The fourth is persistently beseeching Allah by repeatedly addressing Him as Lord. This is among the greatest means of seeking an answer to one’s supplication. It is related that ʿAtā said: “No servant ever says, ‘O Lord! O Lord!’ three times without Allah looking upon him. When this was mentioned to al-Hasan, he said, ‘Do you not read the Quran?’ He then recited the words of Allah Most High: ‘Those who remember Allah while standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and who reflect upon the creation of the heavens and the earth: “Our Lord, You have not created all this in vain. Glory be to You! Protect us from the torment of the Fire. Our Lord, whoever You admit into the Fire, You have surely disgraced, and the wrongdoers will have no helpers. Our Lord, we have heard a herald calling to faith, saying, ‘Believe in your Lord,’ and so we believed. Our Lord, forgive us our sins, expiate our evil deeds, and cause us to die among the righteous. Our Lord, grant us what You promised us through Your messengers, and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection. Surely You never fail in Your promise.” So their Lord answered them: “I will never allow the work of any worker among you to be lost.”’1”2

For this reason, most of the supplications mentioned in the Quran begin with the name “Lord.” Thus, when Mālik—may Allah have mercy on him—was asked about someone who says in supplication, “O my Master,” he replied:

“He should say, ‘O Lord,’ just as the prophets said in their supplications.”3

These, then, are four great causes for supplication to be answered, all of which are combined in the Prophet’s words—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—concerning that man: “His journey is prolonged; he is dishevelled and dust-covered; he raises his hands towards the sky, saying, ‘O Lord! O Lord!’” Yet despite all this, he—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him—deemed it unlikely that the man’s supplication would be answered, because