Why is calling Allah in times of need accepted?
Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an:
“Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him and removes evil and makes you inheritors of the earth? Is there a deity with Allah ? Little do you remember.” (27:62)
(One of the benefits) of calamities is sincerity to Allah because one has no place of return in putting off or defending against the calamity except to Him.
So it makes you sincere. The sincere person (mukhlis) is the one that calls on God without any shirk.
So if you realize you have no other place, as mentioned in the Qur’an:
“… they were certain that there is no refuge from Allah except in Him …” (9:118)
That state is a great gift from Allah (SWT) because it puts you in the state of Ikhlas (sincerity)…
So that is a great gift as there is no source to depend upon in removal of that calamity except upon Allah, as He says in the Qur’an:
“And if Allah should touch you with adversity, there is no remover of it except Him…” (10:107)
In another verse, Allah (SWT) says:
“And when they board a ship, they supplicate Allah , sincere to Him in religion…” (29:65)
These are people that are in a bad state but Allah is saying in that state they are sincere because of the calamity, so that is a benefit of calamities.
Ask yourself how many times has a calamity afflicted you and it led to the state where you really felt Allah is the only one who can help me in this.
Sheikh Hamza Yusuf then continues with his own personal story when he was very close to death and he called upon God for help, and his prayer was answered.
Don’t miss this excellent 4 minute reminder.