Did you know, the Prophet Dawud (alayhi salaam) used to make du’a:
اللهمّا أعوذُ بِكَ مِن غُنَن يُطغِي و فِقرٍ يُنسِي
Allahumma a’oothu bika min ghunan yutghee wa fiqrin yunsee
Translation: O Allah, I seek refuge in you from wealth that makes one tyrannical, and poverty that makes one forget. [Recorded in Kitaab ad Du'a by Abdullah ibn Abu Shaybah]
What does this du’a mean? Ghunan yutghee means wealth that makes one tyrannical–because if humans see themselves as self-sufficient, this is what happens!
And “poverty that makes one forget?” If you’ve ever seen people in a bad financial position, struggling to overcome debts, credit-card payments, interest loans, sometimes out of the pressure of the moment, they forget ALL of Allah’s favours on them, and it makes them into a tyrant.
Action Items:
* Memorize this du’a. It’s very short and easy; if you remember the gist of it, you just need to remember “ghunan yutghee wa faqrun yunsee.”
* Reflect. Are you falling into the trap of seeking wealth? Are you so sure it will benefit you? Is it already making you creep towards the edge of tughyaan?
Wallahu ta’ala ‘alam.
References:
* Touched by an Angel: Tafseer of Juz ‘Amma. By Muhammad Alshareef.
Du’a for Laziness and Incapability
The Prophet (salallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to make a du’a:
اللّهُمَّ إنِّي أعُوذُبِكَ مِن العَجزِ وَ الكَسلٍ
Transliteration: Allahumma inniy a’oothubika min al-ajzi wal-kasli
Translation: O Allah, I seek refuge in you from incapability and laziness.
Why is this du’a important? For two reasons:
* Laziness is an attribute of munafiqeen. If this wasn’t bad enough, being lazy leads to procrastination, which leads to its own set of problems.
* It’s common these days for people to say “I can’t do it.” Like “I can’t pray at work,” or “I can’t achieve X.” The Prophet (salallahu alayhi wa sallam) would say a’oothubillah to that kind of talk. Think about it!
Action Plan:
* Memorize this du’a and make it every day in your sujood in every salaah. You have the Arabic, transliteration, and translation–you have no excuse not to do it!
* Share your tips. What other tips and tricks do you use to overcome laziness and procrastination? Let us know in the comments!
References
Lazy Boy: A Khutbah by Muhammad Alshareef.
