الادب المفرد
Adab al-Mufrad
كتابBook of Morning Supplications
بَابُ الدُّعَاءِ عِنْدَ الْكَرْبِChapter: Supplication at Times of Distress
Hadith 700
حَدَّثَنَا مُسْلِمٌ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا قَتَادَةُ ، عَنْ أَبِي الْعَالِيَةِ ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ، قَالَ : كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَدْعُو عِنْدَ الْكَرْبِ : ”لَا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ وَرَبِّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ.“
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to supplicate in times of anxiety and distress as follows: «لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ، رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ» "There is no true deity except Allah, the Magnificent, the Forbearing. There is no true deity except Allah, the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and the Lord of the Mighty Throne."
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Usman Muneeb
Benefits and Issues:
➊ Karb refers to such grief that clings to a person and keeps him constantly distressed.
➋ This is a dhikr (remembrance), not a supplication (du'a). Its answer is twofold: one is that this is a dhikr with which one should begin supplication, and then make whatever supplication one wishes. The second meaning is that supplication is sometimes explicit and sometimes implicit. Praising and glorifying Allah is also a form of supplication. There is a Prophetic hadith that whoever supplicates with the supplication of our master Ayyub (alayhis salam): "La ilaha illa anta subhanaka..." Allah will surely accept his supplication. (Jami' al-Tirmidhi, H:3505)
➌ The grief and hardship that befalls a Muslim is sometimes a warning for him, sometimes intended for his spiritual training, and sometimes it is a means for the elevation of his ranks. Therefore, a servant should always remain hopeful regarding his Lord that He will surely remove this affliction.
➍ Numerous incidents are narrated from the Salaf Salihin (pious predecessors) that when they recited the supplication of distress (du'a al-karb) in extremely difficult times, Allah granted them deliverance. Abu Bakr ibn Ali was imprisoned. Abu Bakr Razi saw in a dream that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was telling him in the dream to tell Abu Bakr ibn Ali to recite the supplication of distress mentioned in Sahih al-Bukhari so that Allah may grant him release. In the morning, I went and informed him, so he recited this supplication, and after a short while, he was released from prison. Many other such incidents are also narrated. (Fath al-Bari) Therefore, one should recite this supplication regularly in times of difficulty.
➊ Karb refers to such grief that clings to a person and keeps him constantly distressed.
➋ This is a dhikr (remembrance), not a supplication (du'a). Its answer is twofold: one is that this is a dhikr with which one should begin supplication, and then make whatever supplication one wishes. The second meaning is that supplication is sometimes explicit and sometimes implicit. Praising and glorifying Allah is also a form of supplication. There is a Prophetic hadith that whoever supplicates with the supplication of our master Ayyub (alayhis salam): "La ilaha illa anta subhanaka..." Allah will surely accept his supplication. (Jami' al-Tirmidhi, H:3505)
➌ The grief and hardship that befalls a Muslim is sometimes a warning for him, sometimes intended for his spiritual training, and sometimes it is a means for the elevation of his ranks. Therefore, a servant should always remain hopeful regarding his Lord that He will surely remove this affliction.
➍ Numerous incidents are narrated from the Salaf Salihin (pious predecessors) that when they recited the supplication of distress (du'a al-karb) in extremely difficult times, Allah granted them deliverance. Abu Bakr ibn Ali was imprisoned. Abu Bakr Razi saw in a dream that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was telling him in the dream to tell Abu Bakr ibn Ali to recite the supplication of distress mentioned in Sahih al-Bukhari so that Allah may grant him release. In the morning, I went and informed him, so he recited this supplication, and after a short while, he was released from prison. Many other such incidents are also narrated. (Fath al-Bari) Therefore, one should recite this supplication regularly in times of difficulty.
Source: Fadlullah al-Ahad: Urdu Commentary on al-Adab al-Mufrad, Page: 700
