186- AND IF MY SLAVES ASK YOU ABOUT ME, (TEL THEM) I AM NEAR.  I ANSWER THE DAWA (REQUEST) OF WHOEVER CALLS UPON ME WHEN THEY CALL UPON ME.  LET THEM RESPOND TO ME AND BELIEVE IN ME SO THAT THEY MAY BECOME RIGHTLY GUIDED.

There are two great pieces of information in this Ayah.  The First is that Allah the Highest is near us, and the Second is that He answers us when we ask something of him.

Allah is near:

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him was asked; “Where is our Lord?”  This Ayah was the reply.

Abu Musa Al-Ashari, Allah’s messenger companion reported: “We were out with Allah’s messenger payer and peace upon him on a fighting mission.  Whenever we climbed a hill, reach its top or went down a valley, we raised our voices with “Allah Akbar” (Allah is the Greatest).  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him approached us and said: “O people make things easier for yourselves, you do not call one who is deaf or absent, you call Him who hears and sees all things.  The One you call is nearer to you than the neck of your camel” (B: Magazi, 38 & A: 4; 402,418)

It was also reported that Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him was asked: “Is our Lord far then we should shout out for him, or close then we should speak quietly to him?”

The answer came in this Ayah.  Allah the Highest is near, in fact He is with us.  Allah the Highest said:

“AND HE (ALLAH) IS WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU ARE, AND ALLAH SEES EVERY THING YOU DO”.  (S: 57 A: 4)

And said: “ALLAH IS WITH THOSE WHO ARE PIOUS AND CHARITABLE”.  (S: 16 A: 128)

“Allah the Highest said in Hadith Qudsi: “I am as My slave Expects of Me and I am with him whenever he remembers Me”.  (B: Tawheed; 15, 43 & M: Zekr; 2 & Ma: Adab; 53 & A: 2; 251,305)

Allah answers us:

Whenever we ask Allah, He hears and answers, which is a clear invitation for us to ask.   Confirming this, Allah the Highest says: “AND YOUR LORD SAID: “CALL UPON ME AND I SHALL ANWER YOU”.  (S: 3 A: 60)

Asking Allah the Highest is a mark of good faith.  By asking Allah the Highest we show our belief that only He has the key and ability to do all things.  People, even the most generous of them, do not like to be asked for things, for this reduces their wealth and possessions.  Allah the Highest is to the contrary likes to be asked and likes to give, for what He has is unlimited.  In fact not asking Allah the Highest brings us Allah’s Anger.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “He who does not ask Allah, Allah will be angry with him”.  (A: 2; 443,447 & Ma: Doaa; 1)

Allah the Highest being the Most Generous does not like to return a hand which stretched out for him empty.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “When a slave of Allah stretches his hands to him asking for something good, Allah will shy of letting his hands back without putting something in them”.  (A: 5; 438 Also D; T; Ma)

Therefore, one will have something for every Dawa as long as the person asks for something good and Halal. 

All Dawa are granted by Allah the Highest provided:

1-    One asks for what is Halal and not forbidden. 

2-    One asks for something involving breaking up relationship with blood relations.

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Any Muslim on the face of this Earth who asks Allah Dawa, Allah will grant it to him or spares him as much harm, unless he asks for something sinful or breaking up relationship with blood relations”.  A man then said: “Then we should ask a more”.  Allah’s messenger said: “Allah is even more”.  (T: Dawat, 115 & A: 3; 260 5; 329)

3-    One should not hurry the answer to his or her Dawa, for Allah the Highest decides on the right time, and whether it is good for you or not.  Allah the Highest said: “AND MAN ASKS FOR WHAT IS EVIL AS HE SHOULD ASK FOR WHAT IS GOOD, AND MAN IS ALWAYS HURRYING”.  (S:7 A:11)

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “One you will have his Dawa answered unless he hurries it, saying: “I asked and was not answered”.  (T: Dawat; 12 & M: Zekr; 92)

4-    A Muslim should ask full heartedly and with certainty that he will be answered.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Say Dawa to Allah with certainty of the answer, and know that does not answer Dawa from a neglecting unaware heart”.  (T:Dawat;65 & A:2;177)

5-    A Muslim should ask with determination.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “When one of you asks a Dawa, he should ask with determination, and not say: “Allah gives me if you wish” for no one can compel Allah”.  (M:Zekr;7 & B:Dawat; 21 & T:Dawat;77)

6-    A Muslim should be sincere in his Dawa and avoids affectation and unnecessary rhyme.  Abd Allah Ibn Abas, Allah’s messenger companion said that Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him avoided rhyme in Dawa.

7-    A Muslim should not be shy of asking for anything however great.  We are asking Him who has every thing and is the Most Generous.

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “The Ferdows is the supreme and best part of Paradise.  When you ask Allah, ask him for the Ferdows”.  (T: Janah; 4 & Ma: Zohd; 39 & A: 2; 335,339)

8-    The Muslim should not shy away from asking Allah the Highest for what seems to be impossible.  Nothing is impossible for Allah even if impossible in human terms.  The prophet Zakaria asked Allah the Highest for a righteous son, to be a prophet too, although Zakaria and his wife were old and his wife was barren (infertile).  Allah the Highest mentioned this in the Quran “REMEMBER THE MERCY OF YOUR LORD OF HIS SLAVE ZAKARIA * AS HE CALLED UPON HIS LORD IN PRIVATE * HE SAID: “MY LORD MY BONES ARE FRAIL, AND MY HEAD GLISTENS WITH GREY, BUT I NEVER SUFFERED AFTER ASKING YOU MY LORD * AND I FEAR FOR MY DEPENDANTS AFTER ME, AND MY WIFE IS BARREN, SO GIVE ME AN HEIR OUT OF YOUR BOUNTY * TO INHERIT ME AND THE FAMILY OF YACOB AND LET HIM ATTAIN YOUR PLEASURE MY LORD * O ZAKARIAH, WE GIVE YOU GLADE NEWS OR A BOY CALLED YAHIA, WE NEVER CALLED ANYONE THIS NAME BEFORE”.  (S:19 A:2-7)

9-    Humility and Begging, Allah the Highest said: “THEY USED TO ASK THEIR LORD BEGGING, IN HUMILITY AND IN PRIVATE”.  (S:7 A:55)

10-    Ask in Hope and Fear:  “THEY USED TO ASK US IN HOPE AND FEAR AND THEY HUMBLED THEMSELVES TO US”.  (S:21 A:90)

11-    During Prostration: Prostration is a sign of complete submission and surrender to Allah the Highest and during which a Muslim is closest to Allah the Highest.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “The closest the slave is to his Lord the Most Exalted the Majestic, is while prostrating.  Say your Dawa in this state of prostrating”.  (M:Salah;207 & D:Salah;148)

12-    Ask Allah the Highest by some of His 99 good names.  Allah the highest said: “AND ALLAH HAS THE GOOD NAMES, CALL HIM BY THEM”.  (S:7 A:180)

There are particular times, people and situations which Allah the Highest accept and grants Dawa;

1-    From a just ruler. 

2-    A Muslim while having his Iftar after fasting.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “He who fasts has a Dawa which is never rejected when he eats his Iftar”.  (Ma:Sayam;48)

3-    The person who suffered injustice:

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Three kinds of people, their Dawa is never rejected; the Just Imam (ruler), the person fasting when he eats, and he who suffered injustice, Allah raises his Dawa above the clouds and the heavens gates open up for it, and Allah says: “My slave, by my Honour and Majesty, I shall give you victory even if after a while”.  (Ma: Sayam; 48 &

T: Dawat; 148 & a: 2:305,445)

4-    The Dawa of a person to another behind his or her back, and this is the quickest Dawa to be answered.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “There is not a Dawa that is quicker to be answered than the Dawa of one person to another behind their back”

And he also said: “Whenever a man says Dawa to his brother behind his back, the angels say: ‘Amen, and the same for you’” (T: Ber; 50 & D: Wetr; 29)

5-    The Dawa of the Parents to their children.

6-    The Dawa of the Traveler.

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Three Dawa will always be answered; there is no doubt about that, the Dawa of the Parent, the Dawa of the Traveler, and the Dawa of the person who suffered injustice”.  (T: Ber; 7 & Ma: Dawat; 11 & A: 2; 258,305,343)

7-    Dawa between Azan and Eqamah. 

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “The Dawa between the Azan and Eqamah is never rejected”.  (T: Salah; 44 & D: Salah; 45 & A: 3; 119,155,225,254)

8-    Dawa at the Last Third of the Night.

Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Allah descends every night to the lower heaven when the last third of the night is left, and the Exalted and the Majestic says: ‘Who shall say a Dawa to Me and I will grant it for him, who shall ask Me and I will give him, who shall ask for My forgiveness, and I will forgive him”.  (B: Tahajod; 14 & M: Mosafreen; 168-170 & D: Tatawaa; 21)

9-    Enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong:

This is a prerequisite for answer our Dawa, if we do not, Allah the Highest does not answer our Dawa.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Allah the Exalted and the Majestic said: ‘Enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong or you will call upon Me and I will not answer you, and you will ask Me and I will not give you, and you will ask for My help and I will not help you”.  (A: 6; 159 & Ma: Fetan; 20 & T: Fetan; 9)

10-    Earning our living, living from Halal.  Allah the Highest does not answer the Dawa of a person living out of Haram.  Saad Ibn Abi Waqas, Allah’s messenger companion asked him: “Allah’s messenger, ask Allah for me to have my Dawa always granted”.  He said: “O Saad, make your food and drink always Halal and from Halal, your Dawa will always be granted”.

Allah the Highest tells us at the end of the Ayah to respond and believe in Him.  As if to say, that responding to Allah the Highest be faith, worship and obedience is necessary for Allah the Highest to respond to us.

B: Bukhari   M: Muslim    Mal: Malek   A: Ahmed   D: Abu Dawood     

 Da: Daremy       Ma: Ibn Magah            N: Nesae          T: Termezi