Keys of Relief
What should I do to get rid of severe affliction?!!
10 things that if we do them, Allah willing, we will get rid of any affliction:
- Sincere repentance:
قال تعالى: (وَمَآ أَصَٰبَكُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٖ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتۡ أَيۡدِيكُمۡ وَيَعۡفُواْ عَن كَثِيرٖ) [سُورَةُ الشُّورَىٰ: 30]
[{Wama asabakum min museebatinfabima kasabat aydeekum wayaAAfoo AAan katheer}; Whatever misfortune happens to you, is because on the things your hands have wrought, and for many (of them) He grants forgiveness.] [Ash-Shura (Consultation): 30]
No calamity befalls except through sin, and no calamity is lifted except through repentance.
- Frequently asking for forgiveness
قال تعالى: (فَقُلۡتُ ٱسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ غَفَّارٗا * يُرۡسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّدۡرَارٗا * وَيُمۡدِدۡكُم بِأَمۡوَٰلٖ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجۡعَل لَّكُمۡ جَنَّٰتٖ وَيَجۡعَل لَّكُمۡ أَنۡهَٰرٗا) [سُورَةُ نُوحٍ: 10 – 12].
[{Faqultu istaghfiroo rabbakum innahu kanaghaffara}; "Saying, 'Ask forgiveness from your Lord; for He is Oft-Forgiving;] * [{Yursili assamaa AAalaykummidrara}; "'He will send rain to you in abundance;] * [{Wayumdidkum bi-amwalin wabaneenawayajAAal lakum jannatin wayajAAal lakum anhara}; "'Give you increase in wealth and sons; and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers (of flowing water).] [Nooh: 10 – 12].
- Frequently sending prayers upon the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace
Ubayy b. Ka'b said he told Allah’s Messenger that he frequently invoked blessings on him and asked how much of his prayer [salat] he should devote to him. He replied that he might devote as much as he wished, and when he suggested a quarter he said, “Whatever you wish, but if you increase it that will be better for you.” He suggested a half and he replied, “Whatever you wish, but if you increase it that will be better for you.” He suggested two-thirds and he replied, “Whatever you wish, but if you increase it that will be better for you.” He then suggested devoting all his prayer to him and he replied, “Then you will be freed from care and your sin will be expiated.” Tirmidhi transmitted it. Reference: Mishkat al-Masabih 929.
- Follow up a bad deed with a good one:
Abu Dharr said: "The Messenger of Allah said to me: 'Have Taqwa of Allah wherever you are, and follow an evil deed with a good one to wipe it out, and treat the people with good behavior." Grade: Hasan. A good hadith transmetted from Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1987.
- Doing good to the poor, orphans, the needy and widows, so that we may be in their prayers, for their prayers, Allah willing, will be answered.
- Relieving people’s distress as much as possible.
Narrated `Abdullah bin `Umar: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him, nor should he hand him over to an oppressor. Whoever fulfilled the needs of his brother, Allah will fulfill his needs; whoever brought his (Muslim) brother out of a discomfort, Allah will bring him out of the discomforts of the Day of Resurrection, and whoever screened a Muslim, Allah will screen him on the Day of Resurrection. " Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 2442.
- When a misfortune befalls us, we thank Allah and say: We belong to Allah and to Him shall we return;
Umm Salama reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: If any Muslim who suffers some calamity says, what Allah has commanded him," We belong to Allah and to Him shall we return; O Allah, reward me for my affliction and give me something better than it in exchange for it," Allah will give him something better than it in exchange. When Abu Salama died she said: What Muslim is better than Abu Salama whose family was the first to emigrate to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). I then said the words, and Allah gave me God's Messenger (ﷺ) in exchange. She said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent Hatib b. Abu Balta'a to deliver me the message of marriage with him. I said to him: I have a daughter (as my dependant) and I am of jealous temperament. He (the Holy Prophet) said: So far as her daughter is concerned, we would supplicate Allah, that He may free her (of her responsibility) and I would also supplicate Allah to do away with (her) jealous (temperament). Reference: Sahih Muslim 918a.
- Frequent supplication in the last part of the night, and during the state of prostration in prayer:
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Every night when it is the last third of the night, our Lord, the Superior, the Blessed, descends to the nearest heaven and says: Is there anyone to invoke Me that I may respond to his invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone asking My forgiveness so that I may forgive him?. Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 7494.
I was with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) one night. and I brought him water and what he required. He said to me: Ask (anything you like). I said: I ask your company in Paradise. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Or anything else besides it. I said: That is all (what I require). He said: Then help me to achieve this for you by devoting yourself often to prostration. Reference: Sahih Muslim 489.
I met Thauban, the freed slave. of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), and asked him to tell me about an act for which, if I do it, Allah will admit me to Paradise, or I asked about the act which was loved most by Allah. He gave no reply. I again asked and he gave no reply. I asked him for the third time, and he said: I asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about that and he said: Make frequent prostrations before Allah, for you will not make one prostration without raising you a degree because of it, and removing a sin from you, because of it. Ma'dan said that then lie met Abu al-Darda' and when he asked him, he received a reply similar to that given by Thauban. Reference: Sahih Muslim 488.
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself, so make supplication (in this state). Reference: Sahih Muslim 482.
- Trust and relies upon Allah
قال تعالى: (وَيَرۡزُقۡهُ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا يَحۡتَسِبُۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسۡبُهُۥٓۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَٰلِغُ أَمۡرِهِۦۚ قَدۡ جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَيۡءٖ قَدۡرٗا) [سُورَةُ الطَّلَاقِ: 3]
[{Wayarzuqhu min haythu la yahtasibuwaman yatawakkal AAala Allahi fahuwa hasbuhuinna Allaha balighu amrihi qad jaAAala Allahulikulli shay-in qadra}; And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent.] [At-Talaq (The Divorce): 3]
وقال تعالى: (وَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱلۡحَيِّ ٱلَّذِي لَا يَمُوتُ وَسَبِّحۡ بِحَمۡدِهِۦۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِهِۦ بِذُنُوبِ عِبَادِهِۦ خَبِيرًا) [سُورَةُ الفُرۡقَانِ: 58].
[{Watawakkal AAala alhayyi allatheela yamootu wasabbih bihamdihi wakafabihi bithunoobi AAibadihi khabeera}; And rely upon the Ever-Living who does not die, and exalt [Allah] with His praise. And sufficient is He to be, with the sins of His servants, Acquainted] [Al-Furqan (The Criterion ): 58]
'Umar bin Al-Khattab narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: "If you were to rely upon Allah with the required reliance, then He would provide for you just as a bird is provided for, it goes out in the morning empty, and returns full."
Grade: Sahih. Transmetted from Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2344.
- Good opinion of Allah:
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah says: 'I am just as My slave thinks I am, (i.e. I am able to do for him what he thinks I can do for him) and I am with him if He remembers Me. If he remembers Me in himself, I too, remember him in Myself; and if he remembers Me in a group of people, I remember him in a group that is better than they; and if he comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him; and if he comes one cubit nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.'" Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 7405.
Anas narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "When Allah wants good for his slave, He hastens his punishment in the world. And when He wants bad for His slave, He withholds his sins from him until he appears before Him on the Day of Judgement." And with this (same) chain, (it was reported) from the Prophet (ﷺ) who said: "Indeed greater reward comes with greater trial. And indeed, when Allah loves a people He subjects them to trials, so whoever is content, then for him is pleasure, and whoever is discontent, then for him is wrath." Grade: Hasan. A good hadith transmetted from Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2396.
Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri and Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that." Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 5641, 5642.