Supplications when faced with situations out of your control

The Barking of a Dog or the Braying of a Donkey or a Roster Crowing – For they see what we see not Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet said, -Seek refuge with Allah against the devil when you hear the sound of a donkey, for it sees the devil, and when you hear a cock, pray to Allah for His bounty, for it sees an angel.' [Bukhan and Muslim] Abu Daw'ud's version reads, "When you hear the barking of dogs and braying of donkeys during the night seek the refuge of Allah from them, for they see what you don't."

Strong Wind Blowing Abu Hurairah reported, "I heard the Prophet saying, "The wind is a blessing from Allah. It brings mercy as well as punishment. So when you see it do not abuse it, and ask Allah for its good, and seek refuge with Allah against its evil'." [Reported by Abu Daw'ud with a sound chain of narrators] Aishah reported that whenever the wind blew, the Prophet would supplicate, "O Allah, I ask You for its good, and the good that is in it, and the good of what it is sent with, and I seek Your refuge against its evil, and the evil it is sent with." [Muslim]

The Moon is not to be worshiped The Moon is not to be worshiped. Instead it is one of the creations and signs of Allah and our Prophet taught the following: Abdallah b.'Umar reported that when the Prophet saw moon he would say, "Allah is the Greatest! O Allah, make it shine upon us in peace, faith, security, safety, and with the power to do what You love and are pleased with! O moon! Your Lord and our Lord is Allah." [At-Tabarani] Qatadah reported that when the Prophet saw the moon, he would say, "You are the new moon of goodness and guidance, the new moon of goodness and guidance. I believe in Allah Who created you." He said this three times. And then he would add, "Praise be to Allah Who caused such and such month to go by in this manner and brought another month (which he named)." [This is reported by Abu Daw 'ud]

What to say when one is afraid of a ruler or enemy: Abu Musa narrated that when the Prophet feared a people, he used to supplicate against them in these words, "O Allah, we request you to kill them and we seek Your protection against their evil.' (Abu Daw'ud and Nasa'i) Ibn As-Sinni reported that in a battle the Prophet supplicated, "O Master of the Day of Judgment, I worship You alone, and seek only Your help." Anas remarked, "I saw the angels fighting against his enemies and defeating them left and right." It is also reported from Ibn 'Umar that the Prophet said, "When you are afraid of a ruler or someone else, you should say, 'There is no god but Allah, the Forbearing, the Gracious. Glory be to Allah, my Lord, glory be to Allah, the Lord of the seven heavens and of the mighty throne. There is no god but You, strong is your protection, and great is Your praise'."

Life is meant to be a hardship for us Life is meant to be a hardship for us. The Prophet taught to remember Allah always and the best supplications to use in times of distress or need are those that are short but meaningful: Anas reported that the Prophet frequently prayed, "O Allah, give us all the good of this world, and the good of the life hereafter, and save us from the punishment of the fire." Sa'd ibn Abu Waqqas heard his son praying, "O Allah, I ask You for Paradise and its blessings and its pleasure, and for such-and-such, and such-and- such. I seek refuge in You from Hell, from its chains, from its collars, and from such-and-such, and from such-and-such." At this Sa'd said, "You have asked Allah for a lot of good, and sought His refuge from a lot of evil. I heard Allah's Messenger saying, 'There will be people who will exaggerate in supplication. For you it is sufficient to say, "O Allah, I seek from You all the good, whether I know it or I do not know it, and I seek Your refuge from all the evil, whether I know it or I do not know it.' (Ahmad and Nasa'i)

Abdallah ibn 'Abbas reported that the Prophet prayed to Allah: "My Lord, help me and do not turn against me. Grant me victory, and do not grant victory over me. Plan on my behalf and do not plan against me. Guide me, and make the guidance easy for me. Grant me victory over those who act wrongfully toward me. O Allah, make me grateful to You, mindful of You, in awe of You, devoted to your obedience, humble, penitent, and ever turning to You in repentance. My Lord, accept my repentance, wash away my sins, answer my supplication, clearly establish my evidence, guide my heart, make my tongue true, and draw out malice from my breast." Zaid ibn Arqam said, "I am not going to say anything except what Allah's Messenger used to say. He used to supplicate, 'O Allah, I seek refuge in You from incapacity, from sloth, from cowardice, from miserliness, from old age, and from the torment of the grave. O Allah, grant my soul righteousness, and purify it, for You are the Best Purifier. You are the Protecting friend, and Guardian. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the knowledge that does not benefit, from a heart that does not fear You, from a soul that is uncontented, and from supplication to which You do not respond." (Muslim)

The Prophet exclaimed to his Companions: "O people, would you like to be serious in your supplications?" They replied, "Yes, O Allah's Messenger." He said, "Then ask Him, 'O Allah, help us in remembering You, in offering thanks to You, and in worshiping You properly'.' (Al-Hakim) Ahmad reports that the Prophe, advised: "Recite frequently, "Ya zha al-jalali w al-ikram (O, Possessor of Majesty and sublimity)"'. The Prophet also used to say, "O Controller of the Hearts, make my heart firm in Your faith. The balance is in the hands of the Beneficent, the Exalted, the Mighty, and He honors some and brings others low thereby. (Ahmad) Ibn 'Umar reported that the Prophet used to supplicate, "O Allah, I seek refuge in You against deprivation of Your bounties, against loosing Your security, against the suddenness of Your wrath, and against everything that might cause Your anger."

Also the Prophet would say: "O Allah, benefit me with what You have taught me, and teach me what is beneficial for me, and increase me in knowledge. Thanks be to Allah under all circumstances, and I seek Allah's refuge from the plight of the people of the fire.' (At-Tirmizhi) When (his daughter) Fatimah came to the Prophet asking him to give her a servant, he said, "Say, 'O Allah, the Lord of the seven heavens, and the magnificent throne, our Lord and the Lord of all things, the Revealer of the Torah, Injil, and the Qur'an, The Splitter and Grower of the seed grain and date stone, I seek Your refuge against the evil of all things that You hold under Your control. You are the First, there is nothing before You. You are the Last, and there is nothing after You. You are the Manifest and there is nothing above You, You are Innermost and there is nothing beyond You. Remove the burden of debt from us and relieve us from want'.' (Muslim)

To Be Continued