VI

Prayer – Its Essentials

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask Him?

St Matthew 7:11

A prayer never goes in vain. A cry from the heart is always heard and attended to; but how, and in what manner, depends on the Will of God.

A prayer of a devotee never goes in vain.

Guru Arjan, Bilawal M5

Whatever a devotee asks of Him, that cannot but happen.

Guru Arjan, Asa M5

He doth grant whatever is asked of Him, oh Nanak! the words of a devotee prove true here and hereafter.

Guru Arjan, Dhanasri M5

In the Sikh scriptures it is mentioned that the Father God, ordained that He would freely give whatsoever His children may ask of Him:

The Ever-kind Father has pledged to fulfil what His children may desire.

Guru Arjan, Malar M5

The Holy Koran likewise vouchsafes this very idea when it states:

God has said, call upon Me, and I shall accept thy call.

And again:

Oh Rasul (Mediator)! Whenever any person enquires of Me, tell him that I reside in him and I listen to his prayers whatever the same may be.

Saint Mark declares:

All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that you have received them and ye shall have them.

St Mark 11:24

In the Gospel of St Matthew we have:

Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you, for everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

St Matthew 7:7-8

In actual experience, however, we find that most of our prayers do not bear any fruit. We have, therefore, to study the question critically as to what type of prayer is acceptable to God, and how that prayer is offered, and why all prayers are not accepted. For success in prayers there are certain essentials, like: