Why Should We Pray for the Prophet, upon him peace and blessings?

 

That blessed person, upon him be peace and blessings, concerns himself with the happiness of his whole umma both individually and collectively, and he is anxious about whatever may befall them. Although he has, for himself, infinite degrees of eternal happiness and levels of perfection, yet he wishes ardently for the happiness in all times and degrees of each member of his nation and is grieved about each of their misfortunes, and so he needs and most certainly deserves countless blessings and prayers.

 

Why is it that sometimes we pray for things sure to happen – like the prayer made when the sun or moon is eclipsed and sometimes for things which cannot possibly happen?

Prayer is a kind of worship. A servant proclaims through prayer his helplessness and poverty before God. The apparent purposes for prayer are rather causes for doing the worship of prayer. The reward for worship is principally given in the Hereafter. If the intended worldly aims are not achieved through prayer, one should not say, ‘My prayer has not been accepted’, rather one should say, ‘The time for prayer is not yet over’.

Besides, is it conceivable that the people of belief will not be given the eternal happiness for which they ask continually with great zeal and utmost sincerity, that the absolutely Benevolent and Compassionate One, to Whose infinite Mercy all the universe testifies, will not accept their prayer to establish the World of Eternal Happiness?

 

This article has been adapted from Risale- i Nur Collection.