Du'as for Distress and Anxiety
The Sunnah does not answer distress with a long formula. It answers with short, repeatable words: the du'a Yunus called from inside the darkness, the declaration of Allah's greatness the Prophet ﷺ said at moments of severe distress, and a direct request for refuge from worry, grief, and the things that produce them.
Updated July 16, 2026
- Surah Al-Anbya 21:87
وَذَا ٱلنُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَٰضِبٗا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقۡدِرَ عَلَيۡهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِي ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ أَن لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبۡحَٰنَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minaz-zalimin.
“And (mention) Dhu'n-Nun, when he went off in anger and deemed that We had no power over him, but he cried out in the darkness, saying: There is no Allah save Thee. Be Thou Glorified! Lo! I have been a wrong-doer”
The du'a of Yunus, called from within the darkness. Tirmidhi 3505 reports that no Muslim supplicates with it for anything except that Allah answers him.
Source: Quran 21:87
- Bukhari 6346
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَرَبُّ الْأَرْضِ وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ
La ilaha illallahul-'Azimul-Halim, la ilaha illallahu Rabbul-'Arshil-'Azim, la ilaha illallahu Rabbus-samawati wa Rabbul-ardi wa Rabbul-'Arshil-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.”
The du'a of karb — the words the Prophet ﷺ said at times of severe distress.
Source: Bukhari 6346
- Bukhari 6369
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ، وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ
Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-hammi wal-hazan, wal-'ajzi wal-kasal, wal-bukhli wal-jubn, wa dala'id-dayni wa ghalabatir-rijal.
“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from miserliness and cowardice, from the burden of debt and from being overpowered by men.”
A du'a the Prophet ﷺ said often; it names anxiety and sorrow alongside their common causes.
Source: Bukhari 6369
- Surah Ali 'Imran 3:173
ٱلَّذِينَ قَالَ لَهُمُ ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّ ٱلنَّاسَ قَدۡ جَمَعُواْ لَكُمۡ فَٱخۡشَوۡهُمۡ فَزَادَهُمۡ إِيمَٰنٗا وَقَالُواْ حَسۡبُنَا ٱللَّهُ وَنِعۡمَ ٱلۡوَكِيلُ
Hasbunallahu wa ni'mal-wakil.
“Those unto whom men said: Lo! the people have gathered against you, therefor fear them. (The threat of danger) but increased the faith of them and they cried: Allah is Sufficient for us! Most Excellent is He in Whom we trust”
The words of the believers when told to fear a gathered enemy — sufficiency in Allah alone.
Source: Quran 3:173
Quranic du'as on this page: Arabic text — Tanzil Uthmani (public domain); English translation — Marmaduke Pickthall, “The Meaning of the Glorious Koran” (1930), public domain. Translations of hadith du'as are our own.
Frequently asked questions
What du'a is said for anxiety?
Bukhari 6369 records the Prophet ﷺ seeking refuge from worry and grief ('al-hammi wal-hazan') together with incapacity, laziness, miserliness, cowardice, debt and being overpowered. For distress specifically, the du'a of karb in Bukhari 6346 declares Allah's greatness and forbearance.
What is the du'a of Yunus?
'La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minaz-zalimin' — 'There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers' (Quran 21:87), called by Yunus from within the darknesses. Tirmidhi 3505 reports that no Muslim supplicates with it for anything except that Allah answers him.
Does making du'a replace getting help for anxiety?
No. These du'as are remembrance, not a substitute for medical or professional care — the Prophet ﷺ both supplicated and instructed people to seek treatment. If anxiety is affecting your life, speak to a doctor as well.
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