The Practice of Calming Prayers to Avoid Trouble and Sadness – Every human being is inseparable from the various problems in life that occur, whether it’s a mild problem to a problem that is quite heavy. When someone is filled with feelings of anxiety, confusion, and upset due to problems, it is quite natural for everyone to experience.
This becomes unnatural when the problems being faced drag on too deeply which in the end makes the mind chaotic. Not only thoughts, the impact that is felt in a person will also affect mood conditions that make him uneasy.
When the heart is not calm, there are many ways that can be done to avoid this feeling, one of which is by practicing a heart-calming prayer.
Causes of Unsettled Heart
Before knowing what calming prayers are, first know the nature of the heart of each person. In Arabic, the heart comes from the word qalb which means something that can change or can be said to have no fixed position.
Human feelings always change depending on conditions, it could have been a while ago he was happy but soon turned sad. It is not uncommon for the heart to be restless because it is human nature to be influenced by the atmosphere in which it feels. When the mood is not calm, a person tends to feel that life is bland, eating is not good, sleeping is not sound, and so on.
It is important for you to anticipate a number of things that trigger an uneasy heart. As for some of the things that cause the emergence of various unpleasant feelings in humans are as follows.
1. Many Sins
Whether we realize it or not, humans are creatures that cannot escape mistakes and sins that are committed either verbally or through behavior. Sin makes humans overshadowed by feelings of guilt which make the heart feel anxious and feel it and life becomes unhappy.
Ibn Qayyim Al-Jauziyyah, an Islamic scholar said that “If you feel your life is becoming foreign because of the sins you have committed, leave immediately and stay away from sin. The human heart is not calm because of sin.
One of the sins that causes anxiety in the heart is a lie. Someone who always lies in his words only makes his heart uneasy because he has to think of ways to cover up the true reality.
Once lying, he will continue to say that it is not in accordance with the circumstances because he has to cover it up with another lie. Moreover, according to several studies, people who are anxious and afraid will tend to tell lies to protect themselves and their own interests.
The resulting result is the emergence of feelings of stress and health will also be disrupted because the function of certain hormones in the body will increase.
2. Less Grateful
Allah gives everything to his servants with the right measure, neither less nor more. When a person is given trials in the form of deficiencies in life, it is solely a way to elevate his degree.
Conversely, people who feel their lives are filled with strengths are a way to test how reliable people are in using their strengths. Humans sometimes forget these things even though there are many lessons behind the advantages and disadvantages in life.
Lack of gratitude for the circumstances that have been given by God makes people feel they are always lacking in what they already have. As a result, the heart becomes restless thinking of ways so that all its desires can be achieved. This is what makes humans unable to feel calm in living life.
3. Too Demanding
The next reason why the heart becomes restless and uneasy is due to the many demands that must be met in living life. It is certain that someone who always hopes that all his wishes must be fulfilled will be restless, because his mind is only focused on things that make him happy.
Though he does not have sufficient ability to achieve it. As a result, people will always feel restless and restless in every activity they do, which will eventually interfere with concentration.
4. Love the world too much
Excessive love in achieving something worldly in nature triggers humans to be restless in living life. For example, the desire to get rich at any cost keeps people from trying to work hard.
Humans will tend to do things that are not justified, such as robbing, stealing, or seizing other people’s property that is not rightfully theirs. Another example that is rife is the act of corruption by irresponsible individuals who indicate they love the world too much.
The purpose of human life is not the world, but eternal life in the afterlife so that the more people pursue the world, the more they will lose the afterlife. Whereas in Islam it is taught that between worldly life and the life hereafter, both must be carried out in balance.
Rasulullah SAW once said “What I’m afraid of after I go to my people is too excessive pursuit of worldly pleasures and decorations for you”. This indicates that pursuing the pleasures of the world is a bad thing and tends to follow only lust. In the end humans will never be satisfied with what they have and always expect more.
5. Hope Not To Allah
God always gives what his servant asks for as long as he works hard and prays. However, humans sometimes forget God when they have desires and instead hope for fellow human beings. When the desired desire does not come, humans will feel disappointed and hurt.
This is what those who don’t want to hope in Allah feel, even though Allah will give it. Whereas when he depends on Him for everything, feelings of sadness, disappointment, and anxiety will not be felt because he can be elated to accept the provisions.
Examples of people who do not hope in Allah are those who want wealth in a misguided way such as witchcraft or visiting a shaman. Apart from not complying with the provisions of the Shari’a, these methods will only bring harm because their life will not be calm.
There will be many things that must be sacrificed in return for what has been obtained or in other words, sacrifice. Therefore, the wealth that might be obtained does not make the heart calm and it is filled with feelings of guilt.
Calming Prayer
As a religious person, asking God for help through prayer is the most effective medicine to overcome various problems experienced by humans. This is highly recommended rather than doing things that are detrimental to yourself and others when you feel the burden you are carrying is very heavy.
Various feelings such as sadness, anxiety, confusion, and so on that make the heart uneasy can be slightly relieved by asking Him for guidance. After all, Allah will not give a test to a servant when he cannot overcome problems beyond his capabilities.
By reciting a reassuring prayer, at least you can think a little clearer to be able to overcome the situation you are facing with His help.
As Muslims, we are indeed asked to always remember Allah and draw closer to ourselves no matter what the conditions are, including when we are not calm. The amount of pressure in life is a test that everyone must face, one of which is giving problems in life.
When you can overcome existing problems, you can learn to respect yourself and learn to solve problems with solutions. For those of you who want to practice a reassuring prayer when you are experiencing so many life problems, consider some of the following prayers.
1. Surah Al-Fatihah, Soothing When the Heart is Upset
The last calming prayer that can be practiced when the heart is not calm is Al-Fatihah, the opening letter in the Al-Quran. Al-Fatihah is a letter that has many fadhilah or virtues for those who read it, including being able to calm a heart that is upset.
The position of this letter is indeed very special, even in the hadith narrated by Bukhari and Muslim, Rasulullah SAW once said that there is no letter equal to it. Even in the books of the Torah, Zabur, Bible, and Al-Qur’an, there is not a single letter that can be on a par with Al-Fatihah.
One of the fadhilah contained in Surah Al-Fatihah is to control the mind and heart to avoid all kinds of bad consequences. People who diligently read the first letter in the Al-Quran will be awake in their hearts and minds, one of which is to avoid the disturbing whispers of Satan.
So for anyone who is able to practice it, surely he will be a person who is calm and patient in facing anything.
2. Prayer for Smoothness and Patience
The reassuring prayer which is further listed in the Koran, to be precise, in Surah Thaha verses 25 to 28. The medicine to give smoothness and patience was said by Prophet Musa AS when he was facing a test in preaching teaching the teachings of Islam.
Various events that had been experienced by the Prophet Musa that made him filled with anxiety in preaching started from the Children of Israel who refused and opposed his invitation and the cruelty of King Pharaoh. The following is the prayer that the Prophet Musa said when his heart was anxious and restless.
“Robbis sohlii sodrii wa yassirli amrii, wahlul ‘uqdatam millissani yafqohu qoulii”
Meaning: “O Allah, broaden my chest, ease all my affairs, and remove doubts from my tongue so that they understand my words.”
This prayer has a deep meaning and is good for anyone to practice to make it easier for them to carry out various matters that will be faced. That way, feelings of doubt or anxiety about something that will be faced will disappear by practicing this prayer in all life activities that are undertaken.
3. Prayer for a Calm Heart
The Prophet Muhammad SAW in the hadith of Imam Thabrani recommends that anyone who is experiencing anxiety in his heart, it is recommended to read prayers that can be reassuring. A restless and restless heart and mind make a person unable to find a solution or a way out for something in his life. So that he can focus and think clearly, the following prayer can be practiced.
“Allahumma inni as aluka nafsan bika muthmainnah, tu’minu biliqooika wa tardho bi qodhooika wataqna’u bi ‘athoika”
Meaning: “O Allah, I beg You to give me a calm soul, who is sure to meet You, who is sincere with all Your decrees, who feels sufficient for Your gifts”
4. Prayer for Protection from Severe Trials
Everything that happens in life has become a destiny that must be lived, including facing life’s trials. However, there are times when humans feel that the trials they are facing are so heavy that they feel unable to bear them.
Sometimes ordeals make people neglect their duties and responsibilities as humans to always remember Allah SWT. Even though Allah SWT has guaranteed that whoever prays for help and guidance, he will be given a bright way to face everything.
Even though ordeals are difficult to accept, humans must be patient to accept and face whatever they are. Don’t let people not be patient with these severe trials because they commit sins that ultimately harm themselves. This is certainly not wanted by anyone.
We should sincerely accept the provisions that have been destined for us and ask for a prayer of protection so that our hearts can be calm. You can practice the following calming prayer from life’s trials when trouble befalls you.
“Allahumma inni a’udzubika min jahdil balaa-‘i, wa darkishaqa’, wa suu-il qadhaa-i, wa shamaatatil a’daa”
Meaning: “O Allah, I take refuge in You from a heavy calamity that I cannot bear, from the presence of various causes of destruction, from bad destiny, and enemies who are happy over suffering”
In addition to the prayer above, Al-Qur’an Surah Al-Insyirah verse 4 also reminds us that all kinds of difficulties must have a way of ease behind them. The verse reads as follows.
“Inna ma’al ‘usri yusraa”
Meaning: “Indeed, after hardship there is ease”
5. Prayer for Protection from Feelings of Anxiety and Sadness
The last reassuring prayer is to ask for protection from the anxiety and sadness that is felt in the heart. Especially for those who are in debt, the following prayer can be a remedy for confusion in paying debt obligations. Rasulullah SAW taught a prayer to avoid feelings of anxiety and sadness over life’s problems which reads:
“Allahuma inni a-‘uudzubika minal minal-hammi wal-hazani, wa a-‘udzubika minal ‘ajzi wal kasal, wa a’uzdubika minal jubni wal bukhl, wa a’udzubika min ghalabatid dain wa qahrir rijal”
Meaning: “O Allah, I seek refuge from you from confusion and sorrow. I take refuge in you from weakness and laziness. I seek refuge in you from cowardice and miserliness. And I seek refuge in you from the winds of the forest and the evil deeds of mankind.”
This prayer can be done after praying by asking God for help to be free from feelings of sadness and anxiety due to debt. Rasulullah taught it to a man named Abu Umamah when he was in debt and unable to pay it off. But when he practices this prayer, he is released from feelings of anxiety and sadness and is facilitated in matters of debt.
By reading Surah Al-Fatihah a lot when you are not calm, with Allah’s permission your heart will be peaceful and your mind will also be clearer when facing problems. When you pray, the letter becomes mandatory reading that must be in the procedure for carrying out the prayer.
So with that in one day at least you have read it 17 times. In order to gain more calm, it is recommended to read 7 times seriously and slowly.
Those are explanations about some calming prayers that you can practice when you feel your heart is not calm. By praying, one will avoid bad thoughts from Satan’s whispers which will only cause harm to oneself or those around.
Allah will help His servants who experience difficulties because prayer is a weapon for Muslims to face trials so that they are strong and steadfast in facing everything. In addition to prayer, it is also recommended to increase dhikr because by dhikr the heart which is being erratic will be much calmer and more stable.
Book Recommendations & Related Articles