📖 10 min read
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
There are nights when the mind goes round in circles, when the heart tightens for no clear reason, and when tomorrow’s worries seem too heavy to bear. Anxiety — that vague fear of what might happen — and grief — the weight of what has already happened — are part of the human experience, and believers are not spared them. The Prophet ﷺ himself experienced sadness and worry. Rather than denying these feelings, Islam offers those who suffer deep resources to soothe the heart: a way of seeing the world, trust in Allah (tawakkul), and supplications that the Prophet ﷺ recited precisely at such times. This article brings these resources together — the believer’s mindset when facing trials and authentic duas for comfort — to help you through difficult moments. It naturally follows on from our article on patience (Sabr) in Islam, because enduring trials and finding peace of heart go hand in hand.
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ
“…those who believe and whose hearts find tranquillity in the remembrance of Allah. Surely, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find tranquillity.”
— Quran, Surah Ar-Ra’d (13:28)
📋 Table of contents
1. Feeling anxious does not mean a lack of faith
Let us begin by clearing up a harmful misunderstanding: feeling anxiety, sadness or fear does not mean that your faith is weak. This is a mistaken idea that makes people feel guilty. The prophets themselves experienced these emotions: Ya’qub عليه السلام wept over the loss of his son until he lost his sight, and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ went through a year of bereavement so heavy that it was called ‘the Year of Sorrow’ (‘am al-huzn).
The very fact that the Prophet ﷺ taught supplications specifically for anxiety and grief shows that these experiences are normal and to be expected. Faith is not the absence of suffering — it is what we turn towards within suffering. This distinction changes everything: it frees us from the double burden of suffering and then feeling guilty for suffering.
2. The believer’s mindset: tawakkul and letting go
Much anxiety arises from fear of the future and the illusion that we should control everything. Islam offers a powerful response here: tawakkul, trust placed in Allah. Tawakkul is not passivity — it does not mean ‘doing nothing and waiting’. It means taking the steps available to us, then entrusting the result to Allah and accepting that the outcome belongs to Him.
The Prophet ﷺ illustrated this balance with an image that has become well known. A man asked him whether he should leave his camel untied while relying on Allah. He replied:
“Tie it and place your trust in Allah.”
— Narrated by At-Tirmidhi (no. 2517), from Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه — Graded hasan
What this hadith means in practice: The believer does their part — tying their camel, meaning taking action, seeking advice and treatment, and preparing — then entrusts the rest to Allah instead of exhausting themselves trying to control what lies beyond their reach. It is precisely this transfer of the burden that brings comfort: we are no longer alone in carrying the weight of the outcome. Remembering that nothing happens without Allah’s permission, and that what missed us could not have reached us, dispels much worry.
3. Prophetic supplications for comfort
The Prophet ﷺ passed on specific supplications for moments of distress. Here are two of the most authentic and comprehensive.
The supplication for anxiety and grief
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ، وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ، وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ
Allahumma inni a’udhu bika mina-l-hammi wa-l-hazan, wa-l-‘ajzi wa-l-kasal, wa-l-bukhli wa-l-jubn, wa dala’i-d-dayn, wa ghalabati-r-rijal.
“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from anxiety and grief, from helplessness and laziness, from miserliness and cowardice, from the burden of debt and from being overpowered by others.”
— Narrated by Al-Bukhari (no. 6369), from Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه
This supplication is remarkable for its precision: it distinguishes hamm (anxiety directed towards the future, the fear of what has not yet happened) from hazan (grief directed towards the past, sadness over what has happened). The Prophet ﷺ names the affliction in order to entrust it to Allah — an approach that in itself helps us put our feelings into words.
The supplication of Yunus (Dhun-Nun)
When the Prophet Yunus عليه السلام found himself in the darkness of the whale’s belly, he called upon Allah with these words, and Allah saved him from his distress. It is one of the supplications most recommended in moments of deep anguish:
لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
La ilaha illa anta, subhanaka, inni kuntu mina-z-zalimin.
“There is no deity but You. Glory and purity be to You! Indeed, I have been among the wrongdoers (against myself).”
— Quran, Surah Al-Anbiya (21:87)
The Quran immediately adds: ‘We answered him and saved him from his distress. Thus do We save the believers’ (21:88) — a promise of deliverance for anyone who calls upon Allah in distress.
💛 An important, caring reminder: Supplications and faith are an immense source of comfort, but they do not conflict with receiving care. If your anxiety is intense, persistent or prevents you from living normally (sleep, work or relationships), it may be a sign of a treatable condition — and seeing a doctor or psychologist is part of the believer’s approach, just as treating physical pain is. The Prophet ﷺ taught: ‘O servants of Allah, seek treatment’ (narrated by Abu Dawud, no. 3855). Seeking help does not mean a lack of faith: it means taking practical steps, just as one ties one’s camel.
4. Dhikr: comfort for the heart
The opening verse of this article states it plainly: ‘Surely, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find tranquillity’ (Ar-Ra’d 13:28). The practice of dhikr — remembering Allah through repeated phrases — has a genuinely calming effect: it refocuses the mind, draws it away from rumination and brings it back to the present moment, under Allah’s gaze.
There is no need for complicated phrases. The simplest remembrances are the most effective when repeated with an attentive heart: SubhanAllah (Glory be to Allah), Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), La ilaha illa Allah (There is no deity but Allah), and seeking forgiveness (istighfar). Making these remembrances part of your day gradually transforms your inner state. Our guides to morning and evening supplications (Adhkar) and a daily supplication routine provide phrases you can readily bring into your everyday life.
5. Practical steps in everyday life
Turn to prayer: When something worried him, the Prophet ﷺ turned to prayer for refuge. Prostration, with the forehead touching the ground, is a moment of closeness and surrender that brings particular comfort.
Entrust your worries to Allah through dua: Speaking to Allah in your own words about what weighs on you brings real relief. You are never alone in facing worry.
Establish morning and evening adhkar: These daily remembrances offer protection and a regular anchor for the heart.
Live in the present moment: Anxiety feeds on ‘what if…’. Bringing your attention back to today and the task at hand interrupts the spiral.
Take care of your body: Sleep, healthy eating and physical activity are among the practical steps to take — body and soul are connected.
A companion to soothe your heart every day
Comforting supplications, adhkar and daily reminders at your fingertips, available free of charge on the Horizons Islamiques platform and app.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Is feeling anxious a sign of weak faith?
No, absolutely not — this is a mistaken idea that makes people feel guilty. The prophets themselves experienced sadness and worry: Ya’qub عليه السلام wept over the loss of his son, and the Prophet ﷺ went through ‘the Year of Sorrow’. The very fact that he taught supplications specifically for anxiety and grief shows that these emotions are normal and to be expected. Faith is not the absence of suffering, but what we turn towards within suffering.
Which supplication can you recite when you feel very distressed?
Two authentic supplications are particularly recommended. The first, narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari (no. 6369): ‘Allahumma inni a’udhu bika mina-l-hammi wa-l-hazan…’ (O Allah, I seek refuge in You from anxiety and grief…). The second is the supplication of Yunus عليه السلام (Quran 21:87): ‘La ilaha illa anta, subhanaka, inni kuntu mina-z-zalimin.’ You can repeat them with an attentive heart, as often as needed, sincerely believing in Allah’s ability to bring relief.
What is tawakkul, and how does it help with anxiety?
Tawakkul is trust placed in Allah. It is not passivity: it means taking the steps available to you, then entrusting the result to Allah. The Prophet ﷺ summed it up by telling a man: ‘Tie your camel and place your trust in Allah’ (Tirmidhi, no. 2517). This mindset soothes anxiety by lifting the burden of trying to control everything: you do your part and entrust to Allah what lies beyond your reach. Remembering that nothing happens without His permission dispels much worry.
Does dhikr really help calm the mind?
Yes, and the Quran states this explicitly: ‘Surely, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find tranquillity’ (Ar-Ra’d 13:28). Dhikr — repeating phrases such as SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah and La ilaha illa Allah — refocuses the mind, draws it away from rumination and brings it back to the present moment. There is no need for complicated phrases: simple remembrances, repeated with an attentive heart, are the most effective. Making them part of your day, particularly through morning and evening adhkar, gradually transforms your inner state.
Is faith enough, or should you also consult a professional?
The two do not conflict — quite the opposite. Supplications and faith are an immense source of comfort, but if anxiety is intense, persistent or prevents you from living normally (sleep, work or relationships), it may be a sign of a treatable condition. Seeing a doctor or psychologist is part of the believer’s approach, just as treating physical pain is: the Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Seek treatment.’ Seeking help does not mean a lack of faith; it means taking practical steps — just as one ties one’s camel.
Why does Allah allow believers to feel anxious?
Trials, including inner struggles, are part of life and have meaning in the Islamic worldview: they bring people closer to Allah, erase sins and raise the rank of those who endure patiently. The Prophet ﷺ said that no fatigue, illness, worry or sadness befalls a Muslim without Allah erasing some of their sins through it (Al-Bukhari). This does not make suffering pleasant, but gives it meaning: for the believer, a difficult moment is never empty or pointless.
Sources and references
Quran:
Surah Ar-Ra’d (13:28) — ‘Surely, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find tranquillity’
Surah Al-Anbiya (21:87–88) — Yunus’s supplication and his deliverance from distress
Hadiths:
Sahih Al-Bukhari (no. 6369) — The supplication for anxiety and grief (from Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه)
Jami’ at-Tirmidhi (no. 2517) — ‘Tie your camel and place your trust in Allah’ (from Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه) — Graded hasan
Sahih Al-Bukhari (nos. 5641–5642) — No fatigue or sadness befalls a Muslim without Allah erasing some of their sins through it (from Abu Sa’id and Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنهما)
Sunan Abi Dawud (no. 3855) — ‘O servants of Allah, seek treatment’: the prophetic command to seek a remedy (from Usamah ibn Sharik رضي الله عنه)
Further references:
Ibn al-Qayyim, Zad al-Ma’ad and Al-Fawa’id — On prophetic remedies for anxiety and the role of dhikr
An-Nawawi, Al-Adhkar — A collection of authentic supplications, including those for comfort
A caring reminder: this article offers spiritual and educational support. It does not replace medical or psychological care. If anxiety is severe or persistent, consulting a healthcare professional is fully consistent with the believer’s approach.
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