Relief Through Supplication

 
 
All praise is due to Allâh, Lord of all the worlds. Peace and blessings of Allâh be upon the Prophet, his household and companions.
 
Fellow Muslims! Fear Allâh and be dutiful to Him. Stay away from sins. For sins destroy. Know that you have a Lord Whom you are going to meet and a house in which you are going to live after your death. Seek the pleasure of your Lord before you meet Him and properly build your house before you move into it.
 
Fellow Muslims! We are the ummah of Qur’ân and Sunnah, the ummah of divine guidance. We are the ummah of the right path but we did not stay on this path.
 
Brethren in faith! All hardships and tribulations that afflict the Muslims are just like whips that drive them back to خmân and Tawhîd. They remind them of Allâh the Almighty; they encourage them to turn back to Him in repentance and to fear the Day of Judgement. Allâh says:
       “See they not that they are tried once or twice every year (with different kinds of calamities, disease, famine)? Yet, they turn not in repentance, nor do they learn a lesson (from it).” (At-Tawbah 9:126)    
 
 
Materialism has prevailed over the hearts of many people, and as a result they see nothing except in the light of materials. It is when man keeps away from the light of خmân and his relationship with Allâh becomes weak that his soul lives in spiritual isolation and his heart becomes hardened. He then lives a disturbed and fearful life. All this is a result of his abandonment of the real source of life and his forgetfulness of Allâh. He forgets that it is Allâh Who created the soul and Who knows the means by which it lives. The life is not that of the body but of the soul. Allâh says,
 
       “Is he who was dead (without Faith by ignorance and disbelief) and We gave him life (by knowledge and Faith) and set for him a light (of Belief) whereby he can walk amongst men - like him who is in the darkness (of disbelief, polytheism and hypocrisy) from which he can never come out?” (Al-An‘âm 6:122)    
 
 
Hence, belief in Allâh is the source of security and peace. And the hearts that are devoid of خmân are always far from Allâh and are full of fright and confusion.
 
Fellow Muslims! When a man’s heart is full of Iman, he knows his place of refuge and the remedy for his ailments. For this life is based on toil and man is seldom free from dangers. He suffers ailments and calamities; sorrows and wars; injustice and transgression and all kinds of tribulations. However, Allâh is Ever Compassionate with His slaves. He always provides for them relief through a door of His mercy and blesses them with tranquillity and peace of mind. That door is the door of supplication to Allâh, humbling oneself before Him and putting one’s trust in Him. For supplications are the security of the frightened, the refuge of the weak and the solace of invocators. Who is He that has sought refuge with Allâh and has not been protected and who is he that has relied on Him and has not been given guidance?
 
Supplication is the essence of worship. Allâh says,
 
       “And your Lord said: "Invoke Me, I will respond to your (invocation). Verily! Those who scorn My worship (i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not believe in My Oneness, they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!” (Ghâfir 40:60)    
 
 
He also says,
 
       “And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.” (Al-Baqarah 2:186)    
 
 
Supplication is the dearest thing to Allâh. It is the way to patience in the cause of Allâh. It is a sign of sincere dependence on Allâh and keeping away from incapacity and laziness. It is an easy-to-make act of worship and it can be done at all places and times. Allâh tells us that Prophet Ibrâhîm said,
 
       “And I shall turn away from you and from those whom you invoke besides Allâh. And I shall call on my Lord and I hope that I shall not be unblessed in my invocation to my Lord.” (Maryam 19:48)    
 
 
Many are the afflictions that have been removed by supplications! Many are the sins that have been forgiven through invocations! And many are the blessings that have been endowed through supplications! The Messenger of Allâh said,
 
       “What has been destined cannot be prevented from happening. Invocation is helpful in things that have happened and things that have not happened. Calamity and supplication sometimes meet and engage in duel till the Day of Resurrection.” (Al-Hâkim)  
 
 
Supplication is the worship of the Prophets. Allâh says about them,
 
       “Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they used to call on Us with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves before Us.” (Al-Anbiyâ 21:90)    
 
 
The Messenger of Allâh said,
 
       “No Muslim makes a supplication in which there is no sin or severing of the tie of kinship except that Allâh gives him by that one of three things: He gives him what he asked for immediately or He saves for him by that supplication some reward (which He gives him on the Day of Resurrection) or He saves him from a calamity which is equivalent to the supplication he made.” The companions then said: ‘We will then make more supplications.’ The Messenger of Allâh replied: “And Allâh also will give more.” (Ahmad)  
 
 
When Prophet Ibrâhîm called upon Allâh after he was thrown into fire, Allâh commanded the fire saying:
 
       "O fire! Be you coolness and safety for Ibrâhîm (Abraham)!” (Al-Anbiyâ 21:69)    
 
 
Allâh also says about Prophet Ayyûb,
 
       “And (remember) Ayyûb (Job), when he cried to his Lord: "Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy. So We answered his call, and We removed the distress that was on him, and We restored his family to him (that he had lost) and the like thereof along with them, as a mercy from Ourselves and a Reminder for all those who worship Us.” (Al-Anbiyâ 21:83-84)    
 
 
He says about Prophet Yûnus,
 
       “So We answered his call, and delivered him from the distress. And thus We do deliver the believers (who believe in the Oneness of Allâh, abstain from evil and work righteousness).” (Al-Anbiyâ 21:88)    
 
 
And about Prophet Zakariyya He says,
 
       “And (remember) Zakariyya (Zechariah), when he cried to his Lord: "O My Lord! Leave me not single (childless), though You are the Best of the inheritors. So We answered his call, and We bestowed upon him Yahya (John), and cured his wife (to bear a child) for him.” (Al-Anbiyâ 21:89-90)    
 
 
O you who is afflicted with calamities! O you who has been weakened by ailments! O you who have been overwhelmed by debts! Why don’t you call upon Allâh the Self-Sufficient and the Most Gracious? O you who have been submerged by sins! Why can’t you call upon Allâh the Oft-Forgiving to forgive you? O you who lives in fear and distress! Why can’t you call upon Allâh to give you relief?
 
Brethren in Islâm! The nation of Islâm has experienced many crises and hardships and it was only through sincere return to Allâh that it was able overcome those hardships. Allâh says,
 
       “Verily, We sent (Messengers) to many nations before you (O Muhammad) And We seized them with extreme poverty (or loss in wealth) and loss in health (with calamities) so that they might humble themselves (believe with humility). When Our Torment reached them, why then did they not humble themselves (believe with humility)? But their hearts became hardened.” (Al-An’âm 6:42)    
 
 
Even some ancient polytheists would sincerely call upon Allâh alone whenever they were faced with calamities.
 
The Muslim nation is now in dire need of the mercy of its Lord as it is in need of His help. Let us return to Allâh, invoke His blessings and hope for His mercy.
 
Fellow Muslims! Supplication has its condition and manners, which every Muslim must learn in order to have his supplications answered. Foremost among these is that the intention and means of supplication should be compatible with Islâmic Monotheism. It is this condition that makes supplication an act of worship that must be solely directed to Allâh alone. Man must call, seek assistance from and seek refuge with Allâh alone. He must seek forgiveness, victory, guidance, realization of his goals and aid from Allâh alone. He should ask only Allâh for the removal of his afflictions and for security against all evils.
 
All these are rights of Allâh over His slaves. Man must call upon Allâh alone. For neither does slumber or sleep overtakes Him. It is He alone who hears the supplication of the supplicants wherever they are and whichever language they speak. He is never distracted by a slave whom he listens to from listening to another and He is never annoyed because of the multitude of those who call upon Him. He alone has the power to give benefit or harm. It is therefore an act of associating partners with Him to call upon the dead, the angels, the jinn and others besides Him. He says about Himself,
 
       “He is the Ever Living. None has the right to be worshipped but He; so invoke Him making your worship pure for Him Alone (by worshipping Him Alone, and none else, and by doing righteous deeds sincerely for Allâh’s sake only, and not to show off, and not setting up rivals with Him in worship).” (Ghâfir 40:65)    
 
 
The observer of the invocations of the Prophets will notice that Tawhîd characterizes them. An example of this is the invocation made by Prophet Yûnus,
 
       “He cried through the darkness (saying): None has the right to be worshipped but You (O, Allâh) Glorified (and Exalted) are You (above all that (evil) they associate with You). Truly, I have been of the wrong-doers.” (Al-Anbiyâ 21:87)    
 
 
Allâh answered his supplication through Tawhîd.
 
Brethren in Islâm! The supplicant should make sure that he follows the Sunnah while making the supplication. He should call upon Allâh with His sublime Names and Attributes. He should seek for His forgiveness and acknowledge His favour on him. It is good if he starts his supplication with praising Allâh as it is due and invoking His blessing on His Prophet, Muhammad –peace and blessings of Allâh be upon him. The supplicant should also not transgress while making supplication nor be in haste to have his supplication answered. He should also not despair. For the One he calls is the Graceful Lord.
 
Further, the supplicant must be a sincere believer. He should face the qiblah while making the supplication and should be sure that he is in the state of purity. He should raise his hands to Allâh. He should be resolute in his supplication, supplicate at the times when invocations are most likely answered and select the supplications that are authentically reported from the Prophet. He should also not forget to make a sadaqah before his supplication. If he can do all these, his supplication will never be rejected. If he however does not see a sign of the acceptance of his supplication, let him examine himself.
 
The Messenger of Allâh said,
 
       “O you people! Allâh is Pure and does not accept but only that which is pure. He indeed commands the believer with that which He commanded the Messengers. He says: “O (you) Messengers! Eat of the lawful foods (meat of slaughtered eatable animals, milk products, fats, vegetables, fruits, etc.), and do righteous deeds. Verily! I am Well-Acquainted with what you do.” (Al-Mu’minûn 23:51) And He commands the believers saying: “O you who believe! Eat of the lawful things that We have provided you with, and be grateful to Allâh, if it is indeed He Whom you worship.” (Al-Baqarah 2:172) The Messenger of Allâh then mentioned a man who was on a long journey, and he was shoeless and dust-covered. He was raising his hands to heavens saying: O my Lord! O my Lord!’ while his food, drink, dress and nourishment were all from unlawful sources. How could his supplication be answered?” (Muslim)  
 
 
Brethren in faith! Listen to this call from your Lord:
 
       “Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret. He likes not the aggressors. And do not do mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order, and invoke Him with fear and hope. Surely, Allâh’s Mercy is (ever) near unto the good-doers.” (Al-A‘râf 7:55-56)    
 
 
Fellow Muslims! Whoever fears Allâh in times of ease Allâh, Allâh will stand by him in times of hardship. Allâh says about Prophet Yûnus when the whale swallowed him:
 
       “Had he not been of them who glorify Allâh, He would have indeed remained inside its belly (the fish) till the Day of Resurrection.” (As-Sâffât 37:143-144)    
 
 
Which means: Had it not been for the good deeds that he had done before, he would have been made to remain in the belly of the whale till the Day of Resurrection.
 
The Muslim must therefore remain steadfast during afflictions and return to Allâh in repentance.
 
Brethren in Islâm! We are also in dire need of uniting our ranks and removing our differences. For disunity is the cause of failure. Allâh says,
 
       “O you who believe! When you meet (an enemy) force, take a firm stand against them and remember the Name of Allâh much (both with tongue and mind), so that you may be successful. And obey Allâh and His Messenger, and do not dispute (with one another) lest you lose courage and your strength depart, and be patient. Surely, Allâh is with those who are patient.” (Al-Anfâl 8:45-46)    
 
 
Fellow Muslims! Let us always follow the teachings of Qur’ân and Sunnah. It is the duty of the scholars to teach people and direct them to all that can benefit them and remove their distress. They should remind people of Allâh and teach them the importance of unity and the harm of disunity.