“If My servants ask you about Me, well, I am near; I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he callsto Me. Let them then respond to Me, and believe in Me, so that theymay follow the right way.”
(The Quran –2:186)
Interposed among the verses dealing with fasting comes a verse reflecting aprofound insight into human nature. It reaches to the deepest recesses of the humanpsyche, offering solace and ample rewards for keeping the fast in response to Allah’scommands.
How kind and compassionate Allah truly is! Any hardship encountered in keepingthe fast fades in comparison with this friendly and gentle reassurance. The choice ofwords creates an atmosphere of intimacy and accessibility, with God Himself statinga direct contact between Him and His servants. He does not give instructions to HisMessenger, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺon how to answer believers’ questions aboutHim. He gives the answer Himself: “I am near.” His closeness is not only to listen butalso for immediate response: “I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he calls to Me.”
This verse fills a believer’s heart with love, confidence and utter reassurance. Inthis atmosphere of friendliness and compassion, God, who has no need for anyone,directs believers to respond to Him and believe in Him, in the hope that this willguide them to wisdom and righteousness. “Let them then respond to Me, and believe inMe, so that they may follow the right way.”
By earning God’s generosity andguidance, believers end up winners on all counts.