What Does Allah Ask of Us When a Calamity Strikes?
ماذا أمرنا الله تعالى أن نفعل عند نزول المصيبة؟
1) To 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]
2) To pray: Prayers are always calming and knowing that you are standing in the presence of Allah Almighty, one forgets all the worries and sadness in the world.
(And seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, it is a burden except for the humble) [Al-Baqarah 2:45]
(We certainly know that your heart is truly distressed by what they say. So glorify the praises of your Lord and be one of those who ˹always˺ pray,) [Al-Hijr 15:97-98]
الاسترجاع: أي قول "إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون"
(وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّـهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ) [البقرة 2: 155-156]
الصلاة
(وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ ۚ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى الْخَاشِعِينَ) [البقرة 2: 45]
(وَلَقَدْ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ يَضِيقُ صَدْرُكَ بِمَا يَقُولُونَ فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَكُن مِّنَ السَّاجِدِينَ ) [الحجر 15: 97-98]
1. Blessings, Mercy and Guidance | صلوات من ربهم ورحمة
After praising those who say: surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will return, Allah says: upon them are blessings from their Lord and mercy, and it is they who are the rightly guided (2:157). Ibn Kathir explains that the blessings are praise from Allah upon them; Sa'id ibn Jubayr said: security from punishment; and Umar ibn al-Khattab said: what excellent two loads, and what an excellent addition: the blessings and mercy are the two loads, and being rightly guided is the addition.
أُولَٰئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ (سورة البقرة: 157)
قال تعالى بعد الثناء على الصابرين: (أولئك عليهم صلوات من ربهم ورحمة وأولئك هم المهتدون) (البقرة 2: 157)، قال ابن كثير: أي ثناء من الله عليهم ورحمة، وقال سعيد بن جبير: أي أمنة من العذاب، وقال عمر بن الخطاب: نعم العدلان ونعمت العلاوة، فالصلوات والرحمة هما العدلان، والهداية هي العلاوة.
2. The Words of Istirja' | قول إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون
Ibn Kathir explains that those who say it console themselves with these words, knowing that they belong to Allah, who does with His servants as He wills, and that not an atom's weight is lost with Him. Umm Salamah heard the Prophet say: no Muslim is struck by a calamity and says what Allah has commanded, surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will return, O Allah, reward me in my calamity and replace it for me with something better, but Allah replaces it for him with something better; when her husband Abu Salamah died she said it, and Allah replaced him for her with the Messenger of Allah (Sahih Muslim 918).
قال ابن كثير: تسلوا بقولهم هذا عما أصابهم، وعلموا أنهم ملك لله يتصرف في عبيده بما يشاء، وعلموا أنه لا يضيع لديه مثقال ذرة. وقالت أم سلمة: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: "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"، فلما مات أبو سلمة قالتها، فأخلف الله لها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم (صحيح مسلم 918).
3. Patience Is at the First Shock | إنما الصبر عند الصدمة الأولى
The Prophet passed by a woman weeping at a grave and told her to fear Allah and be patient. She did not recognise him and told him to leave her; when she later came to him he said: patience is only at the first shock (Sahih al-Bukhari 1283). Seeking help through patience and prayer is discussed in the permitted ways of seeking help.
مر النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بامرأة تبكي عند قبر فقال: "اتقي الله واصبري"، فلم تعرفه، فلما جاءته بعد ذلك قال: "إنما الصبر عند الصدمة الأولى" (صحيح البخاري 1283).
4. Every Affair of the Believer Is Good | عجبا لأمر المؤمن
The Prophet said: how wonderful is the affair of the believer; all of it is good, and this is for no one but the believer: if something pleasing befalls him he is thankful, and that is good for him; and if harm befalls him he is patient, and that is good for him (Sahih Muslim 2999).
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "عجبا لأمر المؤمن، إن أمره كله خير، وليس ذاك لأحد إلا للمؤمن، إن أصابته سراء شكر فكان خيرا له، وإن أصابته ضراء صبر فكان خيرا له" (صحيح مسلم 2999).
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What should a Muslim say when a calamity strikes?
Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will return (2:156).
What does Allah promise those who are patient?
Blessings from their Lord and mercy, and that they are the rightly guided (2:157).
Which supplication did the Prophet teach for a calamity?
O Allah, reward me in my calamity and replace it for me with something better (Sahih Muslim 918).
When does patience count most?
At the first shock, as the Prophet said (Sahih al-Bukhari 1283).