Is it permissible to supplicate against an ex-husband for death, illnesses, or the loss of children, due to his injustice and his failure to provide for his son, and why does Allah not answer these supplications despite the feeling of being wronged?

The Sharia has permitted the oppressed to supplicate against their oppressor, based on the words of Allah Almighty: "Allah does not like the public utterance of evil, except by one who has been wronged," and the words of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: "Beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between it and Allah."

Scholars have differed on the permissibility of the oppressed supplicating against the oppressor beyond the extent of their oppression. A group held that the supplication should be commensurate with the oppression, because it is retribution and transgression is not allowed therein. Others held that supplication is permissible absolutely, and they cited the hadith of Sa'id ibn Zayd, who supplicated against Arwa bint Uways with more than she had wronged him.

As for supplicating against the oppressor's children, it is injustice and sin, and desiring their torment is a malicious intent. One must repent from this, and supplications against them are rejected.

The delay in the answering of a supplication against an oppressor may be due to transgression in the supplication, or a sin committed by the one supplicating. The answering of supplication occurs in one of three ways: hastening the supplication, or storing it for the Hereafter, or averting evil from the supplicator.