What is the correct wording of this du’a?
اللَّهُمَّ لَا سَهْلَ إِلَّا مَا جَعَلْتَهُ سَهْلًا، وَأَنْتَ تَجْعَلُ الْحَزْنَ سَهْلًا إِذَا شِئْتَ
or is it
اللَّهُمَّ لَا سَهْلَ إِلَّا مَا جَعَلْتَهُ سَهْلًا، وَأَنْتَ تَجْعَلُ الْحَزَنَ إِذَا شِئْتَ سَهْلًا
Answer
Both these versions appear in the Hadith books.
1) This du’a appears in Sahih Ibn Hibban with the following wording:
اللَّهُمَّ لَا سَهْلَ إِلَّا مَا جَعَلْتَهُ سَهْلًا، وَأَنْتَ تَجْعَلُ الْحَزْنَ سَهْلًا إِذَا شِئْتَ
Allahumma la sahla illa ma ja’altahu sahla, wa anta taj ‘alul hazna sahlan idha shi’ ta
O Allah, there is nothing made easy except what you make easy, and You make difficulty easy, if You wish
(Sahih Ibn Hibban; Al Ihsan, Hadith: 974)
2) Imams Ibnus Sunni and Bayhaqi (rahimahumallah) have recorded the following version:
اللَّهُمَّ لَا سَهْلَ إِلَّا مَا جَعَلْتَهُ سَهْلًا، وَأَنْتَ تَجْعَلُ الْحَزْنَ إِذَا شِئْتَ سَهْلًا
Allahumma la sahla illa ma ja’altahu sahla, wa anta taj ‘alul hazna idha shi’ta sahla
(‘Amalul Yawmi Wal Laylah, Hadith: 351, Maktabah Daruz Zaman edition and Ad Da’awatul Kabir, Hadith: 265. Also see: Al Maqasidul Hasanah, Hadith: 176)
You may recite either one of the two versions.
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar