At times, the etiquette of the people of maʿrifa (gnosis, experiential knowledge of God), relying upon the pre-eternal divine allotment and due to their absorption in dhikr (remembrance of God), leads them to abandon requests and supplications.
Poetic Translation
Reliance on the divine allotment, occupation with the remembrance of the Lord
At times causes the people of maʿrifa to abandon requests
Explanation
That is to say: For the ʿārifūn (those who have attained gnosis), whose tawakkul (reliance upon God) and submission prevail, who are content with the pre-eternal course of divine decree, and who are immersed in the dhikr of Allah, it is sometimes in accordance with proper etiquette to abandon requests and supplications, relying upon the pre-eternal allotment. Indeed, regarding the question of whether request and supplication or silence and riḍā (contentment with God's decree) are more virtuous, the people of ḥaqīqa (inner reality) have differed in their views. Some scholars have said that, since supplication is an act performed by the tongue, it is preferable to perform it rather than abandon it, and they have cited as evidence the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "Supplication is the essence of worship!" Even Abū Ḥāzim al-Aʿraj (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Being deprived of supplication is more severe than the non-acceptance of supplication!"
Some of the ʿārifūn have held that silence and lack of sign, being under the flow of the pre-eternal decree and contentment with the divine will, are in accordance with the etiquette of servitude, and thus considered the abandonment of supplication to be more perfect. They have cited as evidence the ḥadīth qudsī: "Whoever is so occupied with My remembrance and reflection upon Me that he is distracted from asking Me for something, I grant him better than what I grant to those who ask!"
A group among the Sufis (mutasawwifa) has said: "It is necessary for a person to be among the people of supplication with his tongue, and among the people of riḍā with his heart, so as to be able to perform both supplication and contentment together."
Abū'l-Qāsim al-Qushayrī (may Allah have mercy on him) also explained this matter, saying: "Times differ as spiritual states (ḥāl). Therefore, when a sālik (spiritual traveler) feels in his heart an expansion and a turning towards supplication, then requesting and supplicating is proper; but when he senses a state of constriction and lack of turning, then silence and contentment are more appropriate and correct. And if he finds neither of these two states in his heart, then silence and supplication are equal, and he may choose either; and in such times, if his knowledge prevails, then supplication is preferable as it is worship, but if his maʿrifa prevails, then abandoning supplication is proper etiquette."
Again, as reported from the hadith scholars, it is stated that if Allah loves the supplicant, He commands Jibrīl (Gabriel), who is charged with executing the divine will, to delay fulfilling the need because He loves to hear the supplicant's voice; but if He does not love him, He commands that the request be quickly fulfilled because He dislikes hearing his voice. Thus, how meaningful is the famous saying: "Allah accepts the supplication of both the believer and the hypocrite!"