Prayers for Relief from Worries and Distress
Numerous authentic Hadiths, concerning the alleviation of worries and distress, have been narrated. Among them are the following:
- The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from stinginess and cowardice, from being overwhelmed by debt, and from the control of men.”
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stated: “O Allah, I hope for Your mercy, so do not leave me to myself even for the blink of an eye. Rectify all my affairs, there is no deity except You.”
- He also said: “Whenever a servant experiences a calamity and says: {Indeed, we belong to Allah and indeed to Him we will return}, ‘O Allah, reward me for my calamity and replace it with something better,’ except that Allah grants him a reward for his affliction and replaces it with something better.”
- Furthermore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned: “No one is afflicted by worry or grief and says: ‘O Allah, I am Your servant, the son of Your servant, the son of Your maidservant. My forelock is in Your hand, Your decree upon me is enforced, and Your judgment upon 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 any of Your creation, or reserved in the knowledge of the unseen with You, to make the Quran the spring of my heart, the light of my chest, the remedy for my sorrow, and the departure of my worry,’ except that Allah will relieve him of his worry and replace his grief with joy.”
Remembrances for Easing Worries and Distress
Remembrances (Dhikr) hold significant importance in alleviating distress and anxiety. Numerous phrases are recited for this purpose, including:
- Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that whenever he was troubled or distressed, he would say: “O Living One, O Sustainer, I beseech You for Your mercy.”
- The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) advised saying when in a state of fright: “I seek refuge in the complete words of Allah from His wrath, His punishment, the evil of His servants, and from the whispers of devils and their presence.”
- According to Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace be upon him) would invoke during times of distress: “There is no deity but Allah, the Most Great, the Most Forbearing. There is no deity except Allah, the Lord of the Great Throne. There is no deity except Allah, the Lord of the heavens and the earth and the Lord of the Noble Throne.”
- A hadith from Asma bint Umays (may Allah be pleased with her) recounts that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to her: “Should I not teach you words to say during distress? Say: Allah, Allah, my Lord, I do not associate anything with Him.”
- An authentic narration states: “No servant utters a word upon their death but that Allah will relieve them from their distress and brighten their face. The only thing that prevented me from asking about it was my ability to do so until he passed away.” Umar then said: “I know it.” Talha asked: “What is it?” Umar replied: “Do you know a word greater than the word He commanded his uncle with: There is no deity except Allah?” Talha remarked: “By Allah, that is it.”
Statements on Alleviating Distress
Many statements regarding the relief from distress have been recorded, including:
- Omar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote to Abu Ubaida ibn Al-Jarrah during his siege in Sham, saying: “Whatever hardship befalls you, Allah will provide for you a way out afterward. Indeed, difficulty is followed by ease. He advises: ‘Endure, be patient, and remain steadfast, and be conscious of Allah that you may succeed.’
- Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) stated: “If hardship enters a hole, ease will soon follow it; for Allah says: ‘Indeed, with hardship comes ease. Indeed, with hardship comes ease.’
- Rashid ibn Sa’ad relates that a man approached Abu Darda, asking for advice. Abu Darda responded: “Remember Allah in times of ease, and He will remember you in times of difficulty. When you recall the deceased, consider yourself as one of them. And when you are drawn towards something of the world, reflect on its outcome.”
- Amr Al-Awsi remarked: “At the peak of hardship comes relief, and when afflictions tighten, prosperity is near. I do not mind whether difficulty or ease descends upon me, for both will eventually cease to trouble their bearer.”
- Al-Hasan Al-Basri said: “It is astonishing how a distressed person neglects five things, while knowing what Allah has promised those who articulate them.” This refers to the verse: “And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient. Who, when disaster strikes them, say, ‘Indeed we belong to Allah and indeed to Him we will return.’ Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy, and it is those who are the rightly guided.”