وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِى عَنِّى فَإِنِّى قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لِى وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِى لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ 186
Translations
And when My servants ask you, [O Muḥammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.
Transliteration
Wa-idha sa-alaka 'ibadi 'anni fa-inni qareeb, ujeebu da'wata ad-da'i idha da'an, falyastajiboo lee wa-lyu'minoo bee la'allahum yarshudoon.
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah assures believers of His nearness and responsiveness to their supplications, stating that He answers the prayer of every supplicant who calls upon Him. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that Allah's proximity is not spatial but rather encompasses His perfect knowledge and immediate awareness of His servants' needs and intentions. In response to this divine mercy, believers are commanded to obey Allah and believe in Him, as adherence to His guidance leads to righteousness (rushd) and success in both worlds.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed during the month of Ramadan in the Medinan period, addressing questions from the Sahabah (companions) about the nature of supplication and Allah's closeness to His servants during this sacred month. It appears in the context of verses discussing fasting and the spiritual benefits of Ramadan, emphasizing that this is a period of heightened divine mercy when supplications are readily answered.
Related Hadiths
Tirmidhi reports that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Your Lord said: I am as My servant thinks of Me.' This hadith reinforces the ayah's theme of Allah's responsiveness based on sincere expectation. Additionally, in Sahih Muslim, it is narrated that the Prophet encouraged dua (supplication), saying 'Dua is worship itself,' emphasizing the importance of direct communication with Allah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that no distance separates a believer from Allah's hearing and response—sincere supplication reaches Him immediately, and He answers according to His infinite wisdom and mercy. Modern readers should cultivate a deep confidence in Allah's presence and responsiveness while ensuring their faith is accompanied by obedience to His commands and genuine belief in His guidance.
Related Ayahs
وَإِذْ وَٰعَدْنَا مُوسَىٰٓ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً ثُمَّ ٱتَّخَذْتُمُ ٱلْعِجْلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ وَأَنتُمْ ظَـٰلِمُونَ
And [recall] when We made an appointment with Moses for forty nights. Then you took [for worship] the calf after him [i.e., his departure], while you were wrongdoers.
فَٱذْكُرُونِىٓ أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لِى وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ
So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me.
إِذْ تَبَرَّأَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتُّبِعُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوا۟ وَرَأَوُا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ وَتَقَطَّعَتْ بِهِمُ ٱلْأَسْبَابُ
[And they should consider that] when those who have been followed disassociate themselves from those who followed [them], and they [all] see the punishment, and cut off from them are the ties [of relationship],
فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۗ وَيَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ ۖ قُلْ إِصْلَاحٌ لَّهُمْ خَيْرٌ ۖ وَإِن تُخَالِطُوهُمْ فَإِخْوَٰنُكُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ ٱلْمُفْسِدَ مِنَ ٱلْمُصْلِحِ ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَأَعْنَتَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
To this world and the Hereafter. And they ask you about orphans. Say, "Improvement for them is best. And if you mix your affairs with theirs - they are your brothers. And Allāh knows the corrupter from the amender. And if Allāh had willed, He could have put you in difficulty. Indeed, Allāh is Exalted in Might and Wise."