Duaa is often overlooked as a powerful and viable way out of distress. I think a lot of us fall into this because we feel as if we can handle ourselves and ‘we got this’. We forget to rely on our Creator.
On Friday, I did a very foolish thing and I left my handbag on a train as I headed to a London hospital where I am conducting a research project. As I stepped off the train, I noticed that the right side of my body felt unusually light and as I glanced to my empty right shoulder I realised that I had left my bag, which contained some very important belongings, on the now departing train. My reaction? Of course it was one of panic and then utter regret as I tried to figure out what I can do to retrieve it.
Speaking to the station staff, I was advised to report it lost and to hope that the lost property department receive it. This can take 3-10 working days- if it ever gets to them.
But I didn’t give up hope. I knew that by calling on Allah, the All-Mighty, I would definitely receive a response. Even if it wasn’t the response I wanted at that very moment. So I made lots of duaa for Allah to reunite me with my bag. I called upon Him with all the names I could think of and I sent salutations on His final messenger (saw).
Duaa is answered in three ways;
- Allah gives you what you want.
- Allah doesn’t give you what you want but something bad is removed from your path equivalent to what you asked for.
- Allah gives you the reward of that duaa on the Day of Judgement. 1
I decided to travel to the last stop of the train that I was on to ask that station if they had found a handbag. After a half an hour train ride there, I was informed that nothing had been found and so I travelled to university to pray jummah and to figure out how I am going to retrieve my work for the semester and other lost things.
Amidst all of this, I still did not despair. Upset, yes of course I was, and this is a natural reaction. I had so many things planned to do that day for my research project and I wasn’t able to complete any of them. But I held on to the fact that Allah will answer my duaa.
So what happened shortly afterwards? I receive a phone call and an email from lost property at my university informing me that my bag is being held at a station nearby. And by nearby I mean the next stop on the train from where my university is situated. That bag must have travelled on the same train for 2 journeys back and forth to the end of the line and yet I was able to receive it, on the same day, in tact and just how I left it. Everything was inside.
So what was the purpose of this story? Other than reminding you all to “please take care of your possessions when travelling on the London overground” (Londoners see what I did there? 😉 No? Not funny?) Well the purpose of the story was to highlight that with duaa nothing is impossible. Someone told me I was ‘so lucky’ when I had found my bag. Luck has nothing to do with it. We need to believe that Allah will respond to us and to sincerely call out to Allah. Call out to Him believing that He is the controller of the heavens and the earth. When He says Be, it is. Call out to your Lord with full conviction and you will never be let down bi’idhnillah.
Wish you all a great week.
May Allah bless you always,
Hanna
MuslimahMinds 