Sunday, January 23, 2022

Explanation of the Du`aa for anxiety and sorrow - Hadeeth #12

 بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

`Abdullaah Ibn `Amr Ibn al-`Aas رضي الله عنهما narrated: The Messenger of Allaah used to say these words in his supplication:

اللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ غَلَبَةِ الدَّيْنِ، وَغَلَبَةِ الْعَدُوِّ، وَشَمَاتَةِ الأعْدَاءِ

Allaahumma innee a`oodhu bika min ghalabatid-dain, wa ghalabatil-`aduww, wa shamaatatil-a`daa’. 

O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from the burden of debt, from being overpowered by the enemy, and from the enemy rejoicing (at an evil I am afflicted with) [1]

Terminologies:

Ghalabah al-Dain: overburdened by debt, buried in debt, the ordeal one faces while repaying the debt.

Ghalabah al-`Aduww: overpowered by an enemy, an enemy having an undue advantage, unjustly dominated by the enemy, subjugation.

Explanation:

The saying  of  the  Prophet :  O  Allaah,  I  seek  refuge with You from the burden of debt. The Prophet sought Allaah’s refuge from the ordeals of repaying debts, the burden of indebtedness, especially when one has no means to repay the debt, especially when the creditor is chasing it. Therefore, the Prophet sought Allaah’s refuge from this as, as this preoccupies the person’s mind and prevents him from carrying out the obligations properly and perfectly, it tires the body and weakens it. When a person is overburdened with debt, he sometimes ends up taking the wrong path, for example: breaking promises, telling lies, etc. Many people even commit suicide when they cannot repay the debts. This has been reported in the Hadeeth of `Aaishah رضي الله عنها.

`Aaishah رضي الله عنها narrated that Allaah’s Messenger used to invoke Allaah in the prayer saying: O Allaah, I seek refuge with you from all sins, and from being in debt. Someone said: O Allaah’s Messenger ! (I see) that you very often seek refuge with Allaah from being in debt. He replied: If a person is in debt, he tells lies when he speaks, and breaks his promises when he promises. [2]

A person’s every sin will be forgiven except dept, even if he were to die as a martyr. The Prophet said: All the sins of a Shaheed (martyr) are forgiven except debt. [3]

In another narration, the Messenger of Allaah said: Being martyred in the Cause of Allaah expiates for everything, except debt. [4]

The Prophet refused to offer the funeral prayer for the person in debt. So do not underestimate the debt even if the value is only ten Riyals.

Narrated Salamah Ibn al-Akwa` رضي الله عنه: A dead person was brought to the Prophet so that he might lead the funeral prayer for him. He asked: Is he in debt? When the people replied in the negative, he led the funeral prayer. Another dead person was brought and he asked: Is he in debt? They said: “Yes.” He (refused to lead the prayer and) said: Lead the prayer of your friend. Abu Qatada said: “O Allaah’s Messenger ! I undertake to pay his debt.” Allaah’s Messenger then led his funeral prayer. [5]

Falling in debt is a cause for grief in the night and humiliation in the day because the debtor has sleepless nights, thinking about how to repay his debts, and in the daytime, he avoids the paths, fearing the creditor. And when a person is hard pressed under a debt, it becomes more grievous and more bitter.

The saying of the Prophet :  …and from being overpowered by the enemy. The Prophet sought Allaah’s refuge from being subjugated by the enemy unjustly, because the enemy would transgress the limits against those who oppose him and would implement rules and bring laws which will harm a person in his religious and worldly affairs.

The saying of the Prophet : and the rejoicing of the enemy (at my misery). This is seeking refuge from the joy that the enemy feels at the suffering of his opponents. A person when afflicted with a trial is already distressed and suffering, but the joy of the opponents and their mockery and gloating adds insult to injury and hurts the feelings even more.

إِن تَمْسَسْكُمْ حَسَنَةٌ تَسُؤْهُمْ وَإِن تُصِبْكُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَفْرَحُوا بِهَا ۖ وَإِن تَصْبِرُوا وَتَتَّقُوا لَا يَضُرُّكُمْ كَيْدُهُمْ شَيْئًا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ

{If a good befalls you, it grieves them, but if some evil overtakes you, they rejoice at it. But if you remain patient and become al-Muttaqoon (pious and fear Allaah), not the least harm will their cunning do to you. Surely, Allaah surrounds all that they do.} [6]

إِن تُصِبْكَ حَسَنَةٌ تَسُؤْهُمْ ۖ وَإِن تُصِبْكَ مُصِيبَةٌ يَقُولُوا قَدْ أَخَذْنَا أَمْرَنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَيَتَوَلَّوا وَّهُمْ فَرِحُونَ* قُل لَّن يُصِيبَنَا إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَنَا هُوَ مَوْلَانَا ۚ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ

{If good befalls you (O Muhammad), it grieves them, but if a calamity overtakes you, they say: “We took our precaution beforehand”, and they turn away rejoicing. Say: “Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allaah has ordained for us. He is our Maula (Protector).” And in Allaah let the believers put their trust.} [7]

The world is place of tests, trials, hardships, and afflictions, and in it Allaah تعالى afflicts His creation with one thing or the other. And from the things which the Believers are afflicted with are the enemies, who deceive them, harm them, plot against them, and invite others against them. These enmity and transgression can be from the Kuffaar, and sometimes it is the Muslims who transgress against other Muslims. As Allaah تعالى said:

وَإِن طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا ۖ فَإِن بَغَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى الْأُخْرَىٰ فَقَاتِلُوا الَّتِي تَبْغِي حَتَّىٰ تَفِيءَ إِلَىٰ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ ۚ فَإِن فَاءَتْ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا بِالْعَدْلِ وَأَقْسِطُوا ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ

{And if two parties or groups among the Believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them both, but if one of them rebels against the other, then fight you (all) against the one that which rebels till it complies with the Command of Allaah; then if it complies, then make reconciliation between them justly, and be equitable. Verily! Allaah loves those who are equitable.} [8]

We have seen brothers fighting brothers, and loved ones becoming enemies over properties, inheritance, loans, or any other form of wealth. The world is sweet and alluring, and people fight over it to get their share of the world – justly or unjustly.

The Prophet said: Indeed there is a Fitnah for every Ummah, and the Fitnah for my Ummah is wealth. [9]

So, the beginning of this Du`aa is with seeking Allaah’s refuge and protection from falling into debts which leads to enmity between friends, between siblings, etc. And this Du`aa is also a means of seeking Allaah’s help in repaying the debt.  And we are also taught to seek Allaah’s refuge from our enemies in general, especially if they are the Kuffaar and Munaafiqs (hypocrites), who would prevent us from following our Deen and cause hindrances in it.



[1] Sunan al-Nasaa’ee (5475, 5487) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee

[2] Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (832, 2397) and Saheeh Muslim (589)

[3] Saheeh Muslim (1886)

[4] Saheeh Muslim (1886)

[5] Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (2289, 2295). In the narration as reported in Sunan Ibn Maajah (2407) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee, the person’s debt was only eighteen or nineteen Dirham

[6] Surah aal-`Imraan (3): 120

[7] Surah al-Tawbah (9): 50-51

[8] Surah al-Hashr (49): 9

[9] Sunan al-Tirmidhee (2336) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee

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