MARY—Auntie! Does God help us against our enemy if we pray to Him?
BUSHRA—Our God is an extremely faithful God, Who works wonders for those who remain faithful to Him. He delivers them from every danger and gives them victory over their enemies.
Numerous examples can be given from history where
Prophets of God received Divine help in their times of danger. Though every effort was made on the part of the opponents to stop the Divine message, God stood by His Messengers and they emerged victorious in the end.
The Holy Quran states:
کَتَبَ اللّٰہُ لَاَغۡلِبَنَّ اَنَا وَرُسُلِیۡ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ قَوِیٌّ عَزِیۡزٌ
Allah has decreed: ‘Most surely I will prevail, I and My Messengers.’ Verily, Allah is Powerful, Mighty. (58:22)
Let me give you an example of Moses, peace be upon him. During his time Pharaoh, the king who ruled over Egypt was a cruel and unjust ruler. He used to inflict grievous torments on Israelites by imposing upon them hard labour. He had also issued orders that their sons be killed and their daughters be spared. Moses was very distressed. He asked for Divine help. God commanded Moses to take the Israelites out of Egypt into Canaan to save them from Pharaoh’s tyranny.
Accordingly the Israelites left secretly by night. When Pharaoh learnt of their escape, he pursued them with his mighty forces. With the help of God Almighty Moses along with his followers crossed the Red sea safely while Pharaoh and his forces were drowned in the sea.
MARY—That was a great sign of the truth of Moses.
BUSHRA—Indeed that was a great sign. God always helps His Prophets.
Another example, which I can relate, is from the life of Jesus, peace be upon him. The Jews did not believe in the truth of Jesus. They arrested him and put him on the cross in order to kill him. They considered him to be a false Prophet. Jesus cried for help to his Lord, Eli, Eli Lima Sabaqtani, which means, ‘My God! My God! Why hast Thou forsaken me?’
God accepted his prayer. It is stated in the Bible that darkness fell over the whole land. There was an earthquake too.
As the Sabbath was approaching, the body of Jesus was taken down from the cross. He was alive though he was unconscious. The body was placed in an empty tomb. According to Ahmadi Muslims, his wounds were soon healed and he left the country secretly and went to far off lands in search of the lost tribes of Israel. It is said that he finally settled in Kashmir valley and lived a long and successful life.
BARBARA—If he lived in Kashmir in his old age, he must have died there. Where is his grave?
BUSHRA—His grave can be visited even today in the Khanyaar district of Srinagar city.
MARY—Auntie! The story of Jesus’ survival from the cross, which you told us, was from the Muslim point of view. What do the Jews and the Christians believe?
BUSHRA—Thank you for asking that question. The Jews believed that he was a false Prophet and he died an accursed death on the cross. According to the Bible, ‘He, that is hanged is accursed of God.’ (Deuteronomy 21:23)
The Christians believe that Jesus suffered death upon the cross to atone for the sins of mankind, and thus became the only true source of human salvation.
SALMA—This means that there is a great controversy about the crucifixion incident among these religions.
BUSHRA—Yes. Indeed. Another example of Divine help can be given from the life of the Holy Prophet of Islam, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
When the whole of Makkah turned against the Holy Prophet, the leading men of Quraish tribe gathered and decided that he should be put to death by a joint attempt on his life. They planned that a young man from each clan should be selected and the whole group should pounce upon the Holy Prophet and kill him. In this manner the responsibility of their action would be on all clans.
God revealed their plan to the Holy Prophet and directed him to migrate to Madinah the same night.
As night fell the Quraish besieged the house of the Holy Prophet but he slipped out of the house without being noticed. He passed through the streets of Makkah and soon he was out of the city. There he met Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, who was to accompany him. Both climbed up to the cave of Thaur, a cave high up in the mountain three miles to the south of Makkah and took refuge there.
In the morning when the people of Makkah came to know that Muhammad had escaped, they sent several parties in search of him. The Quraish had announced a reward of one hundred camels for any one who would bring back Muhammad dead or alive. Trackers were hired for the purpose. They led the people to the mouth of the cave.
The chief tracker announced that the footmarks of the fugitives did not appear to go any further so there is a possibility that they may be hiding in the cave but the others ridiculed him saying, ‘How can someone take refuge in this cave which seems to be infested with poisonous insects and reptiles?’
Abu Bakr could hear them talking to each other outside the cave. He was much perturbed and whispered to the Holy Prophet, ‘Messenger of Allah, Quraish have arrived so close that I can see their feet outside the cave.’
The Holy Prophet reassured him saying, ‘Do not worry. Allah is with us.’
The party returned to Makkah frustrated. After a few days journey the Holy Prophet and Hazrat Abu Bakr reached Madinah where Muslims were waiting to receive them warmly.
JOHN—Are we allowed to pray to God Almighty for worldly things?
BUSHRA—Allah says in the Holy Quran:
اُدۡعُوۡنِیۡۤ اَسۡتَجِبۡ لَکُمۡ
Pray unto Me; I will answer your prayer. (40:61)
The verse shows that God accepts our prayers. At another place Allah says in the Holy Quran:
وَاِذَا سَاَلَکَ عِبَادِیۡ عَنِّیۡ فَاِنِّیۡ قَرِیۡبٌ ؕ اُجِیۡبُ دَعۡوَۃَ الدَّاعِ اِذَا دَعَانِ ۙ فَلۡیَسۡتَجِیۡبُوۡا لِیۡ وَلۡیُؤۡمِنُوۡا بِیۡ لَعَلَّہُمۡ یَرۡشُدُوۡنَ
And when My servants ask thee about Me, say: ‘I am near. I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he prays to Me. So they should hearken to Me and believe in Me, that they may follow the right way.’ (2:187)
We should therefore make it a habit to ask Him for all our needs, however small these needs might be. I will tell you a Saying of the Holy Prophet of Islam. He is reported to have said, ‘Everyone among you should pray to Allah and beg Him for all you stand in need of, even for the shoelace that has snapped.’