In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
The world around us is fraught with problems -- family and marital problems, social media, social, economic and political problems, environmental and ecological problems, on going process of spiritual decline issues, aging issues, etc. We stand at the abyss, at the steadily approaching threshold of unimaginable chaos, calamity, death and destruction.
Trials are rife in this society. People seem to be stumbling a lot, suffering a lot. The good people are looking for solutions. But the solutions are there in the teachings of the last Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace), if only we know and implement them.
"Verily, tribulations befall people due to their negligence and foolishness, and there is no other remedy for this except through the remembrance of Allah and beneficial knowledge."
We can't change the world overnight, but we can change ourselves today. By changing ourselves, we are changing the world.
Begin with reviving the sunnah of the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) by doing some adhkar (remembrance of Allah) in the morning and evening and encourage your own family and close circle to do so.
Allah Almighty says,
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا ﴿٤١﴾ وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا ﴿٤٢﴾ هُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُصَلِّى عَلَيْكُمْ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتُهُۥ لِيُخْرِجَكُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ ۚ وَكَانَ بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَحِيمًا ﴿٤٣[Qur'an, Al-Ahzab 33:41-43]
O you who have believed, remember Allah abundantly (41) And exalt Him morning and afternoon. (42) It is He who confers blessing upon you, and His angels [ask Him to do so] that He may bring you out from darkness into the light. And ever is He, to the believers, Merciful. (43)
First, whenever Allah addresses the believers, it is upon us to sit upright and listen attentively because we consider ourselves as believers.
Allah reminds us in this verse that the daily life of a believer is revolved around His remembrance (dhikrullah) from the time we wake up until we go to sleep at night. Unlike the five daily prayers, fasting, or hajj, dhikrullah is a form of worship for which there is no limit or defined quantity, no particular time or period, no defined posture or position, nor even the state of purity through ablution is required. Dhikrullah is required all the time, in all circumstances, whether one is traveling or is at home, whether one is healthy or ill, whether one is on land or at sea, whether it is day or night - dhikrullah is required all the time. Therefore no excuse is acceptable for neglecting dhikrullah except that one may have lost his senses and become unconscious. The merits, blessings and rewards for doing dhikr are also numerous.
The instruction of remembering Allah in abundance is given to show gratitude for all the blessings He has bestowed us, and we benefit by being grateful.
Allah has promised that if we are thankful, He will give us more. So thankfulness is the key to increase.
Allah Almighty says,
وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ ۖ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِى لَشَدِيدٌۭ[Qur'an Ibrahim 14:7]
And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.' " (7)
وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَشْكُرُونَ ﴿٧٣[Qur'an An-Naml 27:73]
And indeed, your Lord is full of bounty for the people, but most of them do not show gratitude." (73)
Imam Ahmad has reported from Abu ad-Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) and that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said to the noble companions 'Should I not tell you a thing that is better than all your deeds and is most acceptable to your Lord, and which would raise your grades, and is better than giving silver and gold in charity and alms and is also better than your embarking for Jihad wherein you face and kill the enemy and the enemy kills you? The noble companions and asked the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) about that thing. The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, remembrance of Allah, the Mightiest the Most Glorious". (Ibn Kathir)
Let's busy our minds, hearts and tongues with remembrance of Allah instead of busy them with scandals, gossips, idle chats, arguments, hatred, and those things that don't concern us (which are things that don't benefit us in the Hereafter), etc.
Fortress of Protection
Let's begin with these morning and evening adhkar of protection and add gradually with other adhkar as you progress.
1.
حَسْبِـيَ اللّهُ لا إلهَ إلاّ هُوَ عَلَـيهِ تَوَكَّـلتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ العَرْشِ العَظـيم[Abu Dawood]
Allah is Sufficient for me, none has the right to be worshiped except Him, upon Him I rely and He is Lord of the exalted throne.
The person who recites this dhikr 7 times in the morning and 7 times in the evening Allah will suffice for him in regards to his worries in this world as well as the Hereafter. In other words Allah will remove all of his worries in this world as well as the Hereafter.
2.
بسم الله الذي لا يضر مع اسمه شيء في الأرض ولا في السماء وهو السميع العليم[Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Ahmad]
"In the name of Allah with Whose Name there can be no harm in the earth or in the heavens and He is the Hearer the Knower” whoever says it three times in the morning and three times in the evening, nothing will harm him."
3.
رَضِيتُ باللهِ رَبَّاً، وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِيناً، وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ صَلَى اللهُ عَلِيهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَبِيَّاً
"I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, with Islam as my religion and with Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace) as my Prophet.”
The person who recites this 3x in the morning and 3 times in the evening, Allah will take it upon Himself to please the person in the Day of Resurrection.
There is no Muslim who says in the morning and the evening three times: “I am pleased with Allah as my Lord, with Islam as my religion and with Muhammad (Allah bless him and grant him peace) as my Prophet, except that it will be a right upon Allah to please him on the Day of Judgment." (Ahmad)
4.
لَا إِلهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ[Muslim]
"None has the right to be worshiped but Allah alone, He has no partner, His is the dominion and His is the praise, and He is Able to do all things."
The person who recites this 100 times in a single day, he will be rewarded the reward of emancipating or freeing 10 slaves and rewarded 100 reward and 100 sins will be erased from his account and he will be given protection from all types of evil such as from the devil and jinn.
5.
اللّهـمَّ أَنْتَ رَبِّـي لا إلهَ إلاّ أَنْتَ ، خَلَقْتَنـي وَأَنا عَبْـدُك ، وَأَنا عَلـى عَهْـدِكَ وَوَعْـدِكَ ما اسْتَـطَعْـت ، أَعـوذُبِكَ مِنْ شَـرِّ ما صَنَـعْت ، أَبـوءُ لَـكَ بِنِعْـمَتِـكَ عَلَـيَّ وَأَبـوءُ بِذَنْـبي فَاغْفـِرْ لي فَإِنَّـهُ لا يَغْـفِرُ الذُّنـوبَ إِلاّ أَنْتَ[Al-Bukhari]
"O Allah, You are my Lord, none has the right to be worshiped except You, You created me and I am Your servant and I abide to Your covenant and promise as best I can, I take refuge in You from the evil of which I have committed. I acknowledge Your favor upon me and I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me, for verily none can forgive sin except You."
Then person who recites this in the evening and if he were to pass away that night, he will enter Jannah. And the person who recites this in the morning and if he were to pass away during the day, he will enter Jannah.
6. The greatest verse in the Qur'an is Ayatul Kursi. The person who recites this in the morning he will be offered a protection from all types of evil jinn and devil. And the person who recites this in the evening, he will be given protection throughout the night from all types of evil.
"Whoever recites Ayatul Kursi after every prescribed prayer, nothing prevents him from entering Paradise except death." (An-Nasa'i)
ٱللَّـهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ ﴿٢٥٥[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:255]
"Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great. (255)"
7. Of course, recite Surah Al-Kahf every Friday (and the first 10 and last 10 verses in the morning and evening) for it is a protection against the trial of the Dajjal.
Abu ad-Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (salallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "Whoever commits to memory the first ten Ayat of the Surah Al-Kahf, will be protected from (the trial of) Ad-Dajjal (Antichrist).'' [Muslim]
In another narration, the Messenger of Allah (salallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "(Whoever commits to memory) the last ten Ayat of Surat Al-Kahf, he will be protected from (the trial of) Ad-Dajjal (Antichrist).''
Ad-Dajjal will appear sometime before Yaum-ul-Qiyamah (Day of Judgment). Allah Almighty, will give him some supernatural powers the manifestation of which will shake the faith of many people. For this reason, this will be a serious trial. All Prophets warned their people against him. Our Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) also warned us against him and ordered us to guard ourselves from it and strictly advised us to seek Refuge of Allah against it. This Hadith tells us the way to save ourselves from Ad-Dajjal.
The recitation of the first or the last ten Ayat of Surat Al-Kahf, in the morning and evening, is very useful for this purpose.
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with father and son) said: “The Messenger of Allah (salallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘Whoever reads Surah al-Kahf on the day of Jumu’ah, a light will shine for him from beneath his feet to the clouds of the sky, which will shine for him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will be forgiven (his sins) between the two Fridays.’”
Please spread the word.
"There is none who invites (others) towards guidance, except that for him shall be the rewards of all those who follow him - and this shall not in the slightest cause a reduction in their own rewards" said our beloved Prophet (salallahu 'alayhi wa sallam).
May Allah make us people of His remembrance. May Allah save us from the trials and tribulations in this life and the next, and make us keys to unlock good and lock evil.
Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.
Wassalaam
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