Dua for anxiety, worry and distress
The Prophet ﷺ taught specific duas for anxiety, worry and grief, including the du‘a asking Allah to make the Quran “the spring of my heart and the remover of my sadness”. Here they are with Arabic, meaning and source, with a note on looking after your mental health as well.
Last updated: 4 October 2026
The dua for worry and sadness
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 أَحَداً مِنْ خَلْقِكَ، أَوِ اسْتَأْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الغَيْبِ عِنْدَكَ، أَنْ تَجْعَلَ القُرْآنَ رَبِيعَ قَلْبِي، وَنُورَ صَدْرِي، وَجَلاَءَ حُزْنِي، وَذَهَابَ هَمِّي
“O Allah, I am Your servant, son of Your servant, son of Your maidservant. My forelock is in Your hand, Your judgement upon me is assured and Your decree concerning me is just. I ask You by every name that is Yours, with which You named Yourself, or revealed in Your Book, or taught to any of Your creation, or kept with You in the knowledge of the unseen, to make the Quran the spring of my heart, the light of my chest, the remover of my sadness and the reliever of my distress.”
The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever says this, Allah will remove his worry and grief and replace them with joy (Musnad Ahmad).
Source: Musnad Ahmad (graded sahih by al-Albani). Arabic text: Hisn al-MuslimSeeking refuge from anxiety
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ، وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ
“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, from weakness and laziness, from miserliness and cowardice, from the burden of debt and from being overpowered by others.”
Anas ibn Malik said the Prophet ﷺ often made this du‘a (Sahih al-Bukhari 6369).
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari. Arabic text: Hisn al-MuslimDuas in times of distress
لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ رَبُّ السَّمَوَاتِ وَرَبُّ الْأَرْضِ وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ
“There is no god but Allah, the Mighty, 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 and Sahih Muslim. Arabic text: Hisn al-Muslimاللَّهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُو، فَلاَ تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ، وَأَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ
“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 (graded hasan). Arabic text: Hisn al-MuslimThe du‘a of Yunus
لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظّالِمِينَ
La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minaz-zalimin.
“There is no god but You, glory be to You; indeed, I have been among the wrongdoers. (The du‘a of Yunus, Al-Anbiya 21:87.)”
“No Muslim calls upon his Lord with it for anything except that He answers him” (Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi 3505).
Source: Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi (graded sahih). Arabic text: Hisn al-MuslimPractical steps alongside dua
- Keep the five prayers, even when it is hard: “Seek help through patience and prayer” (Al-Baqarah 2:45).
- Recite or listen to the Quran daily, even a few verses; see how much Quran to read daily.
- Keep the morning and evening adhkar; see morning and evening adhkar.
- Talk to someone, a family member, an imam, or a professional. Seeking help is not a lack of faith.
- If you are struggling, speak to your GP or call NHS 111. The Samaritans are available on 116 123, day or night.
More du‘as for the heart: dua for forgiveness and istikhara dua for decisions, or browse all daily duas.
Stress often brings headaches; for the Sunnah du‘a for pain, see dua for headache.
Frequently asked questions
Is it wrong for a Muslim to feel anxious?
No. The prophets felt fear and grief; Ya‘qub wept for Yusuf until his eyes turned white (Yusuf 12:84). Feeling anxious is human; turning to Allah in it is worship.
Should I see a doctor as well as making dua?
Yes. Islam encourages seeking treatment: “Allah has not sent down a disease without sending down a cure for it” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5678). Du‘a and medical or psychological help go together. If you are in crisis in the UK, contact your GP, NHS 111 or the Samaritans on 116 123.
Which surah is good for anxiety?
Any recitation brings calm: “Surely in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest” (Ar-Ra‘d 13:28). Many find comfort in Surah Ad-Duha, Ash-Sharh (“with hardship comes ease”) and Surah Yusuf.
Find calm in the Quran
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