سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 186
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِى عَنِّى فَإِنِّى قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لِى وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِى لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ ﴿186﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِذَا
wa-idhā
And when
سَأَلَكَ
sa-alaka
ask you
عِبَادِى
ʿibādī
My servants
عَنِّى
ʿannī
about Me
فَإِنِّى
fa-innī
then indeed I am
قَرِيبٌ ۖ
qarībun
near
أُجِيبُ
ujību
I respond
دَعْوَةَ
daʿwata
(to the) invocation
ٱلدَّاعِ
l-dāʿi
(of) the supplicant
إِذَا
idhā
when
دَعَانِ ۖ
daʿāni
he calls Me
فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟
falyastajībū
So let them respond
لِى
lī
to Me
وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا۟
walyu'minū
and let them believe
بِى
bī
in Me
لَعَلَّهُمْ
laʿallahum
so that they may
يَرْشُدُونَ
yarshudūna
(be) led aright
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah186) ➊ Before and after this verse, the month of Ramadan is mentioned, which shows that the month of Ramadan, especially while fasting, is a special cause for the acceptance of supplications, and then the time of breaking the fast is a time for the acceptance of supplications. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "For the fasting person at the time of breaking the fast, there is a supplication that is not rejected." [ ابن ماجہ، الصیام، باب فی الصائم لا ترد دعوتہ : ۱۷۵۳ ]
➋ In this verse, Allah Almighty has expressed His special mercy upon His servants by saying {”عِبَادِيْ“}, and then by mentioning His nearness, He has encouraged supplication, saying that Allah Almighty accepts the supplication of every supplicant. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "There is no Muslim who supplicates to Allah with a supplication in which there is neither sin nor severing of family ties, except that Allah grants him one of three things: either He quickly accepts his supplication, or He stores it for him in the Hereafter, or He averts from him an equivalent evil." The Companions said: "Then we will supplicate a lot." He said: "Allah has even more than that." [مسند أحمد : ۳؍۱۸، ح : ۱1۱۳۹۔ صحیح ]
➌ {فَلْيَسْتَجِيْبُوْا لِيْ وَ لْيُؤْمِنُوْا بِيْ:} Regarding the acceptance of supplication, two commands have been given: first, that it is also obligatory upon them to obey My command. If a person does not act upon Allah's commands, then even if he keeps claiming, (without repentance) the lamp of hope for Allah's mercy does not shine in his heart. (See Al-Baqarah: 218) Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, mentioned a man who undertakes a long journey, disheveled and dusty, who stretches his hands towards the sky (and says), "O Lord! O Lord!" while his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful, and he has been nourished with unlawful food, so how can his supplication be accepted? [مسلم، الزکوٰۃ، باب قبول الصدقۃ … : ۱۰۱۵ ] The second command is that they should believe in Me and have certainty. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The supplication of each of you is accepted as long as he does not supplicate for a sin or severing of family ties, provided he does not become hasty." It was asked: "O Messenger of Allah! What is haste?" He said: "That one says, 'I supplicated and I supplicated, but I did not see that it was accepted for me,' so he becomes weary and gives up supplicating." [مسلم، الذکر والدعاء، باب بیان أنہ یستجاب … :2735/92 ]
➋ In this verse, Allah Almighty has expressed His special mercy upon His servants by saying {”عِبَادِيْ“}, and then by mentioning His nearness, He has encouraged supplication, saying that Allah Almighty accepts the supplication of every supplicant. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "There is no Muslim who supplicates to Allah with a supplication in which there is neither sin nor severing of family ties, except that Allah grants him one of three things: either He quickly accepts his supplication, or He stores it for him in the Hereafter, or He averts from him an equivalent evil." The Companions said: "Then we will supplicate a lot." He said: "Allah has even more than that." [مسند أحمد : ۳؍۱۸، ح : ۱1۱۳۹۔ صحیح ]
➌ {فَلْيَسْتَجِيْبُوْا لِيْ وَ لْيُؤْمِنُوْا بِيْ:} Regarding the acceptance of supplication, two commands have been given: first, that it is also obligatory upon them to obey My command. If a person does not act upon Allah's commands, then even if he keeps claiming, (without repentance) the lamp of hope for Allah's mercy does not shine in his heart. (See Al-Baqarah: 218) Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, mentioned a man who undertakes a long journey, disheveled and dusty, who stretches his hands towards the sky (and says), "O Lord! O Lord!" while his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful, and he has been nourished with unlawful food, so how can his supplication be accepted? [مسلم، الزکوٰۃ، باب قبول الصدقۃ … : ۱۰۱۵ ] The second command is that they should believe in Me and have certainty. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The supplication of each of you is accepted as long as he does not supplicate for a sin or severing of family ties, provided he does not become hasty." It was asked: "O Messenger of Allah! What is haste?" He said: "That one says, 'I supplicated and I supplicated, but I did not see that it was accepted for me,' so he becomes weary and gives up supplicating." [مسلم، الذکر والدعاء، باب بیان أنہ یستجاب … :2735/92 ]
