Why A llah is not answering our invocations (du'a)

A person asked Ibrahim Ibn Adham [may Allah have mercy on him][1], concerning the verse in which Allah [Mighty and Majestic is He] said,

'And your Lord said: 'Invoke Me, I will respond to your (invocation).” [Ghaafir 40:60]

'We make invocation (to Allah), but (why are) our invocations are not answered?'

Ibrahim ibn Adham [may Allah have mercy on him] replied,

§ “You know Allah, Yet you do not obey Him,

§

You recite the Qur'aan, Yet do not act according to it,

§ You know Shaitaan (Devil), Yet you have agreed with him,

§ You proclaim that you love the Messenger of Allah [peace and blessing be upon him], Yet you abandon his Sunnah,

§ You proclaim your love for Paradise, Yet you do not act to gain it,

§ You proclaim your fear for the Fire, Yet you do not prevent yourselves from sins,

§ You say 'Indeed death is true', Yet you have not prepared for it,

§ You engage yourselves with finding faults with others, Yet you do not look at your faults,

§ You eat of that which Allah has provided for you, Yet you do not thank Him,

§ You bury your dead, Yet you do not take a lesson from it.”

Extracted from the book, ‘Khushu fee-Salaat’ by Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali [RH]