Q. I am aware that upon doing dua, one should persist and not become impatient saying, “I did dua but it was not answered.”

However, one thing that has confused me is how a dua done at time when it is stated that dua is readily granted appears not to have been granted.

A In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Making du῾ā is from amongst the shortest and fastest routes that leads one to Allah swt. Du῾ā is a display of humility and humbleness. The slave of Allah testifies his weakness and surrenders his affairs to His Master. To understand the reality of du῾ā, ponder over the following ahādith:
The Prophet said, “Du῾ā is the essence of worship.”(Sunan Tirmidhi hadith no.3371)

In a nut (e.g. almond) that which is within the shell is the main part and is really sought by the person who eats it. This part is valuable. Likewise, the core of all worship is submission. Du῾ā from beginning till end is submission. In comparison to other forms of worship, in du῾ā the aspect of humility, meekness and dependence upon Almighty Allah is most fervently.

Allah the Almighty appreciates His slaves begging Him and seeking His mercy. The Prophet said,“There is nothing nobler in the sight of Allah than Du῾ā.”(Sunan Tirmidhi hadith no.3370)

Let alone appreciating, Allah swt is displeased when His slave does not turn to him.

The Prophet said, “Whoever does not ask Allah, Allah becomes displeased with him.”[iii] (Sunan Tirmidhi hadith no.3373)
Such is the mercy of Allah that He appreciates His servants beseeching Him and He gets displeased when His servants do not turn to Him. Allah swt addresses us personally ordering us to call upon Him:

[qs:2:186]

The Qur῾ān and Ahādith demonstrate the fact that Allah swt wants us to turn to Him in every affair of our life. Allah promises himself to respond in the above quoted verse. Allah swt is self sufficient and the Provider. He gives like no other. By Him giving, His treasures do not diminish. Allah swr is ever ready to respond to His slaves. Consider the following verse how Allah swt responds:

[qs:7:189-190]

Despite the resulting disobedience from the parents, Allah swt still grants them a good and healthy child. Likewise, in the following verse, Allah swt responds to those who use Him for protection in sea and then forget Him when He brings them back to land. Allah swt still responds to them.

[qs:10:22-23]

A du῾ā being accepted does not refer to you being granted what you asked for. The scope of an accepted du῾ā is broader than that. The Prophet said,

“There is no Muslim who supplicates to Allah Almighty with a supplication which is free from anything wrong and asking for severance from his kin, without Allah granting one of three things: He readily grants him what he is asking for, or the like of it is stored for him as a reward in the hereafter, or He will turn away the like of it in evil from him. A man of the people said, "We do it a great deal." He said, "Allah has more (than you could ever ask for).”(Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaiba hadīth no.29170)

At times what we ask for may not be beneficial for us. We are not aware of the consequences of our choices. Some decisions we make can have an adverse effect on our lives. Allah knows the favourable and unfavourable. It is His sheer mercy that He does not give us what we are asking for. At times an impending calamity is about to befall us which could cripple us. It is from the vast mercy of Allah that He does not give us what we are asking for but instead he averts the affliction which is on the verge of grasping us.

To secure anything in this world we have to follow procedures and protocols. To be successful in a job interview, one has to present himself at the right time, be in the correct dress code, speak in acceptable manner and display a convincing attitude. Likewise in du῾ā, one must follow the protocols and procedures to have his du῾ā accepted.

The Prophet said,“The slave continues to be answered, provided he does not pray for a wrong action or severance of kin, as long as he does not become over-impatient." It was said, "Messenger of Allah, what is over-impatience?" He said, "He says, 'I prayed and I prayed and I did not find Him answering me,' so he stops short at that and ceases making supplication."(Muslim hadith no.2735)