Take heed! The prayer which is referred to in the verse ادۡعُوۡنِیۤۡ اسَۡتَجِبۡ لكَُمۡ (Pray unto Me; I will answer your prayer) is one which requires the spirit that I have just described. If a person’s supplications and humble expressions do not possess a spirit of sincerity, they are nothing more than squawks. Can anyone say that there is no need to make use of means? This is a misconception. The shariah does not prohibit the use of means and if you ask, is prayer not also a means? Or, are means not synonymous with prayer? The very search for means is in itself a prayer, and prayer in itself is a magnificent fountain of means! The physical design of humans, i.e. the form of their two hands and two feet, naturally guide and lead us to understand that we have been created to help one another. When this design can be observed in humans themselves, how astonishing and surprising would it be if one finds it difficult to understand the purport of the following verse:
وَ تَعَاوَنُوۡا عَلَی الۡبِرِّ وَ التَّقۡوٰی
“And help one another in righteousness and piety.”
Indeed, I proclaim that you even ought to search for means through prayer! In the context of helping your fellow man, I would not expect you to reject my conclusion, when I have pointed out the internal system established by Allah the Almighty which exists in your physical bodies and which serves as a perfect guide in this respect. In order to clarify and further expound this fact to mankind, Allah the Exalted has instituted a system of Prophets, peace be upon them, on earth. It was and is within the power of Allah the Almighty that if He so wills, He would have left the Prophets with no need to seek any form of assistance in their task. Yet, still there comes a time when they are left with no choice but to announce:
مَنۡ اَنۡصَارِىۤۡ اِلَی اللّٰهِ
“Who are my helpers in the cause of Allah.”
Do the Prophets make this call in the form of a beggar who goes from house to house collecting scraps of bread? Not at all! Even in the words “Who are my helpers in the way of Allah”, there is majesty and grace. In actual fact, through this announcement, the Prophets desire to teach the people the importance of seeking recourse to apparent means, which is an aspect of prayer. Otherwise, they have complete and perfect faith and belief in the promises of Allah the Almighty. They know that the following promise of Allah the Exalted is definite and categorical:
اِنَّا لَنَنۡصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِیۡنَ امَنُوۡا فِی الۡحَیٰوةِ الدُّنۡیَا
“Most surely We help Our Messengers and those who believe in the present life”.
I believe that if God does not move a person’s heart to help another, how could anyone be motivated to do so?
(Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, Malfuzat, Vol. 1, pp. 164-166)