1561. 2. Prophet Muhammad (p): When you are afflicted by some grief or sorrow or calamity then say ‘God is my Lord-Sustainer and I do not associate anything with Him and I put my trust in the Ever-Living One (God) for whom there is no death’.(B6,C55,T2)

1562. 4. Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p): When the brothers of Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) (p) cast him into the dark depth of the well, Jibrael (Gabriel) (p) came to him and asked him as to how he was faring there.
Prophet Yusuf (p): My brothers have thrown me into this well.
Jibrael (p): Do you want to get out of here?
Prophet Yusuf (p): It depends on God. He will take me out of it if He so wills.
Jibrael (p): Verily God, the Elevated One has told you to keep reciting a particular prayer till you are taken out of this well.
Prophet Yusuf (p): What is that particular prayer?
Jibrael (p): Say ‘O my Lord, I pray Thee and affirm that all praise is for Thee only. There is no god but Thou, the Bountiful, Originator of the heavens and the earth, the Owner of All Majesty and Benevolence, send Thy blessings for Prophet Muhammad (p) and his Holy Descendants and provide me exit and outlet from the condition I am in’.
Imam (p) then said that his story has been revealed by God in Noble Quran.
Translator’s Note: Refer to Chapter 12 of the Noble Quran, entitled Yusuf.(B6,C55,T4)

1563. 6. Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p) has taught a special prayer for anyone who is facing some problem, distress or trouble. The Imam (p) has instructed that anyone who wants to recite that prayer, should take a bath and then offer two Rakaat (like the prescribed morning prayer) and then should pray:
‘O the One Who repels distress, O the One Who dispels sorrows, O the Beneficent in this world and the Hereafter and O Compassionate, repel my distress and dispel my sorrow, O God The One, the Absolutely One and the totally Independent One, Who begets not and nor is He begotten and there is none like unto Him, protect me from sins and cleanse me.’
The Imam (p) added that he should then recite the Ayatul Kursi (Q, 2:256-257).(B6,C55,T6)

1564. 7. Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p): When fear takes you in its grip due to any reason then pray ‘Verily, no one is more necessary and sufficient that Thou art and Thou art more necessary and sufficient that anyone else out of Thy creations, therefore save me from such and such misfortunes’.
According to another tradition, an alternate prayer has also been taught:
‘O the One whose help (and favour) is sufficient for anything and nothing is more sufficient than Thee in the heavens and the earth, deliver me from my distress and sorrows of this world and those of the Hereafter and send blessings on Prophet Muhammad (p) and his Holy Descendants.’ …(B6,C55,T7)

1565. 18. A maidservant who was suffering from scrofula in her neck (a disease with glandular swellings also called King’s disease) was brought to Imam Ali ar-Reza (p).
The Imam (p) advised her to recite ‘O Affectionate, O Merciful, O my Lord-Sustainer, O my Guardian’.
It has been reported that she recited these supplications repeatedly and God, the Almighty, the Majestic cured her of this ailment.(B6,C55,T18)

1566. 20. According to another tradition Imam Ali ar-Reza (p) has taught another prayer which is as follows: ‘O the Ever-Living One, O the Sustainer of the universe, O the One for Whom it is declared that There is no god but Thou, I appeal to Thy Mercy to be sufficient for my needs and my desires and do not overburden my soul.’
The Imam (p) further instructed that the said prayer should be recited one hundred times while prostrating.(B6,C55,T20)

1567. 21. Imam Ali ar-Reza (p) addressed one of his believers: If you want God, the Almighty, the Glorious to fulfill any of your needs or desires, then pray ‘O my Lord, I pray Thee, adopting the rights of Prophet Muhammad (p) and his Holy Descendants as the means of my prayer, and they both have special privileges bestowed upon them by Thee and a worth which is worthwhile, so by the same privileges and by the same worth, send Thy Blessings on Prophet Muhammad (p) and his Holy Descendants, grant such and such prayer of mine’.(B6,C55,T21)