POWERFUL DUA AGAINST SHAYTAN
In Surah Mu’minun ayat 97-98, Allah (swt) reveals to Prophet Muhammad to recite this dua to repel evil and to seek refuge with Allah alone.
رَبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ
Rabbi a’oozu bika min hamazaatish Shayaateen Wa a’oozu bika Rabbi ai-yahduroon
“My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the incitements of the devils, And I seek refuge in You, my Lord, lest they be present with me.” [source]
Surah Mu’minun is the 23rd chapter of the Qur’an and is titled “The Believer” as it describes the qualities among those “Who will inherit al-Firdaus.”
IS IT OKAY TO MAKE DUA FOR WORLDLY THINGS?
The proverb “to know thyself” is probably familiar to us, but it seems abstract to me. Even so, what does that mean? How does one even start? Thinking of the self as a person we make day by day—decision after decision, habit after habit—seems to me to be more constructive.
You attract into your life what you are willing to put up with yourself; this is the norm that you have either knowingly or unknowingly adopted. Knowing that you can change into the person you want to be at any time is empowering. It is comparable to a sculptor who carefully chips away at a block of marble to create his masterpiece, adding what is necessary and removing what is not.
The question is who do you want to become?
DUA OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD FOR ENTERING A NEW TOWN
The answer to that question lies within the Qur’an as it has a very clear description of the qualities of believers that will inherit Jannat Al-Firdaus. We don’t have to look any further than the first 10 ayat of Surah Mu’minun where it describes those people as…
…humbly submissive in their prayer
…turn away from ill speech (avoid backbiting, insulting, bearing false witness, using the tongue for evil)
…observant of Zakah (donating to charity, giving back from the wealth one has accumulated throughout the year)
…guarding their private parts (abstinence, avoiding zina)
In the second half of this Surah it describes the one emotion that will course through our bodies on the day of reckoning.
This is the feeling of regret.
Both the righteous and the disbelievers will have this gnawing feeling in their gut saying, “I could’ve done more”. This is a natural feeling, perfection is something that can never be attained by us. We strive to get as close as we possibly can but despite our efforts, we know that we’ll fall short of this goal.
Among us there will be many who enter Jannah but, in their hearts, they know they have more to give.
Don’t leave this earth unused, be present, and give yourself fully in everything you do. It’s an investment you are making in yourself and inshallah it’ll will be rewarded on the judgment day with the highest level of Jannah. Heed the warning Surah Mu’minun gives to a disbeliever who realizes this too late,
“My Lord, send me back That I might do righteousness in that which I left behind.” No! It is only a word he is saying; and behind them is a barrier until the Day they are resurrected. So when the Horn is blown, no relationship will there be among them that Day, nor will they ask about one another. And those whose scales are heavy [with good deeds] – it is they who are the successful.” (23:99-100)
