Duas for hard times. When everything feels too heavy
The Quran teaches us specific words to say when life closes in — distress, fear, calamity. These are the supplications the prophets themselves turned to in their hardest moments.
Rabbana la tu'akhidhna in nasina aw akhta'na. Rabbana wa la tahmil 'alayna isran kama hamaltahu 'ala-lladhina min qablina. Rabbana wa la tuhammilna ma la taqata lana bih, wa'fu 'anna, wa-ghfir lana, wa-rhamna, anta Mawlana fa-nsurna 'ala-l-qawmi-l-kafirin.
“Our Lord, do not take us to task if we forget or err. Our Lord, lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, burden us not with what we have no strength to bear. Pardon us, forgive us, and have mercy on us. You are our Protector, so help us against those who reject faith.”
Quran 2:286
The closing two verses of Surat al-Baqarah, whoever recites them at night, they suffice him.
“Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs.”
Quran 3:173
What Ibrahim 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.
“My Lord, indeed I am, for whatever good You would send down to me, in need.”
Quran 28:24
Musa, hungry and on the run, said this after helping the two women at the well. He didn't ask for food, money, or shelter — only declared his need. Allah responded with all three. The classic dua for rizq.
La ilaha illa anta, subhanaka, inni kuntu mina-z-zalimin.
“There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.”
Quran 21:87
Yunus (Jonah) said this in the belly of the whale. The Prophet ﷺ said no Muslim makes this dua about any matter without Allah answering him. For when the situation feels impossible and the way out is unclear.
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.”
Sunan Abi Dawud 5081 (sahih)
Whoever says this seven times in the morning and seven times in the evening, Allah will suffice him for whatever matters him from the affairs of this world and the next.
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.”
Sunan Abi Dawud 5081 (sahih)
Whoever says this seven times in the morning and seven times in the evening, Allah will suffice him for whatever matters him from the affairs of this world and the next.
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, 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 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.”
Subhanallah, wal-hamdulillah, wa la ilaha illa-llah, wa-llahu akbar, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah.
“Glory to Allah, and all praise is His, and there is no god but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest, and there is no power or strength except with Allah.”
Jami at-Tirmidhi 3462 (hasan)
Often called the five treasures of paradise. Useful as a default dhikr anywhere.