It was narrated from ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Al-‘As that: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to say these words in his supplication:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ غَلَبَةِ الدَّيْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الْعَدُوِّ وَشَمَاتَةِ الأَعْدَاءِ
Allahumma inni a’udhu bika min ghalabatid-daini, wa ghalabatil-‘aduwwi, wa shamatatil-a’da’
O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from the burden of debt, from being overpowered by the enemy, and from the enemy rejoicing (at an evil I am afflicted with).”
[Recorded by an-Nasa’i 5475 & 5487, Ahmad 11/189, no. 6618, Ibn Hibban 3/394, Al-Hakim 1/531, and authenticated by Al-Albani in Sahih Al-Nasa’i 3/1113]
Terminologies:
Ghalabah al-Dain: overburdened by debt, buried in debt, the ordeal one faces while repaying the debt.
Ghalabah al-`Aduww: overpowered by an enemy, an enemy having an undue advantage, unjustly dominated by the enemy, subjugation.
Explanation:
The saying of the Prophet (ﷺ): “O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the burden of debt”. The Prophet (ﷺ) sought Allah’s refuge from the ordeals of repaying debts, the burden of indebtedness, especially when one has no means to repay the debt, especially when the creditor is chasing it. Therefore, the Prophet (ﷺ) sought Allah’s refuge from this as, as this preoccupies the person’s mind and prevents him from carrying out the obligations properly and perfectly, it tires the body and weakens it. When a person is overburdened with debt, he sometimes ends up taking the wrong path, for example: breaking promises, telling lies, etc. Many people even commit suicide when they cannot repay the debts. This has been reported in the Hadith of Aishah (رضي الله عنها).
Aishah (رضي الله عنها) narrated that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) used to invoke Allah in the prayer saying: “O Allah, I seek refuge with you from all sins, and from being in debt.” Someone said: O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! (I see) that you very often seek refuge with Allah from being in debt. He (ﷺ) replied: “If a person is in debt, he tells lies when he speaks, and breaks his promises when he promises.” [Sahih al-Bukhari 832, 2397 and Sahih Muslim 589]
A person’s every sin will be forgiven except dept, even if he were to die as a martyr. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “All the sins of a Shaheed (martyr) are forgiven except debt.” [Sahih Muslim 1886]
In another narration, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Being martyred in the Cause of Allah expiates for everything, except debt.” [Sahih Muslim 1886]
The Prophet (ﷺ) refused to offer the funeral prayer for the person in debt. So do not underestimate the debt even if the value is only ten Riyals.
Narrated Salamah Ibn al-Akwa` (رضي الله عنه): “A dead person was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ) so that he (ﷺ) might lead the funeral prayer for him. He (ﷺ) asked: “Is he in debt?” When the people replied in the negative, he (ﷺ) led the funeral prayer. Another dead person was brought and he (ﷺ) asked: “Is he in debt?” They said: “Yes.” He (ﷺ) (refused to lead the prayer and) said: “Lead the prayer of your friend.” Abu Qatada said: “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! I undertake to pay his debt.” Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) then led his funeral prayer.” [Sahih al-Bukhari 2289, 2295. In the narration as reported in Sunan Ibn Majah 2407 and graded as “Sahih” by Shaykh al-Albani, the person’s debt was only eighteen or nineteen Dirham]
Falling in debt is a cause for grief in the night and humiliation in the day because the debtor has sleepless nights, thinking about how to repay his debts, and in the daytime, he avoids the paths, fearing the creditor. And when a person is hard pressed under a debt, it becomes more grievous and more bitter.
The saying of the Prophet (ﷺ): “…and from being overpowered by the enemy”. The Prophet (ﷺ) sought Allah’s refuge from being subjugated by the enemy unjustly, because the enemy would transgress the limits against those who oppose him and would implement rules and bring laws which will harm a person in his religious and worldly affairs.
The saying of the Prophet (ﷺ): “and the rejoicing of the enemy (at my misery)”. This is seeking refuge from the joy that the enemy feels at the suffering of his opponents. A person when afflicted with a trial is already distressed and suffering, but the joy of the opponents and their mockery and gloating adds insult to injury and hurts the feelings even more.
إِن تَمْسَسْكُمْ حَسَنَةٌ تَسُؤْهُمْ وَإِن تُصِبْكُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَفْرَحُوا بِهَا ۖ وَإِن تَصْبِرُوا وَتَتَّقُوا لَا يَضُرُّكُمْ كَيْدُهُمْ شَيْئًا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ
“If a good befalls you, it grieves them, but if some evil overtakes you, they rejoice at it. But if you remain patient and become al-Muttaqoon (pious and fear Allah), not the least harm will their cunning do to you. Surely, Allah surrounds all that they do.” [Surah aal-`Imran (3): 120]
إِن تُصِبْكَ حَسَنَةٌ تَسُؤْهُمْ ۖ وَإِن تُصِبْكَ مُصِيبَةٌ يَقُولُوا قَدْ أَخَذْنَا أَمْرَنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَيَتَوَلَّوا وَّهُمْ فَرِحُونَ * قُل لَّن يُصِيبَنَا إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَنَا هُوَ مَوْلَانَا ۚ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ
“If good befalls you (O Muhammad), it grieves them, but if a calamity overtakes you, they say: “We took our precaution beforehand”, and they turn away rejoicing. Say: “Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us. He is our Maula (Protector).” And in Allah let the believers put their trust.” [Surah al-Tawbah (9): 50-51]
The world is place of tests, trials, hardships, and afflictions, and in it Allah (تعالى) afflicts His creation with one thing or the other. And from the things which the Believers are afflicted with are the enemies, who deceive them, harm them, plot against them, and invite others against them. These enmity and transgression can be from the Kuffaar, and sometimes it is the Muslims who transgress against other Muslims. As Allah (تعالى) said:
وَإِن طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا ۖ فَإِن بَغَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا عَلَى الْأُخْرَىٰ فَقَاتِلُوا الَّتِي تَبْغِي حَتَّىٰ تَفِيءَ إِلَىٰ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ ۚ فَإِن فَاءَتْ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا بِالْعَدْلِ وَأَقْسِطُوا ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ
“And if two parties or groups among the Believers fall to fighting, then make peace between them both, but if one of them rebels against the other, then fight you (all) against the one that which rebels till it complies with the Command of Allah; then if it complies, then make reconciliation between them justly, and be equitable. Verily! Allah loves those who are equitable.” [Surah al-Hashr (49): 9]
We have seen brothers fighting brothers, and loved ones becoming enemies over properties, inheritance, loans, or any other form of wealth. The world is sweet and alluring, and people fight over it to get their share of the world – justly or unjustly.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Indeed there is a Fitnah for every Ummah, and the Fitnah for my Ummah is wealth.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhi 2336 and graded as “Sahih” by Shaykh al-Albani]
So, the beginning of this Du`a is with seeking Allah’s refuge and protection from falling into debts which leads to enmity between friends, between siblings, etc. And this Du`a is also a means of seeking Allah’s help in repaying the debt. And we are also taught to seek Allah’s refuge from our enemies in general, especially if they are the Kuffaar and Munaafiqs (hypocrites), who would prevent us from following our Deen and cause hindrances in it.
[Excerpt taken from the ebook ‘Explanation of the Supplications for Anxiety and Sorrow’ by Fahad Nawab Muhammad Barmem. The Book was compiled from the works of Shaykh Ibn al-Uthaymeen, Ibn al-Qayyim, and a few Arabic websites like Dorar, Kalem Tayeb and others.]
Precious Gems from the Quran and Sunnah 