Lessons from the Dua'a of Prophet Ibrahim...

كُلُّ نَفْس‌‍ٍ‌ ‌ذ‍َ‍‌ائِ‍‍قَ‍‍ةُ ‌الْمَوْتِ ۗ ‌وَنَ‍‍بْ‍‍لُوكُ‍‍مْ بِ‍ال‍‍شَّرِّ‌ ‌وَ‌الْ‍‍خَ‍‍يْ‍‍ر‍ِ‍‌ فِتْنَة ً‌ ۖ ‌وَ‌إِلَيْنَا‌ تُرْجَع‍‍ُ‍ون

"Everyone is going to taste death, and We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good, and to Us you will be returned." [Al-Anbiya 21:35]

In this Ayah, Allah uses the word “nablukum” (نبلوكم). This is a present-tense (mudaari’) form of the word “balaa.” From the grammar itself, scholars note, this means that Allah says that he will test you again and again and again, continuously.

Not only that, Allah also mentions good (khayr) and evil (sharr) are both tests. It won’t be always bad things in sequence like illness, loss of job, separated from a beloved, etc. but it will also be a test with goodness to see if we are thankful.

Who does Allah test the most? Rasulullah (saws) says:

Sa`d bin Abu Waqqas, said: “I said: “O Messenger of Allah, which people are most severely tested?” He said: “The Prophets, then the next best and the next best. A person is tested according to his religious commitment.” [Sunan Ibn Majah]

Later in Surah Baqarah, Allah mentions about Prophet Ibrahim:
وَ‌إِ‌ذْ‌ ‌ابْ‍‍تَلَ‍‍ى‌ ‌إِبْ‍‍‍رَ‌اه‍‍ِ‍ي‍‍مَ ‌‍رَبُّه ُ‌ بِكَلِم‍‍َ‍ات‌‍ٍ‌ فَأَتَ‍‍مَّ‍‍هُ‍‍نّ

"And (remember) when the Lord of Ibrāhim (Abraham) [i.e., Allāh] tried him with (certain) Commands, which he fulfilled...' [Al-Baqarah 2:124]

In this Ayah, Allah mentions that he ibtilaa Ibrahim (as). Ibtilaa is an even more difficult, intense form of balaa. Allah also says, “fa atamma hunn.” This means that Ibrahim (as) aced all his tests and scored 100%. He showed the perfect responses and did exactly what he needed to do. This makes him an ideal model to learn from and emulate.

As many parents can testify, among the most difficult test to bear is the loss of a child. Not only did Prophet Ibrahim receive a child late in his life when he reached a very old age, but Allah asked him to leave his wife and child alone, in the middle of a barren desert, without a word to them. No food, no water, no lodging, no supplies, nothing. This appeared outwardly as certain death for the two of them.

What did he say as he walked away from them?
الْحَمْدُ‌ لِلَّهِ ‌الَّذِي ‌وَهَبَ لِي عَلَى‌ ‌الْكِبَ‍‍ر‍ِ‍‌ ‌إِسْمَاع‍‍ِ‍ي‍‍لَ ‌وَ‌إِسْح‍‍َ‍اقَ ۚ ‌إِنَّ ‌‍رَبِّي لَسَم‍‍ِ‍ي‍‍عُ ‌ال‍‍دُّع‍‍َ‍ا‌ءِ
"All the praises and thanks be to Allāh, Who has given me in old age Ismā'il (Ishmael) and Ishāque (Isaac). Verily! My Lord is indeed the All-Hearer of invocations." [Ibrahim 14:39]

In this dua’a, we find the key which allowed Ibrahim (as) to succeed in his tests: shukr (thankfulness). Despite this trial, he said “Alhumdulillah” and he praised Allah, and thanked Him (swt) for the blessings he gave.

We can extract and apply this lesson to our own lives: when Allah tests us with hardship, whatever difficulty we experience, we should always be thankful and focus on the good of what Allah gave us. Like Prophet Ibrahim, this enables us to pass difficult tests much more easily.

And finally, the best part of all this: Don’t forget that Allah says that whoever thanks Him (swt), gets more:
وَ‌إِ‌ذْ‌ تَأَ‌ذَّنَ ‌‍رَبُّكُمْ لَئِ‍‌‍نْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَ‌زِيدَنَّ‍‍كُمْ ۖ ‌وَلَئِ‍‌‍نْ كَفَرْتُمْ ‌إِنَّ عَذَ‌ابِي لَشَد‍ِ‍ي‍‍‍د
"And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: 'If you give thanks (by accepting Faith and worshipping none but Allāh), I will give you more (of My Blessings), but if you are thankless (i.e. disbelievers), verily! My Punishment is indeed severe.'" [Ibrahim 14:7]