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Author : Sharifah Nadirah
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SOOTHING DU'AS FOR EVERY DIFFICULT EMOTION
First Print July 2026
ISBN
Printed by :
Mihas Grafik Sdn Bhd
No 8, Jalan SR 4/18, Taman Serdang Raya, 43300 Seri Kembangan, Selangor.
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Soothing Du'as for Every Difficult Emotion
Sharifah Nadirah
Published by:
اضَر redha
Acceptance, surrender, contentment
13
The Home
That's Not For Me
The world is filled with houses, But still my heart stayed restless. Seeing the cold people and places, made my heart grow in emptiness. I thought Earth was not for me. but then I learnt, Home is not only what to seek outside, but also what we create inside. Like little Elio, I roam, But with Allah, I’m home. in His mercy of eternal blessedness.
That is where I divinely belong.
I watched many heart-moving scenes in Disney’s Elio; the movie about a boy under the care of her aunt after losing his parent, who always feels like he doesn’t belong. On Earth, he feels like an outcast; misunderstood, alone and unseen, making him feel alienated. But when he is suddenly mistaken for Earth’s ambassador to outer space, he discovers a strange irony where, among the aliens, he finally finds hope of a home and the courage to be himself, and his journey is where we learn that sometimes, the world closest to us can feel the least like home.
Elio’s story resonates a lot with me.
I had always been struggling with belonging. I could be friends with everyone, but yet I am not friends with anyone. I can be in events or gatherings filled with people but still can feel distant, as if I am unwelcomed everywhere. And it took me years to realise that what I needed the most was not only a home on the outside but also a home on the inside, where my heart could feel at ease and make peace with the chaos within.
Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya once wrote that nothing in this world can ever completely satisfy the soul. Our big houses, grand positions, massive fame, sweet relationships, and huge successes can bring joy, but they could never bring the lasting peace that the soul yearns for. This is because the human heart was never created for this world alone. The heart was created for Allah SWT. And in not seeking and turning back to Him, the heart will always feel anxious, restless and unsettled.
The yearning to belong somewhere is not a lack in you, but it is to awaken us to the fact that we are not meant to fully settle here — our true home and belongingness is with Allah SWT. Loneliness is not a curse, but instead a guidance for you to build a home within you: A heart that remembers Allah SWT, trusts in Him, and finds peace in worshipping Him. That is the only home that is everlasting and indestructible.
For those who feel lost, like Elio who wanders between Earth and space, this is where we remind ourselves that when the earth feels cold, our faith in Allah SWT shall give us the warmth. When people do not understand us, He does. And even if the world feels like “not home”, the heart can still be embraced by Him.
“Truly, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.”
(Surah ar-Ra’d, verse 28)
Because in the end, home is not only where we live but also where our soul belongs. And the only true home is with Allah SWT inside us, in this life and hereafter, we shall be with Him.
“Oh Allah SWT, when I feel like I don’t belong in this world, let me feel that to You is where I belong. Build for me a home within my heart that is filled with Your light and mercy. Let me find warmth in Your love and hope in Your promises. Oh Allah SWT, make my heart faithful, and make it a place where I am always at home with You.”
When we feel like we don’t belong, it is always a sign for us to remember that our souls were not made for this world alone. We are all mere travelers on this Earth, and a heart that is attached to the Creator finds a home in every land.
Du'afor Seeking Home
This famous prayer of Asiya (the wife of Pharaoh) shows that the true home is one near Allah SWT. It is for those who feel displaced or unsafe, asking for a “house near You” in the highest sense of security and peace.
“My Lord, build for me near You a house in Paradise.”
(Surah at-Tahrim, verse 11)
The ForgottenSacrifices 14
He is Owais al-Qarni, humble and shy.
Not known on earth but praised in the sky.
His name was unknown where people reside.
But near to Allah, he’s honored with pride.
Among the many Companions of the dear beloved Prophet SAW, one amazing man stood out, even though he never met the Prophet SAW in person. That person is Owais al-Qarni RA1.
Owais grew up in Yemen. His father passed away early, and at such a young age he was left responsible for taking care of his mother, and became her only support. Not long after that, he heard someone reciting the Qur’an, and the verses moved his heart truly. Soon, he embraced Islam and longed to meet the Prophet SAW. But he could not leave his mother’s side, as she will always be needing him. Even though others urged him to embark upon the journey, he still chose to stay by his mother’s side. And this is the sacrifice, unseen by people, that raised him highly in the sight of Allah SWT.
And even though the Prophet SAW had never met Owais before, he mentioned Owais in great detail and honored his greatness. Some later narrations and popular accounts describe Owais as “unknown on earth but known in the heavens.” Years later, Umar
1 Source: https://sunnah.com/muslim:2542c
ibn Khattab RA searched for Owais during Hajj and was surprised to find him as a poor shepherd with no wealth or status, but who was still mentioned by the Prophet SAW and honored by Allah SWT.
The truth is, what made Owais extraordinary was not the worldly measures of fame, status or wealth, but the noble sacrifices he made. He gave up what his heart yearned for, which was meeting the Prophet SAW to take care of his mother. When we sacrifice for the sake of Allah SWT, He bears witness, elevates and rewards us.
Hence, sometimes, your sacrifices will go unnoticed. People may forget your sincere efforts, not appreciating your warmth nor kindness, dismiss your painful experience, or forget to even say thank you. And this can really disappoint us. But you know what? Owais RA had shown us that even if our sacrifices are unseen by people, they are never out of sight from Allah SWT.
When you feel unseen by the world, know that Allah SWT is the Greatest Witness. Remember that you are never truly invisible nor unworthy.
As the verse beautifully says:
“... And Allah is enough as a Witness.” (Surah an-Nisa, verse 79)
So it is okay to try to serve with sincerity. Contribute for the sake of Allah SWT, not for worldly approvals. Because when you realised that you’re doing things for Allah SWT, you will see that you’ve got nothing to lose, and your disappointment will begin to ease, because you know that your worth is not based on people’s approvals, attention, nor validation but on how Allah SWT sees you.
“Ya Allah, please accept the sacrifices no one else sees. Reward our patience with Your mercy, and bring us closer to You and Your beloved Prophet”
Thus, may Allah SWT turn your sacrifices into abundant rewards and honor you with the sweet nearness to Him, even when planet earth does not even care to notice.
Du'a On Sacrifice
First uttered by Prophets Ibrahim AS and Ismail AS while they were building the Ka’bah, this prayer is the essential of every sacrifice. It acknowledges that the act of hard work alone itself is not enough; it is Allah SWT’s acceptance of that effort that transforms an action into a sacred deed.
“Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed, You are the Hearing, the Knowing.”
(Surah al-Baqarah, verse 127)
The Kindness Taken for Granted 15
I gave you my all, but you still count my every flaw.
I welcomed you with warmth, but you left me anxious, going back and forth.
I handed upon you my trust, but then you burnt it to dust.
But diamonds are made to be pure after the pressure they endure.
So let go and choose to grow and glow.
I know you were once the person who always wanted to give the best to people. You gave your all in treating others kindly. You knew how to be empathetic.
Sometimes you even tried to be funny, just to lift someone’s mood and cheer up someone’s day.
But along the way, you grew tired of how they expected more and how you were not allowed to have flaws.
You grew tired of what you received in return.
Some misunderstood your kindness.
Some took advantage of you.
Some talked about you behind your back.
Some took you for granted.
Some wanted you to always make the first move.
Some expected you to apologise first, even when they were the ones in the wrong.
And sarcasms about you flooded down from their social media.
And when you started to break down—
They fled.
And what’s even more heartbreaking is the realisation that you were actually all alone in this struggle. So ...
At one point, you had had enough of all this drama. You withdrew and became much more careful and aware. You chose a smaller circle where you finally found ease and peace.
And I remember a piece of advice that grounded me:
“If you give someone your best, something precious, and they don’t return the same, remember, the goodness was always within you. It shows that your heart is kind and sincere, generous and true. What you give reflects who you are, not what they give back.”
Even the Prophet Muhammad SAW, who was known for his unmatched kindness, honesty, and compassion, faced rejection.
In Ta‘if, people threw stones at him until he was bleeding. They insulted him and caused him pain.
Even then, he did not ask Allah SWT to punish them. Instead, he said:
“I hope that Allah will bring from their descendants people who will worship Allah alone and not associate anything with Him.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari)
The truth is before Islam, people admired him and called him Al-Amin (the trustworthy). But after he brought the truth of Islam, many of those same people turned against him, and it’s not because of the mere fact that he had changed, but because their egos saw Islam as a threat to their power and status. Because the truth is, his kindness and trustworthiness never faded, but their hearts just could no longer value it.
We learned that being good does not mean everyone will accept us. And that the rejection towards goodness always come from people’s blindness.
So don’t regret being kind as it is never a waste of who you are. Because choosing to give something
beautiful proves that you are better than those who could not appreciate it.
“Oh Allah,
Protect our hearts from bitterness,
Let us give with sincerity.
and shield us from those who take advantage of our kindness.
Grant us wisdom to choose the right people, and strength to keep our goodness alive.
Fill us with compassion but guard us with dignity.
So our kindness becomes hope, not pain.”
I’ve realised that I shouldn’t let someone else’s unkindness turn me into a bitter person. I am not allowing that kind of unhealthy control to have power over me. Because if I stop being kind, I’m actually letting them rob the best part of me. The precious and brightest essence of my soul. The core value that makes me human. Thus, never let them crush your spirit and good character; continue to be kind, but also never forget to be wise. Learn how to be kind
while also protecting yourself, be a better protector of your own energy, time, and effort. Protect your safe space so you will not eventually lose yourself.
I’ve realised I can be polite and pray for others for the sake of Allah SWT, while still drawing firm boundaries. This is how I’m being just and fair to the heart that Allah SWT had created and given to me. By setting these limits, I make sure my kindness stays honest, genuine, alive and beautiful, a source of hope and willfulness rather than a source of forcefulness and pain. Being kind to people also portrays your relationship with Allah SWT. When you choose to be good, you are doing it for His sake, not for you to lose yourself in others’ expectations or appreciation. This is the highest form of kindness because it is noble and divinely sincere; it shows that your heart is firmly bound to the Creator rather than to His creation. You will soon realise that your kindness is never a waste, because Allah SWT is the One who will reward you abundantly and endlessly.
Du'a On Being Kind
This prayer asks for guidance toward the best of manners. It acknowledges that being truly kind and virtuous is a gift from God, seeking to replace harshness with the beauty of good character.
“O Allah, guide me to the best of characters, for none guides to the best of them but You.”
