Surah Ghafir (40) — Ayah 60

(Ayah 60) ➊ { وَ قَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُوْنِيْۤ اَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ … :} With the reminder of the Hereafter, the emphasis on monotheism was made, which was the biggest cause of dispute between the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the disbelievers. At the end of the verse, the mention of the Hereafter was also made in the form of the mention of Hell.

➋ As evidence for being the only one worthy of "supplication," He introduced Himself with the words {’’ رَبُّكُمْ‘‘} (your Lord), that the command {’’ ادْعُوْنِيْۤ ‘‘} (call upon Me) is being given to you by the One who, at every moment, without any partner, is nurturing you and fulfilling all your needs.

➌ Your Lord said, call upon Me, ask from Me, I will accept your supplication, I will give you. Neither be suspicious of Me, nor go about calling or asking anyone else, thinking that they can give you something, or that they can have your requests accepted in My court.

➍ In this verse, Allah Almighty has promised to accept supplication absolutely, but elsewhere, along with the promise of acceptance, some conditions have also been mentioned. He said: « وَ اِذَا سَاَلَكَ عِبَادِيْ عَنِّيْ فَاِنِّيْ قَرِيْبٌ اُجِيْبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ اِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيْبُوْا لِيْ وَ لْيُؤْمِنُوْا بِيْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُوْنَ» [ البقرۃ : ۱۸۶ ] "And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then indeed I am near. I respond to the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be guided." And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that supplication is certainly accepted in one of three ways: either Allah Almighty quickly accepts his supplication, or He stores it for him in the Hereafter, or He averts from him an equivalent evil. [ دیکھیے مسند أحمد : 18/3، ح : ۱۱۱۳۹، صحیح ] For details of the conditions and forms of acceptance of supplication, see the commentary of Surah Al-Baqarah (186).

➎ { اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ يَسْتَكْبِرُوْنَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِيْ:} This sentence is evidence that supplication itself is worship and calling is servitude. Whoever calls upon Allah Almighty, asks from Him, and seeks help from Him, he is worshipping Him. And whoever, for things beyond means, calls upon anyone other than Him, i.e., says "O Ali, help," {’’ يَا شَيْخُ عَبْدَ الْقَادِرِ جِيْلَانِيْ شَيْئًا لِلّٰهِ ‘‘} says, calls upon Bahāʾul-Haqq or any self-made Data, Dastgir, Ganj Bakhsh, or Gharib Nawaz, and requests to bring a sinking boat to shore, in reality, he is worshipping them and committing the crime of associating partners with Allah, which is unforgivable with Him. To say that we only call upon these revered personalities, we do not worship them, is sheer deception, which the polytheists are giving to themselves and to the servants of Allah, because calling itself is worship. Nu'man bin Bashir (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the statement of Allah Almighty: « وَ قَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُوْنِيْۤ اَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ » that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ اَلدُّعَاءُ هُوَ الْعِبَادَةُ ] "Calling is servitude itself." And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited this verse: « وَ قَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُوْنِيْۤ اَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ يَسْتَكْبِرُوْنَ۠ عَنْ عِبَادَتِيْ سَيَدْخُلُوْنَ جَهَنَّمَ دٰخِرِيْنَ» [ ترمذي، تفسیر القرآن، باب و من سورۃ البقرۃ : ۲۹۶۹، و قال الألباني صحیح ]

➏ { اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ يَسْتَكْبِرُوْنَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِيْ … :} Previously, Allah Almighty had stated the reason for the disputes and obstinacy of the deniers of His verses, that it is merely the arrogance and false pride of their hearts, which they can never attain. Now He said that those who are afflicted with this arrogance, do not believe in My verses and My messengers, and do not supplicate to Me, they will enter Hell humiliated. The higher they made themselves in the world, the more humiliated and insignificant they will be on the Day of Resurrection. Shah Abdul Qadir writes: "The condition of servitude is to ask from your Lord; not asking is arrogance. If you do not ask for the world, then at least ask for forgiveness." (Mawduh)

Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ يُحْشَرُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُوْنَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَمْثَالَ الذَّرِّ فِيْ صُوَرِ الرِّجَالِ يَغْشَاهُمُ الذُّلُّ مِنْ كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَيُسَاقُوْنَ إِلٰی سِجْنٍ فِيْ جَهَنَّمَ يُسَمّٰی بُوْلَسَ تَعْلُوْهُمْ نَارُ الْأَنْيَارِ يُسْقَوْنَ مِنْ عُصَارَةِ أَهْلِ النَّارِ طِيْنَةِ الْخَبَالِ ] [ترمذي، صفۃ القیامۃ والرقائق، باب ما جاء في شدۃ الوعید للمتکبرین : ۲۴۹۲، و قال الألباني حسن ] "The arrogant will be raised on the Day of Resurrection like ants in the form of men, humiliation covering them from all sides. Then they will be driven to a prison in Hell called 'Bawlas.' Over them will be the fire of fires, and they will be given the pus and blood of the people of Hell to drink." Allah Almighty loves very much that He be asked; Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ إِنَّهُ مَنْ لَّمْ يَسْأَلِ اللّٰهَ يَغْضَبْ عَلَيْهِ ] [ ترمذي، الدعوات، باب منہ : ۳۳۷۳، و حسنہ الألباني ] "Whoever does not ask Allah Almighty, He becomes angry with him." How beautifully it has been said:

{اَللّٰهُ يَغْضَبُ إِنْ تَرَكْتَ سُؤَالَهُ ¤ وَ تَرَي ابْنَ آدَمَ حِيْنَ يُسْأَلُ يَغْضَبُ}

"Allah Almighty becomes angry if you stop asking from Him, and you will see that the son of Adam becomes angry when he is asked."