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"wa-qada rabbuka alla ta‘budu illa iyyahu wa-bi l-walidayni ihsanan.

(17:23)

“Your (sing.) Lord has decreed that you worship only Him and (that you show) kindness to parents.”

wa-wassa rabbuka alla ta‘budu illa iyyahu wa-bi l-walidayni ihsanan

“Your (sing.) Lord has charged that you worship only Him and (that you show) kindness to parents.”

This emendation is also attributed to Ibn ‘Abbas. Here, the verb qada “He decreed” seems out of place, too deterministic to describe God’s relationship to a good deed on the part of humans for which they should expect a reward. The context requires that God impose a requirement or obligation that the believers must fulfill rather than compel or coerce them to perform a righteous act. The reading wassa “charged, advised” is preferable, and is confirmed by parallel texts, such as the following: . . .wa-laqad wassayna lladhina utu l-Kitaba min qablikum wa-iyyakum an ittaqu Llaha . . . (4:131) “... And We have advised those who were given the Scripture before you, and you (as well): ‘Fear God.’ . . .” In this last example, the verb wassa indicates that the believers are advised, not compelled, to fear God, suggesting that the emendation is correct. The two readings differ only slightly in terms of the ductus: d.a. resembles s.a. in unpointed text exactly, and a waw accidentally run into the following letter could easily have been misread as qaf."

Notes on medieval and modern emendations of the Qur’an by DEVIN J. STEWART, pp 231-232

Many Muslim preachers say that there are conditions for a prayer to be accepted and that God sometimes won't answer because of some wisdom but these ideas have no basis in the Quran. The verses quoted below declare that a believer's supplication is answered when Allah is invoked.

"When My servants ask you about Me, [tell them that] I am indeed nearmost. I answer the supplicant’s call when he calls Me. So let them respond to Me, and let them have faith in Me, so that they may fare rightly." Quran 2:186

"Is He who answers the call of the distressed [person] when he invokes Him and removes his distress, and makes you successors on the earth...? What! Is there a god besides Allah? Little is the admonition that you take." Quran 27:62

"Your Lord has said, ‘Call Me, and I will hear you!’ Indeed those who are disdainful of My worship will enter hell in utter humiliation." Quran 40:60

"and He gave you all that you had asked Him. If you enumerate Allah’s blessings, you will not be able to count them. Indeed man is most unfair and ungrateful!" Quran 14:34

Furthermore, other gods not answering prayers is seen as proof that they are false. Thus the Mushrikun are given the following challenge:

"Indeed those whom you invoke besides Allah are creatures like you. So invoke them: they should answer you, if you are truthful." Quran 7:194

Three Meccan Surahs record Abraham asking God forgiveness for his idolator father:

"[Abraham] said, "Peace will be upon you. I will ask forgiveness for you of my Lord. Indeed, He is ever gracious to me." 19:47

"And forgive my father. Indeed, he has been of those astray." 26:86

"Praise to Allāh, who has granted to me in old age Ishmael and Isaac. Indeed, my Lord is the Hearer of supplication. My Lord, make me an establisher of prayer, and from my descendants. Our Lord, and accept my supplication. Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers the Day the account is established." 14:41

But later In two Medinan Surahs it is stated that this action of Abraham was wrong and shouldn't be emulated:

"There has already been for you an excellent pattern in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, "Indeed, we are disassociated from you and from whatever you worship other than Allāh. We have denied you, and there has appeared between us and you animosity and hatred forever until you believe in Allāh alone" - except for the saying of Abraham to his father, "I will surely ask forgiveness for you, but I have not for you anything against Allāh. Our Lord, upon You we have relied, and to You we have returned, and to You is the destination." 60:4

"It is not for the Prophet and those who have believed to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they were relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are companions of Hellfire. And the request of forgiveness of Abraham for his father was only because of a promise he had made to him. But when it became apparent to him that he was an enemy to Allāh, he disassociated himself from him. Indeed was Abraham compassionate and patient." 9:113-114