Ibn Battāl is also reported to have said in his commentary on the hadith: “The meaning is that he grows weary and abandons supplication, thereby acting as though he were doing Allah a favor by supplicating, or as though he had offered enough supplication to deserve an answer. He thus becomes like one who accuses the Generous Lord of stinginess, though answering is not beyond His power and giving does not diminish His bounty.”

Anyone who desires Allah to fulfill his hope and answer his supplication must call upon his Lord with certainty that He will answer, immense trust in Allah, and ardent hope for what is with Him.

Ibn Rajab, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “Among its greatest conditions [that is, the conditions of supplication] are attentiveness of the heart and hope that Allah Most High will answer. Al-Tirmidhī narrated from Abu Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘Call upon Allah with certainty that He will answer, for Allah does not accept a supplication from a heedless and distracted heart.’1 In the Musnad, Abd Allah ibn Amr narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: ‘These hearts are vessels, and some are more receptive than others. When you ask Allah, ask Him with certainty that He will answer, for Allah does not answer a servant’s supplication when it comes merely from the surface of a heedless heart.’2 For this reason, the servant was forbidden to say in his supplication, ‘O Allah, forgive me if You will.’ Rather, he must ask with firm resolve, for no one can compel Allah.3 He was also forbidden to grow impatient and abandon supplication because he considered the answer too slow. This was counted among the impediments to an answer, so that he never relinquishes hope that his supplication will be answered