Quora Answer: Do You Believe God Hears Every Single Person’s Prayers on Earth?

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Do you believe that God Hears every single person’s prayer on Earth?  If so, how can He possibly respond favourably when some will conflict with each other?” 

There are a few things to address here, since this is actually a complex theological understanding that requires cognisance of the Divine Attributes.  Firstly, an Omnipresent, Omniscient God not only Hears prayers, but was always Aware of the prayer long before the one praying had even thought to utter it. God is Eternal, Absolute.  He Exists beyond spacetime.  Such is His All-Awareness, He did not need you to tell Him your need. 

Secondly, if God is not in need of us praying, then what is the purpose of prayer?  The purpose of prayer is for us to recognise the Divine, and be aware of the Giver of Gifts.  What is meant for us was destined long before the moment became apparent, but we may be ignorant of it, and the ignorant cannot be grateful.  Gratitude is only from the one aware. 

Thirdly, all prayers are Answered, even when they seemingly conflict.  However, the prayer of the tongue is often not the prayer of the heart.  It is the prayer of the heart that is Answered, since it is the soul that speaks, the Divine Spark connecting to the Divine.  It is a Manifestation of Divine Generosity that all prayers are Answered, but it is an Exercise of Divine Sovereignty that the nature, the timing and the means of the Answer Belong Solely to God.