When you feel depressed

01 · Protect Yourself From Anxiety, Laziness & Debt

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ غَلَبَةِ الدَّيْنِ وَقَهْرِ الرِّجَالِ.

Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika min-l-hammi wa-l-ḥazan, wa aʿūdhu bika min-l-ʿajzi wa-l-kasal, wa aʿūdhu bika min-l-jubni wa-l-bukhl, wa aʿūdhu bika min ghalabati-d-dayni wa qahri-r-rijāl.

O Allah, I seek Your protection from anxiety and grief. I seek Your protection from inability and laziness. I seek Your protection from cowardice and miserliness, and I seek Your protection from being overcome by debt and being overpowered by men.

02 · Attain Well-being in This World and the Hereafter

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِيْ دِيْنِيْ وَدُنْيَايَ وَأَهْلِيْ وَمَالِيْ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِيْ وَآمِنْ رَّوْعَاتِيْ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ احْفَظْنِيْ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيَّ ، وَمِنْ خَلْفِيْ ، وَعَنْ يَّمِيْنِيْ ، وَعَنْ شِمَالِيْ ، وَمِنْ فَوْقِيْ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِعَظَمَتِكَ أَنْ أُغْتَالَ مِنْ تَحْتِيْ.

Allāhumma innī as’aluka-l-ʿāfiyata fi-d-dunyā wa-l-ākhirah. Allāhumma innī as’aluka-l-ʿafwa wa-l-ʿāfiyata fī dīnī wa dunyāya wa ahlī wa mālī, Allāhumma-stur ʿawrātī wa āmi-r-rawʿātī. Allāhumma-ḥfaẓnī mim bayni yadayya wa min khalfī, wa ʿay-yamīnī wa ʿan shimālī wa min fawqī, wa aʿūdhu bi-ʿaẓamatika an ughtāla min taḥtī.

O Allah, I ask You for well-being in this world and the next. O Allah, I ask You for forgiveness and well-being in my religion, in my worldly affairs, in my family and in my wealth. O Allah, conceal my faults and calm my fears. O Allah, guard me from in front of me and behind me, from my right, and from my left, and from above me. I seek protection in Your Greatness from being unexpectedly destroyed from beneath me.

- ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhumā) narrated: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ never failed to say these words in the morning and in the evening.” (Abū Dāwūd 5074)

03 · Allah Will Suffice You in Everything

حَسْبِيَ اللّٰهُ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ، عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ ، وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيْمِ.

Ḥasbiya-Allāhu lā ilāha illā Huwa, ʿalayhi tawakkalt, wa Huwa Rabbu-l-ʿArshi-l-ʿaẓīm.

Allah is sufficient for me. There is no god worthy of worship except Him. I have placed my trust in Him only and He is the Lord of the Magnificent Throne.

04 · Surah al-Fatihah: The Greatest Duʿa

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ ، اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ ، الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ ، مٰلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّيْنِ ، إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِيْنُ ، اِهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيْمَ ، صِرَاطَ الَّذِيْنَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوْبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّآلِّيْنَ.

Bismi-llāhi-r-Raḥmāni-r-Raḥīm. Alḥamdu-lillāhi Rabbi-l-ʿālamīn, ar-Raḥmāni-r-Raḥīm, Māliki yawmi-d-dīn, iyyāka naʿbudu wa iyyāka nastaʿīn, ihdina-ṣ-Ṣirāṭa-l-Mustaqīm, ṣirāṭa-lladhīna anʿamta ʿalayhim ghayri-l-maghḍūbi ʿālayhim wa la-ḍ-ḍāllīn.

In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Very Merciful. All praises and thanks are for Allah, the Lord of all the worlds, The All-Merciful, The Very Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgement. You Alone we worship, You Alone we ask for help. Guide us on the Straight Path, the path of those whom You have favoured, not of those who incur (Your) anger nor of those who have gone astray. (1:1-7)

05 · Duʿa of Prophet Musa ﷺ Expressing His Dire Need

رَبِّ إِنِّيْ لِمَآ أَنْزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيْرٌ.

Rabbi innī limā anzalta illayya min khayrin faqīr.

My Lord, truly I am in dire need of any good which You may send me. (28:24)

06 · Duʿa for Seeking Protection from Shaytan

رَبِّ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِيْنِ ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَنْ يَّحْضُرُوْنِ.

Rabbi aʿūdhu bika min hamazāti-sh-shayāṭīn. Wa aʿūdhu bika Rabbi ay-yaḥḍurūn.

My Lord, I seek protection with You from the promptings of the devils; and I seek protection in You, my Lord, from their coming near me. (23:97-98)

07 · Duʿa of Prophet Ayyub ﷺ for Times of Distress

-رَبِّ- أَنِّيْ مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنْتَ أَرْحَمُ الرّٰحِمِيْن.

(Rabbi) Annī massaniya-ḍ-ḍurru wa Anta Arḥamu-r-raḥimīn.

(My Lord), indeed adversity has touched me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful. (21:83)

08 · Protection From The Anguish of the World & Hereafter

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ ضِيْقِ الدُّنْيَا وَضِيْقِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ.

Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika min ḍīqi-d-dunyā wa ḍīqi yawmi-l-qiyāmah.

O Allah, I seek Your protection from the anguish of the world and the anguish of the Day of Judgement.

- Sharīq al-Hawzānī (raḥimahullāh) narrates that I entered upon Aisha (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhā) and I asked her: “With which supplication did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ begin his Salāh when he woke up at night?” She replied: “You have asked me regarding something which no one has asked me before.” When he woke up at night, he uttered: Allāhu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) ten times, and uttered Alḥamdullillāh (All praise be to Allah) ten times, and said Subḥāna-llāhi wa bi ḥamdih. (Allah is free from imperfection, and all praise is due to Him.) ten times, and said: Subḥānal Malik al-Quddūs (How perfect is the Sovereign, the Most Holy) ten times, and asked Allah’s forgiveness ten times, and said: “There is no god but Allah” ten times, and then said: [the above] ten times. He then began the Salāh. (Abū Dāwūd 5085)

09 · Entrust All Your Matters to Allah

يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّوْمُ ، بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيْثُ ، أَصْلِحْ لِيْ شَأْنِيْ كُلَّهُ ، وَلَا تَكِلْنِيْ إِلَىٰ نَفْسِيْ طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ.

Yā Ḥayyu yā Qayyūm, bi-raḥmatika astaghīth, aṣliḥ lī sha’nī kullah, wa lā takilnī ilā nafsī ṭarfata ʿayn.

O The Ever Living, The Sustainer of all. ; I seek assistance through Your mercy. Rectify all of my affairs and do not entrust me to myself for the blink of an eye.

- Anas b. Mālik (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said to Fāṭimah (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhā), “What is preventing you from (doing) what I am advising you; that you say [the above] in the morning and evening?” (Nasā’ī in ʿAmal al-Yawm wa-l-Laylah 570)

10 · Protection from Trials, Wretchedness, Bad Fate & the Gloating of Enemies

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ جَهْدِ الْبَلَاءِ ، وَدَرَكِ الشَّقَاءِ ، وَسُوْءِ الْقَضَاءِ ، وَشَمَاتَةِ الْأَعْدَاءِ.

Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika min jahdi-l-balā’, wa daraki-sh-shaqā’, wa sūi’-l-qaḍā’, wa shamātati-l-aʿdā’.

O Allah, I seek Your protection from severe trials, wretchedness, bad fate and that my enemies rejoice in my misery.

- Abū Hurayrah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to seek refuge with Allah from [the above]. (Bukhārī 6347)

11 · When One Is in a Difficult Situation

اَللّٰهُمَّ لَا سَهْلَ إِلَّا مَا جَعَلْتَهُ سَهْلًا ، وَأَنْتَ تَجْعَلُ الْحَزْنَ إِذَا شِئْتَ سَهْلًا

Allāhumma lā sahla illā mā jaʿaltahū sahlā, wa anta tajʿalu-l-ḥazna idhā shi’ta sahlā.

O Allah, there is no ease except in that which You have made easy; and You make the difficulty easy when You wish.

- Anas b. Malik (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: [the above]. (Ibn Ḥibbān 6737, Ibn al-Sunnī 351)

12 · When Struck by a Calamity

إِنَّا لِلّٰهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُوْنَ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اْجُرْنِيْ فِيْ مُصِيْبَتِيْ ، وَأَخْلِفْ لِيْ خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا

Innā lillāhi wa innā ilayhi rājiʿūn, Allāhumma-‘jurnī fī muṣībatī, wa akhlif lī khayram-minhā.

Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we will return. O Allah, recompense me for my affliction and replace it for me with something better.

13 · Grief & Anxiety #1

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ عَبْدُكَ ، وَابْنُ عَبْدِكَ ، وَابْنُ أَمَتِكَ ، نَاصِيَتِيْ بِيَدِكَ ، مَاضٍ فِيَّ حُكْمُكَ ، عَدْلٌ فِيَّ قَضَاؤُكَ ، أَسْأَلُكَ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَكَ ، سَمَّيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ ، أَوْ عَلَّمْتَهُ أَحَدًا مِّنْ خَلْقِكَ ، أَوْ أَنْزَلْتَهُ فِيْ كِتَابِكَ ، أَوِ اسْتَأْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِيْ عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ عِنْدَكَ ، أَنْ تَجْعَلَ الْقُرْآنَ رَبِيْعَ قَلْبِيْ ، وَنُوْرَ صَدْرِيْ ، وَجَلَاءَ حُزْنِيْ ، وَذَهَابَ هَمِّيْ

Allāhumma innī ʿabduk, wa-bnu ʿabdik, wa-bnu amatik, nāṣiyatī bi-yadik, māḍin fiyya ḥukmuk, ʿadlun fiyya qaḍā’uk, as’aluka bi-kulli-smin huwa lak, sammayta bihī nafsak, aw ʿallamtahū aḥadam-min khalqik, aw anzaltahū fī kitābik, awi-sta’tharta bihī fī ʿilmi-l-ghaybi ʿindak, an tajʿala-l-Qur’āna rabīʿa qalbī, wa nūra ṣadrī, wa jalā’a ḥuznī, wa dha-hāba hammī.

O Allah, I am Your servant and the son of Your male servant and the son of Your female servant. My forehead is in Your Hand (i.e. you have control over me). I am subject to Your judgement and Your decree concerning me is just. I ask You – by every name that is Yours, by which You have named Yourself, or taught any one of Your creation, or revealed in Your Book, or kept unto Yourself in the knowledge of the unseen that is with You – to make the Qur’ān the spring of my heart, the light of my chest, the banisher of my grief and the reliever of my anxiety.

14 · Grief & Anxiety #2

لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ الْعَظِيْمُ الْحَلِيْمُ ، لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيْمِ ، لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ رَبُّ السَّمٰـوٰتِ وَرَبُّ الْأَرْضِ وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيْمِ

Lā ilāha illā-llāhu-l-ʿĀẓīmu-l-Ḥalīm, lā ilāha illā-llāhu Rabbu-l-ʿĀrshi-l-ʿAẓīm, lā ilāha illā-llāhu Rabbu-s-samāwāti wa Rabbu-l-arḍi wa Rabbu-l-ʿĀrshi-l-karīm.

There is no god worthy of worship except Allah — the Supreme, the Forbearing. There is no god worthy of worship except Allah — Lord of the Magnificent Throne. There is no god worthy of worship except Allah — Lord of the heavens, Lord of the earth, and Lord of the Noble Throne.

- The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to supplicate with [the above] in times of distress. (Bukhārī 6345, Muslim 2730)

15 · When One Is Afraid of People #2

حَسْبُنَا اللّٰهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيْلُ

Ḥasbunallāhu wa niʿmal Wakīl.

Allah is enough for us and He is the Best Protector.

- Ibn ʿAbbās (radiy Allāhū ʿanhumā) narrated: “[The above] was said by Ibrāhīm (ʿalayhis-salām) when he was thrown into the fire; and it was said by Muḥammad ﷺ when (the hypocrites) said, ‘Your enemies have mobilised their forces against you, so fear them,’ — but this only increased them in faith and they replied: ‘Allah is enough for us and He is the Best Protector (3:173).’” (Bukhārī 4563)

16 · When One Feels Frightened

لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ

Lā ilāha illā-llāh.

There is no god worthy of worship except Allah.

- Zaynab b. Jaḥsh (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhā) said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ once entered her house in a state of fear and said, “[The above]. Woe to the Arabs from a danger that is imminent. An opening has been made today in the wall of Ya‘jūj and Ma‘jūj like this” and he made a circle with his thumb and index finger. Zaynab b. Jaḥsh said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Will we be destroyed even though there are pious people amongst us?” He ﷺ said, “Yes, when evil becomes widespread.” (Bukhārī 3346)

17 · For Difficult Times: All Your Prayers Answered

لَآ إِلٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّيْ كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِيْنَ

Lā ilāha illā Anta subḥānaka innī kuntu mina-ẓ-ẓālimīn.

There is no god worthy of worship except You; You are free from all imperfection. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers. (21:87)

18 · When Difficulties Make You Yearn for Death

اَللّٰهُمَّ أَحْيِنِيْ مَا كَانَتِ الْحَيَاةُ خَيْرًا لِّيْ ، وَتَوَفَّنِيْ إِذَا كَانَتِ الْوَفَاةُ خَيْرًا لِّيْ

Allāhumma aḥyinī mā kānati-l-ḥayātu khayral-lī, wa tawaffanī idhā kānati-l-wafātu khayral-lī.

O Allah, let me live as long as life is better for me; and give me death when death is better for me.

- The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “None of you should wish for death because of a difficulty that befalls him. Rather he should say [the above].” (Bukhārī 5671, Muslim 2680)

19 · When One Is Distressed

اَللّٰهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُوْ فَلَا تَكِلْنِيْ إِلٰى نَفْسِيْ طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ ، وَأَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِيْ كُلَّهُ ، لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ

Allāhumma raḥmataka arjū fa-lā takilnī ilā nafsī ṭarfata ʿayn, wa aṣliḥ lī sha’nī kullah, lā ilāha illā Ant.

O Allah! It is certainly Your Mercy what I hope for, so do not entrust me to myself for the blink of an eye; and rectify all of my affairs. There is no god worthy of worship except You.

- The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The supplications of the distressed person are [the above].” (Abū Dāwūd 5090)