Mushna Dua Library

Dua at the Time of Distress

Hadith

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ، رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ

Transliteration

Lā ilāha illā llāhu l-ʿaẓīmu l-ḥalīm, lā ilāha illā llāhu rabbu s-samāwāti wa l-arḍi, rabbu l-ʿarshi l-ʿaẓīm.

Translation

“There is no god except Allah, the Magnificent, the Forbearing. There is no god except Allah, Lord of the heavens and the earth, Lord of the Mighty Throne.”

Understand the dua

Background & benefit

Background

Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنهما narrated that the Prophet ﷺ used to say this dua at times of distress. The wording does not begin by describing the problem; it begins by declaring Allah’s oneness, greatness, forbearance, and lordship over the Throne, the heavens, and the earth. This gives the dua a powerful spiritual direction: before asking for relief, the believer turns the heart back to who Allah is.

Benefit

This dua is especially meaningful during distress, fear, anxiety, pressure, or overwhelming difficulty. It teaches the believer to respond to hardship by magnifying Allah rather than magnifying the problem. The repeated tawhid reminds the heart that Allah is greater than the crisis, more forbearing than our weakness, and fully in control of the heavens, earth, and Throne.

When to recite

Recite during distress, hardship, fear, anxiety, panic, or overwhelming difficulty.

Virtue note

The cited narrations mention that the Prophet ﷺ would say this dua at times of distress. No fixed count or separate reward is mentioned in these reports.

Source & authenticity

Source: Hadith

Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 6345; Sahih Muslim 2730a

Authenticity: Sahih

This wording is explicitly reported as what the Prophet ﷺ used to say when he was distressed, so it can be used confidently for hardship and anxiety. Caution: Avoid mixing this dua with other “distress” supplications or attributing promised worldly outcomes; it is a form of glorification and turning to Allah, not a guarantee that a specific problem will be removed in a particular way

Related duas

QuranQuranic

Yunus in Distress

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minaz-zalimin

There is no deity except You; glory be to You; I have indeed been among the wrongdoers.

Why this dua?

It is widely used as a powerful dua in times of deep distress, helping a person acknowledge mistakes and cling to Allah alone for relief

Al-Anbiya’ 21:87

reliefforgivenessrepentance

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Hadith/DhikrSahih

Dua for Distress: La Ilaha Illallahul Azim

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْعَظِيمُ الْحَلِيمُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَرَبُّ الْأَرْضِ وَرَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْكَرِيمِ

Lā ilāha illā Allāhu al-ʿaẓīmu al-ḥalīm, lā ilāha illā Allāhu rabbu al-ʿarshi al-ʿaẓīm, lā ilāha illā Allāhu rabbu as-samāwāti wa rabbu al-arḍi wa rabbu al-ʿarshi al-karīm.

There is no god worthy of worship except Allah, the Magnificent, 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.

Why this dua?

For serious distress, fear and hardship, centering the heart on Allah’s greatness and control over all creation.

Sahih al-Bukhari 6346; Sahih Muslim 2730

relieftawhiddistress

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Hadith/DhikrHasan / accepted

Dua for Distress: Allah Allah Rabbi

اللَّهُ اللَّهُ رَبِّي، لَا أُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا

Allāhu Allāhu rabbī, lā ushriku bihi shay’ā.

Allah, Allah is my Lord; I do not associate anything with Him.

Why this dua?

For sadness, distress and emotional pressure, helping the believer return to the safety of tawhid.

Sunan Abī Dāwūd 1525; also reported with similar wording in Sunan Ibn Mājah 3882

tawhidreliefanxiety

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QuranQuranic

Do Not Burden Us Beyond Our Capacity

رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا أَنتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ

Rabbana la tu’akhidhna in nasina aw akhta’na, rabbana wa la tahmil ‘alayna isran kama hamaltahu ‘alalladhina min qablina, rabbana wa la tuhammilna ma la taqata lana bih, wa‘fu ‘anna waghfir lana warhamna, anta mawlana fansurna ‘alal-qawm il-kafirin

Our Lord, do not take us to task if we forget or make mistakes. Do not place on us a burden like those before us. Do not burden us beyond what we can bear. Pardon us, forgive us, and have mercy on us. You are our Protector, so grant us victory.

Why this dua?

For hardship, overwhelm, mistakes, forgiveness, and seeking Allah’s support.

Al-Baqarah 2:286

pardonforgivenessmercy

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Hadith/DhikrHasan

Dua for Severe Anxiety and Distress (Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum)

يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيثُ

Yā Ḥayyu yā Qayyūm, bi‑raḥmatika astaghīth.

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

Why this dua?

For stress and distress, asking the Ever-Living and Self-Sustaining Lord for rescue through His mercy.

Jāmiʿ al‑Tirmidhī 3524 (Chapters on Supplication)

reliefmercyanxiety

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DhikrHasan

Your Mercy I Hope For

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

Allahumma rahmataka arju fala takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘ayn wa aslih li sha’ni kullahu la ilaha illa ant

O Allah, I hope for Your mercy. Do not leave me to myself even for the blink of an eye, and set all my affairs right. None has the right to be worshipped except You.

Why this dua?

It reassures the heart that even when one feels overwhelmed or unstable, Allah’s mercy and care over every aspect of life are still available, and that we can ask not to be abandoned to our own poor judgment.

Hisn al-Muslim 123; attributed there to Abu Dawud and Ahmad

mercyrectificationrelief

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Transliteration

Translation

Background & benefit

Source & authenticity

Categories

Related Adhkar collection

Related duas

Yunus in Distress

Dua for Distress: La Ilaha Illallahul Azim

Dua for Distress: Allah Allah Rabbi

Do Not Burden Us Beyond Our Capacity

Dua for Severe Anxiety and Distress (Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum)

Your Mercy I Hope For