I know this feeling well. Before one of my exams, I had studied really hard, but I was still worried about how it would go. So I made dua. I also reminded myself that one of Allah's names is Al-Fattah, the One who opens doors. Even if things didn't go exactly the way I planned, He could still open other doors for me. That thought calmed my nerves, and I stopped being so scared of the result.
This guide does one thing differently. It shows you which dua fits the kind of worry you have. It also shows you how to say each dua slowly, in time with your breathing.
Every dua here comes from the Qur'an or a trusted hadith book. We name the source for each one.
If you only remember one thing
The Prophet ﷺ asked Allah to protect him from worry and sadness. Needing these duas does not mean something is wrong with your faith.
Quick answer: the main dua for anxiety
The best-known dua the Prophet ﷺ made for worry is:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ
Allāhumma innī a'ūdhu bika minal-hammi wal-ḥazan
"O Allah, I ask You to protect me from worry and sadness."
Sahih al-Bukhari
That's the start of a longer dua. You'll find the full version below, plus eight more duas and which one fits how you feel.
Which dua for which moment
| If you feel... | Try this dua first |
|---|---|
| Worried about what will happen | Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-hammi wal-hazan |
| Like everything is too much | The dua for hard times (La ilaha illallahul-'Azimul-Halim) |
| A sudden rush of fear or panic | Hasbunallahu wa ni'mal wakil |
| Stuck feeling guilty | The dua of Yunus (La ilaha illa anta subhanaka) |
| Like you can't handle it alone | Allahumma rahmataka arju |
| Sad and worried at the same time | The dua for sadness (Allahumma inni 'abduk) |
| Overthinking and can't think clearly | Ya Hayyu ya Qayyum, bi rahmatika astaghith |
| Like a task is impossible | Allahumma la sahla illa ma ja'altahu sahla |
| Nervous before an exam, interview or hard talk | The dua of Musa (Rabbish-rah li sadri) |
Is your heart racing right now?
Read our guide on what to say during a panic attack first. Then come back here.
Nine duas for anxiety
The notes on when and how to say each dua are our own tips. They are not part of the hadith. The words of the dua and where they come from are what matter most.
1. When you're worried about what will happen
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ، وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ، وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ
Allāhumma innī a'ūdhu bika minal-hammi wal-ḥazan, wal-'ajzi wal-kasal, wal-bukhli wal-jubn, wa ḍala'id-dayni wa ghalabatir-rijāl.
"O Allah, I ask You to protect me from worry and sadness, from being weak and lazy, from being stingy and scared, from being crushed by debt, and from being controlled by other people."
Sahih al-Bukhari
When it helps: everyday worry about school, work, money or family. Hamm means worry about the future. Hazan means sadness about the past. This dua covers both.
2. When everything feels like too much
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَرَبُّ الْأَرْضِ وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ
Lā ilāha illallāhul-'Aẓīmul-Ḥalīm. Lā ilāha illallāhu Rabbul-'Arshil-'Aẓīm. Lā ilāha illallāhu Rabbus-samāwāti wa Rabbul-arḍi wa Rabbul-'Arshil-Karīm.
"There is no god but Allah, the Great, the Patient. There is no god but Allah, Lord of the Great Throne. There is no god but Allah, Lord of the skies, Lord of the earth, and Lord of the Noble Throne."
Sahih Muslim. The Prophet ﷺ said this when times were hard
When it helps: when you feel overwhelmed. This dua doesn't ask for anything. It reminds you that Allah is in charge of the whole universe. Next to that, your problem starts to feel smaller.
3. When fear hits suddenly
حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ
Ḥasbunallāhu wa ni'mal-wakīl.
"Allah is enough for us, and He is the best One to trust."
Qur'an, Surah Al 'Imran, 3:173
When it helps: panic, fear, or bad news. It's short, so you can say it even when you can't think of anything else.
4. When you feel guilty or stuck
لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
Lā ilāha illā anta subḥānaka innī kuntu minaẓ-ẓālimīn.
"There is no god but You. Glory be to You. I have done wrong."
Qur'an, Surah Al-Anbiya, 21:87. The words of Yunus (AS) inside the whale
When it helps: when your worry is mixed with guilt. It lets you admit a mistake without falling apart. Yunus (AS) said it from the darkest place you can imagine.
5. When you can't handle it alone
اللَّهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُو، فَلَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ، وَأَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ
Allāhumma raḥmataka arjū, fa lā takilnī ilā nafsī ṭarfata 'ayn, wa aṣliḥ lī sha'nī kullah, lā ilāha illā ant.
"O Allah, I hope for Your mercy. Don't leave me on my own, not even for a blink of an eye. Fix everything in my life. There is no god but You."
Sunan Abi Dawud. Known as the dua for someone in distress
When it helps: when you've been trying to cope all by yourself. Anxiety often feels like being left alone, and this dua says exactly that.
6. When you feel sad and worried
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، وَجِلَاءَ حُزْنِي، وَذَهَابَ هَمِّي
Allāhumma innī 'abduk, ibnu 'abdik, ibnu amatik, nāṣiyatī biyadik, māḍin fiyya ḥukmuk, 'adlun fiyya qaḍā'uk. As'aluka bikulli ismin huwa lak, sammayta bihi nafsak, aw anzaltahu fī kitābik, aw 'allamtahu aḥadan min khalqik, awista'tharta bihi fī 'ilmil-ghaybi 'indak, an taj'alal-Qur'āna rabī'a qalbī, wa nūra ṣadrī, wa jalā'a ḥuznī, wa dhahāba hammī.
"O Allah, I am Your servant, and my parents are Your servants. My life is in Your hands. What You decide for me happens, and what You decide is fair. I ask You by every one of Your names: the names You gave Yourself, the names in Your Book, the names You taught anyone, and the names only You know. Make the Qur'an the spring of my heart and the light of my chest. Let it take away my sadness and end my worry."
Musnad Ahmad, from Ibn Mas'ud
When it helps: when you feel low as well as anxious. Women can say innī amatuk, bintu 'abdik, bintu amatik, which means "I am Your servant, the daughter of Your servants."
7. When you're overthinking and can't think straight
يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ، بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيثُ
Yā Ḥayyu yā Qayyūm, bi raḥmatika astaghīth.
"O Ever-Living, O You who keeps everything going, I ask for help through Your mercy."
Jami' at-Tirmidhi. The Prophet ﷺ said this when something upset him
When it helps: when your thoughts are moving too fast for a long dua. It's only a few words, so you can repeat it with every breath.
8. When a task feels impossible
اللَّهُمَّ لَا سَهْلَ إِلَّا مَا جَعَلْتَهُ سَهْلًا، وَأَنْتَ تَجْعَلُ الْحَزْنَ إِذَا شِئْتَ سَهْلًا
Allāhumma lā sahla illā mā ja'altahu sahlā, wa anta taj'alul-ḥazna idhā shi'ta sahlā.
"O Allah, nothing is easy unless You make it easy. And if You want, You can make hard things easy."
Sahih Ibn Hibban
When it helps: when something ahead of you feels too big, like an exam, a deadline or a hard week. The word hazn means rough, rocky ground. You're asking Allah to turn a rocky path into a smooth one.
9. When you're nervous before something hard
رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِّن لِّسَانِي يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي
Rabbish-raḥ lī ṣadrī, wa yassir lī amrī, waḥlul 'uqdatan min lisānī, yafqahū qawlī.
"My Lord, open up my chest for me. Make my task easy for me. Untie the knot in my tongue, so they can understand what I say."
Qur'an, Surah Ta-Ha, 20:25-28. Musa (AS) before he went to speak to Pharaoh
When it helps: before an exam, a job interview, a presentation, or a hard talk with family. Anxiety often feels like a tight chest and a stuck voice. This dua asks for help with both. For more on exams in particular, see our guide to dua for exam stress.
How to say them with your breath
When you're anxious, you breathe faster. If you rush through a long dua, you can end up feeling even more rushed. Try this instead:
-
Breathe in slowly
Breathe in slowly through your nose.
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Say one part on the out breath
As you slowly breathe out, say one part of the dua. You can say it quietly or in your head.
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Pause, then carry on
Pause. Breathe in again. Say the next part.
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Repeat the short ones
For the short duas (3 and 7), repeat them for a few minutes. Say them once each time you breathe out.
Slow, steady breathing is an easy way to calm stress (NHS: breathing exercises for stress). Saying dhikr while you breathe keeps your mind on Allah instead of on your worry. Learn more in dhikr for anxiety, used properly.
Qur'an verses that calm a worried heart
These verses aren't duas. But many people feel calmer when they read them or say them over and over.
أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ
Alā bi dhikrillāhi taṭma'innul-qulūb.
"Truly, hearts find peace when they remember Allah."
Surah Ar-Ra'd, 13:28
فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا
Fa inna ma'al-'usri yusrā. Inna ma'al-'usri yusrā.
"So with hardship comes ease. With hardship comes ease."
Surah Ash-Sharh, 94:5-6. Allah makes this promise twice
لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا
Lā yukallifullāhu nafsan illā wus'ahā.
"Allah does not give anyone more than they can carry."
Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:286
Surah Ash-Sharh is short, so you can read the whole thing when your chest feels tight. It starts with Allah asking, "Did We not open up your chest for you?"
When worry makes it hard to focus on dua
A worried mind jumps around. That doesn't mean you aren't sincere. These tips can help:
- Pick one dua, not seven. One short dua said with care is better than a long list said in a rush.
- Use your own words too. Outside of salah, you can talk to Allah in any language. Tell Him what's really worrying you.
- Write it down. If the same thoughts keep going around in your head, write down the worry. Then write the dua under it. This helps get the worry out of your head.
- Come back when your mind wanders. Noticing that your mind wandered and coming back is part of it. It doesn't mean it isn't working.
Anchor Me
Three minutes of emergency grounding for when worry hits, using the 5-4-3-2-1 technique combined with dhikr. It is guided, so there is nothing to remember while it is happening.
Does needing these duas mean my iman is weak?
No. The first dua on this page is one the Prophet ﷺ made himself. He asked Allah to protect him from worry and sadness. Prophet Yaqub (AS) was so sad about losing his son Yusuf that his eyes turned white (Qur'an 12:84). Feeling anxious is part of being human. It doesn't prove your faith is weak. We explain this more in is anxiety a sign of weak iman?
Trusting Allah and getting help are not opposites. Our guide tawakkul when you can't stop worrying shows how they work together.
When you need more than dua
Dua is powerful. Getting support is powerful too. Please talk to someone if:
- worry stops you from studying, working, sleeping or praying on most days
- you have panic attacks often
- you've stopped eating well or you're staying away from people
- you have upsetting religious thoughts that won't go away (see waswas or OCD)
Getting help
In the UK, you can talk to your GP (family doctor). You can also sign yourself up for NHS Talking Therapies. If you're struggling right now, call Samaritans free on 116 123, day or night. If you're in danger, call 999. If you live outside the UK, call your local emergency number or a crisis line in your country.
Many Muslims find it easier to start with a counsellor who understands their faith. It's completely okay to ask for one.
Common questions
Can I make dua for anxiety in English?
Yes. Outside of salah, you can make dua in any language. The Arabic duas above are worth learning because they come from the Qur'an and the Sunnah. But Allah hears you in any words you use.
What is the best dua for anxiety?
There isn't one best dua. Dua number 1, for worry and sadness, is the one most about anxiety. If fear hits suddenly, the short ones (3 and 7) are easier to remember.
How many times should I say it?
The hadith above don't give a set number. Say a dua as many times as it helps. Come back to it whenever the worry comes back.
Can I say these duas for someone else who is anxious?
Yes. You can make dua for anyone. You can also teach them these words. Making dua for someone who isn't with you is a very loved act in Islam.
When is the best time to say these duas?
You can say them any time you feel worried. Many people also like to make dua in sujood, after salah, or late at night when it's quiet.
Can dua cure anxiety?
Dua is one of the strongest things a Muslim can do. But Islam also tells us to look for treatment. The Prophet ﷺ said that Allah has not sent down any illness without also sending down its cure (Sahih al-Bukhari). Making dua and getting help from a doctor or counsellor go together. You don't have to pick one.
What if I still feel anxious after making dua?
That doesn't mean Allah didn't hear you, or that you did it wrong. A hadith in Musnad Ahmad says every dua is answered in one of three ways. You get what you asked for, or it is saved as a reward for you in the next life, or a harm is kept away from you. Keep making dua, and keep taking the practical steps too. If the anxiety won't go away, that's a sign to talk to someone, not a sign your faith is weak.