Just Say the Words

Bism Illah wa assalaamu alaykum wa RahmatUllahi wa Barakatuh.

Sometimes it is difficult to automatically think and react in the correct and good way to what befalls us. The initial reactions to a broken down car or cutting our finger might be, "Oh no!" or "Ouch, that hurt!" However, I have found that in training ourselves to say the appropriate words, we actually train ourselves in sabr (patience) for the improvement of our deen.


For example, when we say al hamdu l'Illah as our first automatic and immediate response to any affliction, (the burn from the oven, the baby falling, the house collapsing, LOL), then we direct our minds to automatically seek out its blessings from Allah. It reminds us to have yaqeen (certainty) that it is, indeed, a great blessing from Allah, even if it isn't clear where some of the blessings lie. Certainly, the test is sent to us as a reminder, an expiation, and improver.

Narrated Anas (radhi Allahu anh): The Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said,


            “The real patience is at the first stroke of a calamity.”
                                                                                                 Sahih Al-Bukhari – Book 23 Hadith 389


Sometimes all it takes is to just say the words to focus ourselves on the correct thinking and belief.