Abu Is’haaq Ebrahim Ibne Ad’ham was once passing through a bazaar in Basrah. It ws said unto him: “O Abu Is’haaq, verily Allah has declared ‘Ask Me, I will grant you your request.’ Why is it that we make du’aa and He does not accept?” Abu Ishaaq replied: “Surely it is because your hearts have become dead, due to ten things:
1 You have known who Allah is, yet you have not fulfilled His duties;
2 You have recited the Qur’aan, yet you have not practiced upon it;
3 You have proclaimed the love of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam, yet you have not practiced upon his sunnah;
4 You have pronounced that the shaytaan is your enemy, yet you have stood with him;
5 You have pronounced your desire for jannah, yet you have done nothing to achieve it;
6 You have pronounced your fear for jahannam, yet you have done nothing to escape it;
7 You have proclaimed that there surely is no escape from death, yet you do not prepare for it;
8 You have indulged in seeking the faults of others, and have left looking into your own faults;
9 You have enjoyed all the Blessings and Bounties of Allah, yet you do not give Him due praise for it;
10 You have buried your dead, but you have taken no admonition.
How then will your du’aa be accepted?”