Wa Alaikumussalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh!
Firstly, one must always know that everything is decreed by Allah (swt), and any hardship in your life is a test for you. Allah does not place a burden on a believer that is more than he/she can bear, and even more so, it is probable that Allah (swt) brings a hardship into a persons’ life in order to increase their patience (and make them constant in it i.e. sabr) and thus to bring His slave closer to Him and closer to the ultimate goal-Jannat ul Firdaus.
Ibn al Qayyim al Jawziyyah (rahimahullah) said:
“Patience during difficult times may be achieved by:
thinking of the good reward that lies ahead. The more you believe in the rewards that are waiting for you, the easier it becomes to have patience. If it were not for the anticipation of the rewards, no goals or objectives pertaining to this life or the hereafter would have been achieved. Human nature loves instant gratification, but reason and maturity make us think of the long term outcome, which helps to strengthen our patience in enduring whatever faces us, whether there is no choice or otherwise;
expecting and hoping for a time of ease. This hope in itself offers a measure of immediate relief;
thinking of Allah’s countless blessings. When we realize that we cannot enumerate the blessings of Allah, it becomes easier for us to exercise patience in facing the current adversity, because the present troubles are like a raindrop compared to vast ocean of Allâh’s blessings and favours;
thinking of previous blessings of Allah. This will remind us of Allah’s care, and strengthen our hopes ad expectations of a time of ease to come.”
There are a number of duaa’s that one can say to remove these feelings of depression:
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The supplications of distress are,
اللّهُـمَّ رَحْمَتَـكَ أَرْجـوفَلا تَكِلـني إِلى نَفْـسي طَـرْفَةَ عَـيْن، وَأَصْلِـحْ لي شَأْنـي كُلَّـه لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أنْـت
‘Allahumma rahmataka arju, fala takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘ain, wa aslih li sha’ni kullahu, la ilaha illa anta’
“O Allah, I hope for Your mercy. Do not leave me to myself even for the blinking of an eye (i.e. a moment). Correct all of my affairs for me. There is none worthy of worship but You.”
(Abu Dawud 4/324, Ahmad 5/42. Al-Albani graded it as good in Sahih Abu Dawud 3/959)
It was reported from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to say, when he felt distressed:
لا إلَهَ إلاَّ اللَّهُ الْعَظـيمُ الْحَلِـيمْ، لا إلَهَ إلاَّ اللَّهُ رَبُّ العَـرْشِ العَظِيـمِ، لا إلَهَ إلاَّ اللَّهُ رَبُّ السَّمَـوّاتِ ورّبُّ الأَرْضِ ورَبُّ العَرْشِ الكَـريم
'La ilaaha il-Allah al-‘Azeem ul-Haleem, Laa ilaaha ill-Allah Rabb il-‘arsh il-‘azeem, Laa ilaaha ill-Allah Rabb is-samawaati wa Rabb il-ard wa Rabb il-‘arsh il-kareem'
“There is no god except Allah, the All-Mighty, the Forbearing; there is no god except Allah, the Lord of the Mighty Throne; there is no god except Allah, Lord of the heavens, Lord of the earth and Lord of the noble Throne.”
(Al-Bukhari 8/154, Muslim 4/2092)
It was reported that Asmaa’ bint ‘Umays (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to me:
“Shall I not teach you some words to say when you feel distressed?
اللهُ اللهُ رَبِّ لا أُشْـرِكُ بِهِ شَيْـئاً
‘Allah, Allah, Rabbee laa ushriku bihi shay’an’
'Allah, Allah, my Lord, I do not associate anything with Hi'
(Abu Dawud 2/87. See also Al-Albani, Sahih Ibn Majah 2/335.)
It was reported from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “No person suffers any anxiety or grief, and says:
للّهُـمَّ إِنِّي عَبْـدُكَ ابْنُ عَبْـدِكَ ابْنُ أَمَتِـكَ نَاصِيَتِي بِيَـدِكَ، مَاضٍ فِيَّ حُكْمُكَ، عَدْلٌ فِيَّ قَضَاؤكَ أَسْأَلُـكَ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَكَ سَمَّـيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ أِوْ أَنْزَلْتَـهُ فِي كِتَابِكَ، أَوْ عَلَّمْـتَهُ أَحَداً مِنْ خَلْقِـكَ أَوِ اسْتَـأْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الغَيْـبِ عِنْـدَكَ أَنْ تَجْـعَلَ القُرْآنَ رَبِيـعَ قَلْبِـي، وَنورَ صَـدْرِي وجَلَاءَ حُـزْنِي وذَهَابَ هَمِّـي
‘Allaahumma innee ‘abduka wa ibn ‘abdika wa ibn amatika, naasiyati bi yadika, maadin fiyya hukmuka, ‘adlun fiyya qadaa’uka, as’aluka bi kulli ismin huwa laka sammayta bihi nafsaka aw anzaltahu fi kitaabika aw ‘allamtahu ahadan min khalqika aw ista’tharta bihi fi ‘ilm il-ghaybi ‘andak an taj’ala al-Qur’aana rabee’ qalbi wa noor sadri wa jalaa’a huzni wa dhahaaba hammi’
“O Allah, I am Your slave, son of Your slave, son of Your female slave, my forelock is in Your hand, Your command over me is forever executed and Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every Name belonging to You which You named Yourself with, or revealed in Your Book, or You taught to any of Your creation, or You have preserved in the knowledge of the unseen with You, that You make the Qur’an the life of my heart and the light of my breast, and a departure for my sorrow and a release for my anxiety”
but Allah will take away his sorrow and grief, and give him in their stead joy.”
(Ahmad 1/391)
Remember that this life is temporary, and that being steadfast in good deeds and worship will always help you in hard times. Remember this hadith and hope this helps insha’Allah.
It was narrated that Suhayb said: the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
“How wonderful is the affair of the believer, for all his affairs are good, and this applies to no one except the believer. If something good happens to him, he gives thanks, and that is good for him, and it something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is good for him.” (Narrated by Muslim, 2999)