La ilaha illa anta subhanaka inni kuntu minaz-zalimin.
There is no deity except You. You are beyond all imperfection. I have indeed been among those who did wrong.
Allahumma inni a‘udhu bika minal-hammi wal-hazan, wal-‘ajzi wal-kasal, wal-jubni wal-bukhl, wa dala‘id-dayni, wa ghalabatir-rijal.
O Allah, I seek Your protection from worry and grief, helplessness and laziness, cowardice and stinginess, the weight of debt, and being overpowered by people.
What the selected words address
Sahih al-Bukhari 6369 includes refuge from worry and grief alongside other burdens, including debt and being overpowered. Its breadth reflects pressures that can affect a person’s ability to function.
The Quranic prayer of Yunus in 21:87 acknowledges Allah’s oneness and the speaker’s wrongdoing in its original story. It should not be used to tell every anxious person that their symptoms prove a personal sin.
Using dua during a difficult moment
Choose a short understood request and give yourself time to say it calmly. You do not need to finish a lengthy collection when distressed or treat speed and repetition as a test of faith.
The sources here do not provide a clinical diagnosis or a guaranteed timetable for relief. An ongoing struggle is not evidence that the person has failed to pray correctly.
Getting practical support
Tell a trusted person what you are experiencing and seek professional help when symptoms are persistent or interfere with life. The NHS anxiety guidance describes anxiety as something for which support and treatment are available.
Do not stop prescribed care because a recitation is presented as a substitute. If you feel in immediate danger or unable to keep yourself safe, use local emergency or crisis support.
Common questions
Is anxiety always a spiritual problem? This page makes no such diagnosis. Is one fixed count a treatment? No treatment count is established here. Can I combine dua with therapy or medicine? Spiritual support can accompany appropriate care. How is grief different? The sadness and grief page addresses loss and emotional distress without assuming every experience is the same.