112. God part sixteen

 

We were discussing prayers. When granted, they are a convincing proof of God

    4. Swami Yogananda prayer (blog 79). Before he started on his journey, like any other normal person, he had cold feet because of the enormity of the task. He became anxious. Would he not get lost in the materialism of the West?

One early morning he started praying to God to hear from Him regarding this mission. He vowed that he would continue praying, till death, unless he gets Divine assurance that he won’t be lost in the utilitarianism of America . Several hours passed. His moaning and sobs continued. His head was reeling. He thought his brain would burst. Finally there was a knock at the door. A young man, whom he recognized as Babaji, was standing. Babaji said that the Divine Father had heard his prayers. Babaji had been sent to reassure him that his mission had the Divine sanction, and that he will be protected.

                          The following three prayers have the quality of last appeal

 

        5. Prayer for debt relief.  I know of a man who was in great financial trouble. He had incurred huge amount of debt. He prayed and prayed to God. He shed so many tears that he developed breakage of skin under his eyes. One day he read in a book a certain vazeefa (a spiritual saying asking for Allah’s help), which had to be performed under strict conditions, for a number of nights. He performed that vazeefa with copious weeping. One day, at the spur of the moment, he brought a prize bond (a sort of Government lottery). His bond won the first prize. The money was still short of his debt. Suddenly, a customer bought a parcel of land from him. Within a week or so of the completion of his prayer, he was completely debt free

        6. Mufti Sahib’s prayer to feed the Guests I have mentioned the late Mufti sahib in the Foreword of book 2.  Mufti sahib lived in poverty. He was once Imam in a mosque in Lahore, drawing meager salary. He would send most of the money to his family who lived in the village. One day a number of guests came to him from his village. They expected lunch (it is an old village custom) and that also roast chicken. They thought that well dressed Mufti Sahib will have money, whereas Mufti Sahib had very little money. He felt very embarrassed and humiliated. He went to his room and said a short namaz. After namaz, weeping, he prayed to God to help him.

               As he finished his prayer, there was a knock at the door. The landlord was standing. The landlord said, “My wife told me Mufti Sahib Need’s money. We had been discussing for some time to give you monetary assistance”. With that he gave Mufti Sahib some money that was sufficient for the food expenses.

               7. Mufti Sahib’s prayer to spend Eid with his family. Eid is like Christmas in Western countries. It was eve of Eid. A person who told me this story said that it was his habit to visit various shrines in Lahore on Eid eve and help the needy. As he reached the shrine of Mian Mir, he thought of checking on the Imam, the Mufti Sahib, whom he had never met. He thought, ‘we always give money to the poor, nobody checks on middle class people. Maybe he needs money’. He went in the back to Mufti sahib’s quarters. A man was sleeping outside on a cot. He woke him up. It was Mufti Sahib. Without any preamble he took some money from his pocket and offered it to Mufti Sahib. Mufti Sahib accepted the money and said normally I would not have taken the money, but this money seems to be sent by God.

               “I would have not told this story but you are special, an instrument of God. A while ago I was feeling sad. Tomorrow is Eid. I wanted to spend Eid with my family in the village, but I did not have bus fare. I performed a short  namaz, and with tears, told God, how much I would have liked to spend Eid with my family”

               I fell asleep. Next thing I know, was you , shaking me awake.