“I am near” says Allah.

And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So, let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided. 2:186

When a believing person faces any difficulty and calls upon Allah, Allah Himself has already given the assurance in the Quran through His prophet,

“I am near, I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he calls to Me.”

How kind and compassionate God truly is! Any hardship encountered in the world fades away with this friendly and convincing reassurance. The choice of words creates an atmosphere of intimacy and accessibility, with God Himself stating a direct contact between Him and His servants. This verse fills a believer’s heart with love, confidence and utter reassurance.

It is utterly comforting to know that a believer can access God at any time, without any prerequisite and without any intermediary and God definitely answers the call of a supplicant. However, one should not hasten God’s response, for He alone decides the most appropriate time to respond.

In this 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 will guide them to wisdom and righteousness.

“Let them then respond to Me, and believe in Me, so that they may follow the right way.”  Belief in God and response to His commands lead to true guidance. Guidance to the way of life God has ordained for man is the only one truly worthy of adoption and adherence; all other ideologies lead only to ruin and frustration.