Have You Ever Talked to God?

They say "If you speak to God, it is prayer. If God speaks to you, it is schizophrenia." This saying is worth thinking about, but on the other hand, it brings a gloomy message implicitly, that is God does not speak to you!

Today, there is more than ever research about being happy, and the ultimate finding from these studies is that "meaning" is what makes humans happy. Even success or wealth does not make people really happy, if there isn't a bigger picture it is part of. What makes us human is our inquisitiveness about and ability to probe into the unseen. So, anything that hinders this avenue for exploration makes us unhappy, no matter how comely it may seem.

Interestingly, in case of misfortunes, those who cannot see a meaning beyond what is surrounding them, or those who don't have a belief thereof, in other words, those who believe the existence to be nothing but the seen and the visible, fall into depression. In the Quran, repeatedly, belief and conviction about the unseen are listed as an important property of the believers. Thus, they believe in an unseen good in the face of the misfortunes befalling them.

Pondering our issue in the beginning, what makes us really happy and strong in the face of troubles is the communication between us and the unseen. This is how all those prophets stood amidst the oppressive people. This is how the first believers sustained under the harsh social and economic conditions. But what is going to happen when there are no prophets and messengers? Doesn't God talk to ordinary people? Do we have to become schizophrenic in order for God to speak to us?

Read the following verses from the Quran. The first quotation is from the story of Children of Israel. One of them, Samiri, makes a statue of a calf, and they embrace it as god. In this context, Allah tells:

And he extracted for them [the statue of] a calf which had a lowing sound, and they said, "This is your god and the god of Moses, but he forgot". Did they not see that it could not return to them any speech and that it did not possess for them any harm or benefit?" (20/88-89)

Quite literally, one test for anything to be god is formulated by Allah as "talking to its creatures" and "providing for them and protecting them". But, we, ordinary humans, have never heard Allah, either! And, when we pray to Him, is He directly answering them? No! Nevertheless, this test is exactly what Allah wants us to apply!

The same approach is reiterated in the following verses:

"Indeed, those you [polytheists] call upon besides Allah are servants like you. So call upon them and let them respond to you, if you should be truthful. Do they have feet by which they walk? Or do they have hands by which they strike? Or do they have eyes by which they see? Or do they have ears by which they hear? Say, [O Muhammad], "Call your 'partners' and then conspire against me and give me no respite. Indeed, my protector is Allah, who has sent down the Book; and He is an ally to the righteous. And those you call upon besides Him are unable to help you, nor can they help themselves." " (7/194)

Here, similarly, the assumed gods are expected to respond to the calls and help the inquirers in order to qualify as god. Allah tells that those other than Him are not able to do these. But again, when we are in trouble and call upon Him, does He respond, or does He magically deliver us from trouble? On the contrary, in the Quran, He admonishes us to be patient until the appointed term for things to pass.

"If a wound should touch you - there has already touched the [opposing] people a wound similar to it. And these days [of varying conditions] We alternate among the people so that Allah may make evident those who believe and [may] take to Himself from among you martyrs - and Allah does not like the wrongdoers - And that Allah may purify the believers [through trials] and destroy the disbelievers. Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while Allah has not yet made evident those of you who fight in His cause and made evident those who are steadfast?" (3/140-142)

So, whether you call upon God or not, the things are going to happen as decreed before. Nevertheless, you, as a believer, would pray to God, because He instructs us to do so, in the first place. But again, this is a communication in our belief, in our mind. Isn't it the same for the disbelievers or idol worshipers? They could think the same way, that is they could explain why their gods are not responding in a human way, just like Allah is not responding in a human way!

Let's remember that it is Allah, subhanehu wa ta'ala, who led us into this inquiry. So, there must be a solution to all this.

"And your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." (40/60)

There are two major distinctions between the divine call and all others. First, Allah sent humanity his words multiple times throughout the history, Quran being the last and best preserved. Quran is His living word and His talk to anyone who listens until the end of time. So, clearly, if you want to talk to God and hear Him, read His book.

If you talk to any Muslim, they will tell about the mysterious coincidences between the Quranic verses and their needs. That is when they really feel that God is talking to them. In short, when we put Allah to the test He instructs us to apply, His talking will be the intertwining of the Quran and our lives. No god ever sent words that live with us.

The second distinction between the divine call and all others is the existence of the life after death, the coming of the judgment day. As seen in the verse from chapter Ali-Imran above, this life is a process of purification and distinction. So, the things that befall us might appear as the action of others or haphazard natural events, but at a deeper level, they are a scenario written for a purpose and with a wisdom.

Still, we humans want to feel with company in times of trouble, and want to be assured of safety. That is when we are given the means to meet Allah anew, if we accept the invitation.

"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." (2/186)

In order for God to respond to our inquiries, we are asked to respond to Him as a prerequisite. And what He wants from us is something that each individual must listen to in their hearts. That is, they must speak directly to God and act accordingly. Actually, when you listen to God in your heart, you will see that He talks to you not only at times of trouble but always:

"Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding. Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], "Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire." (3/190)

So, the answer to the second question about being provided for and being protected depends on your presence with God. God tells that He is with you, but your conscience of His presence is what determines whether you can see His hand at work or not.

"... and He is with you wherever you are..." (57/4)

In the end, what is so interesting is that Allah encourages us to put Himself to test in order for us to reach ultimate conviction in our belief and to completely and sincerely submit to Him.