Add ‘With Afiyah’ to Your Duas

In his amazing commentary on Riyāḍuṣ Ṣāliḥīn, ʿAllāmah Ibn Kamāl Pāshā رحمه الله wrote the following under the title ‘Istikhārah and Mushāwarah’:

Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: “When anyone of you seeks what is best from Your Rabb (Lord) عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ, ask Him for the best with ʿāfiyah. For verily, at times the best for a person lies in affliction.”

ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه said: “One of you seeks what is best [from Allāh Taʿālā] and says:
اَللهم خِرْلِىْ.
Allāhumma khirlee.
‘O Allāh! Choose the best for me.’

Then, Allāh Taʿālā ordains goodness for him but he is [still] not content. Rather, he should say:

اَللهم خِرْلِىْ بِرَحْمَتِكَ وَ عَافِيَتِكَ.
Allāhumma khirlee biraḥmatika wa ʿaafiyatika.
‘O Allāh! Choose the best for me with Your mercy and ʿāfiyah.’

And he says:

اِقْضِ لِيْ بِالْحُسْنىٰ.
Iqdhi lee bil ḥusnaa.
‘O Allāh! Destine the best for me.’

And [sometimes], the best outcome which is destined [for a person] is the severing of a hand and foot and the loss of wealth and children. Rather, he should say:

اِقْضِ لِيْ بِالْحُسْنىٰ فِيْ يُسْرٍ مِنْكَ وَ عَافِيَةٍ.
Iqdhi lee bil ḥusnaa fee yusrin minka wa ʿaafiyatin.
‘O Allāh! Destine the best for me with ease from You and ʿāfiyah.’”
[Shuʿabul ʾĪmān #201, The muḥaqqiq deemed its chain sound (ḥasan).]

Bakr ibn ʿAbdullāh Muzanī رحمه الله reported: “A man used to seek what is best from Allāh Taʿālā abundantly. He was thereafter afflicted with trials. So he became anxious and impatient. Then, Allāh Taʿālā revealed to one of His Messengers: ‘Tell my servant so-and-so: ‘Since you are not a person with a firm resolve, why did you not seek what is best from Me with ʿāfiyah?’”

These narrations were collected by Al-Ḥāfiẓ Abū Mūsā Al-Madīnī رحمه الله.

[Sharḥ Riyāḍuṣ Ṣāliḥīn: Al-Fawāʾidul Mutraʿatul Ḥiyāḍ fī Sharḥi Kitābir Riyāḍ by ʿAllāmah Ibn Kamāl Pāshā 4/121]

Author: Bint Suleman

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