Dua for depression, and for sadness and grief

Feeling low for a long time is not a sign of weak faith. The Prophets felt deep grief, and the Prophet ﷺ taught duas for sadness and distress that you can say anywhere. Say them, and talk to a doctor too: depression is a real illness, and treatment is part of trusting Allah. If you are thinking of harming yourself, call your local emergency number now.

Dua 1: For deep sadness

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي عَبْدُكَ، ابْنُ عَبْدِكَ، ابْنُ أَمَتِكَ، نَاصِيَتِي بِيَدِكَ، مَاضٍ فِيَّ حُكْمُكَ، عَدْلٌ فِيَّ قَضَاؤُكَ، أَسْأَلُكَ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَكَ، سَمَّيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ، أَوْ أَنْزَلْتَهُ فِي كِتَابِكَ، أَوْ عَلَّمْتَهُ أَحَدًا مِنْ خَلْقِكَ، أَوِ اسْتَأْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ عِنْدَكَ، أَنْ تَجْعَلَ الْقُرْآنَ رَبِيعَ قَلْبِي، وَنُورَ صَدْرِي، وَجِلَاءَ حُزْنِي، وَذَهَابَ هَمِّي

Allāhumma innī ʿabduk, ibnu ʿabdik, ibnu amatik, nāṣiyatī bi-yadik, māḍin fiyya ḥukmuk, ʿadlun fiyya qaḍāʾuk. Asʾaluka bi-kulli-smin huwa lak, sammayta bihī nafsak, aw anzaltahū fī kitābik, aw ʿallamtahū aḥadan min khalqik, awistaʾtharta bihī fī ʿilmil-ghaybi ʿindak, an tajʿalal-Qurʾāna rabīʿa qalbī, wa nūra ṣadrī, wa jalāʾa ḥuznī, wa dhahāba hammī

O Allah, I am Your servant, the son of Your servant, the son of Your maidservant. My forelock is in Your hand, Your command over me is done, and Your decree for me is just. I ask You by every name that is Yours, with which You named Yourself, or revealed in Your Book, or taught to any of Your creation, or kept with You in the knowledge of the unseen, to make the Quran the spring of my heart, the light of my chest, the removal of my sadness and the end of my worry.

Musnad Ahmad and Sahih Ibn Hibban, from Ibn Mas'ud, graded sahih by Ahmad Shakir and al-Albani

Dua 2: The dua of the distressed

اللَّهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُو، فَلَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ، وَأَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ، لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ

Allāhumma raḥmataka arjū, fa lā takilnī ilā nafsī ṭarfata ʿayn, wa aṣliḥ lī shaʾnī kullah, lā ilāha illā ant

O Allah, it is Your mercy I hope for, so do not leave me to myself even for the blink of an eye, and set right all my affairs. There is no god but You.

Sunan Abi Dawud 5090, graded hasan

Dua 3: In a moment of distress

اللَّهُ اللَّهُ رَبِّي، لَا أُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا

Allāhu Allāhu rabbī, lā ushriku bihī shayʾā

Allah, Allah is my Lord. I do not associate anything with Him. (The Prophet ﷺ taught it to Asma bint Umays for times of distress.)

Sunan Abi Dawud 1525, graded sahih

Dua 4: The words of Yaqub

إِنَّمَآ أَشْكُوا۟ بَثِّى وَحُزْنِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ

Innamā ashkū baththī wa ḥuznī ilallāh

I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah.

Quran 12:86, translation by Sahih International

Dua 5: A promise to hold on to

فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا ۝ إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًۭا

Fa-inna maʿal-ʿusri yusrā. Inna maʿal-ʿusri yusrā.

For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.

Quran 94:5-6, translation by Sahih International

Our teachers will check the Arabic and transliteration on this page before launch.

Guide

When and how to say it

Dua and treatment go together

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Allah has not sent down a disease without sending down a cure for it."¹ Depression is an illness that affects the mind and the body. Making dua does not replace seeing a doctor, and seeing a doctor does not mean your trust in Allah is weak. Talk to your doctor, a counsellor or a therapist, and take medicine if it is prescribed. Many Muslim counsellors understand faith and mental health together. For more, read depression and sadness in Islam.

If you are in crisis

If you are thinking about suicide or harming yourself, please call your local emergency number now. In the US you can call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In the UK you can call Samaritans on 116 123. Tell someone you trust today. You are not a burden, and this pain can get better.

Is depression a sign of weak iman?

No. Prophet Yaqub grieved for Yusuf until "his eyes became white from grief" (12:84, translation by Sahih International), and he said the words of Dua 4. When the Prophet's ﷺ son Ibrahim was dying, his eyes filled with tears and he said: "The eye sheds tears and the heart grieves, and we say only what pleases our Lord."² Sadness is human. Bring it to Allah, and get the help you need.

Small steps that help

Keep to the prayers as best you can, even if they feel heavy. Allah sees the effort.
Say the morning and evening adhkar; they are short and steady.
Listen to the Quran when reading feels too hard.
Sleep, eat, go outside and move a little each day, and stay in touch with people who care about you.

Sahih al-Bukhari 5678.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1303.
Musnad Ahmad and Sahih Ibn Hibban, from Ibn Mas'ud, graded sahih by Ahmad Shakir and al-Albani
Sunan Abi Dawud 5090, graded hasan
Sunan Abi Dawud 1525, graded sahih
Quran 12:86, translation by Sahih International
Quran 94:5-6, translation by Sahih International

Questions

Good to know

What is the best dua for depression?

The dua of Ibn Mas'ud's report, Allahumma inni abduk... an taj'alal-Qurana rabi'a qalbi wa jala'a huzni wa dhahaba hammi (Ahmad), and Allahumma rahmataka arju fa la takilni ila nafsi tarfata ayn (Abu Dawud 5090).

Is depression a sin or a sign of weak iman?

No. Prophets felt deep grief, and the Prophet ﷺ wept at his son's death. Depression is an illness. Make dua and get treatment.

Can a Muslim take antidepressants?

Yes. Seeking treatment is part of the Sunnah, and medicine prescribed by a doctor is allowed. Ask your doctor about any ingredient you are unsure of.

What dua do I say when I feel sad?

La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minaz-zalimin (Quran 21:87), Allahu Allahu rabbi la ushriku bihi shay'a (Abu Dawud 1525), and Innama ashku baththi wa huzni ilallah (Quran 12:86).