The verse of Amman Yujib (Arabic: آية اَمَّن یُّجیب) is a part of verse 62 of Sura al-Naml, in which God is mentioned as the only source of answering du’a and solving human problems. In this verse, it is stated: “Is He who answers the call of the distressed [person] when he invokes Him and removes his distress,…”
Among common people, it is called the “du’a of Amman Yujib” and it has been recommended to be recited in difficulties and troubles. There is also a ceremony called “Khatm of Amman Yujib”.
According to some commentators, this part is about God’s Oneness, where God asked the polytheists, “is the one who answers the du’a of the distressed better or your gods who do nothing?”
Based on some hadiths and the words of Shiite commentators, this verse was revealed about Imam al-Mahdi (a) and in this verse “al-mudtar” refers to him; but another group of commentators have said that Imam al-Mahdi (a) is one of the examples of the verse and the verse addresses all the distressed and promises that their du’as will be answered.
Importance of the verse in public culture
The phrase “Amman yujib-u l-mudtarr-a idha da’ah-u wa yakshif-u s-su’” is mentioned in verse 62 of sura al-Naml. In the word of common people, this phrase is considered as a du’a, and holding a ceremony called “Khatm of Amman yujib” is customary. Of course, the verse itself does not have a style and context of du’a, and upon making du’a and using it, it has been advised to be used in the form of “Ya man yujib-u l-mudtarr-a idha da’ah” or “Ya man yujib-u du’a’ al-mudtarr”.
Mirza Javad Maleki Tabrizi advised that a person who has spent the month of Ramadan without any change in his state to ask God for help and read the verse of Amman Yujib in his own words.
Connection with God’s Unity
In the verse of Amman Yujib, God is mentioned as the only source of answering du’as and solving human problems, and this is related to God’s Unity. According to Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi, in this verse and a few verses before and after which begin with “Amman”, God has stated the clearest reasons for His Oneness in the form of a question and judged the polytheists. This question is the third question of God’s five questions to the polytheists, in which He asks “is the one who answers the du’a of the distressed is better or your gods who do nothing?”
Who is meant by “al-mudtar”?
In some Shiite narrations, the term “al-mudtar” is considered to be referring to Imam al-Mahdi (a). For example, in a hadith from Imam al-Sadiq (a) mentioned in the book of Tafsir al-Qummi, verse 62 of Sura al-Naml is mentioned to have been revealed about the Upriser of the family of Muhammad (a), and that he (a) is the truly distressed one and after praying in Maqam Ibrahim (a) and supplicating, God will answer his supplication and after “kashf su’” (resolving the problem), God will make him His vicegerent in the earth.
In al-Ghayba, in his interpretation of the verse of Amman Yujib, Nu’mani (d. 360 AH) has narrated a hadith through Muhammad b. Muslim from Imam al-Baqir (a) that says that verse 62 of Sura al-Naml was revealed about Imam al-Mahdi (a) and after his appearance beside the Kaaba, Gabriel and 313 of his companions will pledge allegiance to him.
According to Sharif Lahiji (died toward the end of the 11th century AH), based on these two hadiths of Imam al-Sadiq (a) and Imam al-Baqir (a), this verse was revealed about the Upriser of the family of Muhammad (a). In a part of du’a Nudba, Imam al-Mahdi (a) is addressed as a distressed person whose du’a is answered: “Where is the one in distress who is answered when he calls?”
Allama Tabataba’i (d. 1360 Sh) and Makarem Shirazi considered mentioning the example of revelation of this verse in these hadiths as one of the examples and said that the verse applies to all distressed people. Ali b. Ibrahim also considered mentioning the example in hadiths to be ta’wil of the verse, i.e. referring to the heart of the Qur’an.
Connection between distress and answering du’a
Some Shiite scholars such as Fazl b. Hasan Tabrisi (d. 548 AH), Fathullah Kashani (d. 988 AH) and Makarem Shirazi have mentioned in the commentary of verse 62 of Sura al-Naml that God answers everyone’s du’a; however, due to the fact that the request of the distressed is stronger and made in a more submissive manner, distress is considered as a requirement for answering du’a. Mohammad Sabzevari (d. 1368 Sh) and Allama Tabataba’i have also mentioned distress in the verse as a sign of true request. According to the Shiite commentators, the distressed person mentioned in the verse of Amman Yujib is a person who has taken refuge in God due to the seriousness of something and has lost hope in anything or anyone other than Him. Tha’labi, Zamakhshari, Fakhr Razi and Baydawi among Sunni scholars have also accepted this meaning of “mudtar” [“distressed one”].
Is the du’a of every distressed person answered?
From the point of view of some Shiite scholars such as Fethullah Kashani, the word “mudtar” in the verse does not include all those in distress; because many distressed people have been seen that their du’as has not been answered by God. Zamakhshari, Fakhr Razi, Baydawi, and Alusi from among Sunni scholars also agree with this opinion. From Sharif Lahiji’s point of view, the correct opinion is that the du’as of all those in distress are answered, and if someone’s du’a is not answered, it is because they have not reached the state of distress.
References
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