Video: https://youtu.be/Jttv34kayug
Tribulations drain us, overwhelm us, soaking up every ounce of energy within us. In the eye of the storm, it is difficult to see anything other than the chaos and misery that fills our lives. In this time, we find words of comfort within the Quran to help us through.
If Allah has tested you with something, it is because He knows you have the strength to see it through. "God does not burden any soul more than it can bear" (2:286) – these are the final words of the longest surah (chapter) in the Quran. Just like this surah, these difficulties may seem long, but there is light at the end of the tunnel, and a new beginning just round the corner.
The verse continues with a beautiful supplication written in the first person; Allah gives us the words to see through our difficulties and knowledge of how to supplicate to Him. “Then Adam was inspired with words ˹of prayer˺ by his Lord, so He accepted his repentance.” (2:37). Just as Prophet Adam “received from his Lord words” guiding him through his trial, Allah has honoured you with the words to recite to help you through yours.
رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذۡنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوۡ أَخۡطَأۡنَاۚ
- “Lord, do not take us to task if we forget or make mistakes”; words drawn from your inner conscience. He knows the difficulties you faced, and has chosen to overlook the slips and errors you made
رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحۡمِلۡ عَلَيۡنَآ إِصۡرٗا كَمَا حَمَلۡتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِنَاۚ
- “Lord, do not burden us as You burdened those before us”; as you come to terms with your difficulties, a recognition of all those who have faced worse than you, and a gratitude at what you were given fills your heart .
رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلۡنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦۖ
- “Lord, do not burden us with more than we have strength to bear.”; Your previous statement delicately couples with a recognition of the difficulty in your own trials, knowing they pushed you to the limits. Allah not only affirms it ok to ask for respite, He gives you the very words through which to do so.
وَٱعۡفُ عَنَّا وَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَٱرۡحَمۡنَآۚ
- “Pardon us, forgive us, and have mercy on us”; unlike the mistakes we began with, we know there were times when doubt and sin crept in. We knew it was a test and, at times, we failed. Allah ﷻ knows, and has given you the words through which to ask for His forgiveness. All will be forgiven and forgotten. Ameen.
أَنتَ مَوۡلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ
- “You are our Protector, so help us against the disbelievers”; this is the essence of our trial, a recognition in the Lordship of Allah ﷻ , turning to Him and not away from him in our difficulties.
So if your going through a difficult time and you feel there is no end in sight, turn to the end of the longest surah in the Quran. It’s words are gift from Allah ﷻ to help you through, and a reminder that even the longest chapters will come to an end.
Talha Ghannam
www.quranclub.org
