Lesson 1 of 6 · Three things wearing one name
Named, and not treated as shameful
Two things worth putting next to each other at the start. The Qur'an says people will be tested with fear, in as many words. And the Prophet, peace be upon him, asked for protection from worry and grief by name, and did so as a habit rather than once, in supplications he is reported never to have left out. A state you ask protection from by name is a recognised state, not a private disgrace.
Qur’an and Sunnah
Fear is named as something people are tested with, in as many words, and it is the first thing on the list.
وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيۡءࣲ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصࣲ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَٰلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ
We shall certainly test you with fear and hunger, and loss of property, lives, and crops. But [Prophet], give good news to those who are steadfast
Qur’an 2:155
The verse before this one ends by promising good news to the steadfast without saying who they are. This says who. It is here so the passage is not cut off at the test.
ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِيبَةࣱ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَٰجِعُونَ
those who say, when afflicted with a calamity, ‘We belong to God and to Him we shall return.’
Qur’an 2:156
This closes the passage, which is shown whole rather than stopped at the word fear.
أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ صَلَوَٰتࣱ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَرَحۡمَةࣱۖ وَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُهۡتَدُونَ
These will be given blessings and mercy from their Lord, and it is they who are rightly guided
Qur’an 2:157
Worry and grief are asked protection from by name, in the Prophet's own supplication, peace be upon him. A state you can name in a supplication is a recognised state and not a private disgrace.
Narrated Anas bin Malik:The Prophet (ﷺ) used to say, "O Allah! I seek refuge with You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from being heavily in debt and from being overpowered by (other) men." (See Hadith No)
Sahih al-Bukhari 6369graded sound, sahihaynthe Arabic and its grading
The same supplication in a second collection, seeking refuge from worry, grief, incapacity and laziness. This wording carries the detail that matters: it is reported as one he never omitted, which makes it a habit rather than a single occasion.
It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said:"The Messenger of Allah [SAW] had supplications that he never omitted to recite. He used to say: 'Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-hammi, wal-hazani, wal-'ajzi, wal-kasali, wal-bukhli, wal-jubni, wa ghalabatar-rijal (O Allah, I seek refuge with You from worry, grief, incapacity, laziness, miserliness, cowardice and being overpowered by (other) men
Sunan an-Nasa'i 5449graded sound, albanithe Arabic and its grading
Translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem, The Qur'an, Oxford University Press, 2004.