Category: Explaining Hadith

How to get the prayers approved?

امام حسن ع: أَنَا الضَّامِنُ‏ لِمَنْ لَمْ يَهْجُسْ فِي قَلْبِهِ إِلَّا الرِّضَا أَنْ يَدْعُوَ اللَّهَ فَيُسْتَجَابَ‏ لَهُ. (الكافي / ج‏2 / 62

“Imam Hassan (as) has said: I’m the guarantor for any invocation of a servant to have his/her prayers approved, if his/her heart is solely dedicated to the Divine Will” Al-Kafi, v. 2, p.62

One of the God’s Shi’ah Saints, [Imam Hassan Mujtabah (as)], one of the infallible Imams of the Shi’ah, has assured a positive answer for the people’s invocation (even in the form of intercession) when a servant invokes his/her Almighty God. At least this is the apparent meaning of the Hadith. He states: I am the guarantor of those devoted prayers to be approved. However there is a condition for this guaranty, namely that the person –wholeheartedly- does not consider anything, nor harbor any motives for his actions aside of pleasing the Lord, obeying His commands and being fully compliant with His Finally-cut Will (Ridha bil Mashia’h). As the technical term ‘ridha’ has been used without incurring an objective (mut’alaq), it means that one has to be fully compliant with ‘any final Will’ that the Almighty (swt) may approve for answering his/her prayers. Therefore, it is necessary for a person to study the Qur’anic teachings first, and to obey supplementary orders, which are revealed through other means such as Hadiths and so on, increasing his/her knowledge about the divine commandments through practice. Then, before every act, for example, if s/he spends something, he only performs those acts as to solely obey Almighty God seeking only His satisfaction. If s/he goes to work, all her/his intention is to perform divine orders, but also the person is required to avoid any form of cheating, and to avoid fraud, intended short changing, lack of required work in his/her duties, or falling short with regards to the rights of people etc…

Finally when the servant and the wayfarer has reached to (maqam al-ridha) the high and elevated level of being fully compliant with the Final Divine Will, s/he would be pleased that the prayers were accepted, even if not literally approved, but at least that the motives behind them and the aims are all fulfilled.