'I Respond to the Invocation of the Supplicant'

14/07/2018| IslamWeb

It is no coincidence that the noble verse in which Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.} [Quran 2:186] comes among the verses about fasting in Soorah Al-Baqarah to draw the attention of the whole Ummah (Muslim nation) to the value, importance and privilege of supplication in the month of Ramadan.

The Muslim nation emerges victorious in the month of Ramadan as it triumphs over two main conflicts: an internal conflict and an external one. The result of the external conflict depends upon the result of the internal conflict. When a nation represented by its individuals prevails over its desires, its love of the life of this world, its weak will and lack of determination, it triumphs, Allah willing, upon its external enemy. Thus, vanquishing the enemy would not require much effort or time.

When the will of the nation is weak and when it is defeated in the battle of desires, it is always defeated in the external battle even if it is better in terms of numbers and weapons. In battles, there are certain weapons by which a believer arms himself in order to attain victory.

Among the most important and the strongest weapons – along with utilizing material means – is for a believer to improve his relationship with his Lord and to increase his remembrance of Allah The Almighty and his supplication. Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {O you who have believed, when you encounter a company [from the enemy forces], stand firm and remember Allah much that you may be successful.} [Quran 8:45]

Supplication is a declaration, an acknowledgment on the part of the slave of his enslavement to Allah The Almighty, his total submission to Him, his humility before Him, and his need for his omnipotent Creator. This is why supplication is the true worship and that is why Allah The Exalted followed His command to His slaves to supplicate by stating (what means): {And your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you. Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.”} [Quran 40:60]

The best worshipper of Allah The Almighty and the most knowledgeable of his Lord among all creation, our Messenger, Muhammad remained standing on the night of the Battle of Badr supplicating his Lord, pleading, weeping, beseeching, showing his need for his Lord, prolonging his standing and raising his hands till his garment fell from his shoulders. ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab said, "The Prophet of Allah turned (his face) towards the Qiblah (direction of prayer). Then he stretched his hands and began his supplication to his Lord: ‘O Allah, accomplish for me what You have promised me. O Allah, bring about what You have promised me. O Allah, if this small band of Muslims is destroyed, You will not be worshipped on this earth.’ He continued his supplication to his Lord, stretching his hands, facing the Qiblah, until his mantle slipped down from his shoulders. So, Abu Bakr came to him, picked up his mantle and put it back on his shoulders. Then he embraced him from behind and said, ‘O Prophet of Allah, this prayer of yours to your Lord will suffice you, and He will fulfill for you what He has promised you.’” [Muslim] He also said: "O Allah, they are hungry, so feed them; they are naked so clothe them."

Victory was achieved, thanks to the favor of Allah The Exalted, when the nation won its internal conflict by using the weapon of supplication, of which many people are heedless.