How Salah and Istighfar Changed My Situation Completely
As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever constantly seeks forgiveness from Allah, He will make a way out of every difficulty, relieve every worry, and provide sustenance from unexpected sources." After reading this, I used to read many stories about the power of Istighfar and always wondered when I would see such a blessing in my own life. Well, today felt unreal, like waking up in a different world after praying Isha. Here's what happened: I had an important assignment worth 40% of my grade due last week. I was late by just 6 minutes and the submission button vanished. I panicked because without it, I couldn't pass. I emailed my professor twice asking if I could send it by email, but got no reply. I thought it was over for me, and the upcoming exam felt pointless. But then I remembered the hadith about seeking forgiveness and how Allah opens doors when we turn to Him. Even though it’s been hard for me to pray openly as a revert, fearing my family’s reaction, I decided to keep praying and doing Istighfar sincerely. I made sure to pray all five daily prayers and recited Sayyidul Istighfar. Honestly, my stress and fear melted away because I trusted Allah to handle my situation. I went to sleep after Isha without obsessing over the problem. I woke up four hours later to study for my exam, and the first thing I saw on my computer was a message: "Please submit your assignment before 11:59 pm." I couldn’t believe it! What felt like a closed door had opened again. In short: Salah and Sayyidul Istighfar really are a powerful combination. Allah opened a way for me when it seemed impossible. Also, during my exam, I kept repeating "Hasbunallahu wa ni'mal wakeel" to keep calm. Sorry if this isn’t a perfect story, but I wanted to share this small yet amazing experience with Istighfar. May Allah make it easy for all of us!