8 supplications
Words of Relief in Hard Moments
At Badr, facing a stronger army, the Prophet ﷺ raised his hands until his cloak fell. These duas belong to such moments: when a person fears a ruler, faces an enemy or feels crushed, and needs to remember that Allah alone defeats the confederates.
Words of relief
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْحَلِيمُ الْكَرِيمُ، سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
La ilaha illallahul-halimul-karim, subhanallahi rabbil-‘arshil-‘adhim, alhamdu lillahi rabbil-‘alamin.
There is no god but Allah, the Forbearing, the Generous; glory be to Allah, Lord of the mighty Throne; praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
Source: Musnad Ahmad; Sunan al-Nasa’i
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 plea at Badr
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْجِزْ لِي مَا وَعَدْتَنِي، اللَّهُمَّ آتِ مَا وَعَدْتَنِي
Allahumma anjiz li ma wa‘adtani, Allahumma ati ma wa‘adtani.
O Allah, fulfil for me what You promised me; O Allah, give what You promised me. He raised his hands until his cloak fell from his shoulders.
Source: Sahih Muslim
When facing a battle or a fight
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ عَضُدِي، وَأَنْتَ نَصِيرِي، بِكَ أَحُولُ، وَبِكَ أَصُولُ، وَبِكَ أُقَاتِلُ
Allahumma anta ‘adudi, wa anta nasiri, bika ahul, wa bika asul, wa bika uqatil.
O Allah, You are my support and my helper; by You I move, by You I attack and by You I fight.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud; Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi
Fear of a ruler
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ السَّبْعِ، وَرَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، كُنْ لِي جَارًا مِنْ فُلَانِ بْنِ فُلَانٍ وَأَحْزَابِهِ مِنْ خَلَائِقِكَ، أَنْ يَفْرُطَ عَلَيَّ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ أَوْ يَطْغَى، عَزَّ جَارُكَ، وَجَلَّ ثَنَاؤُكَ، وَلَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
Allahumma rabbas-samawatis-sab‘, wa rabbal-‘arshil-‘adhim, kun li jaran min fulanibni fulanin wa ahzabihi min khala’iqik, an yafruta ‘alayya ahadun minhum aw yatgha, ‘azza jaruk, wa jalla thana’uk, wa la ilaha illa ant.
O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and Lord of the mighty Throne, be my protector against (name) and his allies among Your creatures, lest any of them hasten against me or transgress. Mighty is the one You protect, majestic is Your praise, and there is no god but You. Reported from Ibn Mas‘ud.
Source: al-Adab al-Mufrad of al-Bukhari
Against a tyrant’s harm×3
اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، اللَّهُ أَعَزُّ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ جَمِيعًا، اللَّهُ أَعَزُّ مِمَّا أَخَافُ وَأَحْذَرُ، أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ، الْمُمْسِكِ السَّمَاوَاتِ السَّبْعِ أَنْ يَقَعْنَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ، مِنْ شَرِّ عَبْدِكَ فُلَانٍ وَجُنُودِهِ وَأَتْبَاعِهِ وَأَشْيَاعِهِ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنْسِ، اللَّهُمَّ كُنْ لِي جَارًا مِنْ شَرِّهِمْ، جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُكَ، وَعَزَّ جَارُكَ، وَتَبَارَكَ اسْمُكَ، وَلَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ
Allahu akbar, Allahu a‘azzu min khalqihi jami‘a, Allahu a‘azzu mimma akhafu wa ahdhar, a‘udhu billahil-ladhi la ilaha illa huwa, al-mumsikis-samawatis-sab‘i an yaqa‘na ‘alal-ardi illa bi-idhnih, min sharri ‘abdika fulanin wa junudihi wa atba‘ihi wa ashya‘ihi minal-jinni wal-ins. Allahumma kun li jaran min sharrihim, jalla thana’uk, wa ‘azza jaruk, wa tabarakasmuk, wa la ilaha ghayruk.
Allah is the greatest; Allah is mightier than all His creation; Allah is mightier than what I fear and dread. I seek refuge in Allah besides whom there is no god, who holds the seven heavens lest they fall on the earth except by His leave, from the evil of Your servant (name), his soldiers, followers and supporters among jinn and men. O Allah, be my protector against their evil; majestic is Your praise, mighty is the one You protect, blessed is Your name and there is no god but You. Reported from Ibn ‘Abbas; three times.
Source: al-Adab al-Mufrad of al-Bukhari
He alone defeated the confederates
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ، أَعَزَّ جُنْدَهُ، وَنَصَرَ عَبْدَهُ، وَغَلَبَ الْأَحْزَابَ وَحْدَهُ، فَلَا شَيْءَ بَعْدَهُ
La ilaha illallahu wahdah, a‘azza jundah, wa nasara ‘abdah, wa ghalabal-ahzaba wahdah, fala shay’a ba‘dah.
There is no god but Allah alone; He honoured His army, helped His servant and alone defeated the confederates, and nothing comes after Him.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari
Against those who intend harm
اللَّهُمَّ اكْفِنِيهِمْ بِمَا شِئْتَ
Allahummakfinihim bima shi’t.
O Allah, suffice me against them however You will.
Source: Sahih Muslim
The strength of du‘a in crisis
Ibn ‘Abbas reported the words of relief as the du‘a of distress, and the Companions used the refuges from a tyrant when they had to face rulers. The Prophet ﷺ combined preparation with an intense du‘a at Badr until Abu Bakr said: “Enough, Allah will fulfil what He promised you” (Muslim).
Words of Relief in Hard Moments: questions and answers
What should I say before meeting an oppressive person?
“Allahumma inna naj‘aluka fi nuhurihim wa na‘udhu bika min shururihim” and the refuge of Ibn Mas‘ud on this page.
Can I make du‘a against an oppressor?
The du‘a of the oppressed is answered (al-Bukhari), but forgiving and asking for his guidance is better when the harm is personal.