dua for help from allah

Du’a Asking for Support

رَبِّ انْصُرْنِي بِمَا كَذَّبُونِ

Rabbin surnee bimaa kazzaboon
“My Lord, support me because they have denied me.”
23:26

This du’a was made by Prophet Nuh (as) while he was building the Arc. I think we can all relate on some level to this story, the people did not believe in Nuh (as) and counted him out. In the book, ‘Stories of the Prophets’ by Ibn Kathir it says the people used to sarcastically mock him, “O Noah! Does carpentry appeal to you more than Prophethood? Why are you building an ark so far from the sea? Are you going to drag it to the water or is the wind going to carry it for you?”

In life we will all come face to face with detractors, people who criticize and don’t believe in our vision or capabilities. What Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala inspired in Nuh (as) was not to grieve what they said but to learn how to tune out and ignore their comments as they were baseless. Someone else’s opinion of him did not have to become his reality. If Nuh (as) could say to himself that he always tried to do what was right and believed in himself, nothing else would matter. Put complete trust in Allah and rely on him alone, recite just as Nuh (as) did, Rabbin surnee bimaa kazzaboon, “My Lord, support me because they have denied me” and go on to do your work.

In the following ayah, “So We inspired to him, “Construct the ship under Our observation, and Our inspiration, and when Our command comes and the oven overflows, put into the ship from each [creature] two mates and your family, except those for whom the decree [of destruction] has proceeded. And do not address Me concerning those who have wronged; indeed, they are to be drowned. And when you have boarded the ship, you and those with you, then say, ‘Praise to Allah who has saved us from the wrongdoing people.’” (23:27-28)

Allah provided Nuh (as) with guidance to build the Arc, but Nuh (as) still had to be the one to build it. As the old proverb goes, “chop wood and carry water” meaning everyone has do the work. You can’t have abs without doing the sit-ups. There is no preference based on age or ethnicity, there is no discrimination between black, yellow, white, or brown. Everyone has to chop the wood and carry the water.