In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. We begin by praising Allah, sending blessings and salutations upon Muhammad. We ask the Almighty to bless him and his entire household; those who supported him from day one. And we ask Allah to bless all his companions as well as every single one of us and our offspring to come up to the day of Qiyāmah. My dear brothers and sisters in Islām, Assalamu Alaykum Warahmathullahi Wabarakatuhu. I’d like to give a few insights on a very contemporary topic, Seeking help through patience and prayer. Be it when dealing with our own hardships, or the effect of the hardships of others on our own souls. Not just to have patience, not just to pray—but to seek assistance in both patience and prayer.
We human beings are unable to spend a life without any assistance or help from anyone. Even though some assume they’re self-sufficient out of arrogance and think of themselves as being more than worthy of resolving their own problems without the need for any other, one way or the other hardship befalls them as if dark clouds conceal the blue sky. Although one does not ask others for help, what’s worse is that the person assumes himself above the requirement for help, sometimes even from the help of An Naseer, the one who guides and protects the believers from harm, the one who helps and strengthens each human being. The person assumes himself as being self-sufficient and capable of that which is out of his grasp. He assumes that everything is within his control. But no, not a single human being could live his life without help from anyone because we as human beings are obliged to seek help from someone one way or the other when a calamity strikes us.
Well my dear brothers and sisters, how do we maintain our productivity during times of tribulations? How can you seek Almighty Allah’s help?
Allah says in the Quran, Surah Baqarah Chapter 2 verse no. 45:
“وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى الْخَاشِعِين”
“And seek assistance through patience and prayer, Indeed, it is a burden except for those who are humble.”
Allah commanded His servants to use patience and prayer to acquire the good of this life and the Hereafter, and to overcome any kind of afflictions they might face in this world is to maintain patience, be persistent in enduring calamities and perfectly establish prayer.
My dear brothers and sisters, as far as Salah is concerned we recite Surah Fatiha in each raka’h of any Fard or Nafl prayer as it is one of the pillars of prayer without which the prayer will not be accepted, and we come across the 5th verse of this surah.
"إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ"
“You ˹alone˺ we worship and You ˹alone˺ we ask for help.”
Payer is the route through which the believer ascends to his Lord; it marks the ascension of his spirit, conscience, heart, and thought. They would meet Allah in moments of glorification and openness, and they would acquire the great connotations roaming in Allah’s wide horizons. As man’s heart gets attached to Allah, his soul would open up to the great morals Allah wanted him to get hold of in life.
Well isn’t Salah with Sabr the way to get Allah’s help? Where do you find true happiness and relief from all the pain and worries?
My dear brothers and sisters, it’s by a humble prostration we offer with a sincere heart to Allah that we’d find spiritual peace and endless mercy. The closer you’re to Allah the more your heart would be at rest.
Allah says in Surah Ra’ad, chapter 13 verse 28:
"أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ"
“Undoubtedly, it is by the remembrance of Allah do hearts find tranquility."
To be close to Allah, we have to run into sujud (prostration) when we begin to cave in, be it from our own experience or an experience through someone else’s eyes and heart. Prostration is the closest position to Allah in which the supplication of a person will be accepted without any hindrance.
My dear brothers and sisters, why don’t we supplicate to Allah through prostration?
The Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam is reported by Abu Hurairah Radiyallahu Anhu to have said:
"أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الْعَبْدُ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَهُوَ سَاجِدٌ فَأَكْثِرُوا الدُّعَاءَ"
“The nearest a slave can be to his Lord (Allāh) is while they are prostrating, so increase in supplication” Narrated by Muslim as the 482nd hadith in Sahih Muslim and is graded as authentic by Al Albani.
The above-noted narration does not specify any particular supplication. Therefore one may ask Allāh for any worldly or spiritual need.
One true affinity with the Most High gives us great confidence that He's with us, He'll never let us down and He'll pave us the way to overcome our calamities. Trust Him for He's the creator and has power overall.
Where do you find solace to your burning heart? How do you restore your fragmented soul?
Allah reinforces the true believers’ hearts with serenity and thus we feel immense spiritual support through a submissive and sincere Prostration in which we mutter and mumble to our lord.
In addition to that, the best thing in the sight of Allah is offering prayer at its right time.
"قَالَ أَبَا عَمْرٍو الشَّيْبَانِيَّ: حَدَّثَنَا صَاحِبُ هَذِهِ الدَّارِ، وَأَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى دَارِ عَبْدِ اللهِ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: أَيُّ الْعَمَلِ أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ؟ قَالَ: الصَّلاَةُ عَلَى وَقْتِهَا"
“Abu 'Amr ash-Shaybani said, "The owner of this house (and he pointed at the house of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud) said, "I asked the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, which action Allah loves best. He replied, 'Prayer at its proper time.'”
This Hadith is reported in the book of Al Adab Al Mufrad as the 1st Hadith and is graded as authentic by Al Albani.
Here Salah being the best or most beloved deed to Allah indicates the value of it, because it is through prostration to Allah that our body, mind, and soul fall into complete submission to Allah the Most Exalted, and in no position is a slave of Allah ever close than in a prostration.
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الْعَبْدُ مِنْ رَبِّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَهُوَ سَاجِدٌ فَأَكْثِرُوا الدُّعَاءَ "
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "The closest that a person can be to his Lord, the Mighty and Sublime, is when he is prostrating, so increase in supplication then." Sunan an-Nasa'i 1137 and graded as authentic.
Well my dear brothers and sisters, one true affinity with Allah not only paves the way to solve our prevailing calamities but also could protect us from forthcoming tragedies, through a sincere supplication in which we call out to Allah.
It was narrated by Abu Huraira Radiyallahu Anhu in a hadith reported in Sahih al Bukhari 6616:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " تَعَوَّذُوا بِاللَّهِ مِنْ جَهْدِ الْبَلاَءِ، وَدَرَكِ الشَّقَاءِ، وَسُوءِ الْقَضَاءِ، وَشَمَاتَةِ الأَعْدَاءِ ".
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Take refuge with Allah from the difficulties of severe calamities, from having an evil end and a bad fate and from the malicious joy of your enemies."
When we move on to our next key component of our topic, Sabr, that is patience. Patience signifies the strong stand that makes a man in control of himself armed by his willpower and faith. Patience is one element of the positive Islamic morals that build a strong and cohesive foundation for man to prevent him from falling and getting crushed under the weight of the dispositions of physical, psychological, and external weaknesses. This drives him to be committed to all the requirements and responsibilities of faith, for deviation is often the result of the loss of one’s free willpower, as it is narrated in the tradition: “Patience to faith is like the head to the body; the person who has no head has nobody and the person who has no patience has no faith.”
This confidence makes us realize that it's the will of Allah that makes one go through a calamity and to hope that he shall be rewarded for the patience he takes to endure the calamity and face it. The sixth article of faith is “الإيمان بالقدر خيره وشره” to believe that everything good or evil is from Allah alone.
Allah says in the Quran chapter 2 verse 155:
"وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوفْ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الأَمَوَالِ وَالأنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ"
“We will certainly test you with a touch of fear and famine and loss of property, life, and crops. And give glad tidings to those who patiently endure.”
Therefore we have to pray and ask Allah to make us among those who seek assistance from him through patience and prayer. And make us among those who are patient.
Allah says in the Quran chapter 2 verse:
"يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱسْتَعِينُوا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَٱلصَّلَوٰةِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ"
“O you who believe! Seek help in patience and prayer. Indeed Allah is with those who are patient.”
Oh Allah! We ask you to bless us to be patient and grant us the strength to face the calamities and difficulties. And we ask you to ease our burdens and relieve us from it, our parents, our children, our family, and to be obedient to you in a manner that pleases you! And by your grace include us in the company of the rightly guided servants of yours who dwelled in this world with patience in all aspects of life!
Jazakallahu Khairan
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