The World Federation of KSIMC

The first 5 videos are an introduction to the Holy Month of Ramadan.

Take part in the daily reflection\challenge to help you get closer to Allah (swt).

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Day Four

Connecting to the Infinite 

وَ إِذا سَأَلَكَ عِبادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذا دَعانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَ لْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُون (البقره: 186)‏  

"When My servants ask you about Me, [tell them that ] I am indeed very near. I answer the supplicant's call when he calls Me. So let them respond to Me, and let them have faith in Me, so that they may fare rightly"

Some people questioned the Prophet (s) as to how we should call on God; is He close to us so that we call on Him softly or far away that we cry out for Him? This verse was revealed in answer to their question.

The person making the dua is so beloved to Allah (swt) that in this verse, Allah has used the possessive pronoun (me, my) seven times in order to show His kindness and grace towards him. 

To make dua is to become one with the whole of existence; according to verses of the Quran, the whole of existence is in a state of glorifying and obeying Allah: all are obedient to Him (al-Baqarah: 116) and all creations express their neediness to Him: everyone in the heavens and the earth ask Him (ar-Rahman: 29); therefore we too must ask from Him so that we are not the dissonant link of existence.

The Quran has some instructions in regards to dua:

1. Dua and request must be sincere: so supplicate Allah, putting exclusive faith in Him (Ghafir: 14).

2. It must be accompanied by hope and fear: and supplicate Him with fear and hope (al-A'raaf: 56).

3. It must be with humility and in secret: supplicate your Lord, beseechingly and secretly (al-A'raaf: 55).

Dua does not mean we stop working rather it is to entrust our affairs to Allah (swt) along with our own efforts.

Maybe the reason why the verse of dua has been placed among the verses regarding fasting is that the month of God has more congruency with dua. Since one of the means of the servants' connection to Allah (swt) is through prayers and dua, it is mentioned in this verse following verses speaking of an important part of Islamic laws i.e. fasting; and although it covers a general program for all those who want to speak to Allah (swt) , being placed among verses that are related to fasting gives it a new concept and meaning as the soul of all worship is closeness to Allah (swt)  and communicating with Him.

Dua is about the insufficiency of our power; it is requesting the availability of causes and factors that are outside of our power from someone whose power is unlimited and every matter is easy for Him. But request must not be only through our tongues, rather it must arise from our whole being and the tongue, in this case, is only a representative and translator of every fiber of man's being and his limbs and organs.

The heart and soul gain closeness to Allah (swt) through prayers and like a drop in an unending ocean, attain a spiritual connection to the source of Power.

Although it must be noted that there is another type of dua too that is made in times of ability and power and that prayer is one that shows the dependency of our powers in the face of Allah's power, in other words, dua is attention to this reality that whatever natural causes and factors have, it is from Him and on His orders. In short, dua is awareness of the heart and mind and an inner connection with the source of all good.

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