Prayer for Anxiety Islam
Anxiety is addressed directly in the Islamic tradition, and many people searching for a Christian prayer for anxiety are also curious how other faiths approach the same struggle. In Islam, the most widely cited response is a specific dua (supplication) attributed to the Prophet Muhammad for times of anxiety, sorrow, and distress, recorded in the hadith collections. Muslims are also taught to lean on trust in Allah's plan (tawakkul) and on verses of the Quran that speak to ease after hardship.
This page is offered informationally, respectfully summarizing that tradition rather than presenting it as this site's own devotional voice. Jewish tradition carries a parallel instinct: many turn to the Psalms (Tehillim), especially Psalm 23 and Psalm 121, during anxious seasons, and some practice hitbodedut — personal, spoken prayer in one's own words — a devotional habit associated with Rebbe Nachman of Breslov.
The Prophetic Dua for Anxiety and Sorrow
Transliteration: "Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-hammi wal-huzn, wal-'ajzi wal-kasal, wal-bukhli wal-jubn, wa dala'id-dayni wa ghalabatir-rijal." Translation: "O Allah, I seek refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of debts, and being overpowered by others." This dua is narrated by Anas ibn Malik and recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, and is commonly recited by Muslims specifically during periods of anxiety and distress.
A Short Dua of Trust
"Hasbunallahu wa ni'mal wakeel" — "Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs." This phrase, drawn from the Quran (3:173), is often repeated quietly during moments of fear or overwhelm as an expression of tawakkul, trust in God's sufficiency.
A Reflection on Ease After Hardship
Muslims are often reminded of Surah Ash-Sharh (94:5–6): "Indeed, with hardship comes ease. Indeed, with hardship comes ease." The repetition in the verse itself is traditionally understood as emphasis — that relief is not a distant possibility but something promised alongside the difficulty.
Scripture to pray
Those who believe and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah. Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.— Quran 13:28
Indeed, with hardship comes ease. Indeed, with hardship comes ease.— Quran 94:5–6
Frequently asked questions
What is the Islamic dua for anxiety?
The dua most commonly cited for anxiety is narrated by Anas ibn Malik in Sahih al-Bukhari: "Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-hammi wal-huzn…" — "O Allah, I seek refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, weakness and laziness…" It is recited during periods of distress as a direct request for relief from that specific combination of anxious feelings.
What does the Quran say about anxiety and worry?
The Quran repeatedly pairs remembrance of God with rest for the heart — Quran 13:28 says hearts find rest "in the remembrance of Allah" — and promises that difficulty is never final, as in Surah Ash-Sharh (94:5–6): "with hardship comes ease." Trust in God's plan, tawakkul, is presented as the practical response to anxiety rather than an abstract idea.
Do Jewish prayers address anxiety in a similar way?
Yes. Jewish tradition often turns to the Psalms during anxious times — Psalm 23 and Psalm 121 are frequently recited — and some practice hitbodedut, speaking to God privately in one's own words, a devotional habit especially associated with Rebbe Nachman of Breslov. As in Islam and Christianity, the instinct is the same: bring the anxious heart into direct address with God rather than facing it alone.