Overcoming Hardships Reflections With the Divine

All You Need to Do is Ask

How to Achieve Tranquility of the Heart Series: Part IPart IIPart IIIPart IVPart VPart VIPart VIIPart VIIIPart IXPart XPart XIPart XII | Part XIII | Part XIV | Part XVPart XVIPart XVIIPart XVIIIPart XIXPart XX

“Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him…” (Qur’an, 27:62)

For whatever problem we have, whatever difficulty we find ourselves in, we have the most powerful weapon to ward off the pain that plagues us. It is the weapon of du`a’. We know with certainty that Allah is Al-Mujeeb (The Responsive). We have read many articles telling us about the importance of du`a’, but in order for our du`a’ to be truly meaningful, we must accompany that du`a’ with a certain brokenness in the heart. This brokenness is the feeling of utter need, submission and surrender to Allah, and realizing that truly it is only He who can get us out of our state. In a beautiful hadith qudsi, Allah says:

“O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another.
O My servants, all of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek guidance of Me and I shall guide you,
O My servants, all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek food of Me and I shall feed you.
O My servants, all of you are naked except for those I have clothed, so seek clothing of Me and I shall clothe you.
O My servants, you sin by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness of Me and I shall forgive you.
O My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and will not attain benefitting Me so as to benefit Me.
O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as pious as the most pious heart of any one man of you, that would not increase My kingdom in anything.
O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of any one man of you, that would not decrease My kingdom in anything.
O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have, any more that a needle decreases the sea if put into it.
O My servants, it is but your deeds that I reckon up for you and then recompense you for, so let him who finds good, praise Allah, and let him who finds other than that, blame no one but himself.” (Muslim)

Subhan’Allah (exalted is Allah), this hadith requires us to read it more than once to truly grasp its meaning. In essence, Allah is telling us that everything is from Him – He possesses this whole world and all that is in it, therefore we should seek all of our needs from Him.

Allah has named Himself Al-Mujeeb, which means the One who responds. Just as we are certain that the Qur’an is true, we must be certain that Allah, Al-Mujeeb, will answer our call. We should never think that Allah will not answer, because by feeling so, we are denying this attribute (siffat) of Allah. Whenever we are feeling down, we should not hesitate to ask Him over and over again, and to go into sujood (prostration) and plead because that is the closest that we are to Him. If we realize this, the doors of mercy have been opened for us, because the Prophet ﷺ said, “For whoever the door of du`a’ opened, for him the doors of mercy are opened.” (Tirmidhi).

Your du`a’ is deposited with Allah, and as was narrated from the Prophet ﷺ, your du`a’ does something. Either Allah will speedily answer your du`a’ or He will save it for you until the Hereafter, or He will avert something bad equal to the value of the du`a’ (Ahmad). So we should never leave du`a’. The Prophet ﷺ told us, “Do not stop making du`a’, because nobody who makes du`a’ is forsaken.” (Hakim)

Insha’Allah, you will be answered. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Verily your Lord is Generous and Shy. If His servant raises his hands to Him (in supplication) He becomes shy to return them empty.” (Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi)

Remember: our Lord is not forgetful. Sometimes you might even forget that you once made du`a’ for something, but He might give it to you years later.

No answer?

We must always have certainty that Allah answers. But sometimes doubt enters one’s heart: “…But I asked, I made du`a’... and I don’t see anything?” Firstly, just as we know that Allah is Al-Mujeeb, we must also know He is Al-Hakeem (the Most Wise).

He may delay answering your prayer for a number of reasons; one is to test your trust in Him. We all say we believe Allah is the Al-Mujeeb when everything lands at our feet, but what about when we don’t immediately see the fruits of our du`a’? I knew a woman who was telling the story of how her husband did not pray. When she married him, she didn’t know, and as the marriage progressed she discovered that he was skeptical of religion as well. So she would wake up every night for qiyam al-layl (the night prayer) and plead with Allah to guide Him. Do you know how long she prayed for? Two years. And she says it was so unexpected; he came home from a business trip with a complete change of heart. It turns out that on the plane he was seated next to a great sheikh who began talking to him. And that is how he changed.

Another reason is that Allah knows when it is best to answer. Perhaps you are asking for a job and He could give you a job at this very moment, but He will delay it because He knows that in a couple of months, a better job will come along. Perhaps what you are asking for is not good for you, or He will give you something better in the Hereafter.

Allah also may delay the answer to make us work harder so we are prepared for it. If we look at Palestine, we may think, “Wow, the Muslim Ummah prays so much and we don’t see anything changing.” But in truth, although the majority of the Ummah prays intensely during Ramadan, many do not make du`a’ with true pleading. It is almost an afterthought. And if we do (such as when we see the carnage that happened in Gaza) we do not follow up our words by utilizing the means to change the situation; we forget (as is happening now). There are some genuine people who work for change, but they are a minority. So we need to be patient because we need to know that Allah is training the Ummah. The answer is being delayed so that we become worthy of this task.

There is a beautiful hadith qudsi which states that Allah sometimes delays the answer because He loves hearing the sound of His servant (At-Tabari). Many of us would ask and then when we get what we want we stop going to Allah; but imagine that when the answer is delayed, Allah loves to hear YOUR voice again as you call Him. Wow.

Allah does not place a burden on us greater than we can bear. If the answer to your du`a’ has been delayed, it’s because Allah KNOWS you can handle it. He tests those whom He loves, so keep asking and remember that Allah makes with hardship ease. And remember, as with tawakkul, we need to exert effort as well.

Four conditions

Ibn Al-Qayyim said he who fulfills the following conditions should know that Allah will surely answer his du`a’:

  1. Have certainty that Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala will answer your du`a’. The Prophet ﷺ said, ”Ask Allah with certainty that He will answer your prayers.” (Tirmidhi)
  2. Show submissiveness and devotion during your du`a’. The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Know that Allah will not accept the supplication from an absent heart.’ (Tirmidhi)
  3. Be patient and do not hasten for an answer. The Prophet ﷺ said: ‘The du`a’ of any worshipper will continue to be responded to, as long as… he is not hasty’ i.e. as long as he doesn’t lose patience. [Muslim]
  4. Continue to gain a lawful means of living. The Prophet ﷺ narrated a story about a man asking Allah, saying “O Lord! O Lord!” but his food was unlawful, his drink was unlawful, his clothing was unlawful, and he was nourished unlawfully; so how can he be answered?!” (Muslim)

About the author

Jinan Yousef

Jinan Yousef

Jinan's main interests within the field of Islamic Studies are the Names of Allah, the life and character of the Prophet ﷺ, tazkiya and Muslim personalities.

78 Comments

    • “When my servants ask you concerning me, (tell them) I am indeed close (to them). I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calls on me.”

      And let there not be anyone who says: “… my Lord won’t answer my prayer, because of this and that.. or because of so and so..”. No! Indeed Allah is the Most Generous King— Is there anyone who met a king, and praised and glorified him, and then asked; yet the request was not granted?
      So what about Allah, the King of the Heavens and the Earth – who has total control over your life, your wealth and your future. Why would He not grant you your request? Indeed, our beloved Prophet had said: “Verily your Lord is the One modest and Generous, and when His servant raises his hands to Him in supplication, He is diffident (in some wordings, shy or hesitant) from returning them empty.”

  • I loved this article – it is one of my favorite ones. Is qiyam al layl the same as tahajjud prayer?

    • Qiyaam al layl and tahajjud both refer to the voluntary prayer that we pray at night but there is small technical difference:

      Qiyaam: Voluntary prayers you pray in the night. Some scholars even say that this is any voluntary act of worship, such as reading qur’an in the night.

      Tahajjud: Some scholars limit it to prayers that are offered at night after sleeping.

  • Alhamdulillah. Masha’Allah for this WONDERFUL article. I simply love this series. Please keep them up, they bring tears to my eyes.

    I do have a question, though.

    About this part …

    “O My servants, it is but your deeds that I reckon up for you and then recompense you for, so let him who finds good, praise Allah, and let him who finds other than that, blame no one but himself.”

    So if the dua is not answered, are we to blame? I’m sorry if I misunderstood the last part, but it does bring back a verse which said something similar …

    “And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much” [42:30]

    So the dilemma is that there is this great dread of the punishment of sins that will come later(I’m not necessarily talking about major sins). Also, when we are already forgiven, are we still inflicted with hardships are punishment?

    Thanks in advance! 🙂

    • Salaam alaikm Sr. Dawn 🙂

      I believe the part of the hadith that you mentioned is referring to your deeds- so if you look at your deeds and you see a lot of good, you should thank Allah for them. And if you [meaning generic you, not you Dawn lol] look at your deeds and see bad, then you should only blame yourself.

      There is a beautiful lecture by Sh Hamza Yusuf in which he talks about the benefits of tribulations, I think it is probably on youtube. Sometimes it is to purify us of sins, but sometimes it is to raise our station with Allah. The Prophet (pbuh) was tested so much but he had no sins! So his tests were for another purpose. Maybe this post might help:

      http://www.virtualmosque.com/relationships/withthedivine/why-am-i-tested/

      JazakiAllah khair for your question and please remember me in your du’as!

      Jinan

  • has anyone else experienced a nonmuslim/non-practising muslim become a good muslim as a result of their dua’s/prayers like the woman mentioned in the article of her husband coming to Islam when he was skeptical of religion? I ask bec I have been praying not only after salah, but at other times too to Allah to bring someone I like very much to Islam on how own with Allah’s guidance/hidaayaa and my duas

    • Salaam

      I have personal experience with this as one of my close relatives was skeptical and he now prays, gives zakaat and everything. He occasionally has his doubts, but alhamdillah we deal with those as they come. That said I have another relative who still does not pray despite his mother praying for him for so long. I think for this we need to think of the verse:

      “Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.” [Surat al-Qasas, 28:56]

      The Prophet’s (pbuh) uncle did not accept Islam, despite the Prophet’s (pbuh) da’wa. Our responsibility is to make du’a, have trust in Allah, and do our part in explaining/living Islam, but ultimately trusting in Allah’s will. There is a beautiful statement of Ibn Ata’illah:

      “Do not despair when in spite of intense supplication, there is a delay in receiving the expected gift. He has guaranteed that He will respond in what He chooses for you, and not what you choose for yourself, and at the time He chooses – not the time you desire.”

      Hope this helps inshAllah 🙂

      Jinan

      • Thanks Jinan – but these relatives WERE muslim to start with – my case is not a muslim guy (he is a Sikh, who hate muslims because of the bad history and blood shed b/w muslims and sikhs/hindus over 60 years ago and 2 generations later they still hold grudges) Jews and Christians I my opinion revert to Islam more often than non-Abrahamic faiths. Wish people would forget bad things done by other generations and learn to live and like each other for the individual selves

        • Salaam Sr Seema 🙂

          Allahu a’lam, but i would say the same applies. Guidance is from Allah- sometimes people with the worst opinion of Islam end up accepting it, and others never do. I actually once met an Indian convert sister, who told us of how she converted. She said she used to hate Muslims, and whenever she would encounter them she would engage in heated debates (I’m sure it has to do with inter-religious history of tension/killing in India). She was telling us to never think that our da’wa doesn’t matter, because although she seemed to be hateful and stubborn during the ‘debates’, she would always think about what was said later. SubhanAllah, she ended up accepting Islam.

          Guidance is from Allah- we have to be smart in our da’wa depending on people’s circumstance, background and experience but as Allah has told us “you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills.” We use our means but rely on Allah.

          Keep up the du’a- that may be a means for the person accepting inshAllah! Allah is both al-Mujeeb and al-Hakeem- we need to trust that He will respond because this is His attribute (that of responding to du’as), but if we don’t see an answer, we know that Allah is al-Hakeem (the Most Wise) and there is Wisdom that may not be apparent to us. Moreover, the hadith of the Prophet (pbuh) tells us that Allah never returns the servant’s hands away with nothing, so be sure that you will get something even if it is not exactly as you ask. I had a friend who gave a Qur’an to a Catholic friend of his and his hope was that she would accept Islam, especially as she had heard him recite Qur’an and loved the sound of it. She didn’t accept Islam but gave the Qur’an to her cousin who ended up accepting Islam. SubhanAllah.

  • I meant on his own…and I have been asking Allah for the past 2 years also, but in sajda and in the middle of the night when I wake up from sleep and cannot go back to sleep for Allah to bring this guy hidaayah

    • Seema, Allah SWT does not control the “free will” of human beings. If this man is not interested in Islam, Allah SWT cannot force him to do an complete turnaround. At best, Allah SWT may put circumstances in front of him that may or may not cause him to re-think his position.

      Similarly — and this is what I have a hard time with — there are certain laws of nature that will always hold true. For example, most women begin menopause in their mid-40’s and stop producing eggs. Once the body stops producing eggs, it cannot be fertilized by a sperm — and thus a woman can no longer become pregnant.
      People always tell me, oh don’t worry you will get married and have children some day. But the reality is I am now in my 40s and have never been approached for marriage. This means that probably my prayers will not be answered.
      The Quran and Sunnah are meant as a guide to us in this life. Hence, in this life, Allah SWT may answer our prayers if He chooses. Yes, if He chooses. If He does not choose, then He may avert a calamity for us, or as the author states, we may obtain our hearts desire in paradise.

      Maybe it is time to be content that you made your dua, and to let it go and leave it in God’s hands? That is what I am trying to do. Indeed, living my life alone is a very terrifying prospect, but it may be that I have to accept that I will have a better life in the Hereafter.

  • Allah is very near.Eleven years ago,I was applying for dormitory in Al Azhar University.I needed a 30-Piasters stamp,but all post offices were closed or run out of stamps .So,I have to travel to Cairo the next day because of a Stamp.That would cost me at lest 7 Pounds.I asked Allah to help me.As soon as I finished my Du’a,Someone ;I don’t know,came and asked me,”Do you need any stamps?”He had a lot of stamps he didn’t need.May Allah help us and admit us to Paradise!

  • Ma Sha Allah, this was a beautiful reminder. This is a characteristic that I am seeking to perfect now. May Allah swt answer all of our prayers and grant u proper gidance, unity and Jannat Al Firdaus, ameen. fee aman Allah. Ma Salam

  • Salaam,

    Thank you very much for your article, as always the series somehow manages to add and enhance our understanding of a topic. My questions is this; one member of my family is constantly going through a lot of problems and it seems to be coming at the same time from all different directions. I remind them of duaa but I am finding that this is becoming repetitive (even though I try my best to be creative in my analogy and thoughts). However, I think the real issue is of closeness and tawakkul of Allah. I think because of their deficiency in this matter (I make this comment because I know this person very well) that they are not truly able to appreciate duaa. So how do I get them to gain closer to Allah without being so obvious (sprituality can be a sensitive discussion in certain families, and that is why I usually tend to avoid such duscussions and rather focus on being the change that I want to see in the world.)

    I am really sorry for being quite vague but I hope you can give me some advice on how I can utilise my efforts i.e. on top of duaa should I do something else.

    • W alaikm isalam w rahmat Allah

      JazakAllah khair for your comment. I’m not sure I am equipped to answer your question simply because i don’t know the person you are talking about, and subhanAllah people are touched by different things. I would obviously recommend for you to make du’a for them, and engage them in conversations on how you see tawakul and closeness to Allah manifest in your own life. I’ve found that this opens the doors to the conversation- either the person will be inspired by your experience, or they will be skeptical and ask questions which means you can start engaging them in these concepts. Allah knows best.

    • Walaikum as salam,

      I can actually relate to your situation as I’m facing something similar in my family as well. And as you’ve pointed out, spirituality isn’t an easy topic to discuss, especially when the person isn’t one who appreciates that aspect of life.

      First of all, remember this:
      “And Remind for verily a reminder benefits the believer”(Quran 51:55).
      I know that’s one thing you’ve already been doing but the reason why I’m putting this verse up here is to remind myself and everyone here that at the end of the day, reminding is all we can do. It is only Allah who can change the hearts and make someone inclined to do something. Our job is to remind.

      Personally, I try to leave subtle hints. Like leave an article about dua and Allah’s mercy lying around hoping that they’ll reach out for it out of curiosity, put on a talk by some Sheikh or some Quran recitation in a volume they couldn’t ignore. Other than that, try telling them your personal experiences with trials and how dua made all the difference and how thankful you are to the Almighty for answering your duas (let them know that you’re just sharing your experiences with them, you don’t want them to think you’re trying to change their mind or something). Another thing to keep in mind is your relationship to this person. For example, if this person is your parent or someone older than yourself, it’s going to be tricky and you have to be careful how you conduct the conversation. (Parents sometimes feel intimidated when their children try to explain things to them. Some people know that their actions/thoughts are wrong and guilt overcomes them when someone starts a discussion with them, but they’re just too stubborn to admit that they were wrong, so they react rudely or in some cases violently towards their children.)

      I’d say you’re pretty much on the right track in trying to get this loved one of yours into appreciating duas. And the good thing is that you’re also focusing on “being the change you’d like to see in the world principle”. So inshaAllah, when this person sees how you’re benefiting by making duas an important part of your life and by nurturing your relationship with Allah, he/she will come to realize the importance of this relationship. Just remember that this kind of realization can take time but keep on making dua that Allah guides them towards His path . Hope this helps.

  • Once again Sr. Jinan, wonderful article. Recently, during some difficult times before a big exam – along with hard work of course, both my mother and I were praying for my success at the exam. At times, I was feeling as if I wasn’t going to have any chance of succeeding/passing. Yet, with that continued persistence in both work and prayer, Allahu Akbar, our prayers were answered – each time happens, my Imaan increases, yet the amazement also never stops, how Merciful he is, despite our faults and mistakes, He Answers us. It is truly beautiful to witness in one’s life – again and again. It truly brings one closer to one’s Creator. I think this sentiment is reflected by the first two comments.

    Jazak’Allahu Khairan as always dear sister.

  • Simply amazing…another article which made a ‘boom’ sound in my heart and loved the almighty even more and more…indeed he is the al knower and al hearer..the most wise…

  • I would like to ask that if someone wants something in life and makes dua for it for a very long period of time e.g. two years and the wish/desire/need for it is still stronger and the option or the thing itself hasnt been taken away (i.e. the option is still there)…what does this mean? Obviously for a halal matter.

    I once read that if there is an inspiration for dua Allah will accept it also and how Allah likes to hear the voice of a supplicant and thus the prayer is delayed.

    But if one prays for something for so long and it is still not granted…why wouldn’t Allah take the option away or the need for having it away and fulfil the need somehow else or through something else…?

    Truly – without a doubt – if Allah’s promise is true that if one makes dua e.g. at the time of breaking the fast, during Hajj, Tahajjud namaz or even during rain then the dua is accepted.

    I am really so confused about this matter… normally from my experience when I want something and I make dua for it, its either accepted or taken away from me but in this case, it has been nearly over two years and I am really unsure what else to do except continue praying and making so much dua. I don’t feel like giving up

    2.) Apart from trying one’s best (Allah only helps others once they help themselves), and making dua…is there absolutely anything else in the whole world you can do to achieve something/make something happen? Or is it just trying ones best and making dua??

  • Subhanallah.. thank you so much for writing a beautiful article.. i have read the series of your article “how to achieve tranquility of the heart” but this is the first one that i commented. All of your article brings tears to my eyes, makes me miss Allah much more, and makes me realize my mistakes towards Allah. Keep writing 🙂

  • salaam can u ask allah for something and say allah respond to this du’aa not i the akira and not by removing evil, or is this not allowed

  • salam to all who may read this dear bros and sisters, i know if your genuin in your faith allah will defenetly answer you, i know this from expereance, word of worning be cearfull what you ask for.

  • i am in depths of frustration , agony and pain and often think of ending my life,,,the only thing which holds me back is the verse of Quran : do not despair of allahs mercy …but i get strong inclination to end my life at times..i hate myself.i was good person obedient to parents ,truthful n innocent..but niw i have becme very rude disobedient , and very very bad person with extremely short temper..i loved a guy first and last time..it was the biggest mistake of me,i prayed 4 yrs in prostation that allah get me married to him and that allah bless him with purity and imaan e mukamall..he was on the wrong path.,,he drank ,smoke ,,did all wrong stuff..n i used to beg allah and weep for years to make both of us pious and make our marriage a reason to be closer to u and serve isalm..in the end he ditched me badly,,he always had a load of girlfriends while though i knew i was doing wrong but becoz i loved him deeply i still continued with the relation for 5 yrs…i gave him every possibvle support and took care of him,,and in the end he is marrying another girlfriend he has got now ..i am in such deep regrest that i hurt my mom dad for him and i never understood when my mom told me truth about that guy..i used to have sympathy for that guy …he used to cry and tell me that he was adopted and his parents dont love him and all …now after getting ditched badly i want to take revenge …

    • Sister, please don’t despair. Allah saved you from that person. Remember Allah is al-Hakeem and He knows what is best. What happened is in the past and sometimes we need to let go. Our problem is not that Allah will not forgive us, because indeed He forgives all sins of those that return to Him sincerely, but that we do not forgive ourselves and that is a trick from shaytan. Start over with your parents; no human being loves you more than them and perhaps this trial was for you to realize their worth.

      Remember, everything happens for a reason; they may not turn out the way we want but Allah heard your duas. And He will give you someone that deserves you and is good for you inshAllah! Let this be an opportunity for you to ask for his forgiveness and start anew. As long as Allah has given us life, He has given us opportunities. Don’t let this make you lose hope.

      And remember, don’t dwell on the past. Learn from its lessons but don’t dwell. Shaitan wants to keep you from moving forward.

      Start step by step. Mend your relationship with your parents, be friends with them, tell them you love them. Use your salaah as a means to get closer to Allah. Slowly add acts of worship and devotional deeds- try to touch the life of another human being. That’s when we realize that there are more important things in life. And ask Allah to show you the way. He will.

  • thanks for the reply of urs. But the point is that my relation with not only my parents but my relatives and friends excluding just one or two people has been completely spoilt now.Its been years that i have been ignoring evryone for that one single guy .My parents dont even like talking to me and i feel as if i am a prisoner in my home .My life has become miserable .Becasue of what i have been doing over these years today my famliy is suffering and i feel guilty which is killing me inside.My health has also become affected badly that i am not able to do my normal schedule ,skipping my job and all.All my doctors have told me to come out of stress somehow or its going to be even worse..i have already entered hypertension with some stress realted heart problems being 24 now..i want to live and repair everything which i spoiled but i have no strenght left to live also..any dua to help me come out of this stress and loneliness

  • Assalaam o alaikum Sister sami!

    A veryyyy warm hug n lots of duaaaaz for ur pain <3 it must be devastating to see and feel a dream so cherished shatter so… </3 Please take care of your self, nd Know with allllll your heart that Allah loves you waaaaaaaaayyyyy more than u ever loved that guy. Allah loves you sooooooo much, that He didn't want anybody else sharing you with Him! That is, Allah didnt want you to divert your attention from Allah!
    The ery fact that you turned only to Allah as a means of fulfilling your desire, is ticket enough to all the Mercies that Allah bestows on the supplicator ( that this article so beautifully explains)
    Plllleeeeeeease dont give up hope. Allah Loves you, nd will always love u. It is only that you ve got to believe that HE WILL HELP YOU OUT OF IT!!!
    As for your parents and family, you know how when we get hurt? The wound fills up eventually? It takes time… But it fills up? 🙂 same is the case with this one… And nothing will make it easier then if you believe that Allah loves you more than ever, and make duaa. U know that is the beauty of Allah's Love, it does not ask to be reciprocated!
    He Loves us no matter what!!! Subhan Allah!
    And i heard from my teacjers that if we make Allag Raazi now, Allah will make us raazi, that is He will put barakah into alll of our worldly relations <3 nd parents, are that beautiful relationship, that Allah has given a chance for you to restore!!!! SubhanAllah!!!!
    Masha Allah la haula wala quwwata illa billa hil 'alliyyul 'azeem! You have a job, yet so many yearn for it… Nd a home, a roof over ur head, yet so many are mahroom frm it. SubhanAllah! Masha Allah!
    Yes there are a lot of duaas in my limited knowledge, thay we can make to escape stress nd anxiety, as Rasool Ullah sallaahu 'alaihi wasallim, Allah's Beloved , through Allah knew the intensity of such a kehfiyat ( state) he (s.a.w.) left fr us numerous duaas, alhamdulillah!
    For when affairs become difficult:
    Allah humma laa sahla illa ma ja'altahu sahlan wa anta taj 'alul'hazna iza shi'ta sahlann
    O Allah! There is no ease except that which You have made easy, and You make the difficulty, if You wish, easy! (Ibn Hibban in his [As Saheeh], #327 'Mawaarid', Ibn As-Sunnee # 351)

    Allah humma inni aa'oudhubika minal hammi wal 'huzni wal 'ajzi wal kasali wal bukhli wal ju bni wa 'dal'ad-daiyni wa ghalaba tir-rijaali wal kufri wal faqri!
    O Allah i seek refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and laziness miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts and from being over powered by men and ungratefulness and poverty!
    (Al Bukhari 7/157)

    Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihir raji 'oun Allah humma jurni fee museebati wakhlufli khayrram min ha
    To Allah we belond and unto Him is our return. o Allah, recompense me for my afflictiob and replace it for me with something that is better!
    (Muslim 2/632)

    And read the tafseer of Surah Ad Duha or listen to a lecture f the tafseer, and you will find how much Love does Allah has fr you! Nd how manyyyy duaaz did Rasool Ullah sallalaahu alaihi wasallim make for YOU, O ummati of the beloved (s.a.w)

    Make lots of tauba and recite istighfaar as was the practice of our prophet (s.a.w.) ! Recite hasbiyAllah hu wa ni'mal wakeel wa ni'mal maula wa ni'man naseer (that Allah is enough fr us, and the best Disposer of all my affairs! (mafhoom – not exact translation)
    And
    La 'haula wala 'quwwata illa billa hil 'alliyyul 'azeem!
    There is no might nor power greater than Allah… ( mafhoom – not exact translation)

    And duaa. <3
    For Allah Listens. He is Al Samee ul Aleem
    He Opens ways. He is Al Fattah
    He protects and guides. He is Al Waali and Al Haadi
    And He is the Most Merciful, Ar Rahman
    Ar Raheem, the Compassionate.
    He does not leave you alone!

    In fact He is the haven of all lost souls, the refuge for those whose hearts have been broken , He mends hearts, rights souls, sets at ease the qalb an make you smile again,
    He is Al Lateef , te Subtle one, He has a subtle way of getting things done.

    And subhanAllah, all you have to do is BELiEVE, make duaa, and then wait quietly, and see things take a positive turn….

    If our problems bring us closer to Allah, then know that everything is going to be okay!

    You have alllll our duaaaz with you, please thos life is a ni'mah, and this pain will go away, in sha Allah,Allah loves you more than you can EVER imagine. And thos is ALL part of HIS plan. It was all meant to be. Just so you can ask of HIM today.

    Please believe with all your heart. And please dont lose hope. You are abelover ummati of the beloved of Allah sallalaahu 'alaihiwassallim.
    <3
    nd i will make loads of duaa foe you in sha Allah <3

    Please, dont lose hope in the Mercy of Allah,

    Please.

    Wassalaam, ma'al ikraam,
    Hope

  • And if there’s any error in the above post it is by me , may Allah forfive me for it.
    And the good in it was solely from Allah.
    Wassalaam,

  • asalam ua laikum,
    sister jinan and hope !
    i really dont have the words to thank you…
    HOPE as i read your reply i couldnt even stop my tears
    thankyou so much!..yes i do need loads of on prayers.. as i have become physically weak and dont have energy to even pray…my whole family is in crisis..my sister is in depression ..my dad is also ill..and my mother’s heart ailment of 18 years is going bad day by day..everyone in my home is ill…i want to stand up to be their support rather than being taken care of…as last year i felt ill,,,i remained in bed for 3 months and required day night care.. and i feel i m going to the same stress levels. i dont want to overburden my broken home.things are going so bad that no one in my family is able to cope up.evryone in my home keeps fighting and arguing.though we love each other a lot but dont know when the problems get bigger arguments start..i have to drink deep my tears as i cant cry in front of my broken family..my famly also i going through lots of issues..and ..pl do pray for me…although i was considered a respectable girl by the best of people around me ..its been all these 5 yrs i had the relation with the guy ..i left all the madrasas , the islamic circles and all..coz i feel i cant cheat anyone..though evryone in those madrasas, darululooms and islamic circles kept calling upon me 5 yrs i kept distance as neither i had the guts to tell anyone what i was doing nor could i stop loving that man and being relentless ..i dont know am i worthy to sit with those people as i a bad person and they treat me still with such high respect that i fall in my own eyes,,and i cant even tell them the real me in these 5 yrs..!i cant face anyone..should i tell my shaikh about it..though i dont have the guts to do so..?

    • Assalaam o alaikum Sami!!!

      im so sorry, i just saw your comment! May Allah subhana hu wa ta’ala give you and your family complete Shifa! aameen!

      Alhamdulillah, but you see, just the fact that you commented here, is that you know in your heart that the only way you are going to heal is by coming back to Allah. Masha Allah, 😀 😀 so therefore, that’s your path outlined!

      Allah (s.w.t.)’s Mercy and Forgiveness is greater than ANY barrier that we may have set for ourselves by our mistakes – you must have heard of the Hadith about the Man who killed 99 people? 🙂 SubhanAllah, he was sincere in seeking repentance, and he took measures to go in that step,.. this is a less than 20 minute talk on the hadith, that explains so beautifully, that Allah LOOKS for EXCUSES to forgive us, and have Mercy on us! SubhanAllah!

      And when we have Allah’s Mercy by our side, how is it that all our problems won’t sieze? and even if they don’t, Allah will grant us Sabr and the strength to overcome them, in sha Allah!

      So in taking active steps towards Allah, going back to the madrassa’s the islamic halaqas, your sheikh, people who reminded you of Allah, might be the step to take to heal you.
      After all, Allah swt, loves those who ask for forgiveness, Surah Az Zamr: verse 53)” … Despair not of the Mercy of Allah; verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most- Merciful.”

      i just got that from the Quran translation, and there are soooooooo many other verses in the Quran that speak about it, and afterall having access to siddiqeen (righteous people) is in and of itself a Blessing of Allah subhana hu wa Ta’aala on you! Masha ALlah!

      and then it also says, that Allah does not change the condition of the people, unless they change what is within themselves..

      “surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition; ” (Surah Ar Ra’ad:verse 11) googled it from here:
      http://corpus.quran.com/translation.jsp?chapter=13&verse=11

      May Allah help allll of us to seek His forgiveness asap we realize our mistakes! May Allah have Mercy on us and change our hearts and take away all our problems! May we also become amongst those people whom Allah Loves and those who Love Allah! Aameen!

      if there’s any error in the above post it is by me , may Allah forgive me for it.
      And the good in it is solely from Allah.

      May you always feel Allah around you,
      Wassalaam ma-al ikram,

      Hope

    • Assalam O Alikum,
      I was married on February 2017 in Karachi,I am sunni Muslim and Offer prayers five time daily.A problem has come to me for which i want to know what Islam has ordered for this.
      My wife has relations with a person whose parents had died in Kashmir Earth Quake in 2005 All family members.He was studying in Karachi and was unemployed for long times.My wife paid him five to Eight Lacs for moving abroad and settling there the only thing he made for her was that he will marry her later.But since our marriage he neither taken a decision nor he came back to go her home for sake of marriage.Now even after marriage he and my wife communicating with each other which i came to know through her mobile and laptop in July 2017.In such scenario i am so much angry and suspicious about their communication with each other.I need to know what islam says in this scenario even i have asked my wife to stop having contact with him.
      Thanks,
      Babar Moosa Karachi

  • JazakAllah 🙂
    I am going through really tough times since months & it is going to be cmpltly 1 complete year next year!
    I trust my Allah & I know he is wid me & he is waiting for d best tym to respond to my prayers!
    ALLAHOUAKBAR! 🙂

  • The information is so wonderful MashAllah..i wud lyk to ask dt is derany specific dua to remove hardships faced by lovefailure?:/

  • So , I am actually facing lots of troubles , and i found a moment of peace during my Salaat earlier . In this tough time of my life i seek guidance to Allah and know deep in my heart He will answer my prayers as he know best what’s good and Bad .

    Thank you !!

    Incha Allah all of you find their way !

  • As salaam alaykum my dear brothers and sisters in Islam? Jazakumu’Allah khairan katheeran for sharing this wonderful article with wonderful comments I think I don’t have anything to say apart from this may Allah We ask Allah to keep us far away frm dat which s forbidden, to protect us frm ol dat may earn His wrath and to keep us safe from a painful punishment. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad. Keep it up we are always with you. Ma’as salaam!

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  • but I’ve been asking for 9 years and not one of it is heard. i did every possible thing (prayer) nothings got answered till this day. that’s OK that we live for the hereafter, but to be alive and a stable (not mental) human we needs some needs while we are living. cant wait all my life end of the day we didn’t choose to come to the world we were not given the choice so we should be given that what we ask for, since advantage was taken of us (being helpless) and just made to be alive whether we wanted to not. that’s wrong that’s not fair and on top of that he don’t even listen. i don’t want rubbish like it might not be good for you. because if he can make something as big as the world he can make that whats not good for me good for me its as simple and like he says easy for him. so why ruin someones life by ignoring

    • Salaam Sara

      I understand that it can be frustrating to feel that a dua is not answered. But remember that three things happen with du’as: they are answered, they prevent something bad from happening, or they are deferred for a wisdom only Allah knows. So your du’as might have prevented many bad things from happening, and Allah might give you what you ask in Jannah but multiplied inshAllah.

      Secondly, I do not know what you have been asking for so I cannot fully respond. However, our feelings of frustration come from three desires: the desire to control, the desire for security or the desire for approval. This is essentially your nafs. You need to ask yourself where these feelings are coming from. Do you think what you are asking for will give you security? Or will it give you control? Or will you approve of yourself (or are you seeking someone else’s approval)? Once you can pinpoint what it is, you need to let go of it. Meaning, just understand that those three things are in Hands of Allah and only He can give them if He wishes. Understanding this is liberating.

      Moreover, usually what we ask for is a means for something else. Perhaps we want a specific job. But the reason we want it is for peace of mind. Allah might give you peace of mind without the job. He knows best what is good for you and the best way for you.

      The feeling of frustration comes from within. Since it comes from within only you can make it go away. So you need to ask yourself whether you want it to go away. Unfortunately, many of us hold on to anger. We hold on to sadness. We think these feelings affirm our existence. But they do not. They only harm us. While you might feel that your du’a is not answered, you created another problem by yourself by being angry.

      Also, we sometimes focus on what we don’t have rather than what we do have. Allah has given us so much without asking. He also may have answered other du’as. But what are we doing with His gifts? Have we thanked Him as He should be thanked? One of the best ways to soften the heart and realize how near Allah is is by reflecting on the blessings we have been given.

      Finally, we need to have adab (good manners) with Allah. He is our Creator and Cherisher and He knows best how to teach us. It is not becoming to say that it is rubbish that something might not be good for you, or that Allah took advantage of us. That is how we learn. This world could have been jannah but it is not. We all have to toil somewhat, but those that are connected to Allah know that something amazing is waiting for them. Like the Prophet (pbuh) when he was beaten at Ta’if. Allah could have made Ta’if safe. But Allah gave us free will as humans and the people of Ta’if decided to reject the Prophet (pbuh). But Allah replaced them with Madina.

      This is the way God created the world. We need to make the best with what we have and strive for what is better: Jannah.

      I hope this helps.

  • Asaalamualaikum.
    I always believe the 3rd ayat if aurah at talak that allah is enough fir him who depends on allah. I loved a woman. Our relationship was more then 4 years. But when her family know about it and seized her everything. Still from 5 months i dont know what is happining with her. Coz now i m out of the country. I am asking to my allah so that he solve tje problem. Bur i wanna know. Is it legal to ask an woman to allah.? Waiting for your response.
    allah hafeez.

  • I’ll immediately grab your rss as I can not to find your email
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  • I was negligent of my prayers for years but I was aware of allah, his power and might . I kept seeking for him to guide me and masha allah,ibecame very mindful of my prayers .now I am asking allah for something good again cos I am in a difficult situation and I know allah who today made me a better muslim ,would grant my wish.

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    I have you saved as a favorite to check out new things you post…

  • Jazakallah. This was very inspiring. I was going some dark das and this helped a lot. Allah is The Most Merciful every muslim should have faith in our Creator. 🙂 I feel a lot better now and Insha Allah I’ll be just fine.
    May Allah grant me the inner peace I’m looking for and make it possible for me to live a happy and islamic life. May Allah let the past be buried and may Allah stop the past sins from coming back to haunt us. Amen

    • In this islamic life that I am living right now I had prayed to allah that to give me some sighns which tell me if this boy is rigght for me that I loved for 4 years and I had about 3-4 dreams about him does this mean anyfink and also its in ramadan aswell and I WAS NOT doing ISTAKHARA I was jus praying a normal salah which was in magrib that I made dua in to give me a dream or some sighns and that night I got the dream

  • subhaanaLLAAH great article…….jazaakiLLAAH khayran
    jst yesterday i was feeling down n was thinking all these negative thoughts…that Allah didnt love,that HE was punishing by not answering my prayer
    i really did lose hope ……bt i remembered that Allah was putting me thru dis test cos HE knws i can handle it…..n after readin dis article,my heart is at peace n i am filled with hope n i knw nw that my prayer will b answered.maybe nt at d tym i ‘m. execting it to bt i knw it will……i pray that Allah grants me the strength n patience thru dis test…aameen

  • I had some dream about the boy I loved for 4 years today and its in ramadan asewell and I had prayed magrib salah and made duaa to allah to give me some sighns or dreams to show that if his the one for me because I got 2 dreams before that aswell and I was not doing istakhara so what does this mean

  • I read everything above, it’s mentioned that Allah do answer our dua sooner or later but at the moment my faith is very low. My husband is facing prison for something he has not done and Allah didn’t do anything about it. I was expecting justice and i prayed a lot but finally he got convicted by jury that too without any evidence. My husband fought the case thinking that at least Allah will help. But had no luck.
    People saying that Allah knows better and whatever happens it happens for good. I don’t see anything good happening here our Life is ruined, when was Allah thinking to answer our dua. Allah is merciful but didn’t show any mercy on us.

  • ive been through similar hardships as the women above.. i met a guy about over a year ago n fell inlove.. i never ever kissed a guy or anything before him.. im 23 years old n the last thing i wanted was a relationship.. but when i met him i knew he was the one.. we got really close n we spent alot of time together.. one thing lead to another n we committed zina.. i regret it right up until this day, i cant live with what ive done.. we wanna get married n start ourlives coz we know what weve done.. but my family doesnt approve.. we had fights over the past year.. they blame me for everything that goes wrong in the house.. i tried killing myself twice.. n im still suicidal.. they dont wanna approve n i dont know what to do.. im so terrified of them.. theyve been abusing me verbally n physically the past year.. im terrified in my own home.. i dont know where to go or what to do.. ive thought of running away coz i cant live like this.. i need to get away somehow.. the guy i love doesnt even know what to do either.. he suggested getting the cops involved the next time they hit me.. but ive never done that yet.. they wont stop treating me the way they do.. i have no way out of this..

    • Dear anon i dont know if my advice is coming too late, i hop n pray u r still alive at your home uptill date…. Please submitt to Allah, Allah will hear u out wit tyme and take care of you be patient and, as for your familyy Allah will guide them, ask fir their forgiveness and start bein very good to dem, Allah wikl soften their heart for you and make everything better, as for you boy friend please let him go if your parents do not aprove…its better u satisfy your parents at d expense of hurting a man u love than satifying a man u love at the expense of hurting your parent, remember that Allah is pleased with ppl who’s parents are with them..and also remember Allah loves you, answer to his calls and he will answer to your prayers

  • Subhanallah,

    The power of our creator is so great. Before reading this article i was asking myself why do Allah always test me on love relationships. I always fail in love relationship. And I’m facing one now again. But after reading the article i realised that it’s not what i thought. From every failed relationship i was given something better. A blessing in disguise. This time it was different and i pray to Allah to return my ex boyfriend to me. My ex boyfriend is a non-practising Muslim and i always want him to marry me and we both would be a good practising Muslims. But am not sure if i should continue to do so. Because as i know i shouldn’t give up to ask from Allah. I pray to Allah to make him my Jodoh.

  • Salam, pls respond to ur posts…. I am in a bad shape i need Allahs help, i hv bn sick ol my life nd i hv olways bn askn Allah to grant me health, but in the last three years Allah has increasd my sickness, i hv increased my du’a and corrected my mistakes, increased istigfarr n aded more to good deeds, but my sickness is only worsening and so i hvbn askn Allah lately to end my life, so that my sufferings will atleast come to an end, how ever i am still alive and i am always thinking of suicide, please advice me what to do i di, and am i doing wrong, i knw that i hv made mistakes in d past and d biggest was kissd a boy once, bt since den i hv bn askn Allah for forgiveness till date cud it b d reason why Allah is punishing me??

    • I hope I’m not too late to answer your question. Hazrat yaqoub (A.S) has a couple of severe illnesses; due to some of them he couldn’t speak or stand and some made him bedridden. Allah took away his wealth and all his children died. He remained patient with Allah. His illnesses continued to bother him for 18 years ( if I’m not wrong). After that, he became stable again and was rewarded with even more wealth and twice the no. of children he had before.
      So please be patient for Allah is with those who are patient. Don’t stop asking help from Allah because Allah does listen.

  • AOA,

    I read your article and it made me teary eyed. I wanted to thank you for it. I have personally noticed that Dua does wonders for you but sometimes its still hard to have patience and to not feel lost. I am hoping that I can get better at it InshaAllah.

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