A prayer that calms the anxious heart
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People are described as anxious, fretful and worried. However, the Quran makes an exception for those who are pious and have strong character. “Humans were created anxious; when misfortune befalls them, they are impatient, and when good fortune befalls them, they are selfish. But not the worshippers, who perform their prayer constantly, spend their wealth in charity” (Al-Ma’rij: 19-25).
The Prophet’s worry
Sura Dhuha reveals a serious worry of the beloved Prophet (peace be upon him). It was in the early days of his prophethood that angel Jibreel stopped visiting him. His Makkan opponents began to say that Satan had abandoned him. This upset him, so he was worried and anxious. The generous Lord wanted to relieve him and calm his nerves and revealed this surah. It rejects their allegation and reassures him. The surah addressed him directly and told him; Don’t worry, your lord has not forsaken you.
Here is a complete programme for overcoming worry that we can derive from this Surah. This four-point method is a tried model to overcome anxiety, asserting your control, and taking control of your affairs:
- Challenge negative thoughts, replace despair with trust in Allah.
- Look to a hopeful future, “Your future will be better than your past”.
- Recall past blessings; you have been helped before, you will be helped again.
- Take positive action, set small goals.
The companions were worried by the Allied forces
When the kuffar of Arabia gathered a mighty army to destroy the Muslims of Madinah in the third year of Hijrah, the Muslims were scared. Allah says “They came against you from above and below; your eyes rolled with fear, your hearts rose into your hearts, and you thought ill thoughts of God. There the believers were sorely tested and deeply shaken; the hypocrites and the sick at heart said God and his messenger promised us nothing but delusion” (Ahzab;10-12).
The Prophet’s (peace be upon him) constant motivation to persevere and be patient paid off in the end as the mighty armies were scattered by invisible forces. We are constantly warned not to fall into the traps of: Wahm, baseless fear, guesswork, suspicions, doubts and wild imaginations that lead to delusions. The other related danger is Wahn, losing courage and vigour and feeling weak, vulnerable and feeble. The Quran guides us, “do not lose courage nor fear” (Ale Imran: 139).
Imam Shadhilli’s worry is relieved by a prayer
Imam Abul Hasan Al-Shadhilli was an amazing scholar and saint of the seventh century, a popular guide of his time. The following story tells about his worry and how he overcame it. It is said that one year, the Imam decided to go on Hajj, and he boarded a ship to cross the Red Sea. However, the wind was blowing in the opposite direction, so the ship had to be anchored. Days passed, and the direction of the wind did not change. The Christian captain began to taunt him, saying that the time of Hajj is fast approaching, and the ship is at a standstill. How are you going to do your hajj?
The Imam was troubled by this and fell asleep in his dream. He was told to read the Hizbul Bahr. When the Imam woke up, he performed ablution and told the captain to pull up the anchor. As he did so, the wind blew in the right direction, and they safely landed at Jeddah on the other side of the Red Sea. When the captain saw this miracle, he became Muslim.
Hizbul Bahr begins “Lord, we seek your protection in every situation, from evil words, motives, thoughts, doubts and superstitions that veil the heart from seeing the reality… Lord, make our affairs easy. Give us calmness of mind and body and goodness in religion and the world. Be our companion in our journey and helper and protector at home, and a guardian of our family. Erase the faces of our enemies and replace them with their places. So, they are no longer capable of marching against us. If we wanted, we could poke their eyes out so they could not see the way. We could have broken them in their homes so that they could not move forward or backward”…
Conclusion
So, when anxiety overwhelms you, do not let it paralyse you. Turn to your Lord, remember His blessings, and take one step forward in goodness. The storm may rage around you, but with faith, your heart can remain at peace. Ameen!
Source – MyMasjid Staff
