ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Supplication In the Eyes of the (as) The Means to be Employed when Praying to Allah Since we have been discussing the obstacles and the factors of the ascension of deeds, it would be appropriate as well to talk about the means that we must employ when supplicating Allah, the Exalted. Allah Himself has invited us to take recourse to Him.

He says: “They {themselves} are the ones who supplicate, seeking a recourse to their Lord…” [^1] He also says: “O you who have faith! Be wary of Allah, and seek the means of recourse to Him…” [^2] In fact, these means have been ordained by Allah , out of His mercy, for those of His creatures whose deeds and prayers are not strong enough to ascend to Him; as He is the Most Merciful of all merciful.

He, the Exalted, says: “To Him ascends the good word and He elevates righteous conduct.” [^3] ‘A good word’ and ‘righteous conduct’ are part of human life. The ‘good word’ is one’s belief in Allah, his sincerity to Him, his confidence and hope in Him, and his entreating Him. While the ‘righteous conduct’ is the deed which one performs out of belief, sincerity, confidence, and hope in Allah.

The ‘good word’ ascends to Allah as per the assertion of the Qur’an, but it is the ‘righteous deed’ which elevates the ‘good word’ to Allah, as affirmed also by the Qur’an itself. The ‘good word’ cannot ascend to Allah without the ‘righteous deed’. Nevertheless, sometimes the ‘righteous deed’ is weak and ineffective, and so it is unable to elevate the ‘good word’ to Allah. Subsequently, the prayer of a person would fail to ascend to Allah, and therefore it would not be answered.

For this reason, Allah, out of His mercy for his creatures, has decreed in human life and kept at his disposal ‘means’ ( wasa’il ) through which he may seek recourse to Allah and which may assist him to ascend to Him. Were it not for these means, a person would not have been able to raise his prayer and imploration to Allah. The Qur’an has pointed to these means. Among such means is the prayer of the Holy Prophet (S) and his pleading for forgiveness for his nation ( ummah ).