You are a believer. You observe your duty to God, but then a calamity befalls you all of a sudden. You ask yourself in the heart of the night: why did this happen to me? Many answers come to your mind. But you aren't really convinced. You compare yourself to others, to people who are very similar to you but haven't experienced such a sudden calamity. Then, you ask yourself: well, this has now happened, anyway; how can I get out of it? You think again and again, night and day, month after month. Then comes the time when you lose hope and sigh: how long will this last?
These whispers may not answer your questions, unfortunately. But they were meant to help you find answers in the Koran.
First, what's a calamity? Well, it could be a chronic illness, a long period of unemployment, debts, a state of poverty, a family problem, inability to marry, etc, etc.
Now, what could be behind your calamity?
One reason may be ibtila (test or trial).
"Do men imagine that they will be left (at ease) because they say, We believe, and will not be tested with affliction? Lo! We tested those who were before you. Thus Allah knoweth those who are sincere, and knoweth those who feign." (Al-Ankabut : 2-3)
If you are "sincere", as the Koran put it, then the problem is half solved once you say words that prove your sincerity.
"And surely We shall try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and crops; but give glad tidings to the steadfast, Who say, when a misfortune striketh them: Lo! we are Allah's and Lo! unto Him we are returning. Such are they on whom are blessings from their Lord, and mercy. Such are the rightly guided." (Al-Baqara : 155-157)
As you see, if you say those words there will be blessings and mercy on you from your Lord. But is that enough? No. That's just the first step. The next step is du'a (invocations).
By making invocations to God you are in fact proving your submission to Him. You realize that you are but a slave of God and that without God's grace you just can't really get what you want.
"O mankind! Ye are the poor in your relation to Allah. And Allah! He is the Absolute, the Owner of Praise." (Fatir : 15)
Some people say they would rather love God than submit to Him. God says:
"there is naught else in their breasts save pride which they will never attain." (Ghafir : 56)
What should you say in your du'a? Well, nobody knows better than you what you feel. So express your feelings in simple words. Ask of God what you expect Him to do for you. But before "asking" anything, do praise God. Glorify Him. Apologize to Him. Show that you "care" about God so that He will care about you in a way that you can feel it. God cares about you already -as long as you believe in Him- but now you'll feel God's care through things that happen in your life. God says to you : "Pray unto me and I will hear your prayer." So pray unto God and you will see that God did hear your prayer.
"And your Lord hath said: Pray unto me and I will hear your prayer. Lo! those who scorn My service, they will enter hell, disgraced." (Ghafir : 60)
"And when My servants question thee concerning Me, then surely I am nigh. I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he crieth unto Me. So let them bear My call and let them trust in Me, in order that they may be led aright." (Al-Baqara : 186)
Anyway, whatever you do, you won't really get what you want unless you are humble to God.
"We have sent already unto peoples that were before thee, and We visited them with tribulation and adversity, in order that they might grow humble. If only, when our disaster came on them, they had been humble! But their hearts were hardened and the devil made all that they used to do seem fair unto them! Then, when they forgot that whereof they had been reminded, We opened unto them the gates of all things till, even as they were rejoicing in that which they were given, We seized them unawares, and lo! they were dumbfounded." (Al-An'am : 42-44)
Why should you be humble? Well, when you do someone a favour wouldn't you expect some kind of thanks in return? Would you be pleased if that person you were kind to was an ingrate towards you? So would it be fair to pray unto God and when your prayer was answered you forgot all about God and what He did for you?
(...)
http://innocentwhispers.canalblog.com/archives/2012/04/16/24031446.html