https://www.khutbah.info/the-blessing-of-afiyah-wellbeing/ In general, humans toil and strive. Indeed, Allah has created humankind into constant struggle. The Prophet ﷺ said: Every person sets out in the morning to sell his soul, so he either frees it or destroys it. [Sunan Ibn Majah 280, Grade: Sahih] People fall between experiencing pleasure and enduring hardship. They may become weakened by hardships to the point of humiliation, or may become intoxicated with favors to the point of defiance. Yet the wise are those who neither deviate nor become defiant, and remain calm and composed in both of states. They stand at the door of their Creator and Lord, asking Him for forgiveness and for well-being in their religious and worldly affairs, and in their families, and in their wealth. That is because prioritizing well-being is an innate disposition that Allah has instilled in souls. For no one loves affliction and pain except the disturbed and those with a sealed heart.
إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ ,نَحْمَدُهُ ,وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ , وَنَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا ,مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ , وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ , وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Verily, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Him from the evils of our selves. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide. Whoever He misguides, none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
يَا أَيُّهَا الّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ – آل عمران:102
Al Imran 102 : O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.
Oh people:
In general, humans toil and strive. Indeed, Allah has created humankind into constant struggle. The Prophet ﷺ said:
كُلُّ النَّاسِ يَغْدُو فَبَائِعٌ نَفْسَهُ فَمُعْتِقُهَا أَوْ مُوبِقُهَا
Every person sets out in the morning to sell his soul, so he either frees it or destroys it. [Sunan Ibn Majah 280, Grade: Sahih]
People fall between experiencing pleasure and enduring hardship. They may become weakened by hardships to the point of humiliation, or may become intoxicated with favors to the point of defiance. Yet the wise are those who neither deviate nor become defiant, and remain calm and composed in both of states. They stand at the door of their Creator and Lord, asking Him for forgiveness and for well-being in their religious and worldly affairs, and in their families, and in their wealth. That is because prioritizing well-being is an innate disposition that Allah has instilled in souls. For no one loves affliction and pain except the disturbed and those with a sealed heart.
And well-being, is the most essential need of Muslims after iman (faith) and certainty of faith. For they can never do without it. Therefore, it is no wonder, that the Prophet ﷺ frequently asked Allah for well-being. For instance, one of his supplications was:
اللَّهُمَّ مَتِّعْنِي بِسَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي وَاجْعَلْهُمَا الْوَارِثَ مِنِّي
O Allah, let me enjoy my sight and hearing and make them remain sound until I pass. [Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 650, Grade: Sahih (Albani)]
The Prophet ﷺ used to command and urge the people to ask for well-being. It is narrated from Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said, I said, O Messenger of Allah, teach me something that I may ask Allah Exalted. He replied:
يَا عَبَّاسُ يَا عَمَّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ سَلِ اللَّهَ الْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ
O Abbas, O uncle of the Messenger of Allah! Ask Allah for ‘Afiyah (well-being) in this world and in the Hereafter. [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3514, Grade: Sahih]
It is also narrated that Abu Bakr stood upon the Minbar, then wept, and said: ‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood upon the Minbar the first year (of Hijrah), then wept, and said:
سَلُوا اللَّهَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فَإِنَّ أَحَدًا لَمْ يُعْطَ بَعْدَ الْيَقِينِ خَيْرًا مِنَ الْعَافِيَةِ
Ask Allah for pardon and ‘Afiyah (well-being), for verily, none has been given anything better than ‘Afiyah (well-being). [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3558, Grade: Sahih]
And the Prophet ﷺ advised his wife, Umm Habiba (may Allah be pleased with her), by saying:
وَلَوْ سَأَلْتِ اللَّهَ أَنْ يُعَافِيَكِ مِنْ عَذَابٍ فِي النَّارِ وَعَذَابٍ فِي الْقَبْرِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَكِ
And if you ask Allah to grant you relief from the torment of the Fire and from the punishment of the grave, it would be better for you. [Sahih Muslim 2663d]
And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would supplicate for ‘Afiyah (well-being) both during prayer and outside of it. For example, during prayer he would supplicate while sitting between the two prostrations, saying:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَاهْدِنِي وَعَافِنِي وَارْزُقْنِي
O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, grant me ‘afiyah (well-being), guide me, and provide for me. [Muslim 2697]
Among the supplications of the Witr prayer—which he ﷺ taught to Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him)—is:
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنِي فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنِي فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ
O Allah, guide me among those You have guided, and grant me ‘afiyah (well-being) among those You have granted ‘afiyah (well-being) . [Sunan an-Nasa’i 1745. Grade: Sahih]
It was the habitual practice of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to ask for ‘afiyah (well-being) from Allah every day and every night. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) reported that the Prophet ﷺ would say, both in the evening and in the morning,
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي دِينِي وَدُنْيَاىَ وَأَهْلِي وَمَالِي اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِي وَآمِنْ رَوْعَاتِي وَاحْفَظْنِي مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَىَّ وَمِنْ خَلْفِي وَعَنْ يَمِينِي وَعَنْ شِمَالِي وَمِنْ فَوْقِي وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أُغْتَالَ مِنْ تَحْتِي
O Allah, I ask You for forgiveness and ‘afiyah (well-being) in this world and in the Hereafter. O Allah, I ask You for forgiveness and ‘afiyah (well-being) in my religious and my worldly affairs. O Allah, conceal my faults, calm my fears, and protect me from before me and behind me, from my right and my left, and from above me, and I seek refuge in You from being taken unaware from beneath me.[Sunan Ibn Majah 3871, Grade: Sahih]
Before sleep the Prophet ﷺ would say:
اللَّهُمَّ خَلَقْتَ نَفْسِي وَأَنْتَ تَوَفَّاهَا لَكَ مَمَاتُهَا وَمَحْيَاهَا إِنْ أَحْيَيْتَهَا فَاحْفَظْهَا وَإِنْ أَمَتَّهَا فَاغْفِرْ لَهَا اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَافِيَةَ
O Allah, You created my soul and You will cause it to die; to You belong its death and its life. If You cause it to live, then protect it; and if You cause it to die, then forgive it. O Allah, I ask You for ‘afiyah (well-being). [Sahih Muslim 2712]
And when a Muslim awakens from sleep, he says:
الحمد لله الذي ردَّ عليَّ روحي وعافاني في جسدي وأَذِنَ لي بذِكْره
All praise is due to Allah, Who restored my soul to me, granted me ‘afiyah (well-being) in my body, and allow me to remember Him. [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3401, Grade: Sahih]
It is also recommended to supplicate for ‘afiyah (well-being) for the deceased. In the funeral prayer the Prophet ﷺ would supplicate:
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ له وَارْحَمْهُ وَعافِهِ وَاعْفُ عنْهُ
O Allah, forgive him, have mercy on him, grant him ‘afiyah (well-being), and pardon him. [Muslim 963b]
And when visiting the graves he ﷺ would say:
السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الدِّيَارِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمِينَ وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَلَاحِقُونَ أَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ لَنَا وَلَكُمْ الْعَافِيَةَ
Peace be upon you, inhabitants of this place among the believers and the Muslims. If Allah wills, we shall join you. I ask Allah for ‘afiyah (well-being) for us and for you. [Muslim 975]
Among the things from which the Prophet ﷺ sought refuge was the loss or sudden change of ‘afiyah (well-being). He ﷺ would say:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ زَوَالِ نِعْمَتِكَ، وَتَحَوُّلِ عَافِيَتِكَ وَفُجَاءَةِ نِقْمَتِكَ وَجَمِيعِ سَخَطِكَ
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the disappearance of Your blessings, from the removal of Your ‘afiyah (well-being), from the suddenness of Your punishment, and from all that which displeases You. [Muslim 2739]
Were it not for Allah’s favor of granting ‘afiyah (well-being), a person’s life would be miserable and they would be burdened with hardship. Their existence would be marred and corrupted. Therefore, believers, when enjoying ‘afiyah (well-being), recognize every blessing that they possess and do not disdain even one of them. Their tongues are ever busy praising Allah for having granted them ‘afiyah (well-being), regardless of what they miss out on from this worldly life.
A person’s ‘afiyah (well-being) can be lost, removed, reduced, or compromised due to two factors. The first is in matters of religion, through doubts or unlawful desires. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said, The heart is afflicted by two diseases. If they become entrenched in it, they will lead to its destruction and death. They are the disease of desires and the disease of doubts. This is the origin of the disease of humankind, except those whom Allah has granted ‘afiyah (well-being).
A worldly matter is the second factor that can cause ‘afiyah (well-being) to be taken away or diminished. For example, this can be due to physical ailments as is evident from the Prophet’s ﷺ saying:
مَنْ أَصْبَحَ مِنْكُمْ آمِنًا فِي سِرْبِهِ مُعَافًى فِي جَسَدِهِ عِنْدَهُ قُوتُ يَوْمِهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا حِيزَتْ لَهُ الدُّنْيَا
Whoever among you wakes up secure in his dwelling, with ‘afiyah (well-being) in his body, and with provision for his daily needs, it is as if the world has been granted to him. [Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2346, Grade: Hasan]
It may also be lost through hostility from an adversary—be he jinn or man—as the Prophet ﷺ said:
أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ لا تَتَمَنَّوْا لِقَاءَ العَدُوِّ وَسَلُوا اللهَ العَافِيَةَ فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمُوهُمْ فَاصْبِرُوا
O people, do not wish for an encounter with the adversary; rather, ask Allah for ‘afiyah (well-being), and when you meet them, be patient. [Bukhari 2695]
And ‘afiyah (well-being) may diminish in matters of family and wealth. Thus the Prophet ﷺ would supplicate:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي دِينِي وَدُنْيَايَ وَأَهْلِي وَمَالِي
O Allah, I ask You for forgiveness and for ‘afiyah (well-being) in my religious and worldly affairs and in my family and in my wealth. [Sunan Ibn Majah 3871, Grade: Sahih]
أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
I say what you have heard and I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and you from every sin. So seek forgives from Him, Verily He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Second Khutbah
الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ, وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ , وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَاْ إِلَهَ إِلَّاْ اَللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَاْشَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ
All praise is to Allah, and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
Oh Muslims:
Whoever Allah has granted ‘afiyah (well-being) has truly been saved, succeeded, prospered, and achieved success. And whoever desires the continuation of well-being and safety should be conscious of Allah Almighty. For indeed, whoever is conscious of Allah is clothed in ‘afiyah (well-being) and has a praiseworthy outcome.
There are those who are not watchful of Allah and their consciousness of Him has weakened. They do not restrain their limbs from disobeying their Lord or from violating His commands. When the call to prayer is proclaimed, they treat it lightly and do not respond. And when invited to adhere to what Allah has enjoined, they refuse, become arrogant, and reject those who advise them. How many people are enveloped by ‘afiyah (well-being), immersed in its blessings, that pain and affliction never occur to them. So much so that they even deride those who suffer, failing to be grateful to Allah for having granted them safety and ‘afiyah (well-being).
How much we are in need, while we are secure in the fortress of ‘afiyah (well-being), to be alert and awake, to repent and turn back, and to supplicate in times of prosperity, before calamity befalls. Abdul-A’laa Al-Taymi – may Allah have mercy on him – said:
Increase in your asking for ‘afiyah (well-being). For the one afflicted—even if his affliction intensifies—is not more deserving of supplication than the one who enjoys ‘afiyah (well-being) and is free from affliction. Those who are afflicted today were only the people who enjoyed ‘afiyah (well-being) yesterday, and those who will be afflicted after today are only those who have ‘afiyah (well-being) today. What can one who lingers in disobedience to Allah expect? That he will have, for the remainder of his life, an affliction that smothers him in this world and disgraces him in the Hereafter.
Ibn al-Jawzi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Happy is the one who humbles himself for the sake of Allah and asks for ‘afiyah (well-being), for ‘afiyah (well-being) is never granted in an absolute sense—indeed, affliction is inevitable. Yet the wise continually ask for ‘afiyah (well-being) so that it dominates the majority of their affairs. A person should realize that there is no way to purely obtain what they love. For in every portion there is some bitterness, and in every morsel some hardship. Truly, patience is only over what has been decreed, and it is rare that decrees align to the desires of the self. A wise person is one who reconciles himself to being patient with the promise of reward and the easing of matters—so that the period of affliction passes without complaint, and then he turns to Allah, asking for ‘afiyah (well-being).
Be mindful that Allah has honored us and bestowed countless blessings upon us. For Allah has spared us from the afflictions that have befallen others. So be conscious of Allah’s favors and express your gratitude through acts of obedience seeking to draw closer to Him Almighty.
O Allah, We ask You for forgiveness and ‘afiyah (well-being) in our religious and my worldly affairs. Indeed Allah is All Hearing, Answering.
هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى نَبِيِّكُم كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ بِذلِكَ رَبُّكُمْ , فَقَالَ
I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon your Prophet as your Lord commanded:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
Al Ahzaab (33) 56: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace.
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنا فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنا فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنا فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لنا فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنا شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
O Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed. For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا سَأَلَكَ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَاذَ بِهِ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ كُلَّ قَضَاءٍ قَضَيْتَهُ لَنا خَيْرًا
O Allah, We ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we seek refuge with You from all evil, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we ask You for the good that Your servant and Prophet has asked You for, and we seek refuge with You from the evil from which Your servant and Prophet sought refuge. O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and we seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed. And we ask You to make every decree that You decree concerning us good
عِبَادَ اللّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ
Servants of Allah. Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.
اُذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ واشْكُرُوهُ يَزِدْكُمْ واسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لكُمْ واتّقُوهُ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مَخْرَجًا وَأَقِمِ الصّلَاة
Remember Allah, the Great – He will remember you. Thank Him for His favors – He will increase you therein. And seek forgiveness from Him – He will forgive you. And be conscious of Him – He will provide you a way out of difficult matters. And, establish the prayer.
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