A person in this life may be afflicted by multiple pains and his heart may be disturbed by grief which hurts him and bring about distress and annoyance. If this pain, which inflicts the heart, is connected by past matters, it is considered grief, but if it is connected with future matters, it will be concern. And in case it is connected with the reality of man and its present, it is gloom.

These three matters: Grief, concern, and gloom are removed by sincere returning to Allah, the total humbleness before Him, submission to His Commands, having faith in His Destiny and Knowledge. Moreover, knowing His Names and Attributes, having faith in His Book, and caring for reciting, pondering over, and acting according to its rulings, thereby all these concerns are gone, the chest expands, and happiness is achieved.

It was reported in the Musnad of Imam Ahmad, Sahih ibn Hibban, and others on the authority of `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ”When a person is inflicted by concern or grief then he says: Allahumma Inny `Abduka Wa ibn `Abduka Wa ibn Amatuka Nasiyaty Biyadik, Mady Fiyya Hukmuk `Adlun Fiyya Qada'uk, As'aluka Bikully Ismin Huwa Laka Sammayta Bihi Nafsak Aw Anzaltahu Fi Kitabik Aw `Allamtahu Ahadan Min Khalqik Aw Ista'tharta Bihi Fi `Ilm Al Ghaybi `Indak An Taj`ala Al Qur'ana Rabi`a Qalby Wanura Sadriy Wajala' Huzny Wadhahaba Hammy [O Allah! I am Your Servant, son of Your Servant, son of Your Maidservant. My forelock is in Your Hand, Your Judgment over me is assured, and Your Decree over me is just. I ask You by every name You have taken for Yourself, revealed in Your Book, taught to any of Your Creation, or that You have taken unto Yourself in the realm of the Unseen, to make the Qur'an the life of my heart, the light of my breast, the banisher of my sorrow, and the reliever of my despondency], indeed Allah shall remove his concern and replaces his sadness with joy. People asked: O Messenger of Allah, should we learn these words? He said: Yes, the one who hears them should learn them.” [Musnad Ahmad: 1/391, and Al Albany (may Allah bestow mercy on his souls) graded it as authentic in As-Silsilah As-Sahihah: No. 199, and see the explanation of this Hadith in Al Fawa'id of Ibn Al Qayyim, P. 44].

These are great words which a Muslim should learn and be keen to say when he is inflicted by grief, concern, or gloom. Furthermore, he should learn that these words shall be beneficial if he understands their meanings, fulfills their objectives, and acts according to their rulings. However, repeating these invocations without understanding their meanings and without fulfilling their objectives will be less effective and useless.

If we ponder over this supplication, we shall find that it contains great four fundamentals without which a person shall gain no happiness nor get rid of his concerns and grief. As for the first fundamental is: Worshipping Allah and total humbleness before Him, submitting to Him and admitting that a person is created to serve his Lord since the beginning of creation [i.e., Adam and Eve] and ending by his biological parents. Therefore, the Prophet said: "Allahumma Inny `Abduka wa ibn `Abdika wa ibn Amatika" because all people are owned by Allah, for He is their Lord, master, and the disposer of their affairs. People cannot do without Him even a twinkle of an eye, and they do not have anyone to protect them nor shelter them except He. In order to achieve this servitude to the Master, a person should show humbleness, submission, reverence, and should return to Him in repentance, obey His Commands, avoid His Prohibitions, need Him, resort to Him, seek His Help, and rely on Him; and the heart should not connect with anyone else whether love, fear, or hope.

As for the second fundamental, a person should believe in Allah's Destiny and Fate, and know that whatever Allah wills shall be and whatever He does not, shall not be. Moreover, there is no one can reject His Judgment nor object to it. "Whatever of mercy (i.e. of good), Allâh may grant to mankind, none can withhold it; and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter." [Surat Fatir: 2]. Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said in this invocation: "Nasiyaty Biyadik, Mady Fiyya Hukmuk `Adlun Fiyya Qada'uk," so the forehead of a person is in the hand of Allah who disposes it as He likes, so there is no rejecter to His Judgment and no one can object to it.

The life, death, happiness, sadness, health, and sickness are all in the hand of Allah who disposes them as He likes. Therefore, Hud (peace be upon him) said to his people: "I put my trust in Allâh, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving (living) creature but He has the grasp of its forelock. Verily, my Lord is on a Straight Path (the truth)." [Surat Hud: 56].

As for his saying: "Mady Fiyya Hukmuk," it includes both destinies: The religious destiny [i.e., ordinances] and universal laws as both shall take place to a person whether he satisfies or refuses. Universal laws cannot be disobeyed, but religious laws a person may rebel against or violate, so he is subject to a punishment and that punishment for his actions will be just. "And your Lord is not at all unjust to (His) Slaves." [Surat Fussilat: 46].

The third fundamental is: A person should believe in Allah's Names and Attributes that were reported in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and use them in his invocations as Allah says: "And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allâh, so call on Him by them, and leave the company of those who belie or deny (or utter impious speech against) His Names. They will be requited for what they used to do." [Surat Al A`raf: 180]. Allah says: "Say (O Muhammad peace be upon him): "Invoke Allâh or invoke the Most Gracious (Allâh), by whatever name you invoke Him (it is the same), for to Him belong the Best Names. And offer your Salât (prayer) neither aloud nor in a low voice, but follow a way between." [Surat Al Isra': 110].

Whenever a person knows his Lord well by His Names and Attributes, his reverence increases and keeps away from sins. Some of the Pious Predecessors said: Whoever knows Allah better shall be more fearful of Him. Therefore, the greatest thing that expels concern, grief, and gloom is that a person knows his Lord, fills his heart with His Knowledge, and to seeks help from Him by His Names and Attributes. Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "As'aluka Bikully Ismin Huwa Laka Sammayta Bihi Nafsak Aw Anzaltahu Fi Kitabik Aw `Allamtahu Ahadan Min Khalqik Aw Ista'tharta Bihi Fi `Ilm Al Ghaybi `Indak" which is seeking help by the names of Allah whether a person knows them or not, and this is the most beloved means to Allah.

The fourth fundamental is: Caring for the Glorious Qur'an, the words of Allah (Glory be to Him) which no falsehood can reach. It contains guidance, cure, sufficiency, and good health. The more a person gives attention to the Qur'an through recitation, study, pondering over, and acting according to it, the more he shall gain happiness, comfort, removal of concern, grief, and gloom, therefore the Prophet said in this invocation: "An Taj`ala Al Qur'ana Rabi`a Qalby Wanura Sadriy Wajala' Huzny Wadhahaba Hammy."

These four fundamentals are gained from this blessed invocation, so we have to think about them and exert efforts in fulfilling the invocation of the Prophet (peace be upon him): "Indeed Allah shall remove his concern and replaces his sadness with joy." Indeed, from Allah alone we seek help and success.

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