Difficulties & Happiness

01 · When Something Pleases You #2

لَبَّيْكَ ، إِنَّ الْعَيْشَ عَيْشُ الْآخِرَةِ

Labbayk, inna-l-‘aysha ‘ayshu-l-ākhirah.

At Your service (O Allah!), the real life is the life of the Hereafter.

- Anas b. Mālik (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrated: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out towards the Khandaq (Trench) and saw the Muhajirīn (Emigrants) and the Ansar (Helpers) digging the trench in the cold morning. They had no slaves to do that (work) for them. When the Prophet ﷺ saw their hardship and hunger, he said, 'O Allah! The real life is the life of the Hereafter, so please forgive Ansar (Helpers) and the Muhajirīn (Emigrants)." They said in reply to him, "We are those who have given the Pledge of allegiances to Muhammad to observe Jihād as long as we live." (Bukhārī 4099, Muslim 1805) Ibn ‘Abbās (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhumā) narrated that the Messenger of Allah stood on (the plains of) Arafat and when he said: “Labbayk Allahumma labbayk (At Your service, O Allah, at Your service)”, he said: “Labbayk, innama-l-khayru khayru-l-ākhirah (At Your service (O Allah!), the real goodness is the goodness of the Hereafter).” (Ibn Khuzaymah 2831)

02 · When Something You Dislike Happens #1

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ حَالٍ

Al-ḥamdu li-llāhi ʿalā kulli ḥāl.

All praise is for Allah in every situation.

- When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw something that he disliked, he used to say [the above]. (Ibn Mājah 3803, Ibn al-Sunnī 378)

03 · When Something You Dislike Happens #2

قَدَّرَ اللّٰهُ وَمَا شَاءَ فَعَلَ

Qaddara-llāhu wa mā shā’a faʿal.

Allah has decreed and He does whatever He wills.

- The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “A strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone. Be keen on what benefits you, seek help from Allah, and do not give up. If anything afflicts you, do not say: ‘If I had done (something else), such and such would have happened.’ But say [the above], for (the utterance) ‘if’ provides an opening for the deeds of the devil.” (Muslim 2664)

04 · When One Is in a Difficult Situation

اَللّٰهُمَّ لَا سَهْلَ إِلَّا مَا جَعَلْتَهُ سَهْلًا ، وَأَنْتَ تَجْعَلُ الْحَزْنَ إِذَا شِئْتَ سَهْلًا

Allāhumma lā sahla illā mā jaʿaltahū sahlā, wa anta tajʿalu-l-ḥazna idhā shi’ta sahlā.

O Allah, there is no ease except in that which You have made easy; and You make the difficulty easy when You wish.

- Anas b. Malik (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: [the above]. (Ibn Ḥibbān 6737, Ibn al-Sunnī 351)

05 · When Struck by a Calamity

إِنَّا لِلّٰهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُوْنَ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اْجُرْنِيْ فِيْ مُصِيْبَتِيْ ، وَأَخْلِفْ لِيْ خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا

Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn, Allāhumma-‘jurnī fī muṣībatī, wa akhlif lī khayram-minhā.

Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we will return. O Allah, recompense me for my affliction and replace it for me with something better.

06 · Grief & Anxiety #1

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ عَبْدُكَ ، وَابْنُ عَبْدِكَ ، وَابْنُ أَمَتِكَ ، نَاصِيَتِيْ بِيَدِكَ ، مَاضٍ فِيَّ حُكْمُكَ ، عَدْلٌ فِيَّ قَضَاؤُكَ ، أَسْأَلُكَ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَكَ ، سَمَّيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ ، أَوْ عَلَّمْتَهُ أَحَدًا مِّنْ خَلْقِكَ ، أَوْ أَنْزَلْتَهُ فِيْ كِتَابِكَ ، أَوِ اسْتَأْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِيْ عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ عِنْدَكَ ، أَنْ تَجْعَلَ الْقُرْآنَ رَبِيْعَ قَلْبِيْ ، وَنُوْرَ صَدْرِيْ ، وَجَلَاءَ حُزْنِيْ ، وَذَهَابَ هَمِّيْ

Allāhumma innī ʿabduk, wa-bnu ʿabdik, wa-bnu amatik, nāṣiyatī bi-yadik, māḍin fiyya ḥukmuk, ʿadlun fiyya qaḍā’uk, as’aluka bi-kulli-smin huwa lak, sammayta bihī nafsak, aw ʿallamtahū aḥadam-min khalqik, aw anzaltahū fī kitābik, awi-sta’tharta bihī fī ʿilmi-l-ghaybi ʿindak, an tajʿala-l-Qur’āna rabīʿa qalbī, wa nūra ṣadrī, wa jalā’a ḥuznī, wa dha-hāba hammī.

O Allah, I am Your servant and the son of Your male servant and the son of Your female servant. My forehead is in Your Hand (i.e. you have control over me). I am subject to Your judgement and Your decree concerning me is just. I ask You – by every name that is Yours, by which You have named Yourself, or taught any one of Your creation, or revealed in Your Book, or kept unto Yourself in the knowledge of the unseen that is with You – to make the Qur’ān the spring of my heart, the light of my chest, the banisher of my grief and the reliever of my anxiety.

07 · Grief & Anxiety #2

لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ الْعَظِيْمُ الْحَلِيْمُ ، لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيْمِ ، لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ رَبُّ السَّمٰـوٰتِ وَرَبُّ الْأَرْضِ وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيْمِ

Lā ilāha illā-llāhu-l-ʿĀẓīmu-l-Ḥalīm, lā ilāha illā-llāhu Rabbu-l-ʿĀrshi-l-ʿAẓīm, lā ilāha illā-llāhu Rabbu-s-samāwāti wa Rabbu-l-arḍi wa Rabbu-l-ʿĀrshi-l-karīm.

There is no god worthy of worship except Allah — the Supreme, the Forbearing. There is no god worthy of worship except Allah — Lord of the Magnificent Throne. There is no god worthy of worship except Allah — Lord of the heavens, Lord of the earth, and Lord of the Noble Throne.

- The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to supplicate with [the above] in times of distress. (Bukhārī 6345, Muslim 2730)

08 · When One Is Afraid of People #1

اَللّٰهُمَّ اكْفِنِيْهِمْ بِمَا شِئْتَ

Allāhumma-k-finīhim bimā shi’t.

O Allah, suffice me from them, with what You choose.

- Suhaib (radiy Allāhū ʿanhu) reported that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: “There lived a king before you and he had a (court) magician. As he (the magician) grew old, he said to the king: I have grown old, send some young boy to me so that I should teach him magic. He (the king) sent to him a young man so that he should train him (in magic). And on his way (to the magician) he (the young man) found a monk sitting there. He (the young man) listened to his (the monk's) talk and was impressed by it. It became his habit that on his way to the magician he met the monk and set there and he came to the magician (late). He (the magician) beat him because of delay. He made a complaint of that to the monk and he said to him: When you feel afraid of the magician, say: Members of my family had detained me. And when you feel afraid of your family you should say: The magician had detained me. It so happened that there came a huge beast (of prey) and it blocked the way of the people, and he (the young boy) said: I will come to know today whether the magician is superior or the monk is superior. He picked up a stone and said: O Allah, if the affair of the monk is dearer to Thee than the affair of the magician, cause death to this animal so that the people should be able to move about freely. He threw that stone towards it and killed it and the people began to move about (on the path freely). He (the young man) then came to that monk and Informed him and the monk said: Sonny, today you are superior to me. Your affair has come to a stage where I find that you would be soon put to a trial, and in case you are put to a trial don't give my clue. That young man began to treat the blind and those suffering from leprosy and he in fact began to cure people from (all kinds) of illness. When a companion of the king who had gone blind heard about him, he came to him with numerous gifts and said: If you cure me all these things collected together here would be yours. Be said: I myself do not cure anyone. It is Allah Who cures and if you affirm faith in Allah, I shall also supplicate Allah to cure you. He affirmed his faith in Allah and Allah cured him and he came to the king and sat by his side as he used to sit before. The king said to him: Who restored your eyesight? He said: My Lord. Thereupon he said: It means that your Lord is One besides me. He said: My Lord and your Lord is Allah, so he (the king) took hold of him and tormented him till he gave a clue of that boy. The young man was thus summoned and the king said to him: O boy, it has been conveyed to me that you have become so much proficient in your magic that you cure the blind and those suffering from leprosy and you do such and such things. Thereupon he said: I do not cure anyone; it is Allah Who cures, and he (the king) took hold of him and began to torment him. So he gave a clue of the monk. The monk was thus summoned and it was said to him: You should turn back from your religion. He, however, refused to do so. He (ordered) for a saw to be brought (and when it was done) he (the king) placed it in the middle of his head and tore it into parts till a part fell down. Then the courtier of the king was brought and it was said to him: Turn back from your religion. Arid he refused to do so, and the saw was placed in the midst of his head and it was torn till a part fell down. Then that young boy was brought and it was said to him: Turn back from your religion. He refused to do so and he was handed over to a group of his courtiers. And he 'said to them: Take him to such and such mountain; make him climb up that mountain and when you reach its top (ask him to renounce his faith) but if he refuses to do so, then throw him (down the mountain). So they took him and made him climb up the mountain and he said: O Allah, save me from them (in any way) Thou likest and the mountain began to quake and they all fell down and that person came walking to the king. The king said to him: What has happened to your companions? He said: Allah has saved me from them. He again handed him to some of his courtiers and said: Take him and carry him in a small boat and when you reach the middle of the ocean (ask him to renounce) his religion, but if he does not renounce his religion throw him (into the water). So they took him and he said: O Allah, save me from them and what they want to do. It was quite soon that the boat turned over and they were drowned and he came walking to the king, and the king said to him: What has happened to your companions? He said: Allah has saved me from them, and he said to the king: You cannot kill me until you do what I ask you to do. And he said: What is that? He said: You should gather people in a plain and hang me by the trunk (of a tree). Then take hold of an arrow from the quiver and say: In the name of Allah, the Lord of the young boy; then shoot an arrow and if you do that then you would be able to kill me. So he (the king) called the people in an open plain and tied him (the boy) to the trunk of a tree, then he took hold of an arrow from his quiver and then placed the arrow in the bow and then said: In the name of Allah, the Lord of the young boy; he then shot an arrow and it bit his temple. He (the boy) placed his hands upon the temple where the arrow had bit him and he died and the people said: We affirm our faith in the Lord of this young man, we affirm our faith in the Lord of this young man, we affirm our faith in the Lord of this young man. The courtiers came to the king and it was said to him: Do you see that Allah has actually done what you aimed at averting. They (the people) have affirmed their faith in the Lord. He (the king) commanded ditches to be dug at important points in the path. When these ditches were dug, and the fire was lit in them it was said (to the people): He who would not turn back from his (boy's) religion would be thrown in the fire or it would be said to them to jump in that. (The people courted death but did not renounce religion) till a woman came with her child and she felt hesitant in jumping into the fire and the child said to her: 0 mother, endure (this ordeal) for it is the Truth.’’ Muslim 3005

09 · When One Is Afraid of People #2

حَسْبُنَا اللّٰهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيْلُ

Ḥasbunallāhu wa niʿmal Wakīl.

Allah is enough for us and He is the Best Protector.

- Ibn ʿAbbās (radiy Allāhū ʿanhumā) narrated: “[The above] was said by Ibrāhīm (ʿalayhis-salām) when he was thrown into the fire; and it was said by Muḥammad ﷺ when (the hypocrites) said, ‘Your enemies have mobilised their forces against you, so fear them,’ — but this only increased them in faith and they replied: ‘Allah is enough for us and He is the Best Protector (3:173).’” (Bukhārī 4563)

10 · When One Is Afraid of People #3

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنَّا نَجْعَلُكَ فِيْ نُحُوْرِهِمْ ، وَنَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شُرُوْرِهِمْ

Allāhumma innā najʿaluka fī nuḥūrihim, wa naʿūdhu bika min shurūrihim.

O Allah, we make You our shield against them and we seek refuge in You from their evil.

- When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was apprehensive of [a group] of people, he would say: [the above]. (Abū Dāwūd 1537)

11 · When One Is Afraid of People #4

اَللّٰهُمَّ أنْتَ عَضُدِيْ وَأَنْتَ نَصِيْرِيْ ، بِكَ أَحُوْلُ ، وبِكَ أصُوْلُ ، وَبِكَ أُقَاتِلُ

Allāhumma Anta Aḍudī wa Anta Naṣīrī, Bika aḥūlu, wa bika aṣūlu, wa bika uqātil.

O Allah, You are my aid and helper; by You I move, by You I attack, and by You I fight.

- Anas b. Mālik (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrated that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went on an expedition, he said [the above].” (Abū Dāwūd 2632)

12 · When One Is Afraid of People #5

اَللّٰهُ اَللّٰهُ رَبِّيْ ، لاَ أُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا

Allāhu Allāhu Rabbī, lā ushriku bihi shay’ā.

Allah, Allah is my Lord, I do not assign anything as a partner to Him.

- Asmā bint ʿUmays (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhā) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to her: “Shall I not teach you words for you to say in times of distress?” or “when in distress?”. He then said [the above]. (Abū Dāwūd 1525)

13 · When Meeting the Enemy

اَللّٰهُمَّ مُنْزِلَ الْكِتَابِ ، ومُجْرِيَ السَّحَابِ ، وهَازِمَ الْأحْزَابِ ، اهْزِمْهُمْ وانْصُرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ

Allāhumma munzila-l-kitāb, wa mujriya-s-saḥāb, wa hāzima-l-aḥzāb, ihzimhum wa-n-ṣurnā ʿalayhim.

O Allah, Revealer of the Book, Mover of the clouds, Defeater of the tribes, defeat them and grant us victory over them.

- ʿAbdullāh b. Abī Awfā (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, on one of the days that he encountered the enemy, waited until the sun rose, then stood among the people and said: “O people, do not look forward to meeting the enemy, but ask Allah for well-being. When you encounter them, be steadfast. And know that Paradise is under the shade of swords.” Then he said [the above]. (Bukhārī 2965)

14 · When One Feels Frightened

لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ

Lā ilāha illā-llāh.

There is no god worthy of worship except Allah.

- Zaynab b. Jaḥsh (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhā) said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ once entered her house in a state of fear and said, “[The above]. Woe to the Arabs from a danger that is imminent. An opening has been made today in the wall of Ya‘jūj and Ma‘jūj like this” and he made a circle with his thumb and index finger. Zaynab b. Jaḥsh said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Will we be destroyed even though there are pious people amongst us?” He ﷺ said, “Yes, when evil becomes widespread.” (Bukhārī 3346)

15 · When One Fears a Ruler

اَللّٰهُمَّ رَبَّ السَّمٰـوٰتِ السَّبْعِ ، وَرَبَّ العَرْشِ العَظِيْمِ ، كُنْ لِيْ جَارًا مِنْ فُلَانِ بْنِ فُلَانٍ ، وَأَحْزَابِهِ مِنْ خَلَائِقِكَ ؛ أنْ يَّفْرُطَ عَلَىَّ أحَدٌ مِنهُمْ أوْ يَطْغٰى ، عَزَّ جَارُكَ ، وَجَلَّ ثَنَاؤُكَ ، وَلَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ

Allāhumma Rabb-as-samāwāti-s-sabiʿ, wa Rabba-l-ʿArshi-l-ʿaẓīm, kun lī jāran min fulāni-bni-fulān, wa aḥzābihi min khalāiqiqa; ay-yafruṭa ʿalayya aḥadun minhum aw yaṭgā, ʿazza jāruk, wa jalla thanā’uk, wa lā ilāha illā Ant.

O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens, Lord of the Magnificent Throne, be for me a support against [such and such a person] and his helpers from among your creatures, lest any of them abuse me or do me wrong. Mighty is Your patronage, and glorious are Your praises. There is none worthy of worship but You.

- ʿAbdullāh b. Masʿūd (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) said: “If a leader is appointed over you from whom you fear injustice, let him say: [the above].” (Al Adab Al Mufrad 707)

16 · When Overwhelmed With Difficulties

حَسْبِيَ اللّٰهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيْلُ

Ḥasbiyallāhu wa niʿmal Wakīl.

Allah is enough for me and He is the Best Protector.

- Ibn ʿAbbās (radiy Allāhu ʿanhumā) said: “The last utterance of Ibrāhīm ﷺ when he was thrown into the fire was [the above].” (Bukhārī 4564)

17 · When Difficulties Make You Yearn for Death

اَللّٰهُمَّ أَحْيِنِيْ مَا كَانَتِ الْحَيَاةُ خَيْرًا لِّيْ ، وَتَوَفَّنِيْ إِذَا كَانَتِ الْوَفَاةُ خَيْرًا لِّيْ

Allāhumma aḥyinī mā kānati-l-ḥayātu khayral-lī, wa tawaffanī idhā kānati-l-wafātu khayral-lī.

O Allah, let me live as long as life is better for me; and give me death when death is better for me.

- The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “None of you should wish for death because of a difficulty that afflicts him. Rather he should say [the above].” (Bukhārī 5671, Muslim 2680)

18 · For Difficult Times: All Your Prayers Answered

لَآ إِلٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّيْ كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِيْنَ

Lā ilāha illā Anta subḥānaka innī kuntu mina-ẓ-ẓālimīn.

There is no god worthy of worship except You; You are free from all imperfection. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers. (21:87)

19 · When Something Pleases You #1

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِيْ بِنِعْمَتِهِ تَتِمُّ الصَّالِحَاتُ

Al-ḥamdu li-llāh-ladhī bi-niʿmatihī tattimmu-ṣ-ṣāliḥāt.

All praise is for Allah — through whose blessing righteous actions are accomplished.

- When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw something pleasing, he used to say [the above]. (Ibn Mājah 3803, Ibn al-Sunnī 378)

20 · When One Is Afraid of People #6

اَللّٰهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِنَا وَاٰمِنْ رَوْعَاتِنَا

Allāhumma-stur ‘awrātinā wa āmin raw‘ātinā.

O Allah, conceal our faults and calm our fears.

- Abū Sa‘īd al-Khuḍrī (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates: “We (the Companions) said on the Day of Khandaq (Trenches): ‘O Messenger of Allah, is there anything we can say? For the hearts have reached the throats (out of fear).’ He ﷺ replied: ‘Yes! (Say) [the above].’ Abū Sa‘īd al-Khuḍrī says: ‘Allah, Mighty and Majestic destroyed the faces of the enemy with wind and Allah made them face defeat through wind.’” (Ahmad 10996)

21 · When One Is Distressed

اَللّٰهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُوْ فَلَا تَكِلْنِيْ إِلٰى نَفْسِيْ طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ ، وَأَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِيْ كُلَّهُ ، لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ

Allāhumma raḥmataka arjū fa-lā takilnī ilā nafsī ṭarfata ʿayn, wa aṣliḥ lī sha’nī kullah, lā ilāha illā Ant.

O Allah! It is certainly Your Mercy what I hope for, so do not entrust me to myself for the blink of an eye; and rectify all of my affairs. There is no god worthy of worship except You.

- The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The supplications of the distressed person are [the above].” (Abū Dāwūd 5090)

22 · When Thinking of Something to be a Bad Omen

اَللّٰهُمَّ لَا طَيْرَ إِلَّا طَيْرُكَ ، وَلَا خَيْرَ إِلَّا خَيْرُكَ ، وَلَا إِلٰهَ غَيْرُكَ

Allāhumma lā ṭayra illā ṭayruk, wa lā khayra illā khayruk, wa lā ilāha ghayruk.

O Allah, there is no bad omen except what You bring and no good except what You bring. There is no deity other than You.

- ‘Abdullāh b. ‘Amr (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Verily, the one who refrains from doing something because of an evil omen has practised shirk (polytheism)." The people asked him, "O Messenger of Allah, what is the expiation of that?" He answered, "It is that one of you says, [the above]'" (Ahmad 7045) Anas b. Mālik (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “There is no ʿadwā (contagion) and no ṭiyarah (omen-seeking), but I like al-fa’l.” They asked, “What is al-fa’l?” He replied, “A good word.” (Bukhārī 5776, Muslim 2224) In another narration: “It is a good word that one of you may (over)hear” (Muslim 2223) Abū Hurayrah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “There is no ʿadwā (contagion), no ṭiyarah (omen-seeking), no hāmah (seeking omens in birds), and no ṣafar (the belief that the month of Ṣafar is a bad omen for marriages, etc.), and run from the leper like you would from a lion. (Bukhārī, Muslim 2220) The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “There is no truth in omens [lā ṭiyarah] and the best of it is al-fa’l (feeling of optimism upon hearing a good word).” (Bukhārī) ‘Abdullah b. ‘Abbas (radiy Allāhū ‘anhumā) narrated: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was optimistic and he did not see evil omens and he would become pleased by a good name.” (Ahmad 2328) The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “An evil omen (tiyarah) is that which causes you to carry out an affair or that which turns you back from doing it.” (Ahmad 1824) Abū Hurayrah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrated: “When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ heard a word, and he liked it, he said: We took your omen from your mouth. (Abu Dawud 3917)