What to ask from Allah (SWT)?

It is narrated from Imam Rida (a.s.) who said: One day Imam Zainul Abedeen (a.s.) was praying in Masjid-ul-Haraam and saw a man who was going round the Ka’aba and saying: O’ Allah! Give me patience. Imam (a.s.) pointed to him and said: Are you asking calamities from Allah (SWT)? Instead of that request, say: O’ Allah (SWT)! Give me goodness and virtue in life because this request is exactly against the calamities you are asking for and at the same time asking for the opportunity for giving thanks to the Almighty. Imam Zainul Abedeen (a.s.) added that: Thanking Allah (SWT) for a blessing is better than a patience given for a calamity¹.

Brief explanation

When a calamity comes to a person, it has come and nothing can be done about it, what can a person do about it? Having patience at the time of calamity is not comparable with receiving blessing from God. When you receive a blessing, you can give thanks or not, there is no pressure on you. But when you give thanks, this is more precious than having patience at the time of calamity. A human being should learn how to pray to Allah (SWT) from Ahl-ul-Bayt, as Imam Zainul Abedeen (a.s.) advised that man how to pray and what to ask.

* Explanation: some extracts of speech by Ayatollah Mojtaba Tehrani

^{1- Beharul Anwaar, Vol. 92, Page 285 and Page 292.}