The Islamic Ummah is currently undergoing a severe trial, an unprecedented calamity that demands an awakened and vigilant Ummah capable of combating the tribulation with immense faith and spiritual strength. This requires continuous reliance on Allah, adhering to His commands, and avoiding His prohibitions as acts of devotion to Allah, so that He may lift this great affliction and unprecedented setback in its ancient and modern history.
In addition to the diligent work required to lift this tribulation, there is another essential act of worship that cannot be dispensed with: du'a (supplication). This is crucial not only for the acceptance and facilitation of efforts but also for seeking divine help to overcome the tribulation amidst the onslaught of the world upon the Ummah and its submission to it.
An-Nu'man bin Bashir reported that the Prophet said: “The supplication, is worship.” Then he recited: And Your Lord said: “Call upon me, I will respond to you. Verily, those who scorn My worship, they will surely enter Hell humiliated.” (Ghafir: 60) (Narrated by Ahmad)
Du’a Importance in Lifting Calamities and Tribulations
Allah has ordained du’a as a divine gift to lift the decreed calamity upon the Ummah, so that people may turn to Him in a worship that brings them closer to Him, embodying the essence of servitude and submission to the Creator of the universe. Allah says, “And your Lord says, 'Call upon Me; I will respond to you. Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.'” (Ghafir: 60) He also says, “And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.” (Al-Baqarah: 186) And He says, “Is He [not best] who responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him and removes evil?” (An-Naml: 62)
At-Tirmidhi narrated from Salman Al-Farisi that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Nothing but supplication averts the decree,” and Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah explains the relationship between du’a and calamity: “Du’a is one of the most beneficial remedies. It is the enemy of calamity; it repels and treats it, prevents its occurrence, lifts it, or reduces it if it descends. Du’a is the enemy of calamity.”
Dr. Ali Al-Sallabi emphasizes the importance of du’a in repelling calamities: “To repel evil when it’s caused, the Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded, Allah’s will and ability, to counter them with salah, du’a, dhikr (remembrance), seeking forgiveness, repentance, and acts of charity and ihsan (perfection). These righteous deeds oppose the evil that has fallen, as mentioned in the hadith: 'Indeed, supplication and calamity meet between the heavens and the earth, and they wrestle.' Just as an enemy is repelled by du’a, doing good deeds, and jihad against him, and just as cold is repelled by seeking warmth, so too are righteous deeds and du’a.”
The Ummah's Need for It
The current ordeal faced by the Ummah is not the first of its kind, despite its severity, depth, and long duration. The history of the Ummah is filled with periods of weakness followed by numerous conspiracies and attempts of crusader invasions at times and Tatar invasions at others. Despite these challenges, the Ummah has always managed to rise from every downfall, no matter how severe. An example of this is when the Tatars invaded the lands of the Muslims and annihilated Baghdad, the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate at the time, in a crusader conspiracy.
The ordeal we are experiencing today is neither the first nor will it be the last. But Allah provided the Ummah then with victory, enabling it to emerge from its bloody tribulation. An army was led by a great leader under the guidance of a great scholar, combining spiritual strength with military might. Sheikh Ibn Abd al-Salam stood on the pulpits, praying, as the army set out from Egypt to reach Ayn Jalut, not returning until the Tatars were expelled from the Muslim lands.
Today, the tribulation may appear through the eyes of the oppressed as the end of the Ummah, with the intensity of ongoing battles east and west and the large number of martyrs in the sacred Muslim lands. But Allah has another word, having opened doors of hope through the worship of du’a, the worship of calling to Allah, and awakening Muslims to understand their significance and the value of their religion, which can make them leaders of the world. As Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab said: “We are a people whom Allah has honored with Islam, so if we seek honor through anything else, Allah will humiliate us.”
Du’a: The Legacy of Prophets and the Righteous
Du’a was the practice of the prophets, culminating in Muhammad (peace be upon him), who combined all possible efforts with lawful means. On the day of Badr, the Prophet (peace be upon him) stood amidst the battle, supplicating to Allah while the believers were a small number. Allah says, “And already had Allah given you victory at [the battle of] Badr while you were few in number. Then fear Allah; perhaps you will be grateful.” (Aal-Imran: 123)
Umar ibn al-Khattab reported: When it was the day on which the Battle of Badr was fought, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) cast a glance at the infidels, and they were one thousand while his own Companions were three hundred and nineteen. The Prophet (ﷺ) turned (his face) towards the Qibla. Then he stretched his hands and began his supplication to his Lord: "O Allah, accomplish for me what Thou hast promised to me. O Allah, bring about what Thou hast promised to me. O Allah, if this small band of Muslims is destroyed. Thou will not be worshipped on this earth." He continued his supplication to his Lord, stretching his hands, facing the Qibla, until his mantle slipped down from his shoulders. So Abu Bakr came to him, picked up his mantle and put it on his shoulders. Then he embraced him from behind and said: Prophet of Allah, this prayer of yours to your Lord will suffice you, and He will fulfill for you what He has promised you. So Allah, the Glorious and Exalted, revealed (the Qur'anic verse): “When ye appealed to your Lord for help, He responded to your call (saying): I will help you with one thousand angels coming in succession.” So Allah helped him with angels. (Narrated by Muslim)
Thus, du’a has always been the weapon of the oppressed when all means are exhausted, when the Ummah is incapable of restoring its dignity, and when it falls prey to an enemy who knows no mercy, as Allah describes, “How [can there be a treaty] while, if they gain dominance over you, they do not observe concerning you any pact of kinship or covenant of protection? They satisfy you with their mouths, but their hearts refuse [compliance], and most of them are defiantly disobedient.” (At-Tawbah: 8)
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