The virtues of the verse انا لله وانا اليه راجعون

It is recorded in Roohul Ma’aani that the special favour of Allah Jalla Jala Laho on this Ummat is that they have been blessed with the verse of انا لله وانا اليه راجعون.

This was not given to the previous Ummats. Unfortunately, we do not pay much attention to it but indeed this is a great treasure which Allah Jalla Jala Laho has blessed us with. The recitation of this verse is termed as “Istirjaa” in the terminology of Shariat. Istirjaa means that one should have hope in the mercy of AllahJalla Jala Laho.

This verse is a great treasure. A treasure refers to something valuable that one possesses but is unaware of its value. For example, a person owns a tickey that was minted in 1931 but he doesn’t know the value of the coin. Similarly, there are many coins that are extremely valuable such as the R5 presidential inauguration coin. A certain presidential inauguration coin was recently sold for hundreds of thousands of rands.

Hadrat Abdullah Ibn Abbas Radhiallahu Anhu narrates that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam is reported to have said, “My Ummat has been blessed with such a bounty which no previous Ummat has been blessed with, that is the recitation of انا لله وانا اليه راجعون at the time of difficulty.”

It is mentioned in another narration that this Ummat has been granted such a bounty that the Ambiya of the previous Ummats were not blessed with such a bounty. This is the bounty of   

انا لله وانا اليه راجعون

If this bounty was to be given to any of the previous Ambiya Alaihis Salaam then it would have been given to Hadrat Yaqub Alaihis Salaam at the time when he lost his sons, Hadrat Yusuf Alaihis Salaam and Bin Yamin. Due to not having these verses he recited “Ya asafa ala Yusuf” which means “O my grief for Yusuf.”

Where can there be a comparison between the two? This bounty is enjoyed by the Ummatis of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. Unfortunately, we do not even understand our value as the Ummatis of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. Allama Aaloosi Rahmatullah-e-Alayh has written that the verse is complete when one recites the words and the Dua below at the time of difficulty.

Umme Salama Radhiallahu Anha narrates that whosoever recites the following verse and Dua at the time of difficulty then Allah Jalla Jala Laho grants one the best substitute.  

انا لله وانا اليه راجعون

اللهم اجرنى فى مصيبتي واخلف لى خيرا منها

Umme Salama Radhiallahu Anha says that I had recited this Dua on the demise of my husband Abu Salamah as a result of which Allah Jalla Jala Laho got me married to Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. What a rank Allah Jalla Jala Laho had blessed her with? She became the mother of the believers, and was included amongst the pure wives of Rasulullah. Where can a Sahaabi ever be compared to Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.

Hadrat Abdullah Ibn Abbas Radhiallahu Anhu narrates,

من استرجع عند المصيبة جبر الله مصيبته واحسن عقباه وجعل له خلفا صالحا يرضاه