The Effect of the Supplication “Guide Us to the Straight Path”

Question

A certain person is regular in fasting and prayer and in every prayer supplicates with great sincerity “Guide us to the straight path” (ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ) (Surah al-Fatiha, 1:6), but his beliefs are not correct: that is, he regards the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as present everywhere and all-seeing, prostrates on graves, and upholds ‘urs (annual festivals at saints’ tombs on their death anniversaries), fairs, qawwali (Sufi devotional singing with music)

Answer

The acceptance of a supplication also has certain conditions: if the food is not halal, the drink is not halal, the clothing is not halal, the earnings are not halal, the supplication is not accepted. Guidance (hidaya) to the straight path also has degrees: being granted constancy in prayer is also guidance to the straight path and an effect of the acceptance of supplication.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.