Al-Baqarah: (186) And when My servants ask you about Me...

Issues in the Verse:

There are several interpretations regarding how this verse connects to the previous one:

1. After Prescribing Fasting and Gratitude: Since Allah commanded glorification (تكبير) and thankfulness (شكر) after establishing the obligation of fasting and its rulings (ولتكبروا الله على ما هداكم ولعلكم تشكرون), He then clarifies that out of His grace and mercy, He is near to the servant, aware of their remembrance and gratitude, hearing their call, answering their supplication, and not disappointing their hope.
2. Order of Praise and Supplication: The command for glorification (تكبير) came first, followed by the encouragement for supplication (دعاء). This indicates that supplication must be preceded by beautiful praise. Consider Abraham (عليه السلام), who, before supplicating, praised Allah: "He Who created me, and He guides me... And Who, I hope, will forgive me my sin on the Day of Judgment." Only after this praise did he begin his supplication: "My Lord, grant me judgment and join me with the righteous." Similarly, here, glorification is commanded first, followed by supplication.
3. Context of Fasting Hardship and Repentance: When Allah obligated fasting upon them as He did for those before them, it included the prohibition of marital relations after sleeping. This proved difficult for some, leading them to disobey Allah's command. When they repented and asked the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) about their repentance, Allah revealed this verse, informing them that their repentance was accepted, and this severity was abrogated due to their supplication and humility.

Several accounts are mentioned regarding the revelation of this verse:

1. Musa's Inquiry: It is narrated that Moses (عليه السلام) asked, "My Lord, are You near so I may whisper to You, or are You far so I may call out to You?" Allah replied, "O Moses, I am a companion to whoever remembers Me." Moses then asked, "My Lord, sometimes we are in a state where we feel it inappropriate to remember You, such as during janābah (major impurity) or while relieving oneself." Allah responded, "O Moses, remember Me in all states." Because of this, Allah encouraged His servants to remember Him and turn to Him in all circumstances, thus revealing this verse.
2. Bedouin's Inquiry: A Bedouin approached the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and asked, "Is our Lord near so we may whisper to Him, or far so we may call out to Him?" Allah then revealed this verse.
3. The Prophet's Statement during Battle: The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was on a campaign, and his companions raised their voices in glorification, praise, and supplication. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) told them, "You are not calling upon someone deaf or absent; you are calling upon the All-Hearing, the Near."
4. Companions' Question: According to Qatādah and others, the Companions asked the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), "How should we supplicate to our Lord, O Messenger of Allah?" This verse was then revealed.
5. Time of Supplication: 'Aṭā' and others said they asked the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) about what time they should supplicate to Allah, and this verse was revealed.
6. Jews' Question: Ibn 'Abbās narrated that the Jews of Medina asked, "O Muhammad, how does your Lord hear our supplication?" This verse was then revealed.
7. Location of Allah: Al-Ḥasan said the Companions asked, "Where is our Lord?" and this verse was revealed.
8. Repentance after Breaking the Fast Rule: As mentioned earlier, the rule prohibiting eating after sleep (from the previous obligation) caused some to eat, then repent and ask if Allah accepts their repentance. This verse was revealed in response.

The phrase "And when My servants ask you about Me" implies they asked the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) about Allah. This question could concern:

• Allah's Essence (Dhāt): If the questioner holds anthropomorphic views, they might ask about nearness or farness in terms of physical location.
• Allah's Attributes (Ṣifāt): They might ask if Allah hears their supplication (concerning the attribute of Hearing), or how He permits supplication—whether generally, or only through specific names, or in a specific manner (like the verse about prayer: "And do not make your prayer loud nor keep it in a low voice").
• Allah's Actions (Af'āl): They might ask if Allah answers their requests when He hears their supplication, and if He performs what they ask for.

The phrase "about Me" (عني) can encompass all these meanings. However, interpreting it as a question about the Essence is preferable for two reasons:

1. The phrase "about Me" (عني) suggests the question was about His Essence, not His action.
2. When an inquiry is vague and the response is detailed, the response clarifies the intended meaning of the vague inquiry. Since the response was, "I am near," we understand the question was about nearness/farness in terms of Essence.

Conversely, one could argue the question was about Action (whether Allah answers them), evidenced by the response: "I answer the call of the caller when he calls upon Me." This explains the context.

This statement requires clarification on two points:

The First Point: This Nearness is Not Spatial/Locational

This nearness is not by direction or place, but by Knowledge (علم) and Protection (حفظ).

Evidence that this is not Locational Nearness:

1. Impossibility of Division: If Allah were in a location that could be perceived by the senses, He would be divisible. It is impossible for Him to be as small as an indivisible atom (jawhar fard). If He were divisible, His essence would depend on the existence of all His assumed parts. Since a part is distinct from the whole, if He were in a location, He would depend on something external to Him. Anything dependent on something else is contingent (mumkin), created (muḥdath), and requires a Creator. This is impossible for the Eternal Creator. Thus, Allah cannot be in a location, and His nearness is not spatial.
2. Impossibility of Infinite Extension: If He were in a location, He would either be infinitely extended in all directions, infinitely extended in some directions but finite in others, or finite in all directions.
   • The first case (infinite extension) is impossible based on conclusive proofs.
   • The second case (partially infinite) is also impossible because if one side were finite and the other infinite, the essence of the finite side would differ in nature from the infinite side, implying Allah is composed of parts with differing natures—a claim opponents would not accept.
   • The third case (finite in all directions) is agreed upon as false by both us and our opponents.
   • Therefore, the notion that Allah is in a location is refuted.
3. Universality of Nearness: If Allah were in a location, He would be near some things (like the bearers of the Throne) and far from others. If He were near Zayd in the East, He would be far from 'Amr in the West. Since the verse indicates He is near everyone, we know this nearness is not directional.

Since spatial nearness is refuted, the intended meaning must be nearness in the sense that Allah hears their supplication and sees their humility, or nearness through Knowledge and Protection. This aligns with: "And He is with you wherever you are" (وهو معكم أينما كنتم), "And We are nearer to him than [his] jugular vein" (ونحن أقرب إليه من حبل الوريد), and "There is no secret conversation of three but that He is the fourth of them" (ما يكون من نجوى ثلاثة إلا هو رابعهم). Muslims interpret Allah's presence everywhere as management (tadbīr), protection (ḥifẓ), and guardianship (ḥirāsah).

Given this premise, it is plausible that some questioners (Arabs, Jews, etc.) held anthropomorphic views and asked, "Where is our Lord?" The answer, "I am near," is appropriate. If they asked, "Does our Lord hear our supplication?" the answer "I am near" is also fitting, as one near a speaker hears their words. If they asked how to supplicate (loudly or quietly?), the answer "I am near" fits. If they asked if their requests would be granted, this answer is also suitable. If they asked about repentance after sin, "I am near" means "I am near to look upon you, forgive you, and accept your repentance." Thus, this response matches the inquiry under all interpretations.

The Second Point: The Verse Indicates Divine Action

The verse implies that the fulfillment of the supplicant's goal occurs according to the Divine Will. This proves that without a Designer who hears the supplication and does not disappoint hope, the desired outcome would not occur at that specific time.

An Intellectual Secret in "So surely I am near":

The existence (wujūd) of contingent beings is attributed to the Creator's origination. The Creator acts as an intermediary between the essences (māhiyyāt) of contingent things and their existence. Therefore, the Creator is nearer to the essence of every contingent thing than that essence is to its own existence.

Furthermore, the Creator is the reason why essences are what they are (why blackness is blackness, intellect is intellect, soul is soul). Just as His influence brings essences into existence, His influence defines what each essence is. By this logic, the Creator is nearer to every essence than that essence is to itself.

If one objects that defining an essence (e.g., making blackness be blackness) is impossible, we reply: Making existence be existence is equally impossible, as existence is an essence. Making an essence qualified by existence is also an essence, and thus not caused by an essence. If nothing is caused by an essence, then nothing is caused at all, which is clearly false. Therefore, everything must be caused by an essence, confirming the preceding argument.

The First Issue: Recitation Variants

Abū 'Amr and Qālūn (from Nāfi') recite الداعي with the yā' retained when pausing or continuing. The rest omit the yā' in continuation, favoring brevity (takhfīf).

The Second Issue: The Meaning and Value of Supplication (Du'ā')

Abū Sulaymān al-Khaṭṭābī stated that Du'ā' is a verbal noun (maṣdar) from دعوتُ الشيء أدعوه دعاءً, and the noun form is sometimes used in place of the verbal noun (like saying "I heard a sound"). The essence of supplication is the servant seeking the attention and aid of the Glorified Lord.

Views on Supplication:

Some ignorant people claim supplication is useless, arguing:

1. If the requested outcome is already decreed by Allah, it is necessary to occur anyway, so supplication is unnecessary. If it is not decreed, it is impossible to occur, so supplication is useless.
2. All events must ultimately trace back to the Necessary Existent (Allah), otherwise, it leads to infinite regress, circularity, or an uncaused event—all impossible. If the outcome was eternally decreed by the Necessary Existent, it is either necessarily required or necessarily impossible. Since these states were fixed in eternity, supplication has no effect. They cite sayings like, "The pen has dried regarding what is to be" and "Four things are finalized: lifespan, provision, creation, and destiny."
3. Allah is the Knower of the Unseen (عليم الغيوب), knowing the treachery of the eyes and what the chests conceal. Why would the supplicant need to inform Him? (They claim this high level of sincerity leads Gabriel to the highest station of servitude.)
4. If the request benefits the servant, the Generous One would not neglect it. If it does not benefit him, it is not permissible to ask for it.
5. The highest station of the truthful (Ṣiddīqīn) is contentment (riḍā) with Allah's decree. Supplication contradicts this, as it involves seeking and prioritizing one's own desire over Allah's will, seeking a human portion.
6. Supplication resembles commanding or forbidding, which is improper conduct from a servant toward the Kind, Merciful Master.
7. It is narrated that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) reported Allah saying: "Whoever is occupied by My remembrance from asking Me, I shall give him better than what I give to those who ask." Thus, they conclude abandoning supplication is preferable.

The Majority View (The Great Majority of Rational People):

Supplication is the most important station of servitude, supported by textual and rational evidence.

• Textual Evidence: Allah mentions asking and answering in many verses, both fundamental (e.g., asking about the Spirit, the Mountains, the Hour) and secondary (e.g., asking what to spend, about the sacred month, about intoxicants, about orphans, about menstruation).

Analyzing the Structure of Answers:

When Allah recounts these questions, the answers generally fall into three types:

1. Most often, after recounting the question, Allah instructs Muhammad: "Say" (قل).
2. In one instance (وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْجِبَالِ), the answer includes the particle fa (فـ) indicating immediate response: "Say: My Lord will scatter them with a scattering" (فَقُلْ يَنْسِفُهَا رَبِّي نَسْفًا). This is because the question concerned the eternity/contingency of the mountains (a fundamental issue), requiring an immediate answer, as doubt implies disbelief. Scattering is possible for every part, thus possible for the whole, proving its contingency and non-eternity.
3. In this verse, Allah says: "And when My servants ask you about Me, then surely I am near" (فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ), without saying "Say" (فَقُلْ). This indicates the immense honor of the state of supplication:
   • It is as if Allah says: "You need intermediaries when you are not supplicating, but in the station of supplication, there is no intermediary between Me and you."
   • "When My servants ask you about Me" indicates the servant belongs to Allah. "I am near" indicates Allah belongs to the servant.
   • He did not say, "The servant is near Me," but "I am near to him." This is profound: the servant, being contingent, is inherently at the center of non-existence and annihilation, incapable of reaching the Divine Nearness. However, Allah, the Capable, approaches the servant through His grace and mercy. Nearness comes from the Truth to the servant, not from the servant to the Truth. Hence, "I am near."
   • As long as the supplicant's mind is occupied with anything other than Allah, he is not truly supplicating Him. When he annihilates his self-focus and becomes absorbed in knowing the One Truth, he cannot remain conscious of his own rights or seeking his portion. When all intermediaries vanish, nearness is achieved. As long as the servant is focused on his own goal, he is not near Allah, as that goal obstructs him. Thus, supplication brings one near to Allah, making it the best act of worship.

The Second Proof for the Virtue of Supplication: Allah's statement: "And your Lord says, 'Call upon Me; I will respond to you'" (وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ).

The Third Proof: Allah did not just command supplication; in another verse, He stated that He becomes angry if one does not ask: "If only there had been a town that believed and benefited from its belief, except for the people of Yunus. When they believed, We removed from them the punishment of disgrace in worldly life and gave them enjoyment for a time." (Paraphrased contextually, the verse cited is فَلَوْلَا إِذْ جَاءَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا تَضَرَّعُوا وَلَكِنْ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ). The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: "No one should say, 'O Allah, forgive me if You will,' but should be resolute and say, 'O Allah, forgive me.'" He also said, "Supplication is the marrow of worship" (الدعاء مخ العبادة), and "Supplication is worship" (الدعاء هو العبادة), citing وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ. This means it is the greatest and most excellent form of worship, like saying "Hajj is 'Arafah" (meaning standing at 'Arafah is the greatest pillar).

The Fourth Proof: Allah commanded: "Call upon your Lord humbly and secretly" (ادْعُوا رَبَّكُمْ تَضَرُّعًا وَخُفْيَةً). He also said: "Say, 'What would my Lord care for you were it not for your supplication?'" (قُلْ مَا يَعْبَؤُ بِكُمْ رَبِّي لَوْلَا دُعَاؤُكُمْ). Whoever denies supplication denies the Qur'an.

Refutation of the First Doubt (Regarding Predestination): The argument is self-contradictory: If the action (supplication) is decreed, why bother refuting it? If it is decreed not to happen, your refutation is unnecessary. Furthermore, the manner of Allah's knowledge and decree is hidden from intellects. Divine wisdom requires the servant to remain suspended between hope and fear—the basis of servitude. This reconciles the validity of obligations with the comprehensiveness of Allah's knowledge and decree. The Companions asked the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم): "Are our deeds something already finished, or something we initiate?" He replied, "Something already finished." They asked, "Then why work?" He said, "Work, for everyone is facilitated for what they were created for." This shows the Prophet balanced the fear of prior decree with the obligation of action, affirming that the purpose of action is what was decreed for that person during their lifetime.

Refutation of the Second Doubt (Regarding Uselessness): The purpose of supplication is not to inform Allah, but to manifest servitude, humility, brokenness, and complete reliance on Allah.

Refutation of the Third Doubt (Regarding Benefit): What is not a benefit (maṣlaḥah) can become a benefit due to the preceding supplication.

Refutation of the Fourth Doubt (Regarding Contentment): If the intent of supplication is to show humility, and afterward, the servant is content with what Allah decreed, this is the highest station. This resolves the remaining doubts.

A famous difficult question arises: Allah says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you" (ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ), and "I answer the call of the caller when he calls upon Me," and "Who is it that answers the distressed one when he calls upon Him?" Yet, we see the supplicant persisting in supplication without being answered.

The Answer: Although this verse is absolute (muṭlaq), another verse restricts it: "Rather, Him you call, and He removes what you call upon Him to remove, if He wills" (بَلْ إِيَّاهُ تَدْعُونَ فَيَكْشِفُ مَا تَدْعُونَ إِلَيْهِ إِنْ شَاءَ). The absolute must be understood in light of the restricted.

Ways to reconcile this:

1. The supplicant must find compensation for their supplication. This compensation is either the fulfillment of the request (if it aligns with the decree) or, if not, Allah grants inner tranquility (sakīnah), relief of the chest, and patience to bear the present affliction. In any case, the benefit is not lost; this is a form of response.
2. Al-Qaffāl narrated from Abū Sa'īd al-Khudrī that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: "A Muslim's supplication is not rejected except for one of three reasons: unless he supplicates for sin or severing kinship, or his answer is hastened in this world, or it is stored for him in the Hereafter, or a misfortune equal to his supplication is averted from him." This narration fully explains the issue, as Allah said, "I will respond to you," but did not specify "immediately." If the response occurs even in the Hereafter, the promise remains true.
3. The phrase "Call upon Me; I will respond to you" implies the supplicant must know their Lord. Otherwise, they are calling upon an imagined entity. Thus, the condition is that the supplicant knows his Lord. A characteristic of the Lord is that He only acts according to His decree, knowledge, and wisdom. If the supplicant knows this, he cannot demand, "O Lord, do this specific action unfailingly." Rather, he must say, "Do this action if it aligns with Your decree, knowledge, and wisdom." Under this condition, the supplication that the verse promises an answer to becomes conditional upon these prerequisites, resolving the question.

Fourth Interpretation of Supplication and Response: The terms Du'ā' (supplication) and Istijābah (response) have multiple meanings:

1. Supplication as Monotheism and Praise: Like saying, "O Allah, there is no god but You." This is called supplication metaphorically because one has recognized and praised Allah. Acceptance is called response (Istijābah) to maintain linguistic consistency. Similarly, "May Allah hear those who praise Him" (سمع الله لمن حمده) means "Allah answered." Thus, "I answer the call of the caller" means "I hear that call."
2. Supplication as Repentance: The repentant person calls upon Allah during repentance. Response in this sense means acceptance of the repentance.
3. Supplication as Worship: As the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, "Supplication is worship" (الدعاء هو العبادة), supported by the verse: "And your Lord says, 'Call upon Me; I will respond to you. Indeed, those who are too proud to worship Me will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible'" (إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ خَاسِئِينَ). If supplication is worship, the response is fulfilling the promise of reward for the obedient, as in: "And He answers those who believe and do righteous deeds and gives them increase of His bounty."
4. Supplication as Requesting Needs: If the question pertains to this meaning, it does not apply to the previous three interpretations, and the issue is resolved.

The Mu'tazila argue that "I answer the call of the caller when he calls upon Me" is exclusive to the believers (Mu'minūn) "who have not mixed their faith with any wrong" (وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُوا إِيمَانَهُم بِظُلْمٍ). They argue that describing someone as having their supplication answered is a description of praise and honor. Since being "one whose supplication is answered" is the highest religious station, and the sinner (fāsiq) deserves humiliation, this description can only apply to one whose faith is untainted by sin. While Allah might grant the sinner what he asks for, it is not termed "answering the supplication."

The First Issue: The Connection of Obligation

The structure implies: Since I answer your supplication while I am absolutely independent of you, you too must respond to My call while you are utterly dependent on Me. What great generosity!

Another subtle point: Allah did not say, "Respond to My call so that I may answer yours," because that would imply His answer is conditional upon the servant's obedience. This indicates that Allah's answering the servant is an initial grace (faḍl) not conditioned by the servant's obedience. The Lord's response precedes the servant's engagement in obedience, refuting the Mu'tazila view mentioned in the previous issue.

The Second Issue: Meaning of Response

Al-Wāḥidī stated that أجاب (answered) and استجاب (responded fully) have the same meaning. Ka'b al-Ghanawī said:

A caller called out, "O He Who answers the call," But at that moment, no answerer responded to him.

People of meaning state that the servant's response to Allah is obedience (ṭā'ah), and Allah's response to the servant is granting him his request, as the response of everything must be appropriate to its nature.

The Third Issue: Order of Faith and Obedience

If the servant's response (Istijābah) is by heart and tongue, it is faith (Īmān). In this case, "So let them respond to Me and believe in Me" is mere repetition. If the servant's response means obedience (Ṭā'āt), then faith is mentioned before obedience. The proper order should have been: "So let them believe in Me and respond to Me." Why the reverse?

The Answer: Istijābah means submission and yielding (inqiyād and istislām). Īmān refers to the state of the heart. This order indicates that the servant only reaches the light and strength of faith through preceding obedience and worship.

The author of Al-Kashshāf noted that يرشدون is read with both fatḥ (opening) and kasr (breaking) on the shīn. The meaning is that if they respond to Allah and believe in Him, they will be guided to the welfare of their religion and worldly affairs, for the guided (rashīd) is one who possesses this quality. It is said, "So-and-so is rashīd." (Referencing verses like وَابْتَلُوا الْيَتَامَى حَتَّى إِذَا and أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الرَّاشِدُونَ).

2 < { Permitted for you on the night of fasting is intimacy with your wives. They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them. Allah knows that you were deceiving yourselves, so He has turned to you in forgiveness and has pardoned you. So now, have relations with them and seek what Allah has decreed for you. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread. Then complete the fast until the night. And do not have relations with them while you are in seclusion in the mosques. These are the limits of Allah, so do not approach them. Thus does Allah make clear His verses to people that they may become righteous (muttaqūn). } > 2

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(The translation continues with the exegesis of verse 187, which is not provided in the excerpt.)