saws), it is evident that no supplication to Allah of a believer is ever left unanswered.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan