Answered by Shaykh Mazhar Mahmood
Question:
I have a lot of debt upon my shoulders which is putting me in a lot of stress. Please advise me of a prayer or a verse which will hopefully bring about ease.
Answer:
Firstly, I pray to Almighty Allāh to rid you of the burden which is upon your shoulders, and bring about ease and comfort in your life. Āmīn!
One of the Companions of Allāh’s Messenger (peace and blessings upon) presented a similar complaint to him.
The narration is as follows,
Abū Sa’īd al-Khudrī (may Allāh be pleased with him) reported, “One day Allāh’s Messenger (peace and blessings upon him) entered the Mosque. There, he saw a man from the Anṣār (inhabitant of the blessed city of Madīnah) who was known as Abū Umāmah (in a state of grief). The Prophet peace and blessings upon him asked Abū Umāmah (may Allāh be pleased with him), “Why is it that I am seeing you sitting in the mosque when it is not the time of prayer?”
Abū Umāmah (may Allāh be pleased with him) replied, “I have become entangled in sorrow and debts”
The Prophet Muḥammad (peace and blessings upon him) replied, “Shall I inform you of a prayer by which, if you recite, Allāh will remove your sorrow and settle your debts?”
Abū Umāmah said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allāh”
The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him) said, “Recite the following prayer every morning and evening:
اللهم إني أعوذ بك من الهم والحزن وأعوذ بك من العجز والكسل وأعوذ بك من الجبن والبخل وأعوذ بك من غلبة الدين وقهر الرجال.
“I seek Your protection against worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and selfishness, from overwhelming indebtedness and the subjugation of people.”
Abu Umāmah (may Allāh be pleased with him) continues to say: “When I did what Allāh’s Messenger (peace and blessings upon him) advised me to do, I was cured of the distress I was facing and my debts were settled.” (Abū Dāwūd)
Another narration is as follows:
ʿAlī (may Allāh be pleased with him) narrated, that a mukātib (slave who had entered into a contract of manumission) came to him and said,
“I am unable to pay off my manumission; please help me.”
He said: “Shall I not teach you some words which Allāh’s Messenger (peace and blessings upon him) taught me?
Recite the following prayer:
اللهم اكفني بحلالك عن حرامك وأغنني بفضلك عمن سواك
“O Allāh, suffice me with what You have permitted, so I have no need to take that which You have forbidden, and make me independent by means of Your bounty, so I do not depend on anyone besides You.” “If you are burdened with debts which are equivalent to the mountain of Thabīr, Allāh will arrange means to pay them off for you.” (Tirmidhī)
It is also essential for one afflicted with stress to recite the prayer Allāh’s Messenger (peace and blessings upon him) allocated as a remedy to cure stress. The narration is as follows,
Sa’d bin Abī Waqās (may Allāh be pleased with him) reported, Allāh’s Messenger (peace and blessings upon him) said, “Shall I inform you of a prayer which will rid its reciter of every worldly stress and calamity? It is the prayer of Yūnus (peace and blessings upon him),
لا إلهَ إلا أنتَ سُبحانَكَ إني كنتُ منَ الظالِمينَ
“Glory be to You [My Lord], there’s no deity [worthy of worship] besides You. Surely, I am amongst those who have wronged themselves.” (Al-Jāmiʾ Al-Ṣaghīr)
With regards to a verse in the Qurʿān, one should also recite the prayer of desperation by which Mūsā (peace and blessings upon him) called unto Allāh, and was cured of grief and poverty. The prayer is as follows,
رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ
“My Lord, I am in dire need of whatever goodness You send down upon me.” (Qurʾān 28: 24)
The great teacher, Shaykh Sulaimān Choksī (may Allāh preserve him) says, “After Mūsā (peace and blessings upon him) rendered this supplication to Almighty Allāh, the Almighty facilitated every necessity of life for Mūsā (peace and blessings upon him), everything from a profitable livelihood to food on the table.”
Kindly try to make a habit of reciting the abovementioned supplications frequently. Hopefully, Allāh will bring about better days soon.
Allāh Almighty Knows Best
