When you feel hurt

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 · 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)

05 · A Comprehensive Duʿa

اَللّٰهُمَّ اقْسِمْ لَنَا مِنْ خَشْيَتِكَ مَا يَحُوْلُ بِهِ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ مَعَاصِيْكَ ، وَمِنْ طَاعَتِكَ مَا تُبَلِّغُنَا بِهِ جَنَّتَكَ ، وَمِنَ الْيَقِيْنِ مَا تُهَوِّنُ بِهِ عَلَيْنَا مُصِيْبَاتِ الدُّنْيَا ، اَللّٰهُمَّ مَتِّعْنَا بِأَسْمَاعِنَا ، وَأَبْصَارِنَا ، وَقُوَّتِنَا مَا أَحْيَيْتَنَا ، وَاجْعَلْهُ الْوَارِثَ مِنَّا ، وَاجْعَلْ ثَأْرَنَا عَلَىٰ مَنْ ظَلَمَنَا ، وَانْصُرْنَا عَلَىٰ مَنْ عَادَانَا ، وَلَا تَجْعَلْ مُصِيْبَتَنَا فِيْ دِيْنِنَا ، وَلَا تَجْعَلِ الدُّنْيَا أَكْبَرَ هَمِّنَا ، وَلَا مَبْلَغَ عِلْمِنَا ، وَلَا تُسَلِّطْ عَلَيْنَا مَنْ لَّا يَرْحَمُنَا.

Allāhumma-q-sim lanā min khashyatika mā yaḥūlu bihī baynanā wa bayna maʿāṣīk, wa min ṭāʿatika mā tuballighunā bihī jannatak, wa mina-l-yaqīni mā tuhawwinu bihī ʿalaynā muṣībātid-dunyā, allāhumma mattiʿnā bi asmāʿinā, wa abṣārinā, wa quwwātinā mā aḥyaytanā, wa-j-ʿalhu-l-wāritha minnā, wa-j-ʿal tha’ranā ʿalā man ẓalamanā, wa-n-ṣurnā ʿalā man ʿādānā, wa lā tajʿal muṣībatanā fī dīninā, wa lā tajʿali-d-dunyā akbara hamminā, wa lā mablagha ʿilminā, wa lā tusalliṭ ʿalaynā mal-lā yarḥamunā.

O Allah, apportion for us enough fear and awe of You to prevent us from sinning against You, and enough obedience to You to make us reach Your Paradise, and enough certainty to make the difficulties of this world easy for us. O Allah, let us enjoy our hearing and sight and strength as long as You allow us to live, and make it an inheritance for us. Let our retaliation be upon those who have wronged us, and help us against those who harbour enmity towards us. Let not our afflictions be in our religion. Do not make the world our biggest concern or the full extent of our knowledge, and do not give power over us to anyone who will not have mercy on us.

- ‘Abdullāh b. ‘Umar (radiy Allāhū ‘anhumā) said: “Rarely would the Messenger of Allah ﷺ rise from a gathering without supplicating for his companions with [the above].” (Tirmidhī 3502)

06 · Protection from Evil Traits & Endings

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْبُخْلِ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ أَنْ أُرَدَّ إِلَىٰ أَرْذَلِ الْعُمُرِ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الدُّنْيَا ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ.

Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika mina-l-bukhl, wa aʿūdhu bika mina-l-jubn, wa aʿūdhu bika an uradda ilā ardhali-l-ʿumur, wa aʿūdhu bika min fitnati-d-dunyā, wa aʿūdhu bika min ʿadhābi-l-qabr.

O Allah, I seek Your protection from miserliness and I seek Your protection from cowardice. I seek Your protection from being returned to the worst part of life (old age), I seek Your protection from the trials of the world, and I seek Your protection from the punishment of the grave.

- Saʿd b. Abī Waqqās (radiy Allāhū ‘anhu) would instruct (to seek refuge) about five things [the above] and he would narrate it from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . (Bukhārī 6370)

07 · Protection from Hunger & Treachery

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُوْعِ ، فَإِنَّهُ بِئْسَ الضَّجِيْعُ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخِيَانَةِ ، فَإِنَّهَا بِئْسَتِ الْبِطَانَةُ.

Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika mina-l-jūʿ, fa-innahū bi’sa-ḍ-ḍajīʿ, wa aʿūdhu bika mina-l-khiyānah, fa-innahā bi’sati-l-biṭānah.

O Allah, I seek Your protection from hunger, as it is indeed an evil companion and I seek Your protection from treachery, as it is an evil confidante.

- ِِAbū Hurayrah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrated that The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to say: [the above]. (Nasā’ī 5468)

08 · Protection from Bad Neighbours & Family Members

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ جَارِ السُّوْءِ ، وَمِنْ زَوْجٍ تُشَيِّبُنِيْ قَبْلَ المَشِيْبِ ، وَمِنْ وَّلَدٍ يَّكُوْنُ عَليَّ رَبًّا ، وَمِنْ مَّالٍ يَّكُوْنُ عَلَيَّ عَذَابًا ، وَمِنْ خَلِيْلٍ مَّاكِرٍ عَيْنُهُ تَرَانِيْ ، وَقَلْبُهُ يَرْعَانِيْ ، إِنْ رَأَىٰ حَسَنَةً دَفَنَهَا ، وَإِذَا رَأَىٰ سَيِّئَةً أَذَاعَهَا.

Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika min jāri-s-sū’, wa min zawjin tushayyibunī qabla-l-mashīb, wa min waladi-y-yakūnu ʿalayya rabbā, wa mi-m-māli-y-yakūnu ʿalayya ʿadhābā, wa min khalīli-m-mākir, ʿaynuhu tarānī, wa qalbuhū yarʿānī, ir-ra’ā ḥasanatan dafanahā wa idhā ra’ā sayyi’atan adhāʿahā.

O Allah, I seek Your protection from an evil neighbour; from a spouse who will age me ahead of time; from a child who will rule over me; from wealth that will become a punishment for me; from a cunning friend whose eyes see me yet his heart keeps guard over me: if he sees any good, he conceals it and if he sees any bad, he announces it.

- Abū Hurayrah (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that [the above] was from the supplication of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. (Tabarānī in al-Du’ā 1339)

09 · Unity, Guidance & Repentance

اَللّٰهُمَّ أَلِّفْ بَيْنَ قُلُوْبِنَا ، وَأَصْلِحْ ذَاتَ بَيْنِنَا ، وَاهْدِنَا سُبُلَ السَّلَامِ ، وَنَجِّنَا مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّوْرِ ، وَجَنِّبْنَا الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ ، وَبَارِكْ لَنَا فِيْ أَسْمَاعِنَا ، وَأَبْصَارِنَا ، وَقُلُوْبِنَا ، وَأَزْوَاجِنَا ، وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا ، وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيْمُ ، وَاجْعَلْنَا شَاكِرِيْنَ لِنِعَمِكَ مُثْنِيْنَ بِهَا عَلَيْكَ ، قَابِلِيْنَ لَهَا ، وَأَتْمِمْهَا عَلَيْنَا.

Allāhumma allif bayna qulūbinā, wa aṣliḥ dhāta bayninā, wa-hdinā subula-s-sālām, wa najjinā mina-ẓ-ẓulumāti ila-n-nūr, wa jannibna-l-fawāḥisha mā ẓahara minhā wa mā baṭan, wa bārik lanā fī asmāʿinā, wa abṣārinā, wa qulūbinā, wa azwājinā, wa dhurriyyātinā, wa tub ʿalaynā innaka Anta-t-Tawwābu-r-Raḥīm, wa-jʿalnā shākirīna li-niʿamik muthnīna bihā ʿalayk, qābilīna lahā, wa atmimhā ʿalaynā.

O Allah, unite our hearts, set aright our relationships, and guide us to the paths of peace. Bring us out of darknesses into light and protect us from evident and hidden obscenities. Bless us in our hearing, our sight, our hearts, our spouses and our children. Accept our repentance. Indeed, You truly are the Acceptor of repentance, the Ever-Merciful. Make us of those who are grateful for Your blessings, who praise You for them and acknowledge them. Perfect (the blessings) and make them last forever for us.

- Ibn Mas’ūd (raḍiy Allāhu ‘anhu) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said [the above]. (Hākim 977)

10 · 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.

11 · 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.

12 · 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)

13 · 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)

14 · 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)

15 · 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)