Supplications for Distress
It is recommended for Muslims to turn to Allah in supplication when overwhelmed by worries and facing difficulties. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) conveyed several prayers intended for alleviating distress, which include the following:
- The Prophet (peace be upon him) would say during times of hardship: “There is no god but Allah, the Most Great, the Most Forbearing. There is no god but Allah, Lord of the Mighty Throne. There is no god but Allah, Lord of the heavens and Lord of the earth and Lord of the Noble Throne.”
- “The supplication of Dhun-Nun when he called out from the belly of the whale: ‘There is no god but You; glory be to You! Indeed, I have been among the wrongdoers.’ No Muslim ever supplicated with it in a time of need except that Allah would respond to him.”
- “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from anxiety and sorrow, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from the burden of debt and the oppression of men.”
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whenever someone is afflicted with anxiety or sorrow and says: ‘O Allah, I am Your servant, son of Your servant, son of Your maidservant; my forelock is in Your Hand. Your decree concerning me is always enforced, and Your judgment concerning me is just. I ask You by every name that belongs to You, which You have named Yourself, or revealed in Your Book, or taught to one of Your creation, or preserved in the knowledge of the unseen with You, to make the Qur’an the spring of my heart, the light of my chest, the remover of my grief, and the depresser of my anxiety,’ then Allah will remove his anxiety and substitute his sorrow with joy.”
- It has been reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he said: “The supplications of those in distress are: ‘O Allah, I hope for Your mercy; do not abandon me to myself for the twinkling of an eye, and rectify all my affairs for me; there is no god but You.’”
- Ali ibn Abi Talib reported: “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) taught me these words and commanded me to say them in times of distress: ‘There is no god but Allah, the Most Generous, the Most Forbearing; may He be glorified. Blessed is Allah, Lord of the Mighty Throne; and praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.’”
- According to Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him): “Whenever the Prophet (peace be upon him) experienced distress, he would say: ‘O Ever-Living, O Sustainer! I seek help through Your mercy.’”
- A report from Asma’ bint Umays (may Allah be pleased with her) states: “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) taught me words to say in times of distress: ‘Allah, Allah, my Lord; I do not associate anything with Him.’”
Distress in the Holy Quran
Allah has promised His servants relief from their tribulations in His Noble Book. Among His verses that affirm this promise are:
- “For indeed, with hardship comes ease. Indeed, with hardship comes ease.”
- “Allah will make, after hardship, ease.”
- “The example of those before you shows that they were afflicted with hardship and adversity, and they were shaken until the Messenger and the believers with him said, ‘When will the victory of Allah come?’ Unquestionably, the victory of Allah is near.”
- “He is the One who enables you to travel on land and sea. Until, when you are in the ships, and they sail with them with a good wind and they rejoice in it, there comes a stormy wind, and the waves come to them from every place, and they think they are being overwhelmed. They supplicate Allah, sincere to Him in religion: ‘If You should save us from this, we will surely be among the grateful.’”
- “Say, ‘Who rescues you from the darknesses of land and sea when you call upon Him in humility and in secret: ‘If He should save us from this, we will surely be among the grateful’? Say, ‘Allah rescues you from it and from every distress, yet you still associate others with Him.’”
Means of Alleviating Distress
There are numerous ways to alleviate distress, including the following:
- Maintaining piety towards Allah, both secretly and openly, as Allah says: “And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out and will provide for him from where he does not expect.”
- Consistently performing prayers, as Allah states: “And seek help through patience and prayer. And indeed, it is difficult except for the humbly submissive.”
- Engaging in repentance and seeking forgiveness, for Allah says: “And O my people, seek forgiveness of your Lord, then turn to Him in repentance. He will send rain upon you in showers and increase you in strength.”
- Supplicating and showing reliance on Allah, as Allah tells us: “And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.”
- Trusting and relying on Allah, as He states: “And rely upon the Ever-Living who does not die.”
- Sending blessings upon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), as said in the verse: “Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, ask blessings upon him and greet him with peace.”