How to Respond When a Child’s Dua for a Loved One Is not Answered 

Parenting Perspective 

They Are Trying to Make Sense of What Happened 

When a child loses someone they love, especially after praying earnestly for their recovery, it can feel like their Dua was ignored. For a child, this can be confusing and even painful, because it challenges their developing understanding of Allah’s mercy and power. Your son’s question shows both his love for his grandfather and his sincere attempt to make sense of what happened. 

Acknowledge His Sadness and Validate His Prayers 

Begin by acknowledging his sadness and validating his prayers. You can say that his Dua mattered, that Allah heard every word, and that his grandfather benefited from that love and prayer, even if the outcome was not what he hoped. Children need to know that their efforts were not wasted, otherwise they may lose motivation to turn to Allah in the future. 

Dua Is a Connection, Not a Guarantee 

Gently explain that Dua is not a guarantee of getting exactly what we want, but a way of connecting to Allah, who always chooses what is best for us and for the person we are praying for. Reassure him that his prayers may have brought peace to his grandfather, eased his final moments, or become a source of reward for him in the Hereafter. 

Encourage Him to Continue Making Dua 

Encourage your son to continue making Dua for his grandfather now, asking Allah to grant him mercy, forgiveness, and a high place in Jannah. This helps transform the experience from a sense of loss into an ongoing act of love and connection. By modelling patience, honesty, and compassion in your own words, you show him that it is possible to hold both grief and trust in Allah at the same time. 

Spiritual Insight 

Allah Always Hears and Responds 

The noble Quran reminds us that Allah always hears and responds to His servants, though not always in the way they expect. Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al-Baqarah (2), Verse 186: 

‘And when My servants question you (O Prophet Muhammad ﷺ) about Me (Allah Almighty); then indeed, (inform them of the good news) that I (Allah Almighty) am very close to them; I (Allah Almighty) respond to the prayers of the supplicant…’ 

This Verse affirms that every Dua is answered, but the form of that answer may be different from what we hope. Sometimes it is given immediately, sometimes it is delayed, and sometimes it is replaced with something better, including protection from harm or reward in the Hereafter. 

No Dua Is Wasted 

It is recorded in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, Book 31, Hadith 107, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘The Dua of a servant will be answered in one of three ways: it will be granted quickly, or stored for him in the Hereafter, or a harm will be removed from him equal to it.’  

Explaining this to your son helps him see that Allah never ignores Dua but always responds with wisdom that we may not fully understand in the moment. 

By helping your child see Dua as both a conversation with Allah and a source of mercy beyond what is visible, you preserve his trust in prayer while honouring his grief. This way, his experience of losing his grandfather becomes a bridge to a deeper, lasting relationship with Allah.