Surah Baqarah ayat 186 Tafsir Quran 2:186

﴿وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ﴾
[ البقرة: 186]

2:186 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.

A group of followers of the Prophet s asked him ‘Is our Lord nearby so that we should talk to Him secretly or is He far away so that we should call out to him?’ and the following was revealed And when My servants question you concerning Me — I am near to them in My knowledge and he informed them of this; I answer the call of the caller by granting him his request when he calls to Me; so let them respond to Me My call to them to be obedient and let them believe let them persevere in faith in Me that they might go aright that they might become guided.

Should My servants call upon you, O Muhammad, for informing them about My attributes, then emphatically express that I am in their immediate proximity; I respond favourably to the humble petitioner’s prayer when he addresses Me. But those who aim for My blessings are expected to raise their internal consciousness, responding favourably to My system of faith and worship and believe in Me with faithful hearts, that they may hopefully be guided to the path of righteousness

Allah hears the Servant's Supplication Imam Ahmad reported that Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari said, "We were in the company of Allah's Messenger ﷺ during a battle.
Whenever we climbed a high place, went up a hill or went down a valley, we used to say, `Allah is the Most Great,' raising our voices.
The Prophet came by us and said:
«يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، ارْبَعُوا عَلى أَنْفُسِكُمْ، فَإِنَّكُمْ لَا تَدْعُونَ أَصَمَّ ولَا غَائِبًا، إنَّمَا تَدْعُونَ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا، إنَّ الَّذي تَدْعُونَ أَقْربُ إِلَى أَحَدِكُمْ مِنْ عُنُقِ رَاحِلَتِهِ، يا عَبْدَاللهِ بْنَ قَيْسٍ، أَلَا أُعَلِّمُكَ كَلِمَةً مِنْ كُنُوزِ الْجَنَّةِ؟ لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِالله»
( O people! Be merciful to yourselves (i.e., don't raise your voices ), for you are not calling a deaf or an absent one, but One Who is All-Hearer, All-Seer.
The One Whom you call is closer to one of you than the neck of his animal.
O `Abdullah bin Qais ( Abu Musa's name ) should I teach you a statement that is a treasure of Paradise: `La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah ( there is no power or strength except from Allah ).') This Hadith was also recorded in the Two Sahihs, and Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah recorded similar wordings.
Furthermore, Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said that the Prophet said:
«يَقُولُ اللهُ تَعَالى أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي وَأَنَا مَعَهُ إِذَا دَعَانِي»
( "Allah the Exalted said, `I am as My servant thinks of Me, and I am with him whenever he invokes Me.' ) Allah accepts the Invocation Imam Ahmad also recorded Abu Sa`id saying that the Prophet said:
«مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَدْعُو اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِدَعْوَةٍ لَيْسَ فِيها إِثْمٌ ولَا قَطِيعَةُ رَحِمٍ، إلَّا أَعْطَاهُ اللهُ بِهَا إِحْدَى ثَلَاثِ خِصَالٍ: إِمَّا أَنْ يُعَجِّل لَهُ دَعْوَتَهُ، وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَدَّخِرَهَا لَهُ فِي الأُخْرَى، وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ مِنَ السُّوءِ مِثْلَهَا»
قَالُوا: إذًا نُكْثِرُ؟ قَالَ:
«اللهُ أَكْثَر»
( No Muslim supplicates to Allah with a Du`a that does not involve sin or cutting the relations of the womb, but Allah will grant him one of the three things.
He will either hasten the response to his supplication, save it for him until the Hereafter, or would turn an equivalent amount of evil away from him." ) They said, "What if we were to recite more ( Du`a )." He said, ( There is more with Allah. ) `Abdullah the son of Imam Ahmad recorded `Ubadah bin As-Samit saying that the Prophet said:
«مَا عَلى ظَهْرِ الأَرْضِ مِنْ رَجُلٍ مُسْلِمٍ يَدْعُو اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بَدَعْوَةٍ إِلَّا آتَاهُ اللهُ إيَّاهَا، أَوْ كَفَّ عَنْهُ مِنَ السُّوءِ مِثْلَهَا مَا لَمْ يَدْعُ بِإِثْمٍ أَوْ قَطِيعَةِ رَحِم»
( There is no Muslim man on the face of the earth who supplicates to Allah but Allah would either grant it to him, or avert a harm from him of equal proportions, as long as his supplication does not involve sin or cutting the relations of the womb. ) At-Tirmidhi recorded this Hadith. Allah accepts the Invocation Imam Ahmad also recorded Abu Sa`id saying that the Prophet said:
«مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَدْعُو اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِدَعْوَةٍ لَيْسَ فِيها إِثْمٌ ولَا قَطِيعَةُ رَحِمٍ، إلَّا أَعْطَاهُ اللهُ بِهَا إِحْدَى ثَلَاثِ خِصَالٍ: إِمَّا أَنْ يُعَجِّل لَهُ دَعْوَتَهُ، وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَدَّخِرَهَا لَهُ فِي الأُخْرَى، وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ مِنَ السُّوءِ مِثْلَهَا»
قَالُوا: إذًا نُكْثِرُ؟ قَالَ:
«اللهُ أَكْثَر»
( No Muslim supplicates to Allah with a Du`a that does not involve sin or cutting the relations of the womb, but Allah will grant him one of the three things.
He will either hasten the response to his supplication, save it for him until the Hereafter, or would turn an equivalent amount of evil away from him." ) They said, "What if we were to recite more ( Du`a )." He said, ( There is more with Allah. ) `Abdullah the son of Imam Ahmad recorded `Ubadah bin As-Samit saying that the Prophet said:
«مَا عَلى ظَهْرِ الأَرْضِ مِنْ رَجُلٍ مُسْلِمٍ يَدْعُو اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بَدَعْوَةٍ إِلَّا آتَاهُ اللهُ إيَّاهَا، أَوْ كَفَّ عَنْهُ مِنَ السُّوءِ مِثْلَهَا مَا لَمْ يَدْعُ بِإِثْمٍ أَوْ قَطِيعَةِ رَحِم»
( There is no Muslim man on the face of the earth who supplicates to Allah but Allah would either grant it to him, or avert a harm from him of equal proportions, as long as his supplication does not involve sin or cutting the relations of the womb. ) At-Tirmidhi recorded this Hadith. Imam Malik recorded that Abu Hurayrah narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said:
«يُسْتَجَابُ لأَحَدِكُمْ مَالَمْ يَعْجَلْ، يَقُولُ: دَعَوْتُ فَلَمْ يُسْتَجَبْ لِي»
( One's supplication will be accepted as long as he does become get hasty and say, `I have supplicated but it has not been accepted from me." ) This Hadith is recorded in the Two Sahihs from Malik, and this is the wording of Al-Bukhari. Muslim recorded that the Prophet said:
«لا يَزَالُ يُسْتَجابُ لِلْعَبْدِ مَا لَمْ يَدْعُ بِإِثْم أَوْ قَطِيعَةِ رَحِمٍ مَا لَمْ يَسْتَعْجِل»
قِيَل: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، وَمَا الاسْتِعْجَالُ؟ قَالَ:
«يَقُولُ: قَدْ دَعَوْتُ وقَدْ دَعَوْتُ، فَلَمْ أَرَ يُسْتَجَابُ لِي، فَيَسْتَحْسِرُ عِنْدَ ذلِكَ وَيَدَعُ الدُّعَاء»
( The supplication of the servant will be accepted as long as he does not supplicate for what includes sin, or cutting the relations of the womb, and as long as he does not become hasty. ) He was asked, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! How does one become hasty" He said, ( He says, `I supplicated and supplicated, but I do not see that my supplication is being accepted from me.' He thus looses interest and abandons supplicating (to Allah ).) Three Persons Whose Supplication will not be rejected In the Musnad of Imam Ahmad and the Sunans of At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah it is recorded that Abu Hurayrah narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said:
«ثَلاَثةٌ لَا تُرَدُّ دَعْوَتُهُمْ: الْإمَامُ الْعَادِلُ، وَالصَّائِمُ حَتَّى يُفْطِرَ، وَدَعْوَةُ الْمَظْلُومِ، يَرْفَعُهَا اللهُ دُونَ الْغَمَامِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَتُفْتَحُ لَهَا أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ، يَقُولُ: بِعِزَّتِي لَأَنْصُرَنَّكَ وَلَوْ بَعْدَ حِين»
( Three persons will not have their supplication rejected: the just ruler, the fasting person until breaking the fast, and the supplication of the oppressed person, for Allah raises it above the clouds on the Day of Resurrection, and the doors of heaven will be opened for it, and Allah says, `By My grace! I will certainly grant it for you, even if after a while.' )

(2:186) And if My servants ask you, O Prophet. concerning Me, tell them that I am quite near to them. I hear and answer the prayer of the suppliant, when he calls to Me. So let them respond to My call and believe in Me. *188 Convey this to them, O Prophet; perhaps they may be guided aright. *189

And when My servants ask you, [O meaning

*188).
Even though people can neither see God nor subject Him to any other form of sense perception this should not make them feel that God is remote from them.
On the contrany, He is so close to each and every person that whenever any person so wishes he can communicate with his Lord.
So much so that God hears and responds even to the prayers which remain within the innermost recesses of the heart.

People exhaust themselves by approaching false and powerless beings whom they foolishly fancy to be their deities but who have neither the power to hear nor to grant their prayers.
But God, the omnipotent Lord and the absolute Master of this vast universe, Who wields all power and authority, is so close to human beings that they can alway's approach Him without the intercession of any intermediaries, and can put to Him ther prayers and requests.

*189).
This announcement of God's closeness to man may open his eyes to the Truth, may turn him to the right way wherein lies his success and well-being.

 

Allah hears the Servant's Supplication Imam Ahmad reported that Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari said, "We were in the company of Allah's Messenger ﷺ during a battle.
Whenever we climbed a high place, went up a hill or went down a valley, we used to say, `Allah is the Most Great,' raising our voices.
The Prophet came by us and said: «يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، ارْبَعُوا عَلى أَنْفُسِكُمْ، فَإِنَّكُمْ لَا تَدْعُونَ أَصَمَّ ولَا غَائِبًا، إنَّمَا تَدْعُونَ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا، إنَّ الَّذي تَدْعُونَ أَقْربُ إِلَى أَحَدِكُمْ مِنْ عُنُقِ رَاحِلَتِهِ، يا عَبْدَاللهِ بْنَ قَيْسٍ، أَلَا أُعَلِّمُكَ كَلِمَةً مِنْ كُنُوزِ الْجَنَّةِ؟ لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِالله» ( O people! Be merciful to yourselves (i.e., don't raise your voices ), for you are not calling a deaf or an absent one, but One Who is All-Hearer, All-Seer.
The One Whom you call is closer to one of you than the neck of his animal.
O `Abdullah bin Qais ( Abu Musa's name ) should I teach you a statement that is a treasure of Paradise: `La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah ( there is no power or strength except from Allah ).') This Hadith was also recorded in the Two Sahihs, and Abu Dawud, An-Nasa'i, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah recorded similar wordings.
Furthermore, Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said that the Prophet said: «يَقُولُ اللهُ تَعَالى أَنَا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بِي وَأَنَا مَعَهُ إِذَا دَعَانِي» ( "Allah the Exalted said, `I am as My servant thinks of Me, and I am with him whenever he invokes Me.' ) Allah accepts the Invocation Imam Ahmad also recorded Abu Sa`id saying that the Prophet said: «مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَدْعُو اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِدَعْوَةٍ لَيْسَ فِيها إِثْمٌ ولَا قَطِيعَةُ رَحِمٍ، إلَّا أَعْطَاهُ اللهُ بِهَا إِحْدَى ثَلَاثِ خِصَالٍ: إِمَّا أَنْ يُعَجِّل لَهُ دَعْوَتَهُ، وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَدَّخِرَهَا لَهُ فِي الأُخْرَى، وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ مِنَ السُّوءِ مِثْلَهَا» قَالُوا: إذًا نُكْثِرُ؟ قَالَ: «اللهُ أَكْثَر» ( No Muslim supplicates to Allah with a Du`a that does not involve sin or cutting the relations of the womb, but Allah will grant him one of the three things.
He will either hasten the response to his supplication, save it for him until the Hereafter, or would turn an equivalent amount of evil away from him." ) They said, "What if we were to recite more ( Du`a )." He said, ( There is more with Allah. ) `Abdullah the son of Imam Ahmad recorded `Ubadah bin As-Samit saying that the Prophet said: «مَا عَلى ظَهْرِ الأَرْضِ مِنْ رَجُلٍ مُسْلِمٍ يَدْعُو اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بَدَعْوَةٍ إِلَّا آتَاهُ اللهُ إيَّاهَا، أَوْ كَفَّ عَنْهُ مِنَ السُّوءِ مِثْلَهَا مَا لَمْ يَدْعُ بِإِثْمٍ أَوْ قَطِيعَةِ رَحِم» ( There is no Muslim man on the face of the earth who supplicates to Allah but Allah would either grant it to him, or avert a harm from him of equal proportions, as long as his supplication does not involve sin or cutting the relations of the womb. ) At-Tirmidhi recorded this Hadith. Allah accepts the Invocation Imam Ahmad also recorded Abu Sa`id saying that the Prophet said: «مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَدْعُو اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِدَعْوَةٍ لَيْسَ فِيها إِثْمٌ ولَا قَطِيعَةُ رَحِمٍ، إلَّا أَعْطَاهُ اللهُ بِهَا إِحْدَى ثَلَاثِ خِصَالٍ: إِمَّا أَنْ يُعَجِّل لَهُ دَعْوَتَهُ، وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَدَّخِرَهَا لَهُ فِي الأُخْرَى، وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَصْرِفَ عَنْهُ مِنَ السُّوءِ مِثْلَهَا» قَالُوا: إذًا نُكْثِرُ؟ قَالَ: «اللهُ أَكْثَر» ( No Muslim supplicates to Allah with a Du`a that does not involve sin or cutting the relations of the womb, but Allah will grant him one of the three things.
He will either hasten the response to his supplication, save it for him until the Hereafter, or would turn an equivalent amount of evil away from him." ) They said, "What if we were to recite more ( Du`a )." He said, ( There is more with Allah. ) `Abdullah the son of Imam Ahmad recorded `Ubadah bin As-Samit saying that the Prophet said: «مَا عَلى ظَهْرِ الأَرْضِ مِنْ رَجُلٍ مُسْلِمٍ يَدْعُو اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بَدَعْوَةٍ إِلَّا آتَاهُ اللهُ إيَّاهَا، أَوْ كَفَّ عَنْهُ مِنَ السُّوءِ مِثْلَهَا مَا لَمْ يَدْعُ بِإِثْمٍ أَوْ قَطِيعَةِ رَحِم» ( There is no Muslim man on the face of the earth who supplicates to Allah but Allah would either grant it to him, or avert a harm from him of equal proportions, as long as his supplication does not involve sin or cutting the relations of the womb. ) At-Tirmidhi recorded this Hadith. Imam Malik recorded that Abu Hurayrah narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: «يُسْتَجَابُ لأَحَدِكُمْ مَالَمْ يَعْجَلْ، يَقُولُ: دَعَوْتُ فَلَمْ يُسْتَجَبْ لِي» ( One's supplication will be accepted as long as he does become get hasty and say, `I have supplicated but it has not been accepted from me." ) This Hadith is recorded in the Two Sahihs from Malik, and this is the wording of Al-Bukhari. Muslim recorded that the Prophet said: «لا يَزَالُ يُسْتَجابُ لِلْعَبْدِ مَا لَمْ يَدْعُ بِإِثْم أَوْ قَطِيعَةِ رَحِمٍ مَا لَمْ يَسْتَعْجِل» قِيَل: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، وَمَا الاسْتِعْجَالُ؟ قَالَ: «يَقُولُ: قَدْ دَعَوْتُ وقَدْ دَعَوْتُ، فَلَمْ أَرَ يُسْتَجَابُ لِي، فَيَسْتَحْسِرُ عِنْدَ ذلِكَ وَيَدَعُ الدُّعَاء» ( The supplication of the servant will be accepted as long as he does not supplicate for what includes sin, or cutting the relations of the womb, and as long as he does not become hasty. ) He was asked, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! How does one become hasty" He said, ( He says, `I supplicated and supplicated, but I do not see that my supplication is being accepted from me.' He thus looses interest and abandons supplicating (to Allah ).) Three Persons Whose Supplication will not be rejected In the Musnad of Imam Ahmad and the Sunans of At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah it is recorded that Abu Hurayrah narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: «ثَلاَثةٌ لَا تُرَدُّ دَعْوَتُهُمْ: الْإمَامُ الْعَادِلُ، وَالصَّائِمُ حَتَّى يُفْطِرَ، وَدَعْوَةُ الْمَظْلُومِ، يَرْفَعُهَا اللهُ دُونَ الْغَمَامِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَتُفْتَحُ لَهَا أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ، يَقُولُ: بِعِزَّتِي لَأَنْصُرَنَّكَ وَلَوْ بَعْدَ حِين» ( Three persons will not have their supplication rejected: the just ruler, the fasting person until breaking the fast, and the supplication of the oppressed person, for Allah raises it above the clouds on the Day of Resurrection, and the doors of heaven will be opened for it, and Allah says, `By My grace! I will certainly grant it for you, even if after a while.' )

( And when My servants ) the people of the Book ( question thee concerning Me ) whether I am near or far, ( then surely I am nigh ) then inform them, O Muhammad, that I am close when it comes to answering. ( I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he crieth unto Me. So let them respond to Me ) let them obey My Messenger ( and believe in Me ) and in My Messenger before asking, ( in order that they may be led rightfully ) so that they may be guided and have their prayers answered.

And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad SAW) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.

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