Badges mark quoted or attributed material (Qur'an, hadith, another author, an opposing view). Unbadged passages are Maulana Wahiduddin Khan's own words.
Everyone asks blessings from God, but he or she feels that it is a unilateral blessing; I have nothing to give God in return for His blessing. In such a situation, a person faces the questions: how to ask blessings from God, how to invoke God for His blessing towards him. p. 201
When one reads the Quran with this mind, one finds a very relevant reference in the Quran. In one part of the Quran there are the details of the law of inheritance, how to apportion the bequest among relatives after the death of a family member. In this regard in chapter Al-Nisa’ (Women) Quran says: p. 201original + quote
If other relatives, orphans or needy people are present at the time of the division, then provide for them out of it, and speak kindly to them. (4:8) p. 201Qur'an
Here God Almighty laid a principle for man to give to not only to the deserving ones but also to those persons who do not deserve. So, one can make this a point of reference for prayer. One can say in one’s prayer that: ‘O God, bestow on me the same mercy which You have enjoined man to bestow on man.’ p. 201
It is a way of praying to use some event as a point of reference for prayer. The above verse provides us with a very important point of reference: it is impossible that God Almighty asks man to give blessing to others and that He himself is deprived of this blessing. Certainly God is in a position to bestow that kind of blessing billion times more than a man, since man was created by God. p. 202
The Prophet once said that one who asks God with the reference of ism-e-azam (the greatest name), his prayer will certainly be fulfilled by God. What is asking by referring to ism-e-azam? It is that kind of prayer which can invoke God Almighty, and the above-mentioned prayer falls in this category. If one asks God by the way of invoking His attributes, one will certainly be responded to positively. p. 202original + quote
Certainly God is in a position to bestow that kind of blessing billion times more than a man, since man
was created by God. p. 202
‘To invoke’ literally means to make a request with special words for help to God Almighty. This kind of prayer by the way of invoking is the greatest prayer. And one, who can make such kind of prayer, will certainly find a positive response from God. The above-mentioned verse of the Quran gives a person this kind of assurance regarding his prayer. p. 202original + quote
There are two kinds of prayers: One, ordinary prayer or ordinary dua; the second, dua or prayer by the way of invoking God. The first kind of dua is simply a recitation of some words, but the second kind of dua is full of sentiments, full of spirituality, and full of divine spirit. So, if the first kind of dua is a dua, then the second kind of dua is a super dua. p. 202