✅Answer: Some of the reasons for not answering prayers are as follows:

1 مِنْ سُؤَالِ الزِّنْدِیقِ الَّذِی سَأَلَ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ علیه السلام عَنْ مَسَائِلَ کَثِیرَةٍ أَنْ قَالَ.... أَ لَیْسَ یَقُولُ اللَّهُ ادْعُونِى أَسْتَجِبْ لَکُمْ؟ وَ قَدْ نَرَى الْمُضْطَرَّ یَدْعُوهُ وَ لایُجابُ لَهُ، وَ الْمَظْلُومَ یَسْتَنْصِرُهُ عَلى‏ عَدُوِّهِ فَلایَنْصُرُهُ، قالَ وَیْحَکِ! ما یَدْعُوهُ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا اسْتَجابَ لَهُ، أَمَّا الظَّالِمُ فَدُعائُهُ مَرْدُودٌ إِلى‏ أَنْ یَتُوبَ، وَ أَمَّا الْمُحِقُّ فَإِذا دَعَا اسْتَجابَ لَهُ وَ صَرَفَ عَنْهُ الْبَلاءَ مِنْ حَیْثُ لایَعْلَمُهُ، أَوِ ادَّخَرَ لَهُ ثَواباً جَزِیلًا لِیَومِ حاجَتِهِ إِلَیْهِ، وَ إِنْ لَمْ یَکُنِ الامْرُ الَّذِى سَئَلَ الْعَبْدُ خَیْراً لَهُ إِنْ أَعْطاهُ أَمْسَکَ عَنْهُ...

📚 Al-Ihtijaj, Vol. 2, p. 343

In the questions of a Zindiq (heretic) who asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) many questions, one of which was: 'Does not Allah say: 'Call upon Me; I will respond to you,' while we see a distressed person who calls upon Him and He does not respond, and we see an oppressed person who seeks help from Allah, but He does not help him?' The Imam said: 'Woe to you! No one calls upon Him except that He responds to him. Indeed, the prayer of the oppressor is rejected until he repents, but as for the person who is in the right, when he prays, He responds to him and averts the calamity from him from where he does not know, or a great reward is stored for him for his day of need with God, and if what the servant has requested is not good for him if it is given to him, He withholds it from him!'

2 عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْداللَّهِ قَالَ: مَنْ تَقَدَّمَ فِي الدُّعَاءِ اسْتُجِيبَ لَهُ إِذَا نَزَلَ بِهِ الْبَلَاءُ وَ قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ صَوْتٌ مَعْرُوفٌ وَ لَمْ يُحْجَبْ عَنِ السَّمَاءِ وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَتَقَدَّمْ فِي الدُّعَاءِ لَمْ يُسْتَجَبْ لَهُ إِذَا نَزَلَ بِهِ الْبَلَاءُ وَ قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ إِنَّ ذَا الصَّوْتَ لَا نَعْرِفُهُ

📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, p. 472

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever is swift in praying when a calamity befalls him, his prayer is answered, and the angels say: 'This is a familiar voice,' and it is not veiled from ascending to the heavens. And whoever is not swift in praying, when a calamity befalls him, his prayer is not answered, and the angels say: 'Indeed, we do not recognize this voice!'

3 عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ عَمْرٍو قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ يَقُولُ‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَا يَسْتَجِيبُ دُعَاءً بِظَهْرِ قَلْبٍ سَاهٍ‏ فَإِذَا دَعَوْتَ فَأَقْبِلْ بِقَلْبِكَ ثُمَّ اسْتَيْقِنْ بِالْإِجَابَةِ

📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, p. 473

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'Indeed, Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, does not answer a prayer that comes from a heedless heart, so when you pray, turn with your heart (pay attention with your heart) and then be certain of the answer (of the prayer)!'

4 عَنْ سَيْفِ بْنِ عَمِيرَةَ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَا يَسْتَجِيبُ دُعَاءً بِظَهْرِ قَلْبٍ قَاسٍ

📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, p. 474

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'Indeed, Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, does not answer a prayer that comes from a hardened heart!'

5 عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يُسْتَجَابَ لَهُ دَعْوَتُهُ فَلْيُطِبْ مَكْسَبَهُ

📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, p. 487

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever is happy that his prayer will be answered, then he must make his earnings pure and lawful!'

✅ The rest of the points will come in the next post:

6 عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَمَّنْ حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: قُلْتُ آيَتَانِ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَطْلُبُهُمَا فَلَا أَجِدُهُمَا قَالَ وَ مَا هُمَا قُلْتُ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ‏ فَنَدْعُوهُ وَ لَا نَرَى إِجَابَةً قَالَ أَ فَتَرَى اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَخْلَفَ وَعْدَهُ قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ فَمِمَّ ذَلِكَ قُلْتُ لَا أَدْرِي قَالَ لَكِنِّي أُخْبِرُكَ مَنْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِيمَا أَمَرَهُ ثُمَّ دَعَاهُ مِنْ جِهَةِ الدُّعَاءِ أَجَابَهُ قُلْتُ وَ مَا جِهَةِ الدُّعَاءِ قَالَ تَبْدَأُ فَتَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ وَ تَذْكُرُ نِعَمَهُ عِنْدَكَ ثُمَّ تَشْكُرُهُ ثُمَّ تُصَلِّي عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُ ذُنُوبَكَ فَتُقِرُّ بِهَا ثُمَّ تَسْتَعِيذُ مِنْهَا فَهَذَا جِهَةُ الدُّعَاءِ

📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, p. 486

A person said: I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): 'There are two verses in the Book of Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, that I seek their fruit but I do not find it?' The Imam said: 'What are the two verses?' I said: 'The words of Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, who says: 'Call upon Me; I will respond to you,' but we call upon Allah and we do not see a response!' The Imam said: 'Do you think that Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, breaks His promise?' I said: 'No!' He said: 'Then for what (reason) is it?' I said: 'I don't know!' The Imam said: 'But I will inform you! Whoever obeys Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, in what He has commanded him, and then calls upon Him from the direction of prayer, He will respond! I said: 'What is the direction of prayer?' The Imam said: 'First, you praise and glorify Allah, then you mention and thank Him for His blessings that are with you, then you send blessings upon the Prophet, and you remember your sins and confess to them, and you seek refuge (with God) from your sins. So this is the direction and way of prayer!'

7 عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي الْحَسَنِ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنِّي قَدْ سَأَلْتُ اللَّهَ حَاجَةً مُنْذُ كَذَا وَ كَذَا سَنَةً وَ قَدْ دَخَلَ قَلْبِي مِنْ إِبْطَائِهَا شَيْ‏ءٌ فَقَالَ يَا أَحْمَدُ إِيَّاكَ وَ الشَّيْطَانَ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ عَلَيْكَ سَبِيلٌ حَتَّى يُقَنِّطَكَ إِنَّ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ كَانَ يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ يَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ حَاجَةً فَيُؤَخِّرُ عَنْهُ تَعْجِيلَ إِجَابَتِهِ حُبّاً لِصَوْتِهِ وَ اسْتِمَاعِ نَحِيبِه‏

📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, p. 488

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Nasr said: I said to Imam Abu al-Hasan (peace be upon him): 'May I be your ransom! I have been asking Allah for a need for several years, and something has entered my heart because of the delay in its response?' The Imam said: 'O Ahmad! Beware of Satan lest he find a way to you (and enter your heart) so that he makes you despair. Indeed, Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) used to say: 'Indeed, a believer asks Allah for a need, and He delays its response out of love for his voice and love for hearing his crying and lamentation!'

8 عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: لَا يَزَالُ الدُّعَاءُ مَحْجُوباً حَتَّى يُصَلَّى عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ...

📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, p. 492

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: 'Prayer is always veiled (it is in a veil and does not ascend) until blessings are sent upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad!'

9 عَنْ جَمِيلٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ «ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ‏» وَ إِنَّا نَدْعُو فَلَا يُسْتَجَابُ لَنَا، قَالَ لِأَنَّكُمْ لَا تَفُونَ اللَّهَ بِعَهْدِهِ وَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ «أَوْفُوا بِعَهْدِي أُوفِ بِعَهْدِكُمْ‏» وَ اللَّهِ لَوْ وَفَيْتُمْ لِلَّهِ لَوَفَى اللَّهُ لَكُم

📚 Al-Burhan, Vol. 1, p. 200

A man said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): 'May I be your ransom! Indeed, Allah says: 'Call upon Me; I will respond to you,' and we call upon Him but He does not respond to us!' The Imam said: 'Indeed, you have not been faithful to the covenant of Allah, while Allah (in Surah al-Baqarah, verse 40) says: 'Fulfill My covenant, and I will fulfill your covenant.' By Allah, if you fulfill (your) covenant to Allah, Allah will also fulfill His covenant to you!'

10 عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ قَالَ‏ قُلْتُ لِلصَّادِقِ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ مَا بَالُ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِذَا دَعَا رُبَّمَا اسْتُجِيبَ لَهُ وَ رُبَّمَا لَمْ يُسْتَجَبْ لَهُ وَ قَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‏ وَ قالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ‏ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا دَعَا اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى بِنِيَّةٍ صَادِقَةٍ وَ قَلْبٍ مُخْلِصٍ اسْتُجِيبَ لَهُ بَعْدَ وَفَائِهِ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ إِذَا دَعَا اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لِغَيْرِ نِيَّةٍ وَ إِخْلَاصٍ لَمْ يُسْتَجَبْ لَهُ أَ لَيْسَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ‏ أَوْفُوا بِعَهْدِي أُوفِ بِعَهْدِكُمْ‏ فَمَنْ وَفَى أُوفِيَ لَه‏

📚 Al-Ikhtisas, Vol. 1, p. 242

Hisham ibn Salim said: I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): 'O son of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), for what reason, when a believer prays, is it sometimes answered for him and sometimes not, while Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, has said: 'Call upon Me; I will respond to you'?' The Imam said: 'Indeed, when the servant calls upon Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, with a sincere intention and a pure heart after being faithful to His covenant, He responds to him. And when he calls upon Allah without a (sincere) intention and sincerity for Him, He does not respond. Did not Allah, the Most High, say: 'Fulfill My covenant (so that) I may fulfill your covenant'?! So whoever is faithful, it will be fulfilled for him!'

1 1 قال امیرالمؤمنین : إنَّ كَرَمَ اللَّه سُبْحانَه لَا يَنْقُضُ حِكْمَتَهُ فِلِذلِكَ لَا يَقَعُ [لا تقع] الإجَابَةَ فِي كُلِّ دَعْوَةٍ

📚 Ghurar al-Hikam, p. 179

The Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) said: 'Indeed, the generosity and benevolence of Allah, the Glorified, does not nullify His wisdom, and for this reason, not every prayer is answered!'

2 1 عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ: إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ يَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ الْحَاجَةَ فَيَكُونُ مِنْ شَأْنِهِ قَضَاؤُهَا إِلَى أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ أَوْ إِلَى وَقْتٍ بَطِيءٍ فَيُذْنِبُ الْعَبْدُ ذَنْباً فَيَقُولُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى لِلْمَلَكِ لَا تَقْضِ حَاجَتَهُ وَ احْرِمْهُ إِيَّاهَا فَإِنَّهُ تَعَرَّضَ لِسَخَطِي وَ اسْتَوْجَبَ الْحِرْمَانَ مِنِّي.

📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, p. 271

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said: 'Indeed, a servant asks Allah for a need, and it is the divine will and command to grant it to him after a short or a long time. Then that servant commits a sin, and Allah, the Most High, says to the angel: 'Do not grant his need and deprive him of it, because he exposed himself to My wrath and deserved deprivation from My side!'

3 1 رُوِيَ فِي كِتَابِ التَّنْبِيهِ عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنَّهُ خَطَبَ فِي يَوْمِ جُمُعَةٍ خُطْبَةً بَلِيغَةً ... فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ ... نَسْأَلُكَ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى‏ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ‏ فَمَا بَالُنَا نَدْعُو فَلَا يُجَابُ قَالَ إِنَّ قُلُوبَكُمْ خَانَتْ بِثَمَانِ خِصَالٍ أَوَّلُهَا أَنَّكُمْ عَرَفْتُمُ اللَّهَ فَلَمْ تُؤَدُّوا حَقَّهُ كَمَا أَوْجَبَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَمَا أَغْنَتْ عَنْكُمْ مَعْرِفَتُكُمْ شَيْئاً وَ الثَّانِيَةُ أَنَّكُمْ آمَنْتُمْ بِرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ خَالَفْتُمْ سُنَّتَهُ وَ أَمَتُّمْ شَرِيعَتَهُ فَأَيْنَ ثَمَرَةُ إِيمَانِكُمْ وَ الثَّالِثَةُ أَنَّكُمْ قَرَأْتُمْ كِتَابَهُ الْمُنْزَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَلَمْ تَعْمَلُوا بِهِ وَ قُلْتُمْ سَمِعْنَا وَ أَطَعْنَا ثُمَّ خَالَفْتُمْ وَ الرَّابِعَةُ أَنَّكُمْ قُلْتُمْ إِنَّكُمْ تَخَافُونَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَ أَنْتُمْ فِي كُلِّ وَقْتٍ تَقْدَمُونَ إِلَيْهَا بِمَعَاصِيكُمْ فَأَيْنَ خَوْفُكُمْ وَ الْخَامِسَةُ أَنَّكُمْ قُلْتُمْ إِنَّكُمْ تَرْغَبُونَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَ أَنْتُمْ فِي كُلِّ وَقْتٍ تَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُبَاعِدُكُمْ مِنْهَا فَأَيْنَ رَغْبَتُكُمْ فِيهَا وَ السَّادِسَةُ أَنَّكُمْ أَكَلْتُمْ نِعْمَةَ الْمَوْلَى وَ لَمْ تَشْكُرُوا عَلَيْهَا وَ السَّابِعَةُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَكُمْ بِعَدَاوَةِ الشَّيْطَانِ وَ قَالَ إِنَّ الشَّيْطانَ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ فَاتَّخِذُوهُ عَدُوًّا فَعَادَيْتُمُوهُ بِالقَوْلٍ وَ وَالَيْتُمُوهُ بِلَا مُخَالَفَةٍ وَ الثَّامِنَةُ أَنَّكُمْ جَعَلْتُمْ عُيُوبَ النَّاسِ نُصْبَ عُيُونِكُمْ وَ عُيُوبَكُمْ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِكُمْ تَلُومُونَ مَنْ أَنْتُمْ أَحَقُّ باللَّوْمِ مِنْهُ فَأَيُّ دُعَاءٍ يُسْتَجَابُ لَكُمْ مَعَ هَذَا وَ قَدْ سَدَدْتُمْ أَبْوَابَهُ وَ طُرُقَهُ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَصْلِحُوا أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَ أَخْلِصُوا سَرَائِرَكُمْ وَ أْمُرُوا بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ انْهَوْا عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ فَيَسْتَجِيبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ دُعَاءَكُمْ

📚 Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 90, p. 376

It is narrated that the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) delivered an eloquent sermon on a Friday, until a man stood up and said: 'We ask you about the saying of Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, who says: 'Call upon Me; I will respond to you,' for what reason do we call upon Allah (we pray) but it is not answered?' The Imam said: 'Indeed, your hearts have betrayed with eight qualities and actions!'

First: 'Indeed, you have known Allah but you have not fulfilled His right as He has made it obligatory upon you, so your knowledge has not sufficed you (and has not benefited you)!'

Second: 'That you believed in His Messenger but you opposed his Sunnah and you abolished his Shari'ah, so where is the fruit of your belief?!'

Third: 'That you have recited the Book of Allah that was revealed to you, but you did not act upon it, and you said we heard and we obeyed, and then you opposed!'

Fourth: 'That you said indeed you fear the Fire while you are at every moment racing towards the Fire through your sins and transgressions! So where is your fear?!'

Fifth: 'That you said indeed you desire Paradise while you have done things at every moment that distance you from Paradise, so where is your desire for it?!'

Sixth: 'That you ate the blessings of your Lord and you did not show gratitude for His blessings!'

Seventh: 'That Allah has commanded you to have enmity towards Satan and has said: 'Indeed, Satan is an enemy to you, so take him as an enemy,' so you have shown enmity towards Satan in speech and words while you have befriended him by not opposing him!'

Eighth: 'That you have placed the faults of people in front of your eyes while you have placed your own faults behind your backs (you have forgotten them) and you blame those who you are more deserving of blame than them!'

So with this situation and these conditions, how can any prayer be answered for you?! While you have closed its doors and ways (towards yourselves), so fear Allah and make your actions good and purify your inner selves and command the good and forbid the evil so that (as a result) your prayer may be answered!'

✅ The reasons for not answering prayers are many, and we have sufficed with the above points.

اللَّهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِیِّکَ الْفَرَجَ وَ الْعَافِیَةَ وَ النَّصْرَ