Duas for anxiety & stress. When the mind will not settle
The Sunnah gives anxiety and sorrow their own words. These supplications do not dismiss what you feel; they turn worry, grief, helplessness, and fear into a direct appeal to Allah (SWT).
14 sourced Du'as Arabic, transliteration, meaning, and source
Rabbi-shrah li sadri, wa yassir li amri, wa-hlul 'uqdatan min lisani, yafqahu qawli.
“My Lord, expand for me my chest, ease for me my task, and untie the knot from my tongue so they may understand my speech.”
Quran 20:25-28
Musa's prayer for calm, an easier task, clear speech, and words that people can understand. It is especially relevant before an exam, interview, presentation, difficult conversation, or public speaking.
“Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs.”
Quran 3:173
What Ibrahim (AS) said when thrown into the fire, and what the believers said when an army was being marched against them. The knock that opens every locked door.
La ilaha illa anta, subhanaka, inni kuntu mina-dh-dhalimin.
“There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.”
Quran 21:87 · Jami at-Tirmidhi 3505 (sahih)
The prayer of Prophet Yunus (AS) in profound distress: it begins with Allah's oneness, glorifies Him above every imperfection, and honestly admits one's own wrong. It is a sound dua when you feel trapped, regretful, or desperate for relief.
Rabbi a'udhu bika min hamazati-sh-shayatin, wa a'udhu bika Rabbi an yahdurun.
“My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the incitements of the devils, and I seek refuge in You, my Lord, lest they be present with me.”
Quran 23:97-98
A direct Quranic prayer for refuge from the prompting of devils and from their presence. It fits moments of temptation, agitation, recurring harmful thoughts, or spiritual unease.
Anni maghlubun fantasir, the call of Nuh (AS) when overpowered
أَنِّي مَغْلُوبٌ فَانْتَصِرْ
Anni maghlubun fantasir.
“Indeed, I am overpowered, so help.”
Quran 54:10
Nuh (AS) called on his Lord with these words after his people denied him, called him mad, and drove him back. Allah (SWT) answered by opening the gates of the sky (54:11).
Rabbana 'alayka tawakkalna wa ilayka anabna wa ilayka-l-masir. Rabbana la taj'alna fitnatan li-lladhina kafaru wa-ghfir lana Rabbana, innaka anta-l-'Azizu-l-Hakim.
“Our Lord, upon You we have relied, to You we have turned, and to You is the final return. Our Lord, do not make us a trial for those who disbelieve, and forgive us, our Lord. Indeed, You are the Exalted in Might, the Wise.”
Quran 60:4-5
Allah (SWT) holds up Ibrahim (AS) and those with him as an excellent example, and this was their du'a after they separated from their people's idol worship.
Hasbiyallahu la ilaha illa Huwa, 'alayhi tawakkaltu, wa Huwa Rabbu-l-'arshi-l-'adheem.
“Allah is sufficient for me. There is no god but He. In Him I have placed my trust, and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne.”
Quran 9:129
These words are from the Quran (at-Tawbah 9:129). Saying them seven times in the morning and seven times in the evening, with the promise that Allah (SWT) will suffice you in whatever concerns you, is reported from the Companion Abu ad-Darda' (Sunan Abi Dawud 5081). It is not authentic as a saying of the Prophet ﷺ: al-Albani graded that attribution fabricated (mawdu').
La ilaha illa-llahul-'adheemul-halim. La ilaha illa-llahu rabbul-'arshil-'adheem. La ilaha illa-llahu rabbus-samawati wa rabbul-ardi wa rabbul-'arshil-karim
“There is no god but Allah, the Great, the Forbearing. There is no god but Allah, Lord of the Mighty Throne. There is no god but Allah, Lord of the heavens, the earth, and the noble Throne.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 6346, Sahih Muslim 2730
The Prophet ﷺ would say this in times of distress.
Allahumma inni 'abduka, ibnu 'abdika, ibnu amatika, nasiyati biyadika, madin fiyya hukmuka, 'adlun fiyya qadauka. As'aluka bi-kulli ismin huwa laka, sammayta bihi nafsaka, aw anzaltahu fi kitabika, aw 'allamtahu ahadan min khalqika, aw ista'tharta bihi fi 'ilmil-ghaybi 'indaka, an taj'al al-qur'ana rabi'a qalbi, wa nura sadri, wa jila'a huzni, wa dhahaba hammi.
“O Allah, I am Your servant, son of Your servant, son of Your maidservant. My forehead is in Your hand. Your judgement upon 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, revealed in Your Book, taught any of Your creation, or kept hidden with Yourself in the knowledge of the unseen, make the Quran the springtime of my heart, the light of my chest, the remover of my sorrow, and the reliever of my distress.”
Musnad Ahmad 3712 (sahih)
Whoever says this, Allah (SWT) removes their sorrow and replaces it with joy.
La ilaha illa-llahu-l-'Adheemu-l-Halim, la ilaha illa-llahu Rabbu-l-'arshi-l-'adheem, la ilaha illa-llahu Rabbu-s-samawati wa Rabbu-l-ard wa Rabbu-l-'arshi-l-karim.
“There is no god but Allah, the Most Great, the Most Forbearing. There is no god but Allah, Lord of the Mighty Throne. There is no god but Allah, Lord of the heavens and Lord of the earth and Lord of the Noble Throne.”
Allahumma inni a'udhu bika mina-l-hammi wa-l-hazan, wa-l-'ajzi wa-l-kasal, wa-l-jubni wa-l-bukhl, wa dala'i-d-dayn, wa ghalabati-r-rijal.
“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, incapacity and laziness, cowardice and miserliness, the burden of debt, and being overpowered by people.”
Sahih al-Bukhari 6369
A comprehensive Prophetic dua addressing emotional pressure and the practical forces that can deepen it: helplessness, inaction, fear, withholding, debt, and being overpowered.
Allahumma rahmataka arju, fa la takilni ila nafsi tarfata 'ayn, wa aslih li sha'ni kullah, la ilaha illa ant
“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 of my affairs. There is no god but You.”
Sunan Abi Dawud 5090 (hasan)
The Prophet ﷺ called these the words of the one in distress.