III.Observational Proof
Observational Proof
Human instinct and man's natural inclination confesses the Existence of Allah (Glorious & Exalted), which makes man continuously seek refuge with his God and Creator (Glorious & Sublime) in prayer and asking.
Without a doubt, the fact that the One Who created man and designed him in this fashion—to incline instinctively and naturally to believe in Him and His Oneness, and to seek refuge with Him always through prayer and asking—is surely true testimony and convincing proof of His Existence, His Wisdom and the Absoluteness of His Power.
Frequently we hear—with doubtless certainty—about the response of Allah (Glorious & Exalted) to the prayers of His good, believing servants, especially the prophets and messengers. Frequently we see with our own eyes that which shows that Allah (Glorious & Exalted) has answered our prayers and requests. For, how many people pray to Allah Most High and say, "Oh Lord!" and then see the answer before their very eyes?[1]
Allah (Blessed & Exalted) revealed in His Great Book (the Holy Quran) that which proves that He answers the prayers of His slaves. For example, the saying of the Most High,
{And (remember)Job, when he cried to his Lord, "Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all who show mercy." * So We answered his call, and We removed the distress that was on him…}
[Al-Anbiyaa' 21: 83-84]
In the authentic Sunnah, it came to the Seal of Allah's Prophets and Messengers, Muhammad (pbuh), that which confirms this:
The hadith of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), when he said,
A man entered on Friday while the Prophet (pbuh) was giving the sermon. He (the man) said, "Oh Messenger of Allah, our wealth has perished and our avenues are cut off, so pray to Allah to save us." So the Prophet (pbuh) raised his hands and said, "Oh Allah, save us! Oh Allah, save us! Oh Allah, save us!" The sky was clear, without a trace of clouds, but the Prophet (pbuh) did not descend from the pulpit except when rain was dripping from his beard (may the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) from the downfall of rain. The rain continued for an entire week until the same man came the following Friday and said, "Oh Messenger of Allah, the buildings have been destroyed and our property is flooded, so pray to Allah to hold it (the sky from raining) back from us." So the Prophet (pbuh) raised his hands and merely said, "Oh Allah, around us, and not on us." And he gestured with his hand. He did not point in one direction except that it subsided by Allah's Leave, and the people went out, walking in sunshine.
[Reported by al-Bukhari]
This noble hadith is visual proof and sensory testament that Allah (Glorious & Exalted) answers the prayers of His prophet (pbuh).
We would also like to point out that:
In this noble, authentic hadith, there is evidence of the truth of the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), in that one of the signs that he is a true messenger is that his Lord (Blessed & Exalted) supports him by answering his prayers, especially when they are seen and heard by many people, so that it serves to confirm his authority (pbuh) and the truth of his message, in addition to being testimony for all people in general (all those who learn of this hadith and other signs of prophethood) of faith and belief in his propethood and message (pbuh), and therefore, certainty in the truth of his call and the veracity of all he informed them of (pbuh).
In this noble, authentic hadith, there is evidence of the mercy, acuity and wisdom of Allah's Messenger (pbuh), in that he responded to the man's request initially by praying to his Lord (Blessed & Exalted) to send down upon them rain to provide for their needs and save them. This was an indication of his compassion and mercy (pbuh).
Then, after the rain continued for an entire week, the man returned a second time to ask Allah's Messenger (pbuh) to beseech Allah (Glorious & Exalted) to hold back the rain because of the harm it had caused, so Allah's Messenger (pbuh) responded to his request, but with perceptiveness and wisdom. He (pbuh) asked his Lord (Blessed & Exalted), "Oh Allah, around us, and not on us." In other words, he asked that the rain continue to bring benefit, but that it come down around the city, not on it, so that it would not harm its inhabitants.
He did not come again and ask him (pbuh) for the rain not to come again since that would bring the destruction and harm of drought. This great wisdom of Allah's Messenger (pbuh), and his mercy and compassion for those he was sent to, is a sign and a testament to his prophethood (pbuh) and the truth of his message and everything he informed us of.
Therefore, all we have mentioned in terms of the response of Allah (Glorious & Exalted) to the prayers of his slaves is but a summary of observational proof of the Existence of Allah (Mighty & Majestic).
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[1]Ibid. #25
