Dua for Anxiety and Stress

Lā ilāha illā Anta subḥānaka innī kuntu mina al-ẓālimīn

"There is no god except You; Glory be to You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.”

This is the dua Yunus (AS) recited from within the whale. The Prophet ﷺ said: "No Muslim supplicates with it for anything ever, except that Allah responds to him.” (Tirmidhi 3505)

Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika minal-hammi wal-ḥazan, wal-ʿajzi wal-kasal, wal-jubni wal-bukhl, wa ḍalaʿid-dayn wa ghalabatir-rijāl

"O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, from helplessness and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from the burden of debt and from being overpowered by men.”

This comprehensive dua covers eight major sources of human suffering. The Prophet ﷺ recited it regularly and taught it to his companions as a morning and evening supplication.

Ḥasbunallāhu wa niʿmal-wakīl

"Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.”

This was the statement of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) as he was thrown into the fire, and of the companions when told that armies gathered against them. It is a declaration of absolute trust in Allah.

Allāhumma raḥmataka arjū falā takilnī ilā nafsī ṭarfata ʿayn wa aṣliḥ lī shaʾnī kullahu lā ilāha illā Ant

"O Allah, it is Your mercy that I hope for, so do not leave me in charge of my affairs even for the blink of an eye. And rectify for me all of my affairs. None has the right to be worshipped except You.”

This beautiful dua acknowledges complete dependence upon Allah, which is the antidote to the illusion of control that drives much of human anxiety.

Lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāh

"There is no power nor strength except with Allah.”

The Prophet ﷺ described this as a treasure from the treasures of Paradise (Bukhari). Reciting it frequently during stress offloads the burden of personal capacity onto the infinite power of Allah.

Allāhumma innī ʿabduka, ibnu ʿabdika, ibnu amatika, nāṣiyatī biyadika, māḍin fiyya ḥukmuka, ʿadlun fiyya qaḍāʾuka… an tajʿalal-Qurʾāna rabīʿa qalbī wa nūra ṣadrī wa jalāʾa ḥuznī wa dhahāba hammī

"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… Make the Quran the spring of my heart, the light of my chest, the banisher of my sadness and the reliever of my distress.”

This is one of the most comprehensive duas for anxiety. The Prophet ﷺ said: "There is no-one who is afflicted with distress or grief and says this, except that Allah will remove his distress and grief and replace it with joy.” (Ahmad)

Rabbanā afrigh ʿalaynā ṣabran wa thabbit aqdāmanā wanṣurnā ʿalal-qawmil-kāfirīn

"Our Lord, pour upon us patience, make our feet firm, and give us victory over the disbelieving people.”

This was the dua of Talut’s army before battle. It is perfect when anxiety stems from ongoing challenges or sustained trials that require sabr (patient perseverance).

Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn

"Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.”

Allah promises those who say this upon calamity that He will send His blessings and mercy upon them (Quran 2:157). This acknowledgement of divine ownership immediately reframes anxiety rooted in loss.

Allāhu lā ilāha illā Huwal-Ḥayyul-Qayyūm. Lā taʾkhudhuhu sinatun wa lā nawm. Lahū mā fis-samāwāti wa mā fil-arḍ…

"Allah — there is no god except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth…”

Reciting Ayat al-Kursi after every obligatory prayer keeps one under the protection of Allah until the next prayer (Nasa’i). Its majestic reminder of Allah’s all-encompassing power dissolves the fears that fuel anxiety.

Allāhumma lā sahla illā mā jaʿaltahu sahlā, wa Anta tajʿalul-ḥazna idhā shiʾta sahlā

"O Allah, there is no ease except that which You make easy, and You make difficulty easy when You will.”

This short, powerful dua is a profound declaration that all ease flows from Allah alone. Recite it before a difficult meeting, exam, medical appointment, or any anxiety-inducing moment.