Supplications that were taught by the Prophet ﷺ are comprehensive and give direction to what should be requested of Allah.
Supplications at Times of Distress
At times of distress we are reminded by the Prophet's supplications to acknowledge Allah’s greatness, to praise and glorify Him and to ask for His help, knowing that only He can help us. Even when in desperation, we are reminded to understand that He is merciful and has a plan for us. The Prophet ((ﷺ has shown us the way to seek relief without compromising our faith. The Prophet’s Guidance in Treating Distress, Anxiety, Depression and Grief The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would say at times of calamity: "There is no god but Allah, the Great, the Forbearing. There is no god but Allah, Lord of the great Throne. There is no god but Allah, Lord of the seven heavens, Lord of the earth and Lord of the noble Throne.” He said: “I know a saying that no one in distress recites without Allah relieving him. It is the saying of my brother, Yūnus (peace be upon him): ‘There is no god except You. Glorified are You. Indeed, was I of the wrongdoers.’' And he said: "The supplications of the distressed are: "O Allah, Your mercy I hope for, so do not entrust me to myself for even the wink of an eye, and amend for me all my affairs. There is no god but You." When something distressed him, he would say: "O Ever-Living, O Self-Sustaining, by Your mercy I call for help." And when he was distressed he would pray. He would teach those in fear to say: "I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from His anger, from His punishment, from the evil of His servants and from the suggestions of devils. And I seek refuge in You, my Lord, from their presence." He said: “No servant afflicted with anxiety or grief whereupon he says: 'O Allah, I am your bondservant, son of your bondsman and son of your bondswoman. My forelock is in Your hand; Your decision is being carried out in me; Your decree on me is justice. I ask You by every name of Yours, which You have named Yourself or revealed in Your Book or taught to any of Your creations, or preferred to keep knowledge thereof to Yourself, to make the great Qur'an the spring [i.e., revival] of my heart, the light of my breast, and the withdrawal of my grief, and the departure of my anxiety and distress,' but that Allah will dispel his anxiety and distress and replace them with happiness.” And he said: “There is no servant afflicted with a calamity who says, 'Inna lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji`oon; Allaahumm-ajurnee fee museebatee wa-khliflee khayran minha' (We belong to Allah and to Him we will return. O Allah, reward me in my affliction and follow it up with something better for me) except that Allah will reward him in his affliction and follow it with something better for him.” 1 Al-Bukhari and Muslim. 2 Ibn as- Sunni – saheeh. The Qur’anic reference is Surah al-Anbiyaa’, 21:87. 3 Abu Dawud. 4 At-Tirmidhi. 5 Abu Dawud. 6 Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi. 7 Aḥmad. 8 Muslim.
Supplications for the Deceased
The most important thing that will benefit someone after his death is du`aa for him, to ask for forgiveness and mercy for him and for salvation from the Fire and entrance into Paradise. The Prophet (ﷺ) gave us examples of such supplications. 1. "O Allah, forgive our living and our dead, our present and our absent, our young and our old, our males and our females. O Allah, whoever You keep alive of us – keep him alive on Islam; and whoever You take in death of us –take him in the faith. O Allah, deprive us not of the reward for him and let us not go astray after him."1 2. "O Allah, forgive him and have mercy upon him, free him from all evil and pardon him, make his accommodation honorable and expand his entrance. Wash him with water, snow and hail, and purify him as You have purified the white garment from dirt. Give him in place of his home a better home and for his family a better family and for his spouse a better spouse. Admit him to Paradise and protect him from the punishment of the grave and the punishment of the Fire."2 3. "O Allah, so-and-so [mentioning his name] is under Your protection and in Your proximity, so protect him from the trial of the grave and the punishment of the Fire. You are the one of fidelity and truth, so forgive him and have mercy upon him. Indeed, it is You who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."3 4. "O Allah, Your servant and the son of Your female servant is in need of Your mercy, and You have no need to punish him. If he was good, then increase his reward; and if he was bad, then overlook what he did."4 1 Aḥmad and Ibn Mājah – ṣaḥeeḥ. 2 Muslim. 3 Ibn Mājah and Abu Dāwūd - ṣaḥeeḥ. 4 Al-Ḥākim and aṭ-Ṭabarāni
Supplications from the Qur'an
There are a number of verses in the Qur'an which encourage us to mention Allah and supplicate to Him. Allah tells His Messenger :ﷺ “And when My servants ask you concerning Me – indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.” (2:186) Some supplications of prophets and righteous servants of Allah are cited in the Qur'an. They teach us the etiquette of asking Him for relief and for blessings.
Al -'Aafiyah (well-being)
ʽAafiyah is a term that refers to overall well-being and being free from anything harmful. It means a good condition, including health, security, freedom from afflictions, safety of loved ones and property, contentment with one's provisions as well as salvation in the Hereafter.
