The difference between the two statements

Many people when they read or hear/see something shocking or sad, they say:

لاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
Lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāh!

This is *incorrect*, as stated by Ibn Taymiyyah and many of the ‘Ulemā. When you hear something shocking, depressing, or worrying then the correct Qur’ānic reaction is:

إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rāji‘ūn.

So the next time you hear something shocking, you now know what to say. And no, no-one needs to die first for you to say it.

PS: The statement “Lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāh” (which can roughly be translated as “There is no change that can be brought about, and there is no ability/power to do anything, except by Allah’s will”) is a statement of dhikr, a statement of strength, an affirmation of pure tawḥīd, and a statement of praise for Allāh jalla wa ‘alā when you wish to rightly attribute success, power and cause of victory to the Giver of Victory, Allah ‘azza wa jall. Try to use it correctly in this context as much as possible, bārakallāhu fīkum.

ALTERNATIVELY if all that didn’t make sense, just follow the photo below. Just another day whilst teaching..

By Abu Eesa