After reciting the tashahhud, ta‘awwuz, and Surah al-Fatihah, Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih V^(aba) recited verse 187 of Surah al-Baqarah:

وَ اِذَا سَاَلَکَ عِبَادِیۡ عَنِّیۡ فَاِنِّیۡ قَرِیۡبٌ اُجِیۡبُ دَعۡوَۃَ الدَّاعِ اِذَا دَعَانِ فَلۡیَسۡتَجِیۡبُوۡا لِیۡ وَ لۡیُؤۡمِنُوۡا بِیۡ لَعَلَّہُمۡ یَرۡشُدُوۡنَ

Allah the Almighty says:

“And when My servants ask thee about Me, say: ‘I am near. I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he prays to Me. So they should hearken to Me and believe in Me, that they may follow the right way.’” (Ch.2: V. 187)

As the month of Ramadan begins, the immediate thought that arises in one’s heart is to pay more attention to the prayers, for this is the month of immense blessings. It is a time when supplications are accepted, which is why people generally turn towards the mosque more frequently. The attendance at mosques increases, whether it be for the Fajr or Isha prayers. On ordinary days, the attendance for Fajr, Maghrib and Isha prayers does not reach the level it does during Ramadan. This is, indeed, Allah the Almighty’s grace that, at least during these days, people are reminded to head towards the mosque and seek Allah the Almighty’s mercy and blessings.

One of the reasons for this is that Allah the Almighty says that during the days of Ramadan, He closes the doors of Hell, shackles Satan, and opens the doors of Paradise. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Bad Al-Khalq, Hadith 3277)

This leads many to believe that worship is only necessary during Ramadan, and that the prayers and acts of worship performed in this month alone will secure their forgiveness. This hadith is often repeatedly mentioned on non-Ahmadi Islamic channels and various other channels, even though this is a misconception.

Allah the Almighty has drawn our attention towards worship during Ramadan so that we make it a permanent part of our lives. If this does not happen, the worship performed in Ramadan alone will be of no avail. In fact, Allah will say, “You performed worship for one month only, but what did you do during the other eleven months?” Therefore, we must rid ourselves of the misguided belief that it is enough to only offer prayers and fill the mosques during Ramadan.

The Holy Prophet^(sa) has said, “Whoever prays during the nights of Ramadan while fulfilling the requirements of faith and seeking reward, his past sins will be forgiven.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab as-sawm, Hadith 1901)

This indeed is His blessed declaration.

Now, one might think that when a person consistently strives to make good deeds a part of their daily life – paying attention to prayers, focusing on Tahajjud, offering nawafil – it will lead to greater devotion during Ramadan. Those who are committed to regular worship perform these virtues with this intention. However, some people mistakenly believe that merely waking up for prayers during the nights of Ramadan is sufficient.

Indeed, humans are prone to making mistakes, but Allah the Almighty is also extremely gracious and merciful, and He is Forgiving. Therefore, he has granted us this opportunity that if one has made mistakes in this regard during the past year, one can now renew their commitment and try to uphold it; that going forward, they will fulfill the rights of worshipping Allah the Almighty and they will perform all those virtuous deeds, which Allah the Almighty has commanded them to perform.

Therefore, a Muslim must especially remember that the worship prescribed by Allah the Almighty during Ramadan is meant to instil true guidance within them. And true guidance is not something to be developed for just one month; rather, it is something that should become a permanent part of one’s life. Allah the Almighty has stated that He repeatedly brings Ramadan as a reminder and as an expression of His mercy so that those who have strayed may once again remember their duties.

Both the rights due to Allah and the rights due to His creation should be remembered, and one should reflect on how to fulfil the rights due to Allah’s creation and the rights owed to Allah. When Allah the Almighty says:

سَاَلَکَ عِبَادِیۡ

“When My servants ask”, here, “My servants” refers to those who are lovers of Allah. Now, if someone is truly in love with another, they do not express their love for only one month while neglecting it for the remaining eleven months of the year. A true lover of Allah, a true servant of His, must continuously strive to uphold this responsibility which Allah the Almighty has commanded.

And if there have been shortcomings in the past eleven months, then one should make a special effort during these days to compensate for them and ensure that such shortcomings do not occur again. True lovers always obey their beloved in every matter.

In worldly love, people become attached to others who may have many flaws, and such relationships can sometimes bring harm or, at the very least, fail to provide any real benefit. However, in the love of Allah, there is nothing but gain – only benefit upon benefit – because He is the Source of all goodness, the One Who protects from all evil, and the One Who delivers from every hardship.

He says, “Ask from Me. If you pray to Me, I will respond to you.” And a true lover only seeks nearness to Allah.

Therefore, we should strive to seek nearness to Allah. In our worship during Ramadan, we should not only ask for worldly benefits but also pray to attain closeness to our Beloved.

We should supplicate to Allah, asking Him to grant us His nearness, the ability to offer prayers which are granted His acceptance, the blessing of His communion, and the acceptance of our fasts. When this happens, not only will we refrain from committing sin after Ramadan, but we will also continue to have the ability to do good deeds.

Allah the Almighty has repeatedly drawn attention in the Holy Quran to what the rights of God and the rights of His creation are and to strive to fulfil them.

The Promised Messiah^(as) stated that there are seven hundred commandments in the Holy Quran. (Kashti-e-Nuh, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 19, p. 26)

In Ramadan, special emphasis is placed on reading the Holy Quran, and when we read it, we should seek out the commandments that Allah the Almighty has given us. In fact, in one instance, the Promised Messiah^(as) mentioned that there are even more than seven hundred commandments.

Thus, when we search for these commandments, we will strive to act upon them. And this is the true task of a sincere lover – to make every possible effort to follow the words of their beloved. Allah the Almighty says: “So they should hearken to Me and believe in Me, that they may follow the right way.” Perfect faith is to truly obey Allah and His Messenger^(sa), as I mentioned earlier.

Allah the Almighty also commands that faith and good deeds go hand in hand. That is why this verse also states that they should respond to My call. This means that one must perform righteous deeds and remain steadfast in virtue. When one prays while engaged in worship, then Allah the Almighty says that He will become their friend, as He states elsewhere:

اَللّٰہُ وَلِیُّ الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا

“Allah is the Friend of those who believe.” (Ch. 2: V. 258)

When Allah becomes a person’s friend, their faith and connection with Him will continue to grant them His nearness. And this nearness will continue to increase, and one will continue to progress in it. This closeness is not something that remains stagnant, and He will also listen to their prayers.

Therefore, during Ramadan, we must strive to attain this level [of nearness to Allah]. We must also reflect on the fact that if, after Ramadan, we regress from this state, if we fail to do justice to our worship as we did during Ramadan and do not continue our efforts to attain Allah’s closeness, then how can we expect Allah to remain our Friend? Allah the Almighty cannot remain our Wali [Friend].

Allah the Almighty has set certain conditions for the acceptance of prayers. The first and foremost condition is that one must truly become His servant – one must belong to Him with complete sincerity. Worship must be offered with absolute devotion, recognising Him as the sole source of all power. One must not create false gods in the form of worldly figures, nor should one, even unconsciously, turn to other insignificant people as deities for personal gain. Such actions would lead a person towards shirk [associating partners with Allah].

Just recently, some members from the Hifazat-e-Khas team in Germany visited, and they were asking how they could please their senior officers. I told them that whatever work they do, they should do it with the intention of pleasing Allah the Almighty.

If you strive to please Allah the Almighty, then He Himself will turn the attention of your officers in your favour, and they will work towards your well-being, treating you with kindness and compassion. However, the most important thing is to seek Allah the Almighty’s mercy and compassion and to strive to follow His commandments.

Let us take the example of Hazrat Chaudhry Zafrulla Khan Sahib^(ra) and how, on one occasion, he expressed unease during an official meeting with the Queen in her royal residence. He was seated but kept checking his watch repeatedly.

When the officials inquired about the reason, he responded, “It is nearly time for my prayer, and the time for my worship is approaching. This is a command from Allah the Almighty that I must fulfil. I am feeling restless because I do not want to let this time slip; I do not want to miss it.” Upon hearing this, they arranged for him to offer his prayer. (Mahnamah Khalid, Rabwah, December 1985, January 1986, p. 89)

This is the courage and the true requirement of faith that every Ahmadi should possess. We share such examples, but we must also adopt these models in our lives.

Then the Holy Prophet^(sa) has imparted countless teachings to direct our attention towards good deeds. There are countless hadiths, and the Promised Messiah^(as) has fulfilled his duty as the true servant of the Holy Prophet^(sa) in this era. He has guided us towards righteousness. Many of the conditions of bai‘at [oath of allegiance] highlight the importance of paying attention to the rights owed to Allah and the rights owed to His creation.

These are the things we should focus on, and when we do so, Allah the Almighty will become our Wali, our Friend, and He will listen to our prayers.

The Holy Prophet^(sa) has said that Allah the Almighty listens to the prayers of those who do not show impatience. (Sahih Muslim, Kitab Al-Dhikr Wa Al-Dua, Hadith 6936)

And do not say, “I have prayed a lot, but Allah the Almighty does not listen.” Such thoughts are akin to disbelief and lead one away from faith. A believer must always avoid this.

Thus, we ought to focus our attention on these matters. Sometimes people write to me, saying they have prayed extensively. The first thing to understand is that their prayers were not offered to attain the nearness to God; rather, they prayed merely for their worldly objectives, turning towards Him only when worldly difficulties arose. If someone only seeks closeness to Allah the Almighty for solutions to worldly troubles, why should Allah the Almighty listen to them? A true friend is one who fulfils the rights of friendship even during times of ease. Such a friend listens, respects, and adheres to his friend's words, and then he is also heard.

Always remember, we must not approach Allah the Almighty solely for personal, worldly objectives but genuinely strive to attain His nearness. When we do this, God-willing, He will hear and answer our prayers, for He Himself has promised:

“I answer the prayers of my servant.”

The Promised Messiah^(as) states:

“This relationship is like the bond of friendship. Sometimes a friend accepts his friend's request, and at other times he persuades the friend to accept his. God interacts with us similarly. Even when it appears that God rejects a believer's prayer, this rejection is ultimately for the believer's own good.” (Malfuzat, 1984, Vol. 3, p. 386)

This is the essence of what the Promised Messiah^(as) has stated. When one says “I prayed,” in fact first their prayers were offered solely when worldly needs arose. Such a person has not offered for the sake of their faith and its betterment, or for achieving closeness to God Almighty. If this pertains to a believer, who, on occasion, experiences that his prayers were not answered, then, as the Promised Messiah^(as) stated that this relationship is like the bond of friendship. At times, a request is accepted, and at times, it is not. In cases where he does not accept a prayer, Allah the Almighty arranges something far better in return for His friend; He recompenses through alternative means for what He does not accept.

At another instance, the Promised Messiah^(as) states:

“When a servant of God inquires about Him, seeking proof of His existence, the answer is simple: ‘I am very near.’ There is no need for grand arguments; ‘My existence can be comprehended by a means that is well within reach (My existence can very easily be proven). The proof is that when a supplicant calls upon Me, I hear him and grant him glad tidings of success through Divine revelation. Thus, he becomes firmly convinced not only of My existence but also of My omnipotence.’”

When Allah the Almighty listens, He responds as well. The Review of Religions has been holding “The God Summit” for many years now. They have held it from time to time, and it also took place this year. In this program, people have shared accounts of how Allah the Almighty accepted their prayers, and how, through the acceptance of their prayers, they became convinced about the existence of Allah the Almighty. However, there is one condition, as the Promised Messiah^(as) states, “People must first adopt righteousness and a longing for God, so that He hears their call.” Allah the Almighty states that we must develop righteousness and a yearning for God, so that He may hear us.

The Promised Messiah^(as) states that Allah the Almighty instructs us to first develop righteousness and a longing for God, then He will listen to us. He will not listen unconditionally. Thus, we must develop this state of righteousness and yearning for God to enable our voices to reach God Almighty.

Elaborating on the verse, “They must believe in Me”, the Promised Messiah^(as) states:

“Before attaining perfect understanding, they must attest that God exists and He is the possessor of all power. Those who believe are granted true understanding (‘irfan).

“Allah the Almighty also states in this verse:

فَلۡیَسۡتَجِیۡبُوۡا لِیۡ وَ لۡیُؤۡمِنُوۡا

“‘They should hearken to Me and believe in Me.’ These words are directed toward those who are truly His servants (Allah is addressing His servants, those who are true believers).”

As I mentioned earlier, even if at times weakness arises, believers must strive to strengthen their faith by seeking closeness to God. Only then will their belief grow stronger, for God is the Possessor of all power. Seeing His servant striving to approach Him, God Himself nurtures the believer’s faith.

Then, the Promised Messiah^(as) stated that such a believer is granted true understanding (‘irfan). When this state is achieved, Allah accepts his prayers and he begins to recognise the true reality of Allah the Almighty. In the case that Allah the Almighty does not accept a prayer, He grants the heart such comfort that a person will never come to the conclusion that God did not hear him. Instead, he will realize that Allah the Almighty will fulfil his needs through some other means.

The Promised Messiah^(as) emphasized that one should yearn for God, fulfilling both the rights of Allah the Almighty and the rights of His creation. Only then does God promise to hear our prayers. Subsequently, believers must continually progress in faith and certainty, increasing steadily in spiritual insight, until they attain complete understanding (ma‘rifat-e-ta’ammah), which, as the Promised Messiah^(as) states, will continue to grow. (Ayyam-e-Sulh, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 14, pp. 260-261)

Regarding the Quranic injunction:

یُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِالۡغَیۡبِ

That is, to believe in the unseen, the Promised Messiah^(as) provides a profound insight. At one place, he states:

“The Unseen (Ghaib) is also a name for God.” (Malfuzat, 2022, Vol. 10, p. 11)

Before praying, one must possess certainty that God exists, and that He embodies limitless attributes and absolute power. When you approach Him with this conviction, bow before Him, and supplicate to him, you will achieve true awareness and recognition of Him. You will witness clear signs of accepted prayers.

Indeed, by Allah the Almighty’s grace, many do witness these signs and share their experiences. As I mentioned earlier, many people shared their stories during “The God Summit”. These experiences strengthened their faith. It is insufficient to merely profess firm belief in Allah the Almighty verbally without acting upon His commandments. Efforts to offer prayers should not be limited to Ramadan. Mosques, which are filled with members during this time, should remain full throughout the year. By Allah the Almighty’s grace, Ahmadis give importance to prayers, yet any remaining weaknesses must be examined closely. Let this Ramadan elevate our standards of worship, bringing us closer to God Almighty so that we become His sincere servants, obedient to His commandments, resulting in the acceptance of our prayers.

Thus, in this Ramadan, let us pledge to rejuvenate our worship and pray to Allah the Almighty to grant us the strength to fulfil this pledge. Let us invest all our strength in realizing it. In doing so, whilst utilising all our strengths and efforts, we will develop such a close bond with Allah the Almighty that He Himself becomes our friend. Indeed, God has promised:

“I become the friend (Wali) of those who follow My commandments.”

There is a narration in which Hazrat Ibn ‘Umar^(ra) relates that the Holy Prophet^(sa) said:

“For whomever among you the gate of prayer is opened, it is as though the doors of mercy have been opened for him. And of the things to seek from Allah the Almighty, the most beloved thing to ask for is peace and well-being.” (Tirmidhi, Kitab ad-da‘wat, Hadith 3548)

The Holy Prophet^(sa) also said:

“Prayer is beneficial against the tribulation that has already descended and also against the tribulation that is yet to come. O servants of Allah, it is incumbent upon you to hold fast to prayer.”

Afflictions and hardships do not occur only during the days of Ramadan; rather, they arise at various times. Therefore, Allah the Almighty states that you should not limit your prayers to these days alone, nor should you pray only when you are in need and wish to ward off calamities. Instead, the Holy Prophet^(sa) said that supplication also serves to protect against those difficulties that have not yet come but may arise at any time. Hence, you should remain constantly engaged in prayer and strive to enter the refuge of Allah the Almighty.

May Allah the Almighty protect us from the trials that have already befallen us, continue to bestow upon us His blessings, and if there is any difficulty that is yet to come – Allah knows best – then may He remove those calamities and difficulties and continuously bestow us with benefit. Only when a person reaches this state can he be called a true believer, one whom Allah the Almighty has included among the category of believers.

Thus, when you seek the paths of righteousness from Allah the Almighty in your prayers, the Holy Prophet^(sa) stated that the means will come about to protect you from past tribulations, and you will also be safeguarded in the future. In order to open the doors of mercy, we must bring about such a permanent transformation in our lives that our connection with Allah the Almighty remains firm, and we continue to seek His grace in times of joy and sorrow, ease and hardship alike.

Hazrat Abu Hurairah^(ra) relates a narration in which the Holy Prophet^(sa) said:

“Our Lord descends to the nearest heaven every night. When the last third of the night remains, He says: ‘Who is there to call upon Me so that I may respond to him? Who is there to ask of Me so that I may grant him? Who is there to seek forgiveness from Me so that I may forgive him?’” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab ad-Da‘wat, Hadith 6321)

This is not something that is conditional on Ramadan. Here, a general principle is being mentioned: whenever a servant calls upon God in the night, He forgives him, grants him what he asks for, and responds to his supplications. Ramadan is an opportunity that Allah the Almighty has created in which everyone naturally turns towards worship. Since the attention of people is directed towards acts of devotion during these days, if you also focus on them, you will develop a habit of worship. And once this habit is established over the course of a month, you will then strive to make it a permanent part of your life.

In another narration, the Holy Prophet^(sa) said:

“Whoever wishes for his prayers to be accepted by Allah the Almighty in times of difficulty should supplicate abundantly in times of ease and comfort.” (Tirmidhi, Kitab ad-da’wat, Hadith 3382)

As has been previously mentioned with reference to a hadith, these are very important aspects that we must always remember. Our relationship with Allah the Almighty should be constant. We should not run to Him only in times of distress, hardship, and suffering, crying out in anguish. Rather, we should strive to be true friends of Allah the Almighty and continuously bow at His threshold in an effort to establish Him as our Friend. This requires that we remain ever humbled at His threshold. As I have said, we must be steadfast in turning to Him in all circumstances. This hadith also teaches us that we should not call upon Allah the Almighty only in times of difficulty and need but at all times.

According to another narration, the Holy Prophet^(sa) said:

“Allah the Almighty declares: ‘I treat My servant according to his perception of Me. I am with him whenever he remembers Me. If he remembers Me in his heart, I remember him in My heart. If he mentions Me in a gathering, I mention him in a gathering better than that. If he draws near to Me by a handspan, I draw near to him by an arm’s length. If he comes toward Me by an arm’s length, I come toward him by two arms’ lengths. If he walks toward Me, I will run toward him.’” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab at-Tawhid, Hadith 7405)

Thus, every Ahmadi should strive to remain engaged in the remembrance of Allah the Almighty and ensure that every action they take leads them closer to Him. Every step we take should be one that draws us toward Allah the Almighty so that He, in turn, comes running toward us, wrapping us in the mantle of His love and fulfilling our needs. In both adversity and prosperity, in hardship and ease, we should always remain the servants of Allah the Almighty.

According to another narration, the Holy Prophet^(sa) said:

“The supplication that Dhul-Nun (i.e., Prophet Jonah^(as)) made while in the belly of the fish was:

لَا اِلٰہَ اِلَّا اَنۡتَ سُبۡحٰنَکَ اِنِّیۡ کُنۡتُ مِنَ الظّٰلِمِیۡنَ

“[There is no God but Thou; Holy art Thou. I have indeed been of the wrongdoers (Ch. 21, V. 88)]”

He said, “Any Muslim who supplicates with these words in times of distress will certainly have his prayer accepted by Allah the Almighty.” (Tirmidhi, Kitab ad-dawat, Hadith 3505)

Thus, it is yet another favour of the Holy Prophet^(sa) upon us that he continually guided us toward such supplications. Humans are prone to making mistakes and sometimes fail to fulfil the due rights of Allah the Almighty. Yet, despite this, Allah the Almighty remains merciful towards His servants and has Himself taught them prayers. Why did Allah the Almighty teach us various supplications in the Holy Quran? Why did He mention the prayers of the Prophets? He did so to teach us to seek these prayers He has taught so that He may accept them. However, the key point remains that we must first fulfil our obligations toward Him. Allah the Almighty has commanded:

فَلۡیَسۡتَجِیۡبُوۡا لِیۡ

That is, hearken to My call, hear My word and rejuvenate your faith.

Thus, we can evaluate our own condition to determine to what extent we are obeying Allah the Almighty’s commandments. Explaining the supplication of the Prophet Jonah^(as) which I just read out, the Promised Messiah^(as) states:

“This teaches us that Allah the Almighty can change destiny. Crying before Him and offering alms, as was the case with the people of Prophet Jonah^(as) (as mentioned in this incident), can even overturn an already decreed punishment.” Even when a judgment has been passed and a sentence has been pronounced, prayer can still avert it. (Malfuzat, 1984, Vol. 1, p. 238)

Some people question, as I have mentioned before, that if Allah the Almighty has already decreed something and He knows what is to come, then what is the need for us to pray? Why should we strive for righteousness? The Promised Messiah^(as) says:

“Allah the Almighty has taught us this prayer, and by narrating the incident of Prophet Jonah^(as), He has provided proof which demonstrates that He can alter His own decrees. If you truly weep before Him, establish a sincere relationship with Him, engage in virtuous deeds, avoid sin, and prostrate at His threshold with heartfelt supplication, then (the Promised Messiah^(as) says) I wish to help you understand that those who pray when calamity descends, seek forgiveness, and give charity are shown mercy by Allah the Almighty, and He saves them from divine punishment.”

The Promised Messiah^(as) has stated that when afflictions descend, God Almighty is so benevolent that even then He can save a person so long as their prayers are offered earnestly with a sincere heart and one truly seeks forgiveness. The Promised Messiah^(as) states:

“Do not listen to my words as though they are mere tales. I advise you for the sake of Allah that you ought to ponder over your circumstances. You ought to not only engage in prayer yourself, but exhort your friends to do the same. Seeking forgiveness from God serves as a shield in the face of divine chastisement and grievous calamities.” One should seek forgiveness constantly. It is a shield for a person. If one seeks forgiveness, then Allah the Almighty will save them.

Recently, I initiated an appeal for prayers, and urged attention towards istighfar. Istighfar is a shield.

The Promised Messiah^(as) states:

“In the Holy Quran, Allah the Exalted states:

مَا کَانَ اللّٰہُ مُعَذِّبَہُمۡ وَ ہُمۡ یَسۡتَغۡفِرُوۡنَ

Allah would not punish them while they sought forgiveness. (Ch. 8, V. 34)

(Allah does not punish the people who seek forgiveness earnestly) Therefore, if you desire to be safeguarded from this divine chastisement, then seek forgiveness abundantly.” (Malfuzat, 1984, Vol. 1, p. 207)

Thus, through this prayer, Allah the Almighty has taught that He does not punish people if they repent. Elaborating on this point, the Promised Messiah^(as) states:

“Therefore, if you wish to be safeguarded against this divine chastisement, then seek forgiveness abundantly.”

In a narration, the Holy Prophet^(sa) has stated that “Allah the Almighty is extremely modest, benevolent and generous. When a servant of His raises both hands in supplication, He feels too shy to return him empty and disappointed.” (Tirmidhi, Kitab ad-Da‘wat, Hadith 3556)

i.e. God does not reject a prayer that is offered with full sincerity of heart and instead grants it acceptance. Therefore, all of us who pray to Allah the Almighty, must do so with a sincere heart. We should seek forgiveness for our previous sins and shortcomings and implore God Almighty to be able to remain firm upon virtue in the future. Then we must strive to uphold this. Strive to do this in Ramadan and pray for it continuously. Try to remain established on this after Ramadan as well. Then see how Allah the Almighty rushes to our side and takes us in His arms.

The Promised Messiah^(as) states: “And just as in divine scriptures, a differentiation has been made between righteous people and those who are sinful, and they have been given distinct ranks; in the same manner, in the law of nature there is a distinction between these two people, amongst whom, one considers God as the Fountainhead of grace, and by way of active and spoken prayers asks for strength and assistance, whilst the other only relies on his own plans and strength, considering prayer as a farce. Moreover, he remains careless and conceited towards God. He who supplicates to God in times of difficulty and distress and seeks the resolution of his difficulties from Him achieves satisfaction and true prosperity from God Almighty, provided he carries his supplication to its limit. (The condition attached to this is that he supplicates to his utmost). Even if he does not achieve the purpose of his supplication, he is bestowed some other kind of satisfaction and contentment by God Almighty and does not experience frustration. In addition, his faith is strengthened and his certainty increases.” (Ayyam-us-Sulh, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 14, pp. 236-237)

We must reflect upon this matter: if we seek to attain the grace of Allah the Almighty, we must understand the very distinction He has placed between the righteous and the sinful. Indeed, the one who is righteous considers Allah the Almighty to be the fountainhead of all blessings and grace. Such a person believes with certainty that every bounty emanates from Him alone and recognizes that all strength is to be sought from Him. It is this very belief that defines a true believer. On the other hand, the arrogant do not acknowledge this reality. They believe that they can achieve everything through worldly means alone. But when one falls into such a perception, then at some point, Allah the Almighty seizes such individuals and holds them to account.

In one narration with regards to the Holy Prophet^(sa), it is mentioned that whenever he would get up from a gathering, he would supplicate in the following words:

“O Allah, bestow on us such fear of You that serves as a barrier between us and sin, whereby we are never disobedient to You. Bestow upon us such obedience that leads us to Your Paradise, and grant us such certainty that renders the trials and tribulations of this world easy upon us. O Allah, my Lord, enable us to make rightful use of our ears, our eyes, and our strength for as long as we live, and make us heirs to all that is good. Take retribution on our behalf from those who wrong us, and assist us against those who harbour enmity towards us. Protect us from every trial that we may face in our faith. Do not let this world become our greatest concern and worry, nor the pinnacle of our knowledge (i.e., the extent of our knowledge should not be limited to worldly matters alone. Our worries and concerns should not be confined to material things). And do not place over us anyone who would fail to show us mercy nor someone who would not treat us with kindness.” (Tirmidhi, Kitab ad-da‘wat, Hadith 3502)

Thus, this supplication should be remembered at all times. How profoundly moving is the prayer offered by the Holy Prophet^(sa)! It is a most comprehensive supplication that the Holy Prophet^(sa) has taught to us. We pray to Allah the Almighty that He may enable all our abilities and every part of our body, be it our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, brain and heart, in fact, every aspect of our being to become a source of benefit to others; and may every part of our body express gratitude to God Almighty; and may we become the recipients of His bounties. May Allah the Almighty protect us from the oppressors. The current conditions in some places of the world, and also in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Algeria, etc. and also in other parts of the world and also in some of the African countries, there are certain wrongful factions who have seized control or launched attacks. Even governments, out of fear, comply with their demands. Thus, one ought to pray to Allah the Almighty that He grant us deliverance from the oppressors and He Himself seeks retribution from them and helps us against those who harbour enmity against us. When we will pray in this manner in Ramadan, then God Almighty shall bring about a revolutionary change. Then, we shall witness whether it is a cleric [Maulvi] or a powerful individual in Pakistan or any other powerful individual belonging to any government, they will not be able to cause us any harm. If we sincerely prostrate before Allah the Almighty, He shall grant us His help and do true justice of becoming a Wali and friend.

The Promised Messiah^(as) states:

“The shortest path to drawing divine blessings is prayer. In order for prayer to be offered perfectly, there are certain prerequisites in that it ought to contain fervency, deep anguish and an intense supplication.” It requires humility and restlessness so one can develop that state of anguish. The Promised Messiah^(as) states: “The prayer offered with humility, anguish and distress is the one that draws the blessings of God Almighty and through its acceptance, enables one to reach their actual purpose. However, the difficulty is that even this cannot be achieved without the blessings of God. The remedy for this is for one to persist in their supplications. Irrespective of how despondent or devoid of enthusiasm one feels, one should not become weary of prayer. (Whether one experiences delight in prayer or not, they should not give up) and instead they ought to pray: ‘O Allah! We have nobody except You and cannot turn to anyone else. I cannot turn to anyone, nor will I. I shall remain at Your threshold and my heart will not find comfort until you accept my supplications.’” The Promised Messiah^(as) says: “Even if one has to initially act artificially or unnaturally, one must continue to pray. Because a time will come when that prayer offered with artificiality and apparent exertion will take on the form of true prayer.”

The Promised Messiah^(as) states:

“In order to partake in true and pristine supplication, one needs to supplicate for that too. Many people pray, but they soon give up, and claim that nothing was accomplished. My advice to such people is that there is blessing in the sifting of this dust, as eventually one’s ultimate objective will be attained.”

The objective one seeks, the pearl that is to be gained, is attained only through this very practice. Just as those who seek gold through the traditional methods know well as they sit by the riverbanks, sifting through the soil with sieves, tirelessly sifting kilograms, even many Mann [a unit of measurement equivalent of 40kg] of soil, and thereafter do they find a small piece of gold, perhaps a mere tola [approx. 11g] or even less and become joyful over it. They spend many days in this very process to achieve this.

In the same manner, if one continues to remain prostrated before Allah the Almighty, they will eventually attain the blessings. The Promised Messiah^(as) states:

“Eventually, one is able to attain their ultimate objective. There comes a time when one's heart becomes fully aligned with the tongue, and then the humility and fervency, which are the prerequisites of prayer, begin to manifest.”

To develop fervency is extremely vital. The Promised Messiah^(as) continues:

“One who rises during the night, regardless of how much a lack of concentration they have, (even if there is inattentiveness), impatience, (and one offers their prayer in a hastily fashion), yet even in this condition if one supplicates that ‘O my Allah, my heart is in Your hands, thus purify it,’ then even whilst feeling a sense of spiritual constriction [in one’s heart], if one seeks spiritual expansion and relief from Allah the Almighty, they will be granted it.”

Even from the state of disinterest, Allah the Almighty can bring about a state whereby one begins to increase in their focus and remove the obstacles in the heart and develop a state of fervency. The feeling of constriction will release, and not only will one be drawn to the need for prayer, but supplications will begin to pour out from the heart itself.

The Promised Messiah^(as) states:

“This is the moment wherein prayers are granted acceptance. (When one is in such a state, it is understood that the time for the acceptance of prayers has arrived.) In such a moment, one will witness that the soul flows at the threshold of the Divine, like water descending from above.”

Thus, in such a moment whereby one develops great fervency, and then one continues in their efforts, Allah the Almighty then instils a state of fervency and it is then that their prayers begin to be granted acceptance. (Malfuzat, 1984, Vol. 6, pp. 93-94)

The Promised Messiah^(as) states:

“The God to Whom I invite is very Gracious, Merciful, Modest, True, and Faithful. He bestows His mercy on the humble ones. You too should be faithful and pray with all sincerity and faith so that He may bestow His mercy on you. Dissociate yourselves from the commotion of the world and do not give a religious complexion to your egoistic disputes. Accept defeat for the sake of God so that you may become heirs to great victories.”

The Promised Messiah^(as) continues:

“You have to protect yourself from even the small worldly issues.”

In order to draw closer to Allah the Almighty, one must distance oneself from such things. One would have to pay attention to fulfilling the rights of others. Attention must be given to fulfilling the rights of one’s close relatives and friends. Only then will one’s attention be drawn towards fulfilling the rights of Allah, and it is then that one will begin to witness the signs of their prayers being accepted.

The Promised Messiah^(as) states:

“The first blessing of prayer is that it brings about a holy change in a person.”

For the acceptance of prayer, it is crucial that a pious change takes place in a person. This pure change must not only occur during the month of Ramadan, but it should be a permanent transformation; it is only then that the effects of the acceptance of prayers will manifest in the individual.

The Promised Messiah^(as) then states:

“As a consequence of [this holy change], God also brings about a transformation in His attributes. His attributes are indeed immutable, but for such a transformed person, He shows a different manifestation.”

It is not that the attributes of Allah the Almighty change; rather, Allah brings His attributes of mercy and blessings into motion and bestows them upon such an individual.

The Promised Messiah^(as) further states:

“The world knows nothing of this. (When a person enters this state,) it would seem as if He had become another God, whereas, in fact, there is no other God. The truth is that it is a new manifestation of His which portrays Him in an altogether different light. It is then that God, in honour of this special manifestation, does for the transformed one what He does not do for others.” (Lecture Sialkot, Ruhani Khazain, Vol. 20, p. 223)

Those who say, “If this is destined and it is bound to happen,” then how can one’s prayer be accepted? However, Allah the Almighty states that if one prays with true sincerity, then Allah the Almighty can change the destiny and His Divine decrees, and what was destined for a poor outcome is transformed into one of righteousness and success.

Thus, we ought to pay great attention towards prayers and make this Ramadan a Ramadan in which our prayers are granted acceptance, a Ramadan of bringing about pure change within ourselves, and then let this pure transformation become a permanent part of our lives. May Allah the Almighty grant us deliverance from our enemies, from all opponents, and from all oppressors. May Allah grant us the ability to make this Ramadan a means of bringing lasting, pure change into our lives, and may this transformation become a permanent part of our existence. May Allah the Almighty grant us the ability to do so.