Why do we need to repeat our supplications?

One should beseech excessively and be persistent while supplicating no matter the supplication is. Supplicating God for once without repetition is a supplication, as if it is of little or no use at all kind, an ordinary one. Therefore, it has a little chance of being accepted. For that reason, repetition and persistency are the basic essentials of supplication.

Otherwise, one can spend words such as, I prayed, but it was not accepted which could lead him to become rebellious towards God and let him get into this kind of an emotional state.

Besides, while supplicating, supplications that have been tried, tested, and proven have to be preferred. That is to say, supplications that are announced through Quran and Sunnah (religious actions that were instituted by Prophet Muhammad) are strongly hoped that they would be accepted.


Since the Qur'an is both a book of invocation, and a book of prayer, and a book of summons, the repetition in it is desirable, indeed, it is essential and most eloquent. It is not as the faulty imagine. For the mark of invocation is illumination through repetition. The mark of prayer, is strengthening through repetition. The mark of command and summons is confirmation through repetition. Moreover, everyone is not capable of always reading the whole Qur'an, but mostly is able to read one Surah. Therefore, since the most important purposes of the Qur'an are included in most of the longer Surahs, each is like a small Qur'an. That is to say, so that no one should be deprived, certain of its purposes like Divine Unity, the resurrection of the dead, and the story of Moses, have been repeated. Also, like bodily needs, spiritual needs also are various. Man is in need of some of them each breath; like the body needs air, the spirit needs the word Hu {He). Some he is in need of each hour, like "In the Name of God." And so on. That means the repetition of verses arises from the repetition of need. And it makes the repetition in order to point out the need and awaken and incite it, and to arouse desire and appetite. (1)

The instances of wisdom which requires the repetition of some of the verses of Quran; the Quran which its all announcements are miracles; also requires the repetition of some of the Dhikr (remembrance of God) and supplications. For, as Quran is being the book of truth, Sharia (the body of Islamic Law), wisdom, and Marifat (communion with the God), it is also the book of Dhikr, supplication, and invitation. Supplication requires repetition, Dhikr requires remembrance, and Dawah (invitation) requires strengthening through repetition. (2)

Sources:
(1) The Letters 19. Letter p. 204. Trans. by Shukran Vahide
(2) Mesnevî, 240.