Prayers from the Quran for Relief from Distress
Certain verses in the Holy Quran contain profound supplications that emphasize the act of entrusting one’s affairs to Allah, the Almighty, and seeking refuge in Him during times of adversity and distress. Muslims can recite these supplications when faced with hardship or overwhelming challenges. Below are some of these notable prayers:
- (Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or made a mistake. Our Lord, lay not upon us a burden like that which You placed upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people.)
- (Sufficient for us is Allah, and He is the best disposer of affairs.)
- (My Lord is sufficient for me; there is no deity except Him. Upon Him, I have relied, and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne.)
- (Indeed, I complain of my grief and sorrow only to Allah.)
- (My Lord, expand for me my breast; and ease for me my task; and untie the knot from my tongue that they may understand my speech.)
- (Indeed, adversity has touched me, and You are the Most Merciful of the merciful.)
- (There is no deity except You; Exalted are You; indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.)
- (My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the whisperings of the devils, and I seek refuge in You, my Lord, lest they be present with me.)
Supplications from the Sunnah for Relief from Distress
The Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) encompasses various supplications and remembrances that a Muslim can recite during moments of distress, seeking their alleviation by the will of Allah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) would invoke these prayers during his hardships and teach them to his companions. Below are some supplications as narrated in prophetic traditions:
- (There is no deity except Allah, the Most Great, the Most Forbearing. There is no deity except Allah, the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and the Lord of the Mighty Throne.)
- (Allah, Allah, my Lord; I do not associate anything with Him.)
- (O Allah, I am Your servant, son of Your servant, son of Your maidservant. My forelock is in Your Hand; Your decree upon me is ongoing, and Your judgment concerning me is just. I ask You by every name that is Yours, which You have named Yourself, or revealed in Your Book, or taught to any of Your creation, or kept hidden with You in the knowledge of the unseen, to make the Quran the spring of my heart, the light of my sight, the removal of my sadness, and the dispeller of my anxiety.)
- (O Allah, Your mercy I hope, so do not leave me to myself even for the blink of an eye, and rectify for me all of my affairs; there is no deity except You.)
Prophetic Supplications for Alleviating Worries and Seeking Refuge from Misery
Certain hadiths include remembrances and supplications to be recited during times of worry and sorrow, as well as invocations for protection from affliction and its harm. Below are some of these supplications that can be recited during moments of grief and to seek relief, with Allah’s permission:
- (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and sadness, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and stinginess, from the burden of debt, and from the oppression of men.)
- (O Allah, I ask You for well-being in this life and the Hereafter. O Allah, I ask You for pardon and well-being in my religion, my worldly affairs, my family, and my wealth. O Allah, guard my defects and secure my fears. O Allah, protect me from in front of me, from behind me, from my right, from my left, and from above me. I seek refuge in Your greatness from being taken unaware from beneath me.)
- (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the hardship of affliction, from the depths of misery, from the evil decree, and from the gloating of enemies.)