“We shall certainly test you with fear and hunger, and loss of property, lives, and crops. But [Prophet], give good news to those who are steadfast

Who, when disaster strikes them, say, “Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.” (Baqarah 2:155-156)

 

Our Prophet (SAW) taught us a dua (supplication) to say at times of calamity, in which there is virtue and great reward.

Umm Salama reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: If any Muslim who suffers some calamity says, what Allah has commanded him,”Innaa lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji’oon. Allaahumma ajurni fi museebati wakhluf li khayran minha (Verily to Allaah we belong and unto Him is our return. O Allaah, reward me for my calamity and compensate me with something better than it), but Allaah will compensate him with something better than it.” She said, When Abu Salamah died, I said, who among the Muslims is better than Abu Salamah, the first household to migrate to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? Then I said these words, and Allaah compensated me with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). (Sahih Muslim 918 a, Book 4, Hadith 1999)

The hadith above resonated deeply when I was searching for comfort after my daughter’s passing. I thought that if Allah could give Umm Salamah what she couldn’t even imagine, then He could help me in ways that I could not understand. I would recite this dua repeatedly through the day and especially when the grief was intense and the pain was debilitating. I would recite it like a mantra that I clung to with all my life, focusing on what the words meant- that my daughter belonged to Allah and she had returned to Him and only He could help me. Every single time, as I repeated this dua with sincerity borne out of desperation, the pain would soften just enough to allow me to breathe again. It was, very literally, a miracle dua.