THE WAY OUT

Assalamu Alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu

My friends when things become unbearable, turn to Allah.

Ibn al-Jawzi said: “Something was causing me a great deal of grief and distress, and I started to think long and hard about how to get out of this situation by any means, but I could not find any way out. Then I came across this verse:

“… And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out [ of every difficulty]”. Surah Talaq 65:2

I realized that taqwa (piety, fearing Allah) is the way out of every kind of grief and distress. As soon as I followed the path of taqwa, I found the way out.”

Taqwa is the way that leads to everything good, for calamity happens only as the result of sin and it can only be lifted through repentance. Sadness, grief and worry are punishments for sins that we have committed, by falling short in our prayers, or backbiting about someone, or taking sin lightly, or committing haram action. Whoever disobeys Allah has to pay the price for that shortcoming. Staying away from the guidance of Allah only brings misery and deprives one from His blessings. It will turn our knowledge, beauty, strength and intelligence into a calamity and loss.
Turning to Allah requires a person to renew himself, reorganize his life, and develop a better relationship with Allah and do better deeds and recite this dua often:

“Allahumma anta rabbi la ilaha illa anta. Khalaqtani wa ana ‘abduka wa ana ‘ala ‘ahdika wa wa’dika ma istata’tu. A’udhu bika min sharri ma sana’ta. Abu’u laka bi ni’matika ‘alayya wa abu’u bi dhanbi faghfir li fa innahu la yaghfiru adh-dhunuba illa anta.”

“O Allah, You are my Lord and there is no god but You. You created me and I am Your slave. And I am trying my best to keep my oath (of faith) to You and to live in the hope of Your promise. I seek refuge in You from my greatest evil-deeds. I acknowledge Your blessings upon me and I acknowledge my sins. So forgive me, for none but You can forgive sins.”

“Thankfulness, remembrance, and patience, in them are blessings and rewards.”

With best wishes
Zakia Usmani