Overcoming Hardships Spiritual Purification With the Divine

Al-Jabbar: Mending the Broken Heart

Originally published in March 2011

How to Achieve Tranquility of the Heart Series: Part IPart IIPart IIIPart IV | Part V | Part VIPart VIIPart VIIIPart IXPart XPart XI | Part XIIPart XIIIPart XIV | Part XV | Part XVIPart XVIIPart XVIIIPart XIXPart XX

In our journey to gain tranquility of the heart, we explored what we need to know when faced with difficult situations. We need to understand that Allah has told us we will be tested, that these tests are for a reason, and that there will be relief insha’Allah (God willing). When we are worried thinking about the future, we need to work hard but have full trust in Allah that He will not leave us, and we must always think well of Allah because that is what we will find.

Yet in certain circumstances we just feel… broken. Perhaps it is the death of someone close, perhaps a hurtful word, or perhaps a reason we can not pinpoint. Yet this feeling of brokenness can be an invitation to be better acquainted with al-Jabbar.

But isn’t al-Jabbar one of the Names that indicates Majesty and Strength, not Mercy and Beauty?

The root of al-Jabbar is ja-ba-ra and has a wide variety of meanings indicating Allah’s strength and majesty, which Sr. Amatullah explained to us in this excellent article. One of the basic meanings of this name is the One who compels and restores, and demonstrates Allah’s Majesty and Strength over His servants. This is a Name for the tyrants and oppressors to be aware of, because their misdeeds will not go unpunished.

Yet this Name has another dimension: al-Jabbar is the One who is able to restore and mend what is broken. Some of the great scholars would supplicate “Ya Jaabir kul kaseer” when they were faced with overwhelming difficulty, meaning “Oh You who mends everything that is broken.” The Arabic word for a splint that is used to help an arm heal when it is broken is “jibeera” from the same root ja-ba-ra. Thus, when we feel broken, we need to go to the only One who can mend our state–al-Jabbar. Sometimes when we get this broken feeling, shaytan (satan) tells us not to go to Allah because we are being hypocritical by only going to Allah when we are down. Yet this is untrue– Allah has named Himself al-Jabbar and given Himself this attribute; you cannot go to the One whose attribute is mending what is broken, and not be healed by Him.

The example of the Prophet ﷺ is a beautiful one. Imagine being 50 years old, having just lost both your wife of twenty-five years and your uncle who took care of you as a child. Imagine walking into a town in order to ask people for their protection, and instead have them throw stones at you until your feet bleed. How would you have felt? How exhausted, both spiritually and physically, would you have been? And yet, the Prophet ﷺ calls out to Allah in one of the most beautiful and heartfelt du`a’ (supplication):

“O Allah! To you alone I complain my weakness, my scarcity of resources, and the humiliation I have been subjected to by people. O Most Merciful of those who have mercy! You are the Lord of the weak, and You are My Lord too.

To whom have you entrusted me? To a distant person who receives me with hostility? Or to an enemy to whom you have granted authority over my affair?

But as long as You are not angry with me, I do no care, except that Your favor is a more expansive relief to me. I seek refuge in the light of Your Face by which all darkness is dispelled and every affair of this world and the next is set right, lest Your anger or Your displeasure descend upon me.

Yours is the right to reproach until You are pleased. There is no power and no might except by You.”

Read those words carefully. The du`a’ of  the Prophet ﷺ was not “O Allah, please give me x and y.” It was literally the call of someone broken– complaining to Allah of his situation and expressing to Allah how he felt. What did Allah give him? A young boy by the name of Addaas saw the Prophet ﷺ, came to him with some grapes and kissed his bleeding feet. That is al-Jabbar. Imagine how the Prophet ﷺ must have felt after that, the relief he must have felt after the cruelty he was subjected to. And al-Jabbar healed the broken heart of the Prophet ﷺ  in another way – He bestowed upon him the miraculous journey of al-Israa wal Mi’raaj (when the Prophet ﷺ traveled from Makkah to Jerusalem, and from Jerusalem to the Heavens in one night).

If we think about the journey, it did not accomplish a great victory nor did it help to convince the Quraysh that he was a Prophet. Rather, Allah honored him after all the hardship he had gone through. Think of the resolve the Prophet ﷺ must have had in his heart and the tranquility he must have felt after such an experience.

Therefore, we have to always remind ourselves of this blessed name al-Jabbar; Allah will mend your broken heart. It may be through a kind word from someone that brightens your day or it may be a talk that you attend. It may even be something greater. But call on Allah like the Prophet ﷺ did, recognizing this attribute, and know that He will manifest this Name in your life.

About the author

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.

89 Comments

  • I ask Allah subhannahu wa ta’alaa to make us of those who think of him the best in what he has revealed to his prophets, all praise be to Allah to him belongs the beautiful and perfect names, and he is far from what they falsely ascribe unto him

  • Thank you, Sr. Jinan as always – this came at a much needed time for myself. May Allah bless you for this series you are doing.

  • Asalamualaikum,

    JazakALLAH khair for such a wonderful post.I’ve recently been going through some hard times in my life and this article has helped me a lot in lifting up my spirits once again.Verily, in rememberance of ALLAH, do hearts find rest!.ALLAH bless you.

  • Salaam, I needed that. Thank you. (yep read all parts and relating well to part I & V)

    Q: Is there a set pattern to life especially if it keeps throwing random events at you and however petty it may seem, it just echo every unhappy feeling there is?

    How many “lows” are we meant to go through before the penny drops or before it all settles? I keep looking at every event optimistically that every trough is followed by a peak but then every peak is followed then by another trough and so the cycle carries on… How do I STOP it?

    How do we know that the bad is either a whisper of Satan or not him but ALL Me, My brain?

    How do I stop making simple things so complicated?

    • Salaam

      Are you asking how to stop the cycle of ups and downs? If that is the question, I’m afraid I have no answer except that this is the sunnah of life- simply because we are not in jannah. If everything was always amazing… why would we want to strive for what is infinitely better? As Sr. Yasmin has reminded us in her articles, this is all temporary, and we were made for something greater inshAllah. Yet the mercy of Allah does not allow us to live in permanent despair either- if we turn to Him, then surely we find Him. It is about realizing that we can turn any bad into good simply by turning to the One in whose Hand is EVERYTHING. And knowing that, at the end of it all, there a place waiting wherein we will no know fear nor sadness. We just have to work for it.

      • Assalam o Alaikum
        I was sharing your article in a group where we are learning Attributes of Allah Subhanhu Talla…. But where you mentioned Rasool Ulllah ﷺ dua you forgot to give reference pls. Can if you could provide me the reference of that dua as in which book of Ahadith it is taken from i would be extremely thankful
        Jazakumullah Khair and i really love your work indeed its outstanding may Allah reward you for it Ameen

        • Salaam Rabiya

          It is found in Tabarani and you will find the du’a in many books of seerah. I hope you are all benefiting from the series 🙂

          Jinan

          • Yes brother indeed me and my friends are…
            May Allah help you in doing more good and May Allah reserve a special place for you in Jannah
            Ameen
            Assalam o Alaikum

  • it’s agood explanation abaut AL-JABAR,perhaps we only undertand from the word of AL-JABAR without knowing what’s the meaning in side.

  • Its incredible how we underestimate the 99 names of Allah and we only use them in times of needs, theres a sense of happiness and gratitude when one remembers Allah aza wajal with hes perfect attributes, as he is Al Khaliq, Ar Razzaq our very living revolves around Him and just shows how we are lost…brain dead with out Him as a purpose of life!

  • Thank you so much for this enlightening article. I think this brought home to me the reality that Allah is always with us and we should never give up on our faith in Him even when we are downtrodden. He is our strength and our Rock upon which we can always rely even in the face of extreme adversity.

  • […] to Achieve Tranquility of the Heart Series: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X The Prophet ﷺ said: “All the children of […]

  • mashaAllah, i got this du’a at the right time,my heart is broking.jazak Allah khairan

  • I LOVED this article – can you please write/add articles of all of Allah (SWT)’s names so we can learn how/when to use these qualities of Allah by name when we invoke him in our duas?

    Thanks

  • […] to Achieve Tranquility of the Heart Series: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX| Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part […]

  • […] 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 […]

  • […] How to Achieve Tranquility of the Heart Series: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII| Part VIII | Part IX| Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part […]

  • […] How to Achieve Tranquility of the Heart Series: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX| Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part […]

  • […] How to Achieve Tranquility of the Heart Series: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX| Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part […]

  • […] How to Achieve Tranquility of the Heart Series: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part […]

  • […] How to Achieve Tranquility of the Heart Series: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part […]

  • Sr. Jinan… your articles have helped me at a very depressive time.. uplifted and renewed my faith.. Jazakallah khair.. may Allah swt richly reward you for your work.. could you please tell me, have you acquired formal education, given your knowledge?? If you have, please tell me what and from where, as I myself am interested.. Keep those article coming, MashAllah..

  • […] How to Achieve Tranquility of the Heart Series: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX| Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part […]

  • […] How to Achieve Tranquility of the Heart Series: Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part […]

  • He who knows Allah will find everlasting peace of Mind. In Islam, we have a complete way of Life. May Allah continue to increase the knowledge of the publisher. Jazakallah kheran

  • mashAllah these words this article made my day brighter . while coming to office ,sitting in van , travelling along the way i was weeping due to the weakness , as a time has come that we get into bad things frequently , we ask forgiveness and next day we get into bad thing again …… how weak we are … o my Allah please protect me and save me . i dont care what happens to me in this life but please give me happy end and suceed me in life here after

  • MashaAllah! a profound article. AlJAbbar indeed He is, for He mended my heart. He made me read this article well on time, SubahnaAllah!!JazzakAllah! may Allah bless you for this article. 🙂

  • Subhan Allah, yesterday I got a phone call that had lots of fals accusation from someone who’s so close.It hurt so much that I felt stomach pain.All was false and completely wuestioning my intentions.It was at a time I was listening to a lecture by Shaykh Hamza and sending salah on the prophet.I did not know what to do,cried, I asked Allah for help and called one of my good friends who fears Allah and only says what’s good, never instigates problems,but a good tool to encourage all good and discourage all bad. I hesitated whether to say what bothered me or should I not.Allh forgive me if that was not right but I felt I needed the crying shoulder.So I did, she listened and cared, gave me advice, good advice and towards the end made me laugh. My pain is still here but it’s tolerable.If that was not the work of AlJabbar AlLateef, then whose was it..Alhamdulillah wa Astaghfirullah if I crossed any boundaries.

  • Dear sister jinan
    Jazakallah for such a beautiful article – I read this last year when I was hurting really badly and alhamdulilah Al Jabbar mended my heart and even now I return to read this and the beautiful Dua often.
    I sent this to a friend and she asked me if I could relate the source of the Dua.
    If you have this please can you send it to me so I can send it on to my friend.
    Jazakallah and I really do benefit from your articles .. May Allah swt bless you and grant you jannatul firdaus ameen
    Shaheen

  • Asalamulakum

    This is a lovely article. I told the story of the Prophet Muhammad pbuh to a friend and they asked me about its authenticity. I was wondering if you could please give me the hadith that the story is from

    JazakAllah Khair

  • Salam, I came across this article when I was looking for Allah mercy. May Allah bless you sr Jinan. This uplifted my broken heart and my wounded spirit. Alhumdulilah.

  • […] with us—He is always giving us peace and tranquility (as-Salaam), mending our broken hearts (al-Jabbar), responding to our du`a’s (al-Mujeeb), giving us subtle and gentle signs (al-Lateef), opening up […]

  • Asslaam-Walaikum Rehmatullahu
    This are tressures of Islam, Masha-Allah & it should reach all Muslims & Non-Muslims.

  • Sister,
    Jazaki’Allaahu’Khayr for this beautiful reminder. I have just received a terrible blow today, and by the mercy of Allaah I was able to find this information online today. Just the beautiful simplistic dua’a from our dear prophet Mohammed(sws) has helped in a wonderful way.

    May Allaah reward you for the knowledge you are passing along to others. Ameen.

    feeimanAllaah.

    Jinan Qahtan

  • sister
    jazak Allah for this beautiful and informative articles ,it really helped me ,and see life and Allah blessings in a different positive way ,may Allah rewards you for your good
    work. thank you .
    assalamoualaykum .

  • […] of them are geared towards giving us some sort of comfort, such as as-Salaam (the Source of Peace), al-Jabbar (He who mends what is broken), al-Lateef (the Subtle and Kind), al-Fattah (the Opener) and others. […]

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