through remembering Him and calling upon Him—that experience becomes dearer to him and weightier in his estimation than the very need that first pressed upon his heart. Such is Allah’s mercy toward His servants: He drives them by means of worldly necessities to lofty spiritual ends.

At other times the servant performs what he has been commanded from the outset purely to worship Allah and obey Him—moved by love for Him, turning back to Him, fearing Him, and complying with His order—even though that obedience may also result in provision, victory, and well-being.

Allah, exalted is He, said:
“Your Lord has proclaimed: ‘Call upon Me, and I will respond to you.’” (Ghāfir 40:60)

The Prophet ﷺ said in the ḥadīth narrated by Abū Dāwūd and others:
“Supplication is worship,”
then he recited the verse:
“Your Lord has proclaimed: ‘Call upon Me, and I will respond to you.’” (Ghāfir 40:60)

This ḥadīth together with the verse has been explained in two ways: “Call upon Me,” meaning “Worship Me and obey My command; I will answer your prayer,” and it has also been said, “Ask of Me and I will give you.” Both meanings are true.

In the two Ṣaḥīḥs it is reported that the Prophet ﷺ said concerning the Divine Descent:
“Our Lord descends each night to the lowest heaven when the last third of the night remains and says: ‘Whoever calls upon Me, I will answer him; whoever asks of Me, I will give him; whoever seeks My forgiveness, I will forgive him,’ until dawn breaks.”