Al-Qareeb

The Near

He is the One close to all His creation, Who encompasses them and knows their conditions. He is also close to the believers by supporting and protecting them and answering their invocations.

This great name occurs 3 times in the Qur’an. For example: {And when My servants ask you [O Muhammad] concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.} [Sūrat Al-Baqarah: 186] And {And to Thamūd [We sent] their brother Sālih. He said, “O my people, worship Allah; you have no god other than Him. He has produced you from the earth and settled you in it, so ask forgiveness from Him and then repent to Him. Indeed, my Lord is near and responsive.”} [Sūrat Hūd: 61]In light of this noble name, I would say:

1. What a great solace it is when a servant knows that his Lord is near him! He feels reassured and his hope and trust increase.
2. As you know that Allah is near you, this should prompt you to get close to Him by things dear and pleasing to Him. He says in the Qur’an,{Indeed, the mercy of Allah is near to the doers of good.} [Sūrat Al-A‘rāf: 56] He also said in a Qudsi Hadīth, “My servant does not draw close to Me through things dearer to Me than what I made obligatory for him; and My servant continues to draw close to Me through supererogatory acts until I love him.”[1]
3. Remember the Prophet’s statement, “A servant is nearest to his Lord when he is prostrating himself.”So, be one of those who prostrate themselves, in obligatory and supererogatory prayers, and be one of those who prostrate themselves physically and spiritually within their hearts.

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[1] Narrated by Al-Bukhᾱri