Imam's (a) Advice On Anxiety And Some Dhkr

[Zakariya Ali]

Dealing with Anxiety:

Imam Jafar as Sadiq (a) has said in Lantern of the Path/Misbah ash Shariah

"Affliction is an adornment for the believer and a mark of honour for the man of intellect, because facing it directly needs steadfastness and firm-footedness, both of which confirm belief. The Holy Prophet said, 'We, the company of the prophets, are the people who have the hardest trials, then after us come the believers, then the others like them.'

Whoever tastes the food of affliction while under Allah's protection enjoys it more than he enjoys Allah's blessing. He yearns for it when it is not there, because the lights of blessing lie under the balance of affliction and trial, and the balance of affliction and trial lies under the lights of blessing. Many are delivered from affliction and then destroyed in blessing. Allah praised none of His bondsmen, from Adam up to Muhammad, until He had tested him and seen how he fulfilled the duty of worship while in affliction. Allah's marks of honour come, in fact, at the last stage, but the afflictions themselves come in the beginning."

He (a) has also said:

"Patience reveals whatever light and purity there is in the innermost being of Allah's servants, while anxiety shows up the darkness and bereftness inside them. Everyone claims to be patient, but only the humble are firm in it. Everyone denies his anxiety, although it is quite obvious in a hypocrite because the onset of trials and afflictions tells you who is truthful and who is a liar.

Patience is a sensation that continuously prevails in one's consciousness, but what occurs upon a sudden upset cannot be called patience. Anxiety is what disturbs the heart and brings the person sorrow, changing his complexion and his state. Every event whose beginnings are without humility, repentance, and humble supplication to Allah comes from someone who is anxious, not someone who is patient. The beginning of patience is bitter, but its end is sweet for some people; but for others both its beginning and end are bitter. Whoever enters it at its end has entered it. Whoever enters it from its beginning has left it. A person who knows the value of patience cannot bear to be without it."

and lastly:

"Sorrow is one of the marks of the gnostics, through the magnitude of what comes to them of the Unseen when they are in seclusion, and the intensity of their glorification of Allah. The outer being of the sorrowful is contraction and his inner being is expansion."

Here is a short dua from Imam Taqi Al Jawad (a) on Anxiety, from As-Saheefatul Jawaadiyyah:

"aa man yakfee min kulli shay' Walaa yakfee munhu shay'

Ikfinee maa ahammanee mimaa anaa feeh."

O He who is sufficent from all things But nothing is sufficient from Him. Be sufficient for me in what worries me in the state I am.

Related from Imam Jafar Úáíå ÇáÓáÇã, some short dua's from the Quran:

”Wa Ufawwizu Amree ilallaah inallaaha baseerun bil ibad” (40:44)

So you shall remember what I say to you, and I entrust my affair to Allah, Surely Allah sees the servants.

”Mashaallahu laa Quwwata illa billah" (18:39)

And wherefore did you not say when you entered your garden: It is as Allah has pleased, there is no power save in Allah? If you consider me to be inferior to you in wealth and children

"La ila ha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minazzalimeen" (21;87)

And Yunus, when he went away in wrath, so he thought that We would not straiten him, so he called out among afflictions: There is no god but Thou, glory be to Thee; surely I am of those who make themselves to suffer loss.

"Hasbunallah wa ni'mal wakeel" (3:173)

Those to whom the people said: Surely men have gathered against you, therefore fear them, but this increased their faith, and they said: Allah is sufficient for us and most excellent is the Protector.

Also remember:

"ala bithikriAllahi tatma-innu alquloob" (13:28)

Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest

"Allahu la ilaha illahuwa lahu al-asmao alhusna" (20:8)

Allah! there is no god but He! To Him belong the most Beautiful Names.

Names of Allah:

Al-Waahid (The Unique) One who recites this name alone and in a quiet place will be free from fear and delusion.

Al-Quddus (The Holy) One who recites 100 times every day will be free from anxiety.

Al-Badi (The Incomparable) One who recites this name 70 times will be free from all troubles.

Ar-Rasheed (The Guide to the Right Path) One who recites this name 1000 times between Maghrib and Isha Namaz will be safe from troubles.

"Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs. So they returned with Grace and Bounty from Allah. No harm touched them; and they followed the good Pleasure of Allah. And Allah is the owner of Great Bounty." (Qur'an 3:173-174)

"And put your trust in Allah if you are believers indeed..." (5:23)

"O you who believe! Seek help in patience and the prayer..." (2:153)

"Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs. So they returned with Grace and Bounty from Allah. No harm touched them; and they followed the good Pleasure of Allah. And Allah is the owner of Great Bounty." (3:173-174)

"And put your trust in Allah if you are believers indeed..." (5:23)

"O you who believe! Seek help in patience and the prayer..." (2:153)

Imam Ali (a) said:

Worthy men are reserved for times of adversity.

Ghurar al hikam, p. 581

Also refer to these links

http://www.al-islam.org/ethics/6.htm#n26

http://www.al-islam.org/ethics/15.htm#n15