‘Taqwah’ Attracts God's Mercy

Islam is an amazingly hope-inducing religion for the human soul. With its invitation to an All Powerful, Most-Forgiving and Ever- Merciful Lord who cares for His servants and believers in this very world (as well as in the Hereafter), Islam provides a fascinating framework of ideas to deal with life’s contingent circumstances, deep disappointments, hopeless situations and other abiding sorrows. The Book of God in particular allows us to let go of despair and be hopeful of Divine mercy through its wonderfully-life affirming teachings: 

‘Do not despair of God’s mercy- only disbelievers despair of God’s mercy’, (12:88). 

‘God does not deny anyone who is mindful of God and steadfast in adversity the rewards of those who do good’ (12: 91) 

‘Is God not enough for His servant ?’ (39: 37)

One of the Divine revelations vouchsafed to the Promised Messiah Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) of Qadian on the auspicious occasion of the 27th night of Ramadan 1324/ 15 November 1906 reads as follows:  

Qadir hai wo baargah,

tota kaam banaaé,

Bana, bana ya tor dé

Koyi uss ka bhed na jaané

('All Powerful and Almighty is the Lord Allah. An affair that had failed and broken to pieces, He can If He wills crown with success; And He also has the power to smash it up and reduce it to nothing that which stood accomplished and complete. There is none who can read the stupendous import of His profound Mysteries').

Given this extraordinary nature of dynamic Divine Will, the believer's faith allows her to invoke the favour of God, His special Mercy and Grace, through the instrumentality of Duahs. Indeed the Qur’an points to the power of sublime supplications to bring about a million miracles in our everyday secular and spiritual life. Those who are mindful of God and invoke fervent supplications to the Almighty hope to find open the doors of special Divine mercy and grace, transforming the landscape of their material and spiritual fortunes: fatal diseases can move away; family troubles and financial difficulties may be dissolved; mountains of other problems can disappear; even an infertile woman may be blessed with an offspring. Everything is possible, for Allah (swt) is wonderful; a Seeing and Hearing God Who notices what we ask of Him, and watches over our distressed beseeching. 

The Holy Book notes,

‘Or Who is it that answers the distressed person when he calls on Him, and removes (his) distress (and agony)?’ (27: 62).

Likewise, the Holy Book also says: 

‘Say, Who delivers you from the horrors of the land and the sea when you call upon Him in humility and in open supplication (saying), If He delivers us from this (hardship) we shall ever be grateful (to Him)’? Say, It is Allah Who delivers you from these (horrors) and from every calamity, still you associate partners (with Him)» (6: 63-64) 

'Taqwah' and Divine Mercy

Indeed, according to the Qur'an, a Muttaqi is the one whom Allah provides with a way out of his ordeals and difficulties when he least expects it: 

"Any one who believes in God and Last Day should heed this: God will find a way out for those who are mindful of Him, and will provide for them from an unexpected source; God will be enough for those who put their trust in Him. God achieves His purpose; God has set a due measure for everything....God makes things easy for those who are mindful of Him. This is God's command, which He has sent down to you. God will wipe out the sinful deeds and increase the rewards of anyone who is mindful of Him". (Surah Al- Talaq, 65: 3-6)       

A famous Hadith, reported both in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, shows that Divine Mercy is attracted by good deeds done with full sincerity by the believers. People who are mindful of God consciously refrain from evil impulses, and unfair practices injuring morals or impacting fellow beings. They discharge their responsibilities diligently and do good to others by respecting their rights and interests. Such believers reward themselves with special Divine Mercy and Grace, especially when one finds oneself in a difficult situation.  

Read the Hadith Below:

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

Three men of a people before you, were on a journey when they were overtaken by a storm and therefore they took shelter in a cave. A rock slipped down from the mountain and blocked the exit from cave. One of them said: "The only way for deliverance left is to beseech Allah in the name of some virtuous deed." 

Thereupon one of them supplicated:

"O Lord, my parents were very old, and I used to offer them their nightly drink of milk before my children and the other members of the family. One day I went astray far away in search of green trees and could return only after my parents had gone to sleep. When I had milked the animals and brought their nightly drink to them, they were fast asleep, but I did not like to disturb them, nor would give any part of the milk to my children and other members of the family till after my parents had had their drink. Thus, with the vessel in hand, I awaited their awakening till the flush of dawn, while the children cried out of hunger at my feet. When they woke up, they had their drink. O Lord, if I did this thing seeking only your pleasure, then do relieve us of the distress wrought upon us by this rock."

Thereupon, the rock moved a little but not enough to let them pass out. Then the second man supplicated:

"O Lord, I had a cousin that I loved more passionately than any man could love a woman. I tried to seduce her but she would refuse, till in a season of great hardship due to famine, she approached me (for help) and I gave her one hundred and twenty Dinars on the condition that she would have sexual intercourse with me. She agreed, and when we got together and I was just going to have intercourse with her, she pleaded, 'Fear Allah, and do not break the seal unlawfully', whereupon I moved away from her, despite the fact that I desired her most passionately; and I let her keep the money I had given her. O Lord, if I did this thing seeking only your pleasure, then do move the distress in which we find ourselves."

Again, the rock moved a little but not enough to let them pass out. Then the third supplicated:

"O Lord, I hired some labourers and paid them their dues, but one of them left leaving behind what was due to him. I invested it in business and the business prospered greatly. After a while, the labourer came back and said: 'O servant of Allah, hand over to me my wages.' I said to him: 'All that you see here is yours; camels, cattle, goats and slaves.' He said: 'Don't play joke with me, O servant of Allah.' I assured him: 'I am not joking.' So, he took all of it sparing nothing. O Lord, if I did this seeking only for your pleasure, do relieve us of our distress."

The rock then moved away, and all the three came out of the cave safe and sound.