The Book Pertaining to the Remembrance of Allah, Supplication, Repentance and Seeking Forgiveness
48/3. Chapter:
Being Firm In Supplication And Not Saying: "If You Will"
Sahih Muslim
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ مُوسَى الأَنْصَارِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسُ بْنُ عِيَاضٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحَارِثُ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي ذُبَابٍ - عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ مِينَاءَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لاَ يَقُولَنَّ أَحَدُكُمُ اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي إِنْ شِئْتَ اللَّهُمَّ ارْحَمْنِي إِنْ شِئْتَ . لِيَعْزِمْ فِي الدُّعَاءِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ صَانِعٌ مَا شَاءَ لاَ مُكْرِهَ لَهُ " .
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: None of you should say to Allah (like this): O Allah, grant me mercy, if thou so likest. The supplication (of his) should (be permeated with) conviction (that it would be accepted by the Lord), for Allah is the Doer of (everything) He likes to do, and there is none to force Him (to do or not to do this or that).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2679bIn-book reference : Book 48, Hadith 9USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 35, Hadith 6479