Delay in the Acceptance of Prayer

“Once I said to abu al-Hassan (al-Rida) (a.s.) ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, I have been praying to Allah for help in something from the year so and so and because of delay something is happing in my…

“Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘Is it possible that at one time a man supplicates and it is accepted and then is delayed for a period of time?’ The narrator has said that the Imam then said, ‘Yes, it can happen.’ I…

“When a servant prays, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, says to the two angels, ‘I have accepted his prayer, but keep it on hold; I love to hear his voice.’ It may also happen that a servant prays, but Allah, the…

“Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘Can a man’s prayer that is accepted be kept on hold and delayed?’ The Imam said, ‘Yes, it can remain on hold for up to twenty years.’”

“Between the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘Your prayer is accepted,’ (10:89) and the time the Pharaoh was seized there was a forty-year timespan.’”

“I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘A believing person prays and its (the prayer’s) acceptance may be delayed up to the next Friday [Day of Judgment].”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘A servant who is a friend of Allah may pray to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, for a matter in his intention and Allah says to the angel guarding him, “Provide help to My…

“A believing person is fine and hopeful through the favors of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, as long as he does not rush to despair and give up prayer.’ I (the narrator) then asked the Imam (a.s.) ‘How can he…

“A believing person may pray to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, for help and Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, will say, ‘Hold back the answer to his prayer for the desire in his voice and prayer.’ When…