Dealing with Stress

Ismail Ali
Jan 10, 2018
4 min read

Islam’s response to stress/what it says about stress and trials ((purpose of hardships essentially)) ABDULLAH

To get rid of the stress
(1) Acceptance
More trials and tribulations, the more Allah Loves you because during then you get closer to him
Mufti menks friend, first time in 25 years, makes dua
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “If Allah intends good for someone, then he afflicts him with trials.”
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5321
“And you think you’re not going to be tested?”
The word for tested is yuftanoon comes from the arabic verb Fitna, which originally used for when you have gold that has impurities
To get rid of the impurities, you need to melt the gold to get rid of the impurities
Similarly, as a believer, you will be tested to strengthen your faith and get rid of these “impurities”
exams→ come back to Allah
(2) WHAT DO WE DO? PUT UR FAITH IN ALLAH
Turn back to Allah. Put your faith in him
Your sucess is due to 2 things
Ur effort, and allahs blessing
Hence, when you fail or such, either or could be lacking
And Allah’s Barakah lacks maybe because it is better for you
Rabbi ishrahli sadri, wayasirli amri
Allah teaches us that If you have a postive attitude (calm heart), put your work in and faith in Allah, Allah WILL make the task easy for you
But, if you take a negative attitude, he will not make it easy for you
Importance of Duas TASMIA
Start with a question: When do you make dua?
Dua is considered very power full in Islam as it can change our fate and it can be the most powerful weapon for a Muslim at the time of grief and sorrows. Dua is not just asking about our needs from ALLAH. As it is the belief of all Muslims that ALLAH is the sole provider and creator of everything on earth. So through dua we also thank ALLAH for whatever HE has given to us weather it is our heartbeat, our breath, our health or our wealth, all of these are provided us by ALLAH. We also ask guidance from ALLAH at the time of difficulty to show us the way to face this hurdle. Allah is listening to each and every dua made in front of HIM and answers all the duas
(FIRST) we must attempt to understand the challenges, analyze our condition, reform our ways, unite our efforts and work harder.
(SECOND) we must turn to Allah sincerely and make our appeal to Allah and Him alone. Efforts alone may not be enough but with Dua, everything can change. Aisha ra said; "No believer makes Dua and it is wasted. Either it is granted here in this world or saved for him in the Hereafter as long as he remains patient."Dua should be with utmost respect and in sincerity and never give up Dua and never lose hope in it for Allah's blessings and His mercy.
The place of duaa is so high to Allah, that the Prophet had said: "Nothing is more honourable to Allah the Most High than du`a." [Sahih al-Jami` no.5268].
There are benefits of making Dua including:
1. The loss of arrogance – For someone that makes constant Dua, arrogance is something that is not among their characteristics because when one beseeches Allah, he is affirming his own powerlessness.
2. The fulfillment of the Dua – You get what you wanted. For the people that sometimes see that their Duas are not being accepted, there is either the option that the Dua will be accepted later on in this life or in the Hereafter or the option that the Dua will accepted by other means as one Hadith said, Jabir narrates from the Prophet, “Whoever does duaa to Allah, Allah fulfills his seeking or in exchange averts misfortune until the duaa is not related to sin or breaking some relation.” (Tirmidhi)

Responses to duas AISHA
So now we know about the importance of duas and how you can get what you want. But the question is I pray, I make dua for my test, but I still fail my test? What is going on?
Surah Baqarah - verse 186
Link: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1pd5UIGdkrkNvcpqAKSgNsMRgSF-EHa-R00wc8Uipqlk/edit?usp=sharing
Meaning “When my slave asks you about me I am near”
Starts off with Izaa → means “when”
Allah (SWT) starts off with with “when” not “if”
What is the difference between when and if?
Example: Mother sends her son to war. When she talks about him, does she say ‘when’ my son comes back? Or if my son comes back?
With when there’s an positive implication he’s will survive.
With ‘if’, he won’t survive, it questions his life.
So in the very first word we see, an expression of love. Allah (SWT) says”when my slaves ask”
He wants us to ask
“I”
Very limited times he says “I” and “me” in the Quran
He’s either very angry or full of love. He is full of love of this case.
He says “I am near”. He is present with us when we ask for dua.
This shows that there is always a response, whether it is delayed or not. There is a response.
He loves it when we ask for dua and he will always respond in the best of our interests.
Actual response (3 ways)
Dua’s of people accepted instantly
Duas of the oppressed
Travellers dua
Father’s dua
The response can be of many kinds.
Just because you don’t do good on a test- doesn’t mean he didn’t answer dua.
There are three cases:
YES- You get what you ask
NO, not now- Your dua is delayed until your ready for it
No, I have something better - Doesn’t grant the dua but he removes an obstacle in your life and plans something better for you in the future.
Be cautious of what you ask for, don’t ask for a TV because you want it.
He doesn’t grant things that are forbidden
Don’t be too detailed in dua. (house with 11 rooms and bathroom in the second floor or etc)
Be concise like the prophets and it shows that you actually do care.
Goes back to intentions.
You have to put effort into what you ask as well.
Best times and places
Laylatul Qadr
Dua on Friday
Dua at night
Dua for someone who is sick
Dua of going to bed
Think positively of Allah
Has your best interests at mind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdqKYiULyxA