THE CALL

2. HAZRATJI ~ 72 ~ PRAYER The Maulana always concluded his speech with prayer. The word prayer as it is generally understood, is perhaps inadequate to recall fully what prayer meant to him. In seeking God’s help through prayer, he aspired to establish direct contact with God, and so engrossed was he with his prayers that he seemed to be the embodiment of them. Those who have attended his gatherings say, “while he was praying it seemed that he had neither prayed before nor was he ever going to pray again in future. It was as if he would ask for all that he had ever wanted and say to God all that he had ever wanted to say in that one prayer, his psychic state, the contents of his prayer, his spontaneity coupled with the unparalleled force of his words, cast a spell on the audience. When the prayer was made in Urdu, the people would almost burst into tears. On one such occasion, he asked forgiveness for his sins, salvation in the next life, predominance of religion in this world, and guidance for all mankind. The prayer was made as was fitting, not a