8 supplications
Duas for Anxiety, Worry and Distress
The Prophet ﷺ taught his Companions to turn to Allah in every hardship. Whoever says the dua of distress sincerely, Allah removes his worry and replaces his grief with joy (Musnad Ahmad).
Refuge from worry and grief
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ، وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ، وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ
Allahumma inni a‘udhu bika minal-hammi wal-hazan, wal-‘ajzi wal-kasal, wal-bukhli wal-jubn, wa dala‘id-dayn, wa ghalabatir-rijal.
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, from helplessness and laziness, from miserliness and cowardice, from the burden of debt and from being overpowered by men.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari
The dua of distress
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَرَبُّ الْأَرْضِ وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ
La ilaha illallahul-‘adhimul-halim, la ilaha illallahu rabbul-‘arshil-‘adhim, la ilaha illallahu rabbus-samawati wa rabbul-ardi wa rabbul-‘arshil-karim.
There is no god but Allah, the Most Great, the Forbearing. There is no god but Allah, Lord of the Mighty Throne. There is no god but Allah, Lord of the heavens, Lord of the earth and Lord of the Noble Throne.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari; Sahih Muslim
The dua of Yunus
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minadh-dhalimin.
There is no god but You; glory be to You. Indeed, I have been among the wrongdoers. “No Muslim ever supplicates with it for anything but Allah answers him.”
Source: Qur’an 21:87; Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi
Your mercy is what I hope for
اللَّهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُو، فَلَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ، وَأَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
Allahumma rahmataka arju, fala takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘ayn, wa aslih li sha’ni kullah, la ilaha illa ant.
O Allah, it is Your mercy that I hope for, so do not leave me to myself even for the blink of an eye, and set right all my affairs; there is no god but You.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud
Allah, Allah is my Lord
اللَّهُ اللَّهُ رَبِّي لَا أُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا
Allahu Allahu rabbi la ushriku bihi shay’a.
Allah, Allah is my Lord; I do not associate anything with Him. Taught by the Prophet ﷺ to Asma’ bint ‘Umays for times of distress.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud
Make the Qur’an the spring of my heart
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي عَبْدُكَ، ابْنُ عَبْدِكَ، ابْنُ أَمَتِكَ، نَاصِيَتِي بِيَدِكَ، مَاضٍ فِيَّ حُكْمُكَ، عَدْلٌ فِيَّ قَضَاؤُكَ، أَسْأَلُكَ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَكَ، سَمَّيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ، أَوْ أَنْزَلْتَهُ فِي كِتَابِكَ، أَوْ عَلَّمْتَهُ أَحَدًا مِنْ خَلْقِكَ، أَوِ اسْتَأْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ عِنْدَكَ، أَنْ تَجْعَلَ الْقُرْآنَ رَبِيعَ قَلْبِي، وَنُورَ صَدْرِي، وَجَلَاءَ حُزْنِي، وَذَهَابَ هَمِّي
Allahumma inni ‘abduk, ibnu ‘abdik, ibnu amatik, nasiyati bi-yadik, madin fiyya hukmuk, ‘adlun fiyya qada’uk, as’aluka bi-kulli ismin huwa lak, sammayta bihi nafsak, aw anzaltahu fi kitabik, aw ‘allamtahu ahadan min khalqik, awista’tharta bihi fi ‘ilmil-ghaybi ‘indak, an taj‘alal-qur’ana rabi‘a qalbi, wa nura sadri, wa jala’a huzni, wa dhahaba hammi.
O Allah, I am Your servant, son of Your servant, son of Your maidservant; 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, with which You named Yourself, revealed in Your Book, taught to any of Your creation, or kept with Yourself in the knowledge of the unseen, to make the Qur’an the spring of my heart, the light of my chest, the departure of my sorrow and the release of my anxiety.
Source: Musnad Ahmad
Allah is sufficient for us
حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ
Hasbunallahu wa ni‘mal-wakil.
Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs. Said by Ibrahim when thrown into the fire, and by the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions when told that people had gathered against them.
Source: Qur’an 3:173; Sahih al-Bukhari
For relief from debt
اللَّهُمَّ اكْفِنِي بِحَلَالِكَ عَنْ حَرَامِكَ، وَأَغْنِنِي بِفَضْلِكَ عَمَّنْ سِوَاكَ
Allahummakfini bi-halalika ‘an haramik, wa aghnini bi-fadlika ‘amman siwak.
O Allah, suffice me with what is lawful against what is unlawful, and make me independent of all besides You by Your bounty. Even if your debt were like a mountain, Allah would pay it for you.
Source: Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi
The du‘a of the servant in distress
Another du‘a against grief, reported by Ahmad, begins: “O Allah, I am Your servant, son of Your servant…” and asks Allah to make the Qur’an the spring of the heart and the remover of sadness. The Prophet ﷺ said that Allah replaces the grief of whoever says it with joy.
A du‘a that turns to the Qur’an
This du‘a acknowledges servitude, accepts Allah’s judgement and justice, calls on Him by all His names, then asks that the Qur’an be the spring of the heart, as spring revives the earth after drought. The remedy it points to is a constant connection with the Book of Allah, recited and reflected upon.
Duas for Anxiety, Worry and Distress: questions and answers
Are du‘as a substitute for treatment?
No. Seeking treatment is part of reliance on Allah: “Allah did not send down a disease without sending down a cure for it” (al-Bukhari). Du‘a and medical or psychological care go together.