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Trials and tribulations are a part of life. Unfortunately, as humans, we are unable to make sense of the hardships that surround us, which often leads to feelings of despair and hopelessness. These particular feelings are related to depression and anxiety. When one feels depressed or anxious, life seems to be downhill. As Muslims, we are gifted duas that can help us navigate our depression and anxiety. Although duas can ease a person’s depression, they may not be a permanent cure. Consulting a doctor for a diagnosis is always recommended.
Here are three duas you should say when you feel depressed.
1. Asking Allah To Fix All Your Affairs
اللَّهُمَّ أَصْلِحْ لِي دِينِي الَّذِي هُوَ عِصْمَةُ أَمْرِي، وأَصْلِحْ لِي دُنْيَايَ الَّتِي فِيها مَعَاشِي، وَأَصْلِحْ لِي آخِرَتِي الَّتِي فِيها مَعَادِي، واجْعَلِ الْحَيَاةَ زِيَادَةً لِي فِي كُلِّ خَيْرِ، وَاجْعَلِ الْمَوْتَ رَاحَةً لِي مِنْ كُلِّ شَرِّ
The Prophet ﷺ [Riyad as-Salihin 1472, Muslim]
Meaning: “O Allah, make my religion easy for me by virtue of which my affairs are protected, set right for me my world where my life exists, make good for me my Hereafter which is my resort to which I have to return, and make my life prone to perform all types of good, and make death a comfort for me from every evil.”
2. Calling Upon Allah’s Help
ربِّ] إنّي مَسَّنِـيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَـمُ الرَّاحِمِيـن]
Meaning: “Suffering has truly afflicted me, but you are the Most Merciful of the merciful.”
This is the dua of Prophet Ayub (A.S.) as Allah tells us:
وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ
The Quran (21:83)
Meaning: “And Job (Ayub), when he cried to his Lord, ‘Suffering has truly afflicted me, but you are the Most Merciful of the merciful.”
3. Seeking Refuge From Tribulations
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ، وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ، وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ
The Prophet ﷺ [Sahih al-Bukhari 6369]
Meaning: “O Allah! I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from being heavily in debt and from being overpowered by (other) men.”
4. Asking Allah For a Peaceful Life
رَبَّنَا أَصْلِحْ بَيْنَنَا، وَاهْدِنَا سَبِيلَ الإِسْلاَمِ، وَنَجِّنَا مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ، وَاصْرِفْ عَنَّا الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهْرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ، وَبَارِكْ لَنَا فِي أَسْمَاعِنَا وَأَبْصَارِنَا وَقُلُوبِنَا وَأَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا، وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ، وَاجْعَلْنَا شَاكِرِينَ لِنِعْمَتِكَ، مُثْنِينَ بِهَا، قَائِلِينَ بِهَا، وَأَتْمِمْهَا عَلَيْنَا
The Prophet ﷺ [Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 630, Al-Albani]
Meaning: “Our Lord, make peace between us and guide us on the path of Islam. Save us from the darkness (and bring us) to the light. Remove acts of deviance from us, both open and hidden. Bless us in our ears, our eyes, our hearts, our wives, and our children. Turn to us. You are the Ever-Turning back (to his slaves), Most Merciful. Make us thankful for Your blessing and make us among those who give praise for it and proclaim it. Perfect it for us.”
In fact, reading Quran and asking Allah to get you out of darkness to light can alleviate your depression, as Allah tells us:
يَهْدِى بِهِ ٱللَّهُ مَنِ ٱتَّبَعَ رِضْوَٰنَهُۥ سُبُلَ ٱلسَّلَـٰمِ وَيُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ إِلَى ٱلنُّورِ بِإِذْنِهِۦ وَيَهْدِيهِمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍۢ مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢ
The Quran (5:110)
Meaning: “Whereby Allah guides whomever closely follows His all-blessed Satisfaction in the ways of peace, and He brings them out of the darkness (es) into the light by His permission, and He guides them to a straight path.”
Using Duas To Ease Depression
من لزم الاستغفار، جعل الله له من كل ضيق مخرجًا ومن كل هم فرجًا، ورزقه من حيث لا يحتسب
The Prophet ﷺ [Riyad as-Salihin 1873, Abu Dawud]
Meaning: “If anyone constantly seeks pardon (from Allah), Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide sustenance for him from where he expects not.”
This is a reminder to not take trials and tribulations as a punishment but rather view them as a means to get closer to Allah.
If you’re interested in counseling with a Muslim therapist, check out Therapy for Muslims, the Muslim Association for Psychological Services, and the Institute for Muslim Mental Health. It’s okay to get professional help if you need it.