Mushna Dua Library

Dua for Distress: La Ilaha Illallahul Azim

Hadith/Dhikr

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

Transliteration

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.

Translation

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.

Understand the dua

Background & benefit

Background

Ibn Abbas narrated the well-known distress wording in which the Prophet ﷺ magnified Allah with repeated tawhid and praised Him as Lord of the Throne, the heavens and the earth. Some related wordings use it as an opening before making a further personal request.

Benefit

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

When to recite

Recite when distressed, afraid, overwhelmed, or before making a personal dua in a difficult matter.

Source & authenticity

Source: Hadith/Dhikr

Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 6346; Sahih Muslim 2730

Authenticity: Sahih

Sahih

Related duas

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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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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HadithSahih

Dua at the Time of Distress

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

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

“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.”

Why this dua?

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.

Sahih al-Bukhari 6345; Sahih Muslim 2730a

reliefcalmtawhid

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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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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/accepted

Dua for Complete Reliance in Affairs

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

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

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

Why this dua?

Combines hope in Allah’s mercy, protection from self-reliance, and rectification of all affairs.

Sunan Abī Dāwūd 5090 (within a longer narration of morning/evening supplications and the dua of the distressed)

tawakkulguidancerelief

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Transliteration

Translation

Background & benefit

Source & authenticity

Categories

Related Adhkar collection

Related duas

Dua for Distress: Allah Allah Rabbi

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

Dua at the Time of Distress

Yunus in Distress

Do Not Burden Us Beyond Our Capacity

Dua for Complete Reliance in Affairs