The Cure for a Hurting Soul
When a human being falls into the trials of life—hardship, bitterness, injustice, anxiety, sadness, and every form of suffering—they will ask: What is the cure? Where is the way out of all this darkness? How can I remove the suffering that lives within my soul and my life? Can I ever escape this crisis?
If measured by human logic, some of these trials seem to have no exit. At times, the color of darkness fills every corner; only Allah is capable of bringing a person out of such a state. Sometimes, an individual must face a very bitter reality that their small, humble self cannot push away. However, a person of faith believes that Allah the Almighty can change any situation. He can replace it with something better that was never expected, turning grief into happiness in various forms and colors.
But how? The question is: how can we ensure that the Magnificent Allah pours out His mercy and sends His help? Yes, humans are indeed commanded to pray and cry out to Him. But what is the way for those prayers to be answered so that Allah brings them out from the land of sorrow into the land of peace or happiness? What expression pleases the Most Merciful God, causing Him to swiftly hear the cries of a human being?
One must realize that among the barriers between God's mercy and themselves are their own sins and mistakes. Every person is not free from faults and sins. No matter how great or pious they may be, a human is still a human, exposed to sin. If not through their physical actions, then perhaps through the sins of the soul or a heart that is arrogant and boastful, or through jealousy, bad suspicions, and more. The sparks of sin are always there. They are the barriers blocking the beautiful, serene light of the human soul from drawing close to Allah to become His beloved. Thus, prayer is often disturbed by sin. What then is the cure that lights the way so that the prayer reaches its destination swiftly and effectively?
The answer is repentance and ‘istighfar’—which means returning to Allah and seeking His forgiveness. Do it with honesty, with nobility, and with humility. That is the cure that will unlock the happiness of life. That is His promise:
وَأَنِ ٱسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِ يُمَتِّعۡكُم مَّتَٰعًا حَسَنًا إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٖ مُّسَمّى وَيُؤۡتِ كُلَّ ذِي فَضۡلٖ فَضۡلَهُۥۖ وَإِن تَوَلَّوۡاْ فَإِنِّيٓ أَخَافُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ عَذَابَ يَوۡمٍ كَبِيرٍ
(Meaning: "And seek forgiveness of your Lord and turn to Him in repentance, [and] He will let you enjoy a good provision for a specified term and give every doer of favor his favor. But if you turn away, then indeed, I fear for you the punishment of a great Day.") — Surah Hud: 3
The Certain Promise
Every one of us has gone through grief and misery. We try various phrases and prayers so that Allah will hear our cries. Yes, prayer is a weapon. However, there is one request that, if made with a sincere soul and hope from the deepest depths of the heart, Allah will bring with that request various other blessings. One is brought out from the narrowness of life, granted the blessing of wealth and children, showered with peace of soul, and given added strength and help.
This is His promise in the Quran. It is not a promise made up by certain prayer books or the talk of religious figures who sometimes invent their own "private limited" prayers collected from unknown sources. No! This is a direct guarantee from Allah in His Book. What is that request?
The request is the prayer for Allah S.W.T. to forgive our sins. When it is uttered sincerely and honestly. Frequently. With a sense of our own smallness, with humbleness and awareness, then the miracle of Allah’s help will come in many forms and ways. This is the promise in many verses of the Quran. Allah says, telling the story of the advice of Prophet Nuh (Noah) a.s. to his people:
فَقُلۡتُ ٱسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ غَفَّارا . يُرۡسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيۡكُم مِدْرَارٗا . وَيُمۡدِدۡكُم بِأَمۡوَٰلٍ وَبَنِينَ وَيَجۡعَل لَّكُمۡ جَنَّٰتٍ وَيَجۡعَل لَّكُمۡ أَنۡهَٰرا
(Meaning: "And I said, 'Ask forgiveness of your Lord. Indeed, He is ever a Perpetual Forgiver. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in [continuing] showers. And give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers.'") — Surah Nuh: 10-12
Various Blessings
This is the promise Allah gives to anyone who seeks forgiveness (istighfar) with sincerity. Through the words of Prophet Nuh a.s., Allah promises to send down His rain of mercy, to increase wealth and children, and to provide valuable and fertile property. Thus, those who seek forgiveness sincerely and frequently will enjoy these provisions. The cure for a lack of rain, wealth, children, fertility, and everything else is ‘istighfar’.
In Mishkat al-Masabih, when discussing the hadith of istighfar, it is narrated that someone came to Al-Imam Hasan al-Basri r.a. complaining that his land was not fertile. Hasan al-Basri replied: "Seek forgiveness (istighfar)." Another came complaining of poverty; he replied: "Seek forgiveness." Another came asking for a prayer to be blessed with a child; he replied: "Seek forgiveness." Yet another came complaining that his farm was drying up; he replied: "Seek forgiveness." When Hasan al-Basri was asked why his answer was the same for different questions, he said: "This is not my opinion; this is what Prophet Nuh a.s. said"—and he then read the verses above.
Avoiding Calamity
Allah also guarantees that He will not punish humans in this world or the hereafter if they truly seek His forgiveness. The pressure and fear of sin can be shielded by sincere istighfar. This is the promise of Allah, and He is Most True in His promise. Allah says:
وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمۡ وَأَنتَ فِيهِمۡۚ وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمۡ وَهُمۡ يَسۡتَغۡفِرُونَ
(Meaning: "But Allah would not punish them while you, [O Muhammad], are among them, and Allah would not punish them while they seek forgiveness.") — Surah al-Anfal: 33
In this verse, the presence of the Prophet ﷺ and the presence of istighfar prevent Allah's punishment. As for the Prophet ﷺ, he is no longer among us physically, but istighfar continues to exist if we practice it. O soul haunted by sin! Seek forgiveness as much as possible, and you will surely be saved from the suffering of sin. O you who fear the falling of a calamity! Seek forgiveness.
Added Strength
The storms of life are sometimes very terrifying. They hit a person from angles expected and unexpected. If one relies only on their own strength, they will be a victim and will not be able to endure. The ferocity of the ocean of life can only be faced with the strength granted by Allah. Allah says:
وَيَٰقَوۡمِ ٱسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِ يُرۡسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيۡكُم مِدْرَارٗا وَيَزِدۡكُمۡ قُوَّةً إِلَىٰ قُوَّتِكُمۡ وَلَا تَتَوَلَّوۡاْ مُجۡرِمِينَ
(Meaning: [Prophet Hud said] "And O my people, ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. He will send [rain from] the sky upon you in showers and increase you in strength [added] to your strength. And do not turn away, [being] criminals.") — Surah Hud: 52
With additional strength and help from Allah, a person gains the power to navigate this temporary journey in this fleeting world.
Conclusion
Therefore, increasing istighfar is the cure for life. How many stories are there of people whom Allah granted various blessings because they increased their istighfar. How many servants of Allah were saved from various hardships, given peace of soul, and various forms of help due to the sincerity of their istighfar.
Any individual who seeks forgiveness sincerely and frequently on any given day will feel the serenity of their soul. Allah will open the horizons of their spirit and mind. They will experience a sacredness of the soul, freshness of the mind, and feel closeness to Allah. But the condition is that the istighfar must be sincere—not just "singing" it on the lips while the soul is empty of the hope for Allah's forgiveness.
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728H) shared that when he faced a problem, he would seek forgiveness a thousand times or more, wherever he was—in the mosque, in the market, or at the center of learning—until he found that Allah eased his heart and fulfilled his needs.
Let us increase our istighfar; it is the cure. Istighfar is the healer of a servant’s suffering soul. It brings Allah’s blessings, both expected and unexpected. Thus, come provisions, happiness, and help. Decorate the bitterness of life with istighfar; we will surely feel the sweetness and the delight of being in this temporary world.
