Allah the Almighty warns...

Allah the Almighty warns, إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ “Surely those who are arrogant regarding My worship (invoking Me), will soon enter hell in a degraded state.” (Qur’an, 23:60) Imam Al-Baqir (‘a) interprets the word ‘worship’ in this verse as ‘supplication’ and then proceeds to say, وَ أَفْضَلُ الْعِبَادَةِ الدُّعاءُ.

“And supplication is the most superior form of worship.”[^4] Hannan Bin Sudair relates from his father, who asked Imam Al-Baqir (‘a), ‘What is the best form of worship?” Imam (‘a) replied, مَا مِنْ شَيْءٍ أَفْضَلُ عِنْدَ اللهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنْ أَنْ يُسْأَلَ وَ يُطْلَبَ مِمّا عِنْدَهُ. وَمَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ أَبْغَضُ إِلَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِمَّنْ يَسْتَكْبِرُ عَنْ عِبادَتِهِ وَ لا يَسْأَلُ مَا عِنْدَهُ.

“There is nothing better near Allah (Mighty and Glorified be He) than that He is asked and sought for what is with Him. And the most hateful and detestable person for Allah is he who is arrogant in His worship and does not ask Him for what is with Him.”[^5] Hence, we should not claim that Allah the Almighty knows our needs and wants and thus there is no need for us to ask Him further, if as He deems it proper, He will grant it.

For, invocation and supplication is this very attention towards Allah and reaching out to His wealth, generosity, and grant. At the same time, it is an expression of our being in His slavery and bondage and confessing to His Lordship and Mastership. And this will be the best form of Allah’s worship. Therefore, we must implore and beseech Allah.

Since apparent pleas without heartily attention is fruitless, we must make efforts to ask Him from the depth of our hearts, even if we don’t utter our demands orally. So, invocation is loved and desirable in all states and at all times but that invocation is more acceptable which is accompanied with its etiquette and conditions of time and place.

As said earlier, one of the best times for supplications, is during prayers and after it, because it is that time when a believer rises to converse with his Lord, attains the elevated position of divine recognition and proximity, and his focus and concentration towards his Master is increased. We hope that Allah the Almighty makes our prayers as a channel towards His nearness a means for the acceptance of our supplications and needs. [^1]: Khisal, p. 488 [^2]: Usul al Kafi, vol. 2, p.

475 [^3]: Usul al Kafi, vol. 2, p. 475 [^4]: Usul al Kafi, vol.2, p.

✦ ✦ ✦