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Duas to Make When Feeling Anxious

Specific duas for anxiety and worry, in Arabic and English, straight from the Qur'an and hadith, along with when and how to use each one.

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Short answer

The most direct dua for anxiety is "Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-hammi wal-hazan" (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief), which the Prophet ﷺ said often (Sahih al-Bukhari 6369). The dua of Prophet Yunus, "La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minaz-zalimin," and "La hawla wala quwwata illa billah" are also widely used in distress. Pair them with your five daily prayers, which the Qur'an describes as settling the heart.

Anxiety has a way of making your mind loop on the same worry without going anywhere. Islam does not treat this as something to just push through silently; the Prophet ﷺ himself turned to specific words in moments of worry and distress, often and by habit, not only in emergencies. These duas are worth learning, not as a one-time fix, but as something you reach for the way you would reach for anything familiar in a hard moment.

What is the main dua for anxiety and worry?

The dua most directly tied to anxiety and grief is one the Prophet ﷺ said regularly, not just in crisis moments. Anas bin Malik, who served the Prophet ﷺ closely, said he heard him say it often:

Arabic: Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-hammi wal-hazan, wal-'ajzi wal-kasal, wal-jubni wal-bukhl, wa dala'id-dayni wa ghalabatir-rijal (اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ، وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ)

Meaning: "O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, and from being overwhelmed by debt and overpowered by men."

This is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari 6369 and again in Sahih al-Bukhari 6363, where Anas describes hearing the Prophet ﷺ repeat it "often." Its scope covers more than acute anxiety: the emotional weight of worry and grief, the paralysis of feeling incapable, and the specific stress of debt or feeling overpowered by circumstances. Said regularly, morning and evening or whenever worry surfaces, it becomes a habit rather than an emergency measure.

What is the dua of Prophet Yunus (the dua of distress)?

When Prophet Yunus (Jonah) called out to Allah from inside the whale, in total darkness and what felt like a hopeless situation, he said:

Arabic: La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minaz-zalimin (لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ)

Meaning: "There is no god but You. Glory be to You. Indeed, I have been among the wrongdoers."

This dua is recorded in the Qur'an itself (Surah al-Anbiya, 21:87), and the Prophet ﷺ said of it: "No Muslim man supplicates with it for anything, ever, except Allah responds to him" (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3505). It is often described as the dua for when a situation feels like it has closed in on you from every side, with no obvious way out, which is exactly the feeling many forms of anxiety produce.

What is "La hawla wala quwwata illa billah" and when do you say it?

Arabic: La hawla wala quwwata illa billah (لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ)

Meaning: "There is no power and no strength except with Allah."

This short phrase is used for the specific feeling of helplessness, when something is simply out of your hands. It reframes the anxious thought "I can't control this" into "control was never mine to begin with; it belongs to Allah," which is a shift many people find genuinely settling rather than just comforting in words. It takes a few seconds to say and can be repeated as many times as needed.

Is there a dua specifically for a racing or heavy heart?

Alongside these fixed duas, scholars note that turning to Allah in your own words, describing exactly what is weighing on you, is itself a valid and encouraged form of dua. The Prophet ﷺ's own duas model the kind of thing to say (seeking refuge from worry, grief, and helplessness), but you are not limited to only reciting fixed Arabic phrases. Telling Allah plainly, "I feel overwhelmed, I don't know how this will work out, please make it easier for me," in whatever language is natural to you, is itself dua.

Does prayer itself help with anxiety?

Yes, and this is worth taking seriously rather than as a platitude. The Qur'an describes the effect of remembering Allah directly: "Those who believe and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah" (Surah ar-Ra'd, 13:28). Salah is the most repeated, structured form of that remembrance built into a Muslim's day, five fixed moments to step away from whatever is spinning in your head. If you have wondered whether yoga is a halal way to calm your mind, our guide on whether yoga is haram explains what scholars say.

Allah also says, "Indeed, with hardship comes ease" (Surah ash-Sharh, 94:5-6), stated twice in close succession for emphasis. That is not a promise that worry disappears instantly, but a reminder that what feels unbearable right now is not the whole story.

A simple way to use these duas

  • Morning and evening: say the Bukhari 6369 dua as a standing habit, not only when actively anxious, so it is already familiar when you need it most.
  • In the moment of acute worry: the dua of Yunus, said with sincerity, fits the feeling of a situation that seems to have no way out.
  • When something is simply beyond your control: "La hawla wala quwwata illa billah," as many times as you need.
  • Alongside, not instead of, your prayers: let these duas sit inside your five daily prayers, in sujood or after the tashahhud, rather than as a separate, occasional thing.

If anxiety is persistent, intense, or affecting your daily functioning, dua is a genuine support, not a replacement for also speaking to a doctor or therapist; Islam does not ask you to choose between spiritual and medical help.

Building the habit that holds you steady

The five daily prayers are the anchor these duas sit inside, and anchors work best when they are consistent. Salah Home helps you build that consistency: log each prayer with a tap, watch your streak grow, and earn Dates toward your own Salah Home, so the habit that steadies you is also one you can see building, prayer by prayer.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best dua to say when feeling anxious?

"Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-hammi wal-hazan" (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief) is the dua most directly tied to anxiety, and one the Prophet ﷺ said often, recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari 6369.

What is the dua of Yunus used for?

It is used in moments that feel overwhelming or hopeless, drawn from Prophet Yunus calling out to Allah from inside the whale. The Prophet ﷺ said that no Muslim supplicates with it for anything without Allah responding to him (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3505).

What does "La hawla wala quwwata illa billah" mean and when should I say it?

It means "there is no power and no strength except with Allah," and it is said specifically when facing something outside your control, reframing helplessness as trust in Allah's power rather than your own.

Can I just talk to Allah in my own words instead of reciting fixed duas?

Yes. Describing your exact worry to Allah in your own language is a valid and encouraged form of dua. Fixed Arabic duas are a model and a habit to build, not the only acceptable way to ask for help.

Should I rely only on dua for anxiety, or also seek other help?

Dua is a genuine support, but Islam does not ask you to choose between spiritual and medical help. If anxiety is persistent or affecting your daily life, speaking to a doctor or therapist alongside your dua and prayer is appropriate.

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