The Essence of Islam – Volume II — Page 224
224. Essence of Islam II stumbling block. Perseverance and steadfastness in prayer is one thing, but obstinacy is quite another. To say that if one's purpose is not fulfilled one would deny faith or would say this or that is great foolishness and betrays ignorance of the manner of prayer and amounts to shirk. . Such people are not aware of the philosophy of prayer. . Nowhere does the Holy Qur'an say that God would accept prayer according to the desire of the supplicant. It is true that it is said in the Holy Qur'ān: 66 ادْعُونِي اسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ but it is also part of our faith, as the Holy Qur'ān too says:. If by virtue of: 67 وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ 68. God accepts your prayer, then by virtue of: لنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ . . 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: وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ 70 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] 69 70 'We will try you . . . '-Al-Baqarah, 2:156 [Publisher] 'And We will try you with something of fear. . . . '-Al-Baqarah,