Anxiety is not weakness of faith. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself experienced grief, fear, and distress — and Allah taught him du'as in those moments, preserved for us in the hadith. Reciting them does not erase the feeling. It re-anchors the heart while the feeling passes.
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ ٱلْقُلُوبُ
Those who believe — their hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah. Truly, it is in the remembrance of Allah that hearts find rest.
Quran, Ar-Rad 13:28
Du'a for Distress (Du'a-ul-Karb)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to say at times of grief and distress:
لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ ٱلْحَلِيمُ، لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْعَظِيمِ، لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَرَبُّ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَرَبُّ ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْكَرِيمِ
Lā ilāha illā'llāhu'l-ʿAẓīmu'l-Ḥalīm. Lā ilāha illā'llāhu rabbu'l-ʿarshi'l-ʿaẓīm. Lā ilāha illā'llāhu rabbu's-samāwāti wa rabbu'l-arḍi wa rabbu'l-ʿarshi'l-karīm
There is no god but Allah, the Magnificent, the Forbearing. There is no god but Allah, Lord of the Mighty Throne. There is no god but Allah, Lord of the heavens and Lord of the earth and Lord of the noble Throne.
Sahih Bukhari 6346, Sahih Muslim 2730.
Du'a for Anxiety and Sorrow
The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) this du'a for moments of worry and sadness:
ٱللَّهُمَّ إِنِّى أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ ٱلْهَمِّ وَٱلْحَزَنِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ ٱلْعَجْزِ وَٱلْكَسَلِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ ٱلْجُبْنِ وَٱلْبُخْلِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ غَلَبَةِ ٱلدَّيْنِ وَقَهْرِ ٱلرِّجَالِ
Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika mina'l-hammi wa'l-ḥazan, wa aʿūdhu bika mina'l-ʿajzi wa'l-kasal, wa aʿūdhu bika mina'l-jubni wa'l-bukhl, wa aʿūdhu bika min ghalabati'd-dayni wa qahri'r-rijāl
O Allah, I seek refuge with You from worry and grief. I seek refuge with You from inability and laziness. I seek refuge with You from cowardice and miserliness. I seek refuge with You from being overwhelmed by debt and overpowered by people.
Sahih Bukhari 6369.
A Short Du'a When the Heart Is Heavy
When something weighed heavily on the Prophet (peace be upon him), he would call out:
يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ، بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيثُ
Yā Ḥayyu yā Qayyūm, bi-raḥmatika astaghīth
O Ever-Living, O Self-Sustaining, by Your mercy I seek your help.
Sunan at-Tirmidhi 3524 (hasan).
When You Cannot Sleep
Khalid ibn al-Walid (may Allah be pleased with him) complained to the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he could not sleep at night. The Prophet taught him this du'a:
ٱللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ ٱلسَّبْعِ وَمَا أَظَلَّتْ، وَرَبَّ ٱلْأَرَضِينَ وَمَا أَقَلَّتْ، وَرَبَّ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينِ وَمَا أَضَلَّتْ، كُنْ لِى جَارًا مِنْ شَرِّ خَلْقِكَ كُلِّهِمْ
Allāhumma rabba's-samāwāti's-sabʿi wa mā aẓallat, wa rabba'l-araḍīna wa mā aqallat, wa rabba'sh-shayāṭīni wa mā aḍallat, kun lī jāran min sharri khalqika kullihim
O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and what they shade, Lord of the earths and what they carry, Lord of the devils and those they lead astray — be a protector for me from the evil of all Your creation.
Musnad Ahmad 21097 (sahih, per al-Albani).
If anxiety is severe or persistent, please reach out to a doctor or mental health professional. Du'a and medical care are not opposites — they are partners. AskSakina has a Find Support page with helplines for the UK, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Arabic-speaking countries.
How to Use These Du'as
- You do not need to memorise the Arabic perfectly to benefit. Reading translation is valid.
- Repeat the du'a slowly, three times or seven times, until the words are inside the breath.
- Pair it with another act of worship — wudu, two rakaat of prayer, a short walk outside.
- Du'a is not a replacement for action: speak to a friend, a doctor, or a counsellor as well.
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