What to Say at Times of Grief, Concern, and Sadness

At times of distress the Messenger of Allah (SAW) would say:
"La ilaha illa allahu al-atheemu al-haleemu, la ilaha illa allahu rabbul ar shil-atheemi, la ilaha illa allahu rabbus-samawati wa rabbul-ar thi wa rabbul-ar shil-kareem"
"La ilaha illa allahu al-atheemu al-haleemu, la ilaha illa allahu rabbul ar shil-atheemi, la ilaha illa allahu rabbus-samawati wa rabbul-ar thi wa rabbul-ar shil-kareem"
(Agreed Upon by Bukhari and Muslim)
 
The English meaning is: There is no ilah except Allah the Magnificent, The Forbearing. There is no ilah except Allah Lord of the Magnificent Throne. There is no ilah except Allah Lord of the Heavens, Lord of the Earth, and Lord of the Noble Throne.
It is reported of the Prophet (SAW) that if something distressed him he would say:
"Ya hayyu ya qayyumu, bi-rahmatika astagheeth"
"Ya hayyu ya qayyumu, bi-rahmatika astagheeth" (At Tirmidhi)
 
The English meaning is: O' Living (a life not followed by death), O Sustainer, in your Mercy I plead for rescue
Abu Bakr (RA) stated that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said "The supplications of the distressed are:
"Allahumma rah mataka ar joo, fala takilnee ila naf see tar fata ay nin, wa as lih lee sha
"Allahumma rah mataka ar joo, fala takilnee ila naf see tar fata ay nin, wa as lih lee sha'nee kullahu, la ilaha illa an t" (Abu Dawud)
 
The English meaning is: O' my ilah it is your Mercy that I beseech, so do not entrust me to myself for even a twinkle of an eye, and correct for me all my affairs, there is no ilah other than You.
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said to Asma bint Umaysin: "Shall I not teach you a few words which you can say when you are distressed - or at the time of distress -
"Allahu allahu rabbee la ush riku bihi shay an"
"Allahu allahu rabbee la ush riku bihi shay an" (Abu Dawud)
 
The English meaning is: Allah, Allah my Lord I associate not with Him a thing.
The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: "The petition of Thin-Noon (Jonah) which he petitioned with when he was inside the whale:
"La ilaha illah an ta, sub hanaka innee kun tu minath-thalimeen"
"La ilaha illah an ta, sub hanaka innee kun tu minath-thalimeen" (At-Tirmithi)
 
The English meaning is: There is no ilah except You, Glorified are Thee, I have been one of the unjust.
"No Muslim ever supplicated Allah with this supplication in any matter at all, except that Allah answered his supplication" (At-Tirmithi)
It is reported of the Prophet (SAW) that he said: "No preoccupying concern, or sadness inflicts a bondservant whereupon he says:
"Allahumma innee ab duka, wab nu ab dika, wab nu amatika, nasiyatee biyadika, mathin fiyya huk muka, ad lun fiyya qatha
 
"Allahumma innee ab duka, wab nu ab dika, wab nu amatika, nasiyatee biyadika, mathin fiyya huk muka, ad lun fiyya qatha'uka, as aluka bikulli is min huwalaka, sammay ta bihi naf saka, aw an zal tahu fee kitabika, aw allamtahu ahadan min khal qika, aw is ta thar ta bihi fee il mil ghay bi in daka, an taj a'la al-qur ana rabee'a, qal bee, wa noora sawdree, wa jala'a huz nee, wa thahaba hammee" (Ahmad and Ibn Hibban)
 
The English meaning is: O' my ilah I am your bondservant, son of your bondsman, and son of your bondwoman. My forelock is in your Hands; your judgement is continuously being carried out upon me; your sentence upon me is juste. I ask You with every name that is yours, with which You have named yourself, brought down in your book, taught to one of your creation, or have preferred for Yourself in the hidden knoweldge, with You; that You make the Quran the spring of my heart, and the light of my chest, and the despellation of my sadness, and deportation of my (preoccupying) concern.
...except that Allah would dispel his concern and his sadness, and would replace it with ease and relaxation for him." (Ahmad and Ibn Hibban)

 

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