Secret Weapons for the Exam Battle: Study Hard, Pray Harder!

Finding it difficult to concentrate on your revision? Is there a killer set of lectures that you just can’t get you head around? Feel the overwhelming urge to sleep, eat, stare at the wall as soon as you start revising? Don't Worry…we have a formula for success!

(Exam – Sins)+ Salah x Duaa = Success (insha'Allah!)

It is that wonderful time of the year again! The time of the year when students start to regret the last few months of lazing about, playing video games and generally sleepwalking through the first two terms; the time of year when you realise that college isn’t just the place where you and your friends hang out during the day. The time of year when it dawns on you that you are not going to get a degree in Pro Evolution, Chicken Cottage or blowing 200 hoops from a shisha. Yes… it’s EXAM TIME!

But before you start spending all your energy trying to think of excuses to tell your parents about why you averaged 13% for a Multiple Choice Exam where even random guessing should give you around 50% - we thought we’d put together a few choice du'aa's to help you in your hour(s) of need. Remember the Messenger of Allah (may eternal peace and blessings be upon him) has said, "Dua is the weapon of a believer."

Du'aa for all of those people who have run out of time and need to be “selective” in their revision:

اللهم انفعني بما علمتني وعلمني ما ينفعني

“Allahumma infa'nii bimaa 'allamtanii wa'allimnii maa yanfa' unii.”
O Allah! Make useful for me what You taught me and teach me knowledge that will be useful to me.

Du'aa for all those people who’ve realised that their brain is like a sponge – i.e. full of holes:

اللهم اني أسألك فهم النبيين وحفظ المرسلين المقربين

“Allahumma inii as'aluka fahmal-nabiyyen wa hifthal mursaleen al-muqarrabeen.”
O Allah! I ask You for the understanding of the Prophets and the memory of the Messengers, and those nearest to You.

Du'aa for all of those facing the make-or-break Exam that has destroyed many before them:

اللهم لا سهل إلا ما جعلته سهلا أنت تجعل الحزن إذا ما شئت سهلا

“Allahumma la sahla illama ja-'altahu sahla wa anta taj 'alu al hazana etha shi'ta sahla.”
O Allah! Nothing is easy except what You have made easy. If You wish, You can make the difficult easy.

Du'aa for the type of person whose mind goes blank during the actual Exam:

اللهم اني أستو دعك ما قرأت وما حفظت فرده علي عند حاجتي إليه انك على ما تشاء قدير وأنت حسبنا الله ونعم الوكيل

“Allahhumma inni astaodeeuka ma qara’tu wama hafaz-tu. Faradduhu ‘allaya inda hagati elayhi. Innaka ‘ala ma-tasha’-u qadeer wa anta hasbeeya wa na’mal wakeel.”
O Allah! I entrust You with what I have read and I have studied. (Oh Allah!) Bring it back to me when I am in need of it. (Oh Allah!) You do whatever You wish, and You are my Availer and Protector and the best of aid.

Du'aa for all those facing oral / clinical exams:

رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِى صَدْرِى وَيَسِّرْ لِى أَمْرِى وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِى يَفْقَهُواْ قَوْلِي

“Rabbi Ishrah Li Sadry, Wayassir Li Amry, Wahlul ‘Uqdatan Min Lisany, yafqahu Qawly.”
My Lord, I ask you to expand my breast, make my task easy, undo the knot in my tongue so that my speech will become comprehensible. (Surah Ta-Ha Verse 25-28)

Duaa for all those who feel that their situation is absolutely hopeless:

Remember the Prophet's (peace be upon him) Dua at Ta'if

اللهم إليك أشكو ضعف قوتي وقلة حيلتي وهواني على الناسياأرحم الراحمين أنت أرحم الراحمين أنت رب المستضعفين وأنت ربيإلى من تكلني إلى عدو يتجهمني أم إلى صديق مكلته إمريإن لم يكن بك غضب علي فلا أبالي ولكن عافيتك هي أوسع ليأعوذ بنور وجهك الذي أضاءت له السموات و الأرض وأشرقت له الظلمات وصلح عليه أمر الدنيا والأخره أن ينزل بي غضبك أو يحل علي سخطكلك العتبى حتى ترضى ولاحول ولاقوة إلابك

“O Allah! Only to You do I communicate my weakness, My lack of skill and lack of importance among people. O the Most Merciful who shows mercy, You are certainly the Lord of the weak and You are my Lord. To whom shall you hand me over? To an enemy who will treat me harshly or to a near one to whom You shall give control over me? If You are not angry with me, I care for nothing. All I require is that Your protection should be vast enough for me. In the light of Your Countenance by which multitudes of darkness are turned to light and by which the affairs of this world and the Aakhirah are remedied, I seek protection from being afflicted by Your wrath and displeasure. The causes of your displeasure should be removed until You are pleased. There is no power and no might but with Allah.”

Remember, these du'aa's are to help you study, NOT to use as a replacement for revision. We all know the saying…if you fail to prepare then prepare for a beating!

Also remember that, as a Muslim, we strive to do our best in every aspect of our lives — both for this world and the Hereafter. Please utilise your time wisely, study hard, and above all, make Du’a, for in the end, it is by Allah’s will alone that anything is possible.

I pray Allah the Almighty makes all of our exams easy upon us and one final reminder. I would just like to remind you all of a hadith of the Prophet (May eternal peace and blessings be upon him). He said: 'There is no believing servant who supplicates for his brother in his absence where the angels do not say, 'Ameen and the same be for you'' [Muslim] So if you want success in your exams, make sure you supplicate for your Muslim brothers and sisters as well insha'Allah.

Wassalamu 'alaykum warahmatullah

Taken from: (http://www.isocnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=125&ac=0&Itemid=1)