In Mishkatul Masabih (Hadith #2458), there is a beautiful dua of the Prophet (saws). There are many beautiful duas of his but this one is special because it has to do with the affairs of the world.
We are aware of the Prophet’s duas relating to the Akhira—our ultimate destination and abode—but our life in this world and how we live it will determine our station in the next world.
The dua is as follows:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ الْهَمِّ وَالْحُزْنِ وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ
Its transliteration is:
Allahumma inni a‘uzubika minal hammi wal huzn;
minal ajz-e wal kasl;
minal jubn-e wal bukhl;
wa dala-e dain-e wa ghalabtir Rijaal
Let us consider its meaning.
Allahumma inni a‘uzobika minal hammay wal hazan
“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worries and grief”. Worries may relate to an uncertain future and grief is encountered as a consequence of past misfortunes, such as the loss of a loved one, or losses in other matters.
It is Allah’s immense mercy upon us that our grief dissipates over time. Imagine if our grief remained as intense as we first encountered it when we suffered a loss, its cumulative weight would be unbearable.
Minnal Ajz-e wal kasl
Ajz means weakness, not having the capacity or courage to confront injustice, and Kasl is laziness. It applies in situations where we put off fulfilling an important obligation, or can’t be bothered to do it even though we know it has to be fulfilled. We adopt the attitude, ‘Let somebody else do it.’
Minnal Jubn-e wal bukhl
Jubn means cowardice and bukhl is stinginess. The Prophet (saws) prayed to Allah for His protection from cowardice as well as stinginess. Many times, people are so consumed by fear because of cowardice that they become paralyzed.
Standing up for truth and justice is an essential part of a Muslim’s existence. We must not fear anyone or anything except Allah’s corrective justice in this world and His punishment in the hereafter.
In real life, we can see that many rulers in the Muslim world are gripped by fear borne of cowardice. They see innocent people including children being slaughtered but their cowardice prevents them from coming to their help or rescue.
The Prophet (pbuh) showed exemplary courage throughout his life. This was evident prior to the Battle of Badr when a small contingent of lightly armed Muslims took on a mushrik force three times larger. The mushriks also had huge amounts of weapons with them. Under such circumstances, most people would not have entered battle because of the odds they faced. The Prophet (saws) did not care about the odds. He had full faith in Allah and while beseeching Him for help, he did not flinch from taking on his enemies.
It is such commitment anchored in Imaan (faith-commitment to Allah’s power and authority) that distinguishes the truly committed from the mere verbalizers of Islam. Courage is the opposite of cowardice. Throughout his blessed life, the Prophet (saws) showed exemplary courage. Cowardice did not come near him. It was this quality that motivated his companions as well. They did not flinch from making any sacrifice, the greatest of which was to give their life in the Way of Allah.
The Prophet (saws) also prayed to Allah seeking His protection from stinginess. This trait is found in people who are consumed by materialism. They cling to this earth even though this life is temporary. Nobody will take anything with them when they pass away.
To avoid stinginess, it is important to realize that whatever worldly possessions we have been given, are an amanah (trust) from Allah. The more one is given, the more one is required to give. Wealth is a test from Allah.
Unfortunately, some people assume that just because they have accumulated wealth that it is entirely their own effort. This is simply not true. It is Allah who bestows favours upon people. This is not confined to Muslims only. Even non-Muslims are given these favours and are meant to test them.
In Surah al-Ankabut, Allah reminds us: “Allah grants abundant sustenance, or gives it in scant measure, to whichever He wills of His creation: for, behold, Allah has full knowledge of everything” (29:62).
The final part of the Prophet’s (saws) dua is:
Wa dala-id Dayni wa Ghalabatir Rijaal
“O Allah, I seek your protection from coming under the influence of other systems and the domination of men.” It would be clear to any discerning person that the Prophet (saws) is seeking Allah’s protection from man-made systems as well as the domination of other men in this world.
This is both a beautiful dua as well as guidance for us regarding how we should lead our life in this world. If we are cognizant of the fact that this life is temporary and we will be accountable to Allah for our deeds, then it will act as a strong check on our actions not to indulge in acts forbidden by Allah.
May Allah guide us to the right path, the path of those whom He has blessed and keep us away from the path of those who have gone astray, Ameen.