Allah does not change your condition until you change
لَهُۥ مُعَقِّبَٰتٌ مِّنۢ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِۦ يَحْفَظُونَهُۥ مِنْ أَمْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا۟ مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ ۗ وَإِذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ سُوٓءًا فَلَا مَرَدَّ لَهُۥ ۚ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَالٍ
“For each one are successive [angels] before and behind him who protect him by the decree of Allah. Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allah intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it. And there is not for them besides Him any patron.” (Surah Ar-Ra’d 13:11)
This is an important verse which indicates that Allaah, may He be blessed and exalted, in His perfect justice and wisdom does not change the condition of the people from good to bad or from bad to good, from ease to hardship or from hardship to ease, unless they change their condition themselves. Allah says:
وَإِمَّا يَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَٰنِ نَزْغٌ فَٱسْتَعِذْ بِٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ
“And if there comes to you from Satan an evil suggestion, then seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.” (Surah Fussilat 41:36)
So if they are in a state of righteousness and goodness and they change, Allah will change things for them with punishment, calamities, hardship, drought, famine, disunity and other kinds of punishments as appropriate requital. Allah says:
ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَمْ يَكُ مُغَيِّرًۭا نِّعْمَةً أَنْعَمَهَا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا۟ مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ ۙ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌۭ
“This, because God would never change the blessings with which He has graced a people unless they change their inner selves: and [know] that God is all-hearing, all-seeing.” (Surah Al-Anfal 8:53)
Allah is your source of strength, Allah SWT is your solution to every hardship and problem. Rely on Allah with true tawwakul and let Him alone guide your ways. The bravest heart is the one that stays close to Allah, even, when it’s in pain. Turn to Allah and you will find His Mercy heal every aching part of your heart and soul. Allah will guide you, He will bring clarity to your eyes, make soft your heart and make firm your soul.
O, Allah! Guide me to the best of deeds and the best of morals, as none can guide:
- Ya Allah, I seek refuge in You from a change in Your protection
- Ya Allah, I seek refuge in You from Your sudden punishment
- Ya Allah, I seek refuge in You from a decline in Your favour
- Ya Allah, I seek refuge in You from greed and bad manners
- Ya Allah, I seek refuge in You from unbelief and poverty
- Ya Allah, I seek refuge in You from the burden of debt
- Ya Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and sorrow
- Ya Allah, I ask You to grant me the good of this word
- Ya Allah, I seek refuge in You from ruin and falling
- Ya Allah, I ask You to bestow Your mercy
- Ya Allah, guide over my head and my feet
- Ya Allah, grant me the pleasure in the Heaven
- Ya Allah, please inspire me with good conduct
- Ya Allah, I ask You for the mature Belief and Faith
- Ya Allah, grant us the best of outcomes in all affairs
- Ya Allah, always make the day good and successful
- Ya Allah, You hear my words, You behold my situation
- Ya Allah, please give my soul piety and conscience purity
- Ya Allah, I ask You integrity and soundness in my religion
- Ya Allah, I seek refuge in You from the feebleness of old age
The inner self, is hidden and can easily be covered up to deceive others, and one may pretend and act in a particular way, with little willingness and involvement from the heart, in circumstances when one has little choice to opt for options. We were the most humiliated people on earth & Allah gave us honour through Islam. Allah says:
وَأَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
“We have revealed to you the Reminder that you may make clear to men what has been revealed to them … “ (Surah An-Nahl 16:44)
Allah is calling our attention and making us aware of the fact that He Has access to our inner selves and knows our intentions and thoughts, and our Master Coveys to us that He wants purity at the very basic level, i-e our thoughts and intentions, and He only accepts deeds of such high rank. Allah says:
وَإِنَّهُ لَكِتَابٌ عَزِيزٌ لَا يَأْتِيهِ الْبَاطِلُ مِن بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلَا مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنزِيلٌ مِّنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ
“And there is no doubt that it is a mighty scripture. Falsehood can reach it neither from in front of it nor from behind it. It is a revelation from a wise and glorious God.” (Surah Fussilat, 41:41-42)
if the heart is sound then it will be the content, happy and satisfied heart and if it is corrupted then it will be dissatisfied, and unhappy. And a happy and satisfied heart does not lose this quality even with little of material things of this world, and good or a blessing, in one of the forms, that is contentment, will continue to be with someone until he has a pure heart.
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran describes itself as under:
- .“He knows what is in every heart.” (Quran 67:13])
- “And worship Allah and associate none with Him.” (Quran 4:36)
- “Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear.” (Quran 2:286)
- “These are the verses of the book that make things clear.” (Quran 26:2)
- “They are invited to the book of Allah to settle their dispute.” (Quran 3:23)
- “The revelation of The Book is from Allah, the Mighty, the Wise.” (Quran 39:1)
- “So when you have made a decision, then put your trust in Allah.” (Quran 3:159)
- “And He found you lost and guided [you]. And He found you poor and made [you] self-sufficient.” (Quran 93:7-8)
If you want to focus more on Allah in your prayers, focus more on Him outside your prayers. If everyone would realise to work within his sphere of influence, a lot of change would in fact happen in society. So for changing ’what is within ourselves’ we first need to know what it is we are looking for when referring to the ’within ourselves’ or ’our souls’. Make sure you live a righteous, exemplary life. Allah says:
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
“Say: If you should love Allah, then follow me. Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, for Allah is forgiving and merciful.” (Surah Ali Imran 3:31)
These are all subtle, invisible, abstract but real things, which are all known to us intuitively. Jealousy, hatred, greed, etc. are invisibly hidden in the souls, but the effects of those traits – if not stopped – are devastating. More often than not people are caught in those devilish snares and have no hope of being freed from it, while they mistake their Condition for their essential self, which of course it is not. Allah says:
كِتَابٌ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ
“A book We have sent down to thee, blessed, that men possessed of mind may ponder its signs end so remember..” (Surat Sad 38:29)
We need the guidance of Allah – and in extension, the guidance of a special accomplished being, who is the Prophet. Therefore we must look at each action that we do, or are about to do, and make sure that it will be correct and pleasing to Allah, and to His Prophet. Otherwise, we will see that great actions are being made small because of one’s intention and vice-versa. Allah says:
وَمَكَروا وَمَكَرَ اللَّهُ ۖ وَاللَّهُ خَيرُ الماكِرينَ
“And they planned and Allah also planned and Allah is the best of planners.” (Surah Ali Imran 3:54).
The key to a better state while being in difficulty is to purify the hearts and intentions, and be in a state of gratification to Allah. Unless that is done Allah’s help will not come to individuals and Nations. May Allah help us to perfect ourselves, make us of those who live righteous lives and be role models to our family and friends and communities.
