Is it permissible for a man to pray for marriage to a particular woman, or for a woman to pray for marriage to a particular man?
Question

                Please what are the differences between the evils of my soul and the evils that are from Iblis.Please there is a particular lady that I am praying that Allah should make her to be my wife.So sometimes,if I am praying mentioning her name my heart will be hot,sometimes my heart will tell me I should not pray to Allah to make her to be my wife,and if I make my prayer about my wife general not making it particular,meaning not mentioning her name,my heart will tell me pray to Allah to make her to be your wife,sometimes,If I sit down thinking about Allah,her issue will come to my mind that she is my wife.Please advise me on what to do regarding praying to Allah whether I should make my prayer general about wife or specifying her name in my prayer to Allah.
Praise be to Allah.
    There is nothing wrong with a man asking Allah to make it easy for him to 
    marry a particular woman, and there is nothing wrong with a woman asking 
    Allah to make it easy for her to marry a particular man. If a Muslim man or 
    woman offers supplication in general terms without specifying anything, and 
    delegates the matter of choosing the best to his Lord, such as a man saying 
    “O Allah, make it easy for me to marry a righteous wife”, or a woman saying 
    “O Allah, make it easy for me to marry a righteous husband”– if he or she 
    does that, that is preferable, because it is complete reliance upon Allah 
    and delegating one’s affairs to Him. Moreover there is a report which 
    indicates that it is preferable to offer supplication in general, 
    comprehensive and concise terms. Abu Dawood (1482) narrated that ‘Aa’ishah 
    (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and 
    peace of Allah be upon him) liked comprehensive and concise supplication and 
    he refrained from anything other than that. Classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani 
    (may Allah have mercy on him) in Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood. 

    Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Sharh Riyadh 
    as-Saaliheen (6/16): That is, if a person offers supplication, he should 
    choose the most comprehensive and concise of supplications and refrain from 
    details, because offering supplication in general terms is more 
    comprehensive than limiting it to specific requests.

    End quote. 

    Moreover, being specific and persisting in offering du‘aa’ for that makes 
    one more attached to the matter, and he does not know whether he will attain 
    it or not. Perhaps if he does not attain it, after all that, he may become 
    more upset and feel the loss more keenly. So it is more appropriate to 
    delegate his affairs to his Lord, and be content with what He chooses for 
    him. 

    But if a person must be specific, then he should ask for that specific thing 
    provided it is good for him. So he could say, for example: If there is 
    something good for me in So and so, then make it easy for me to marry her, 
    and so on. 

    Ibn al-Jawzi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Sayd al-Khaatir 
    (p. 352): Beware of asking for something without connecting the asking to 
    what is good, for perhaps attaining what one is seeking of worldly matters 
    may be a cause that leads to one’s doom. End quote. 

    However that is the matter of what is preferable. But if the individual is 
    certain of what he wants and asks for it without any conditions or 
    exceptions, then there is nothing wrong with that, in sha Allah, and Allah 
    decrees whatever He wills. 

    With regard to differentiating between the whispers of one’s own self (nafs) 
    and the whispers (waswaas) of the Shaytaan, please see the answer to 
    question no. 
    39684. 
We 
    ask Allah to make it easy for you to find a righteous wife who will be a 
    delight to you, for He is Most Generous, Most Kind. 

    And Allah knows best.