send down blessings and remove harm and qasam, without needing anyone to inform Him of His servants’ circumstances or help Him meet their needs. He Himself created and made available the means by which this occurs. He is the One who brings those means into being; He is the One, the Eternal Refuge, who neither begets nor is born, and to whom none is comparable.
“All who are in the heavens and the earth ask of Him; every day He is engaged in a matter.”
The inhabitants of the heavens ask of Him, and the inhabitants of the earth ask of Him. Hearing one person’s words does not distract Him, glorified be He, from hearing another’s, nor does the diversity of their voices and languages confuse Him. Rather, He hears the clamour of their voices, in their different languages and with their manifold needs. The persistence of those who plead does not weary Him; indeed, He loves persistence in supplication.
When the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, asked the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about religious rulings, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was commanded to answer them, as Allah Most High said:
“They ask you about the new moons. Say, ‘They are markers of time for people and for Hajj.’”
“And they ask you what they should spend. Say, ‘Whatever is beyond your needs.’”
“They ask you about fighting in the sacred month. Say, ‘Fighting in it is a grave offence.’”
There are other examples of their questions as well.
But when they asked him about Allah, glorified and exalted be He, He said:
“And when My servants ask you about Me, indeed I am near. I answer the supplication of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.”
He, glorified be He, did not say, “Then say”; rather, He Most High said:
“Indeed I am near. I answer the supplication of the supplicant.”
He is therefore near to His servants, as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said in the hadith when they were raising their voices in remembrance and supplication:
“O people, be gentle with yourselves