even prior to being pleaded. He knows the need of those who are in need before they pray
Him, and He since eternity knows all their needs, so He has provided them with means to
satisfy all their needs: He creates foods and all types of sustenance for them; He creates the
tools and the means to get such tools to the hands of those who need them. Al-Mujeeb
responds to the pleas of those who plead to Him. Since time immemorial, He knew in
advance what they needed. He goes to the rescue of those who are in dire need of help, and
He does not disappoint anyone who pleads to Him.
This theme recurs quite often throughout the Holy Qura'n. Examples are:
And Noah called upon Us, and most excellent are We to answer the prayer. (37:75)
So their Lord accepted their prayer: That I will not waste the deed of one who does a good
deed among you, whether male or female, each one of you being from the other. (3:195) And
Job (Ayyub) cried out to his Lord: Harm has afflicted me, and You are the most Merciful of
the merciful. So We responded to him and removed the harm from him, and We gave him his
family and the like (number) of them in addition: a mercy from Us and a reminder to the
worshippers. (21:83-84) Or Who answers the [prayer of] the distressed one when he calls
upon Him and removes the evil, and Who will make you successors in the earth? Is there a
god with Allah? Little is it that you mind! (27:62) ... you sought aid from your Lord, so He
answered you: I will assist you with a thousand of the angels following one another. (8:9)
When My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of
the suppliant when he calls on Me. (2:186)
And your Lord says: Call upon Me, I will answer you; surely those who are too proud to
worship Me shall soon enter hell abased. (40:60) For those who respond to their Lord there is
goodness, and those who do not respond to Him, had they had all that is in the earth and the
like thereof with it, they would certainly have offered it for a ransom. (As for) those (latter
ones), an evil reckoning shall be theirs, and their abode is hell, and evil, indeed, is the resting-
place. (13:18) O you who believe! Answer (the call of) Allah and His Prophet when he invites
you to that which gives you life, and be informed that Allah intervenes between man and his
heart, and that to Him you shall be gathered. (8:24)
Allah is capable of responding in various ways. When some of His friends are in need of
something, He satisfies their need, and He may even make some circumstances deliberately
hard for them only to test them and raise their status due to their perseverance, and to their
thanking Him during the time of ease as well as the time of hardship. So when they almost
lose hope, He comes to their rescue with beautiful rewards and with indications of His being
pleased with them. Allah guarantees for His servant that He will respond favourably to his
supplication in the way which He knows to be in his best interest, and at the time He chooses,
rather than the time chosen by His servant; so, do not lose hope because of His delay in
answering your plea, for such a delay may prove to be better for you. Allah May even opt to
grant you better than what you ask Him for; so, plead to Him as one convinced of His
favourable response.