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If you are feeling depressed or unsatisfied, you’re not alone. They’re natural emotions of human beings and experiencing anxiety does not make you weak or indicate a lack of Iman (faith) in Allah Almighty.
Allah knows our condition and circumstances better than we do. Therefore, he has provided us with remedies for the trials of this world in the Quran and Sunnah of His Prophet (PBUH). These remedies are duas (supplications) that we can recite during stressful times.
Before we explore six simple yet powerful duas to relieve stress and anxiety, let’s understand how important belief in Allah is in times of helplessness and hardships.
While dealing with tough times, it is easy to start complaining to our Lord: why me? Why is this happening to me? Why is Allah testing me out of so many people? But we forget that whatever Allah plans for us, whatever happens to us (whether we think it is pleasing or displeasing), is indeed the best for us.
Do you recall the story of Prophet Yunus (AS), who was stranded in the belly of a whale, isolated from even the slightest glimpse of light, with no way out? He placed his hope and trust in Allah and recited the following words:
لاَّ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّى كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minaz zalimin
‘There is no god but You, exalted are You! Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.’
(Surah Al Anbiya, verse 87)
This incident shows how important our belief in Allah is. That’s why, even in our times of anxiety and stress, we should put our trust in Allah, who will ultimately relieve our pain.
Sometimes, we wonder if there’s any space for feelings of stress and anxiety in Islam. So let me tell you, even the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) experienced depression and grief during his journey of prophethood. No doubt, he is the best of all of creation, but as a human, he also experienced sorrow and anxiety.
There are many examples where Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) himself suffered from intense sadness. One of them was the year of sorrow which happened after the death of his wife, Khadija (RA), and his uncle, Abu Talib (RA). That same year, a socio-economic boycott was placed on him and the early Muslims by the quraysh. This added to the stress and made his grief even harder to bear.
Do you know the reason why Surah Ad-Duha was revealed? It was revealed to the Prophet (PBUH) at a time when he hadn't received any revelations from Allah for six months, not even through dreams! This made the Prophet (PBUH) feel very sad and worried. He started to think that Allah was upset with him, had forgotten about him, and no longer wanted him to be a prophet.
It was sent to the Prophet (PBUH) to comfort him and take away his sadness. It gave him hope and assured him that Allah was always with him, no matter what happened. Don’t we experience similar feelings in our lives? There are days when we feel like our level of Iman (faith) is low and our Khushoo (focus) in Salah (prayer) is wavering. We even feel like losing connection with Allah.
From it, we too can find hope and peace. It makes us realise that Allah never leaves us alone. Even if nobody understands you, He (the greatest and All-knowing) always listens to you and understands you.
Here are the 6 powerful duas you can read to relieve stress and depression in difficult times:
The following supplication addresses two kinds of mental health issues. The word ‘Hamm’ refers to anxiety about uncertainty in the future. Whereas, ‘Hazan’ means grief over what has passed. In such moments of grief, we know our beloved Prophet (PBUH) used to say,
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ الْهَمِّ وَالْحُزْنِ وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ
Allahumma inni a'udhu bika min al-hammi wal-huzni, wal-'ajzi wal-kasali, wal-bukhli wal-jubni, wa dala'id-dayni wa ghalabatir-rijal
‘O Allah! I seek refuge with You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from being heavily in debt and from being overpowered by (other) men.’
(Sahih al-Bukhari 6369)
So, when you are worried about your future or upset about something that happened to you, read this dua to seek Allah’s help and relieve stress.
Umm Salama (RA), the wife of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), reported Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said that If any servant of Allah suffers calamity, he/she should say:
إِنَّا للهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُوْنَ، اللَّهمَّ أْجُرْنِي فِي مُصِيْبَتِي، وَاخْلُفْ لِي خَيْرا ً مِنْهَا
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'oon, Allahumma ajurni fi musibati, wakhluf li khayran minha.
‘Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him, we shall return. O Allah, reward me in my affliction and replace it with something better for me.’
(Sahih Muslim, 918b)
These verses given below highlight that our Prophet (PBUH) also experienced sorrow and he was also affected by the care and concern for those who opposed the message of Islam. In the Quran, we read,
‘(O Prophet) will you grieve yourself to death over their denial, if they (continue to) disbelieve in this message?’
(Surah Al Kahf, verse 6)
And so then, Allah instructed our Prophet (PBUH),
‘So do not grieve yourself to death over them (O Prophet)...’
(Surah Fatir, verse 8)
There is a dua you can make in times when feeling hopeless, lonely and depressed. The holy Prophet (PBUH) advised his daughter to read this dua in the morning and evening:
اللّهُـمَّ رَحْمَتَـكَ أَرْجـو، فَلا تَكِلْنِي إِلى نَفْـسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْـن، وَأَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
Allahumma rahmataka arju, fala takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘ayn, wa aslih li sha’ni kullahu, la ilaha illa Anta.
‘O Allah, I hope for Your mercy. Do not leave me to myself even for the blinking of an eye (i.e., a moment). Correct all of my affairs for me. There is none worthy of worship but You.’
(Hisn al-Muslim, 123)
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Did you know there is a dua our beloved Prophet (PBUH) taught his wife Asma bint Umais (RA) to read at times of distress? Now that you know, you should also recite this supplication in distress:
اللَّهُ اللَّهُ رَبِّي لاَ أُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئً
Allah, Allahu Rabbi, la ushriku bihi shay’an
‘Allah, Allah is my Lord; I do not associate anything with Him.’
(Sunan Ibn Majah 3882)
Through this dua, we testify that Allah is the only Lord and that we do not associate anyone else with Him. It indicates our trust in the power of Allah to help us in despair.
In the hustle and bustle of every day, we are juggling many tasks at a time whether doing homework as a student, working in any company as an employee, or raising our children. Sometimes, we find some tasks difficult and feel stressed about how to manage them.
Prophet Musa (AS) made the given below dua seeking ease in his task when Allah commanded him to approach Pharaoh and deliver the message of truth. You should read this dua from the Quran to deal with everyday affairs without stress and anxiety:
رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي
Rabbi ishrah li sadri wa yassir li amri wa hlul uqdatam min lisani yafqahu qawli
‘Lord, lift up my heart and ease my task for me. Remove the impediment from my tongue so that they may understand my speech.’
(Surah Taha, Verse 25-28)
Remember, Allah is the source of all ease and can turn our burdens into blessings. It can feel overwhelming in times of difficulty and sorrow, and we may struggle to find peace or relief. It’s important to remember that no matter how heavy our hearts may feel, Allah's mercy and power are greater than any difficulty we face.
اللَّهُمَّ لاَ سَهْلَ إِلاَّ مَا جَعَلْتَهُ سَهْلاً، وَأَنْتَ تَجْعَلُ الْحَزْنَ إِذَا شِئْتَ سَهْلاً
Allahumma la sahla illa ma ja'altahu sahlan, wa anta taj'alu al-hazna idha shi'ta sahlan
‘O Allah, there is no ease other than what You make easy. If You please You ease sorrow.’
(Hisn al-Muslim, 139)
Want to know more duas (supplications) you can recite to ask Allah for courage in pain? Click here to learn Duas for patience in hard times.
There are some other Islamic ways you can cope with stress and anxiety. They’re the following:
1. First and foremost, we need to pray five times a day with as much concentration as we can to push away the evil whispers of the devil. It is the best way to seek Allah’s help. In Surah Al-Baqara, we read,
‘And seek help through patience and prayer…’
(Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 45)
2. Second, we must avoid all those actions that lead to more evil whispers. Things like shirk (associating partners with Allah), listening to music, watching inappropriate content, and earning money through haram (unlawful) ways can open the door to depression and negative thinking.
3. Third, do maximum dhikr (remembrance of Allah) every day to seek Allah’s help and comfort in times of sadness. It is mentioned in the Quran:
‘...Surely in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find comfort.’
(Surah Ar-Ra'd, verse 28)
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4. Fourth, reciting Astaghfar can also be very helpful for getting relief from anxiety. This is what our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has said about reciting Astaghfar:
‘If anyone constantly seeks pardon (from Allah), Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide sustenance for him from where he expects not.’
(Sunan Abi Dawud, 1518)
Note: If you’re struggling with severe mental health issues, besides these supplications, we encourage you to talk to your family and friends and reach out to seek professional mental health support for further guidance.
In short, turning to Allah is one of the best ways to seek relief from stress and anxiety. As long as you trust in Allah and His plan, He will certainly relieve every distress, anxiety, and financial problem you will ever face. Always remember that when you ask Allah for anything, he is always near.
Keep coming back to this blog occasionally to remind yourself of these impactful duas. Memorise them and teach them to your friends and family. May Allah make our affairs easy for us! Amin.
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