Duas and Prayers from Quran and Sunnah when Facing Difficulties in Life

The word Dua means “calling” in Arabic or we can say it is an act of remembering Allah Almighty. Dua is the aspect of worship according to our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW).  Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran: “Call on Me; I will respond to you” (Quran, 40:60). From the verse of Holy Quran, we can say that Allah Almighty commanded us to make Dua in front of Him.  When we call Him definitely He will listen and respond. In another verse of the Noble Quran Allah (SWT) says: "When My servants ask about Me, I am indeed close to them.  I listen to the prayer of every supplicant, when he calls on Me.  Let them also, with a will, listen to My call, and believe in Me, so that they may walk in the right way." (Quran 2:186) Apart from daily prayers, Muslims are encouraged to call upon Allah for forgiveness, guidance, and strength in difficulties.  We (Muslims) can make these personal Duas or prayers in our own words, in any language. We generally face some hardships or difficulties in this life. Sometimes the hardship is so heavy that it makes us desperate. However, faith in the infinite power of Allah Almighty makes us remain patient and hopeful in times of hardships. Allah (SWT) is able to make all the ease into something difficult, as well as difficult into ease. Nothing is hard for Him because He is All Knowing and Almighty over all. We should always pray and make Dua in front of Him no matter what’s the situation is. Muslims during times of deep trial, hardship, and sadness, seek comfort and guidance from the words of Allah in the book of guidance the Holy Quran. Allah reminds us that all people will be tested in life, and calls upon Muslims to face and handle these trials or difficulties with "patient dedication and prayer.” When we faced hardships and various trials of life, we should not despair instead we can ask for Allah Almighty’s help. So we are commanded to make Dua in times of hardship. Today, in this article we will discuss some prayers and Duas that we should supplicate at the time of difficulties. Duas during Hardships in Islam

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اسْتَعِينُواْ بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلاَةِ إِنَّ اللّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ

Translation: “O you who believe[d]! Seek help through patience and the prayer. Indeed, Allah (is) with the patient ones.” (Quran, 2:153)

لَّا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

Translation:  “(There is) no god except You, Glory be to You! Indeed, [I] I am of the wrongdoers.” (Quran, 21:87)

وَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا وَلَم يَكُن لَّهُ شَرِيكٌ فِي الْمُلْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ وَلِيٌّ مِّنَ الذُّلَّ وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيرًا

Translation:  “All Praise (is) for Allah the One Who has not taken a son and not is for Him a partner in the dominion, and not is for Him any protector out of weakness. And magnify Him (with all) magnificence.” (Quran, 17:111)

قَالَ رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي

Translation:  “My Lord! Expand for me my chest and ease for me my task and untie (the) knot from my tongue that they may understand my speech.” (Quran, 20:25-28)

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا

Translation: “Our Lord! Grant us from Yourself Mercy, and facilitate for us [from] our affair (in the) right way.” (Quran, 18:10) “O Allah, Your mercy that I hope. Do not let me have a twinkle of eyes, and fix my affairs, there is no Lord besides You” (Abu Dawud). From this hadith, we concluded that the hardships that we are facing sometimes are difficult to overcome by us. However, there is Allah (SWT) who can help us in all of our situations. “O One Who is Living, O Most Self-sufficient; with Your mercy, I seek help” (Tirmidhi). This Dua is to ask help from Allah Almighty. As it is mentioned in Dua that He is the Most Self-sufficient so we need to praise Him and only with His mercy, we can overcome the hardship. We should always get help from Allah Almighty, we need to praise and call the name of Allah continuously. This Dua is suitable to praise Him, the Creator of this world and the Hereafter. “There is no god but Allah, the Highest, the Most Gracious. There is no god but the great Allah of the Throne. There is no god but Allah the Lord of heaven, the Lord of the earth, the Lord of the glorious Throne.” (Bukhari) We should trust and believe in Allah Almighty because there is no power and might except Him. In another hadith, Dua for trials is:  “In the name of Allah, I put my trust in Allah, no power and might except Him.” (Abu Dawud) These were some Duas that we all should recite while facing trials and hardships. May Almighty Allah help us to overcome from all types of difficulties and hardships! Ameen