The Grand Imam:

Allah does not accept supplication if it is for a corrupt purpose or for something impossible.

There are conditions for accepted supplication, the first of which is that the sustenance must be lawful.

The Grand Imam said: Among the Qur’anic texts that indicate the name of Allah, “Al-Mujeeb” (The Responsive) is His saying: “There is nothing like Him, for He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing” (Quran, 42:11), His saying: “And He is with you wherever you are. For Allah is All-Seeing of what you do” (57:4), and His saying: “If three converse privately, He is their fourth” (58:7).

 All these verses, taken at face value, can be understood to mean that there is a form of physical closeness involving Allah’s Essence, but this is impossible and inconceivable in relation to Him, exalted is He, because the Eternal cannot be described with anything temporal. The Grand Imam added that among the evidence for the name of Allah “Al-Mujeeb” in the Prophetic Sunnah is the saying of our Prophet [PBUH]: “O people, the One you are calling upon is neither deaf nor absent. Indeed, the One you are calling upon is closer to you than the necks of your riding animals.” 

Reasoning and transmitted evidence prevents interpreting these texts literally. From this hadith, it is taken that our Prophet [PBUH] forbade supplicating aloud, a phenomenon that we see a lot in our days. Supplication has etiquette, including “humility” in accordance with the saying of Allah Almighty: “Call upon your Lord humbly and secretly”(Quran, 7:55).

In the twenty-fourth episode of the program “Imam Al-Tayyeb,” the Grand Imam explained that the meaning of Allah’s name “Al-Mujeeb” (The Responsive) is His answering and accepting the supplication of those who call upon Him, as affirmed in His saying: “He said, ‘The supplication of you both has been accepted, so remain steadfast and do not follow the path of those who do not know’” (Quran, 10:89). 

The second meaning is giving the supplicant what he asked for. Giving, in this sense, is an attribute of actions. He pointed out that there is a third meaning for Allah's name Al-Mujeeb, which is derived from the Prophet's saying: “Our Lord is Kind and Most Generous, and is too kind to let His servant, if he raises his hands to Him, bring them back empty.” This indicates answering the supplication, which here is an attribute of an action. If He grants the supplicant his request, then this is an attribute of actions. Yet, if it refers to the mere response to the supplication, it is an attribute of the Essence.

His Eminence emphasized that there are conditions for the accepted supplication. The first is that sustenance should be from lawful sources. The second is that the supplicant must not be distracted, i.e., the supplication should be made with a present heart, humility, and trust in Allah's generosity and grace. The third is that one should not ask for something that is impossible— either intellectually or customaril, such as saying, for example, “O Allah, grant me a house on Mars.” This is impossible, and it is not permissible to supplicate to Allah for it. In addition, one should not ask for money or prestage to show off, as this is a corrupt purpose. However, if the supplication is for money so that one can enjoy it and others can enjoy it along with him, then this is permissible.

The Grand Imam concluded his speech by explaining the etiquette of supplication, the most important of which is lowering the voice, in accordance with the Almighty’s saying: “Do not recite your prayers too loudly or silently, but seek a way between” (Quran, 17:110), and His saying: “Call upon your Lord humbly and secretly. Surely He does not like the transgressors” (Quran, 7:55). The transgressor is the one who exceeds the limits of a moderate voice in supplication. Among the etiquette of supplication also is raising the hands, as our Prophet (PBUH) would raise them until the whiteness of his armpits could be seen, being certain of an answer, and beginning the supplication with praise to Allah Almighty, and prayers for the Prophet (PBUH). At the end of the supplication, the supplicant wipes their face with their hands. He pointed out that the etiquette of supplication is recommended, and if it is missing, the supplication may be answered, but the conditions are obligatory, so if they are not fulfilled, the supplication will not be answered.