The Muslim Examiner
Rigorous, scholarly answers to the most common questions about Islam
Rethink how you view stress and fulfillment.
Every human being carries worries. Some concerns are obvious and immediate: financial stress, health problems, family tensions, uncertainty about the future, or fears about failure. Other worries are quieter and more difficult to explain — a lingering unease, emotional exhaustion, or a sense that something in life is unsettled. In Du‘a 54 of Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya, Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin (ʿa) offers a profound spiritual framework for dealing with anxiety, hardship, and inner unrest.
What makes this du‘a remarkable is that it does not simply teach us to ask Allah to remove our problems. Instead, it teaches us how to become the kind of people who can endure tests with dignity, clarity, sincerity, and faith. The du‘a redirects our attention away from obsessing over the problem itself and toward strengthening our relationship with Allah. Through that relationship, we gain the spiritual grounding necessary to face life’s difficulties honorably and faithfully.
In many ways, this du‘a challenges modern assumptions about stress and fulfillment. We often imagine that peace will come once our external circumstances are fixed. But Imam al-Sajjad (ʿa) teaches that tranquility begins with inner orientation: knowing who Allah is, understanding the nature of worldly life, and aligning our desires with what truly benefits us. The result is not escape from trials, but a deeper capacity to live through them with patience, purpose, and trust in Allah.
Turning to Allah Is Not Merely Escapism
One of the most important lessons of the du‘a is that supplication is not simply about asking Allah to instantly remove every hardship.
Often, we approach Allah with a transactional mindset:
“O Allah, fix this situation.” “O Allah, change this person.” “O Allah, give me the outcome I want.”
But life is not designed to be free of tests. Allah says:
“Do people think they will be left to say, ‘We believe,’ without being tested?” — Surah al-‘Ankabut (29:2)
The world is meant to challenge us, refine us, and reveal our sincerity. Sometimes the real transformation needed is within our own hearts.
The du‘a therefore teaches that before seeking the removal of hardship, we must seek spiritual readiness — the strength to face trials without losing our priorities or connection to Allah.
Imam al-Sajjad (ʿa) begins from a deeply human reality: every person experiences hamm — worry, anxiety, concern, and emotional burden. These worries may arise from:
Health struggles Family tensions Career pressures Financial hardship Relationships Academic stress
Different people respond differently to anxiety:
Some avoid their problems and procrastinate Some become withdrawn Some become irritable or aggressive Some lose emotional balance altogether
But the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ and Ahl al-Bayt (ʿa) point us toward a different response: turning toward Allah through prayer and spiritual reflection.
One of the most important lessons of the du‘a is that supplication is not simply about asking Allah to instantly remove every hardship.
Often, we approach Allah with a transactional mindset:
“O Allah, fix this situation.” “O Allah, change this person.” “O Allah, give me the outcome I want.”
But life is not designed to be free of tests. Allah says:
“Do people think they will be left to say, ‘We believe,’ without being tested?” — Surah al-‘Ankabut (29:2)
The world is meant to challenge us, refine us, and reveal our sincerity. Sometimes the real transformation needed is within our own hearts.
The du‘a therefore teaches that before seeking the removal of hardship, we must seek spiritual readiness — the strength to face trials without losing our priorities or connection to Allah.
Recognizing Allah’s Role in Every Relief
Imam al-Sajjad (ʿa) begins the du‘a by affirming Allah as:
The One who grants deliverance The One who removes hardship The One whose mercy encompasses this world and the next
This is an important spiritual reorientation. Relief does not come from coincidence, luck, or worldly means alone. Every form of deliverance ultimately comes from Allah.
The Imam connects this idea to faraj — divine relief and deliverance. In its greatest sense, faraj refers to the ultimate deliverance through the appearance of Imam al-Mahdi (ʿa), who will establish justice and remove oppression from the world. But the concept also applies to everyday moments of assistance and relief in our lives.
Even seemingly small moments:
Unexpected help Protection from harm Emotional relief Ease after hardship
…are manifestations of Allah’s mercy and care.
Allah’s Mercy Extends Beyond Our Imagination
The Imam repeatedly emphasizes Allah’s mercy:
Allah is al-Rahman in this world Allah is al-Rahim in the hereafter
This reminder is especially important for those overwhelmed by guilt, fear, or despair. Allah is not waiting eagerly to punish His servants. His mercy exceeds our imagination.
Allah says:
“My mercy encompasses all things.” — Surah al-A‘raf (7:156)
Recognizing divine mercy changes how we approach hardship. We stop seeing ourselves as abandoned and begin understanding that Allah remains near even in our suffering.
One of the most psychologically insightful parts of the lecture is the reminder that every person is being tested — even when their lives appear outwardly perfect.
We often compare ourselves to others:
Someone else seems to have a better family Someone else appears financially secure Someone else seems professionally successful
But every person carries hidden burdens.
Allah says:
“We have certainly created man into hardship.” — Surah al-Balad (90:4)
Recognizing this helps us avoid destructive comparison and self-pity. My test may differ from another person’s test, but difficulty itself is part of worldly existence.
When we internalize this reality, our perspective changes:
We become less insecure We stop romanticizing other people’s lives We develop compassion for ourselves and others
Instead of asking, “Why am I suffering uniquely?” we begin to understand hardship as part of the human condition.
This realization itself becomes spiritually liberating.
The Spiritual Response to Anxiety The Du‘a Shifts Focus Away From the Problem
After briefly acknowledging hardship, the Imam does something surprising: he stops dwelling on the problem itself.
Instead, he focuses on spiritual transformation.
The Imam asks Allah for:
Good deeds that bring divine love Certainty (yaqin) Sincerity Reliance upon Allah Detachment from worldly obsession
This teaches us that the solution to anxiety is not merely distraction or temporary comfort. It is spiritual realignment.
Anxiety Often Causes Withdrawal — But the Imam Teaches Engagement
Many people respond to stress by withdrawing:
From community From worship From charitable work From relationships From responsibility
The Imam teaches the opposite.
When overwhelmed, we should seek meaningful actions that bring us closer to Allah. Good deeds strengthen the soul and restore emotional balance.
This is profoundly important because spiritual momentum affects every aspect of life. When a person feels spiritually grounded and emotionally hopeful, they often find energy and resilience even amid difficulty.
The Imam asks Allah for yaqin — certainty.
Not certainty that life will always go according to our plans, but certainty in Allah’s wisdom, mercy, and guidance.
He also asks for sincerity (sidq and ikhlas), especially at the moment of death. Since none of us knows when death will come, sincerity must become a lifelong practice.
The Imam then asks Allah to remove excessive attachment to worldly life.
This does not mean abandoning ambition or neglecting worldly responsibilities. Rather, it means:
Using the world as a tool Not allowing material perfection to dominate our hearts Prioritizing relationships, faith, and meaning over appearances
True piety is not laziness or lack of aspiration. It is directing ambition toward Allah rather than ego.
Aligning Our Desires With What Truly Benefits Us Not Everything We Desire Is Good for Us
One of the most profound themes of the du‘a is the idea that we must discipline our desires.
The Imam teaches us to ask:
Is this truly beneficial? Is this worthy of du‘a? Is this what I should want?
Many people spend years pursuing goals only to discover that those achievements did not bring fulfillment.
Allah reminds us:
“Perhaps you dislike a thing while it is good for you, and perhaps you love a thing while it is bad for you. Allah knows while you do not know.” — Surah al-Baqarah (2:216)
The mature believer therefore asks Allah not merely to fulfill desires, but to reshape those desires altogether.
The Highest Spiritual State
The Imam ultimately teaches us to align our fears and hopes with the fears and hopes of the Prophet ﷺ and Ahl al-Bayt (ʿa).
This is a radical spiritual standard.
It means asking:
What truly mattered to the Prophet ﷺ? What did the Ahl al-Bayt (ʿa) fear? What sacrifices were they willing to make? What worldly losses did they endure for truth?
The Prophet ﷺ and Imam ‘Ali (ʿa) were willing to endure loneliness, rejection, and unpopularity for the sake of principle and justice. Their measure of success was not social approval, but faithfulness to Allah.
This perspective completely transforms how we understand anxiety, status, and worldly success.
The unseen world is not presented in Islam to stimulate fantasy, paranoia, or obsession. It is revealed in order to deepen awareness of Allah, clarify the moral seriousness of existence, and awaken the human being to the reality of the spiritual struggle unfolding within and around him.
The jinn are among the signs of Allah’s vast creation. Shayṭān is among the tests through which human greatness emerges. Ramadan is among the greatest mercies through which Allah grants the believer strength for that struggle.
Every fast, every whispered du‘ā’, every resisted temptation, and every moment of sincere repentance weakens the hold of darkness upon the soul.
And perhaps this is the deepest wisdom behind the chaining of the devils in Ramadan: Allah wishes to show us that our imprisonment was never inevitable.
The doors of nearness remain open.
The path to Allah remains illuminated.
And the human soul, despite all its wounds, remains capable of rising higher than it ever imagined.
