Don’t desire for what others have

Quran verse about desires

When I get overwhelmed by something do I think what. Am desiring? Do I think if I am desiring for right things? Is there any harm I am causing to others by my desires? Read the Quran verse about desires.

اعوذ بالله من الشيطن الرجيم

Surah 4. An-Nisa, Verse 32:

وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوْا مَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا اكْتَسَبُوا وَلِلنِّسَاءِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا اكْتَسَبْنَ وَاسْأَلُوا اللَّهَ مِن فَضْلِهِ 

إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا

  

Translation:

And wish not for the things in which Allah has made some of you to excel others. For men there is reward for what they have earned, (and likewise) for women there is reward for what they have earned, and ask Allah of His Bounty. Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knower of everything.

My reflection on this Quran verse

In this age of social media it’s so easy to find out about the internal life of everybody and that is sure to cause distress. Who could know human nature better than Allah. Allah knew that I was going to desire what others have so He gave me the perfect solution to deal with this. N this Quran Ayah about desires, Allah forbids me to desire for what others hav but He encourages to ask for His bounty or His favors. And I forget to do that. I want to remind you and my self that we need to ask for Allah’s bounty or Allah’s favors. Allah’s bounties means provisions of this world.

Duas I made after reading this Quran verse

 اللَّهُمَّ إَنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ

O Allah I ask you from Your favor.

I was the wrongdoer

Quran verse about Prayer of Yunus 

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

Al-Anbiya 21:87

وَذَا ٱلنُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَٰضِبًا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ أَن لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبْحَٰنَكَ 

إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

And [mention] the man of the fish, when he went off in anger and thought that We would not decree [anything] upon him. And he called out within the darknesses, "There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers."

Al-Anbiya 21:88

فَٱسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُۥ وَنَجَّيْنَٰهُ مِنَ ٱلْغَمِّۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُۨجِى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

So We responded to him and saved him from the distress. And thus do We save the believers.

Al-Anbiya 21:89

My reflections about this Quran verse

Subhan Allah! What a perfect wordings of this call of Prophet Yunus عليه السلام

He surrendered completely. He was alone and he was inside the belly of the fish. I cannot imagine his suffering. And yet in that suffering, he glorified Allah, he said سبحانك Glorified are You to Allah, he didnt complain rather he accepted he wronged. He didnt blame the people for his suffering.

When difficulty arises, I have two attitudes. Either I get irritated or I submit. And I believe and i experienced that when i submit, that's better for me. What a great way of submission by Prophet Yunus عليه السلام, when he said "There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers."

When difficulty arise, I need to remind myself that I was the wrongdoer but Satan beautifies my deeds and he deludes me thinking I didn't do any wrong. I want to thank Allah that He taught us these beautiful words. And I want to ask Him to give us the ability to submit like Prophet Yunus عليه السلام submitted. I also want to thank Allah to give us hope by these ayahs that He will save believers if He wills. We just need to accept Him as God إله

Duaas I made after reading this ayah

اهدنا الصراط المستقيم

Guide me to the straight path. Ameen.

رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوْبَنَا بَعْدَ اِذْ ھَدَيْتَنَا وَھَبْ لَنَا مِنْ لَّدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْوَھَّابُ

Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower.

اے ہمارے رب! جب تو نے ہمیں ہدایت دے دی ہے تو ہمارے دلوں کو ٹیڑھا نہ کر اور ہمیں اپنی طرف سے رحمت عطا کر ،بے شک تو بہت زیادہ عطا کرنے والا ہے۔

( آلِ عمران : 8 )

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّیْ اَسْئَلُكَ الْهُدٰی وَالتُّقٰی وَالْعَفَافَ وَالْغِنٰی

O Allah! Indeed I ask You for guidance, Allah consciousness, chastity and contentment.

اے ﷲ! بے شک میں تجھ سے ہدایت، تقوٰی، پاکدامنی اور بے نیازی کا سوال کرتا ہوں۔

( صحیح مسلم،کتاب الذکروالدعائ، باب فی الأدعیة : 6904 )

اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنَّي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ، وَشُكْرِكَ، وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ
O Allah, help me to remember You, to give You thanks , and to perform Your worship in the best manner.
Abu Dawud 2/86, An-Nasa'i 3/53. See also Al-Albani Sahih Abu Dawud 1 /284

Call and greeting of companions of paradise

Quran verse about call and greetings of paradise

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

Yunus 10:10

دَعْوَىٰهُمْ فِيهَا سُبْحَٰنَكَ ٱللَّهُمَّ وَتَحِيَّتُهُمْ فِيهَا سَلَٰمٌۚ وَءَاخِرُ دَعْوَىٰهُمْ أَنِ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

Their call therein will be, "Exalted are You, O Allah," and their greeting therein will be, "Peace." And the last of their call will be, "Praise to Allah, Lord of the worlds!"

My reflections about this Quran verse

Whenever I recite this ayah, I am reminded about the actions of companions of paradise. And it motivates me to adopt these habits now. That means I need to do tasbeeh تسبيح when I need something. My greeting should be salam سلام and my last call should be الحمد لله all praise and thanks to Allah.

Duaas I made after reciting this ayah

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ
O Allah , I ask You for Paradise and seek Your protection from the Fire.

Abu Dawud. See also Al-Albani, Sahih Ibn Majah 2/328

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّیْ اَسْئَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ اِلَيْھَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ اَوْعَمَلٍ وَّاَعُوْذُبِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ اِلَيْھَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ اَوْعَمَلٍ واَسْئَلُكَ اَنْ تَجْعَلَ کُلَّ قَضَاءِقَضَيْتَهُ لِیْ خَيْرًا

O Allah! I ask You of Paradise and those words and actions that will draw me near to it. I seek refuge in You from the Fire and from those words and actions that will draw me near to it. I ask You that You make, whatever You have decreed (for me), a mean of goodness for me.

اے ﷲ! بے شک میں تجھ سے سوال کرتا ہوں جنت کا اور ہر اس قول یا عمل کا جو اس (جنت) کے قریب کر دے، میں تیری پناہ چاہتا ہوں آگ سے اور ہر اس قول یا عمل سے جو اس( آگ) کے قریب کر دے اور میں تجھ سے سوال کرتا ہوں کہ ہر فیصلے کو جو تو نے میرے لیے کرنا ہے میرے حق میں بہتر بنا دے۔

( سنن ابن ماجہ، کتاب الدعاء ، باب الجوامع من الدعاء : 3846 ) صحیح

Handling grief, sadness and sorrow

Quran verse about handling grief

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

Yusuf 12:86

قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أَشْكُوا۟ بَثِّى وَحُزْنِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَأَعْلَمُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

He said, "I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah, and I know from Allah that which you do not know.

My reflections about this Quran verse

Who do I share with when I have a grief and suffering? When I was young, and i had even a small suffering, I used to share with my parents or friends or aunt. But now I get most annoyed with people whose talk start and end with mentio. of their grief and suffering except when it is coming from a kid as kids are learning to deal with their grief and suffering. With experience I learned that there is more harm than benefit in sharing my grief and suffering with anyone other than Allah as nobody can remove my grief and suffering other than Allah. And by telling, I am just propagating my story to the world.

So how do I handle my grief and sorrow?

I remind myself of this statement of Yaqoob عليه السلام "I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah". I also remind myself about suffering of Yaqoob عليه السلام. He lost his beloved son in childhood. He also had to tolerate the lie of his sons knowing they were lying. And then he lost his other son. That is definitely a distress after distress. Just thinking about loosing my child and not knowing his whereabouts can give me a heart attack. And yet Yaqoob عليه السلام just kept his grief to himself and his Lord.

I also remind myself that nobody in the world can lessen my suffering and grief except Allah then why should I waste my time telling others.

I also make a lot of duaa to Allah that He سبحان و تعالى increase my patience, gratefulness and true in Him.

Another thing that I plan to do a lot but unable to do at the time of suffering and grief is glorifying Allah meaning doing His Tasbeeh تسبيح . Because تسبيح means that I believe that Allah is perfect and all His decisions are perfect and whatever suffering and grief I am going through is decided by Him and i need to accept them happily if I believe that Allah is perfect. سبحان الله سبحان الله العظيم Glory be to Allah and glory be to Allah The Magnificient. May Allah make me among those who do lots of تسبيح . Thats what Yunus عليه السلام did when he was in the belly of the fish. سبحان الله

To handle my grief my grief and suffering I also increase my recitation of Quran, because Allah mentioned in Quran

Ar-Ra'd 13:28

ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ ٱلْقُلُوبُ

Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah . Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured."

I also start making duaas that Prophet Muhammad صلي الله عليه وسلم taught us.

Duaas I made after reading this ayah

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّیْ عَبْدُكَ،ابْنُ عَبْدِكَ،ابْنُ اَمَتِكَ، نَاصِیَتِیْ بِیَدِكَ، مَاضٍ فِیَّ حُكْمُكَ، عَدْل فِیَّ قَضَاؤُكَ، اَسْئَلُكَ بِکُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَكَ، سَمَّیْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ اَوْعَلَّمْتَهُ اَحَدًا مِّنْ خَلْقِكَ اَوْ اَنْزَلْتَهُ فِیْ كِتَابِكَ اَوِسْتَاْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِیْ عِلْمِ الْغَیْبِ عِنْدَكَ اَنْ تَجْعَلَ الْقُرْآنَ رَبِیْعَ قَلْبِیْ وَنُوْرَ صَدْرِیْ وَجَلَاءَ حُزْنِیْ وَذَھَابَ ھَمِّیْ

O Allah! Indeed I am Your servant, the son of Your bondsman and bondswoman, my forehead is in Your Hand, Your command is constant and Your decree is based on justice for me. I ask You with every name of Yours that You have named for Yourself or taught anyone of Your creation or revealed in Your Book or preferred to keep hidden with Yourself that You make Quran the delight of my heart, the light of my chest, the means of removing my grief and sorrows.

اے ﷲ ! میں تیرا بندہ ہوں اور تیرے بندے کا بیٹا ہوں اور تیری بندی کا بیٹا ہوں، میری پیشانی تیرے ہاتھ میں ہے، میرے بارے میں تیرا حکم جاری ہے، میرے بارے میں تیرا فیصلہ انصاف پر مبنی ہے، میں تیرے ہر اس نام کے ساتھ جو تو نے اپنے لیے پسند کیا یا اپنی مخلوق میں سے کسی کو سکھایا یا اپنی کتاب میں تو نے اس کو نازل کیا ہے یا تو نے اسے اپنے علم غیب میں رکھنے کو ترجیح دی ہے، سوال کرتا ہوں کہ تو قرآن کو میرے دل کی بہار ، میرے سینے کا نور ،میرے رنج اور میری پریشانیوں کو دور کرنے کا ذریعہ بنا دے۔

( مصنف ابن ابی شیبة، ج:10،حدیث : 29808 ) صحیح

اَللّٰهُمَّ لَاسَھْلَ اِلاَّ مَاجَعَلْتَهُ سَھْلًا وَاَنْتَ تَجْعَلُ الْحَزْنَ سَھْلًا اِذَا شِئْتَ

O Allah! There is no ease except which You have made easy and You ease out the difficulty.

اے ﷲ ! کوئی کام آسان نہیں مگر جسے تو آسان کر دے اور جب تو چاہتا ہے ،مشکل کو آسان کر دیتا ہے۔

( صحیح ابن حبان، کتاب الرقائق، باب الأدعےة ، ج : 3، حدیث : 974 ) صحیح

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّیْ اَعُوْذُبِكَ مِنَ الْھَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ وَالْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَضَلَعِ الدَّیْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ

O Allah! I seek refuge in You from worries and grief, and from helplessness and laziness, and from cowardice and miserliness and from the overpowering of debt and domination of the people.

اے ﷲ ! بے شک میں فکر و غم، عاجزی و سستی، بزدلی و بخل، قرض کے بوجھ اور لوگوں کے غلبے سے تیری پناہ چاہتا ہوں۔

( صحیح البخا ری، کتاب الدعوات، باب الاستعاذہ من الجبن والکسل : 6369 )

Allah is predominant غالب over everything

Quran verse about Allah’s predominance

Ever felt about dominance or authority of certain people on you? Ever felt you have no control on anything and people have control over. This Quran verse will remind you it is Allah who is dominant on everything.

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

Yusuf 12:21

وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِى ٱشْتَرَىٰهُ مِن مِّصْرَ لِٱمْرَأَتِهِۦٓ أَكْرِمِى مَثْوَىٰهُ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَنفَعَنَآ أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُۥ وَلَدًاۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلِنُعَلِّمَهُۥ مِن تَأْوِيلِ ٱلْأَحَادِيثِۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَىٰٓ أَمْرِهِۦ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

And the one from Egypt who bought him said to his wife, "Make his residence comfortable. Perhaps he will benefit us, or we will adopt him as a son." And thus, We established Joseph in the land that We might teach him the interpretation of events. And Allah is predominant over His affair, but most of the people do not know.

My reflections about this Quran verse

Very true! Many times we get so frustrated on sequence of events happening in our lives and we tend to forget that Allah has a plan for us and Allah is predominant on His affairs. What a great example Allah used to remind us that Allah is predominant on His affairs. Today if somebody loses their 8 year boy we would think they are runied. Yusuf عليه السلام was not only lost but became the victim of jealousy of his step brothers. Then Yusuf عليه السلام ended up at this house where this women tried to seduce him. Allah o Akbar. How perfect was Allah's plan! And then after this house Yusuf عليه السلام spent his prime years in prison while still being innocent. Today if something like this happens, we would say his life is destroyed. But this is how Allah wanted to establish Yusuf عليه السلام eventually and this is how Allah planned to teach him interpretations of dreams. Oh Allah make us learn from the example of Yusuf عليه السلام that everything happening in our lives is part of Allah's plan and Allah is predominant on His affairs. I am really inspired to know that those steps brothers who were full of jealousy in the beginning also ended up doing prostration to Yusuf عليه السلام. That was part of Allah's plan too. Allah made them humble when it was their time to submit. 

Duaas I made after reading this Quran verse

يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيثُ أَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ وَلَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ
O Ever Living One, O Eternal One, by Your mercy I call on You to set right all my affairs. Do not place me in charge of my soul even for the blinking of an eye (i.e. a moment).
Its chain of transmission is sound (Sahih), Al-Hakim 1/545, see Albani

Allah will not change the condition of people until...

Quran verse about condition of people

اعوذ بالله من الشيطن الرجيم

Surah 13. Ar-Rad, Verse 11:

 إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ وَإِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ سُوءًا فَلَا مَرَدَّ لَهُ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِ مِن وَالٍ

Translation:

Verily! Allah will not change the good condition of a people as long as they do not change their state of goodness themselves (by committing sins and by being ungrateful and disobedient to Allah). But when Allah wills a people's punishment, there can be no turning back of it, and they will find besides Him no protector.

My reflections about this Quran verse

This ayah reminds me that if my good condition is changed, it is due to my own faults. Because Allah doesn't change the condition of people until they change their condition. This change of condition cannot be visible to others. It might be just the matter of heart. And Allah knows well what is in my heart. Allah is All Aware الخبير

May be I became less thankful, May be I lost my trust on Allah, or May be I did some sin which I didn't even realize.

Duaas I made after reading this ayah

رَبَّنَا لاَ تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْوَهَّابُ
Our Lord! (they say), Let not our hearts deviate now after Thou hast guided us, but grant us mercy from Thine own Presence; for Thou art the Grantor of bounties without measure.
Surah Al-Imran - 3:8
لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا أنْـت سُـبْحانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْـتُ مِنَ الظّـالِميـن
There is none worthy of worship but You, glory is to You. Surely, I was among the wrongdoers.
Surah Al-Anbiya - 21:87

A post I wrote about this duaa

یَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوْبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِیْ عَلَی دِيْنِكَ

O one who turns the hearts make my heart steadfast upon Your Deen.

اے دلوں کو پھیرنے والے میرے دل کو اپنے دین پر ثابت رکھ ۔

( سنن الترمذی، کتاب الدعوات ،[دعا :یا مقلب القلوب…] : 3522 ) صحیح

اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْلِیْ خَطِيْئَتِیْ وَجَھْلِیْ وَاِسْرَافِیْ فِیْ اَمْرِیْ وَمَا اَنْتَ اَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّیْ، اللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْلِیْ هَزْلِیْ وَ جِدِّیْ وَخَطَئِیْ وَعَمْدِیْ وَکُلُّ ذٰلِكَ عِنْدِیْ

O Allah! Forgive my faults, my ignorance, exceeding in my matters and all that which You know better than me. O Allah! Forgive my sins done in jest, knowingly, mistakenly and those done intentionally and all these are in me.

اے ﷲ! بخش دے میری خطا، میری جہالت، میرے کام میں میری زیادتی اور وہ جس کے بارے میں تو مجھ سے زیادہ جانتا ہے، اے ﷲ! ہنسی مذاق میں، سنجیدگی میں، بھول کے اور جان کر کئے ہوئے میرے گناہ بخش دے اور یہ سب میرے اندر ہیں۔

(صحیح البخاری،کتاب الدعوات، باب قول النبیۖ اللّٰھم اغفر لی ما قدمت وما اخرت : 6399 )

Establishment of Yusuf عليه السلام (Joseph)

Quran verse about Yusuf عليه السلام 

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

Yusuf 12:56

وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يَتَبَوَّأُ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ يَشَآءُۚ نُصِيبُ بِرَحْمَتِنَا مَن نَّشَآءُۖ وَلَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

And thus We established Joseph in the land to settle therein wherever he willed. We touch with Our mercy whom We will, and We do not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good.

My reflections about the Quran verse

I loved the fact that Allah doesn't let go waste the reward of good doers. Second thing I loved about it is that Allah mentioned the settling of Yusuf عليه السلام as His mercy towards Yusuf عليه السلام. And third is that He let Yusuf عليه السلام settle in Egypt where ever he wanted. This is a big thing that Allah allows somebody to settle wherever that person wished. Subhan Allah. This ayah also a reminds that Yusuf عليه السلام was a ( محسن ) Muhsin the one who does good even if bad is done to him. He was treated bad by his brothers, then he was put in jail for the sin he didn't do and yet he didn't complain for his Qadr. He still preached tauheed توحيد even in jail. Who could do that except a Muhsin? This ayah also reminds me to ask Allah of His Mercy and His help in becoming a good doer or a Muhsin. Because many times I might think that I am a good doer while I am not and many times my rewards get wasted due to some of my sins and i might not know about until when the scales are established.

Duaas I made after reading this ayah

رَبِّ اغْفِرْ وَارْحَمْ وَاَنْتَ خَیْرُالرّٰحِمِیْنَ

My Lord, forgive and have mercy, and You are the best of the merciful. (١١٨ المؤمنون )

رَبِّ اَوْزِعْنِیْ اَنْ اَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِیْ اَنْعَمْتَ عَلَیَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَیَّ وَ اَنْ اَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاہُ وَ اَدْخِلْنِیْ بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِیْ عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِیْنَ

My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to do righteousness of which You approve. And admit me by Your mercy into [the ranks of] Your righteous servants.

اے میرے رب! مجھے توفیق دے کہ میں تیری اس نعمت کا شکر ادا کروں جو تُو نے مجھ پر اور میرے والدین پر عطا فرمائی اور یہ کہ ایسا نیک عمل کروں جس سے تو راضی ہو جائے او ر اپنی رحمت سے مجھے اپنے نیک بندوں میں داخل کر۔

( النمل : 19 )