A Way Out of Despair
Stress and anxiety keep getting deeper and any possibility of changing this feeling seems remote.
Why do we feel like that? Because we think there is no point in pinning hope on anybody, we are facing major tragedies, nobody cares about us, we did not make up for what we did wrong when we could, etc.
These negative thoughts, in whose creation I have had a role, prevail in my mind and I have no hope that someone will hear my excuses, sympathize with me and act as if I have never done anything wrong.
I seek someone to listen to me when I cry:
“You are the All-generous Who meets them with the kindness of Your compassion… Is it ever expectable, O Lord, that You may disappoint us or may act on the contrary of our expectations? No, never. O Compassionate! This is neither our idea about You nor our desire from You! O my Lord, verily we have hope, big and large, in You. Verily, we have great expectation in You. Albeit that we have disobeyed You, we still hope that You will cover our faults. We have prayed You hoping that You will respond to us. So, give success to our hopes, O our Lord! … So, O my great hope, do not forsake me when my need terribly increases, do not reject me on account of my ignorance, and do not stop conferring upon me on account of my lack of patience.”
To whom can we say these words? These are the words of Imam Sajjad (AS) in the year 714 AD uttered in the form of an inspirational supplication: The Supplication of Abu Hamza al-Thumali.
Imam Sjjad (AS) continues:
“O my God, You brought me up amid Your bounties and favors when I was little and You have mentioned me when I have grown up. So, O He Who brought me up in this world with His bounties, favors, and graces, and, in the Hereafter, will have referred to me with His amnesty and generosity! My acquaintance with You, O my Lord, is the path taking me to You and my love for You is the intermediary between You and me. I am sure of the path to which You have lead me and I rely upon my intermediary’s success before You. I pray You, O my Chief, with a tongue muted by its sins.
O Lord! I confidentially speak to You with a heart degraded by its offenses.
I pray You, O Lord, with terror, desire, hope, and fear. Whenever I think of my sins, O my Master, I panic, but when I think of Your generosity, I feel desirous (for Your pardon). Therefore, if You forgive me, You are already the best of those who show mercy, and If You punish me, You are then not wronging me. Yet, it is Your munificence and Your generosity, O Allah, that gave me the courage to pray You, despite that I have committed things that You dislike. It is Your kindness and mercy that I use as my means during misfortunes inflicting me despite my shamelessness. I thus hope that my expectation will not be disappointed amid these two matters. So, make my hopes become real and answer my prayers. O Greatest Besought One that has been ever besought, and the Most Favorable Hoped One!”
He then says:
“All praise be to Allah alone Who showed Himself gentle and considerate towards me as if I have not sinned. … O Allah, I find the courses to asking from You wide open, the springs to hoping for You overflowing, seeking the help of Your favors reachable for them who have hopefully looked forward to You, and the doors of praying You vulnerable for them who cry to You. I know for sure that You give favorable reply to the petitioners…”
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