Can we depend on du'a and forget effort?

[ardianto]

My parents told me that du'a can help me to get the best result in my effort. That's why before I do an effort I always make du'a, then try to do my best. The result?. I am not always could get what I expected, I can't remember how many times I got failed. but I never want to ask why my dua is not answered.

I believe that du'a can help me in my effort. I can't remember how many times I got 'luck' in my effort. But I also believe that I cannot depend on dua. So I always try to do my best. And then if I failed in my effort, instead of asking why my du'a is not answered, I introspect myself to find what mistake that I have done that makes me failed. I believe, the failure that I get is the answer of my du'a.

Just wonder why some people here seem like too depend on dua and believe that make du'a is a guarantee to make them can get what they expect. And then when they can't get what they expect, instead of introspect what mistake that they have done in their effort, they prefer to ask why their du'as are not answered. Seem like they are questioning why Allah didn't give what they want.

[greenhill]

While it is best that we du'a and ask for blessings for our endeavors, as you said, it does not guarantee success. For me I view it two ways (perhaps even 3 ways?)

1) As you said, perhaps there was a mistake that made me fail or
2) Allah set has decided that what was asked is not good for you and hence did not grant the wish.
3) Perhaps Allah has replaced your wish for something else which we have not considered... ?

Peace brother Ardianto.

[ardianto]

While it is best that we du'a and ask for blessings for our endeavors, as you said, it does not guarantee success. For me I view it two ways (perhaps even 3 ways?)

1) As you said, perhaps there was a mistake that made me fail or
2) Allah set has decided that what was asked is not good for you and hence did not grant the wish.
3) Perhaps Allah has replaced your wish for something else which we have not considered... ?

Peace brother Ardianto.

There was something that I always did on the start line when I was active in motorcycle racing, made dua. However, I noticed, when I made dua, all racers made dua too!. It raised a question in my mind "If everyone wants to win this race while the winner is only one, then how can everyone's dua will be answered?". Then I made a conclusion, if Allah did not answer my dua, probably because there was someone else who also made same dua but did better effort than me.

This is just one of many lessons about dua which I have learned from my life journey.

Since I was kid I have been taught that if we want something we should make dua. I also taught that if we want something we cannot just make dua, but we also should do ikhtiar (effort). And the next lesson was, human obligated to do effort, but Allah determine.

I have learned many things in my life, and the most important thing about dua that I have learned is, I cannot expect that Allah will give what I want, but I must believe that Allah will give what the best for me.

Just like when I wanted to achieve something but I did not try to do my best, then the best thing that I got was failure. Yes, failure is the best thing that Allah give to me because this failure then make me realize that if I want to achieve something I should do an effort as best as I can do.

So, if we don't get what we expect, we should not thinking that Allah does not love us, but we must realize this is because Allah want to give the best for us.

[Nur Student]

[SIZE=16px]1. There are different sorts of du'as. As Bediuzzaman Said Nursi puts it, it is either through the tongue of innate ability like the supplication of plants and animals, through which they seek forms from the Absolute Bestower and to display and manifest His Names. Or it is through the tongue of innate need. These are the supplications for all their essential needs – beyond their power to obtain – offered by animate beings. Through this tongue, the animate beings seek certain things from the Absolutely Generous One for the continuance of their lives, like a sort of sustenance. Or it is supplication through the tongue of exigency, through which all beings with spirits who find themselves in some plight or predicament make supplication and seek urgent refuge with an unknown protector; indeed, they turn to the All-Compassionate Sustainer. If there is nothing to prevent it, these three sorts of supplication are always accepted.

The fourth sort of supplication is the most well-known; it is our supplication. This too is of two sorts: one is active and by disposition, and the other,verbal and with the heart. For example, having recourse to causes is an active prayer. To gather together causes is not in order to create the effect, but through the tongue of disposition to take up an acceptable position in order to seek the effect from Almighty God. To plough a field is to knock at the door of the treasury of mercy. Since this sort of active supplication is directed towards the Absolutely Generous One’s Name and title, it is accepted in the great majority of cases.

The second sort is to offer supplication with the tongue and the heart. It is to seek certain wishes which the hand cannot reach. The most important aspect, the most beautiful aim, the sweetest fruit of this is this: “The one who offers the supplications knows that there is Someone Who hears the wishes of his heart, Whose hand can reach all things, Who can bring about each of his desires, Who takes pity on his impotence, and answers his poverty.”


2. There is a difference between answering a du'a and accepting it. Allah (s.w.t.) says in the Qur'an "Call upon Me and I will answer you (40:60)".

If you say: We frequently offer supplications, but they are not accepted. But the verse is general, it states that every supplication is answered.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=16px]The Answer: To answer is one thing, to accept is something quite different. Every supplication is answered, but its being accepted and exactly what was sought being given is dependent on Almighty God’s wisdom. For example, if a sick child calls the doctor, saying: “Doctor! Doctor!”, and he replies: “Here I am, what do you want?”, and the child says: “Give me that medicine!”, the doctor will either give him exactly what he asks for or something better and more beneficial for him. Or knowing that medicine is harmful for his illness, he will give him nothing.

Thus, since Almighty God is all-present and all-seeing, He responds to the supplications of His servants. Through His presence and response, He transforms the desolation of loneliness and solitude into familiarity. But He does this, not in accordance with man’s capricious and importunate demands, but in accordance with the requirements of dominical wisdom; He gives either what is sought or what is better than it, or He gives nothing at all.

For example, someone asks for a son and Almighty God bestows a daughter like Mary. One should not say that his supplication was not accepted, but that it was accepted in a better way.

Also, sometimes a person makes supplication for his happiness in this world and it is accepted for the hereafter. One should not say that his supplication was rejected, but that it was accepted in a better form. Similarly, Almighty God is All-Wise; we seek from Him and He responds to us. But He deals with us in accordance with His wisdom.[/SIZE]