Many of the misguided say, “This person is nearer to Allah than I am, and I am far from Allah; I cannot call upon Him except through this intermediary,” and similar statements uttered by the polytheists. Yet Allah the Exalted says:

“And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near; I answer the supplication of the caller when he calls upon Me.” (Al-Baqarah 2:186)

It is reported that the Companions asked, “Messenger of Allah, is our Lord near so that we may whisper to Him, or distant so that we must call out to Him?” Thereupon Allah revealed this verse. In the authentic collections it is also related that, while they were on a journey and had begun to raise their voices with the takbīr, the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said:

“O people, be gentle with yourselves; you are not calling upon One who is deaf or absent. Rather, you are calling upon the All-Hearing, the Ever-Near. Indeed, the One you invoke is closer to any of you than the neck of his mount.”

Allah, exalted be He, has commanded all His servants to offer the prayer to Him and to address Him in intimate supplication, and He has instructed each of them