Learn a Supplication
Blog post written by Loyola's very own Hadeel Barrawi, a junior with a Biology and Psychology double major. Let's remember to keep the contributors to this blog in our dua's, Insha'Allah :)
BismAllah Al-Rahman Al-Raheem.
As college students who are blessed enough to attend a higher education institution, we strive to become doctors, engineers, journalists, technicians, and so much more. In the end though, we must find a way to tie our identities and professions to higher goals and causes; we have obligations to fulfill to ourselves, but more importantly to Allah (SWT) and the Ummah.
Abdullah Bin Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) said, “A man shall be asked concerning five things on the day of resurrection: concerning his life, how he spent it; concerning his youth, how he grew old; concerning his wealth, whence he acquired it, and in what way he spent it; and WHAT WAS IT THAT HE DID WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT HE HAD.” (Tirmidhi 5197)
The Prophet (PBUH) also said: “A person who follows a path for acquiring knowledge, Allah will make easy the passage to Paradise for him.”
With that, it’s pretty obvious that seeking knowledge is a duty upon every Muslim male and female. So we must turn our hands to the heavens and make dua, asking Allah (SWT) to aid us on our pursuit of knowledge and its implementation in our lives and future. I know many of us have sat there and made dua during our prayers, before we slept, and right before that exam when you’re sweating bullets. Sometimes, we simply make dua throughout the day just to calm our nerves and voice our worries and frustrations to Allah. For when we are feeling alone, stressed, or upset, as we look at the three foot stack of books in front of us, we realize Allah knows what’s best for us, will help us, and whatever the results may be, we say “Alhamdulilah.”
However, the Prophet (PBUH), though illiterate, was extremely eloquent, having true talent at addressing, speaking, and appealing to groups of people. Furthermore, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) had the power and miracle of saying significant and influential things in a small amount of words. This is why short and specific duas are so wonderful; they encompass many feelings, prayers, and/or requests in a few words.
NOW, combine that power of dua on your pursuit for knowledge and countless hours of efforts trying to make sense of that organic chemistry reaction or that paragraph of Kantian philosophy. There are certain duas, some of which I have preference for, that are specifically for before, during, and after you study. Just the other day while my roommate was freaking out about a Biochemistry exam, my other roommate and I wrote these duas on her window in hopes to cheer her up as well as help benefit her somehow.
Here are my top three for studying:
DUA'S BEFORE STUDYING
As college students who are blessed enough to attend a higher education institution, we strive to become doctors, engineers, journalists, technicians, and so much more. In the end though, we must find a way to tie our identities and professions to higher goals and causes; we have obligations to fulfill to ourselves, but more importantly to Allah (SWT) and the Ummah.
Abdullah Bin Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) said, “A man shall be asked concerning five things on the day of resurrection: concerning his life, how he spent it; concerning his youth, how he grew old; concerning his wealth, whence he acquired it, and in what way he spent it; and WHAT WAS IT THAT HE DID WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT HE HAD.” (Tirmidhi 5197)
The Prophet (PBUH) also said: “A person who follows a path for acquiring knowledge, Allah will make easy the passage to Paradise for him.”
With that, it’s pretty obvious that seeking knowledge is a duty upon every Muslim male and female. So we must turn our hands to the heavens and make dua, asking Allah (SWT) to aid us on our pursuit of knowledge and its implementation in our lives and future. I know many of us have sat there and made dua during our prayers, before we slept, and right before that exam when you’re sweating bullets. Sometimes, we simply make dua throughout the day just to calm our nerves and voice our worries and frustrations to Allah. For when we are feeling alone, stressed, or upset, as we look at the three foot stack of books in front of us, we realize Allah knows what’s best for us, will help us, and whatever the results may be, we say “Alhamdulilah.”
However, the Prophet (PBUH), though illiterate, was extremely eloquent, having true talent at addressing, speaking, and appealing to groups of people. Furthermore, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) had the power and miracle of saying significant and influential things in a small amount of words. This is why short and specific duas are so wonderful; they encompass many feelings, prayers, and/or requests in a few words.
NOW, combine that power of dua on your pursuit for knowledge and countless hours of efforts trying to make sense of that organic chemistry reaction or that paragraph of Kantian philosophy. There are certain duas, some of which I have preference for, that are specifically for before, during, and after you study. Just the other day while my roommate was freaking out about a Biochemistry exam, my other roommate and I wrote these duas on her window in hopes to cheer her up as well as help benefit her somehow.
Here are my top three for studying:
DUA'S BEFORE STUDYING
اللهم انفعني بما علمتني وعلمني ما ينفعني
TRANSLITERATION: {Allahumma infa'nii bimaa 'allamtanii wa'allimnii maa yanfa'uunii. Allahumma inii as'aluka fahmal-nabiyyen wa hifthal mursaleen al-muqarrabeen. Allahumma ij'al lisanee 'amiran bi dhikrika wa qalbi bi khashyatika. Innaka 'ala ma-tasha'u qadeer wa anta hasbuna-Allahu wa ni'mal wakeel.}
"Oh Allah! Make useful for me what you have taught me and teach me knowledge that will be useful to me. Oh Allah! I ask you for the understanding of the prophets and the memory of the messengers, and those nearest to you. Oh Allah! Make my tongue full of your remembrance and my heart with consciousness of you. Oh Allah! You do whatever you wish, and you are my availer and protector and best of aid."
DUA AFTER STUDYING
"Oh Allah! Make useful for me what you have taught me and teach me knowledge that will be useful to me. Oh Allah! I ask you for the understanding of the prophets and the memory of the messengers, and those nearest to you. Oh Allah! Make my tongue full of your remembrance and my heart with consciousness of you. Oh Allah! You do whatever you wish, and you are my availer and protector and best of aid."
DUA AFTER STUDYING
اللهم اني أستو دعك ما قرأت وما حفظت فرده علي عند حاجتي إليه انك على ما تشاء قدير وأنت حسبنا الله ونعم الوكيل
"Allahumma inni astaodi'uka ma qara'tu wama hafath-tu. Faruddahu 'allaya inda hajati ilayhi. Innaka 'ala ma-tasha'-u qadeer wa anta hasbuna Allah wa ni'mal wakeel"
"Oh Allah! I entrust you with what I have read and I have studied. Oh Allah! Bring it back to me when I am in need of it. Oh Allah! You do whatever you wish, you are my availer and protector and the best of aid."
DUA WHILE STUDYING SOMETHING DIFFICULT
"Oh Allah! I entrust you with what I have read and I have studied. Oh Allah! Bring it back to me when I am in need of it. Oh Allah! You do whatever you wish, you are my availer and protector and the best of aid."
DUA WHILE STUDYING SOMETHING DIFFICULT
اللهم لا سهل إلا ما جعلته سهلا وَ أنت تجعل الحزن إذا ما شئت سهلا
Allahumma la sahla illama ja-‘altahu sahla anta taj ‘alu al hazana etha ma shi’ta sahla
“Oh Allah! Nothing is easy except what you have made easy. If you wish, you can make the difficult easy.”
To take away from this: Obtaining knowledge is an Islamic obligation, but sharing and using that knowledge is essential. Knowledge can seem hard to attain and stress us out hard core, but there are special duas to help with your qualms. Try to remember to read these before and after you study, and maybe you could even memorize them? After all, who has the power to alleviate our sorrows and make our burdens easier, but Allah (SWT)?
“Oh Allah! Nothing is easy except what you have made easy. If you wish, you can make the difficult easy.”
To take away from this: Obtaining knowledge is an Islamic obligation, but sharing and using that knowledge is essential. Knowledge can seem hard to attain and stress us out hard core, but there are special duas to help with your qualms. Try to remember to read these before and after you study, and maybe you could even memorize them? After all, who has the power to alleviate our sorrows and make our burdens easier, but Allah (SWT)?
Inshallah this week, let us try to learn and implement these supplications into our daily lives, so that Allah (swt) may ease our studying and help us to achieve the best that we can.