Dua is the weapon of the believer. It has the power to change our destiny, by Allah’s will. There is a dua for everything as Islam is a way of life. This post will look at some duas we can make to improve our mental health and reduce our stress, depression, and anxiety. duas for depression

Depression is a mental health illness which can severely impact one’s quality of life. Depression is among the most painful and difficult of all human experiences. It robs those who have it of energy, interest, and the will to make things better. It brings with it a profoundly negative view of the self, the world, and the future. During depression it seems as though nothing can change, as though you will never get better. We are all susceptible to periods of depression at certain points in our lives and that is normal. Temporary case of the blues – something we all experience – has nothing to do with real depression. True depression is not the blues, sadness or even grief. Depression is a treatable mental illness.

When the symptoms of depression last for more than a few weeks, please seek help from a professional. Symptoms can include some or all the following:

  • Sleeping too little or too much
  • Have gained or lost weight
  • Be highly agitated or sluggish and inert
  • Be extremely sad or very bad-tempered or both
  • Loss of interest in the pleasures of life, work, family and friends
  • Unable to concentrate and make decisions
  • Negative, anxious, trapped, unable to act
  • Despairing, guilty and unworthy
  • Loss of energy
  • Suicidal – expressing thoughts and sometimes making plans
  • Feeling of emptiness
  • Unexplained aches and pains

For individuals experiencing a period of grief, depression, anxiety, and stress, triggered by unforeseen situations, these duas may help by reminding us of Allah’s Might, Power, and instilling in us a sense of hope.

For those who are struggling with depression, the duas for depression mentioned in this article are to be taken as additional spiritual treatment, along with any prescription medication and/or counseling. It is essential that depression and other mental health concerns be treated by a professional.

Dua # 1: For ease

When you find things going tough, recite this dua as much as you can. It reminds us that Allah can make complicated things easy for us.

Dua: Allahumma laa sahla illaa maa ja’altahu sahlaa wa anta taj’alus sa’ba in shi’ta sahlaa

اللّهُـمَّ لا سَـهْلَ إِلاّ ما جَعَلـتَهُ سَهـلاً، وَأَنْتَ تَجْـعَلُ الْحَـزَنَ إِذا شِـئْتَ سَهـْلاً

O Allah, nothing is easy except what you make accessible, and You can make what is difficult easy if You wish.

Dua # 2: Take care of my affairs

Allah is the Possessor of All Affairs. He is the Only One who can take care of our relationships. What this dua reminds is to put our trust in Allah and that He will make a way out of your difficulty and trials. This dua may help to reduce some of the burden of stress we may be holding.

Dua: Allaahumma rahmataka arjoo falaa takilnee ilaa nafsee tarfata ‘ayn. wa aslih lee sha’nee kullah. Laa ilaaha illaa Ant.

اللَّهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُو فَلا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْن، ٍ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ لا إِلَهََإِلاَّ أَنْتَ.

‘O Allah, it is Your mercy that I hope for, so do not leave me in charge of my affairs even for a blink of an eye and rectify for me all of my affairs. None has the right to be worshipped except You.’

Dua #3: Acknowledge Allah’s might

In al-Saheehayn it was reported from Ibn ‘Abbaas that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say when he felt distressed or depression or was worried:

Dua:  La ilaaha ill-Allaah al-‘Azeem ul-Haleem, Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah Rabb il-‘arsh il-‘azeem, Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah Rabb is-samawaati wa Rabb il-ard wa Rabb il-‘arsh il-kareem

لا إِلَهََ إِلاَّ اللهُ العَظِيْمُ الحَلِيْمُ، لا إِلَهََ إِلاَّ اللهُ رَبُّ العَرْشِ العَظِيْمِ، لا إِلَهَ~َ إِلاَّ اللهُ رَبُّ السَّمَوَاتِ وَرَبُّ الأَرْضِ وَرَبُّ العَرْشِ الكَرِيْمِ

‘None has the right to be worshipped except Allah Forbearing. None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, Lord of the magnificent throne. None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, Lord of the heavens, Lord of the Earth and Lord of the noble throne.’ (Al-Bukhari 8/154, Muslim 4/2092)

Dua #4: When you are upset

It was reported from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say when something upset him:

Dua: Yaa Hayyu yaa Qayyoom, bi Rahmatika astagheeth

يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيثُ 

“O Alive and everlasting One, I beseech You by Your mercy.” (Mustadrak Hakim)

Dua #5 : When you are distressed and worried

It was reported that Asmaa’ bint ‘Umays (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to me: “Shall I not teach you some words to say when you feel distressed, Depression and Worried?

Dua: Allaah, Allaah, Rabbee laa ushriku bihi shay’an’

اللَّهُ اللَّهُ رَبِّي لَا أُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئَاً 

“Allah is my Lord, I do not ascribe anything unto Him.” (Abu Dawud 2/87. See also Al-Albani, Sahih Ibn Majah 2/335).

Dua #6: Quran for grief

It was reported from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No person suffers any anxiety or grief, and says:

Dua: Allaahumma innee ‘abduka wa ibn ‘abdika wa ibn amatika, naasiyati bi yadika, maadin fiyya hukmuka, ‘adlun fiyya qadaa’uka, as’aluka bi kulli ismin huwa laka sammayta bihi nafsaka aw anzaltahu fi kitaabika aw ‘allamtahu ahadan min khalqika aw ista’tharta bihi fi ‘ilm il-ghaybi ‘andak an taj’ala al-Qur’aana rabee’ qalbi wa noor sadri wa jalaa’a huzni wa dhahaaba hammi

للّهُـمَّ إِنِّي عَبْـدُكَ ابْنُ عَبْـدِكَ ابْنُ أَمَتِـكَ نَاصِيَتِي بِيَـدِكَ، مَاضٍ فِيَّ حُكْمُكَ، عَدْلٌ فِيَّ قَضَاؤكَ أَسْأَلُـكَ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَكَ سَمَّـيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ أِوْ أَنْزَلْتَـهُ فِي كِتَابِكَ، أَوْ عَلَّمْـتَهُ أَحَداً مِنْ خَلْقِـكَ أَوِ اسْتَـأْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الغَيْـبِ عِنْـدَكَ أَنْ تَجْـعَلَ القُرْآنَ رَبِيـعَ قَلْبِـي، وَنورَ صَـدْرِي وجَلَاءَ حُـزْنِي وذَهَابَ هَمِّـي

Translation: O Allah, I am Your slave, son of Your slave, son of Your female slave, my forelock is in Your hand, Your command over me is forever executed, and Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every Name belonging to You which You named Yourself with. Or revealed in Your Book, or You taught to any of Your creation, or You have preserved in the knowledge of the unseen with You, that You make the Quran the life of my heart and the light of my breast, and a departure for my sorrow and a release for my anxiety.

Again, these duas for depression are to be taken as supplementary remedies coupled with other forms of treatment, if necessary. These duas for depression can help us manage our stress, depression, worry, anxiety, etc. by reminding us that Allah (SWT) is in control of all of our affairs, He is All-Powerful, All-Merciful and through His help, anything is possible, including recovery from depression.

May Allah grant us great mental, physical, and spiritual health. May Allah (SWT) make our affairs easy for us. Ameen