Do Not Be Impatient and Hasty — Essence of Islam Vol. 2
Introduction
In this discourse from Essence of Islam (Volume 2), Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (AS), the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, expounds upon Do Not Be Impatient and Hasty, presenting profound spiritual insights and scriptural verities.
Book Series: Essence of Islam (Volume 2)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian (AS)
Section: Part 5: Prayer
Navigation: Book Table of Contents | « Previous: Why Acceptance of Supplications Is Sometimes Delayed | Next: God Comes Closer Through Prayer »
During the interval between a supplication and its acceptance one is often subjected to trial after trial, some of which are back-breaking. A persevering and goodnatured supplicant smells the perfume of the favours of his Lord in these trials and difficulties and his intelligence informs him that they will be followed by help. One aspect of these trials is that they foster eagerness for prayer. The greater the distress of the supplicant, the more his soul will be melted. This is one of the factors in the acceptance of prayer. So one should not lose heart and should not think ill of God through impatience and restlessness. One should never think that one’s prayer is not accepted or will not be accepted. Such a notion is a denial of the attribute of God that He accepts prayers.
[Malfuzat, vol. IV, pp. 434]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 2, p. 222]
Prayer is very valuable and a person who is given to prayer succeeds in the end. However, it is foolishness and disrespect that a person should seek to avoid the design of God Almighty. For instance, to pray that the
[Malfuzat, vol. III, pp. 203-204]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 2, p. 222]
We should have recourse to prayer and should seek forgiveness from God Almighty for He is Self-Sufficient and is not subject to anyone’s authority. He has no regard for a person who does not come to Him humbly and in submission. If a person goes to another begging or seeking a favour and puts forward his helplessness and poverty, he would be shown some favour, but if a person comes riding a horse and seeks a favour and threatens that if it is not granted he would have recourse to force, he would only be met by force. To seek a favour from God Almighty obstinately, and to make one’s faith conditional, is a great mistake and is likely to prove a 66
but it is also part of our faith, as the Holy Qur’an too says: 67
If by virtue of:
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ٱدۡعُونِيٓ أَسۡتَجِبۡ لَكُمۡ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ عَنۡ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدۡخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ
“And your Lord says: ‘Pray unto Me; I will answer your prayer. But those who are too proud to worship Me will surely enter Hell, despised.’” (Surah ‘Pray unto Me, 40:61)
God accepts your prayer, then by virtue of:
وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيۡءٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَٰلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ
“And We will try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives, and fruits; but give glad tidings to the patient,” (Surah ‘We will try you . . .’—Al-Baqarah, 2:156)
He enforces His own will. It is the Benevolence and Generosity of God Almighty that He accepts the supplications of His servants; otherwise, it would not be inconsistent with His Godhead and Providence that He should always enforce His will. When He says:
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ٱدۡعُونِيٓ أَسۡتَجِبۡ لَكُمۡ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسۡتَكۡبِرُونَ عَنۡ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدۡخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ
“And your Lord says: ‘Pray unto Me; I will answer your prayer. But those who are too proud to worship Me will surely enter Hell, despised.’” (Surah ‘Pray unto Me, 40:61)
66 ‘Pray unto Me, I will answer your prayer.’—Al-Mu’min 40:61 [Publisher]
67 ‘And We will try you with something of fear and hunger.’—AlBaqarah, 2:156 [Publisher]
68 ‘Pray unto Me, I will answer your prayer.’—Al-Mu’min 40:61 [Publisher]70 ‘And We will try you with something of fear….’—Al-Baqarah, 71
And give glad tidings to the steadfast. God does not say that glad tidings should be conveyed to supplicants, but to those who persevere. It is necessary, therefore, that a supplicant should not lose heart if he meets with failure in his prayers, but should prefer the pleasure of God Almighty with steadfastness and perseverance. The men of God perceive the hopefulness of an enterprise and in that case they supplicate; otherwise, they are content with Divine determination. When they perceive the signs of a calamity, they supplicate, but if they feel that such is Divine determination, they are steadfast, as was the case with the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) on the demise of his children, one of whom was Ibrahim.
[Malfuzat, vol. III, pp. 385-386]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 2, p. 223]
It is my frequent experience that God is so Benevolent and Merciful that when in His Wisdom He does not accept a prayer, He accepts some other prayer in place of 2:156 [Publisher]
it which is like it. As He has said: 72
[Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 22, p. 340]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 2, p. 225]
Be not content with thinking that you pray every day and that the whole of Salat is prayer, for the prayer which issues after understanding and through grace is of a different type altogether. It is something that destroys; it is a fire that melts; it is a magnetic power that draws mercy and it is a death which in the end revives. It is a fierce inundation which finally becomes a vessel. Every frustration is remedied by it and every poison becomes an antidote through it.
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 2]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 2, p. 226]
Book Series: Essence of Islam (Volume 2)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian (AS)
Section: Part 5: Prayer
Navigation: Book Table of Contents | « Previous: Why Acceptance of Supplications Is Sometimes Delayed | Next: God Comes Closer Through Prayer »