11 Best Dua For Difficult Times and Hard Times in Arabic & English
Allah knows what’s best for us, even when life gets tough. As believers, learning about our faith helps us trust that Allah’s decisions are perfect and fair. Life has good and bad times, but it’s all a test. So, we should always stay hopeful and positive.
Here are some dua from the Prophet that you can say every morning and evening to help you through difficult times. Saying these duas can change your life for the better!
1. Dua For Difficult Times in Arabic
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ، وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ، وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ، وَضَلَعِ الدَّيْنِ، وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ
Transliteration
The dua is transliterated as allahumma innee a’udhu bika minal-hammi walhazani, wal’ajzi walkasali, walbukhli waljubni, wa dhala’id-dayni wa ghalabatir-rijaal.
Meaning in English
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from grief and sadness, from weakness and laziness, from miserliness and cowardice, from being overcome by debt and overpowered by men [people].
Reported by al-Bukhari 2893
Try to say this special dua every day, unless you forget. It will help keep you safe from:
- Feeling hopeless
- Sadness and anxiety
- Laziness and lack of motivation
- Weak faith
The Prophet (PBUH) said this prayer often, and his friends heard him repeat it many times. It’s a prayer asking Allah to protect you during tough times. You’re asking Allah to:
- Keep you safe from sadness and weakness
- Give you strength and courage
- Protect you from debt and people who might harm you
This prayer asks for Allah’s help to make you strong and resilient, so you can handle life’s challenges.
2. Dua
اللَّهُمَّ اكْفِنِي بِحَلَالِكَ عَنْ حَرَامِكَ وَأَغْنِنِي بِفَضْلِكَ عَمَّنْ سِوَاكَ
Transliteration
Allahumm-akfini bihalalika ‘an haramika, wa aghnini bifadlika ‘amman siwaka.
Meaning
O Allah! Grant me enough of what You make lawful so that I may dispense with what You make unlawful, and enable me by Your Grace to dispense with all but You.
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi 5/650 No. 3563,
This dua is especially helpful when you’re struggling with debt or job loss. When you say this dua, you’re asking Allah to:
- Provide for you in a way that’s permissible and lawful
- Give you enough to meet your needs, so you don’t have to rely on forbidden means
- Help you become independent and self-sufficient through His grace
- Allow you to rely only on Him, and not on anyone or anything else
This prayer shows your desire to have lawful sustenance and your trust in Allah’s provision and grace.
READ ALSO: 7 Powerful Dua For Debt In Meaning and Arabic
3. Dua
اللَّهُمَّ رَحْمَتَكَ أَرْجُو فَلَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَا أَنْتَ
Transliteration
Allahumma rahmataka arju fala takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘aynin wa aslih li sha’ni kullahu la ilaha ila anta.
Meaning
O Allah, I hope for Your mercy. Do not leave me to myself even for a blink of an eye. Correct all of my affairs for me. There is none worthy of worship except You.
The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) taught this prayer to his daughter Fatima (RA) to say in the mornings and evenings, especially when facing hard times. When you say this dua, you’re asking Allah to:
- Guide you and not leave you to handle things on your own
- Help you recognize your mistakes and limitations, and seek His wisdom
- Trust in His guidance to manage your life’s challenges
Saying this prayer in times of distress brings comfort, knowing that Allah’s mercy is always available, and He will take care of your problems.”
Note: “SAW” stands for “peace be upon him” and “RA” stands for “may Allah be pleased with her”.
4. Dua
اللّهُمَّ لا سَهْلَ إلا ما جَعَلْتَهُ سَهْلا وَأنتَ تَجْعَلُ الحَزْنَ إذا شِئْتَ سَهْلا
Transliteration
Allahumma la sahla illa maa ja’altahu sahlan, wa Anta taj’alu l-hazna idha shi’ta sahla.
Meaning
O Allah! There is no ease except that which You make easy, and indeed You, when You want, make difficulties easy.
5. Dua
لا إلهَ إلا اللهُ العَليمُ الحَليم لا إلهَ إلا اللهُ ربُّ العَرْشِ العَظِيْم لا إلهَ إلا اللهُ ربُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَرَبُّ الأَرْضِ ربُّ العَرْشِ الكَرِيْم
Transliteration
La ilaha illa Allahu l-Alimu l-Halim. La ilaha illa Allahu Rabbu l-Arshi l-Azim. La ilaha illa Allahu Rabbu s-samawati wa Rabbu l-ardi wa Rabbu l-Arshi l-Karim.
Meaning
There is no deity but Allah, the Knowing, the Clement. There is no deity but Allah, Lord of the Magnificent Throne. There is no deity but Allah, Lord of the heavens and Lord of the earth and Lord of the Noble Throne.
6. Dua
حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لَآ إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ
Transliteration
Hasbiyallaahu laa ‘ilaaha ‘illaa Huwa ‘alayhi tawakkaltu wa Huwa Rabbul- ‘Arshil -‘Adheem.
Meaning
Allah is sufficient for me. There is none worthy of worship but Him. I have placed my trust in Him, He is Lord of the Majestic Throne.
7. Dua
يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّوْمُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيْث
Transliteration: Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyum! Bi rahmatika astagheeth!
Meaning: O Living and Eternal Sustainer! By Your mercy I seek relief!
Saying this dua is to seek relief, assistance, and salvation from danger or distress. When the Prophet PBUH would be afflicted with a stressful trial, he would say the above dua.
8. Dua
لا إلهَ إلا أنتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظّالِمِيْنَ
Transliteration: La ilaha illa Anta, Subhanaka, inni kuntu mina z-zalimin.
Meaning: There is no deity but You. Glory be to You! Verily, I have been among the wrongdoers.
This is the supplication of Prophet Yunus A.S who called on Allah SWT while he was in the belly of the whale. The Prophet PBUH said:
“No Muslim person says it, for any situation whatsoever, except that Allah Most High answers his call.” – (Tirmidhi)
9. Dua
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: to Asma’ bint `Umays (may Allah be pleased with her), “Shall I not teach you some words which you can say at times of distress and hardship?
اللَّهُ اللَّهُ رَبِّي لاَ أُشْرِكُ بِهِ شَيْئًا
Transliteration: Allahu Allahu rabbi la ushriku bihi shay’an.
Meaning: Allah is my Lord, I do not associate anything with Him.
Narrated by Abu Dawud 1525
10. Dua
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to teach his Companions to say these words when they felt afraid:
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّةِ مِنْ غَضَبِهِ وَشَرِّ عِبَادِهِ وَمِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ وَأَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ
Transliteration
A’udhu bi kalimat-illah il-tammati min ghadabihi wa min sharri `ibadihi wa min hamazat Ash-shayatini wa an yahdurun.
Meaning
I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from His wrath and from the evil of His slaves and from the evil promptings of the devils and from their presence.
Narrated by Abu Dawud 3893
We need to accept that these trials are either:
- An expiation for our sins.
- A means of raising our status in the sight of our Lord.
- It can be a form of spiritual elevation.
- A means of attaining closeness to Allah SWT.
- It may be needed for us to grow as human beings.
The scholars have mentioned that our trials are:
- Filled with subtle blessings that we do not perceive, but are nevertheless there.
- That we should put our trust in Allah SWT and accept His decree while fully striving to alleviate our difficult situation.
- That we should focus on being content with Allah’s Qadr by seeking His reward and remaining steadfast in our faith.
- Reminding ourselves that our situation could always be so much worse.
- Remembering that the tribulations and sufferings in this world are pale compared to the eternity and what will befall us after death.
- Sometimes, the suffering in this world can be a guide of how little we will be able to bear the sufferings of the next world.
Allah SWT Says:
“Perhaps you may hate something, yet it proves better for you” (Quran 2:216).
The Prophet SAW confirmed this when he said:
“How amazing is the believer’s affair! Allah decrees nothing for the servant except that it is good for him.” – (Ahmad)
The Sahaba, Umar R.A. highlighted some the blessings of trials when he said,
“I was never afflicted with a trial except that with it Allah gave me four blessings: it was not in my religion; I was not barred from being content; it was not worse than it was; and I hoped for reward through it.”
Ibn Al-Qayyim defined dua as:
“Asking what is of benefit to the person, and asking the removal of what is harming him, or the repelling of it (before it inflicts him).
