The BEST Dua For Depression
Depression has become one of the most common mental illnesses of our time. After the global pandemic, with lockdowns and ensuing loneliness, there was a pronounced uptick in prolonged low mood. This mood disorder can have devastating consequences; from low productivity through to suicidal ideation.
But does Islam tell us how we can deal with mental health issues like depression? Of course, there are duas, or supplications, we can turn to in times of distress, taken from the Holy Qur'an and ahadith from the times of our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
The best dua for depression 😩
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 وَجَلَاءَ حُزْنِي وَذَهَابَ هَمِّي
Transliteration: Allahumma inni 'abduka, ibnu 'abdika, ibnu amatika, nasiyati biyadika, madin fiyya hukmuka, 'adlun fiyya qada'uka, as'aluka bi kulli ismin huwa laka, sammaita bihi nafsaka, aw anzaltahu fi kitabika, aw 'allamtahu ahadan min khalqika, aw ista'tharta bihi fi 'ilmil ghaybi 'indaka, an taj'ala al-Qurana rabee'a qalbi, wa noora sadri, wa jalaa'a huzni, wa dhahaba hammi
Translation: "O Allah, I am Your servant, son of Your servant, son of Your maidservant, 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 have 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 chest, and a departure for my sorrow and a release for my anxiety."
It was said that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) recited this lengthy dua during times of severe distress, and this was graded as authentic. This supplication highlights our ultimate surrender to the will of God. We recognise that it is only Him who can reduce anxiety and cure sorrow.
5 more duas to make to help with depression 🤲
1. Dua for easing burden
رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ ۖ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا ۚ أَنْتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ
Transliteration: Rabbana la tu'akhidhna in nasina aw akhta'na. Rabbana wa la tahmil alayna isran kama hamaltahu 'ala alladhina min qablina. Rabbana wa la tuhammilna ma la taqata lana bihi. Wa'fu anna, waghfir lana warhamna, anta mawlana fansurna 'ala alqawmi alkafireen
Translation: "Our Lord, do not take us to task if we forget or make a mistake. Our Lord, do not burden us as You have burdened those before us. Our Lord, do not impose upon us that which we do not have the strength to bear. Pardon us, forgive us, have mercy on us. You are our Lord and Master, so help us against the disbelieving people."
This dua comes from Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 286, and asks Allah not to burden us at all. We also ask Allah not to give us more than a soul can bear. This acknowledges Allah's promise that He will not push us to breaking point, so long as we turn to Him and remember Him in challenging times.
2. Dua for relief from worry
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
Transliteration: La ilaha illa anta, Subhanaka, Inni kuntu minaz-zalimin
Translation: "There is no deity except You; exalted are You. Indeed, I have been of the wrongdoers."
Taken from Surah Al-Anbiya, recited by Prophet Younus (AS) during times of extreme stress, this dua affirms that there is no God but Allah (part of a Muslim's Shahadah) and that it is He who can cure any affliction, regardless of our own inevitable shortcomings.
3. Dua for seeking relief
يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيثُ
Transliteration: Ya Hayyu, Ya Qayyum, bi-Rahmatika astagheeth
Translation: "O Living, O Sustaining, in Your mercy, I seek relief."
This simple dua, recorded in Al-Bukhari, is our supplication to ask God to relieve us of any hardships.
4. Dua for behaving foolishly
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَضِلَّ أَوْ أُضَلَّ، أَوْ أَزِلَّ أَوْ أُزَلَّ، أَوْ أَظْلِمَ أَوْ أُظْلَمَ، أَوْ أَجْهَلَ أَوْ يُجْهَلَ عَلَىَّ
Transliteration: Allahumma inni a'udhu bika an adilla, aw udalla, aw azilla, aw uzalla, aw azlima, aw uzlama, aw ajhala, aw yujhala 'alay
Translation: "O Allah, I take refuge in You from misleading or being misled, or slipping or being caused to slip, or doing injustice or being done injustice to, or behaving foolishly or being treated foolishly."
In times of darkness, it can be easy to start thinking negatively and fill your mind with dark thoughts. This dua asks Allah to prevent us from behaving foolishly as well as pleading with Allah to make sure we are not suffering from any injustice.
5. Dua for ease
اللَّهُمَّ لَا سَهْلَ إِلَّا مَا جَعَلْتَهُ سَهْلًا وَأَنْتَ تَجْعَلُ الْحَزَنَ إِذَا شِئْتَ سَهْلًا
Transliteration: Allahumma la sahla illa ma ja'altahu sahla, wa 'anta taj'alul hazna idha shi'ta sahla
Translation: "O Allah, there is no ease except in that which You have made easy, and You make difficulty, if You wish, easy."
In Islam we know that with hardship comes ease. This staple belief means that we know Allah will not overburden any soul and can make any difficult situation become easy by His will alone.
More health-related duas
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