What is the best dua for anxiety in Islam?

The best dua for anxiety taught by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is: Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-hammi wal-hazan, wa a'udhu bika minal-'ajzi wal-kasal, wa a'udhu bika minal-jubni wal-bukhl, wa a'udhu bika min ghalabatid-dayni wa qahrir-rijal. Translation: O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, weakness and laziness, cowardice and miserliness, and from being overwhelmed by debt and oppressed by people. Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6369.

Dua for Anxiety/Pareshani ki Dua in Arabic

Q: Which Surah should I read for anxiety and stress?

Three Surahs are most directly connected to anxiety relief in Islam. Surah Ash-Sharh (Chapter 94) contains the promise: with hardship comes ease — repeated twice by Allah. Surah Ad-Duha (Chapter 93) was revealed when the Prophet himself felt distressed and is a direct message that Allah has not abandoned you. Surah Al-Baqarah verse 286 states: Allah does not burden a soul beyond what it can bear — a direct reminder when anxiety makes you feel overwhelmed.

Q: How many times should I read dua for anxiety?

There is no fixed number required. For the main dua from Bukhari, scholars recommend reading it three times after Fajr and three times after Asr as part of daily adhkar. For the dua of Prophet Yunus (La ilaha illa anta subhanaka), the hadith in Tirmidhi 3505 does not specify a number — sincerity matters more than count. For Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum from Tirmidhi 3524, say it whenever distress hits. The key is reading these duas daily as a habit, not only during moments of crisis.

Q: Can dua cure anxiety completely?

Dua brings real spiritual and emotional relief, but Islam's guidance says it works best alongside action. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: Tie your camel, then put your trust in Allah — meaning you do your part first, then rely on Allah. Dua is the reliance part. If your anxiety is persistent and affecting your daily life, please also speak to a doctor or counselor. The Prophet said: Allah has not sent down a disease except that He has also sent down a cure for it (Sahih Bukhari 5678). Seeking medical help alongside dua is exactly what Islam asks of you.

This is the most comprehensive prayer for anxiety found in the Sunnah. The Prophet ﷺ recited it frequently and taught it to his companions. It addresses concerns such as worry, sorrow, fatigue, indolence, timidity, indebtedness, and feeling dominated by others, basically every form of inner and outer pressure a person can face.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ غَلَبَةِ الدَّيْنِ وَقَهْرِ الرِّجَالِ

Transliteration

Allahumma inni a’udhu bika minal-hammi wal-hazan, wa a’udhu bika minal-‘ajzi wal-kasal, wa a’udhu bika minal-jubni wal-bukhl, wa a’udhu bika min ghalabatid-dayni wa qahrir-rijal.

Sahih al-Bukhari 6369 · Sunan an-Nasa’i 5476

Pareshani ki Dua/Dua for Anxiety in English

“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief. I seek refuge in You from weakness and laziness. I seek refuge in You from cowardice and miserliness. And I seek refuge in You from being overwhelmed by debt and from the oppression of people.”

Dua for Anxiety/Pareshani ki Dua in Urdu

اے اللہ، میں آپ کی پناہ مانگتا ہوں پریشانی اور غم سے، کمزوری اور سستی سے، بزدلی اور کنجوسی اور قرض کے بوجھ سے اور لوگوں کے غلبے سے۔

pareshani ki dua in urdu
dua for anxiety in urdu

Others dua for anxiety/ Pareshani ki Dua

Dua 2: The Dua of Prophet Yunus (A.S.)

Prophet Yunus (A.S.) was inside the belly of a whale, in the middle of the ocean, in total darkness. That is about as trapped as a human being can get. This is what he said. And Allah rescued him.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said about this dua: “No Muslim ever calls upon Allah with it in any matter, except that Allah will respond to him.” That is an extraordinary promise.

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. Indeed, I have been among the wrongdoers.”

آپ کے سوا کوئی معبود نہیں۔ آپ پاک ہیں۔ بے شک میں خود ہی ظالموں میں سے تھا۔

Reference: Surah Al-Anbiya, 21:87; Jami at-Tirmidhi 3505

Dua 3: Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum

Anas bin Malik (R.A.) narrated: “Whenever a matter would distress the Prophet ﷺ, he would say this.” This was the Prophet’s own go-to dua when things got hard.

يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيثُ

Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum, bi-rahmatika astaghith.
“O Ever-Living, O Self-Sustaining! In Your mercy I seek relief.”

اے ہمیشہ زندہ رہنے والے، اے سب کو قائم رکھنے والے! میں آپ کی رحمت کا سہارا مانگتا ہوں۔

Reference: Jami at-Tirmidhi 3524

Dua 4: HasbunAllahu wa Ni’mal Wakeel

When you have done everything you can and the outcome is still uncertain, this is for that moment.

حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ

HasbunAllahu wa ni’mal wakeel.
“Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs.”

ہمارے لیے اللہ کافی ہے، اور وہ بہترین کارساز ہے۔

Reference: Surah Al-Imran, 3:173. The Companions said this when they were told an army was coming to destroy them. Allah called it a statement of true faith.

Dua 5: Allahumma Rahmataka Arju

This dua was recorded from Abu Hurairah (R.A.), who said the Prophet ﷺ would raise his eyes to the sky and say this when facing serious difficulty.

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

Allahumma rahmataka arju fala takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘ayn, wa aslih li sha’ni kullahu, la ilaha illa ant.
“O Allah, it is Your mercy that I hope for. Do not leave me to myself even for a blink of an eye. Rectify all of my affairs for me. There is no deity except You.”

اے اللہ، میں آپ کی رحمت کا امیدوار ہوں۔ مجھے ایک پل کے لیے بھی اپنے نفس کے حوالے نہ کریں۔ میرے تمام معاملات درست فرما دیں۔ آپ کے سوا کوئی معبود نہیں۔

Reference: Abu Dawud 5090; classified as Hasan

Quranic Verses That Directly Address Anxiety

These are not duas in the traditional sense, but reciting and reflecting on them has a direct calming effect.

Surah Ash-Sharh (94:5-6)

فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا ۞ إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا

“Fa inna ma’al ‘usri yusra. Inna ma’al ‘usri yusra.”
“For indeed, with hardship comes ease. Indeed, with hardship comes ease.”

Surah Al-Baqarah (2:286)

لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا

La yukallifu Allahu nafsan illa wus’aha.
Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear.

Dua for Anxiety or Pareshani ki Dua in Islam

Everyone is affected by anxiety. You feel tight in the chest. You cannot sleep. You can’t sleep. You are worried about things that you can’t control. The Muslims refer to this as “hamm”, which is worry about the future, and “huzn”, which is grief over the past. Islam has specific duas to express these feelings. These are not general advice but the words that Prophet Muhammad used himself when he was distressed.
This article provides you with the Arabic text, translation in Urdu, and Quran references for those duas for anxiety, or pareshani ki dua.

A Simple Daily Routine

Only 5 minutes

You do not need hours. Just 5 minutes a day keeps anxiety from building up.

☼

After Fajr

Load your heart before the day starts

Read Dua 1 three times. This builds a shield before stress even arrives — not just when it hits.

Dua 1 — Allahumma inni a’udhu bika…

☀

During the day

The moment anxiety rises — say it immediately

Do not wait until you are overwhelmed. Read Dua 3 the second you feel it coming.

Dua 3 — Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum…

☾

At night before sleep

Reorient the heart before the mind wanders

Anxiety peaks at night when there are no distractions. Read Dua 5 and Ayatul Kursi to settle your heart before sleep.

Dua 5 — Allahumma rahmataka arju…

✓

Whenever something is out of your control

Say it and let it go

Exams, results, health, family — after you have done your part, read Dua 4 and hand it to Allah.

Dua 4 — HasbunAllahu wa ni’mal wakeel

One Important Note

These duas for anxiety do not replace professional assistance. The Prophet said, “Use medical treatment. Allah did not create a disease that does not have a cure.” (Abu Dawud). Mental health is the same as physical health. Please consult a doctor if your anxiety is severe or persistent. It may also be affecting your everyday life. It is not a contradiction to get help and have faith.

Dua	When to use	Reference
Allahumma inni a’udhu bika… اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ…	☼ Morning & evening General anxiety & daily adhkar	Sahih al-Bukhari 6369 Sunan an-Nasa’i 5476
La ilaha illa anta subhanaka… لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ…	■ When trapped Feeling hopeless or completely stuck	Surah Al-Anbiya 21:87 Tirmidhi 3505
Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum… يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ…	■ Distress hits Say immediately, before it peaks	Tirmidhi 3524 Classified Sahih
HasbunAllahu wa ni’mal wakeel حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ	✓ Out of your hands After exams, results, waiting	Surah Al-Imran 3:173 Quran — direct verse
Allahumma rahmataka arju… اللَّهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُو…	♥ Deep sadness Ongoing grief & before sleep	Sunan Abu Dawud 5090 Classified Hasan

May Allah remove every stress from your heart and replace it with sukoon. Ameen.

FAQS

What is the best dua for anxiety or pareshani ki dua in Islam?

The best dua for anxiety taught by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ غَلَبَةِ الدَّيْنِ وَقَهْرِ الرِّجَالِ

Which Surah should I read for anxiety and stress?

In Islam, three Surahs have the most direct connection to anxiety relief.
Surah Ash Sharh (Chapter 94) is the most direct. In the same Surah, Allah says twice: “Faina ma’al’usri’yusra”, which means “with difficulty comes ease.”
Surah Ad Duha (Chapter 93) was revealed after the Prophet experienced weeks without revelations and felt that Allah had abandoned him. This Surah is Allah’s response to grief. Allah said to him, “Your Lord is not abandoning you nor has He grown displeased.”
Surah Al-Baqarah verse 286 is one of the most comforting quotes in the Quran. “La yukallifu Allahu Nafsan Ila Wus’aha”, or “Allah doesn’t burden a soul more than it can handle.”

How many times should I read dua for anxiety?

The number of duas required to relieve anxiety is not fixed. The Prophet Muhammad and the scholars provide some guidance in this regard. Scholars suggest reading it in the morning and evening adhkar. It is common to read it three times after Fajr in the morning and then again in the evening.

Can dua cure anxiety completely?

Dua brings real, measurable spiritual and emotional relief, but Islam’s own guidance tells us it works best alongside action, not as a replacement for it.
The Prophet was asked what he thought of a man, who had left his camel untied and trusted in Allah. The Prophet responded: “Tie up your camel and then trust Allah.” Islam is based on this one sentence to deal with all problems, including anxiety. The first part is yours, and then you depend on Allah to do the rest. Dua is the part of reliance. This is not intended to replace the action. .

Related Islamic Duas & Articles

Dua for Anxiety/Pareshani ki Dua in Arabic

Pareshani ki Dua/Dua for Anxiety in English

Dua for Anxiety/Pareshani ki Dua in Urdu