To You I Complain My Weakness, O Allah!

All praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. May peace and blessings be upon our beloved, Prophet Muhammad, his family and companions at all times.

Sometimes, in this life, one may achieve whatever he is dreaming for, be it good or bad. Some other times, it happens that, one may have to go through situations that could cause him give up, and he may find this life unfair.. in fact, this life is never fair, that is why there is Hereafter (Akhirah). Times may come that one will find himself bounded within four corners, though at large, not in a cage. These are times where he (man) is been tested, times he has to go through difficulties and challenges. “Do men imagine that they will be left (at ease) because they say, We believe, and will not be tested with affliction?” [Surah Al-Ankabout: 2].

Our beloved Prophet, Muhammad, may peace and blessings be upon him at all times, went through difficulties, Prophet Ibrahim also went through difficulties, as well as Ayyub, Isa, Yahya, Musa, Dawud, Zakariyya, Yunus, Yusuf, may peace and blessings be upon them all. No prophet or messenger, unless he has experienced tough times. Mind you; these are the best servants of Allah, High and Exalted is He. “Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, “When (will come) the Help of Allah?” Yes! Certainly, the Help of Allah is near!” [Surah Al-Baqarah: 214].

Verily, they are the chosen and honoured servants of Allah, to deliver His messages and guide their people, and yet He tested them, perhaps to make us discover the weakness in man; and to realize that no matter how, man has to struggle in order to achieve success.

Sometimes, one may not believe or realize his weakness and lack of resources until his time of test and challenge comes. One may not know his weakness until he realizes his ignorance and lack of knowledge. One may not know his weakness until he realizes his inability to produce. One may not know his weakness until the time comes for him to intimate poverty. One may not know his weakness until he realizes his physical disability. One may not know his weakness until he realizes his social lowliness. One may not know his weakness until he falls sick. One may not know his weakness until he loses a part of his body. One may not know his weakness until he requires a replacement of kidney or any other organ.

The messenger of Allah, Yunus, was swallowed by a shark. It was only then that he realized his weakness; and that something was wrong. Prophet Musa realized his weakness when he accidentally killed a person and went on the run; he made total submission of himself to Allah before the doors were open for him towards success.

The people of Makkah chased away our Beloved Prophet Muhammad, may peace and blessings be upon him at all times. His own people rejected his call. They are the same people who called him yesterday “Al-Ameen” (the Honest), but have turned today into calling him “a liar”, “a madman’, “a magician” and etc.

He had to run away with his faith. No doubt he was weak at that time, and his people had power over him. Allah could have made things the opposite. But He did it in such a way so we can learn through him how weak a man can be; and also for us to realize the Mighty, Powers and Miracles of Allah.

We tend to complain once we are not happy or once unjust is carried against us, and so did the Holy Prophet, Muhammad, may peace and blessings be upon him. Complaining or speaking out is the way to best distress ourselves. He too complained to Allah, not his people, but his suffer and struggle as a result of human weakness and lack of strategy, but he put his complain in a very nice and polite way. The following supplication is what was narrated that he said:

“اللهم إليك أشكو ضعف قوتي، وقلة حيلتي، وهواني على الناس، يا أرحم الراحمين، أنت أنت رب المستضعفين وأنت ربي، إلى من تكلني؟ إلى عدو يتجهمني؟ أو إلى قريب ملكته أمري؟ إن لم يكن بك علي غضب فلا أبالي، غير أن عافيتك أوسع لي، أعوذ بنور وجهك الذي أشرقت له الظلمات، وصلح عليه أمر الدنيا والآخرة، من أن ينزل بي غضبك، أو يحل علي سخطك، لك العتبى حتى ترضى، ولا حول ولا قوة إلا بك”

Which means: “Oh Allah, I complain to You my weakness, my lack of resources, and my lowliness before men.

Oh the Most Merciful! You are the Lord of the weak and You are my Lord. To whom will You relinquish my fate! To the an enemy who will misuse me? Or to an a closed person whom You have given power over me? If You are not angry with me then I care not what happens to me. Your favour is all that counts for me.

I seek refuge in the light of Your countenance, by which all darkness is illuminated. And the things of this world and the next are rightly ordered that your anger doesn’t fall on me, nor your displeasure descends on me. To you is all supplications until You are pleased. There is no power and no might except in You.”

I find this supplication (complain) the best thing to say when one goes through difficulties. Nothing can be better than what the Holy Prophet has said or experienced.

You too can say these supplications to put your complains before Allah, High and Exalted is He. No one will listen to you as much as He will (and does). No doubt, you will come to feel some of how Rasulullah felt when he read these supplications, insha Allah.

However, the closer you are to Allah, the more you are tested. The more Allah loves you, the more He tests you. In a Hadeeth reported by Imam Tirmidhi [2396], our beloved Prophet says: “The greatest reward comes with the greatest trial. When Allah loves a people He tests them. Whoever accepts that wins His pleasure but whoever is discontent with that earns His wrath.”

Finally, no matter who or/and where we are, we have our strengths, but our weaknesses as human beings are always more than our strengths. “…and man has been created weak” [Surah An-Nisa: 28]. If the time comes for us to go through tests and challenges, we are to remember that we are not the only ones who are tested. Our tests no matter how, will still fall behind the tests the Prophets and Messengers of Allah went through. Sincere reflections are needed during such times. ‎”Did He not find you an orphan and gave you a refuge? And He found you unaware and guided you? And He found you poor, and made you rich (selfsufficient with selfcontentment)?” [Surah Al-Duha: 6-8]. High, Blessed and Exalted are You, O Allah!

Allahu Hafiz 🙂
Abdul-Salam Abdul-Hameed
GSalam.Net