Nov 24 , 2023

Hope During the Times of Pain and suffering (Ar- Rajaa')

Hope during times of pain and suffering Or Rajaa

Assalam alai kum

Bismillah hirrahmanirraheem

Today as Muslims are witnessing one of the biggest war catastrophe in recent years. Images of children being killed ,homes being displaced ,entire neighbourhoods just wiped out. Well if you thinks if its just this war which has left us shaken this year . Then no. its series of events . Like we had flood in Libya which killed around 11000 and nearly 10000 are still missing. Morocco earthquake recently killed around 3000 and 6000 people still injured.

The first six months of 2023 were dominated by the devastating Kahramanmaraş earthquakes in Türkiye & Syria and several weather-related catastrophes. A record-breaking start to the U.S. tornado season resulted in billions of dollars in damage, while the ongoing megadrought in Chile brought destructive wildfires. Canada is also experiencing its worst-ever wildfire season, with a record-breaking 8.33 million hectares destroyed after only two months of the May-September fire season. Cyclones Freddie, Gabriele, and Mocha had wide-ranging impacts in the Southern Hemisphere, and significant flooding affected a number of countries including Italy, Ethiopia, Somalia, Malaysia, Brazil, and New Zealand.

Sometimes these news dishearten us. We feel do depressed ,scared and helpless. Especially the past days all of us are having this sinking feeling so much so that I just wanted to shut down social media and not watch this . But running from the issue is not a solution . And as you always know whenevBut there is a silver lining in between this midst of gloom that we see. And here I have made my reflections on this. Sharing it with all of you.

• Oppression is not just a new phenomenon . Its been since ages. Sumayyah, her husband Yasir and their son Ammar, were very often the targets for the cruelty of the Quraysh – they were viewed as easy targets because they weren’t a rich or powerful family. The Prophet ﷺ would make du’aa for the whole family – for Allah to protect them and save them from Jahannam – he used to comfort them saying “be patient, O family of Yasir! For your final destination is Paradise”.

Once Ammar managed to escape the torture and reach the Prophet ﷺ. He asked the Prophet ﷺ when the persecution of the innocent Muslims would end. The torture was physical and emotional, as she watched her husband and son being tortured as well. The more severe the torture became, the more intense her faith seemed to be. She refused to say anything that would displease Allah. As her husband, Yasser, was about to die, Abu Jahl mocked that she’s just waiting for Yasser to die so that she could marry the Prophet Mohammad. She spit on him and said that he is smaller in her sight than a beetle on the ground. In retaliation for that comment, Abu Jahl then put a spear through her midsection and she died. A Final Moment of Ease At that moment, she had finally gotten pleasure that she never got in the world, as martyrs see their place in janna at the first strike. Yasser died next after seeing Summah killed. Ammar saved himself by cursing Prophet Mohammad as he was ordered by Abu Jahl.. 

On 7 May 1099 the crusaders reached Jerusalem, which had been recaptured from the Seljiks  by the Fatimids of Egypt only a year before. On 15 July, the crusaders were able to end the siege by breaking down sections of the walls and entering the city. Over the course of that afternoon, evening, and next morning, the crusaders killed almost every inhabitant of Jerusalem, Muslims and Jews alike. How much figures we do not know by majorly about 70000.

There have been many more incidents of oppression in Muslim lands noteworthy being that of mongol invasion. Genghis khan killed around 5 million muslims. Just 3 cities nishatpur,Baghdad, There was so much blood that river tirgris and Euphrates were full of blood. World famous Baghdad library was destroyes and the rivers turned black with its ink

  So bottomline is injustice has been since ages

Secondly when yoo look at those dead rather than pitying them you should know that they are not to be pities but they are at better posituon than us .

The martyr has seven blessings from Allah: 1- he is forgiven from the moment his blood is first shed; 2- he will be shown his place in Paradise; 3- he will be spared the trial of the grave; 4- and he will be secure on the Day of Judgement; 5- there will be placed on his head a crown of dignity, 6- he will be married to 72 of al-hur al-‘iyn; 7- and he will be permitted to intercede for seventy of his relatives.

Thirdly injustice will end . World has witnessed many phaorahs but all ended and only Allah will prevail. Victory is always on the side of truth. Allah is muqsit,. He only allows injustice to remain for some time after which it will end.

Fourth :

Having good thoughts about Allah will produce good actions; and this comes from having knowledge of Allah – one is the result of the other.

Hasan al-Basree (rahimahullah) said, “Verily, when the believer perfects his thoughts about his Rabb, he would have perfected his actions and the faajir is the one who has corrupted his thoughts of his Lord, so his actions will also be corrupted.”

They always remember Allah’s verse “Do not give up and do not be downhearted. You shall be uppermost if you are believers” (Qur’an, 3:139), which represents the way they look at themselves. Muslims want to be loved and trusted by other Muslims.

Fifth is your hope should encourage you to do more good deeds and not be lenient in sins

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ once entered upon a young boy who was dying. He ﷺ asked him, “How are you?” The boy replied, “O Messenger of Allah, I swear by Allah that I have hope in Allah and I am scared over my sins.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “These two (qualities) do not gather in a slave’s heart in such a moment except that Allah gives him what he hopes for, and protects him from what he is scared of” (Tirmidhī).

Sixth is

 Reflect on the Names of Allah which invoke hope.

Increase your hope in Allah by reflecting on His Names. For example, when you learn about Allah The Ever-Pardoning (al-ʿAfuww), hope for his pardon; or Allah The Most Generous (al-Karīm), hope for his generosity; or Allah The Ever-Giving (al-Wahhāb), hope for endless gifts and favours from Him.

The more we know Allah, the more hope we will have in Him. Ibn al-Qayyim writes, “The strength of one’s hope is proportional to the strength of one’s knowledge of Allah’s Names and Attributes, and the triumph of His mercy over His anger.”

Seventh is Reflect on the Qur’ān (tadabbur)

Reflect and re-read the āyāt which convey hope. Pause and let your heart feel overwhelmed by them. The āyāt about Allah Himself, His favours upon us and Paradise are all beneficial in this regard.

According to many scholars, the āyah which inspires the most hope is:

“Say, (O Prophet, that Allah says,): O My servants who have transgressed against their souls! Do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy, for Allah certainly forgives all sins. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (39:53).

Even though it is sinners who are being addressed here, Allah addresses them as ‘MY’ servants. He attributes them to Himself. He continues then to remind them to not lose hope in His mercy, and to seek forgiveness from Him, as He is The Most Forgiving.

Last is make dua

حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ (سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ

Ḥasbiya Allāhu lā ilāha illā huwa ʿalayhi tawakkaltu wa-huwa rabbu al-ʿarshi al-ʿaẓīm.

Translation: Allah is enough for me. There is no true god but Him, in Him I put my trust, and He is the Lord of the Great Throne. (Repeat seven times.) [Abū Dāwūd]

Dua to safeguard from anxiety and depression

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ الْهَمِّ وَالْحُزْنِ وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ

Allahumma inni a’udhu bika minal-hammi wal-Ḥuzni wal-’ajazi wal-kasli wal-bukhli wal-jubni wa ḍala’id-dayni wa ghalabatir-rijal.

“O Allah, I take refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts and from being overpowered by men.” (Al-Bukhari)

اللَّهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُو فَلَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَا أَنْتَ

Allahumma rahmataka arju fala takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘aynin wa aslih li sha’ni kullahu la ilaha ila anta

“O Allah, I hope for Your mercy. Do not leave me to myself even for a blink of an eye. Correct all of my affairs for me. There is none worthy of worship except You.”

Dua for protection from illnesses

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْبَرَصِ وَالْجُنُونِ وَالْجُذَامِ وَمِنْ وَسَيِّيءِ الأَسْقَامِ

Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika min al-baraṣi wa-al-junūni wa-al-judhāmi wa-min sayyiʾi al-asqām

Oh Allah! I seek refuge in you from vitiligo, madness, leprosy, and evil diseases. [Abū Dāwūd an
Dua for well-being and divine protection

((اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي دِينِي وَدُنْيَاىَ وَأَهْلِي وَمَالِي اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِي وَآمِنْ رَوْعَاتِي اللَّهُمَّ احْفَظْنِي مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَىَّ وَمِنْ خَلْفِي وَعَنْ يَمِينِي وَعَنْ شِمَالِي وَمِنْ فَوْقِي وَأَعُوذُ بِعَظَمَتِكَ أَنْ أُغْتَالَ مِنْ تَحْتِي)).

Allāhumma innī asʾaluka al-ʿāfiyah fī al-dunyá wa-al-ākhirah allāhumma innī asʾaluka al-ʿafwah wa-al-ʿāfiyah fī dīnī wa-dunyāya wa-ahlī wa-mālī allāhumma ustur ʿawrātī wa-āmin rawʿātī allāhumma iḥfaẓnī min bayni yadayya wa-min khalfī wa-ʿan yamīnī wa-ʿan shimālī wa-min fawqī wa-aʿūdhu bi-ʿaẓamatika an ughtāla min taḥtī.

Translation: O Allah, I ask You for well-being in this world and the Hereafter. O Allah, I ask You for pardon and well-being in my religion, my worldly affairs, my family and my property. O Allah, conceal my faults and keep me safe from what I fear. O Allah, guard me from in front of me and behind me, on my right and on my left, and from above me. And I seek refuge in Your Magnificence from being swallowed up from beneath me. [Abū Dāwud and Ibn Mājah]

As Allah tells us in the Qur’an: 

‏وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِى عَنِّى فَإِنِّى قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لِى وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِى لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ ‎

“If My slaves ask you about Me, I am Near. I answer the call of the caller when he calls on Me.” [Quran, 2:186]

( Written by Aaliyah Khan, CEO, The Islamic kidstore)