Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 186

186. And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am near. I respond to the call of the supplicant [238.1] when he calls upon Me. So let them obey My commands and believe in Me, so that they may be rightly guided.

[238۔ 1] Some people asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ whether their Lord was far away so that they should call upon Him in a loud voice, or near so that they should call upon Him in a low voice. In this verse, Allah Almighty informed those people that I am very near to you—even nearer than your jugular vein. Then Allah Almighty did not suffice with merely answering their question, but also mentioned several other matters which were necessary for human guidance and which cut the root of polytheistic beliefs. For example, when someone calls upon Me, I not only hear his call or supplication, but I also grant it the honor of acceptance. This refutes the false notion of those who say that Allah does not listen to or accept the supplications of us sinners; therefore, it is necessary that we seek our needs from Allah through the mediation of some saint or beloved of Allah. This general answer clarified that just as Allah listens to His beloved ones, He also listens to sinners and grants their supplications acceptance. The second clarification is that the servants should obey My command and ask only from Me, not from others, because calling upon or supplicating is in essence worship. And the third is that they should have certainty regarding Me that I will surely accept their supplication, and this is wisdom, intelligence, and beneficial for them.

Conditions and Etiquette for the Acceptance of Supplication:

It should be noted that there are certain etiquettes for the acceptance of supplication. The most important thing is that the supplication of one who consumes the unlawful is not accepted, and this is explicitly mentioned in authentic hadiths. Secondly, the supplication should be for what is possible. For example, if a poor person who has no knowledge of political affairs starts supplicating, "O Allah, make me the king of this country," it is obvious that such a supplication will not be accepted. Nor should one supplicate for something that involves severing ties of kinship or for a sinful act. Thirdly, there is also an appointed time with Allah for the acceptance of supplication. Therefore, in this matter, a person should neither be hasty nor despair, because sometimes the benefit of supplication is that it averts a calamity that was about to descend. Fourthly, the supplication should be made with complete sincerity and from the depths of the heart. Supplicating inattentively or out of habit brings no benefit. Fifthly, before supplicating, one should praise Allah Almighty and send blessings upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and then supplicate for one's need. Sixthly, if one does not see his supplication being accepted, he should still not despair of Allah's mercy, because the command is only to supplicate to Allah and to continue doing so. Its acceptance is often subject to Allah Almighty's own wisdom. For example, if the acceptance of a person's supplication is likely to harm another person or more people, then Allah's wisdom demands that it not be accepted. However, such a supplication will still have the benefit that the good deed of supplicating will be recorded in his book of deeds, and he will receive its reward in the Hereafter, or some illness or calamity that was to befall him will be averted.

Then there are certain times when supplications are accepted quickly, such as on Laylat al-Qadr, at the time of prostration, or on the day of Jumu'ah, and their details are found in the books of hadith. There are also certain situations in which supplications are accepted immediately, such as the supplication of one in distress or calamity, the supplication of the oppressed against the oppressor, or the supplication of parents against their children. This is because, as a rule, parents are always well-wishers for their children; they would only supplicate against them when they have been deeply hurt by their children.

As for calling upon Allah in a loud or low voice, this verse indicates that since Allah is near, He should be called upon in a low voice. However, even in this, a person's intention and purpose play a significant role, and it is through good intention that an action attains excellence. For example, during the Meccan period, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ once went out at night and saw that Abu Bakr al-Siddiq ؓ was reciting the Noble Quran in prayer in a low and heartfelt voice. He went further and saw that Umar ؓ was reciting in a loud and thunderous voice. In the morning, he first asked Abu Bakr al-Siddiq ؓ why he was reciting the Quran in such a low voice. He replied, "Because my Lord is near to me." Then he asked Umar ؓ why he was reciting in a loud voice. He said, "I wake up the sleepers and drive away Satan." Upon hearing both answers, the Prophet ﷺ praised both of them.

And sometimes circumstances require that Allah's name be called out in a loud voice, such as proclaiming the talbiyah during Hajj and Umrah, the takbirat of the two Eids, saying "Allahu Akbar" during a journey of jihad, or during battle, or raising slogans loudly to enrage the disbelievers. On all such occasions, we have been commanded to call upon Allah in a loud voice.