In a discourse Maulāna Ashraf Ali Thānvi rehmatullāhi alayh said,
One person has sent a letter that he is indebted and needs an effective wazīfa. I replied that there is no better wazīfa in effect than Dua’.
People have stopped asking Allāh. The connection between the slave and Allāh has weakened a lot. The perception of people in this matter is very corrupt, and one thing which is even more harmful than this is when the wazīfa does not work, they start to doubt the ability of the verses of Allāh. This further corrupts ones belief.
All this is because of the ignorant Āmilīn (expert in issuing wazīfa). All they learn is to give a wazīfa for every little thing. They do not even see if the person is capable or not. Over and above that, while they issue these wazāif they use such a confident tone that the questioner becomes sure that the problem will be solved through this measure, and there is no doubt in it.
Now if what was destined is contrary to what they hoped for, then the belief of such an individual comes in great danger. His belief in the verse of Allāh weakens. The result of such a weakened belief ought to be that the dua’ doesn’t get accepted.
Look, the matter is very simple. If we give $2.00 to someone per month and then we find out that he doubts our ability to give him that money, then such bad thoughts (regarding us) will cause us not to give him any money at all. But Allāh is so merciful that He hears all the hue and cry and yet continues to give the sustenance. Surely, Allāh is most merciful.
Malfuzāt Hakīmul Ummat Malfuz # 92 – vol. 1 pg. 86
* Wazīfa (pl. Wazāif) literally means a stipend or dosage, but in sulūk every murīd has specific amount of dhikr or recitation of a specific phrase or verse which is given. These recitations have a lasting effect in the long run.