An Islamic Treasury of Virtues
3. Worship
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along with the Prophet, and the latter had just
pronounced the salutations marking the end of the
prayer, a man who had participated in the prayer from
the start, arose, and began offering voluntary prayers.
Umar sprang to his feet and seizing the man by the
shoulders, said, “Don’t you know that the People of
the Book did not have a gap between their prayers
and that was their undoing?” The Prophet looked up,
and addressing Umar, said: “Ibn Khattab, through
you God has communicated what is true an correct.
(ABU DAWUD,
SUNAN
)
GOD CAN HEAR EVEN THE SMALLEST
WHISPER
Certain individuals once asked the Prophet whether
God was close enough for them to make whispered
supplications to Him, or whether he was so far
away that they should call His name out loud. This
verse of the Qur’an was revealed in reply to their
question: “When my servants question you
concerning Me, tell them that I am near. I answer
the prayer of the suppliant when he calls Me ...”
(Quran, 2:186)
