In life, everyone goes through some stressful phases. Moments, days, weeks, months or even years of anguish and uncertainty leave us unable to take any decision that would untangle our chaotic minds. But, sometimes, these distressing junctions in the journey of life can become defining turning points.

Allah says in the Holy Quran:

“Or, Who answers the distressed person when he calls upon Him, and removes the evil.”^[1]

The verse says that God’s powers are manifested in man’s inner conscience as they are reflected in the marvellous workings of the laws of nature. Thus, when a person implores God’s help in times of distress, He listens to their cry and answers their prayers.

The Quran alludes to this Divine manifestation as a great proof of God. If man had not witnessed His presence through miraculous instances of the acceptance of prayers, he would have indeed ceased to believe in God’s existence.

Hence, the acceptance of prayers becomes a central element in Islam, establishing the existence of God beyond doubt. Although the flawlessness of nature and the complexity of universal phenomena serve as objective proof for God’s existence, true conviction in this regard can only be achieved by experiencing His presence first-hand, particularly when one’s prayers are accepted against all odds in the most unexpected circumstances.

Growing up, it has always been my desire to pursue a research career, drawing inspiration from my family, teachers, and most of all, following the legacy of Muslim scientists – especially Ahmadi Muslim scientists like Nobel Laureate Dr Abdus Salam and Hafiz Saleh Muhammad Alladin.

However, things were not easy for me. When I completed my higher secondary education, I wished to pursue an undergraduate degree in Physics from Aligarh Muslim University. But, the same year, my family faced a trial. My father had to retire early from his job, and his pension was suspended due to a long-standing case he had with the J&K Finance Department in the J&K High Court. The case, which had been pending since 1997, centred on a disputed change to his date of birth and remained stalled for years. Hence, it became challenging for my parents to provide funds for my studies.

At that time, I prayed to God to alleviate the financial hurdle we were faced with. Not long after, I started witnessing changes occurring in our lives. The first such instance was when my mother, who was working in the J&K State Social Welfare Department, got a promotion, which was quite unexpected given her academic credentials. This granted us financial security, and as a result, I was able to complete my undergraduate degree without any further hurdles.

However, things did not end there. While I was pursuing my master’s degree at the same university, my family faced financial constraints once again. As a result, one day, my father called me and asked me to come back home to take a bank entrance exam. He believed that, given my proficiency in mathematics, I could pass the exam and secure a job.

I felt disheartened at the thought of having to abandon my master’s program, even though my father did not force me to do so. However, the desperation in his voice deeply affected me and made me aware of the struggles and pain he was silently enduring.

At that moment, it felt as though my dream of becoming a researcher was coming to an end. I was in a state of intense anguish, aptly described by the Arabic word ‘mudtar’ used in the Quranic verse quoted above. Interestingly, such a state of distress and helplessness, where a person exhausts all available worldly means and feels a strong conviction that only God can help them, is mentioned as an essential prerequisite for the acceptance of prayers. The Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the Promised Messiah and Mahdi^as, expounds on this principle, saying:

“Remember, prayer is a sort of death. The same restlessness and agitation, which is present at the time of death, is necessary for praying. So you should get up in the night and with humility, anguish and pain, present your hardships to God. If you raise your prayers to this level that a kind of death occurs, this is the time for acceptance of prayers.”^[2]

Hence, in that state of agony, I turned to Allah to seek His Help. I also got to visit Qadian that year, where I poured out my helplessness before God Almighty. Being the birthplace of Ahmadiyyat, and a place where the Promised Messiah^as had spent his life, I wanted to benefit from the spiritual magnificence of the place. I also prayed in Bait-ud-Dua (the Room of Prayers), which is considered a special place for prayers to be accepted.

Soon, I witnessed the miracle of the acceptance of prayers. A few months would have passed when we received the news that my father’s long-pending case had been resolved in his favour. My father was granted all the financial benefits that had been due for years. I could only remain in awe of Allah’s wisdom, remembering how I had been praying for the case to be solved since my childhood, while He fulfilled it precisely when it was most needed.

Some people may attribute this to coincidence. However, it would be irrational for me to relegate this to chance after witnessing a case that had shown no significant progress for fifteen years suddenly being resolved at a time when I was on the verge of forgoing the biggest dream of my life. It is impossible to ignore the Divine presence after witnessing the miraculous power of prayer in such an evident manner. It almost feels like a deep sense of conviction is nailed onto our hearts.

I have witnessed such instances throughout my academic journey, which deepened my faith in the efficacy of prayers. Ever since I left my hometown for studies, no day has passed without my needs being met. These experiences where Allah eases our difficulties and turns our fear and anxiety into peace and happiness serve as definitive proof of His existence.

If, at any point in life, someone finds themselves at a crossroads, wondering if God really exists, they should pray and ask God Himself to show a sign of His existence.