Invocations to Soothe the Heart and Relieve Worry
Invocations from the Noble Quran
The recitation of the Noble Quran brings about solace and reassurance; nothing is more uplifting than the words of the Almighty that were revealed to the heart of the Messenger of Allah—peace be upon him. Below are some selected invocations from the Quran:
- (In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of all the worlds. The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Master of the Day of Judgment. You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help. Guide us on the Straight Path, the path of those who have received Your grace; not the path of those who have brought down wrath upon themselves, nor of those who have gone astray).
- (And [mention] Dhul-Nun when he went away in anger and thought that We would not constrain him. And he called out within the darkness, “There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers.” So We responded to him and saved him from distress. And thus do We save the believers).
- (He is Allah, there is no deity except Him. Knower of the unseen and the witnessed. He is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. He is Allah, there is no deity except Him, the Sovereign, the Most Pure, the Source of Peace, the Granter of Security, the Preserver, the Mighty, the Compeller, the Supreme. Exalted is Allah above whatever they associate with Him. He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner. To Him belong the best names. Whatever is in the heavens and earth is exalting Him. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise).
- (So to Allah belongs all praise, Lord of the heavens and Lord of the earth, Lord of the worlds. To Him belongs the greatness in the heavens and the earth, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise).
- (Praise is due to Allah, who created the heavens and the earth and made darkness and light; yet those who disbelieve equate [others] with their Lord).
- (Praise be to Allah, who has sent down upon His Servant the Book and has made therein no deviance, [it is] unchanging, that he may warn of a severe punishment from Him and give good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a good reward; wherein they will remain forever).
- (And before them the people of Noah denied [their messenger], and they said, “A madman,” and he was repelled. So he called upon his Lord, “Indeed, I am overwhelmed, so help me”).
Invocations from the Prophetic Tradition
Several authentic invocations from the Prophet Muhammad—peace be upon him—have been documented, which can be utilized in supplications:
- (O Allah, You are my Lord; there is no deity except You. You created me, and I am Your servant, and I am adhering to Your covenant as much as I am able. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I acknowledge Your favors upon me, and I acknowledge my sins. So forgive me, for there is no one who forgives sins except You).
- (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from laziness, old age, sin, and debt, and from the torment of the grave and the trial of the Fire. I seek refuge in You from the trial of wealth, and I seek refuge in You from the trial of poverty. I seek refuge in You from the trial of the Antichrist. O Allah, wash away my sins with snow and hail; cleanse my heart from sins as You have cleansed the white garment of dirt. Keep me away from my sins as far as You have kept the east from the west).
- (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and sadness, helplessness and laziness, stinginess and cowardice, the burden of debt, and the oppression of men).
- (O Allah, send prayers upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad as You sent prayers upon Ibrahim and upon the family of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious).
- (O Allah, I am Your servant, the son of Your servant, the son of Your maidservant. My forelock is in Your Hand. Your decree is established upon me; Your judgment is just concerning me. I ask You by every name that is Yours, which You have named Yourself, which You have taught to one of Your creation, or which You have revealed in Your Book, or which You have kept hidden in the knowledge of the unseen with You, to make the Quran the spring of my heart, the light of my chest, the removal of my sorrow, and the departure of my concern).
- (O Allah, I hope for Your mercy; so do not leave me to myself even for the blink of an eye. Correct for me all of my affairs; there is no deity except You).
General Invocations
A Muslim can supplicate as they wish; the doors of supplication are wide open. Here are some general invocations that can be used along with others:
- O Allah, I seek refuge in You from misguidance, or from being among those who lead Your creation astray.
- O Allah, grant me guidance towards what is right and proper, and ease my path.
- O Allah, O Most Merciful, O Most Compassionate, grant me success in all my affairs, and rectify my condition.
- O Allah, I place my trust in You and entrust all my affairs to You. Guide me and grant me success in all that I undertake.
- My Lord, lead me to a place of truth, and bring me out to a place of truth, and provide me a position of truth with an All-Powerful King.
- Help me, help me, O Mighty, O Praiseworthy, O Lord of the Glorious Throne. Divert from me the evil of every tyrant and wicked person.
- O Allah, I ask You, O You who are not distracted by requests, O You who are not burdened by hearing, O You who are not irritated by persistent appeals, I seek refuge in You from the trials of afflictions, the misery of despair, and the struggles of enmity.
- O Allah, relieve me and all Muslims of every hardship, distress, and tribulation.
- O Allah, I ask You for a near relief, and to shield me from what I can bear and what I cannot.
- O Allah, relieve me and all Muslims from every worry and grief, and bring us out of every crisis.
Statements of the Early Generations on Easing Worries
We have inherited many sayings from the righteous predecessors that discuss relieving worries and the close connection between relief and the proximity to Allah—The Exalted—for the believer. Below are some of these sayings:
- Abdullah ibn Abbas said, “If hardship enters a hole, relief will follow it until it enters with it.”
- Rashed ibn Sa’d narrated, “A man came to Abu Darda and asked him for advice. Abu Darda replied, ‘Remember Allah in times of ease, and He will remember you in times of hardship. When you think of the dead, consider yourself as one of them. When you are tempted by worldly desires, look to what will become of those desires.’
- Amr ibn Auhaiha Al-Ausi stated, “At the peak of hardship, relief is at hand, and during the tightest moments of tribulation, prosperity arises. I do not mind whether hardship or ease befalls me, for each will eventually pass with the one experiencing it.”
- Sufyan ibn Uyainah reported, “Muhammad ibn Ali passed by Muhammad ibn Al-Munkadir and noticed he looked distressed. Muhammad ibn Al-Munkadir replied, ‘It’s due to a debt that has weighed heavily on me.’ Muhammad ibn Ali suggested, ‘Turn to prayer, for there is a blessing for a servant in fulfilling a need that he prays for regardless of what it may be.’