Far removed from the comforts of the palace of Pharaoh he once called home, Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) now toiled in the desert of Egypt for days. As the blazing sun scorched his skin and his feet ached from the long journey, his stomach wailed of hunger and thirst. With the physical world exerting all of its weight on every inch of his body, he neared collapse and took refuge under the shade of a tree in the ancient land of Madyan.
He soon found two young women shepards fighting off crowds of men trying to water their sheep, and despite his exhaustion, he sprung to their aide. His nobility would not allow him to rest while he saw others in need, no matter how dire his own situation. He fought off the crowds of men, watered the sheep of the women, and returned to his place of rest. Musa had no one to turn to in the physical world. He was in a foreign land, penniless, and physically broken. At this moment, he was inspired to turn to Allah the Most Generous and made a supplication to God that will forever be remembered in history:
فَسَقَىٰ لَهُمَا ثُمَّ تَوَلَّىٰ إِلَى ٱلظِّلِّ فَقَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَآ أَنزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ
So he drew water for them; then he turned away to the shade, and he said, 'O my Lord, surely I have need of whatever good Thou shalt have sent down upon me.' (Surah Qasas, verse 24)
The secrets carried in the simple words of Musa (peace be upon him) opened up the spiritual world, and caused an immediate impact on his physical existence. No sooner did he utter this supplication that the two women returned to him carrying the news that their father would like to reward him for his noble act.
As we know the story, their father offered Musa a job and one of his two daughters in marriage! In nearly the blink of an eye, the circumstances of Musa were transformed by his spiritual words, words that were light on the tongue, but heavy in the sight of Allah.
The spiritual masters of the past, knowing that the Qur'an was the solution to all difficulties, would later encourage their students to often repeat this supplication of Musa (peace be upon him) when they were in need of a job or a spouse. Today, we find that this supplication is as important now as ever before.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 9.1% of Americans are unemployed. Current economic woes in America and Europe are having a negative impact on most households. Many people have lost, or are in fear of losing, their jobs. The world is undeniably in a recession.
Like everything else though, assistance can always be found in the Qur'an and the example of our Messengers (Peace be upon them). So while you search for a job or seek out a spouse, remember to always rely on Allah first and continue to do so throughout the whole process. Repeat the supplication of Musa (peace be upon), day in and day out, for by the will of Allah, there will be much unlocked for you!
Moutasem Atiya
www.almadinainstitute.org
