Why Pray?

A response to the question about 'why do you pray for changing His plans (whatever those may be)?'

You assume that. 

We pray because we are directed to pray and because we are informed in the Quran that we have been created to worship, which I think encompasses willing obedience, submission and service.  

We have ritualistic prayers and we have informal prayers: 

In ritualistic prayers, we recite reminders about the core beliefs of faith and pray for guidance for all [http://quran.com/1/ ], recite any portion of the Quran again as a reminder, then submit physically and verbally by bowing and prostrating, then bear witness that there is no God but God, and that Mohammad is His messenger, then pray that Mohammad and his family is blessed the way Abraham and his family have been blessed, and then any Quranic or personal prayer we wish to ask. We conclude the formal prayers by greeting the angels who are maintaining our record, whom we believe are constantly on our right and left, mentioned in the Quran as the honourable recorders in Chapter 82, verses 10-12 [http://quran.com/82 ] as well as in Chapter 50, verses 16-18 [http://quran.com/50 ] 

In informal prayers, we glorify God, thus being mindful of His Majesty, Grace and Love, and we seek forgiveness, thus reminding ourselves of our limits of knowledge and understanding, and human weaknesses and shortcomings, and our utter dependence on the Grace of God. 

Also, since we believe that God's love is far greater than any mother can even imagine loving her child, we cry our hearts out to God to find solace and comfort when life seems overwhelming. We do not know if God will change His plans for us, or change our hearts to be more open to the trials of this temporal life, or if it is also part of God's plan to make us pray some particular prayer at some particular moment in time. The Uncertainty Principle applies to us, but not to God.   

Why Pray for Changing God's Plans?

Question: If God is the best Sustainer, why do you pray for changing His plans (whatever those may be)? 

Answer: 
1) From a human point of view: I suppose its a human need to reach out... its a natural instinct to pray, especially when one is out of options  

2) From the general Muslim point of view: God can do anything, so praying may change the situation. Indeed, collective prayers are held for water in periods of drought, etc. There is also the belief that prayers are never unanswered, so when someone prays to God, He never rejects any prayer: its either granted as is, or it is answered differently, or it is stored and carried forward for the Hereafter. You can read some more on it here: http://askaquestionto.us/question-answer/dua/does-allah-answer-prayer 

3) From my understanding of the Quran: whatever happens, both good and bad, is already destined and we should bear with patience whatever befalls us; though it is okay to pray for temporal things, what we should actually be praying for is guidance, so that we are able to believe and do good works: belief will qualify us for 'the Balance' on which will be weighed 'our deeds' [http://quran.com/18/105]; so that we are granted the 'Noor' for a safe passage [http://quran.com/57/12] around Hell and through the upheavals of the Day when the Heaven(s) and Earth are being destroyed and created anew, towards the Garden(s) of Eden which we qualify for [http://quran.com/8/4 , http://quran.com/3/133 , http://quran.com/57/21]. I think we can perhaps understand this in terms of the Theory of Balance, Theory of Chaos, Big Crunch and reversal of the Arrow of Time. Here is my understanding of Creation and relevant verses of the Quran: http://signsandscience.blogspot.com/2014/10/creation.html    

4) And when My servants question thee concerning Me, then surely I am nigh. I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he crieth unto Me. So let them hear My call and let them trust in Me, in order that they may be led aright. [http://quran.com/2/186]