Originally Posted on August 26th, 2011

By Shaykh Muhammad Jebril | Translated by Shazia Ahmad

Many of us spend a good portion of our Ramadan nights with our hands raised in du`a’ (supplication), listening to the heart-felt words of our imam or shaykh calling on Allah in the witr prayer.  For those of us who don’t speak Arabic, it is a time when we often long to understand the meaning of the words being said with such evident intensity and feeling.  It is for this reason that we would like to present a beautiful du`a’ of Shaykh Muhammad Jebril of Cairo, Egypt – said at the completion of his recitation of the Qur’an in Ramadan ((This du`a’ was performed at Masjid Amr ibn al-‘Aas in Cairo, Egypt in Ramadan 1410/1990. Original audio can be found on the shaykh’s official website:  http://www.jebril.com.)) – accompanied by an English translation.

Please remember us in your du`a’s as Ramadan draws to a close.  May Allah help us make the most of these last few precious days and nights of this blessed month.  Ameen.

Audio: Download (Duration: 34:55 — 4.3 MB)

Translation | PDF Version | Doc Version

Indeed, Allah speaks the truth. Indeed Allah speaks the truth, the One who is unique in His majesty by the perfection of His beauty, glorified and exalted.

He who sent down the clear Criterion (the Qur’an) to His servant ﷺ (peace be upon him) in order to make him a warner to the worlds; He who sent His noble messenger to the two mighty races of jinn and mankind to give glad tidings and to warn; and we are to this (truth) from among those who bear witness.

O Allah, guide us along with those whom You have guided aright; and grant us well-being along with those whom You have granted well-being; and protect us with those whom You have protected. Bless for us all that You have given us; and save us and keep away from us any evil that You have decreed. O Allah, save us and keep away from us any evil that You have decreed. O Allah, save us and keep away from us any evil that You have decreed, for verily You decree in truth, and none can decree over You. And none is abased whom You befriend, and none is honored whom You oppose. Blessed are You, our Lord, Exalted. To You, O Allah, all praise is due for what You have decreed, and to You, O Allah, is due all thanks for Your blessings and bounty. We seek forgiveness from (You) Allah, and we repent to You. We seek forgiveness from Allah, and we repent to You.

We seek forgiveness from You, O Allah, for every sin and every misstep (we have taken), and we turn to You in repentance. We believe in You and rely on You. You are the Rich, the Self-Sufficient and Free of Needs (al-Ghaniyy), and we are poor and bereft before You. You are the Strong (al-Qawiyy), and we are weak and vulnerable before You.

You are the Rich (al-Ghaniyy), and we are poor and bereft before You.  You are the Strong (al-Qawiyy), and we are weak and vulnerable before You.

You are the Rich (al-Ghaniyy), and we are poor and bereft before You.  You are the Strong (al-Qawiyy), and we are weak and vulnerable before You.

O Allah – You who connects with those who are cut off (from hope) – connect us to You.

O Allah, gift us with righteous action from You that will bring us closer to You.

O Allah, conceal (our faults) and protect us while we are on Earth, and when we are beneath the Earth, and on the Day when our deeds are presented to You.  [Repeated three times]

O Allah, beautify our standing before You.

O Allah, do not disappoint us on the Day we are presented before You to be judged. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, accept our prayers, our fasting, our standing in worship, our bowing and our prostration.

O Allah, accept our prayers.  O Allah, accept our fasting.  O Allah, accept our standing in worship.  O Allah, accept our bowing.  O Allah, accept our prostration. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, make us among those who are freed from the Fire this Ramadan. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, save us from the Fire. O Allah, save us from the Fire. O Allah, save us from the Fire. O Allah, protect us from the shame and disgrace of the Fire. O Allah, protect us from any deed that draws us closer to the Fire. O Allah, enter us into Paradise with the righteous, by Your mercy, O You Who is Most Noble (al-`Azeez), Oft-Forgiving (al-Ghaffar).

O Allah, make us, our Lord, in this month of ours, on this day of ours, on this very night, from those who are freed from the Fire, and make us from those who are accepted by You, the successful.

… By Your mercy, O Most Merciful of those who show mercy…

By Your mercy, O Most Merciful of those who show mercy…

By Your mercy, O Allah…

O Master and King (al-Malik), O Allah… O You Who is Sanctified and Pure (al-Quddus), O Allah… O Source and Giver of Peace (as-Salaam), O Allah… O Inspirer of Faith (al-Mu’min), O Allah… O Guardian of All Things (al-Muhaymin), O Allah… O Honorable and Mighty (al-`Azeez), O Allah…O You Who Compels His Servants and Mends the Broken (al-Jabbar), O Allah… O Grand and Majestic (al-Mutakabbir), O Allah… O Creator of All (al-Khaliq), O Allah… O Creator of All, O Allah…

O Maker of Order (al-Baari’), O Allah… O Shaper of Forms (al-Musawwir), O Allah… O Oft-Forgiving (al-Ghaffar), O Allah… O You Who Subdues His Servants (al-Qahhar), O Allah… O Giver of All (al-Wahhab), O Allah… O Sustainer (ar-Razzaq), O Allah… O Opener (al-Fattah), O Allah…

O All-Knowing One (al-`Aleem), O Allah… O You Who Restricts (al-Qaabidh), O Allah… O You Who Expands and Relieves (al-Baasit), O Allah… O You Who Abases (al-Khaafidh), O Allah… O You Who Exalts (ar-Raafi`), O Allah… O Bestower of Honor (al-Mu`izz), O Allah… O You Who Lowers (al-Mudhill), O Allah… O You Who Hears All (as-Sami`), O Allah… O You Who Sees All (al-Baseer), O Allah…

O You Who is the Absolute Judge (al-Hakam), O Allah… O You Who is Absolutely Just (al-‘Adl), O Allah… O Gentle and Subtly Kind (al-Lateef), O Allah… O All-Aware (al-Khabeer), O Allah… O Most Forbearing (al-Haleem), O Allah… O Magnificent (al-`Adheem), O Allah…

O You Who Forgives and Conceals (al-Ghafur), O Allah…  O You Who Appreciates and Rewards Thankfulness (al-Shakur), O Allah… O Knower of All Things (al-‘Aleem), O Allah… O Great One (al-Kabeer), O Allah… O Preserver (al-Hafeedh), O Allah… O Nourisher of All Things (al-Muqeet), O Allah… O You Who Calls to Account (al-Haseeb) O Allah…

O Mighty and Majestic (al-Jaleel), O Allah… O Most Generous (al-Kareem), O Allah… O Most Generous, O Allah… O Ever-Watchful (al-Raqeeb), O Allah… O You Who Responds and Answers (al- Mujeeb), O Allah…

O Vast and Omnipotent One (al-Wasi`), O Allah… O Glorious One (al-Majeed), O Allah… O You Who Perceives and Finds (al-Waajid), O Allah… O Unique One (al-Waahid), O Allah… O You Who is Self-Sufficient and Free of Want (as-Samad), O Allah… O You Who is Capable and Strong (al-Qadir), O Allah…

O Creator of All Power (al-Muqtadir), O Allah…  O You Who Brings Forward (al-Muqaddim), O Allah… O You Who Delays (al-Mu’akhir), O Allah… O You Who is the First (al-Awwal), O Allah… O You Who is the First, O Allah… O You Who is the Last (al-Aakhir), O Allah… O You Who is Manifest (adh-Dhahir), O Allah… O You Who is Hidden (al-Batin), O Allah… O Close Protecting Guardian (al-Waaliy), O Allah… O Most High (al-Muta`aliy), O Allah… O Living, Eternal One (al-Hayy), O Allah… O Self-Subsisting One (al-Qayyum), O Allah… O Self-Subsisting One, O Allah… O Nourisher (al-Muqeet), O Allah… O You Who Gives Death (al-Mumeet), O Allah…

O Most Gentle and Gracious Bestower (al-Barr), O Allah… O Ever-Relenting One (at-Tawwab), O Allah… O Avenger (al-Muntaqim), O Allah… O Avenger, O Allah… O You Who Pardons (al-`Affuw), O Allah… O Most Kind (ar-Ra’uf), O Allah… O Most Kind, O Allah…

O Owner of All Sovereignty (Maliku’l Mulk), Lord of Majesty and Honor (Dhu’l Jalali wa’likram), O Allah… O Just and Equitable One (al-Muqsit), O Allah… O Gatherer (al-Jaami`), O Allah… O You Who is Rich and Free of Needs (al-Ghaniy), O Allah… O Enricher (al-Mughni), O Allah… O Witholder (al-Mani`), O Allah… O Distressor (ad-Daar), O Allah… O Guide (al-Haadi), O Allah… O Light (of the heavens and the Earth) (al-Nur), O Allah…

O Originator of All Things (al-Badi`), O Allah… O Infinite and Everlasting (al-Baaqi), O Allah… O Inheritor of All (al-Waarith), O Allah… O Guide to the Right Path (ar-Rasheed), O Allah… O Most Patient (as-Sabur), O Allah…

O Allah… O Allah… O Allah…

O You Whom there is nothing like – the Hearing (al-Sami`), the Seeing (al-Baseer), O Allah.

O You who are the best of protectors and the best of those who give help. Glory be to You. We cannot account for the praises that are due to You; You are as You praise Yourself. Sublime is Your Countenance; Exalted is Your position. You do as You will by Your Power and Ability, and You decree as You want by Your Honor. O Living, Self-Subsisting One (al-Hayy al-Qayum); Originator of the heavens and the Earth; Possessor of Majesty and Honor (Dhu’l-Jalali wa’l-Ikram).

O Allah, beautify us with the beauty of the Qur’an. O Allah, enter us into Paradise by the intercession of the Qur’an. O Allah, ennoble us by the nobility of the Qur’an. O Allah, dress us with the honorable mantle (khil`ah) of the Qur’an. O Allah, dress us with the honorable mantle of the Qur’an. O Allah, honor us with the honor of the Qur’an.

O Allah, have mercy on the entire community of Muhammad ﷺ, by the sanctity of the Qur’an, O Most Merciful (al-Raheem), Loving One (al-Rahman).

O Allah, guide us and lead us to the truth and to the straight path, by the blessings of the magnificent Qur’an; and by the sanctity of the one You have sent as a mercy to all the worlds ﷺ. And forgive us, O Most Generous (al-Kareem), and grant us well being, O Most Merciful (al-Raheem).

O Allah, make the Qu’ran the blossoming spring of our hearts, and the light of our chests, and the dispeller of our sadness and grief. O Allah, make the Qur’an a proof for us, and not a proof against us.

O Allah, make us those who read the Qur’an and become elevated… and do not make us those who read it and become wretched and humiliated.

O Allah, bestow on us, by every letter of the Qur’an (that we have read) a sweetness, and by every word (from its pages) magnanimity and generosity, and by every verse happiness and joy, and by every chapter peace and security, and by every section reward.

O Allah, bless us with contentment, and make beloved to us prayer in congregation, and help us to remember death, Our Lord, in every moment (of our lives).

O Allah… Resurrect us, Our Lord, with the Prophet ﷺ, the Chosen (al-Mustafa), the one to whom you have granted the right of intercession.

O Allah, we seek refuge in You from knowledge that does not benefit; and from a heart that is not humbled in devotion to You; and from an eye that does not weep (out of love and awe of You); from an eye that does not weep; from an eye that does not weep; and from an ego that is never satisfied; and from a supplication that is not heard.

O Allah, we seek refuge in You from knowledge that does not benefit; and from a heart that is not humbled in devotion to You; and from an eye that does not weep (out of love and awe of You); and from an ego that is never satisfied; and from a supplication that is not heard.

O Allah, we seek refuge in You from knowledge that does not benefit; and from action that is not elevated (to the heavens and accepted); and from an eye that does not weep (out of love and awe of You); and from an ego that is never satisfied; and from a supplication that is not heard.

O Allah, we ask you for knowledge that benefits; and for a heart that is humbled in devotion to You; and for a tongue busy with remembering You and expressing gratitude to You; and for actions that are righteous and accepted by You; and for a certainty (in You) that is genuine and true.

O Allah, we seek refuge in You from death and its agonies; and the grave and its distress; and the Sirat and its perils; and the Day of Rising and its terrors. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, make us fearful and conscious of You as if we see You; and grant us happiness through reverence of You (taqwa); and grant us the pleasure of seeing You (in Paradise); and gather us in the company of Your Prophet and Chosen One ﷺ (al-Mustafa). [Repeated three times]

O Allah, grant victory to Islam and honor the Muslims. O Allah raise high, with Your Grace, the two words of truth and religion.  O Allah, destroy the disbelievers who show hostile enmity to You and Your religion.

O Allah, bring the Muslims back to Your religion in a beautiful return (in repentance). [Repeated three times]

O Allah, grant success and victory to those striving in Your cause, wherever they may be. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, grant us success and victory over (the weaknesses of) of our own selves. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, respond to our du`a’, and heal our sick, and have mercy on our dead, and defeat our enemies. Do not disappoint us in our hope (in You); and let the last of our deeds be the best of them.

O Allah, fulfill from our hopes whichever please You; grant authority over our affairs to those who are the best of us, and not to those who are the worst of us.

O Allah, lift Your displeasure and anger from us. O Allah, lift Your displeasure and anger from us. O Allah, lift Your displeasure and anger from us, and do not call us to account for what we have done; and do not hold us accountable for what the foolish among us do; and do not place upon us, due to our sins, an authority who does not fear or revere You and who will not have mercy on us.

O Allah, purify our hearts; divest us of our faults; relieve our worries and troubles; protect us in the best way; and gather for us the best of the hereafter and the best of this life.

O Allah, rectify our condition. O Allah, join together and unite our hearts.

O Allah, allow our end to be concluded with righteous deeds.

O Allah, encompass us in the vastness of Your mercy.

O Allah, avert the harms and evils that concern and trouble us.

O Allah, allow us to pass away with sound faith, (faithful to) the Book and the Sunnah, and in a state in which You are pleased with us, O You Who is the Most Generous (al-Kareem).

O Allah, allow the Qur’an to be our close companion in this life; and in our graves a comforting friend; and a light on the Sirat; and an intercession at the time of resurrection; and our companion in Paradise; and make it a protection and barricade between us and the Hellfire; and a guide and leader to all good works, by Your Grace, O Most Generous of those who show generosity.

O Allah, distance us from our mistakes as You have distanced the East from the West. O Allah, purge our sins from us the way a white cloth is purified from filth; O Allah cleanse us from our sins with the (purity of) water, snow, and hail.

O Allah, You are the Forgiving (al-`Affuw), and You love to forgive, so please forgive us.  O Allah, You are the Forgiving (al-`Affuw), and You love to forgive, so please forgive us. O Allah, You are the Forgiving (al-`Affuw), the Generous (al-Kareem), the Forbearing (al-Haleem), the Great (al-`Adheem), and You love to forgive, so please forgive us.

O Allah, grant us well being and safety; pardon us; accept our deeds; accept us; accept our repentance, and excuse us, by Your loving Grace, O Most Merciful of those who show mercy.

Our Lord, accept from us (our deeds), You are the All-Hearing (as-Sami`), the All-Knowing (al-`Aleem).  Accept our repentance, Our Lord, You are the Oft-relenting (at-Tawwab), The Merciful (ar-Raheem). Forgive us and have mercy upon us, Our Lord, You are the Forgiving (al-Ghafur), the Merciful (ar-Raheem). Save us from sorrow and worry and the greatest distress (of punishment in the Hereafter). Save us from sorrow and worry and the greatest distress (of punishment in the Hereafter).

O Allah, bestow on us the gift of seeing Your Noble Countenance. [Repeated three times]

O Allah, make us from among those who have running beneath them the rivers of Paradise… “Their prayer therein will be, “Glory be to You, O Allah”; and their greeting (to one another) therein is, “Peace.”  And the conclusion of their prayer will be, “Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds.” (Qur’an, 10:10)

“Our Lord, condemn us not if we forget or fall into error.  Our Lord, lay not on us a burden like that which you laid on those before us.  Our Lord, lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear.  Pardon us, and grant us forgiveness, and have mercy on us.  You are our Protector.  Help us against those who stand against faith.” (Qur’an, 2:286)

“Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You; for You art the Grantor of bounties without measure. Our Lord, surely it is You Who will gather mankind together on the Day about which there is no doubt, for verily, Allah never fails in His promise.” (Qur’an, 3:8-9)

“Our Lord, forgive us our sins and anything we may have done that transgressed our duty.  Establish our feet firmly, and help us against those that resist Faith.” (Qur’an, 3:147)

“Our Lord, indeed whoever You admit to the Fire – You have disgraced him, and for the unjust wrongdoers there are no helpers.  Our Lord, indeed we have heard a caller calling to faith, [saying], ‘Believe in your Lord,’ and we have believed. Our Lord, so forgive us our sins and remove from us our misdeeds and cause us to die with the righteous.  Our Lord, and grant us what You promised us through Your messengers and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, You do not fail in [Your] promise.” (Qur’an, 3:192-194)

“In Allah do we put out trust. Our Lord, make us not a trial for those who practice oppression; and save us, by Your mercy, from those who reject You.”  (Qur’an, 10:8-9)

“Our Lord, In You (Alone) we put our trust, and to You (Alone) we turn in repentance, and to You (Alone) is (our) final return.  Our Lord, make us not a test and a trial for the disbelievers, but forgive us, our Lord, for You are the Exalted in might, the Wise.” (Qur’an, 60:4-5)

“Our Lord, forgive us and our brethren who came before us into the faith, and leave not, in our hearts, ill feeling against those who have believed.  Our Lord, You are indeed full of kindness, most merciful.” (Qur’an, 59:10)

O Allah, to You we lovingly submit; and in You we believe; and upon You do we rely. To You we turn (in repentance), and by You we argue (and advocate). Forgive us for what we have sent forth (in deeds) and for what we have held back; for what we have made known, and for what we have hidden; and for (our deeds) which You have more knowledge of than we ourselves.

O Allah, be compassionate with us, for You are the One who shows us mercy. Do not punish us for our sins, for You are the Powerful over us. Be gracious and kind to us, Our Lord, for what has come to pass in our time and place; and (we ask You, O Allah) to conclude our lives for us with a beautiful and joyful ending. 

“Exalted is Your Lord, the Lord of Might and Honor, above what they describe; and peace be on the messengers (of God); and all praise is due to Allah, the Lord and Cherisher of the worlds.” (Qur’an, 37:180-182)

Send peace and blessings, O Allah, on our master Muhammad, and upon his blessed family and noble companions.  Ameen.

Photo: Matt Carman

Originally posted in 2007.

What do you think of when you see a Muslim doing something considered wrong?

Ever look down on them? Think you are better than them? It’s really easy to be self-righteous. It’s even easier to fall prey to this attitude if you sport the outer ‘righteous’ look.

But let’s ask ourselves this question: has Allah written us amongst His righteous servants? Or is that a title we have only given ourselves?

Check this:

I was once sitting at the da`wah (outreach) table on my college campus and a female student approached it. She asked if she could have a Qur’an, and of course, I was happy to give one to her. Then she said, “Can I ask you a question?”  The question sounded kind of deep, so I invited her to sit next to me on the empty chair. She took up the offer.

“Please don’t judge me,” she began. SubhanAllah (glory be to God)! The courage it must have taken for her to come and speak to me, for her to begin with that statement.

After reassuring her, how could I judge her? She began—

She told me that she was Muslim and she became involved in a relationship for the first time in her life with a Muslim guy. Her intention was for long term, but she felt so terrible doing it. She told me when she is with her boyfriend, she feels horrible, even though she thinks she is supposed to feel good. She told me that she knows that this is such a big sin, that she wants to stop, but that it is just so, so hard. And she asked me: Can Allah forgive me?

While this girl was speaking, I was looking at her thinking: look at the struggle she is going through for the sake of God. She hates what she is doing because she knows it’s something He would not be pleased with, she wants so much for God to forgive her, but it is so hard for her to leave what she knows she shouldn’t do.

Her desire to repent became so intense that she came to me, a girl she has never even seen before, who could easily judge her, and poured out her heart. She was so desperate in her wanting to know: Could Allah forgive her? Could He really forgive such a sin?

I told her—man, God is THE MOST MERCIFUL! He will forgive ANYTHING when you turn to Him! I kept telling her about God’s Mercy, about how He is so, so happy to accept the repentance of His creation.

We kept talking about how God must be pleased with her internal struggle because she clearly wants to gain His pleasure despite her difficulty. We looked at the Holy Hadith, where God talks about us and says:

“O child of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O child of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O child of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it.” (Ahmad)

She was overwhelmed with emotion. I then shared with her a supplication that, if said with firm belief in the morning or evening, and if death happens on that day or night, the person who said it would be amongst the people of Paradise.

The Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon us) taught us the chief supplication (sayyidul istighfaar) of asking for forgiveness as follows:

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّي لا إِلَهَ إِلا أَنْتَ خَلَقْتَنِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ وَأَنَا عَلَى عَهْدِكَ وَوَعْدِكَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا صَنَعْتُ أَبُوءُ لَكَ بِنِعْمَتِكَ عَلَيَّ وَأَبُوءُ لَكَ بِذَنْبِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَإِنَّهُ لا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلا أَنْتَ

Allahumma anta rabbi, la ilaha illa anta, khalaqtani wa ana abduka [if you’re a male]/amatuk [if you’re a female], wa ana ‘ala `ahdika wa wa`dika mastata`tu. A`udhu bika min sharri ma sana`tu, abu’u laka bini`matika ‘alaiya, wa abu’u laka bidhanbi, faghfirli, fainnahu la yaghfiru adhdhunuba illa ant.

O Allah! You are my Lord! None has the right to be worshipped but You. You created me and I am Your slave, and I am faithful to my covenant and my promise as much as I can. I seek refuge with You from all the evil I have done. I acknowledge before You all the blessings You have bestowed upon me, and I confess to You all my sins. So I entreat You to forgive my sins, for nobody can forgive sins except You. (Bukhari)

And of course, the most intimate way of feeling close to Allah is to come to Him, from the depths of one’s heart, in the language easiest for oneself, with the words coming from one’s own soul, asking for His forgiveness.

Reflect

I want you to go back to your original answer when I first posed the question. What would you be thinking of someone you see doing something you feel is wrong?

Yes, in that moment, that person might be outwardly sinning if that is what they are doing, but perhaps internally they are struggling and fighting every time they commit the sin, and are continually seeking to turn back to God. Perhaps in some people’s eyes, this person is a ‘sinner’ (and who amongst us is not?). But perhaps in the Sight of Allah, they are more beloved to Him because of their sincere struggle, than those of us who can easily fall into feeling arrogant about our Islamic activism, our Islamic appearance, or our ‘hard-core’ connection with Rabb il`alameen  (the Lord of the Worlds). We need to be careful. Are we really connected? Am I really connected?

And don’t get me wrong: the struggle of those who are trying to stay upright and please God Almighty is a weighty, honorable and noble one.

But for those of us who might have ‘been there’ and left it, and then feel arrogant that we’re no longer involved in the “ways of the sinners,” and perhaps even might feel better than others because we’re so pure and special, then my advice to myself is what Omar  radi allahu `anhu (may God be pleased with him) advised, “Take account of yourselves before you are audited.”

Or in the words of Ice Cube, “Check yourself before you wreck yourself.”

Names of Allah Series:

After reflecting on many of Allah’s Names over the past four years, we finally arrive at the Name that is most commonly on our tongues: Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He).

This Name brings together all of His attributes such that when you call on Him by this Name, you are bringing together all of the attributes we talked about and more. When we say “Allahumma” (اللهم), we are calling out to Allah (swt). In Arabic, when you call out to someone you say “ya“(يا), and here, the ‘m’ (م) at the end takes its place. Ibn Al-Qayyim says that when someone calls to Allah (swt) saying, “Allahumma I ask you…” the person is saying, “I am asking Allah who possesses the Best Names and the Highest attributes by those Names and attributes.”

So when you say ‘Allah’, know that you are calling the One who possesses all the greatest attributes – everything that we talked about in this series and more.

This Name is unique because it is Allah’s alone (swt). His other Names are also attributes by which people are sometimes described, but this Name can only refer to Him. According to al-Ghazali, this is the greatest of Allah’s (swt) Names. It is the Name most mentioned in the Qur’an, and it is the Name that is mentioned in every hadith (tradition of the Prophet ﷺ, peace be upon him) that talks about God’s greatest Name.

The Beauty of Allah (swt)

Just hearing this Name of Allah (swt) should change something in us and soothe our hearts. Ibn al-Qayyim quotes Ibn Forak, who says that the Name ‘Allah’ starts with the ‘a’ sound, which originates in the chest, and ends with the ‘h’ sound which goes back to the chest. The chest contains the heart, and thus the Name ‘Allah’ begins in the heart and ends there.

I met a woman during `Umrah (the lesser pilgrimage) a few years ago, and she was talking about her journey to Islam. She said she had always been a spiritual person, and she happened upon a talk by a Muslim sheikh (scholar). Up until that point, she had never heard the Name ‘Allah’ before. She said that what stuck out for her during his talk was the beauty of the sound of Allah’s (swt) Name. That planted the seed in her heart and began her journey to learning about Islam.

So who is Allah (swt)?

Allah (swt) is the One whom we worship: the One to whom we go with hope, reverence, and love. He is the Lord, the Sustainer and the Originator of this whole universe. If you want to feel in awe of Allah (swt), go out somewhere in nature and just be with yourself. Reflect on the vastness of this universe and its beauty, and our small place in it.

Even though the world appears to be so much greater, Allah (swt) created each soul personally. He knows you better than your parents, your spouse, or your best friend. He hears you before you speak. He knows everything you have been through and everything you are going through. His door is always open to you no matter your state. The Prophet ﷺ tells us:

“Allah is happier with His servant who turns back to Him than the happiness one of you would feel if he was wandering in a barren wasteland to find his steed had wandered off with all his food and provisions. Then, after the heat and his thirst become severe, he falls asleep in the same place and wakes to find his steed standing before him, so that he grabs its reigns and says: “O Allah! I am your Lord and You are my servant,” mixing up his words on account of his extreme joy.” (Muslim)

He is greater than any of our problems, our fears or worries. This is why we say, “Allahu Akbar!” (Allah is greater) at the start of every prayer to remind ourselves: He is greater. He gifted the daily prayers to us so that we can be brought back to our center and purpose at least five times a day, remembering that He sets the standards for greatness and loftiness as we recite these attributes in our bowing and prostration.

Our hopes and dreams are not too big for Him. He says in a hadith qudsi (narration of the words of Allah via the Prophet ﷺ):

“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 than a needle decreases the sea if put into it.” (Muslim)

He is Vast, and so encompasses all of us, with our mistakes and brokenness. Don’t ever believe that you are too broken for Him. Don’t ever think that there is no room for you. When Allah (swt) tells you to turn back to Him and seek forgiveness, it is because you have the potential to be better. You are not defined by your mistakes. The Prophet ﷺ tells us: “Allah extends His hand at night to give forgiveness to those who sinned during that day, and He extends His hand during the day to give forgiveness to those who sinned during the night. This will continue to be the case until the Sun rises from the west,” (Muslim).

Knowing that instructions may be theoretical, He sent us a Messenger who is from amongst us to teach us and show us the way. Allah (swt) says about the Prophet ﷺ:

“And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.” (Qur’an, 21:107)

He embodied in the Prophet ﷺ the perfect example: Worshipping Allah (swt) with love, hope and fear; kindness and compassion to everyone; communal and individual responsibility; and justice in society. Knowing that we might sometimes feel that it is all too much, the Prophet ﷺ advised his daughter, Fatima  radi Allahu `anha (may God be pleased with her), to say in the morning and in the evening:

“Ya Ḥayyu ya Qayyūm (O Ever-Living, O Sustainer), by Your Mercy I seek help, rectify for me all of my affairs and do not leave me to depend on myself, even for the blink of an eye.” (Hakim)

By reminding us that Allah (swt) is at every moment sustaining this world, we realize how fragile we are and how much we are in need of Him, and thus we ask Him not to leave us for even a second.

Allah (swt) sent us to know Him and to experience His attributes through the good and what we perceive to be bad. He knows of our efforts and assures us that they never go to waste, thus teaching us to be ambitious. Tests and hardships may come our way, but they come to alert us, strengthen us, elevate us and teach us. With His wisdom, justice and mercy, the whole world moves. He commands us to do things because He is our Creator, but in the end all of the things commanded of us to do or prohibited of us benefit us in the long-term. He is the Acquainted One – who knows the inner and outer realities – and the Most Wise.

He reveals to us that He is the source of Peace, so we can turn to Him to be at peace, and emulate His attributes by being agents of peace in this world. He is so Generous that He prepared for us a paradise that not only satisfies our material wants, but our emotional wants and needs. It is a place in which we can be with those we love, where our hearts know no pain, and where we will finally be with Allah (swt).

He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant and the Intimate. Once we realize that, we can start everything with His remembrance and understand that it will all go back to Him; we can start to see His attributes in the minutiae of our everyday.

He is Allah (swt).

After midnight until just a bit before Fajr (dawn) is a time about which the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace be upon him) has stated that we are the closest to God. At that time He is anxious to hear us call out to Him in need. The Prophet ﷺ has said:

يَنْزِلُ رَبُّنَا تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا حِينَ يَبْقَى ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ الْآخِرُ يَقُولُ: مَنْ يَدْعُونِي فَأَسْتَجِيبَ لَهُ مَنْ يَسْأَلُنِي فَأُعْطِيَهُ مَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُنِي فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ ؟

“Our Blessed Lord the Most High descends towards the skies of the earth when there remains a third of the night left and proclaims: ‘Who is calling out to Me that I might answer them? Who is asking of Me so that I might give to them? Who is seeking My Forgiveness so that I might forgive them?’”

That gives me chills, glazes my eyes, and fills my heart. Every single night He is calling out to you.

Now the best mode of praying tahajjud (the pre-dawn prayer) is the prayer of David, King of the Children of Israel. The Prophet ﷺ said:

أَحَبُّ الصَّلاَةِ إِلَى اللَّهِ صَلاَةُ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ ، وَأَحَبُّ الصِّيَامِ إِلَى اللَّهِ صِيَامُ دَاوُدَ ، وَكَانَ يَنَامُ نِصْفَ اللَّيْلِ وَيَقُومُ ثُلُثَهُ وَيَنَامُ سُدُسَهُ ، وَيَصُومُ يَوْمًا وَيُفْطِرُ يَوْمًا

“The most beloved prayer to God is the prayer of David, upon him be peace. And the most beloved fasting to God is the fast of David. He used to sleep for half the night, then stand in prayer for a third of it, then sleep for a sixth of it. He would alternate between fasting a day and then not fasting a day.”

You can pray between 2 and 10 rak`ah (unit of prayer) tahajjud (but the Sunnah—tradition of the Prophet ﷺ—is to not exceed 10) then pray 2 shafa` and 1 witr. Please note that our Hanafi brethren join shafa` into witr making it a 3 rak`ah witr prayer.

So at a minimum you will pray a total of 5 rak`ah (2 tahajjud + 2 shafa` + 1 witr) and a maximum of 13 (10 tahajjud + 2 shafa` + 1 witr). Note that the numbers 5 and 13 are odd numbers. The word ‘witr’ itself means numerically odd. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وِتْرٌ يُحِبُّ الْوِتْرَ ، فَأَوْتِرُوا يَا أَهْلَ الْقُرْآنِ

“God is numerically odd as One (witrun), He loves the numerically odd (al-witra), so perform the numerically odd prayer, O People of the Qur’an!”

Of the best supplications to make for tahajjud is the following prayer that the Prophet ﷺ used to make as Ibn `Abbas reported:

كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ إِذَا قَامَ مِنْ اللَّيْلِ يَتَهَجَّدُ قَالَ:

اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ قَيِّمُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ لَكَ مُلْكُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ نُورُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ مَلِكُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ، وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَنْتَ الْحَقُّ، وَوَعْدُكَ الْحَقُّ، وَلِقَاؤُكَ حَقٌّ، وَقَوْلُكَ حَقٌّ، وَالْجَنَّةُ حَقٌّ وَالنَّارُ حَقٌّ، وَالنَّبِيُّونَ حَقٌّ، وَمُحَمَّدٌ ﷺ حَقٌّ، وَالسَّاعَةُ حَقٌّ.

اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ أَسْلَمْتُ، وَبِكَ آمَنْتُ، وَعَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ، وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْتُ، وَبِكَ خَاصَمْتُ وَإِلَيْكَ حَاكَمْتُ، فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَمَا أَخَّرْتُ، وَمَا أَسْرَرْتُ وَمَا أَعْلَنْتُ، أَنْتَ الْمُقَدِّمُ وَأَنْتَ الْمُؤَخِّرُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ —أَوْ لَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ

“When the Prophet ﷺ would rise in the night from sleep in order to pray tahajjud he would supplicate: ‘O God, for You is all praise, for You are the Constant of the Heavens and the Earth and all who are therein. For You is all praise as Yours is the dominion of the Heavens and the Earth and all who are therein. For You is all praise, for You are the Light of the Heavens and the Earth and all who are therein. For You is all praise, for You are the Sovereign of the Heavens and the Earth. For You is all praise, for You are the Truth. Your promise is the truth. Our meeting with You is true. Your statements are true. Paradise is true. The Fire is true. The Prophets are true. Muhammad ﷺ is true. The Final Hour is true. O God, for You I have committed to Islam, and in You have I believed, and upon You have I placed my trust, and to You do I turn, and with You do I confront those who oppose me, and to you do I present my decisions. Please forgive me for what I have done and what I do and for what I conceal and what I reveal. You are the First and You are the Last. There is no god other than You.’”

According Ibn Hajar in his Fath al-Bari, a narration from Imam Malik as reported by Ibn al-Zubayr from Tawus states that this was the first thing the Prophet ﷺ would supplicate with when he woke up for tahajjud before initiating the salah (prayer). He also gives the opinion of Ibn Khuzaymah that the Prophet ﷺ would supplicate with this after initiating takbir (the opening phrase “Allahu Akbar—God is Greater”) of the salah (takbirah al-ihram). Remember for voluntary supererogatory prayers such as this, you are allowed to hold a sheet of paper or a book to recite from if you don’t have the prayers you wish to recite memorized. So you can print out this du`a’ (supplication) and hold it and read from it in your salah.

So I am asking for you to interrupt your sleep for at least just one night and pray at least 2 rak`ah plus your 3 regular rak`ah you do with witr. It’s maybe 10 or 15 minutes of your time then you can go back to sleep. Can you do that and beg God to heal and strengthen the little baby boy of our friend, brother and teacher, Nouman Ali Khan?

I have given you all this information about tahajjud that—TRUST ME—is worth more than all the wealth of the world. This information can and will help you for the rest of your life. Can you spend one night using this information to help little baby Khalid?

When you’ve accepted and fulfilled this sacred mission, please say in the comments that you have done it. Maybe Nouman will stumble across this and seeing how many people have prayed for him will give him and his family hope and strength.

Jazākum Allāhu khayran (may God reward you for the good). Thank you.

The Abandoned Prayer

A few years ago, I came across a book that one of my relatives had called: “The Three Abandoned Prayers”. In it, the author discusses three prayers that have been largely underused by many Muslims, but which hold great power. They were Salat-ut-Tawbah (The Salah of Repentence), Salat-ul-Istikhara (The Salah of Seeking A God-Guided Outcome in Times of Decision), Salat-ul-Tasbih (The Salah of Glorification of God).

No doubt, many of us have been heedless of these powerful tools for growing in our closeness to Allah, but one in particular which is important to re-think is Istikhara.

The procedure for this Salah, is best described by the hadith:

On the authority of Jaabir Ibn ‘Abdullah he said: The Prophet (S) would instruct us to pray for guidance in all of our concerns, just as he would teach us a chapter from the Qur’an. He (S) would say ‘if any of you intends to undertake a mater then let him pray two supererogatory units (two rak’ah naafilah) of prayer and after which he should supplicate:

‘O Allaah, I seek Your counsel by Your knowledge and by Your power I seek strength and I ask You from Your immense favour, for verily You are able while I am not and verily You know while I do not and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allaah, if You know this affair -and here he mentions his need- to be good for me in relation to my religion, my life, and end, then decree and facilitate it for me, and bless me with it, and if You know this affair to be ill for me towards my religion, my life, and end, then remove it from me and remove me from it , and decree for me what is good wherever it be and make me satisfied with such.’

Such a powerful tool we have been given, to admit our complete lack of knowledge, power, ability, and sight, and the absolute dominance of Allah (swt) in all these abilities. Such a great and mighty prayer, comprehensive in its outlook, its span of time, and its effect on our lives. Balanced within this world and the Hereafter. Something which only Divine Guidance could have brought us.

Many of us use this prayer, rightfully, to seek Allah’s assistance in making decisions concerning school, getting a job, getting married, going to Hajj, or maybe even choosing a house. Unfortunately though, we have relegated one of the most powerful duas available, to only the most important decisions.

What we don’t realize however, is that this prayer need not only be for the most important, crucial decisions in our lives. Why do those who are in Islamic Work, not use this prayer when making decisions in the organization? Why not use it when making difficult choices at work? For a specific project choice or topic choice for a paper in school? Why do we not use it every time we say: “Ya Allah…I wish you would just me what is best for me!” or “Ya Allah! I wish you would just show me what to do!”

So many decisions that the activist brother or sister has to make. So many decisions at our workplaces. But in these decisions, we don’t remember that much of our worry can be removed by leaving the decision to Allah (swt).

What made the Companions the unique Quranic generation, was that their entire thought process revolved around the Quran and around supplication to Allah. The relegated to Allah and His Messenger, every decision in their lives, after putting forth an intelligent and sincere effort at solving their problems

As the Prophet said: “Ad-Dua mukh-ul-‘ibaadah”.
Supplication is the essence of worship.

So next time we have a decision, big or small, that is of some consequence, remember – No one who ever consults with his Lord in sincerity, shall ever be displeased with His Decree.

Make use of istikhara! Once an Imam sat with me when I asked his advice and told me something about one of the leaders of the Muslim community. He told me: “Brother, every person who has success in the Deen, has a secret, some worship he does that sets him above and beyond and helps him towards Allah. You know what his [the leader] secret it? Every time he travels, and I’ve seen him, he prays istikhara. He asks for guidance in his travels, and on the various affairs of his life, and he makes use of his times of travel to do it. So have some secret that you use also.”

Secrets aside, istikhara is powerful. So inshAllah lets use it.

Misconceptions about istikhara:

1. Istikhara is not about having a dream. If one reviews the wording of the hadith, one finds that it is not asking for a dream, it is asking God to make one’s affairs occur in the best way. Because one did not have a dream, a sign on a bus or a billboard go by them on the highway, does not mean it didn’t “work”.

2. You CAN have a dream or a sign, and this is totally possible. But one should recognize that this is primarily about asking Allah to take control and that one is relegating his will to Allah’s will, knowledge, and infinite insight about what is best for you. And when you make this, you are finding the best way of putting your heart at ease, by asking Allah (swt) to handle your affairs with what He knows is best and finding comfort that the King of the Heavens and the Earth has your back, inshAllah.

3. Another dua of the Prophet we should all be aware of along this same line can be found here

http://www.makedua.com/display_dua.php?sectionid=27 (scroll to sixth from the bottom for Arabic text)
‘O Ever Living, O Self-Subsisting and Supporter of all, by Your mercy I seek assistance, rectify for me all of my affairs and do not leave me to myself, even for the blink of an eye.’

May Allah give us the best in this world and the hereafter.

They say that one of the signs of a good friend is the ability to listen to you. We all appreciate those amazing people in our lives who we can call up at almost any time and just talk to them. A close loved one who is there, does not interrupt and just hears what we need to say. And it is even better if that person has witnessed what we are experiencing, because we know that they understand.

Ever thought of Allah, subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), in that way?

To emphasize that He hears and sees everything, Allah (swt) reveals the following verse in an incident where a woman named Khawla bint Tha’laba, radi Allahu `anha (may God be pleased with her), went to the Prophet ﷺ (peace be unto him) to complain about her husband.

“Certainly has Allah heard the speech of the one who argues with you, [O Muhammad], concerning her husband and directs her complaint to Allah . And Allah hears your dialogue; indeed, Allah is Hearing and Seeing.” (Qur’an, 58:1)

When this verse was revealed, Aisha (ra) the wife of the Prophet ﷺ was shocked:

“Praise be to Allah Whose hearing encompasses all voices. Khawlah came to Allah’s Messenger ﷺ complaining about her husband, I was in the other room but I could not hear what she said. Then Allah (swt) revealed [these verses]!” (Bukhari)

What message is Allah (swt) sending to us? Allah is al-Samee` al-Basir—the All-Hearing and the All-Seeing. He is telling us that He hears us—and when Allah (swt) hears us, it is not a passive act. When we pray, we say, “Allah (swt) hears those who praise Him.” Now, it does not mean that Allah (swt) does not hear those who do not praise Him. But the type of hearing implies both awareness as well as action: it is listening. It means that because you have praised Allah (swt)—and that means you know you have a Lord that has all the attributes of praise—He is listening to you and will respond to you. And we are also told that He sees everything. He is not oblivious to anything that is happening to you.

Ibn al-Qayyim (ra) says that Allah (swt) is all-Hearing such that He hears all of the prayers to Him in all languages, and listening to one person does not distract Him from listening to another; and All-Seeing such that He sees the crawling black ant under a hard rock in the darkest of the night. When you talk to Allah (swt), it is a one-on-one even if you are in a crowded room full of people. You are the focus of His attention. Do not ever belittle yourself to think that Allah (swt) would not listen to you. Al-Ghazali (ra) also said beautifully that Allah (swt) “hears secrets as well as whispers, and even what is subtler and more concealed than these.” Allah (swt) even hears the thoughts that go through your mind that you have not even articulated. And Al-Basir—the All-Seeing—is the “one who witnesses in such a way that nothing is remote from Him, even what is under the earth.”

Allah (swt) has many, many attributes. Some are hidden and some are revealed. So why does Allah (swt) reveal to us that He is All-Hearing and All-Seeing?

The first is to let us know that He is aware and also to reassure us. When Musa, `alayhi as-salaam (peace be unto him), and Harun (as) were told to speak to Pharoah, they were understandably afraid. They said to Allah (swt):

“Our Lord, indeed we are afraid that he will hasten [punishment] against us or that he will transgress.”

And Allah (swt) responded to them to reassure them:

“Fear not. Indeed, I am with you both; I hear and I see,” (Qur’an, 20:45-46)

So when you are feeling lonely or in difficulty, call out to the One who hears everything and sees everything. Talk to the One who revealed this attribute to you so that you know that He is there for you. He is the close One that listens to your words when they are spoken and when they are trapped in your heart and you cannot express them. Rest assured that the difficulty that you are going through has not gone unnoticed.

You are never alone. He is with you – hearing and seeing.

And because He is al-Kareem (the Most Generous), when He hears those thoughts and hopes that remained trapped in your mind or in your heart, He still responds without you asking. How many of us have had unexpected gifts given to us—the exact thing we were hoping for without asking for it—knowing that no one heard these hopes except Allah?

Secondly, knowing that Allah (swt) is All-Hearing and All-Seeing should make us aware. There are certain things we would not say in front of someone we respect. Knowing that Allah (swt) hears and sees everything should make us vigilant over our speech and actions.

Finally, Sheikh Abulrazzaq al-Badr (ra) stated that the reason why as-Samee` comes before other attributes when they are paired is that, for us, Allah’s hearing of our calls and our du`a’ (supplications) is more important. It is reassuring to know that Allah (swt) hears us.

What does it mean for us?

1- Talk to Allah (swt)

You know that He can hear you, and that He understands your language. So speak to Him and tell Allah (swt) what is in your heart. It does not necessarily mean that you have to be asking for something. You could just be talking to Allah (swt).

2- Guard your speech and actions

Remember that Allah (swt) can see and hear and everything, so guard yourself against evil speech and evil actions.

3- Accustom yourself to hearing and seeing what is beneficial

Allah (swt) gave many of us the ability to hear and see, so we should be grateful for these gifts by using them in beneficial ways.

By Dua Aldasouqi

Have you ever
had your heart broken,
chest opened
reached in
pulled out
squeezed
until you bleed?

Have you ever
cried for a lost one?
Mother, brother, daughter, son,
tummy in a knot
and all you want to do is run?

Have you ever
struggled with the news?
Murder, massacre,
guns and demolition crews.
It’s like a game,
which tragedy do you choose?
Which tyrant
do you root for to lose?
Can you just turn off
or at least snooze?
Because you just.can’t.even.

So you, turn to a friend:
mentor, teacher, or anyone else
Because you feel absolutely hopeless

You ask them: What should I do?
And they say, make du’a’ ((supplication)) , you know pray
So you’re like, yeah yeah
But, no, what should I do or say?
You brush it off your shoulder cuff
Like du’a’ just, isn’t enough

You move on, not
recognizing what you’ve done
That you’ve left behind
The truly capable One

You forget – that Yahya ((`alayhi as-salaam—peace be upon him))
was the answer
to his father’s
constant prayer

You forget – that Yunes ((`alayhi as-salaam))
chose prayer
Over despair
inside the whale

You forget – that Ayoub’s ((`alayhi as-salaam))
affliction
was removed
through du`a’

You forget – that Badr
was nothing short of
intervention
from the heavens

You forget—that power
lies with Him alone
That strength comes
through His will

That He is the
Sustainer, the Maintainer,
the Provider, the Protector,
the Just, the Judge

You forget – that He is
the only capable One

By Marwa Abdalla

I was praying dhuhr (the noon prayer) not so long ago when my four-year old daughter came and stood by my side. Our usually noisy house was strangely quiet. Our oldest daughter was at school and our baby was napping. There we were, praying together, bowing to Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), standing again and then going into sujood (prostration). All was quiet, until, while in sujood, I heard a tiny voice whispering:

“Please Allah, give me a castle in jannah (paradise). Please Allah, give me a castle in jannah. Please Allah, give me a castle in jannah.”

My daughter kept repeating her request over and over, and upon hearing this, my eyes welled up with tears.

When we finished our prayer, I could not help but hug her. I sat, holding her, and thinking to myself, how did my habit of making du`a’ (supplication) to Allah (swt) compare to hers? Had I remembered, as she had, that the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) had told us that we were closest to Allah (swt) when we were prostrating to Him and that we should use this opportunity to ask of Him? ((Abu Hurairah radi Allahu `anhu (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Allah’s (swt) Messenger ﷺ , said: “The nearest a slave can be to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so invoke (supplicate) Allah (swt) much in it.” (Muslim))) Had I remembered to request from Allah (swt), the Provider and Sustainer of the universe, my castle in jannah?

Sadly, I realized that in my prayer, not only had I not asked Allah (swt) for my castle in jannah, I had actually failed to ask for anything. I had prayed perfunctorily, distracted from the reality of how close Allah (swt) was to me as I stood before Him.

The Prophet ﷺ tells us, “There is nothing dearer to Allah (swt) than a servant making du`a’ to Him,” (Tirmidhi). Nothing dearer! And yet how often had I neglected to do this?

The Prophet ﷺ also tells us that du`a’ is the worship. It encompasses so much of what the Islamic creed stands for: belief in the unique power of Allah (swt) as the Lord of everything; belief that only Allah (swt) can aide us when we are in need; reliance upon Him for all our affairs; hope in His mercy and forgiveness for our shortcomings; humility in knowing we are nothing without Him.

Allah (swt) is the All-Knowing, the All-Hearing and the All-Seeing. He already knows what we conceal in our chests:

“He causes the night to enter the day and causes the day to enter the night, and He is Knowing of that within the breasts.” (Qur’an, 57:6)

So whether we think of something at night or during the day, Allah (swt) already knows it. He already knows what we want or need. Nonetheless, He tells us we must do our part and ask of Him. So what prevents us from doing so?

It may be that, sadly, many of us fail to understand just how important du`a’ is. We think it is somehow secondary to other acts of worship, like praying and fasting, and that it is an optional act that we may or may not take part in. Furthermore, many Muslims actually worry that they are not capable of making du`a’—thinking that they have to have some sort of extensive knowledge of Islam or of the specific du`a’ made by the Prophet ﷺ in order to carry out this act of worship properly.

The truth is that du`a’ is simply a conversation we are having with our Lord (Rabb).

A very special kind of conversation.

Special not because of what we say, but because of why we say it. When we make du`a’ we are affirming Allah’s (swt) position in our lives and His control over everything: our successes, our failures, our inclinations, our emotions—indeed, even our ability to follow His guidance.

What makes this conversation even more special is that when we hand over this control to Allah (swt) and submit to His will admitting our utter need for Him, the result is not a feeling of helplessness or despair, rather it is a feeling of peace and serenity in our hearts that can only be experienced in order for it to be understood.

And we need not make du`a’ in Arabic or in any other specific language. We need not even memorize or recite the exact words used in the du`a’ of the Prophet ﷺ.

However, as in our daily conversations, we should realize that there are certain etiquettes that need to be observed when making du`a’. Although scholars may list numerous recommendations on how to best to make du`a’, I would like to highlight just three ((“When one of you prays, let him start with praise of Allah (swt), then let him send blessings upon the Prophetﷺ then let him ask whatever he likes after that.” (Tirmidhi, 2765, 2767).)) .

Firstly, the Prophet ﷺ instructed us to begin our du`a’ by praising Allah (swt), calling upon Him by His most beautiful names. Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an, “And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them,” (Qur’an, 7:180).

Secondly, he told us we should send peace and blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ.

After that, he says, we should ask of Allah (swt) whatever we need or desire.

. Once we have made du`a’, we should sincerely believe that it will be answered. We should remember that to Allah (swt) belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth and that He is fully capable of granting all of us everything we have ever wanted. Allah (swt) tells us in a hadith qudsi (sacred narration),

“…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…”(Muslim) ((Hadith 24 from An-Nawawi’s 40 Hadith))

We should also be consistent in making du`a’. The Prophet ﷺ cautioned us against being hasty and giving up on du`a’ when the response from Allah (swt) is not immediate ((The Prophet ﷺ said: “The slave will receive a response so long as his du`a’ does not involve sin or severing of family ties, and so long as he is not hasty.” It was said, “What does being hasty mean?” He said: “When he says, ‘I made du`a’ and I made du`a’ , and I have not seen any response,’ and he gets frustrated and stops making du`a’ .” (Bukahari, 6340; Muslim, 2735))) .

And if everything just mentioned above were not enough to remind us to not let our worldly affairs and obligations distract us from simply calling upon Allah (swt), and to be persistent when doing so, the Prophet ﷺ further reminds us that no du`a’ will be made in vain:

“Any Muslim who supplicates to Allah (swt) in a du`a’ which contains no sin or breaking of kinship, Allah (swt) will give him one of three things: either his du`a’ will be immediately answered or, it will be saved for him in the hereafter, or it will turn away an equivalent amount of evil (from him).” The companions said, “So we will ask for more.” He replied, “Allah (swt) is more [generous].” (at-Tirmidhi, Ahmad)

Life can be distracting, but we should not let those distractions prevent us from the great benefit and reward of making du`a’.

Our prayers provide us with the perfect opportunity to ask Allah (swt). To ask that He may facilitate for us our affairs in this life and guide us on the path that pleases Him, that He forgive us for our mistakes and shortcomings, and that He, out of His endless Mercy and Bounty, grant us all our castles in jannah.

That day, praying with my daughter, I realized I could not bring back the opportunities I had missed, but I could do my best not to miss any more.

Photo: Tom Gill

I have been living in the Arab world now for almost 3 years. There are some really taxing things here, tiring and frustrating to say the least. But there are also some exciting and uplifting things that keep me going throughout the days. And then, there are the hidden gems. The things that can be overlooked without a second thought, yet if they are given a second thought, they require a third and a fourth thought for one to even begin to benefit from their beauty. It is those things that get me time and time again. It is those things that take my breath away and leave me thankful for being placed in the position that I am in, living in a place where I do not always fit in or feel at home. One of those hidden gems can be found in the phrases that are oft repeated, with little thought, on a daily basis. There are many that could be spoken about, like the wishing of “na’eeman” [lit. blessings] when a person takes a shower or cuts their hair. Like the prayer of “kulli sana wanti tayyiba” [“may every year find you well”] on any happy occasion that occurs yearly. But my favorite has to be one that carries behind it a great story of a great man whom I recently read about, and after reading his story in the tafseer [exegesis] of Ibn Ajeeba, the oft repeated phrase “Ya sabr Ayub” [“O patience of Job”] has never been the same again.

It would be best, before diving into the gem-filled story, to give some information on when this phrase, in the Arab culture, is used. It is used mainly in two situations: 1) When a person is going through something very taxing and is wishing for an intense amount of patience to be poured into them, as a prayer and 2) when a person witnesses someone being ever so patient and is impressed by their firmness upon this patience. Naturally, after hearing that, one would assume that this story is about to be really great and I assure you: it is. The key here, however, is that something very important is done while reading this story: don’t just read it as a work of fiction or non-fiction. Read it as if this story is about you. Read this story as if you have temporarily stepped out of your own shoes, and into those of this amazing man, Ayub, and try to actually feel what he must have been feeling. And with that, all that is left is for me to begin:

Ayub, `alayhi as-salaam (peace be upon him), was a great man and Prophet of the Lord many years ago. He was blessed with many great gifts that surpassed what others around him had been given. He had money in amounts (and some say types!) that surpassed those that were around him. He was given great amounts of land as well as many animals to graze on this land, and these animals varied in types and were of very high quality. He was kind and giving to the poor, he used to care for the widows and the orphans, he would be generous with his guests and accept any traveler into his home. He did all of this as an act of gratitude to God for giving him so much. This is something very unique to note, as for when a person is given such great wealth and great gifts, Satan then tries very hard to get him to be greedy and ungrateful. Satan tries very hard to get the person with such wealth to belittle that which has been given to him, or to become arrogant and not spread the wealth to those who may be in need of it. Satan however, was unsuccessful at whispering into the heart of Ayub (as) with regards to all that he had been given.

It is said that Satan heard the angels in the heaven praising Ayub (as) for all that he had done and was doing. Upon hearing this, Satan felt a twinge of envy (hasad) towards the state of Ayub. Satan, being one who acts upon these twinges of envy immediately, went and pleaded to the Lord of the heavens about his state. He complained to God: “O my Lord, you have blessed your servant Ayub, so he had thanked you. You have removed from him any affliction so he has glorified you. You haven’t allowed any hardship to befall him, but if you did then surely he would be an ungrateful servant.” This was a plea from Satan, and at the same time he was taking a shot at the honor and actual piety of Ayub. He asked God to just give him the ability to afflict Ayub with some hardship, and he told God that He would see the gratefulness of Ayub dwindle away. God then allowed Satan to have control over the wealth of Ayub, and nothing else—allowing him to afflict Ayub. At this Satan was joyous. He called together his troops of jinn and told them the “great” news. One of his troops said that he had been given the power to send storms of fire upon anything, and if Satan gave him permission, he could burn all of the wealth of Ayub by burning his lands. Satan agreed, and sat back and watched his troops burn down the wealth of Ayub. Once this was all over, Satan came in the form of one of the service hands of Ayub, dramatically recalling all that happened to the wealth of this Prophet. Telling him that God had allowed for his wealth to be destroyed. Ayub (as), with complete grace and gratefulness, informed Satan in the form of man, that God was the original giver of this wealth, so God could do as he pleased with this wealth.

Satan now was hit, not only with pangs of envy but also, pangs of despair. He had been sure that had this man who was so blessed, had some of his blessings taken away, he would break. He would not be such a great servant. But Satan, unlike many of us humans, does not give up that easily. When he has a goal, he does everything he possibly can to get to that goal. He went back to his troops for a brainstorming session. One of his troops had another idea. He informed Satan that he had been given the ability to blow harsh winds that would kill any animal that heard this wind. Satan jumped on that idea and sent him to kill all of the living animals that were left on the burnt grounds of Ayub. After all of his glorious animals had been killed, Satan appeared to Ayub as a different man, again telling him of what happened. He informed Ayub that the Lord that he had been worshipping for so long had killed all of his animals. Again, Ayub (as) with pure patience and love for God, replied that God was the one who had given him the animals in the first place, so He could do as He pleased with them.

Satan was hit again with deeper despair, feeling that he was certainly losing his grip on the battle that he had been fighting. Satan returned to God, again with another plea. He argued that God had blessed Ayub with his own health and the health of his children (some say he had 10 children), and this is why Ayub was still holding on, gratefully. Satan assured that if this was removed then Ayub would not remain a grateful servant and that his gratefulness was not based on Love but of contentment with that which had been given. Satan then requested to be given the ability to take away the children of Ayub to prove his point. God granted him this permission. Satan returned to the home of Ayub, and destroyed the home of Ayub, killing all of his children. He then appeared to Ayub as the teacher of his children, limping, as if he too had been hurt in the destruction. He then recalled for Ayub the detailed deaths that his children had faced, making certain to put emphasis on the pain that they may have felt. Ayub was instantly struck with sadness for his children. He fell to the floor and began to pour dirt over his head. Satan rejoiced, finally he had made Ayub be ungrateful. But after an instant, Ayub (as) realized what he was doing and looked up to his Lord, asking for forgiveness and returning to his state of patience. God instantly forgave Him, as He is The All-Forgiving.

Satan was furious. He felt that he had finally won, that finally this man that seemed to be over flowing with patience and gratitude had finally cracked. And before he could even rejoice, Ayub (as) returned to His Lord and His repentance was accepted. His sin was erased. (Take note at the Mercy of God. Take note at the persistence of Satan). Satan went back to God, again despairing and willing to try anything. He told God that the only reason that Ayub was so thankful and so obedient was that he had the most important thing, his health. Satan pleaded with God to allow him to take that away, to prove once and for all that Ayub was not, in his essence, an obedient servant. God allowed him this, but this time with some very important conditions. God allowed him to have rule over his body and health, but he was unable to touch two things: His tongue and his heart.

Satan descended down to Ayub and found him in prostration. He blew through his nose a wind that touched his entire body. It caused him to itch, with no relief. He itched his entire body with his hands, then with tools. The tools were so rough they tore at his skin, but the itch was so strong that he could not stop. His wounds began to fester, to be infected, and to even attract bugs. All of the people in his community who loved him so much began to look down upon him, unable to stand to see his appearance nor smell the stench of infected wounds. They kicked him out, ignoring all the good that he had done for him before. Everyone left him. Everyone. Except for one person, his wife. She cared for him in the trash dump that he had been cast to. She took care of him, and was his companion as much as she could. After much time she began to plead with him to ask God for help. I mean why not, he was a prophet. He in turn asked her how long they had lived in wealth. Her reply was 8 years. He then followed up with asking how long he had lived in sickness; she informed him that it was seven. His reply was that he was too embarrassed to ask God to heal him, if the time of ease overcame the time of hardship.

Satan, in his final attempt, appeared to Ayub’s wife. He told her that he (Satan) was the Lord of the world and that the reason why her husband, Ayub, had been afflicted for so long, was that he turned away from the lord of the earth and looked only towards the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth. He told her that if Ayub were to “simply” make one prostration to Satan, then he could be restored to health and wealth. Ayub’s wife returned to her husband and told him what had happened. Ayub was furious. He knew exactly who she had spoken to, and was angry that his wife had spoken to Satan and that she had tried to act upon his words. She couldn’t take his anger, and she left him as well. Now Ayub was completely alone, with reference to human companions. He turned to God and made the famous du’a that we hear time and time again “Lord hardship has afflicted me, and you are the most Merciful of the merciful.” Ibn Ajeeba here says something interesting. He says that the hardship that Ayub was speaking about was that Satan had conspired against him to get him to prostrate to him (Satan). (Why is this the hardship? Because it is said that if we understood the true essence of sickness, we would know that it is an immense gift from God.) God immediately responded to the plea of Ayub and instructed him to go to the nearest water source and bathe in it. He did so, and was returned to his complete health and beauty. His wife, shortly after, returned looking for her husband. She found a handsome healthy man in his place. She asked him if he has seen a man that was rotting and in pain. He laughed and said, “It is me, I am Ayub.” She wouldn’t have believed him except that she recognized his laugh.

Ayub—not an angel, a man. He (as) went through an immense trial, and looked only at God. A man that God used to lay down a map for us to follow when we too are in pain, in sickness and in distress. Of course we don’t always react this way. Of course it may be harder at times to let go and let God. But what we can do is look to him as an ultimate goal. We can use his name when asking God for patience. We can strive to be as close to Him as God will allow. And whenever we are in hardship, we can know that we have someone to relate to. We have someone who went through pain and anguish, and we can see that even in the worst of situations, God can instantly redeem us and make everything more than perfect. May God grant us the Sabr of Ayub in the smallest of matters and the largest of matters.

“Lord, hardship has afflicted me, and you are the most Merciful of the merciful.”

Photo: Theo Wright

Coming out of Ramadan, our souls are more raw and perceptive. That cuss word or the gossip that we freed our tongue and hearing of during Ramadan feels like ice on sensitive teeth. There is pain and irritation. And leaving Ramadan to the humdrum of daily life brings with it the very things we tried to avoid. Like a broken chair we never get around to fixing, we become accustomed to those things that are damaging to the soul. And sometimes this comes from those closest to us—without any deliberate ill-feelings—and it dots our hearts with the black spots that the Prophet ﷺ(peace be upon him) warned us against. In this regard, the Prophet Musa `alayhi assalatu wassalam (peace and blessings be upon him) made a powerful du`a’ (supplication):

“And make for me a counselor of my family,
Aaron, my brother.
Increase through him my strength
And let him share my task
That we may exalt You much
And remember You much.
Indeed, You are of us ever Seeing.” [Qur’an, 20:29-35]

Musa (as) asks for strength from Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) given through one of the closest people to him—his brother. But he does not only ask for moral and physical support. There is a purpose behind it: to remember Allah and to glorify Him.

As social beings, we need people. We need strong relationships. Whether an introvert who is more comfortable with intimate one-on-one conversations or an extrovert who loves to be around a lot of people, that connection with other people is something that we crave. And so we are instructed in Surat al-Kahf, which we are encouraged to recite once a week for its reminders, to:

“Keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect.” [Qur’an, 18:28]

We are human and we need reminders. True friendship is one that brings light in both the dunya (this life) and the akhira (the Hereafter). If you have just one person be to you like Harun (as) was to Musa (as), or better yet a group of people like the youth of the cave, you will constantly be moving forward in your relationship with Allah (swt) because your relationship with His creation is based on goodness. And Allah is Good and only accepts the Good.

And if you feel sad for yourself because you don’t have anyone, put your trust in Allah (swt). He brings people into our lives—gems—and we can facilitate that by working on our relationship with Him. Good always recognizes good and indeed attracts it, as the Prophet  ﷺ tells us:

“Souls are like conscripted soldiers; those whom they recognize, they get along with, and those whom they do not recognize, they will not get along with.’” (Bukhari)

So cultivate light within yourself, and light in your relationships. And hold on to those gems that you do have, because truly, anyone who reminds us of Him can only be a gift from Him—and what does a gift represent except love from the Gift-Giver?