Duas for Anxiety
Calm your heart with authentic duas for worry, sorrow, and overwhelming emotion.
Background
Anxiety, worry, and sorrow are part of the human condition, and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught his Companions specific duas to lighten the heart and return tranquillity. The supplications below are drawn from Sahih hadith and the Quran. Recite them with sincerity and trust in Allah's mercy.
Authentic Duas (20)
Quranic Duas
Dua of Yunus ﷺ — La Ilaha Illa Anta Subhanak
لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.
Quranic Duas
Hasbunallahu wa Ni'mal Wakil
حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ
Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs.
Situations
Dua for Anxiety — Allahumma inni Abduk
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 أَحَدًا مِنْ خَلْقِكَ، أَوِ اسْتَأْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ عِنْدَكَ، أَنْ تَجْعَلَ الْقُرْآنَ رَبِيعَ قَلْبِي، وَنُورَ صَدْرِي، وَجَلَاءَ حُزْنِي، وَذَهَابَ هَمِّي
O Allah, I am Your servant, son of Your male servant, son of Your female servant. My forelock is in Your hand. Your judgment over me is assured, and Your decree concerning me is just. I ask You by every name belonging to You with which You have named Yourself, or revealed in Your Book, or taught any of Your creation, or kept hidden in the knowledge of the unseen with You — that You make the Quran the spring of my heart, the light of my chest, the departure of my sorrow, and the going away of my anxiety.
Evening Duas
Evening — Refuge from Anxiety and Laziness
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ غَلَبَةِ الدَّيْنِ وَقَهْرِ الرِّجَالِ
O Allah, I take refuge in You from worry and grief, from helplessness and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, and from being overcome by debt and overpowered by men.
Morning Duas
Morning — Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum
يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ، بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيثُ، أَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ، وَلَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ
O Ever-Living, O Self-Sustaining, by Your mercy I seek help — rectify all of my affairs, and do not leave me to myself even for the blink of an eye.
Morning Duas
Dua for Sleep — Seeking Refuge in Allah's Complete Words
عن عبد الله بن خبيب رضي الله عنه قال: قال لي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "اقرأْ قل هو الله أحدٌ، والمعوذتينِ، حين تمسي وحين تصبحُ، ثلاثَ مراتٍ، تكفيكَ من كلِّ شيءٍ". رواه أبو داود والترمذي وقال: حديث حسن غريب. وأحمد والنسائي. وصححه الألباني. (وهذه الآيات هي سورة الإخلاص وسورتي الفلق والناس)
Recite the chapter 'Say He is Allah, the One' (Al-Ikhlas), and the two seeking refuge chapters (Al-Falaq and An-Nas) when you enter the evening and when you enter the morning. Recite them three times each, and they will suffice you against all harm.
Sleep & Wake
Dua for Anxiety Before Sleep
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ السَّبْعِ، وَرَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، كُنْ لِي جَارًا مِنْ شَرِّ السَّمَاعِ وَالشَّرِّ الْقَدَرِ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ إِبْلِيسَ وَشَرَكِهِ، وَأَنْ يَكُونَ عَلَيَّ أَحَدٌ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُ، أَنْ يَفْرُطَ عَلَيَّ أَوْ أَنْ أَطْغَى، سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ.
O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and Lord of the Mighty Throne, be my shield against the evil of the sky and the evil of fate, and against the evil of Iblis and his accomplices. Protect me from anyone stronger than him, lest he should wrong me or transgress against me. Glory be to You, O Allah, there is no god but You.
Sleep & Wake
Dua for Protection Before Sleep
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِعِزَّتِكَ الَّتِي لاَ تَرْتَدُّ، أَنْ تُضِلَّنِي، أَنْتَ الْأَرْضُ وَالسَّمَوَاتُ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ، أَسْأَلُكَ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَكَ سَمَّيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ، أَوْ أَنْزَلْتَهُ فِي كِتَابِكَ، أَوْ عَلَّمْتَهُ أَحَدًا مِنْ خَلْقِكَ، أَوْ اسْتَأْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ عِنْدَكَ، أَنْ تَجْعَلَ الْقُرْآنَ رَبِيعَ قَلْبِي، وَنُورَ صَدْرِي، وَجِلَاءَ حُزْنِي، وَذَهَابَ هَمِّي.
O Allah, I seek refuge in Your might, which never wanes, that You lead me astray. You are the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is within them. I ask You by every name that You have called Yourself, or revealed in Your Book, or taught to any of Your creation, or kept to Yourself in the knowledge of the unseen which You possess, that You make the Quran the springtime of my heart, the light of my chest, the banisher of my sadness, and the reliever of my worries.
Daily Life
Seeking Refuge from Evil with Allah's Perfect Words
((أَعُوذُ بكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِي لاَ يُجَاوِزُهُنَّ بَرٌّ وَلاَ فَاجِرٌ: مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ، وَبَرَأَ وَذَرَأَ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَعْرُجُ فيهَا، وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا ذَرَأَ فِي الْأَرْضِ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا، وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتَنِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ طَارِقٍ إِلاَّ طَارِقاً يَطْرُقُ بِخَيْرٍ يَا رَحْمَنُ)).
I seek refuge in Allah's perfect words, which no righteous or wicked person can surpass. I seek refuge from the evil of all that He has created, from the evil of what descends from the heavens and what ascends to them, from the evil of what spreads across the earth and what emerges from it, and from the evil of the trials of the night and day, and the evil of every night visitor, except one who comes with good, O Most Merciful.
Situations
When Feeling Frightened — La ilaha illallah
((لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ!)).
None has the right to be worshipped except Allah!
Daily Life
Seeking Refuge from the Devil
((الْاسْتِعَاذَةُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْهُ)).
Seeking refuge with Allah from him (the devil).
Situations
Dua for Protection from Harmful People
((اللَّهُمَّ اكْفِنِيهِمْ بِمَا شِئْتَ)).
O Allah, suffice me against them with whatever You will.
Situations
Dua for Anguish — Allah is My Lord
((اللَّهُ اللَّهُ رَبِّي لاَ أُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئاً)).
Allah, Allah is my Lord; I do not associate any partners with Him.
Situations
Dua for Anguish — Allah, Your Mercy I Hope For
((اللَّهُمَّ 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. Do not leave me to my own affairs, even for the span of a single blink. Rectify all of my affairs for me; there is no god but You.
Situations
Dua for Anguish — La ilaha illallah al-azim al-halim
((لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ رَبُّ السَّمَوَاتِ وَرَبُّ الْأَرْضِ وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ)).
None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, the Mighty, the Forbearing. None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, Lord of the magnificent Throne. None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, Lord of the heavens, Lord of the earth, and Lord of the noble Throne.
Situations
Dua for Worry and Grief
((اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ، وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ)).
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, from weakness and laziness, from cowardice and stinginess, and from being overwhelmed by debt and by the domination of men.
Situations
Dua for a Bad Dream — Praying if Desired
((ويَقُومُ يُصَلِّي إِنْ أَرَادَ ذَلِكَ)).
If you have a bad dream, you can get up and pray.
Around Salah
Dua for Protection from Miserliness, Cowardice, Worst Old Age, and Grave Punishment
((اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْبُخْلِ، وَأَعوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ أَنْ أُرَدَّ إِلَى أَرْذَلِ الْعُمُرِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الدُّنْيَا وَعَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ)).
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from stinginess and from cowardice. I seek refuge in You from being returned to a decrepit old age. I seek refuge in You from the trials of this life and the punishment of the grave.
Sleep & Wake
After a Bad Dream — Audhu bi-Kalimatillah
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ غَضَبِهِ وَعِقَابِهِ، وَشَرِّ عِبَادِهِ، وَمِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَأَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ
I take refuge in the perfect words of Allah from His anger and punishment, from the evil of His servants, from the whisperings of devils, and from their presence.
Morning Duas
Morning — Hasbiyallahu La Ilaha Illa Huwa
حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ، عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ، وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ
Allah is sufficient for me; there is no god but He. Upon Him I rely, and He is the Lord of the mighty Throne.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a dua specifically for anxiety?
Yes. The most comprehensive is the Prophet's ﷺ dua beginning 'Allahumma inni abduk' recorded in Musnad Ahmad, in which the believer asks Allah to make the Qur'an the 'spring of the heart' and 'the departure of sorrow and anxiety'.
How often should I recite duas for anxiety?
There is no fixed count for non-stipulated duas; recite them sincerely whenever you feel anxious, particularly after the five daily prayers and as part of morning and evening remembrance.
What if I do not understand Arabic?
Reciting in Arabic is preferred, but you may also supplicate in your own language. Reading the transliteration and translation alongside the Arabic helps your heart connect with the meaning.