Duas for Anxiety and Depression: Finding Peace Through Supplication

You Are Not Alone in This

If you’re reading this with a heavy heart, know that you’re in good company. The Prophet (peace be upon him) experienced deep sadness. He lost his wife Khadijah, his uncle Abu Talib, his children, and faced rejection from his own people. There was an entire year known as the “Year of Grief.”

The companions experienced anxiety and depression too. Khalid ibn al-Walid couldn’t sleep from worry before battles. Abu Bakr wept regularly. The Quran addresses Maryam at her most vulnerable moment — alone, in labor, wishing she had never existed.

Mental struggle is not a sign of weak faith. It’s part of the human experience. And Allah, in His mercy, gave us words to say when the darkness settles in.

These duas are not magic formulas. They’re conversations with the One who created you, who knows you completely, and who is closer to you than your jugular vein. Use them as a lifeline when you need one.

The Comprehensive Dua for Anxiety and Grief

This is perhaps the most important dua for emotional distress, narrated in Musnad Ahmad:

Arabic: 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، وَجَلَاءَ حُزْنِي، وَذَهَابَ هَمِّي

Transliteration: Allahumma inni ‘abduka, ibnu ‘abdika, ibnu amatika, nasiyati biyadika, madin fiyya hukmuka, ‘adlun fiyya qada’uka, 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’alal-Qurana rabee’a qalbi, wa nura sadri, wa jala’a huzni, wa dhahaba hammi.

Translation: “O Allah, I am Your servant, son of Your servant, son of Your maidservant. My forelock is in Your hand. Your command over me is forever executed, and Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every name belonging to You which You have named Yourself with, or revealed in Your Book, or taught to any of Your creation, or have preserved in the knowledge of the Unseen with You — that You make the Quran the life of my heart, the light of my chest, the departure of my grief, and the release of my anxiety.”

The Prophet’s promise: He (peace be upon him) said: “There is no one who is afflicted with grief and anxiety and says this dua, except that Allah will take away his grief and replace it with joy.” The companions asked: “Should we learn this?” He said: “Yes, everyone who hears it should learn it.”

Duas for When Anxiety Strikes

The Dua of Yunus (peace be upon him)

When Prophet Yunus was trapped in the belly of the whale — in complete darkness, alone, with no apparent escape:

Arabic: لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

Transliteration: La ilaha illa Anta, Subhanaka, inni kuntu minadh-dhalimeen.

Translation: “There is no deity except You. Glory be to You. Indeed, I have been among the wrongdoers.”

When to use: When you feel trapped, when there seems to be no way out, when circumstances feel suffocating. Allah says: “So We responded to him and saved him from distress. And thus do We save the believers.” (Quran 21:87-88)

The Dua for Worry and Grief

Arabic: اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ، وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ، وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ

Transliteration: Allahumma inni a’udhu bika minal-hammi wal-hazan, wal-‘ajzi wal-kasal, wal-bukhli wal-jubn, wa dala’id-dayni wa ghalabatir-rijal.

Translation: “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, from inability and laziness, from miserliness and cowardice, and from the burden of debt and being overpowered by men.”

When to use: This was a dua the Prophet (peace be upon him) made regularly. Notice that it pairs hamm (worry about the future) with hazan (grief about the past) — together covering both directions of anxiety. It’s comprehensive: addressing both the emotional state and the practical circumstances that contribute to it.

The Dua for Distress

Arabic: اللَّهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُو فَلَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ

Transliteration: Allahumma rahmataka arju, fala takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘ayn, wa aslih li sha’ni kullahu, la ilaha illa Anta.

Translation: “O Allah, it is Your mercy that I hope for, so do not leave me to myself for the blink of an eye. Set right for me all of my affairs. There is no god but You.”

When to use: When you feel you cannot cope alone. When self-reliance has failed and you need to fully lean on Allah.

Duas for Depression and Heaviness of Heart

When the World Feels Dark

Arabic: اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ زَوَالِ نِعْمَتِكَ، وَتَحَوُّلِ عَافِيَتِكَ، وَفُجَاءَةِ نِقْمَتِكَ، وَجَمِيعِ سَخَطِكَ

Transliteration: Allahumma inni a’udhu bika min zawali ni’matika, wa tahawwuli ‘afiyatika, wa fuja’ati niqmatika, wa jamee’i sakhatika.

Translation: “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the decline of Your blessings, the passing of safety, the suddenness of Your punishment, and all forms of Your wrath.”

When to use: When blessings feel distant, when well-being seems to be slipping away, when you fear things getting worse.

For Patience and Relief

Arabic: يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيثُ

Transliteration: Ya Hayyu ya Qayyumu bi rahmatika astagheethu.

Translation: “O Ever-Living, O Sustainer, in Your mercy I seek relief.”

When to use: A short, powerful cry for help when you can’t form longer words. The Prophet (peace be upon him) would repeat this in difficulty.

The Dua of Musa (peace be upon him)

When Musa fled Egypt with nothing — no home, no family, no security:

Arabic: رَبِّ إِنِّي لِمَا أَنْزَلْتَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقِيرٌ

Transliteration: Rabbi inni lima anzalta ilayya min khayrin faqeer.

Translation: “My Lord, indeed I am, for whatever good You would send down to me, in need.”

When to use: When you feel depleted, empty, in need of Allah’s care and provision — material or emotional.

Quranic Verses for a Heavy Heart

Beyond specific duas, certain verses of the Quran carry particular comfort for the distressed:

“So verily, with hardship, there is relief. Verily, with hardship, there is relief.” (Quran 94:5-6)

Note that Allah says “with” hardship — not “after.” The relief is embedded within the difficulty itself, not postponed until some future moment.

“Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear.” (Quran 2:286)

If you are enduring it, you are capable of enduring it. Allah knows your capacity better than you do.

“And whoever fears Allah — He will make for him a way out. And will provide for him from where he does not expect.” (Quran 65:2-3)

The way out may not look like what you imagine. But it exists, and it’s guaranteed.

“And when My servants ask you concerning Me — indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.” (Quran 2:186)

He is near. Right now. In this moment of pain. He hears you.

How to Make Dua When You’re Struggling

When you’re depressed or anxious, even making dua can feel difficult. Here’s how to approach it:

It’s okay to cry. The Prophet (peace be upon him) cried during dua and said that this is a sign of a softened heart. Let the tears come.

You don’t need to be eloquent. Talk to Allah in your own language, in your own words. “Ya Allah, I’m struggling. Help me.” That’s valid dua.

Raise your hands. The physical act of lifting your palms changes your posture and your state. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said that Allah is too generous to let His servant raise their hands and send them back empty.

Be persistent. Don’t make dua once and give up. The Prophet (peace be upon him) would repeat his dua three times. Keep asking, keep knocking.

Combine dua with action. Make dua for relief AND take practical steps — see a counselor, adjust your sleep, reach out to a trusted friend, reduce screen time that worsens your mood.

A Note on Screen Time and Mental Health

Research consistently shows that excessive social media use correlates with increased anxiety and depression. The comparison, the constant stimulation, the disrupted sleep — these all compound mental health struggles.

If you’re experiencing depression or anxiety, one of the most immediate things you can do — alongside these duas and professional support — is reduce your exposure to content that darkens your mood. Replace scrolling time with dhikr, nature, or simply rest.

An app like Nafs can help here: it creates a structured exchange where screen time is balanced with spiritual practice, naturally reducing the mindless consumption that often worsens mental health.

When to Seek Additional Help

These duas are powerful and authentic. They provide genuine spiritual comfort and connection. But they are part of a complete approach, not the entirety of it.

Please seek professional help if:

• You’ve lost interest in things you used to enjoy for more than two weeks
• You’re having thoughts of self-harm
• You can’t perform basic daily functions
• Your anxiety prevents you from leaving the house or maintaining relationships

The Prophet (peace be upon him) told us to seek treatment. A therapist or counselor is a means that Allah has provided. Using both dua and professional support is the complete Sunnah approach.

For a deeper exploration of how dua works, the etiquette of supplication, and how to build a consistent dua practice, see our comprehensive dua guide.

You are worthy of peace. Allah wants ease for you. Keep asking, keep reaching, and know that dawn always follows the darkest part of the night.

Call upon Him. He is listening.

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Keep Reading

Start with the complete guide: Dua Guide: Connecting with Allah Through Supplication

• Dhikr for Anxiety: Islamic Remedies for a Restless Heart
• 30 Daily Duas Every Muslim Should Know
• Duas Before Sleep: The Complete Bedtime Supplication Guide

Ready to trade screen time for ibadah? Download Nafs free — 1 minute of worship = 1 minute of screen time.