If you’ve been unjustly afflicted with a situation, recite this prayer 500 or 1,000 times a day; inshaAllah, you will be delivered from that situation in no time.
Abraham (as) was the first to make this prayer. When he was captured by the Pharaoh and cast into the fire, the angel Gabrielcame to him while he was still in the air and asked him, “O Abraham, what can I do for you?” Abraham responded, “I’ve placed my trust in Allah; He is sufficient for me. There is no god, only HU, I’ve left my affairs to Him, He is the Rabb of the great Throne…” At this point a miracle occurred and he fell into the fire ever so softly, yet the fire did not burn him… For, as the Quran states, the fire cooled down with the command of Allah and became a place of proximity to Abraham’s essential reality (where the name Salam became manifest). This is the kind of miracle effect this verse has.
Regarding this prayer, the Rasul of Allah (saw) says:
“Whoever says, ‘Sufficient for me is Allah! There is no god, only HU! I have placed my trust in Him... HU is the Rabb of the Great Throne!’ in the morning and at night, whether they mean it or not, upon saying it seven times, Allah will be sufficient for them…”[1]
Take heed! This hadith is pointing to the system of Allah, the system referenced by the verse, ‘You will never find an alteration in the sunnatullah (system of Allah)!’
When you engage in certain prayers and dhikrs, whether you believe in them or not, that practice activates the relevant mechanism and inevitably produces an outcome. This hadith proves this point. So, even if you do not believe in this system, pursue its practice for some time and you will definitely see results.
May Allah enable us to attain the meaning of this prayer and allow us to make this prayer.
رَبِّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ وَاِلَّا تَغْفِرْ لِي وَتَرْحَمْنِي أَكُن مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
Rabbi innee a`oodhu bika an asaalaka maa laysa lee bihi `ilmun wa’illaa taghfir lee watarḥamnee akun mina l-khaasireena[2]
My Rabb! I seek refuge in You from asking for things about which I have no knowledge (into its true meaning)! If You do not forgive me and bestow Your grace upon me I will be among the losers.
Noah (as) had warned his people, but they refused to listen to him. So, he built an ark upon the command he received and invited his close ones and a pair of each type of animal on board. His son, however, was not of the believers and refused to join them. When the storm began and Noah saw his son drowning amid the waves he persistently prayed to Allah that his son may be saved, but alas, his prayers were not being responded to…
“O Noah! Indeed, he is not of your family! Indeed, (your persistence about your son against My decree) is an act not required by your faith! So do not ask of Me things about which you have no knowledge! Indeed, I advise you not to be among the ignorant.”[3]
After this warning, Noah asked for forgiveness with the prayer above…
There is a great lesson in this for us! Our relatives and close ones may not necessarily believe in the reality, they may stubbornly resist the truth and choose to persist in their erroneous ways. In this case, even though we may be related to them by blood, we need to accept that we are not related to them in terms of the afterlife and hence need not insist or enforce them into believing. All we can do is pray for their guidance and place our trust in Allah. Indeed, what Allah ordains shall be…
رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا
Rabbanaa hab lanaa min azwaajina wa dhurriyyatinaa qurrata `ayunin wa ij`alnaa lil-muttaqeena imaaman[4]
Our Rabb... Grant us partners (or bodies) and children (the fruits of our bodily endeavors) who will cause us joy (Paradise life) and make us leaders worthy of being followed for those who want to be protected.”
This prayer is for those who want to have children. If one becomes a parent, while continuing to make this prayer after their salat, it is hoped their lineage will be among the virtuous.
رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلاَةِ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَٓاءِ
رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ
Rabbi ij`alnee muqeema l-ṣalaati wa min dhurriyyatee Rabbanaa wa taqannal du`aa’i Rabbanaa ighfir lee wa liwalidayya wa lil-mu’mineena yawma yaqoomu l-ḥisaabu[5]
My Rabb, allow me to establish salat (experience the return of introspectively turning to the reality of the Names) and also of my descendants (allow them to establish salat)! Our Rabb, fulfill my prayer. (Note: An individual such as Abraham is requesting the establishment and experience of salat; it is worth contemplating on the importance of this means.) Our Rabb, in that time when life accounts are openly displayed, forgive me, my parents and the faithful!
This prayer, made by Abraham (as), is the only prayer in the Quran in regards to salat. It is especially recommended for those who want to reach the essence of salat and perform it duly. Some salats are merely done for the sake of being done, yet some are continuous, they are experienced not just five times a day, but constantly…
May Allah enable us all to experience the reality of salat, which is said to be the “Pole of religion”…
Again, those who want to experience the reality of salat should read this verse during prostration…
رَبِّ إِنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الشَّيْطَانُ بِنُصْبٍ وَعَذَابٍ
رَبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَنْ
يَحْضُرُونِ وَحِفْظًا مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ مَارِدٍ
Rabbi annee massani ash-shayṭaanu binuṣubin wa `adhaabin rabbi a`oodhu bika min hamazaati ash-shayṭaani wa a`oodhu bika rabbi an yaḥḍurooni wa ḥifẓan min kulli shayṭaanin maaridin[6]