Unseen prayers
On the prayers we do not always hear, yet which quietly accompany our every step.
A brief WhatsApp exchange left me reflecting for quite some time.
I asked someone I deeply respect and cherish, “Do you pray for me?”
She gave a simple reply.
“Of course. I pray that you are given the strength to do what is good and, when something is not good for you, the strength to walk away from it.”
I read that message over and over again. There was a warmth in her words that was difficult to put into words.
She did not pray for all my wishes to come true or for every path I chose to be made easy. Instead, she prayed that I would be given the strength to do good and to stay away from what is not good for me.
What a sincere and thoughtful prayer.
We often pray for the things we desire to become reality. Yet not everything we want is necessarily good for us. Sometimes, we are so busy hoping for a door to open that we fail to recognize the goodness that may lie in its remaining closed.
That conversation reminded me of the many good people who have been part of my life.
My parents, teachers, close friends, and those who may have mentioned my name in their prayers without ever telling me.
Perhaps there are countless prayers that have never reached my ears but have reached Allah.
Get Erma Kusumawardani’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
I began to wonder: How many hardships have I overcome not simply because I was strong? How many misfortunes have I avoided not merely because I was wise enough? And how much goodness has entered my life through prayers I never even knew existed?
I certainly do not have the answers. Yet the thought alone fills my heart with gratitude.
Perhaps we never truly walk alone. The prayers of good people may be quietly accompanying us throughout our journey.
Then I found myself wondering: Why not fill my mind with memories of these good people?
Life inevitably brings disappointments, hurtful words, and actions we struggle to understand. Yet amid all of this, there is so much goodness that often goes unnoticed.
Perhaps we need to spend more time remembering those who have shown us kindness rather than dwelling on those who have hurt us. Not to deny painful experiences, but to prevent them from taking up too much space in our minds and hearts.
Let us fill our minds with thoughts of good people, their sincerity, and the prayers that may be quietly watching over us.
I have come to realize that blessings do not always come in the form of material possessions or tangible achievements. Having people in our lives who sincerely wish us well is a precious blessing in itself.
This conversation also reminds me to do the same: to pray for others without necessarily letting them know.
After all, caring for someone does not always mean being present at every stage of their journey. Sometimes, simply wishing them well with a sincere heart is enough.
Today, I feel grateful for every good person Allah has brought into my life.
I do not know whose prayers may have been among the reasons Allah gave me strength when I was weak or protected me from harm.
Perhaps one of the most beautiful forms of protection comes through the prayers of good people — prayers we may never hear, but Allah always does.
To everyone who has ever prayed for me in silence, thank you.
May every kindness you have wished for me return to you in ways even more beautiful than you imagined.
