What is ”Al-Istirja’”?

It’s to say the words:

“Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Raji’un.”

Verily we are for Allah and to Him we shall return

(Source: Muslim and Ahmad)

In his book “Provisions for the Hereafter”, Imam Ibn Qayyim referred to the above as an effective treatment because of the following principles:

• We are slaves of Allah and whatever we possess belongs to our Lord. He has given us everything as a loan and He can take them back whenever He decides to do so.

• We are all going to leave this world behind.

What You Learn from these Words

• You must be aware that whatever is meant to happen will not miss you and whatever is not meant to happen cannot harm you.

• Your Lord has kept better things in store for you and if He willed, things could have been worse (than the calamity afflicting you).

• Just knowing that pleasures of this world are but an illusion, likely to cause more pain than joy, comforts you.

• Lack of contentment will not make the situation easier for you.

• To miss the reward Allah has promised you for patience is a great loss.

• Your enemy rejoices at your discontentment and your Lord is angry with you.

• Your heart is relieved when you seek a reward from Allah for exercising patience.

• Allah is pleased with those who accept His Decree.

• Patience exercised sometime after the event is not praiseworthy and will not be rewarded as it is the patience of the resigned.

• An effective remedy is to succeed in pleasing Allah.

• You can show Allah that you are pleased in two different degrees:

  • • by being pleased with the calamity itself

    • by being pleased with the reward you get for patience and perseverance

• Allah is the Best of judges and is Most Merciful and He is only testing you to make you bow down to Him.

• Misfortune prevents sickness of your heart like pride, arrogance and hardness.

• What is painful in this life will be a bliss for you in the hereafter.