How can we reconcile the idea that sins might prevent a prayer from being answered with the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: "There is no Muslim who supplicates to Allah with a supplication in which there is no sin or severing of kinship ties, but Allah will give him one of three things: either He will hasten his supplication for him, or He will store it for him in the Hereafter, or He will avert from him an evil equivalent to it"? And do sins always prevent the acceptance of a prayer, despite Allah Almighty's saying: "Or who responds to the distressed when he calls upon Him"?

Every Muslim who supplicates to Allah will have their prayer answered in one of three ways: either their supplication is hastened for them, or it is stored for them in the Hereafter, or an equivalent amount of evil is averted from them, as long as they do not supplicate for a sin or for the severance of kinship ties. However, some sins may prevent the supplication from being answered, such as consuming unlawful earnings (haram) or neglecting to enjoin good and forbid evil. This does not mean that the supplication of every sinner is rejected, as Allah may answer it for other reasons. The supplicant must pray with humility and devotion, and not with a heedless or distracted heart. The supplication of the distressed, the oppressed, and the traveler is answered due to their sincere and humble devotion to Allah.