Was my dua answered because .....?

I cannot count how many times I got experience which my dua was answered. But there was an experience that never forget, which my dua was answered in 'mysterious' way, and uniquely, it's happened in motorcycle racing.

I was 14 when I raced in a motocross event that participated by many experienced racers. The rule was, only 10 racers for every elimination race on Saturday who would go to final on Sunday. However, when I noticed my competitors I began to realize that my chance to go to final was very small. In another word, I needed a miracle. But I didn't want to give up.

So, on Friday night I made a dua. "Yaa Allah, let me go to final race, .... let me go to final race". I repeated this dua many times. But then I began to thinking, might be my demand was too high and need to be lowered. So I changed my dua into "Yaa Allah. let me go to final race although in elimination race I finish in tenth position". I repeated this dua many times. However, I still worried that my dua would not be answered. So I decide to make a deal and changed my dua again "Yaa Allah, let me go to final race although I finish in tenth position. And if in the final race I should be in the last position, I am willing". I repeated this dua until I went sleep, and repeat it again when I perform salah subh.

Elimination race on Saturday. I was almost in last position, even when I entered the second lap. But then few racers in front of me made mistakes that made me could overtake them one by one. In the last lap. I didn't know in which position I was, but I saw the racer in front of me was around 50 meters far from me. However, something happened. Less than 150 meters before finish line, that racer motorcycle engine suddenly 'off'. So I overtook him and passed the finish line.

I back to pit with disappointed feeling because I thought I was eliminated. But few moments later I heard the announcer announced the list of 10 racers who would go to final race. And my number was in 10th position!. Yes, I went to the final race although I finished the race in 10th position.

Final race on Sunday. I felt optimistic that I could race better. But not so long after the race began I made a mistake that made my motorcycle engine turned off. I tried to turn on my engine. But it didn't work. So I pushed my motorcycle back to the pit. After the race was over my mechanic tried to turn on the engine, and the engine turned on immediately. He checked the engine but didn't find any problem.

I was the first racer who out from the race, and it automatically put me in the last position in the race result.

Was my dua answered because I made a deal?. I went to the final race although I finished in the 10th position. And in the final race I was in the last position. Like dua that I made in that time "Yaa Allah, let me go to final race although I finish in tenth position. And if in the final race I should be in the last position, I am willing".

Because that deal?. I don’t know. But there is something that I really believe. My dua was answered because I didn’t demand something that beyond my ability. I believe, if in that time I made dua to finish in 3rd or 5th position, which was beyond my ability, Allah would not give me easiness. But since I expected only the 10th position which was still in the limit of my ability, then Allah gave me easiness. Yes, if in that race the engine of racer in front of me did not turn off mysteriously, I would finish in 11th position and would not go to final.

That experience gave me a lesson. In making dua for gaining success, I have to consider my ability. I should not make dua to wish something that beyond my ability, but I must make dua only for something that I am still able to do it, while I try to always improve my ability.

Like the dua that I made when I was jobless. I didn't ask Allah to make me have big business company. I just made dua to have small business that suitable with my capital ability. Alhamdulillah, my dua was answered. Then I made dua again, wish Allah make my small business getting bigger. And now I make dua, wish Allah give me easiness in my other business.

Yes, I make dua gradually in accordance with my ability.

Assalalum 'alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuhu,
Thing is, you never know what you're fully capable of 'til your last breath.
You once told us an amazing story about the big elephant with the tiny rope on it's leg, it just didn't know it could break the rope because the chains were in it's brains


1.*Kaf. Ha. Ya. 'Ain. Sad.
2.*(This is) a recital of the Mercy of thy Lord to His servant Zakariya.
3.*Behold! he cried to his Lord in secret,
4.*Praying: "O my Lord! infirm indeed are my bones, and the hair of my head doth glisten with grey:

But never am I unblest, O my Lord, in my prayer to Thee!

5.*"Now I fear (what) my relatives (and colleagues) (will do) after me: but my wife is barren: so give me an heir as from Thyself,
-6.*"(One that) will (truly) represent me, and represent the posterity of Jacob; and make him, O my Lord! one with whom Thou art well-pleased!"
7.*(His prayer was answered): "O Zakariya! We give thee good news of a son: His name shall be Yahya: on none by that name have We conferred distinction before."
8.*He said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son, when my wife is barren and I have grown quite decrepit from old age?"
9.*He said: "So (it will be) thy Lord saith, 'that is easy for Me: I did indeed create thee before, when thou hadst been nothing!'"
10.*(Zakariya) said: "O my Lord! give me a Sign." "Thy Sign," was the answer, "Shall be that thou shalt speak to no man for three nights, although thou art not dumb."

I am sure, many people haven't realized that one cause that make dua not being answered is because they demand too high which beyond their abilities/capabilities. In example, there are students who make dua wish they can enter the top university although in highschool they are just in medium or even low rank.

My advice is, make your dua gradually while improve your skill or ability. If you are a fresh graduate, do not make dua wish Allah give you job as company director. But make dua wish Allah give you easiness to get a job. After you get a job, improve your skill and make dua wish Allah give you easiness to become manager. After you become manager, improve your skill again, and then you can make dua wish Allah give you easiness to become company director.