Du’as to Relieve Stress and Anxiety | Blog

Anas (rA) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever is mainly concerned about the hereafter, Allah will make him feel independent of others and will make him focused and content, and his worldly affairs will fall into place. But whoever is mainly concerned with this world, Allah will make him feel in constant need of others and will make him distracted and unfocused, and he will get nothing of this world except what is decreed for him.” (Jami’ al-Tirmidhi, no. 2389)

This narration suggests that ultimately the most productive mindset for the believer to dispel feelings of stress and anxiety is to disengage our hearts—not our actions—from this worldly life and set our sights on the eternal abode. Nonetheless, anxiety and stress are natural emotions present in even the most pious of believers. The wisdom of the Islamic tradition acknowledges this and provides us a number of supplications that provide solace and healing for the believer.

 In an authentic narration, the Prophet ﷺ said, “There is absolutely no one amongst you who, when stricken with grief and anxiety, says,

except that Allah will remove his anxiety and grief and will replace it with joy.”

It was said [by the Companions], “Shall we not learn it?” He said, “Indeed, whoever hears it should learn it.” (Musnad Ahmad, no. 3528)

The first thing that should be noted is the power of this du’a that can replace every anxiety and every sadness of absolutely every believer.

The first theme of this du’a is submission. In declaring “I am Your slave, the child of Your male slave and the child of Your female slave,” we are expressing our absolute submission to Allah. In fact, the more one humbles themselves to Allah, the more Allah will honor them. Abu Huraira (rA) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Charity does not decrease wealth, no one forgives another except that Allah increases his honor, and no one humbles himself for the sake of Allah except Allah raises his status.” (Sahih Muslim, no. 2588)

The next line “my forelock is in Your hand” continues this theme of complete submission and control. However, some scholars say that it also signifies the submission of the intellect to Allah. Intellectual submission here should not be confused with turning one’s brain off. Rather, it indicates our knowledge of and contentment with our human limits and our understanding that we do not have ultimate control.

Then we declare our contentment with Allah’s decree (“Your judgment upon me is assured”) and our certainty that it will always be just. Compare this to someone who accuses their Lord of not being fair or just, questioning ‘Why me? Why is this happening to me?’ Rather, even in our times of anxiety and stress, we should trust and declare our certainty in the justice of Allah, who will ultimately relieve every pain.

One of the most blessed ways to ensure your supplications are answered is to call upon Allah with a name that fits your specific request. For example, when asking Allah for His mercy, we call on ar-Rahman. For His might, we call on al-Aziz. For His rizq, His sustenance, we pray to Ar-Razzaq. The wording in this supplication, however, is all encompassing. We not only call on Allah by every name of His we know, but even those He has kept hidden from us, because our supplication here could match one of His names we are unaware of. So, here we find peace by reinforcing our supplication “to make the Qur’an the spring of my heart” with the strength of the infinite wisdom contained in His names that lie beyond our imagination.

What does it mean for the Qur’an to become the spring of one’s heart? The scholars explain that it means to give life to the heart once again. Just like spring revives life after the death of winter, we ask Allah to revive our hearts after they have been deadened. Then we ask Allah to make the Qur’an the light of our chest, the banisher of our grief and the reliever of our anxiety. Light clarifies, it alleviates, it relieves. However, it would be strange to ask Allah to make the Qur’an revive your heart and banish your sadness if it is not a significant part of our lives. As with every other supplication, there has to be a deed that matches the supplication. So, in essence, we are asking Allah to reconfigure our relationship with the Qur’an, which will then guide us away from the darkness of confusion and uncertainty that plague the heart. And indeed the Qur’an is a cure; “Surely in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest” (Qur’an 13:28).

Our second supplication to relieve anxiety and stress comes from a poignant incident narrated by Abu Saeed al Khudri (rA), “One day the Prophet ﷺ entered the mosque, and saw a man from the Ansar who was named Abu Umamah. He said ‘O Abu Umamah, what is the matter (such) that I see you sitting in the mosque when it is not time for prayer?’ He said, ‘Worries and debts I have, O Messenger of Allah.’

He said ‘Shall I not teach you words if you say them, Allah, Exalted and Glorified be He, would remove your worries and settle your debts?’

 He said, ‘Of course, O Messenger of Allah.’

He said, ‘Say in the morning and in the evening,

He said, ‘When I did that, Allah removed my worries and settled my debt.’”(Sunan Abi Dawud, no. 1555)

This supplication addresses two forms of mental health. Hamm refers to anxiety about uncertainty in the future, while hazan is grief over what has passed. On such occasions of grief, we know the Prophet recited,

The supplication then continues by seeking refuge from inability and laziness. Al-ajz is when you have the will to do something, but you lack the ability. Al-kasl is when you have the ability, but lack the will. By making this supplication, we ask Allah to grant us both the will and ability to rise up to our responsibilities in spite of feelings of defeat.

Whereas the first part of this supplication addresses emotions, the second half engages with the cause of many of those emotions: cowardice and stinginess, poverty and political injustice.

Indeed, as global inflation makes daily expenses rise, financial issues and debt are the most common sources of concern for many. Another supplication for those struggling with debt and earning through halal means is:

These supplications offer a comprehensive approach to addressing both emotional and practical difficulties. In reciting these prayers regularly, we can seek divine assistance in overcoming anxiety, grief, and financial burdens, while also asking for the willpower and strength to navigate our personal trials with faithful resilience.

Part of the divine wisdom is that while we often forget our Lord, times of stress and anxiety remind us to turn to Him, knowing He is in control of everything. Therefore, times of stress often turn out to be blessings in disguise.

Ibn Abbas (rA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “If anyone constantly seeks forgiveness [from Allah], Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress, a relief from every anxiety and will provide sustenance for him where he does not expect it.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, no. 1518)

Therefore, so long as you as constantly seek forgiveness from Allah, in addition to using the supplications provided here, Allah will certainly relieve every distress, anxiety, and financial problem you will ever face. Ultimately, it is a sign of His ultimate care and concern for us that Allah would instruct the Prophet ﷺ or inspire through him these du’as through which we can turn to Him and relieve our stress and anxiety.

For more, see the video on du’as to relieve anxiety and manage anger by Sh. Omar Suleiman from the “A Du’a Away” series.