This authentic Prophetic du‘a brings together several pressures that often feed into one another: worry about what may happen, grief over what has happened, feeling unable to act, laziness, fear, miserliness, heavy debt and being overpowered by people.
Arabic
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْجُبْنِ وَالْبُخْلِ، وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ، وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ
Transliteration
Allahumma inni a‘udhu bika minal-hammi wal-hazan, wal-‘ajzi wal-kasal, wal-jubni wal-bukhl, wa dala‘id-dayn, wa ghalabatir-rijal.
Meaning
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from worry and grief, incapacity and laziness, cowardice and miserliness, the burden of debt and being overpowered by people.
Why these problems are mentioned together
The wording is striking because it does not treat human difficulty as one-dimensional. Emotional pressure can affect action. Inaction can make practical problems worse. Financial pressure can increase worry. Fear can stop a person taking the steps they know they need to take.
The du‘a teaches us to seek Allah’s protection from the whole pattern, not just one symptom of it.
Worry and grief
Worry can pull the mind into the future, while grief can keep it fixed on loss or pain from the past. The believer asks Allah for protection from being consumed by either.
Incapacity and laziness
Sometimes a person genuinely lacks ability, and sometimes ability exists but motivation is weak. The supplication seeks protection from both conditions.
Fear and miserliness
Fear can stop necessary action, while miserliness can stop a person giving or using resources in a good way.
Debt and pressure from people
Heavy debt can become an exhausting burden. The du‘a also asks protection from being dominated or overpowered by others.
Du‘a and practical action belong together
Making this supplication does not mean ignoring the practical causes of distress. If debt is the problem, write down the numbers, contact creditors where appropriate, reduce avoidable spending and seek trustworthy financial advice. If grief is affecting daily life, speak to people you trust and get qualified support when needed. If laziness is the issue, reduce the size of the task and start with one action you can complete today.
Du‘a is not an excuse to become passive. It is part of turning to Allah while taking responsible steps with the means available to you.
Say it slowly, identify which phrase describes your current pressure most closely, then choose one practical step that matches that problem.
When can you say it?
The hadith records that the Prophet ﷺ used to make this supplication. Because the wording is broad, it is suitable whenever these pressures are present and can also be learned as part of regular personal du‘a.
Match the du‘a with the problem you are facing
It can help to read the supplication as a set of prompts rather than one undivided sentence. If worry is dominating your thoughts, ask what responsible action is actually available today. If grief is heavy, give yourself space to process loss while continuing to turn to Allah. If incapacity or laziness is the issue, separate what you genuinely cannot do from what you are postponing. If debt is the pressure, move from vague fear to a clear picture of what is owed and what the next practical step is.
This does not reduce du‘a to a productivity technique. The heart of the supplication is seeking refuge with Allah. The practical step simply stops us using worship as a reason to avoid the means that are available to us.
Common questions
Is this specifically a dua for anxiety?
The hadith wording includes worry and grief but also several other difficulties. It is better to understand the full supplication rather than reducing it to a single modern label.
Can I say the du‘a while also seeking professional or financial help?
Yes. Seeking Allah’s help and using lawful practical means are not opposites. If a problem needs medical, psychological, legal or financial expertise, use appropriately qualified support alongside your worship.
Does saying the du‘a guarantee that debt or distress disappears immediately?
The narration teaches us to seek refuge in Allah from these difficulties. It should not be turned into a promise of an instant result or a substitute for responsible action.
Related learning
You may also find our guides on Tawakkul, what to do when faith feels low and how to make du‘a useful.
Primary reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 6369.
