5 Effective Duas for Anxiety [Tips and Guide to Overcome Anxiety]

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Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, and fear about future events. It’s an excessive feeling of uncertainty about what will happen tomorrow or sometime in the future. If left unsettled, this feeling becomes so strong that it starts to break us down, making us panic and extremely fearful about what’s coming next.

One of the best ways to deal with anxiety is to make a dua.

5 Effective Dua for Anxiety from Quran and Sahih Hadith (ﷺ)

1. Dua for Anxiety:

Anxiety normally occurs as a result of our unhealthy personal habits, one example is in laziness or procrastination. In which, we delay our tasks, procrastinate, and push ourselves into situations where we have to complete piles of work in a short timespan, i.e., assignment submission, exam or presentation prep. The first step is to identify and accept your fault, if any, instead of complaining to Allah about your situation.

Arabic: لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

Roman/ Transliteration: laa ‘ilaaha ‘illaa ‘Anlta subhaanaka ‘innee kuntu minadh-dhaalimeen

English Meaning: “There is none worthy of worship but You, glory is to You. Surely, I was among the wrongdoers.” – Surah Al-Anbiya – 21:87

2. Dua for Anxiety and Fear

Fear is a byproduct of anxiety. An anxious person is fearful of future events. As the future is unseen, only Allah knows about it, and He has the power to change it. One of the ways to deal with anxiety is to trust Allah with your future, have tawakkul, and make dua. The following is the best dua for anxiety and fear removal.

Arabic: وَأُفَوِّضُ أَمْرِي إِلَى اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ

Roman/ Transliteration: wa ufawwidhu amree ila Allahi innallaha baseerun bil ibaad

English Meaning: “I entrust my affair to Allah. Indeed, Allah is Seeing of [His] servants.” – Surah Ghafir – 40:44

3. Dua for Anxiety and Overthinking

Anxiety and overthinking are related, with one often leading to the other. If you’re anxious about something, you may also start overthinking about it. Overthinking can fill you with negative thoughts and worsen your anxiety. The following is the best dua for anxiety and overthinking, as it helps you ask Allah for betterment in your affairs and have faith in His ability to ease things that are not in your control.

Arabic: اللَّهُمَّ لاَ سَهْلَ إِلاَّ مَا جَعَلْتَهُ سَهْلاً وَأَنْتَ تَجْعَلُ الْحَزْنَ إِذَا شِئْتَ سَهْلاً

Roman/ Transliteration: allaahumma laa sahla ‘illaa maal ja’altahu sahlan wa ‘Anta taj’alul-hazna ‘ithaa shi’ta sahlan

English Meaning: “Oh Allah, there is no ease other than what You make easy. If You please You ease sorrow.” – Sahih Ibn Hibban (no. 2427) Authentic according to al-hafidh

4. Dua for Anxiety and Depression

People who are anxious about something, if have insecurities or confidence issues, can also become depressed. Anxiety has more to do with outside events, such as failing an exam, losing someone, or facing loss, while depression has more to do with your inner-self, such as thoughts of not being smart, worthy, or capable enough. If you’re anxious and depressed at the same time, this can make things far more unpleasant. This supplication is a perfect dua for anxiety and depression as it deals with both of these scenarios.”

Arabic: اللَّهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُو فَلاَ تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ

Roman/ Transliteration: allaahumma rahmataka ‘arjoo falaa takilnee ‘ilaa nafsee tarfata ‘aynin, wa ‘aslih lee sha’nee kullahu, laa’ilaaha ‘illaa ‘Anta

English Meaning: “Oh Allah, I hope for Your mercy. Do not leave me to myself even for the blinking of an eye (i.e. a moment). Correct all of my affairs for me. There is none worthy of worship but You.” – abu Dawud 4/324, Ahmad 5/42. Al-Albani graded it as good in Sahih Abu Dawud 3/959.

5. Dua for Anxiety and Stress

Stress can trigger anxiety and that can lead to more stress, when both exist together, things become very hard to manage for a person. Stress is an emotional or physical tension that occur when you have to change something in yourself or the situation while anxiety is fear and nervousness about the future. There is a powerful dua for anxiety and stress relief that can help you deal with such situations.

Arabic:  يَا حَىُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيثُ

Roman/ Transliteration: ya hayyu ya qayyum be rahmatika astagheeth

English Meaning: “O Living and Eternal Maintainer! By your mercy I seek help.” – Sunan Tirmidhi 3524

5 Steps Guide to Overcome Anxiety

The Islamic way of dealing with anxiety and stressful situations perfectly compliments scientific techniques.

In Surah Ash Shara (Quran 94: 1-8), Allah beautifully addresses and removes Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)’s anxiety with incredible advice. Here is the 5 steps quranic guide to follow whenever you face an anxious moment/situation.

1. Reflect on your positive past experiences

The first step to overcoming anxiety is to think about all the past experiences when Allah saved you from something really bad. Positive thinking, i.e., focusing on the positive experiences, is a great way to lessen short-term anxiety. Allah created humans and their psychology. He knew this, and hence, He urged Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) to remember all the times when Allah saved him from calamities and miseries in an incredibly soothing way.

2. Be relaxed

The second step to release anxiety is to be relaxed, and the Quranic way to achieve relaxation is to know that ‘with hardship, there is also ease.‘ This means that no matter how difficult the situation is, Allah is with you, and His help is always there.

Today’s psychology suggests practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, journaling, or walking barefoot to release anxiety. While you can also do so, Allah especially advises in Surah Ash-Sharh that He kept ease with every hardship, which should always be in your mind. It means that no matter how difficult the situation is, a door of hope is always there. The thought of this brings us calmness and tranquility.

3. Challenge your overthinking

The third step to overcome anxiety is to restructure your thoughts. You can do this by challenging your negative thoughts. For instance, if your mind is telling you that you’re weak and incapable, ask yourself, ‘Isn’t it that despite having so many flaws, you made it through so many hardships?’ You are not perfect, but you have Allah by your side, and His help pulls you out of heavy times. He intervenes in your matters and makes them good, and His help is present in this hardship too.

This is called cognitive restructuring in psychology, and in Surah Ash-Shura, Allah uses it as a tool to lessen Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)’s anxiety, as well as all of ours.

4. Do what you can

The fourth step to overcoming anxiety is to do what is in your hands in the present moment. Allah also advises in Surah Ash-Sharh to do what we can today.

Anxiety is not always bad. It’s a sign that there’s something wrong and something needs to be done to prevent danger from existing in the future. It is a sign to do better today to face a better tomorrow. Therefore, take your short-term anxiety as a chance to break the cycle of procrastination and laziness and do your unfinished work now.

5. Have tawakkul in Allah

“The fifth and final step to overcome short-term anxiety is to put your trust in Allah after you have done your part of the job.

Hope is a powerful tool to manage anxiety. Psychologists say that hope brings optimism and a positive outlook on the future, which is a great coping mechanism for anxiety. Since the future is in the hands of Allah, He advises us to trust Him after completing our tasks.”

Quick tips to battle anxiety:

Although the five-step guide will help you deal with short-term anxiety, it is also important to take care of your mind, body, heart, and soul.

Muhammad SAW said: “Verily, your own self has rights over you.”

Source: Sunan Abi Dawud 1369
Grade: Sahih/ authentic

Here are routine tips to follow and further reduce anxiety and take care of your overall wellbeing:

Mind:

  • Practice mindfulness: pay attention to the present moment without judgement
  •  Try a breathing exercise: take deep breaths on counts to 4
  •  Write for 2-3 mints daily to manage your emotions and thoughts

Body:

  • Eat healthy food, including herbal teas such as lavender and lemon balm, as well as tuna, salmon, whole grains, almonds, walnuts, and dark chocolate.
  • Take a warm and relaxing shower.
  • Spend at least 10 minutes outdoors every day.
  • Exercise for 15 to 20 minutes daily.
  • Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and drugs.
  • Get at least 8 hours of sleep every night.

Heart & Soul:

  • Offer 5 routine prayers
  • Make dua for anxiety
  • Give in charity whatever you can afford
  • Listen to Ruqyah
  •  Do something that makes you feel good, i.e., writing, making art, reading, being in nature, swimming etc.

Listen to Ruqyah (duas of relaxation, stress/anxiety relief)

Ruqya is a form of spiritual healing that can improve your emotional and spiritual health. Other than making dua for anxiety, listening to the Quranic recitation and Sunnah Duas can also help you heal from it, make you connected with your creator and transform your mindset, like listen to ruqaya provided by Omar Hisham al Arabi on YouTube and do take professional help whenever needed.

Conclusion:

When you read these five simple and effective duas for anxiety, you’ll be given peace and comfort during difficult times. Use the quick tips In your daily routine, and do follow the five-step guide to overcoming your short-term anxiety. Remember, it’s essential to take professional help whenever needed. May Allah grant you peace and tranquillity.

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