The world is a place of trial; at every step there are tests, and a believer has to live life with these trials. The Prophet ﷺ said فرمان ہے :
الدنيا سجن المؤمن وجنة الكافر(صحیح مسلم:2956)
Translation: The world is a prison for the believer and Paradise for the disbeliever.
When it becomes clear from the tongue of the Messenger that this world is a prison, meaning a place of hardship, for the believer, then a believer must face hardship and at such times hold firmly to patience. The hardship that a believer faces can be of any kind; Allah tests some believers with wealth, some with children, and some physically. That is, a believer may face poverty, anxiety, fear, illness, busyness, failure, etc., but the believer never fears these calamities, nor does he panic or show impatience leading to despair and wrong conduct. Rather, he becomes like a mountain of patience and faces even the greatest calamities.
Today, I want to present true stories of courage and perseverance and exemplary characters who have overcome calamities, from which those afflicted will gain courage and try to remove their hardships like these brave ones. Before narrating the true characters who have been saved from calamity, first understand that calamity is part of destiny; our belief includes faith in good and bad destiny. Distress comes from Allah and only He can remove it, so at times of calamity, we turn to Allah and seek help from Him. Distress on someone does not mean that he is truly a bad person; rather, Allah afflicts someone with distress to deal with his betterment. The Prophet ﷺ said: مَنْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ بِهِ خَيْرًا يُصِبْ مِنْهُ(صحیح البخاری:564)
Translation: Allah, whom He wishes good and blessings for, afflicts him with trials and hardships.
Therefore, any Muslim who faces a test should be happy that Allah is elevating him. Also, we know that looking at someone afflicted with calamity with suspicion, mocking him, and mentioning his calamity among people to disgrace him is not a sign of a good Muslim. Similarly, at the time of calamity, along with patience, one should avoid crying, wailing, and complaining. Abu Burda (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates:
وجع ابو موسى وجعا شديدا فغشي عليه وراسه في حجر امراة من اهله فلم يستطع ان يرد عليها شيئا , فلما افاق قال: انا بريء ممن برئ منه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم برئ من: الصالقة , والحالقة , والشاقة۔(صحیح البخاری:1296)
Translation: Abu Musa Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) fell ill to the extent that he was fainting, and his head was in the lap of one of his wives, Umm Abdullah bint Abi Ruma (she cried out loudly). Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) could not speak at that time, but when he regained consciousness, he said that he too detests what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ detested. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ expressed his dislike for women who cry loudly, shave their heads, and tear their clothes during grief.
Learn a lesson from this incident that a companion is exercising patience and restraint in extreme pain and is instructing his wife to follow the Prophet’s command so that she also acts according to the Messenger’s order like her husband.
There are two reasons for calamity and distress. One reason is a person’s own mistake, for which Allah sends calamity as punishment. The second reason is a test, meaning Allah sends calamity on a person as a means to elevate his status and as a form of many blessings and honors.
Allah Almighty says: وَمَا أَصَابَكُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُو عَن كَثِيرٍ
Translation: Whatever calamities befall you are because of what your own hands have earned, and He pardons many things.
And Allah Almighty says:
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ
Translation: And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient.
Whether calamity is due to bad deeds or as a test, if a person exercises patience in that state and turns to Allah asking for deliverance, then it is all good for him because the reward for patience over any distress that befalls a believer is forgiveness of sins, elevation of ranks, countless rewards, and the greatest reward of patience is attaining Paradise. When a believer keeps the benefits of patience over hardship in mind, then patience over hardship becomes easy and the hardship itself appears insignificant.
Now let’s move towards the main topic and understand what is the way to salvation from calamity, what should be the role of a believer in calamity, and what guidance do true incidents based on the Quran and Sunnah provide us in this regard.
(1) Salvation from calamity through supplication:
When a believer faces any kind of distress or sorrow, he should immediately say “انا للہ واناالیہ راجعون” with his tongue and seek help from Allah Almighty through prayer by invoking good deeds, as we acknowledge in Surah Al-Fatiha: “We worship You alone and seek help from You alone.” Remember to call upon Allah alone in times of calamity; salvation lies in calling upon Him. Accordingly, I present a true incident related to this, which serves as a great lesson for all of us.
Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said that three men from the previous nation were traveling somewhere. At night, to seek shelter, they entered a cave (mentioned in Sahih Muslim as shelter from rain). Suddenly, a rock rolled down and blocked the entrance of the cave, and they all became distressed. They all silently said:
فقالو:إنه لا ينجيكم من هذه الصخرة إلا ان تدعوا الله بصالح اعمالكم (They said: Now nothing can remove this rock from the cave except that you all remember your best deeds and pray to Allah.)
So the first one prayed: O Allah! My parents were old; I used to feed them milk first, then my household and servants. One day, I was delayed in returning and came back after milking. My parents thought I was late, so I stood by their bedside all night with a bowl. When they woke up in the morning, I fed them first and then everyone else. If I did this for Your pleasure, then save us from this rock calamity. Accordingly, the rock shifted a little, but they still could not get out.
Then the second one prayed: O Allah! My uncle had a daughter whom I loved dearly. I tried hard, but she did not do any wrong. During a famine, she came to borrow from me. I lent her one hundred and twenty dinars on the condition that she would do a bad deed with me. (One dinar weighs 4.25 grams, and one hundred and twenty dinars weigh 510 grams, whose current value in Indian Rupees exceeds 2.5 million.) At the time of wrongdoing, the girl reminded me of Allah’s fear, so I refrained from the act. If I did this for Your pleasure, then save us from this rock calamity. Accordingly, Allah caused the rock to shift, but they still could not get out.
Now the third prayed: O Allah! I had employed some people as laborers. All took their wages and left, except one who left without wages. I invested his money in business. After some days, he came back to collect his wages. I told him that all the camels, cows, goats, and slaves you see are yours. He took all that property and left. Accordingly, Allah Almighty caused the rock to move completely, and they all were saved from the calamity.
From this incident, it is understood that in calamity, one must turn only to Allah, seek help from Him alone for salvation, for He is the only One who grants deliverance, just as He saved these three men.
(2) Deliverance from calamity through patience:
The second characteristic of a believer during times of hardship is that he remains patient and refrains from all kinds of impatience, anxiety, and complaints. Allah Almighty says: O you who have believed! Seek help through patience and prayer. When we exercise patience in adversity, as in the incident of Abu Musa Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him), Allah’s help descends and the path to salvation opens. Accordingly, I will narrate a true incident related to this aspect.
Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Allah’s Prophet Ayyub (Job) remained ill for eighteen years. All his relatives near and far became indifferent, except for his two brothers who used to come to him morning and evening. One day, one of them said to the other: Do you know, by Allah! (I think) Ayyub must have committed some sin that no one in the worlds has committed? His companion asked: What sin? He said: (Look) it has been eighteen years, and Allah Almighty has not had mercy on him to remove his illness. When they came to Ayyub in the evening, one of them mentioned this out of impatience. Ayyub (peace be upon him), upon hearing their accusation, said: What you are saying is not known to me, but it is true that Allah knows that when I used to pass by two men who were quarreling, they would ask me to intercede with Allah on their behalf, and I would return to my home and thus I would pay the expiation on their behalf so that they would not have wrongfully used Allah’s name. Ayyub (peace be upon him) used to go out for relieving himself, and when he finished, his wife would hold his hand and support him until he reached his place. One day he was late, and his wife waited for him, and Allah revealed to him: ‘Strike with your foot; this is a cool bath and drink.’
Meanwhile, his wife was thinking that he was delayed. When he returned, Allah had cured all his illnesses, and he looked very handsome. When his wife saw him, she did not recognize him and asked: May Allah bless you, have you seen the Prophet of Allah who is ill? Allah bears witness that when that Prophet was healthy, he resembled you the most. He said: I am the same (Ayyub), now Allah has healed me. Ayyub (peace be upon him) had two fields, one of wheat and one of barley. Allah sent two clouds; one cloud came over the wheat field and gold rained down, and the other cloud came over the barley field and silver rained down. (Thus, Allah granted him health as well as abundant wealth.)
Regarding Ayyub (peace be upon him), Allah testified: “Indeed, We found him patient,” meaning We found Ayyub to be patient. The reward for his patience was that the wealth which was lost was given to him many times over, and he was cured of his illness and made healthy. We too should seek help from Allah by being patient in times of hardship.
(3) Deliverance from calamity through prayer:
Allah Almighty says: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ (البقرۃ:153)
Translation: O you who have believed! Seek help through patience and prayer; indeed, Allah is with the patient.
In times of distress, observe the example of the beloved Prophet.
عن حذيفةَ قالَ كانَ النَّبيُّ صلَّى اللَّهُ عليْهِ وسلَّمَ إذا حزبَهُ أمرٌ صلَّى(صحيح أبي داود:1319)
Translation: Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) faced difficulty or sorrow, he would immediately engage in prayer.
Similarly, here is a true incident showing deliverance from calamity through prayer.
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: When Ibrahim (peace be upon him) migrated with Sarah (may Allah be pleased with her) from the kingdom of Nimrod, they reached a city ruled by a king or, as it was said, a tyrant king. Someone informed the king that Ibrahim had come with a very beautiful woman. The king sent a messenger to Ibrahim asking, “Ibrahim! Who is this woman with you?” He replied, “She is my sister.” Then when Ibrahim (peace be upon him) came to Sarah (may Allah be pleased with her), he said, “Do not deny what I say; I have called you my sister. By Allah! There is no believer on the face of the earth except you and me.” Accordingly, Ibrahim (peace be upon him) sent Sarah (may Allah be pleased with her) to the king, or the king went to Sarah (may Allah be pleased with her). At that time, Sarah (may Allah be pleased with her) performed ablution and stood to pray. She prayed to Allah: “O Allah! If I believe in You and Your Messenger (Ibrahim, peace be upon him), and if I have guarded my chastity except from my husband, then do not impose upon me an unbeliever.”
At that moment, the king trembled and his foot sank into the ground. Arij said that Abu Salamah bin Abdul Rahman narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that Sarah (may Allah be pleased with her) prayed to Allah: “O Allah! If he dies, people will say that I killed him.” So he was released and approached Sarah (may Allah be pleased with her) again. Sarah (may Allah be pleased with her) performed ablution and began praying again, repeating the same supplication: “O Allah! If I believe in You and Your Messenger and have guarded my chastity except from my husband Ibrahim (peace be upon him), then do not impose upon me this unbeliever.”
Again, the king trembled, shook, and his foot sank into the ground. Abdul Rahman narrated that Abu Salamah narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that Sarah (may Allah be pleased with her) again prayed: “O Allah! If he dies, people will say that I killed him.” The king was released the second or third time. Finally, he said, “You people have sent a devil to me. Take him to Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and give him Hajar as well.” Then Sarah came to Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and said, “Do you not see how Allah humiliated the unbeliever and gave us a girl as well?”
Consider here what kind of wife one should bring home. A wife should be pious, one who worships Allah and establishes religion. This is why a righteous wife is considered the most precious thing in the world. When an impious wife is brought home, calamity begins to settle in the house from that moment. In any case, Sarah prayed and supplicated to Allah, and Allah delivered her from calamity. Likewise, if we pray and seek deliverance from Allah, He will surely help us.
(4)Adopting trust in Allah and piety during times of hardship:
When calamity is part of destiny and from Allah, and He alone is the remover of it, then complete trust must be placed in Him and hope for deliverance must be placed only in Him. Thus, when one trusts in Allah, He becomes sufficient for His servants, and whoever adopts His piety, a path to salvation is created. Allah says: وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا(الطلاق:2)
Translation: Whoever fears Allah, He will make a way out for him.
The incident of Maryam (peace be upon her) in Surah Maryam gives us courage. When she conceived by Allah’s command, she feared the torment of the people, then she chose solitude until the child was born. She was in severe pain, thirsty and hungry. Allah sent an angel to help her, caused a spring to flow beneath her for drinking, and arranged food in a dry tree which, when shaken, would drop dates. When she took the child to the people, Jesus (peace be upon him) was given the power to speak, and by speaking, he told the people that he was a servant of Allah and His messenger. In this way, Allah protected from calamity. Similarly, in Surah Qasas, the incident of the mother of Musa (peace be upon him) is mentioned. When the child was born, there was danger from Pharaoh. Allah inspired the mother of Musa to cast the child into the river and not to grieve, promising that the child would be returned to her. Thus, the mother trusted Allah, placed the child in a basket, and cast it into the river, and the child was safely returned to the mother.
(5) Deliverance from calamity through repentance :
Since one of the causes of calamities is the commission of sins, when a person expresses remorse and turns to Allah with repentance and seeking forgiveness, Allah forgives the servants and averts the calamity. Seeking forgiveness is a kind of safety for the servants. As long as a person seeks forgiveness, he remains in peace from Allah and divine punishment is averted.
It is narrated from Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that Abu Jahl said, “O Allah! If this speech is truly from You, then rain down stones upon us from the heavens or bring some other painful punishment!” In response to this, the verse «وما كان الله ليعذبهم وأنت فيهم وما كان الله معذبهم وهم يستغفرون * وما لهم أن لا يعذبهم الله وهم يصدون عن المسجد الحرام» was revealed: “Indeed, Allah will not punish them while you are among them, nor will He punish them while they seek forgiveness.” What reason is there that Allah should not punish them while they prevent people from the Sacred Mosque?” until the end of the verse.
From this incident, it is understood that when Abu Jahl demanded punishment, Allah did not send punishment because of the presence of Muhammad ﷺ. In other words, your ﷺ presence in the world was a safety. But you ﷺ have passed away, and one safety has been removed from the world. Still, another safety remains that can protect us from Allah’s punishment, and that is seeking forgiveness. Therefore, keep seeking forgiveness abundantly from Allah.
(6) Deliverance from calamity through prescribed Islamic remembrances :
Everyday common prayers and remembrances, such as those recited before eating and drinking, going to the restroom, leaving and entering the house, also provide us protection. In fact, one should regularly recite abundant salutations (Durood), which is an important means of removing calamities. Moreover, the remembrance of Allah brings peace and comfort to the heart. Besides these remembrances, I will guide you towards eight occasions based on the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, during which the recitation of remembrances is prescribed. I can say with full confidence that if a Muslim observes the prescribed remembrances on these eight occasions, calamities will never come to him; rather, any impending calamity will be averted, and if a calamity has already occurred, it will be removed. I also assure you that after this, you will be protected from the evil of jinn, and you will not need to visit any professional spiritual healer or commercial exorcist. Even if there is some issue of magic, all problems will be resolved by the blessings of these remembrances. What are those eight occasions?
The Prophet taught the morning and evening remembrances. You should always recite these remembrances after the Fajr prayer and after the Asr prayer. The Prophet ﷺ taught remembrances after the obligatory prayers. You should perform the five daily prayers and after each obligatory prayer recite these remembrances. The Prophet ﷺ also taught remembrances at bedtime; always recite remembrances before sleeping. These are the eight occasions: two times in the morning and evening, five times after the prayers, and one time at bedtime. In this way, you will be protected from magic, relieved from distress, and remain under Allah’s protection and care.
If someone is affected by magic or is ill, a Shariah-compliant Ruqyah (spiritual healing) can be performed on them.
عن عائشة رضي الله عنها، ان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم:كان إذا اشتكى يقرا على نفسه بالمعوذات وينفث، فلما اشتد وجعه كنت اقرا عليه وامسح بيده رجاء بركتها(صحيح البخاري:5016)
Translation: It is narrated from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) fell ill, he would recite the Mu’awwidhat (the chapters of seeking refuge) and blow over himself. When his illness worsened (in the illness of death), I would recite those chapters and blow over him, and for blessing, I would also pass the hand of the Prophet (peace be upon him) over his blessed body.
In Shariah-compliant Ruqyah, reciting three chapters is sufficient, as was the practice of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: Surah Al-Ikhlas, Surah Al-Falaq, and Surah An-Nas. One may recite these over oneself or another person may recite them and blow over the patient’s body. Giving charity on behalf of the patient is also beneficial; that is, if someone is ill, they can give charity with the intention that Allah removes their illness.
(7)Adopting Wisdom and Strategy for Deliverance from Calamity:
Allah Almighty says: وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ (النجم :39)
Translation: And that every person will have only what he has strived for.
Islam permits using lawful worldly means to remove one’s difficulties and problems, and one should adopt them. For example, if there is pain in the body, one should seek treatment from a doctor; if there is poverty and hunger, one should look for a job and earn a livelihood lawfully; if there is no home or children, one should make lawful efforts to resolve these issues. When a great difficulty appeared before the Prophet ﷺ in the battlefield of Badr, he prayed to Allah: اللَّهُمَّ أَنْجِزْ لي ما وَعَدْتَنِي، اللَّهُمَّ آتِ ما وَعَدْتَنِي، اللَّهُمَّ إنْ تُهْلِكْ هذِه العِصَابَةَ مِن أَهْلِ الإسْلَامِ لا تُعْبَدْ في الأرْضِ(صحيح مسلم:1763)
Translation: O Allah! Fulfill what You have promised me, O Allah! Grant me what You have promised me, O Allah! If You destroy this group, then no one will worship You on the earth.
Here, the Prophet ﷺ did not only pray but also fought the enemies, employed wisdom and strategy, and made every effort. Both prayer and effort worked, and the Muslims achieved victory.
Finally, I want to say one last important thing: without faith and righteous deeds, a person will never be successful and will find no peace anywhere. For a good life, one must follow the path of faith (in what Allah has commanded to believe) and righteous deeds (all outward and inward good actions related to the rights of Allah or His servants). Allah grants such a person the best life and the best reward. Allah Almighty says:
مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِنْ ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْثَى وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُمْ بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ (النحل:97)
Translation: Whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while being a believer, We will surely grant them a good life, and We will surely give them their reward according to the best of what they used to do.
Here, the good life means the better life of this world that a believing man or woman receives when they remain steadfast on the path of faith and righteous deeds.
We pray to Allah to create sincerity in our deeds and grant us patience in hardships and the ability to pass tests successfully. Ameen.
