Praying for the Believers

I find it wonderful that God tells us to ask forgiveness for all believing men and women:

[47:19] You shall know that: “There is no other god beside God,” and ask forgiveness of your sins and the sins of all believing men and women. God is fully aware of your decisions and your ultimate destiny.

When we pray for each other the family bond among the believers is strengthened. Also, praying for someone else reminds us that we are all fallible humans in need of God’s grace and mercy.

Many years ago it was suggested to me to pray for someone with whom I was having a misunderstanding. I found that doing so changed the entire nature of our interaction, and by God’s infinite grace and mercy we soon became fairly good friends. This wonderful practice continues to have a tremendous impact in my life.

But is it just for forgiveness of the believers that we should pray?

Actually, when you think about it, God encourages us to pray for peace for each other every time we greet each other. Isn’t it beautiful to ask God to bless someone with “Peace be

upon you” or “Peace be with you?” For we know that God Himself is the Peace (59:23), and so when we greet each other with “a greeting from God that is blessed and good” (24:61) we are praying for God to be with that person—a wonderful prayer indeed.

Prayers need not be just for the righteous. We can pray for God’s gift of guidance for all. God tells us to seek peace even for those who are engaged in vain talk. The reminder of peace, certainly benefits our soul, and may be a catalyst of change for theirs:

[28:55] When they come across vain talk, they disregard it and say, “We are responsible for our deeds, and you are responsible for your deeds. Peace be upon you. We do not wish to behave like the ignorant ones.”

Even for those who are disbelievers God tells us:

[43:89] You shall disregard them and say, “Peace;” they will surely find out.

Thus this best of all greetings is intended for all people. Ultimately, we cannot know where any human being will end up in Submission. Someone may appear hopeless, and yet like the once arrogant magicians submit a complete submission and end up in a higher rank than we could ever have imagined, perhaps

far above our own.

We see a similar wonderful greeting surviving from the time of the Moors in Spain with the Spanish “Vaya con Dios” or “Go with God.” Its counterpart, a reminder of God while wishing farewell, is “Adios” or “To God.”

With so much misunderstanding in the world, and even among members of our own community, it is a great blessing to greet each other with a “greeting from God that is blessed and good.” Though we are not told so directly, perhaps it helpskeep Satan from driving a wedge among us:

[17:53] Tell My servants to treat each other in the best possible manner, for the devil will always try to drive a wedge among them. Surely, the devil is man's most ardent enemy.

Lisa

[10:10] Their prayer therein is: “Be You glorified, our god,” their greeting therein is, “Peace,” and their ultimate prayer is: “Praise be to GOD, Lord of the universe.”

[42:5] The heavens above them almost shatter, out of reverence for Him, and the angels praise and glorify their Lord, and they ask forgiveness for those on earth. Absolutely, GOD is the Forgiver, Most Merciful.