What Should a Believer Say When a Calamity Strikes?
ماذا يقول المؤمن الصابر إذا أصابته مصيبة؟
A believer has to be patient if he faces a calamity because everything is destined and things happen for a reason, even if we do not know the reason. But whatever Allah Almighty destines, we should accept it and accept that it is good, and as soon as the calamity strikes we should say: “Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will ˹all˺ return.”
(We will certainly test you with a touch of fear and famine and loss of property, life, and crops. Give good news to those who patiently endure, who, when faced with a disaster, say, “Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will ˹all˺ return.”) [Al-Baqarah 2:155-156]
المؤمن إذا أصابته مصيبة يجب أن يصبر لأن كل شيء مقدر على الإنسان لهدف ولسبب. ولكن نحن لا نعرف دائما السبب ولكن طالما هو من عند الله تعالى يجب أن نقبله ونقبل أنه خير. ويجب أن يقول الإنسان فور وقوع المصيبة: "إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون".
(وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ ﴿١٥٥﴾ الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ) [البقرة 2: 155-156]
1. Blessings, Mercy and Guidance | أولئك عليهم صلوات من ربهم ورحمة
Allah tells what the patient who say these words are given: They are the ones who will receive Allah’s blessings and mercy. And it is they who are rightly guided (2:157). Ibn Kathir explains: blessings means praise from Allah upon them, and mercy; Sa’id ibn Jubayr said: safety from the punishment.
أُولَٰئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ (سورة البقرة: 157)
قال تعالى: (أولئك عليهم صلوات من ربهم ورحمة وأولئك هم المهتدون) (البقرة 2: 157)، قال ابن كثير: (أولئك عليهم صلوات من ربهم) أي: ثناء من الله عليهم ورحمة، قال سعيد بن جبير: أي: أمنة من العذاب.
2. Reward Me in My Affliction | اللهم أجرني في مصيبتي
The Prophet taught what to add to these words: If any Muslim who is struck by a calamity says what Allah has commanded, We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return; O Allah, reward me in my affliction and give me something better than it in exchange, Allah will give him something better. Umm Salamah said: When Abu Salamah died I said it, and Allah gave me the Messenger of Allah in his place (Sahih Muslim 918). Her story is told in the wives of the Prophet, the Mothers of the Believers.
قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "ما من مسلم تصيبه مصيبة فيقول ما أمره الله إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون اللهم أجرني في مصيبتي وأخلف لي خيرا منها إلا أخلف الله له خيرا منها"، قالت أم سلمة: فلما مات أبو سلمة قلتها، فأخلف الله لي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم (صحيح مسلم 918).
3. Patience Is at the First Blow | إنما الصبر عند الصدمة الأولى
The scholar says the words are said as soon as the calamity strikes, and the Prophet said the same of patience: he passed by a woman weeping at a grave and told her to fear Allah and be patient; she did not know him and turned him away, and when she later came to him he said: Patience is only at the first blow (Sahih al-Bukhari 1283). What Allah asks of us in a calamity is explained in what Allah asks us to do when a calamity strikes.
مر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بامرأة تبكي عند قبر، فقال: "اتقي الله واصبري"، فلما جاءته بعد ذلك قال: "إنما الصبر عند الصدمة الأولى" (صحيح البخاري 1283).
4. No Calamity Befalls Except by Allah’s Will | ما أصاب من مصيبة إلا بإذن الله
The scholar’s reason for patience, that everything is destined, is the verse: No calamity befalls anyone except by Allah’s Will. And whoever has faith in Allah, He will rightly guide their hearts (64:11). Ibn Kathir explains: Ibn Abbas said, by Allah’s command, meaning by His decree and will; and Alqamah said: it is the man struck by a calamity who knows it is from Allah, so he accepts it and submits. Fate and destiny are explained in the meaning of fate and destiny.
مَا أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۗ وَمَن يُؤْمِن بِاللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ (سورة التغابن: 11)
قال تعالى: (ما أصاب من مصيبة إلا بإذن الله ومن يؤمن بالله يهد قلبه والله بكل شيء عليم) (التغابن 64: 11)، قال ابن عباس: بأمر الله، يعني: عن قدره ومشيئته، وقال علقمة: هو الرجل تصيبه المصيبة، فيعلم أنها من عند الله، فيرضى ويسلم.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What should a believer say when a calamity strikes?
Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will all return (2:156), said as soon as the calamity strikes, with patience.
Why should a believer be patient in a calamity?
Because everything is destined for a reason, even if we do not know it; whatever Allah destines, we accept it and accept that it is good.
What supplication goes with these words?
O Allah, reward me in my affliction and give me something better than it in exchange (Sahih Muslim 918).
When does patience count most?
At the first blow: the Prophet said that patience is only at the first blow (Sahih al-Bukhari 1283).