What is the meaning of "supplicate with a new supplication, not with an alluding supplication," and is someone who asks Allah to live in a specific country to practice their religion and raise their offspring considered to have supplicated with an alluding supplication?

The summary of the fatwa: This phrase is taken from the book: Minhaj al-Arifin by Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, who mentioned it within a Marfu' hadith. The wording, as quoted by al-Ghazali, is: "...Allah does not answer the prayer from a heedless heart. So, if you are sincere, then rejoice in one of three outcomes: either what you asked for will be hastened for you, or something greater than it will be stored for you, or a tribulation that would have destroyed you if it had befallen you will be averted from you. And supplicate with the prayer of one seeking refuge, not the prayer of one giving advice."

This wording has not been authentically reported in the books of Marfu' hadith attributed to the Prophet, peace be upon him.

The phrase illustrates an etiquette of supplication, which is that the supplicant should pray with the supplication of the poor and distressed, not the supplication of the self-sufficient. This is similar to the meaning of the Prophet’s saying, peace be upon him: "When one of you supplicates, let him not say: 'O Allah, forgive me if You will,' but let him be firm in asking and great in desire, for Allah is not burdened by anything He gives." (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

Al-Baji said in Al-Muntaqa: "In his saying: 'if You will,' there is a type of self-sufficiency from His forgiveness, like someone who says: 'If you want to give me such and such, then do it.' This is only used with one who is self-sufficient from it. As for one who is in dire need of it, he firmly asks and supplicates with the supplication of a poor person in dire need of what he asks for."

As for a servant asking his Lord for something specific that he deems good for his religion and beneficial for his worldly life, there is no harm in it, and it does not contradict what has been mentioned. This falls under the general meaning of the Prophet's saying, peace be upon him: "Let one of you choose from the supplications what he likes best, and then let him supplicate to Allah, the Almighty and Majestic." (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and An-Nasa'i).

It was also narrated from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, that he said: "Let one of you ask his Lord for his need, even if it is for salt, and even if it is for the shoelace of his sandal if it breaks." (Narrated by At-Tirmidhi).